NOAA Fisheries

American Fisheries Act (AFA)

• 69 FR 7876, February 20, 2004. Final rule to make effective the collection of information contained in the following AFA-related amendments: Amendment 61 to the FMP for the Groundfish Fishery of the BSAI Area, Amendment 61 to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA, Amendment 13 to the FMP for BSAI King and Tanner Crab, and Amendment 8 to the FMP for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska.
• 69 FR 6198, February 10, 2004. Final rule to remove the expiration date of regulations (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002), implementing the AFA.

Crab

• 69 FR 53359, September 1, 2004. Final rule to reorganize, by redesignation, its fishing capacity reduction program (FCRP) regulations and FCRP fee system regulations.

Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management

• 69 FR 76870, December 23, 2004. Interim final rule for Total Allowable Catch (TAC) amounts for each category of groundfish in the BSAI for 2005. Effective: January 1, 2005.
• 69 FR 75865, December 20, 2004. Final rule that revises Steller sea lion protection measures for the pollock and Pacific cod fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska. Effective January 19, 2005.
• 69 FR 74455, December 14, 2004. Interim final rule for Total Allowable Catch (TAC) amounts for each category of groundfish in the GOA for 2005. Effective: January 1, 2005.
• 69 FR 75005, December 13, 2004. Apportionment of Reserve for four groundfish target species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
• 69 FR 69828, December 1, 2004. Reallocation of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using pot gear to vessels using trawl gear and catcher processor vessels using hook and line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
• 69 FR 68095, November 23, 2004. NMFS issues a final rule that requires the operator of a federally permitted catcher vessel using hookand-line or jig gear in the Southeast Outside District (SEO) of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to retain and land all demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) caught while fishing for groundfish or for Pacific halibut under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. Effective December 23, 2004.
• 69 FR 64683, November 8, 2004. Final rule to implement Amendments 48/48, revisions to the annual harvest specification process for the groundfish in the GOA and BSAI. Effective on December 8, 2004, except amendents to 50 CFR 679.20(c)(5) and (c)(6) and 679.62(a)(3) will be effective April 1, 2005.
• 69 FR 61607, October 20, 2004. Reallocation of Pacific cod from vessels using trawl and jig gear to vessels using hook and line and pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
• 69 FR 53359, September 1, 2004. Final rule to reorganize, by redesignation, its fishing capacity reduction program (FCRP) regulations and FCRP fee system regulations.
• 69 FR 52609, August 27, 2004. Final rule to allow processors to use the offal from Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut intended for the Prohibited Species Donation program for commercial products. Effective on September 27, 2004.
• 69 FR 51191, August 18, 2004. Final rule that removes a harvest restriction on Atka mackerel fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea. Effective September 17, 2004.
• 69 FR 48407, August 10, 2004. List of Fisheries for 2004. Effective September 9, 2004.
• 69 FR 32901, June 14, 2004. Final rule amending regulations establishing BSAI pollock Maximum Retainable Amounts (MRA) by adjusting the MRA enforcement period from enforcement at anytime during a fishing trip, to enforcement at the time of offload. Effective on July 14, 2004.
• 69 FR 33581, June 14, 2004. Final rule correcting an amendment to the regulations governing the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program. Effective on June 16, 2004
• 69 FR 29670, May 25, 2004. Apportionment of the Reserve for rock sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
• 69 FR 26313, May 12, 2004. Final rule to implement Amendment 63 to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA.
• 69 FR 26320, May 12, 2004. Final rule for 2004 Harvest Specifications for skates and associated management measures for the skate fishery of the GOA.
• 69 FR 19116, April 12, 2004. Reallocation of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet length overall using pot or hook and line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
• 69 FR 9242, February 27, 2004. Final 2004 Harvest Specifications for BSAI Groundfish. Effective February 27, 2004.
• 69 FR 9261, February 27, 2004. Final 2004 Harvest Specifications for GOA Groundfish. Effective February 27, 2004.
• 68 FR 68265, December 8, 2003. Interim final rule for Total Allowable Catch (TAC) amounts for each category of groundfish in the BSAI for 2004. Effective: January 1, 2004.
• 68 FR 67964, December 5, 2003. Interim final rule for Total Allowable Catch (TAC) amounts for each category of groundfish in the GOA for 2004. Effective: January 1, 2004.

Halibut

• 69 FR 9231, February 27, 2004. Annual management measures for Pacific halibut fisheries. Effective February 29, 2004.

Individual Fishing Quota Program (IFQ)

• 69 FR 68095, November 23, 2004. NMFS issues a final rule that requires the operator of a federally permitted catcher vessel using hookand-line or jig gear in the Southeast Outside District (SEO) of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to retain and land all demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) caught while fishing for groundfish or for Pacific halibut under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. Effective December 23, 2004.
• 69 FR 34613, June 22, 2004. OMB approval of collection of information requirements in regulations implementing Amendment 66 to the FMP for the IFQ Community Purchase Program. Effective date July 22, 2004.
• 69 FR 23681, April 30, 2004. Final rule to implement Amendment 66 to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA and a Pacific halibut regulatory amendment to modify the IFQ Program to allow eligible communities in the GOA to establish non-profit entities to purchase and hold QS for lease to, and use by, community residents as defined by specific elements of the proposed action. Effective June 1, 2004.

Observer Program (Groundfish)

• 69 FR 33581, June 14, 2004. Final rule correcting an amendment to the regulations governing the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program. Effective on June 16, 2004
• 69 FR 1951, January 13, 2004. Final rule to amend regulations governing the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program to provide added flexibility in the deployment of observers in the EEZ off the coast of Alaska. Effective on February 12, 2004.

Observer Program (Marine Mammal)

• 69 FR 48407, August 10, 2004. List of Fisheries for 2004. Effective September 9, 2004.

Prohibited Species Donation Program

• 69 FR 52609, August 27, 2004. Final rule to allow processors to use the offal from Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut intended for the Prohibited Species Donation program for commercial products. Effective on September 27, 2004.

Recordkeeping and Reporting

• 69 FR 23694, April 30, 2004. Final rule to revise port codes (Table 14a and 14b) used in data collection for the IFQ program. Effective June 1, 2004.
• 69 FR 21975, April 23, 2004. Final rule to revise the descriptions of GOA reporting areas 620 and 630 for quota managment and fishery enforcement. Effective May 24, 2004.

Salmon

• 69 FR 52609, August 27, 2004. Final rule to allow processors to use the offal from Pacific salmon and Pacific halibut intended for the Prohibited Species Donation program for commercial products. Effective on September 27, 2004.
• 69 FR 875, January 7, 2004. Final rule implementing Amendment 3 of the Salmon FMP. Effective February 6, 2004.

Seabird Bycatch Reduction and Avoidance Measures

• 69 FR 1930, January 13, 2004. Final rule to revise regulations requiring seabird avoidance measures in the hook-and-line fisheries off Alaska to further mitigate interactions with the Short-tailed albatross. Effective on February 12, 2004.

Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures

• 69 FR 75865, December 20, 2004. Final rule that revises Steller sea lion protection measures for the pollock and Pacific cod fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska. Effective January 19, 2005.