Amendment 2 to the FMP for the Salmon Fisheries Off Alaska

The Acting Administrator, NOAA Fisheries, has initially approved Amendment No. 2 to the fishery management plan for the High Seas Salmon Fishery Off the Coast of Alaska East of 175 Degrees East Longitude. NOAA Fisheries issues emergency regulations under Section 305 of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to implement the amendment on an interim basis with a request for comments to aid in the development of final rules. These regulations reduce the Southeast Alaska catch of Chinook salmon, facilitate data collection, distribute the burden of conservation more equitably between hand trollers and power trollers, and coordinate Federal regulations with State of Alaska salmon regulations. Amendment No. 2 and these regulations will contribute to the rebuilding of Chinook salmon stocks, increase salmon production, and provide long-term positive net economic benefits to the Southeast Alaska and other Pacific Coast salmon fisheries.