Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Process for Divestiture of Excess Quota Shares in the Individual Fishing Quota Fishery

In January 2011, NMFS implemented the groundfish trawl rationalization program (a catch share program) for the Pacific coast groundfish limited entry trawl fishery. The program was implemented through Amendment 20 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and the corresponding implementing regulations. Amendment 20 established the trawl rationalization program, which includes an Individual Fishing Quota program for limited entry trawl participants. Under current regulations, quota share (QS) permit owners must divest quota share holdings that exceed accumulation limits by November 30, 2015. This proposed action would make minor procedural modifications to the program regulations to clarify how divestiture and revocation of excess quota share could occur in November, 2015, and establish procedures applicable in the future if divestiture becomes necessary.