# Limited entry fixed gear sablefish primary fishery.
**AGENCY:**
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
**ACTION:**
Final rule; inseason adjustments to biennial groundfish management measures.
**SUMMARY:**
This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. This action, which is authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, is intended to allow commercial fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
**DATES:**
This final rule is effective October 9, 2018.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Karen Palmigiano, phone: 206-526-4491 or email: *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**Electronic Access**
This rule is accessible via the internet at the Office of the Federal Register website at *https://www.federalregister.gov.* Background information and documents are available at the Pacific Fishery Management Council's website at *http://www.pcouncil.org/.*
**Background**
The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP) and its implementing regulations at title 50 in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 660, subparts C through G, regulate fishing for over 90 species of groundfish off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) develops groundfish harvest specifications and management measures for two year periods or biennium. NMFS published the final rule to implement harvest specifications and management measures for the 2017-18 biennium for most species managed under the PCGFMP on February 7, 2017 (82 FR 9634). In general, the management measures are set at the start of the biennial specifications cycle to help the various sectors of the fishery attain, but not exceed, the catch limits for each stock. The Council, in coordination with the States of Washington, Oregon, and California, recommends adjustments to the management measures during the fishing year to achieve this goal.
At its September 7-12, 2018, meeting the Council recommended four adjustments to current management measures, including: (1) Increasing the sablefish trip limits for the limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) fishery north of 36° North latitude (N lat.) and the open access fixed gear (OAFG) fishery north and south of 36° N lat.; (2) increasing the bocaccio trip limits for the LEFG fishery between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat.; (3) transferring Pacific Ocean perch (POP) and darkblotched rockfish from the incidental open access (IOA) set-asides to the set asides for unforeseen catch events for those species; and (4) increasing the incidental halibut retention allowance in the LEFG sablefish primary fishery.
**Sablefish Trip Limit Increases for the LEFG and OA Sablefish DTL Fisheries**
At the September 2018 Council meeting, the Groundfish Management Team (GMT) received requests from industry members and members of the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) to examine the potential to increase sablefish trips limits for the LEFG fishery north of 36° N lat. and the OAFG fisheries north and south of 36° N lat. The intent of increasing trip limits would be to increase harvest opportunities for the LEFG and OAFG sablefish fisheries. To evaluate potential increases to sablefish trip limits, the GMT made model-based landings projections under current regulations and a range of potential sablefish trip limits, include the limits ultimately recommended by the Council, for the LEFG and OAFG sablefish fisheries through the remainder of the year. Table 1 shows the projected sablefish landings, the sablefish allocations, and the projected attainment percentage by fishery under both the current trip limits and the Council's recommended trip limits. These projections were based on the most recent catch information available through August 2018.
| Fishery | Trip limits | Projected landings | Allocation | Projected |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LEFG North of 36° N lat | Current: 1,100 lb/week, not to exceed 3,300 lb/2 month | 174.9-201.9 | 269 | 65-75.1 |
| | Recommended: 1,400 lb/week, not to exceed 4,200 lb/2 month | 193.6-224.3 | | 71.9-83.4 |
| OAFG North of 36° N lat | Current: 300 lb/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 1,000 lb, not to exceed 2,000 lb/2 months | 341-347.5 | 444 | 76.8-78.3 |
| | Recommended: 300 lb/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 1,400 lb, not to exceed 2,800 lbs/2 months | 417.2-427.7 | | 94-96.3 |
| OAFG South of 36° N lat | Current: 300 lb/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 1,600 lb, not to exceed 3,200 lb/2 months | 44.7 | 325 | 13.7 |
| | Recommended: 300 lb/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 1,600 lb, not to exceed 4,800 lbs/2 months | 44.7 | | 13.7 |
As shown in Table 1, under the current trip limits, the model predicts catches of sablefish will be at or below 75 percent for each fishery except the OAFG fishery north of 36° N lat. which may attain just over 78 percent of their sablefish allocation by the end of the year. Under the Council's recommended trip limits, sablefish attainment is projected to increase in the LEFG and OAFG fisheries north of 36° N lat. Due to a lack of participation and variance in trip limits in the OA fishery south of 36° N lat., the model was unable to detect any estimated change in attainment for this fishery even with the proposed increase in trip limits.
