Final Finding of No Significant Impact for a Regulatory Amendment to Limit Access by Federally Permitted Pot and Hook-and-Line Catcher/Processors to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod Parallel State Waters Fishery

The regulatory amendment would reduce Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands parallel fisheries catches of Pacific cod by pot and hook-and-line catcher/processors. It would prevent any of these vessels that hold a federal fishing permit from participating in parallel fisheries for Pacific cod without the appropriate FFP and license limitation program licenses and endorsements required for participating in the corresponding federal fisheries. All pot or hook-and-line catcher/processors fishing for groundfish in the BSAI would be required to adhere to seasonal closures of Pacific cod. These regulations would also preclude pot or hook-and-line catcher/processors from reactivating a surrendered FFP within the 3-year term of the permit.