Amendment 36 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan: Limited Entry Fixed Gear Follow-On Actions

The rule to implement Amendment 36 includes management measures that apply to vessels registered to limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) endorsed permits and LEFG permit owners in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. Specifically, NMFS is: 1) adding flexibility to the LEFG permits’ gear endorsements; 2) removing the base permit designation of LEFG permits; 3) removing the start and end times (i.e., hours of the day) for the open dates of the primary sablefish season; and 4) developing a cost recovery program for the LEFG primary sablefish fishery. The purpose of this action is to provide increased flexibility to LEFG participants while reducing administrative burdens, and to develop a cost recovery program to meet the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.