Projections for the LEFG sablefish fishery south of 36° N lat. remain low and within the levels anticipated in the 2017-18 harvest specifications and management measures. Industry did not request changes to sablefish trip limits for the LEFG fishery south of 36° N lat. Therefore, NMFS and the Council did not consider trip limit changes for this fishery.
Trip limit increases for sablefish are intended to increase attainment of the non-trawl HG. The proposed trip limit increases do not change projected impacts to co-occurring overfished species compared to the impacts anticipated in the 2017-18 harvest specifications because the projected impacts to those species assume that the entire sablefish ACL is harvested. Therefore, the Council recommended and NMFS is implementing, by modifying Table 2 (North) to part 660, subpart E, trip limit changes for the LEFG sablefish fishery north of 36° N lat. to increase the limits from “1,100 lb (499 kg) per week, not to exceed 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) per two months” to “1,400 lb (635 kg) per week, not to exceed 4,200 lb (1,905 kg) per two months” for period 4 (September and October) and period 5 (November and December).
The Council also recommended and NMFS is implementing, by modifying Table 3 (North and South) to part 660, subpart F, trip limits for sablefish in the OA sablefish DTL fishery north and south of 36° N lat. The trip limits for sablefish in the OA sablefish DTL fishery north of 36° N lat. will increase from “300 lb (136 kg) per day, or one landing per week of up to 1,000 lb (454 kg), not to exceed 2,000 lb (907 kg) per two months” to “300 lb (136 kg) per day, or one landing per week of up to 1,400 lb (590 kg), not to exceed 2,800 lb (1,179 kg) per two months” for period 4 (September and October) and period 5 (November and December). The trip limits for sablefish in the OA sablefish DTL fishery south of 36° N lat. will increase from “300 lb (136 kg) per day, or one landing per week of up to 1,600 lb (454 kg), not to exceed 3,200 lb (907 kg) per two months” to “300 lb (136 kg) per day, or one landing per week of up to 1,600 lb (590 kg), not to exceed 4,800 lb (1,179 kg) per two months” for period 4 (September and October) and period 5 (November and December).
**LEFG Bocaccio Between 40°10′ N Lat. and 34°27′ N Lat. Trip Limits**
Bocaccio is managed with stock-specific harvest specifications south of 40°10′ N lat., but is managed within the Minor Shelf Rockfish complex north of 40°10′ N lat. NMFS declared bocaccio overfished in 1999, and implemented a rebuilding plan for the stock in 2000. Although NMFS declared bocaccio officially rebuilt in 2017, the current harvest specifications are based on the current rebuilding plan. At the September 2018 Council meeting, members of the GAP notified the Council and the GMT of increased interactions with bocaccio for vessels targeting chilipepper rockfish. The low trip limits for bocaccio between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat., coupled with these increased interactions, results in higher bocaccio discard rates in the LEFG fishery. Because the most recent bocaccio attainment estimates suggest that around 4 percent or 16.7 mt of bocaccio will be attained out of the 442.3 mt non-trawl allocation, the GAP requested the GMT examine potential increases to the bocaccio trip limits for the LEFG fishery only between 40°10′ N lat and 34°27′ N lat. The GMT did not receive a request to examine trip limit increases for bocaccio south of 34°27′ N lat.
To assist the Council in evaluating potential trip limit increases for bocaccio between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat., the GMT analyzed projected attainment under the current status quo regulations and under the proposed trip limit changes. In 2016, when the bocaccio trip limits were established for the 2017-18 harvest specifications, few data points existed to provide projected annual catch data under the current trip limits. Based on that limited data, boccacio catch in the non-trawl commercial fishery between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat. was expected to be around 0.3 mt of the 442.3 mt non-trawl allocation. The GMT updated the expected attainment under the current status quo trip limits and examined potential impacts under alternative trip limits with additional catch data from the 2016 and 2017 fishing years.
