Limiting Access for Offshore Trawl CVs in the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Yellowfin Sole Fishery

Amendment 116 (BSAI) limits access to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Trawl Limited Access Sector yellowfin sole directed fishery by vessels that deliver their catch of yellowfin sole to motherships for processing. The action 1)establishes eligibility criteria based on historical participation in the fishery; 2) issues and endorsement to those groundfish License Limitation Program licenses that meet the eligibility criteria; and 3) authorizes delivery of yellowfin sole to motherships by only those vessels designated on a groundfish LLP license that is endorsed for the fishery. This action will prevent increased catcher vessel participation from reducing benefits the fisghery provides to historical and recent participants, mitigate the risk that a "raqce for fish" could develop, and help to maintain the consistently low rates of halibut bycatch in the fishey.