NOAA Fisheries is exchanging flathead sole and rock sole Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Reserves the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2015 total allowable catch (TAC) of yellowfin sole by Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
This action decreases the TAC and CDQ reserves and increases the CDQ ABC reserves for flathead sole by 100 mt and rock sole by 450 mt, and increases the TAC and CDQ reserves and decreases the CDQ ABC reserves for yellowfin sole by 550 mt.
The changes to Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for groundfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) and inseason adjustments can be found at Tables 11 and 13.
Fishermen are reminded that all actions and closures remain in full force and effect. This reallocation does not rescind or modify closures to directed fishing or actions prohibiting retention of a groundfish species.
This information bulletin only provides notice of a fishery management action. For the purposes of complying with any requirements of this action, you are advised to see the actual text of the action in the Federal Register.
