Amendment 39 to the FMP for the Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

NOAA Fisheries issues a final rule implementing part of Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Amendment 41 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. These amendments, submitted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council establish the License Limitation Program (LLP).

The LLP limits the number, size, and specific operation of vessels that may be deployed in the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska, except for demersal shelf rockfish east of 140 deg. W. long. and sablefish managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. The LLP also limits the number, size, and specific operation of vessels that may be deployed in the crab fisheries managed pursuant to the Fishery Management Plan for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.