F/PIRO: Amd 4 Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago: Remove the Prohibited Areas for Medium and Large Bottomfish Vessels in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Including an EA and RIR (RIN 0648-BF37), EA dated August 4, 2016

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended amending its Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 4 would remove the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) medium and large vessel (vessels 40 ft and longer) bottomfish prohibited areas. The Council established these prohibited areas in 2008 to prevent large bottomfish vessels based in Guam from traveling to CNMI fishing grounds. At the time, the Council believed that the Guam vessels could compete with CNMI vessels for bottomfish, and potentially deplete CNMI bottomfish stocks. Guam vessels have not traveled to the CNMI, and the Council believes that the prohibited areas are preventing the CNMI bottomfish fishery from achieving optimum fishery yield. The intent of Amendment 4 is to improve the viability of the CNMI bottomfish fishery and achieve optimum yield from the fishery.