Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Main Hawaiian Islands Gray Jobfish (Aprion virescens)

NMFS proposes to implement annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for three fishing years (2019, 2020 and 2021) in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) for gray jobfish, or uku. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended the ACLs and AMs in accordance with requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and with the approved processes in the Hawaii Fishery Ecosystem Plan. The ACL for each fishing year (January through December) would be 127,205 lb of uku.

NMFS is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) to evaluate potential effects of this rule. The ACLs and AMs would not result in changes to the Hawaii uku fishery because it has not reached levels of the proposed ACLs since this management measure was first employed in 2012. We do not expect large or adverse environmental effects for the proposed action.