Supplemental Information for NMFS’s Temporary Rule and Modification of Closure of the Summer Herring Savings Area 2 in the Bering Sea Subarea of the BSAI

Herring prohibited species catch (PSC) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) pollock directed fishery is higher in 2020, relative to recent years. This increased PSC resulted in the pollock directed fishery exceeding its annual limit of herring PSC established in the final 2020/2021 harvest specifications (85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020). On June 4, 2020, NMFS issued Information Bulletin (IB-20-42) to prohibit directed fishing for pollock in the Herring Savings Areas (HSA) of the BSAI, effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, June 15, 2020 (85 FR 35381, June 10, 2020). This action includes prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by all vessels directed fishing for pollock, including vessels participating in the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program.

• Temporary rule; closure. NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels using trawl gear in the Herring Savings Areas of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI). Effective 06/15/2020. 
• Temporary rule; modification of closure. NMFS is opening the Summer Herring Savings Area 2 in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent the underharvest of the 2020 pollock total allowable catch (TAC) and facilitate pollock harvest by the American Fisheries Act (AFA) inshore sector, AFA mothership sector, and Community Development Quota (CDQ) program in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI. Effective 07/01/2020