IB 04-8: NMFS Reminds Vessels Registered For Directed Fishing For Atka Mackerel In Harvest Limit Areas Of Prohibitions

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is reminding owners and operators of registered vessels fishing for the Atka mackerel fishery in harvest limit areas (HLA) 542 or 543 of the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) of prohibitions pursuant to 50 CFR 679.7(a)(19).

Under this prohibition, a vessel assigned to the first HLA directed fishery in area 542 or 543, in accordance with 50 CFR 679.20(a)(8)(iii), may not fish for groundfish in any other location other than their assigned HLA directed fishery for Atka mackerel during the opening of the first HLA directed fishery assigned to the vessel in a season.

This information bulletin serves as a reminder of the prohibitions to fishing for groundfish by vessels assigned to the HLA Atka mackerel fishery pursuant to 50 CFR 679.7(a)(19).