[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41818-41844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16493]



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Vol. 84

Thursday,

No. 158

August 15, 2019

Part II





Department of Commerce





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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration





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50 CFR Part 660





Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan; Amendment 28; Proposed Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 158 / Thursday, August 15, 2019 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 41818]]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 190226166-9166-01]
RIN 0648-BI89


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan; Amendment 28

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In Amendment 28 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan, NMFS proposes changes to closed areas that affect 
commercial vessels fishing with bottom contacting gear in Federal 
waters off of Washington, Oregon, and California under the Pacific 
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The proposed action would 
establish new and revised areas closed to bottom trawling to conserve 
and protect Pacific coast groundfish essential fish habitat, and re-
open areas that were closed to bottom trawling to rebuild previously-
overfished groundfish stocks. Combined, these two changes are 
anticipated to increase protections for groundfish essential fish 
habitat and provide additional flexibility to participants fishing with 
bottom trawl gear in the groundfish trawl rationalization program. 
Amendment 28 would also close deep-water areas off the coast of 
California to bottom contacting gear to protect deep-water habitats, 
including deep-sea corals, under fishery management plan discretionary 
provisions in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be received on or before 
September 16, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2019-0039, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0039, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Hanshew, 
Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 
98115.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).
    Information relevant to Amendment 28, which includes a draft 
Environmental Impact Statement, a regulatory impact review, and a 
Regulatory Flexibility Act certification are available for public 
review during business hours at the NMFS West Coast Regional Office at 
7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, or by requesting them via 
phone or the email address listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section. Copies of additional reports referred to in this 
document may also be obtained from the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council. These documents are also available at the Council's website at 
http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/groundfish-amendments-in-development/. Additional background documents are 
available at the NMFS West Coast Region website at http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Hanshew, phone: 206-526-6147, 
or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

Background
    Goals and Objectives
    Revisions to EFH Conservation Areas
    Changes to Fishery Management Measures
    Discretionary Management Measures To Protect Deep-Water 
Habitats, Including Deep-Sea Corals
    Regulatory Changes
Classification

Background

    This action would implement management measures from Amendment 28 
to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) deemed the proposed 
regulations consistent with and necessary to implement Amendment 28 in 
a June 3, 2019, letter from Council Chairman Phil Anderson to Regional 
Administrator Barry Thom. The Notice of Availability for Amendment 28 
published on June 11, 2019, (84 FR 27072) and describes details of FMP 
changes relating to this action. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), we are required 
to publish proposed rules for comment after preliminarily determining 
whether they are consistent with applicable law. The Magnuson-Stevens 
Act permits us to approve, partially approve, or disapprove measures 
proposed by the Council based only on whether the measures are 
consistent with the fishery management plan, plan amendment, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and its National Standards, and other applicable 
law. Otherwise, we must defer to the Council's policy choices. We are 
seeking comment on the Council's proposed measures in Amendment 28.
    Through Amendment 28, the Council proposes to augment existing 
essential fish habitat (EFH) protection measures, reopen historically 
important fishing grounds, and protect deep-water habitats, including 
deep-sea corals. The Magnuson-Stevens Act regulations recommend that 
councils periodically review the EFH provisions of FMPs and revise or 
amend as warranted, based on the available information. The Council 
began its review of EFH components to comply with these requirements, 
and conducted its review of EFH from 2010 through 2014. The Council 
initiated Amendment 28 in 2014 after it determined that new information 
warranted considering changes to the EFH components in the FMP. In 
2014, the Council was also considering reopening a year-round bottom 
trawl closure, known as the trawl rockfish conservation area, because 
of the successes of the trawl rationalization program and the positive 
stock status trajectories of rebuilding stocks. Prior to detailed 
consideration of changes for either purpose, the Council determined it 
was important to consider revisions to fishery management measures in 
conjunction with EFH components because of the overlap between the two 
actions. The Council also determined that deep-water habitats, 
including deep-sea corals in areas of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 
that were not designated EFH warranted protection, and recommended 
closures to certain types of fishing activities using

[[Page 41819]]

discretionary authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. In addition to 
FMP changes that directly impact fishing activity, Amendment 28 also 
revises the FMP by updating the descriptions of EFH designated in 2006 
under Amendment 19 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP, description of 
major prey species, and fishing and non-fishing impacts evaluation.