Based on updated model projections under the current status quo trip limit of 1,000 lb (454 kg) per two months, total coastwide bocaccio catch in the LEFG and OA fisheries is expected to be 16.7 mt, or four percent of the non-trawl HG and two percent of the coastwide ACL. Increasing the trip limits to 1,500 lb (680 kg) per two months for the reminder of the fishing year for vessels fishing in the LEFG fishery in the area between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat., which would align them with the trip limits already in place south of 34°27′ N lat., is expected to increase total mortality by less than 0.1 mt, and the overall total mortality of bocaccio would be expected to remain at around four percent of the non-trawl HG and two percent of the coastwide ACL.
Trip limit increases for bocaccio are intended to allow for increased attainment of the non-trawl allocation (442.3 mt), while also providing the incentive for vessels targeting co-occurring species, such as chilipepper rockfish, to land their bocaccio catch instead of discarding. Therefore, the Council recommended and NMFS is implementing, by modifying Table 2 (South) to part 660, Subpart E, an increase to the bocaccio trip limits for the LEFG fishery between 40°10′ N lat. and 34°27′ N lat. The trip limits for bocaccio in this area will increase from “1,000 lb (464 kg) per per two months” to “1,500 lb (680 kg) per two months” for period 4 (September and October) and period 5 (November and December).
**Transferring POP and Darkblotched Rockfish Set-Asides From IOA and Research Set-Asides to the Additional Buffer**
NMFS sets ACLs for non-whiting groundfish stocks and stock complexes as part of biennial harvest specifications and management measures. Deductions are made “off-the-top” from the ACL to “set-aside” an amount for various sources of mortality, including non-groundfish fisheries that catch groundfish incidentally, also called IOA fisheries, as well as for research, tribal, recreational catch, and for some species, an amount for unforeseen catch events. NMFS allocates the remainder, the fishery's commercial HG, among the trawl and non-trawl sectors of the groundfish fishery. For some species, sector-specific set-asides are then deducted from the trawl allocation. For example, the trawl HGs for both darkblotched rockfish and POP are divided up into an allocation for the Shorebased individual fishing quota (IFQ) program and a set-asides for the motherships (MS) and catcher/processors (C/P) which make up the at-sea sector.
On January 8, 2018, NMFS published a final rule to implement Amendment 21-3. Amendment 21-3 recharacterized the portions of the trawl HG of darkblotched rockfish and POP for the MS and CP vessels that make up the at sea whiting sector from allocations, which are hard caps requiring the relevant sector to close upon reaching them, to sector specific set-asides (83 FR 757, January 8, 2018). This change was necessary because both those species had been declared rebuilt the previous year and the allocations were constraining the at-sea sector's ability to harvest whiting. Regulations implementing Amendment 21-3 do not require that a sector be closed upon reaching its set-aside, but do require NMFS to close either or both the MS and C/P sectors if the species-specific set-aside amounts for darkblotched rockfish or POP for that sector, plus a reserve or “buffer” for unforeseen catch events, is projected to be exceeded.
At the September 2018 Council meeting, representatives from the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative, United Catcher Boats, and Whiting Mothership Cooperative requested that the Council recommend NMFS take inseason action to transfer the unused portion of the IOA and research off the top deductions for darkblotched rockfish and POP to the buffer for those species. The intent of the request is to create a larger buffer for unforeseen catch events. If the at-sea sectors, or any sector, were to exceed their sector specific set-aside for darkblotched rockfish or POP, there would be a larger amount available in the buffer to harvest before NMFS would be required to close either the MS or C/P sectors.
