Amendment 30 to the FMP for the Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

NOAA Fisheries issues a final rule to implement Amendment 30 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands area and Amendment 34 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and to make regulatory amendments affecting the Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries in and off of the State of Alaska. This action is necessary to raise the sablefish community development quota allocation limit for qualified applicants from 12 percent to 33 percent. It is also necessary to clarify the evidence that may be used to verify vessel leases for the Pacific halibut and sablefish individual fishing quota program. It is intended to allow total allocation of the sablefish CDQ reserve and to provide IFQ program applicants with information about the evidence required for vessel lease verification.