Amendment 36 to the FMP for the Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

NOAA Fisheries issues regulations to implement Amendment 36 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area and Amendment 39 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. This action creates a forage fish species category in both FMPs and implements associated management measures. The intended effect of this action is to prevent the development of a commercial directed fishery for forage fish, which are a critical food source for many marine mammal, seabird, and fish species. This action is necessary to conserve and manage the forage fish resource off Alaska and to further the goals and objectives of the FMPs. In addition, this action includes a technical amendment removing a date that is no longer applicable.