IB 17-41: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod in the Western Aleutian Islands District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod, including for the Community Development Quota program (CDQ), in the Western Aleutian Islands district of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, July 29, 2017, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.  This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the Western Aleutian Islands district Pacific cod harvest limit of the 2017 total allowable catch in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.20(d)(1)(iii). After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable amounts at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip. 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.