The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is opening directed fishing for non-individual fishing quota (IFQ) sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea subarea and the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI), effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, May 1, 2024, according to Jonathan M. Kurland, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
This action is necessary to fully use the 2024 sablefish total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to trawl gear in the Bering Sea subarea and the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and (a)(2)(iii)(D). This opening does not apply to fishing by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector.
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.
