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 2016 total allowable catch (TAC) of yellowfin sole by Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, 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 304 metric tons (mt), and rock sole by 245 mt, and increases the TAC and CDQ reserves and decreases the CDQ ABC reserves for yellowfin sole by 549 mt.
The changes to Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016) 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.
