National Marine Fisheries Service has issued a temporary rule prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the western regulatory area of the Gulf of Alaska.
The decision, published in the Federal Register on Feb. 21, is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2017 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to vessels using pot gear in the Western Gulf, NMFS said.
The rule will be in effect through June 10.
The A season allowance of the 2017 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to pot gear in the Western Gulf of 4,854 metric tons.
Alaska Region officials for NMFS, having determined that the A season allowance would soon be reached, established a directed fishing allowance of 4,844 metric tons and set aside the remaining 10 metric tons as bycatch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries.
