View Rule

This proposed rule would allow the owner of a catcher vessel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area trawl limited access fisheries to annually choose to have the vessel placed in the full observer coverage category for all fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area in the upcoming year. Under current regulations for the North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program, catcher vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area trawl limited access fisheries are assigned to the partial observer coverage category. Vessels in the partial observer coverage category must carry an observer on selected fishing trips, whereas vessels in the full observer coverage category must carry an observer for all of their fishing activity. Owners of trawl catcher vessels have requested to be allowed to voluntarily choose full coverage to obtain observer data from all of their fishing trips to better manage their halibut prohibited species catch.