Tomorrow, August 15, 2019, NMFS will publish a proposed rule for implementing regulations related to Amendment 28 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. Public comments on the proposed rule must be received by September 16, 2019.
Amendment 28 would change bottom trawl fishing closures off Washington, Oregon, and California to minimize adverse effects of fishing to Pacific Coast groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH), re-open historically important fishing grounds to bottom trawling, and prohibit fishing with bottom-contacting gear in deep waters off California to protect deep-water habitats, including deep-sea corals. This proposal provides an opportunity for public comment before implementation of any part of this rule.
View the unpublished version of the proposed rule now on the Federal Register website.
The published version of the proposed rule will be linked to the Amendment 28 proposed rule webpage tomorrow. Additional details, including links to the Notice of Availability of the FMP Amendment, and other supporting information, including geo-spatial data are also available on this page.
Submit your public comments, starting tomorrow, via Regulations.gov. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0039, click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Additional information and background on the development of Amendment 28 is available on the Council's Amendment 28 website.
