Rulemaking to Implement Amendment 19 to Describe and Protect Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat

Amendment 19 provides for a comprehensive program to describe and protect essential fish habitat (EFH) for Pacific Coast Groundfish. The management measures to implement Amendment 19, which are authorized by the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management or Magnuson-Stevens Act), are intended to minimize, to the extent practicable, adverse effects to EFH from fishing. The measures include fishing gear restrictions and prohibitions, areas that are closed to bottom trawling, and areas that are closed to all fishing that contacts the bottom.