The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is reapportioning the unused amounts of Pacific cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits to the Pacific cod limited access trawl catcher vessel sector C season in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) according to Jonathan M. Kurland, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
The following table summarizes the reapportionment of halibut PSC limits in metric tons for the Pacific cod fishery:
| BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS SECTOR FISHERIES | CURRENT HALIBUT PSC LIMIT | THIS ACTION | REVISED HALIBUT PSC LIMIT |
| Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program (January 20–June 10) | 220 | -137 | 83 |
| Pacific Cod Trawl Catcher Vessels (June 10–November 1) | 15 | +137 | 152 |
This action is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.131(c)(3), which allows for unused halibut PSC limits to be reapportioned to the trawl catcher vessel sector C season, and is necessary to account for the trawl catcher vessel sector’s C season halibut PSC. Fishermen are reminded that all actions and closures remain in full force and effect. This reapportionment 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 the requirements of this action, you are advised to see the actual text of the action in the Federal Register.