Goals and Objectives

    Amendment 28 was developed over several years. The Council 
established three goals and used nine objectives to guide development 
of this action. Goal 1 was to minimize to the extent practicable the 
effects of fishing on EFH. Goal 2 was to re-evaluate the use of closed 
areas as a fishery management tool in the post-rationalization fishery. 
Goal 3 was to protect deep-sea habitats, including corals, from the 
effects of prospective fishing.
    The nine objectives map to one or more of the Amendment's three 
goals and provide more guidance on achieving each goal. The primary 
objective for goal 1 is identifying new data sources upon which to base 
habitat protection measures. The Council also considered the five 
objectives of Amendment 19, which include protecting a diversity of 
habitat types, protecting a range of habitat types associated with the 
90+ species in the FMP, prioritizing protection of pristine habitats, 
dispersing socioeconomic effects, and fostering comparative scientific 
research. The primary objective for goal 2 is to transition from depth-
based closures to individual accountability of the Shorebased 
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program as the primary catch control 
tool. This will better meet the utilization goals of the FMP, achieve 
optimum yield, and allow for improvements in economic efficiency. The 
primary objective for goal 3 is to conserve and protect pristine 
habitats, including deep-sea coral, which are outside of designated 
EFH.

Revisions to EFH Conservation Areas

    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that fishery management plans 
evaluate and minimize, to the extent practicable, the adverse effects 
of fishing on EFH. The evaluation should consider the effects of each 
fishing activity on each type of habitat found within EFH. Councils 
must prevent, mitigate, or minimize any adverse effects from fishing on 
EFH, to the extent practicable, if there is evidence that a fishing 
activity adversely affects EFH in a manner that is more than minimal 
and not temporary in nature. For this discussion, we refer to actions 
that prevent, mitigate, or minimize adverse effects on EFH as habitat 
management. After completing its periodic review, the Council decided 
there was new information to warrant consideration of changes to 
habitat management within the existing habitat conservation framework 
in the FMP.
    To evaluate the adverse effects of fishing on EFH, the Council 
adopted a comprehensive updated data set, including information 
gathered during the EFH five-year review. The data set included habitat 
types and their geographic distribution, probabilities of groundfish 
species occupying that habitat, and common threats to habitat types. In 
2013, the Council published the data set and solicited public input on 
the types of changes that would minimize impacts of fishing to EFH, 
including rationale supported by science and explanations of 
practicability.
    The Council received proposals for habitat management changes 
between 2013 and 2016. Proposals focused on changes to the primary 
habitat management tool; EFH conservation areas. Proposals identified 
new closed areas and relatively minor adjustments to existing 
management areas through input from ecosystem and habitat scientists, 
fishermen, environmental groups, and the public. Because this process 
resulted in so many potential areas and combinations of areas, the 
Council appointed an ad hoc committee to evaluate proposals for 
technical merit and consistency with the goals and objectives of 
Amendment 28. After initial screening and public comment, the Council 
selected all or part of several proposals and developed suites of 
potential EFH conservation areas (e.g., areas to close and areas to 
reopen). These suites formed the preliminary range of alternatives, 
adopted by the Council in September 2015, that would undergo more 
detailed analysis and review during Council meetings over the next 
several years. After periodic analytical updates and consideration of 
extensive public comment, the Council, in April 2018, adopted a final 
preferred alternative that made coastwide changes to habitat 
management.
    The Council's final preferred alternative and a brief description 
of the Council's rationale for its preferences are included below. For 
a thorough discussion of the other alternatives considered and the 
potential impacts from those alternatives, please see Chapters 2, 4, 
and 5 of the Draft Environmental Impact State (DEIS). Collectively, 
descriptions of changes to habitat management, including maps of closed 
areas, can be found in Chapter 2 of the DEIS. Coordinates defining the 
Council's preferred alternative can be found in Appendix C3 of the FMP.
    This rule proposes to approve all of the Council's recommendations 
for habitat management. Coastwide, the Council recommends an additional 
closure of over 12,000 square miles (31,000 square km) of the EEZ and 
re-opening over 200 square miles (518 square km) of the EEZ to bottom 
trawl gear, which adversely affects groundfish EFH. The newly 
recommended closures would protect a variety of ocean floor types 
(substrates) designated as groundfish EFH, and include areas designated 
as habitat areas of particular concern. In particular, closed areas 
would protect submarine canyons, seamounts, methane seeps, deep-sea 
corals as well as stationary three-dimensional invertebrates like 
sponges and corals. These substrates are associated with groundfish. 
For example, statistical analysis of underwater video research 
indicates that groundfish are much more likely to be seen in areas with 
sponges than without. Revisions to existing EFH conservation areas 
expand closures to protect important habitat features, but reopen 
habitats with lower sensitivity and faster recovery to disturbance. 
Impacts to fishing communities are anticipated to be minimal, because 
very little fishing effort occurs in the areas to be closed (less than 
2 percent of the total groundfish landings and revenues on either a 
coastwide or port-group level). Overall, the Council's recommendation, 
in combination with existing habitat management measures that remain 
unchanged, minimizes the adverse effects of fishing on groundfish EFH 
while mitigating negative socioeconomic effects to fishing communities.
    The Council recommended no additional habitat management measures 
within the tribal usual and accustomed (U&A) fishing areas off the 
Washington coast. Several areas, however, were permanently closed to 
bottom trawl within the U&A fishing areas by Amendment 19 in 2006. The 
Council articulated several reasons for its decision to recommend no 
additional measures in the tribal U&A. First, tribes' treaty fishing 
rights are tied to place, and spatial habitat management could impede 
the ability of tribes to exercise their treaty fishing rights. The 
Council acknowledges efforts by NMFS and the tribes to engage in 
consultation regarding further habitat management within the U&A 
fishing area. Second, there is ongoing litigation regarding the 
boundaries of the tribal U&A fishing areas, which increases uncertainty 
in

