§ 660.511 - Catch restrictions.

§ 660.511 Catch restrictions.

(a) All CPS harvested shoreward of the outer boundary of the EEZ (0–200 nautical miles off shore) will be counted toward the catch limitations specified in this section.

(b) The trip limit for harvesting vessels fishing in the CPS Limited Entry Zone for CPS other than live bait without a limited entry permit is 5 mt tons of all CPS finfish combined.

(c) The trip limit for vessels with a limited entry permit on a fishing trip in which the vessel fishes or lands fish in the Limited Entry Zone is 125 mt of all CPS finfish combined.

(d) After the directed fishery for a CPS is closed under § 660.509, no person may take and retain, possess or land more of that species than the incidental trip limit set by the Regional Administrator, except the following directed fisheries may continue until the effective date of a Federal Register document published by the Regional Administrator that the annual catch limit has been reached or is projected to be reached:

(1) Fishing exclusively for live bait;

(2) Minor directed fishing for finfish that does not exceed 1 mt per day per vessel or person, and which is limited to 1 fishing trip per day by any vessel.

(e) While fishing for CPS, all species of trout and salmon (Salmonidae) and Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) are prohibited species and must be released immediately with a minimum of injury.

(f) On July 1, 40 percent of the initial harvest guideline for Pacific sardine is allocated coastwide within the fishery management area.

(g) On September 15, 25 percent of the initial harvest guideline for Pacific sardine plus the remaining unharvested portion of the July 1 allocation in paragraph (f) of this section is allocated coastwide within the fishery management area.

(h) On January 1, 35 percent of the initial harvest guideline for Pacific sardine plus the remaining unharvested portion of the September 15 allocation is allocated coastwide within the fishery management area.

(i) The following harvest specifications apply for Pacific mackerel:

(1) For the Pacific mackerel fishing season July 1, 20212023, through June 30, 20222024, the harvest guideline is 87,323 871 mt and the ACT is 76,323 871 mt; and

(2) For the Pacific mackerel fishing season July 1, 20222024, through June 30, 20232025, the harvest guideline is 58,822 943 mt and the ACT of 4is 7,822 943 mt.

(j) When an ACT in paragraph (i) of this section has been reached or exceeded, then for the remainder of the Pacific mackerel fishing season, Pacific mackerel may not be targeted and landings of Pacific mackerel may not exceed: 45 percent of landings when Pacific mackerel are landed in CPS fisheries (in other words, no more than 45 percent by weight of the CPS landed per trip may be Pacific mackerel), or up to 3 mt of Pacific mackerel when landed in non-CPS fisheries. The NMFS West Coast Regional Administer shall announce in the Federal Register the date that an ACT is reached or exceeded, and the date and time that the restrictions described in this paragraph (j) go into effect.

(k) The following annual catch limit applies to fishing for Northern Anchovy (Central Subpopulation): 25,000 mt.

[64 FR 69893, Dec. 15, 1999, as amended at 68 FR 52527, Sept. 4, 2003; 71 FR 37001, June 29, 2006; 79 FR 11344, Feb. 28, 2014; 83 FR 6473, Feb. 14, 2018; 83 FR 28784, June 21, 2018; 84 FR 25202, May 31, 2019; 84 FR 65927, Dec. 2, 2019; 86 FR 64827, Nov. 19, 2021; 88 FR 42653, July 3, 2023; 88 FR 86839, Dec. 15, 2023]