To evaluate this request, the GMT considered the historical maximum amount of POP and darkblotched rockfish taken in the IOA and research fisheries over the past several years, the current amounts of POP and darkblotched rockfish taken in the IOA and research fisheries in 2018, the at-sea sector's total catch to date, and the projected catch for the remainder of the year for IOA, research, and the at-sea sector.
Currently, the IOA fishery has a 10 mt set-aside for POP, and research has a 5.2 mt set-aside. Harvest of POP in the IOA fishery mainly occurs in the pink shrimp fishery. Between 2007 and 2017 total harvest of POP in the IOA fishery was below 0.6 mt annually, except for an uncharacteristically high mortality in 2014 of 10 mt. Overall harvest of rockfish in the pink shrimp trawl fishery fell significantly in 2015 and remained low in subsequent years. Total harvest of POP in the IOA fishery between 2015 and 2017 was less than 0.7 mt. Total mortality of POP in the research sector between 2007 and 2017 never exceeded 3.10 mt annually. However, NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) notified the GMT that 2018 research catch is likely to be much higher after a single haul on a research cruise took 3.4 mt of POP.
The current set-aside for darkblotched rockfish in the IOA fishery is 24.5 mt, and the current research set-aside is 2.5 mt. Similar to POP, the majority of darkblotched rockfish catch in the IOA fishery is harvested in the pink shrimp fishery. Since 2015, no more than 6.82 mt of darkblotched rockfish was taken annually in the IOA fishery. Between 2007 and 2015, the darkblotched rockfish harvest in the IOA fishery exceeded 50 percent of the set-aside five times, most recently in 2014 when catch actually exceeded the set-aside for the first time. However, this was deemed to be an anomalous year due to a substantial recruitment event. The research fishery is expected to take their current set-aside amount this year, with 1.53 mt of darkblotched rockfish already caught in 2018.
Finally, the GMT conducted a analysis using data through September 5, 2018, to examine the potential attainment of the at-sea sector's darkblotched rockfish and POP set-asides, using the current bycatch rates and assuming full attainment of the at-sea sector's whiting allocation. Based on this analysis, the GMT determined that it is likely the C/P will exceed their POP set-aside (65.9-percent chance), and the MS will most likely not exceed their POP set-aside (8.5-percent chance). When considering both sectors, the combined at-sea sector has a 39-percent chance of exceeding their combined POP set-asides (15.2 mt) and a less than one percent chance of exceeding the set-aside value and the “buffer” set-aside (46.7 mt).
For darkblotched rockfish, the GMT's bootstrap analysis indicated that theC/P have a 40-percent chance of exceeding their darkblotched set-aside (16.7 mt) and the MS have a 32-percent chance of exceeding their darkblotched set-aside (11.8 mt). When considering both sectors, the combined at-sector has a 43-percent chance of exceeding their combined darkblotched rockfish set-asides (28.5 mt). None of the model runs showed that the at-sea sector, when considered as a group, would exceed their darkblotched set-aside and the “buffer” set-aside (78.5 mt).
While the current risk of the at-sea sector exceeding the POP or darkblotched rockfish set-aside and the amount set-aside for unforeseen catch events for those species is low to negligible at this time, the Council considered the risk to the at-sea sector and the other groundfish fisheries if no action was taken. If the Council chose not to take action now, because the automatic closure authority still exists in regulations, if the MS or C/P sectors exceeded their darkblotched or POP set-aside and the amount set-aside for unforeseen catch events for that species, the NMFS would have to close the sectors even though there may be unused POP or darkblotched rockfish in the IOA fisheries. The projected economic impacts associated with a closure of the at-sea sector in November, when closure would most likely occur, are losses of approximately 200 jobs and $14 million in personal income. Additionally, in order to reopen the Pacific whiting fishery, the Council would need to convene an emergency Council meeting or wait until the Council makes a decision at a subsequent meeting. Finally, because moving any portion of the IOA set-aside into the amount set aside for unforeseen catch events would make that amount available for all sectors, the GMT did not determine that this request would pose a risk to other groundfish fisheries.
