Regulatory Impact Review for a Regulatory Amendment to Limit Access by all Federally Permitted Vessels to the BSAI Pacific Cod Parallel State Waters Fishery

The amendment would prohibit Federally-permitted hook-and-line (HAL), pot, and trawl gear vessels from participating in the Bering Sea (BS) and Aleutian Island (AI) Pacific cod parallel fisheries unless they have a License Limitation Program (LLP) license with the correct LLP endorsements and a Federal Fisheries Permit (FFP) with the correct endorsements. The amendment would require the above Federally-permitted and licensed vessels that fish in the parallel fishery to adhere to federal sector and seasonal BSAI Pacific cod closures. The amendment would also restrict those vessels from surrendering and later reapplying for the FFP within a specified time period or modifying the endorsements on an FFP after issuance by NMFS. The amendment is intended to ensure robust catch accounting. It is also intended to prevent all HAL, pot, and trawl gear vessels from circumventing the intent of previous Council decisions regarding license limitation and sector allocations when participating in the BS and AI Pacific cod parallel fisheries while also recognizing that the parallel fishery is available to jig vessels and new entrants who do not have Federal fishery permits but wish to participate in the parallel fishery.