IB 01-49: NMFS Intends to Prohibit Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Specified Vessels on June 10

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to prohibit directed fishing for Pacific cod on June 10, 2001, in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels equal to or greater than 60 ft length overall using hook-and-line or pot gear, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS. These closures will not affect vessels fishing for BSAI Pacific cod under the Western Alaska Community Development Program.

This action is necessary to prohibit directed fishing for Pacific cod by specified vessels until subsequent interim rulemaking is implemented by mid July 2001 to establish new fishing seasons for the Pacific cod fisheries and other Steller sea lion protection measures for the second half of 2001. The Pacific cod directed fishing closures are necessary to prohibit certain Pacific cod fisheries, which currently are authorized to start on June 10, 2001, and are intended to provide for orderly implementation of Steller Sea lion protection measures for the second half of 2001. These measures currently are being reviewed by NMFS and would not be implemented before early July 2001. This emergency rule prohibition on fishing for Pacific cod also would minimize the potential in summer months of unacceptably high bycatch rates of salmon in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) trawl fisheries and of Pacific halibut in the GOA Pacific cod fisheries and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) hook-and-line gear fisheries for Pacific cod.

NMFS also reminds participants in the GOA and BSAI directed fisheries for pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel that on June 10,2001, new closure areas will become effective that were established by emergency rule earlier this year (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001). These closures are described in regulations at 50 CFR 679.22(a)(11)(v), (a)(12)(v), and (b)(3)(iv) and are effective until July 17, 2001, or until revised by new rulemaking, which ever occurs first. Current regulations and the January 22 emergency rule are available on the Alaska Region's website.

This information bulletin provides notice of an intended regulatory change. Do not rely upon it to guide you in complying with the future regulatory change.