Therefore, the Council recommended and NMFS is implementing a redistribution of 9.7 mt of POP and 17.7 mt of darkblotched rockfish, from the “off-the-top” deductions for the IOA fishery made at the start of the 2017-18 biennium, to the buffer for unforeseen catch events. This redistribution creates a larger buffer for all sectors, and reduces the risk of a closure of one or both the MS and C/P sectors. Transfer of POP and darkblotched rockfish to the set-aside for unforeseen catch events is not expected to result in greater impacts to either species, or other overfished species, than what was originally projected through the 2017-18 harvest specifications.
**Incidental Halibut Retention in the Limited Entry Fixed Gear Sablefish Primary Fishery**
Under the authority of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, the Council developed a Catch Sharing Plan for the International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2A. The Catch Sharing Plan allocates the Area 2A annual total allowable catch (TAC) among fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific halibut is generally a prohibited species for vessels fishing in Pacific coast groundfish fisheries, unless explicitly allowed in groundfish regulations and authorized by the Pacific halibut Catch Sharing Plan. In years when the Pacific halibut TAC is above 900,000 lb (408 mt), the Catch Sharing Plan allows the limited entry fixed gear sablefish primary fishery an incidental retention limit for Pacific halibut north of Point Chehalis, WA (46°53.30′ N. lat.). On March 24, 2018, NMFS implemented a 2018 Area 2A TAC of 1,190,000 lb (540 mt) (83 FR 13080, March 26, 2018). Consistent with the provisions of the Catch Sharing Plan, the limited entry fixed gear sablefish primary fishery north of Pt. Chelais, WA has an incidental total catch limit of 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) for 2018.
Current regulations at § 660.231(b)(3)(iv) provide for halibut retention starting on April 1 with a landing ratio of 160 lb (64 kg) dressed weight of halibut, for every 1,000 lb (454 kg) dressed weight of sablefish landed, and up to an additional 2 halibut in excess of this ratio. These limits, recommended by the Council at its March 2018 meeting, and subsequently implemented by NMFS on April 13, 2018 (83 FR 16005), were intended to allow the total catch of Pacific halibut to approach, but not exceed, the 2018 allocation for the sablefish primary fishery north of Pt. Chelais, WA (50,000 lb or 22.7 mt) and provide greater opportunity for industry to attain a higher percentage of the sablefish primary fishery allocation. However, the GMT notified the Council, after a request from the GAP to increase the incidental halibut allowance in the sablefish primary fishery, that incidental catch of halibut through September 11, 2018, was 22,464 lb, or less than 50 percent of the 50,000 lb allocation, with little more than a month left in the season that ends on October 31, 2018.
Therefore, in order to allow increased incidental halibut retention in the sablefish primary fishery, the Council recommended and NMFS is implementing revised incidental halibut retention regulations at § 660.231(b)(3)(iv) to increase the catch ratio to “200 lb dressed weight of halibut for every 1,000 lb dressed weight of sablefish landed and up to 2 additional halibut in excess of the 200 lb per 1,000 lb ratio per landing.” This modest increase in the allowed halibut retention ratio over the last few weeks of the fishery is unlikely to cause catch to exceed the incidental halibut allocation for the sablefish primary fishery north of Pt. Chehalis, WA, but will provide some additional benefit to fishery participants.
**Classification**
This final rule makes routine inseason adjustments to groundfish fishery management measures, based on the best available information, consistent with the PCGFMP and its implementing regulations.
