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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-BD23 Publication ID: Spring 2015 
Title: Amendment 105 Bering Sea Flatfish Harvest Specifications Flexibility 
Abstract: This action was published with the intent to provide additional harvest opportunities to participants in Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) flatfish fisheries while (1) maintaining catch below the annual catch limits for these species and (2) ensuring that the maximum optimum yield for BSAI groundfish fisheries will not be exceeded. Specifically, Amendment 105 to the BSAI Fishery Management Plan established a process for Amendment 80 cooperatives and Western Alaska Community Development Quota groups to exchange harvest quota from one of the three flatfish species for an equivalent amount of quota of another species. In no case could the amount of fish exchanged exceed the annual catch limit, commonly known as the allowable biological catch, of that species. This action modified the annual harvest specification process to allow the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to establish the maximum amount of harvest quota that can be exchanged for each of the three flatfish species. This process allows the Council to establish a buffer below the allowable biological catch to account for management or socioeconomic considerations. Each participant can only exchange harvest quota up to three times per year. 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Completed Actions 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 50 CFR 679   
Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
Notice  06/13/2014  79 FR 33889   
NPRM  06/30/2014  79 FR 36702   
Final Action  09/23/2014  79 FR 56671   
Final Action Effective  10/23/2014 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: Organizations  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: Yes 
Agency Contact:
James Balsiger
Regional Administrator, Alaska Region
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
709 West Ninth Street,
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone:907 586-7221
Email: jim.balsiger@noaa.gov