Monday November 27, 2023
Alaska Native News —
NOAA Fisheries is issuing a final rule to implement Amendment 123 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. The final rule establishes abundance-based management of Amendment 80 trawl sector prohibited species catch limit for Pacific halibut.
The Amendment 80 sector is a fleet of nearly 20 trawl catcher-processor vessels in the Bering Sea that target:
- Pacific cod
- Pacific Ocean perch
- Atka mackerel
- Rock, yellowfin, and flathead sole
This action was recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council at its December 2021 meeting. It minimizes halibut prohibited species catch to the extent practicable without compromising the ability to attain optimum yield in these fisheries.
Pacific halibut is fully allocated in Alaska as a target species in subsistence, personal use, recreational, and commercial halibut fisheries. Halibut has significant social, cultural, and economic importance to fishery participants and communities throughout its geographical range.