Purse Seine Fishery Closure in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

NOAA Fisheries announces the U.S. purse seine fishery in the area known as the Effort Limit Area for Purse Seine, or ELAPS, will close as a result of reaching the 2019 purse seine fishing effort limit in that area. The ELAPS consists of the areas of the U.S. exclusive economic zone and the high seas between the latitudes of 20° N. and 20° S. in the area of application of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The closure will be in effect from 00:00 on October 9, 2019 coordinated universal time (UTC), through the rest of the calendar year.

For more information about the temporary rule announcing the closure, view the regulatory action and supporting materials below.