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how habitat management in the area would affect the tribes' ability to 
exercise their treaty fishing rights. Given these factors, the Council 
excluded the U&A fishing areas from its preferred suite of habitat 
management measures eliminating direct effects to tribal fishing in the 
U&A fishing areas. There is a possibility of indirect effects to tribal 
fisheries in the form of displaced non-tribal fishing shifting into the 
U&A but those impacts are anticipated to be minimal. Changes to habitat 
management adjacent to the U&A fishing areas were limited in size (less 
than 50 square miles (129 square km), total). There is very little non-
tribal fishing occurring in or being displaced from those areas that 
will experience changes in habitat management.

Changes to Fishery Management Measures

    One of the three primary goals of the FMP is utilization of fishery 
resources within the constraints of conservation objectives. This goal 
directly relates to National Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
which states that conservation and management measures shall prevent 
overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield 
from each fishery for the United States fishing industry. The Council 
is obliged to balance the conflicting need to restrict fishing to 
protect the resource with providing sufficient allowable catch to 
sustain the fleet and coastal communities. The Council implemented a 
trawl rationalization program for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery 
in 2011. The Trawl Rationalization Program replaced trip and landing 
limits in the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishery with an individual 
fishing quota (IFQ) management system and increased monitoring to 100 
percent of trips and landings. The program left in place many of the 
spatial fishery management measures and gear restrictions from the trip 
limit era as a precaution to prevent inadvertent high catches of 
overfished species and lower risk of premature closure of an IFQ 
fishing year. With the individual accountability of the IFQ system, 
estimates of mortality became more precise, regulatory discard 
decreased, catches of overfished and protected species decreased, and 
trawl revenue increased. In April 2013, the Council recommended 
relieving some of these restrictions imposed during the trip limit era 
by reopening some areas that were closed to bottom trawling through 
inseason action. After NMFS' partial disapproval of these 
recommendations the Council undertook a process to consider how 
permanently reopening these areas closed to bottom trawling could 
impact EFH.
    Since September 2014, the Council has considered changes to both 
habitat measures and bottom trawl fishery management measures as part 
of Amendment 28. As described above in section ``Revisions to EFH 
Conservation Areas'', a preliminary range of alternatives was adopted 
by the Council for public review in September 2015, with subsequent 
opportunities for comment over the next few years. The Council 
recommended, in April 2018, changes to both EFH conservation areas and 
fishery management measures. The Council recommended re-opening areas 
to bottom trawl gear consistent with the economic and utilization 
objectives described in section 2.1 of the FMP.
    The Council's final preferred alternative and a brief description 
of the Council's rationale for its preferences are included below. For 
a thorough discussion of the other alternatives considered and the 
potential impacts from those alternatives, please see Chapters 2, 4, 
and 5 of the DEIS. Maps can be found in Chapter 2 of the DEIS.
    The Council recommended reopening a depth-based bottom trawl 
closure that has been in place coastwide since 2002. This closure, 
referred to in regulation as the groundfish trawl Rockfish Conservation 
Area (trawl RCA), prohibited fishing with trawl gear to reduce impacts 
to species that were overfished at that time; Pacific ocean perch and 
darkblotched rockfish. The trawl RCA covers an area of approximately 
4,000 square miles (10,360 square km) extending between the U.S.-Canada 
border and the U.S.-Mexico border and the depths of approximately 100 
fathoms (183 m) and 200 fathoms (366 m). North of 40[deg]10' N lat. the 
trawl RCA is closed to groundfish bottom trawl gear and south of 
40[deg]10' N lat. it is closed to all groundfish trawl gear (bottom and 
midwater trawl). Amendment 28 would reopen the trawl RCA to bottom 
trawling off of Oregon and California, an area of over 2,000 square 
miles (5,180 square km). The reopening of the trawl RCA does not open 
areas otherwise closed to bottom trawling; e.g., habitat measures and 
state waters closed to bottom trawling that overlap with the trawl RCA 
would remain closed to bottom trawling. The Council recommended this 
change because of the success of the trawl rationalization program, 
established in 2011, at reducing bycatch of target and non-target 
stocks, including overfished and protected species. Since 
implementation, five of the seven previously overfished stocks are now 
rebuilt. The areas proposed to reopen were historically important 
fishing grounds, and it is anticipated that groundfish fishermen will 
have more flexibility and opportunities to improve the efficiency of 
their operations, which will benefit coastal communities. Additionally, 
the areas to be reopened are predominantly substrates that are the most 
resilient to disturbance and, when combined with the protections to EFH 
proposed in this rule, adverse effects to designated groundfish EFH 
will be minimized to the extent practicable. When considered together 
(EFH conservation areas and the trawl RCA overlap in places), changes 
to the coastwide network of EFH conservation areas and the reopening of 
the trawl RCA off Oregon and California would result in new bottom 
trawl closures totaling 13,151 square miles (34,061 square km) and 
reopening of 2,958 square miles (7,661 square km).
    Reopening an area that has not been fished with bottom trawl gear 
for over 15 years is not without risk. The Council recommended, as part 
of this proposed rule, a new discrete spatial management tool that is 
more flexible and responsive than the trawl RCA. Block Area Closures 
(BACs) could be used to restrict groundfish bottom trawling within any 
portion of the EEZ off Oregon and California, in areas bounded by 
specific latitudes and depths, to meet various fishery management 
goals. These goals would include reducing bycatch of protected species 
and preventing overfishing. No BACs would be implemented with this 
proposed rule. BACs cannot be used to close an area to any type of 
fishing other than groundfish bottom trawling. This rule would allow 
NMFS to close or reopen BACs pre-season or in-season, consistent with 
Council recommendations. The approach would be consistent with existing 
``routine inseason'' frameworks already in the FMP and regulations. 
NMFS would implement changes to BACs through inseason action via a 
single Federal Register notice, if good cause exists under the 
Administrative Procedure Act to waive notice and comment. The following 
examples are hypothetical and illustrate possible uses of BACs, and are 
not limiting. BACs may be used in scenarios not discussed in these 
examples. Example 1: Best estimates indicate catches of an IFQ species 
have exceeded the annual trawl allocation for that species. The Council 
could consider using BACs to close areas (bounded by depth and 
latitude, off Oregon and California) where that

