Changes to Pacific Halibut Fisheries Catch Sharing Plan

NOAA Fisheries proposes to approve and implement changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California, not previously implemented by the Commission.

Changes include Tribal regulations and the sport fishery allocations and management measures for Area 2A. These actions are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut, to provide greater angler opportunity where available, and to protect overfished groundfish species from being incidentally caught in the halibut fisheries.

Comments on the proposed changes to the Plan and on the proposed domestic Area 2A halibut management measures must be received no later than 5 p.m., local time on February 2, 2011. For more information or to submit a comment, visit:

http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/01/18/2011-934/pacific-halibut-fisheries-catch-sharing-plan

source: NOAA Fish News