License Limitation Program - Federal Register Rules and Notices

NOAA Fisheries is correcting a final rule that published on September 26, 2012, modifying equipment and operational requirements for freezer longliners (catcher/processors) named on License Limitation Program (LLP) licenses endorsed to catch and process Pacific cod at sea with hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area. This final rule removes Western Alaska Community Development Quota collection-of-information requirements under OMB control number 0648-0269 for the alternative fishing plan and its public reporting burden per response of 4 hours, because the alternative fishing plan regulations are no longer necessary.

The LLP limits access to the commercial groundfish fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska, except for demersal shelf rockfish east of 140 deg. W. long. and sablefish managed under the IFQ program (license limitation groundfish). The demersal shelf rockfish fishery east of 140 deg. W. long. is excluded from the LLP because general management of this fishery is deferred to the State of Alaska.