This action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.60(c) and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
The aggregate data upon which these actions are based are available for public inspection by contacting Karen Palmigiano in NMFS West Coast Region (see *FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT* , above), or view at the NMFS West Coast Groundfish website: *http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish/index.html.*
NMFS finds good cause to waive prior public notice and comment on these adjustments to groundfish management measures under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) because notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest. Each of the adjustments to commercial groundfish management measures in this rule would create more harvest opportunity and allow fishermen to better attain species that are currently under attained without causing any additional impacts on the fishery. Delaying the implementation of these adjustments would reduce or eliminate the benefits that they would provide to the industry. For example, the sablefish primary season ends on October 31, 2018; therefore, any delay in implementing the increased halibut retention limit would further limit the time available for fishery participants to benefit from these changes. Allowing for a public comment period would likely result in little if any time before the end of the season. Vessels fishing in the LEFG or OAFG fisheries for sablefish would ultimately only fish under the increased trip limits for 1.5 periods (October-December). Providing for a public comment period and issuing a final rule would likely delay implementation of the increased limits to the point where only minimal fishing opportunity remained due to the approaching end of the year and winter weather conditions. Delaying implementation further risks the at-sea sector reaching and/or exceeding their set-aside for darkblotched rockfish and POP further increasing fears about potential closures and the expenses associated with such closures. In summary, providing a comment period for this action would significantly limit the benefits to the fishery, and would hamper the achievement of optimum yield from the affected fisheries. For the same reasons, the NMFS finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), so that this final rule may become effective October 9, 2018. The adjustments to management measures in this document affect commercial fisheries in Washington, Oregon and California. These adjustments were requested by members of industry during the Council's September 7-11, 2018 meeting, and recommended unanimously by the Council. No aspect of this action is controversial, and changes of this nature were anticipated in the biennial harvest specifications and management measures established through a notice and comment rulemaking for 2017-18 (82 FR 9634). Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to waive prior notice and comment and to waive the delay in effectiveness.
**List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660**
Fisheries, Fishing, and Indian Fisheries.
Dated: October 3, 2018.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is amended as follows:
**PART 660—FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES**
**50 CFR Part 660**
1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows:
**Authority:**
16 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.,* 16 U.S.C. 773 *et seq.,* and 16 U.S.C. 7001 *et seq.*
**50 CFR Part 660**
2. Table 2a to part 660, subpart C, is revised to read as follows:
| Species | Area | OFL | ABC | ACL | Fishery HG |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BOCACCIO | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 2,013 | 1,924 | 741 | 726 |
| COWCOD | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 71 | 64 | 10 | 8 |
| DARKBLOTCHED ROCKFISH | Coastwide | 683 | 653 | 653 | 576 |
| PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 984 | 941 | 281 | 232 |
| YELLOWEYE ROCKFISH | Coastwide | 58 | 48 | 20 | 14 |
| Arrowtooth flounder | Coastwide | 16,498 | 13,743 | 13,743 | 11,645 |
| Big skate | Coastwide | 541 | 494 | 494 | 437 |
| Black rockfish | California (South of 42° N lat.) | 347 | 332 | 332 | 331 |
