Amendment 59 to the FMP for the Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area

NOAA Fisheries issues regulations to implement Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and to make changes to the regulations governing the Individual Fishing Quota commercial fishery and halibut sport fishery. This action designates an unusually productive and fragile 2.5 square nautical mile area of habitat as the Sitka Pinnacles Marine Reserve and closes this area to groundfish fishing and anchoring by commercial groundfish vessels, to halibut fishing and anchoring by IFQ halibut fishing vessels, to sport fishing for halibut, and to anchoring by any vessel if halibut is on board. The intent of this action is to protect an area containing important fish habitat from the effects of fishing and anchoring and to create a groundfish reserve.