Wednesday, December 23, 2020

NOAA Adjusts 2021 Total Allowable Catch Amounts for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced this week adjustments in the 2021 total allowable catch amounts for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

According to the National Marine Fisheries Service this action is necessary because the agency has determined that the TACs for BSAI Pollock, Atka mackerel and Pacific cod fisheries are incorrectly specified and the adjustment will ensure that the harvests of these species are the appropriate amounts based on the best available scientific informatio.

In an announcement published on Tuesday, Dec. 22, in the Federal Register, NMFS said this action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for groundfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.

The new TACs will be in effect from Jan. 1, 2021 through the effective date of the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for BSAI groundfish unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a new notification in the Federal Register.

NMFS is accepting comments on this action through Jan. 6. Comments may be submitted via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal by going to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0074, clicking the “Comment Now!” icon, completing the required fields, and entering or attaching those comments.

Comments may also be mailed to Glenn Merrill, assistant regional administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Records, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.

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