2018-2019 Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications

2018-2019 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2018 and 2019 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. 

50 CFR 679 regulations allow for changes during the fishing year to the total allowable catch (TAC), prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, and further allocations of the TAC and PSC limits. NOAA implements these changes through publications in the Federal Register. The changes include inseason adjustments, reallocations of sector amounts, reallocations from the non-specified reserves, BSAI flatfish flexibility exchanges, and other necessary changes as recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and approval by the Secretary of Commerce.