| Black rockfish | Oregon (Between 46°16′ N lat. and 42° N lat.) | 570 | 520 | 520 | 519 |
| Black rockfish | Washington (N of 46°16′ N lat.) | 315 | 301 | 301 | 283 |
| Blackgill rockfish | S of 40°10′ N lat. | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Cabezon | California (South of 42° N lat.) | 156 | 149 | 149 | 149 |
| Cabezon | Oregon (Between 46°16′ N lat. and 42° N lat.) | 49 | 47 | 47 | 47 |
| California scorpionfish | S of 34°27′ N lat. | 278 | 254 | 150 | 148 |
| Canary rockfish | Coastwide | 1,596 | 1,526 | 1,526 | 1,467 |
| Chilipepper | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 2,623 | 2,507 | 2,507 | 2,461 |
| Dover sole | Coastwide | 90,282 | 86,310 | 50,000 | 48,406 |
| English sole | Coastwide | 8,255 | 7,537 | 7,537 | 7,324 |
| Lingcod | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 3,310 | 3,110 | 3,110 | 2,832 |
| Lingcod | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 1,373 | 1,144 | 1,144 | 1,135 |
| Longnose skate | Coastwide | 2,526 | 2,415 | 2,000 | 1,853 |
| Longspine thornyhead | Coastwide | 4,339 | 3,614 | NA | NA |
| Longspine thornyhead | N of 34°27′ N lat. | NA | NA | 2,747 | 2,700 |
| Longspine thornyhead | S of 34°27′ N lat. | NA | NA | 867 | 864 |
| Pacific cod | Coastwide | 3,200 | 2,221 | 1,600 | 1,091 |
| Pacific whiting | Coastwide | 725,984 | | | 362,682 |
| Petrale sole | Coastwide | 3,152 | 3,013 | 3,013 | 2,772 |
| Sablefish | Coastwide | 8,329 | 7,604 | NA | NA |
| Sablefish | N of 36° N lat. | NA | NA | 5,475 | See Table 2c |
| Sablefish | S of 36° N lat. | NA | NA | 1,944 | 1,939 |
| Shortbelly rockfish | Coastwide | 6,950 | 5,789 | 500 | 489 |
| Shortspine thornyhead | Coastwide | 3,116 | 2,596 | NA | NA |
| Shortspine thornyhead | N of 34°27′ N lat. | NA | NA | 1,698 | 1,639 |
| Shortspine thornyhead | S of 34°27′ N lat. | NA | NA | 898 | 856 |
| Spiny dogfish | Coastwide | 2,500 | 2,083 | 2,083 | 1,745 |
| Splitnose rockfish | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 1,842 | 1,761 | 1,761 | 1,750 |
| Starry flounder | Coastwide | 1,847 | 1,282 | 1,282 | 1,272 |
| Widow rockfish | Coastwide | 13,237 | 12,655 | 12,655 | 12,437 |
| Yellowtail rockfish | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 6,574 | 6,002 | 6,002 | 4,972 |
| Minor Nearshore Rockfish | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 119 | 105 | 105 | 103 |
| Minor Shelf Rockfish | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 2,302 | 2,048 | 2,047 | 1,963 |
| Minor Slope Rockfish | N of 40°10′ N lat. | 1,896 | 1,754 | 1,754 | 1,689 |
| Minor Nearshore Rockfish | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 1,344 | 1,180 | 1,179 | 1,175 |
| Minor Shelf Rockfish | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 1,918 | 1,625 | 1,624 | 1,577 |
| Minor Slope Rockfish | S of 40°10′ N lat. | 829 | 719 | 709 | 689 |
| Other Flatfish | Coastwide | 9,690 | 7,281 | 7,281 | 7,077 |
| Other Fish | Coastwide | 501 | 441 | 441 | 441 |
**50 CFR Part 660**
3. In § 660.231, revise paragraph (b)(3)(iv) to read as follows:
§ 660.231
(b) * * *
(3) * * *
(iv) Incidental Pacific halibut retention north of Pt. Chehalis, WA (46°53.30′ N lat.). From April 1 through October 31, vessels authorized to participate in the sablefish primary fishery, licensed by the International Pacific Halibut Commission for commercial fishing in Area 2A (waters off Washington, Oregon, California), and fishing with longline gear north of Pt. Chehalis, WA (46°53.30′ N lat.) may possess and land up to the following cumulative limits: 200 pounds (91 kg) dressed weight of Pacific halibut for every 1,000 pounds (454 kg) dressed weight of sablefish landed and up to 2 additional Pacific halibut in excess of the 200-pounds-per-1,000-pound ratio per landing. “Dressed” Pacific halibut in this area means halibut landed eviscerated with their heads on. Pacific halibut taken and retained in the sablefish primary fishery north of Pt. Chehalis may only be landed north of Pt. Chehalis and may not be possessed or landed south of Pt. Chehalis.
**50 CFR Part 660**
4. Tables 2 (North) and (South) to part 660, subpart E are revised to read as follows:
**50 CFR Part 660**
5. Table 3 (North) and Table 3 (South) to part 660, subpart F are revised to read as follows: