Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Electronic Monitoring Program

NMFS proposes approval of, and regulations to implement, measures in a regulatory amendment to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The regulatory amendment was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to implement an electronic monitoring (EM) program for two sectors of the limited entry trawl fishery. The regulatory amendment proposes to allow catcher vessels in the Pacific whiting fishery and fixed gear vessels in the shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery to use EM in place of observers to meet the requirements of the Trawl Rationalization Program for 100-percent at-sea observer coverage. This action is intended to increase operational flexibility and reduce monitoring costs for vessels in the trawl fishery by providing an alternative to observers. Data from the EM program would be used to debit discards of IFQ species from IFQs and mothership cooperative allocations. The regulatory amendment would establish an application process for interested vessel owners, performance standards for EM systems, requirements for vessel operators, and a permitting process and standards for EM service providers. The regulatory amendment would also establish requirements for processors (first receivers) for receiving and disposing of prohibited and protected species from EM trips.