[[Page 41821]]

species has been caught with bottom trawl gear in recent years. Example 
2: Best estimates indicate that incidental salmon catch with bottom 
trawl gear is projected to exceed the thresholds in the applicable 
incidental take statement. The Council could consider using BACs to 
close areas where salmon have been caught with bottom trawl in recent 
years.
    When deciding whether to use BACs, the Council will consider 
environmental impacts, including economic impacts, and public comment 
via the Council process. Depending on the circumstances, the Council 
may close areas for a short period of time, such as the remainder of 
the fishing year, or leave it closed for a longer period of time, such 
as until reopened by a subsequent action. The Council may recommend 
that NMFS close one or more BACs and the size of the BACs can vary. A 
Federal Register notice will announce boundaries (described with 
coordinates in codified regulations) of one or more BACs, within which 
groundfish bottom trawling would be prohibited for a period of time. 
The period of time that the closure would be in effect, as well as the 
Council's purpose and rationale, will be also described in the Federal 
Register notice. NMFS would announce the boundaries and duration of the 
BACs through public notices and on the West Coast Region website (see 
ADDRESSES).
    The Council decided to take no action regarding bottom trawl 
closures off the Washington coast. The Council's rationale for this 
decision is similar to those discussed above in section ``Revisions to 
EFH Conservation Areas'' for not establishing new habitat management 
within the tribal U&A fishing areas. Outside of the tribal U&A fishing 
areas, the Council was concerned with potential impacts to yelloweye 
rockfish of reopening the trawl RCA. Yelloweye rockfish are managed 
under a rebuilding plan, and are more concentrated off the Washington 
coast compared to Oregon and California waters. The Council was also 
concerned about the indirect effects of reopening these areas to non-
groundfish fisheries (e.g., Dungeness crab pot fishing). Crabbers set 
their pot gear inside the bottom trawl closure, and if it is reopened 
and fished with bottom trawl gear, the gears may interact, causing 
physical harm to gears and possibly economic harm to either user group. 
The Council also discussed the value of the trawl RCA off Washington in 
providing protection for protected species and other species that are 
not overfished. Given these factors, the Council made no changes to the 
current bottom trawl closure off the coast of Washington. The existing 
trawl RCA will remain in effect off Washington, which means that 
fishing with bottom trawl gear and transiting without bottom trawl gear 
stowed is prohibited within the boundaries of the trawl RCA. The 
Council will still have the same ability as they do now to consider 
changes to the boundaries of the trawl RCA as a routine inseason 
action, consistent with the existing FMP and regulatory framework.

Discretionary Management Measures To Protect Deep-Water Habitats, 
Including Deep-Sea Corals

    During the last EFH amendment (Amendment 19, 2006) the Council 
recommended gear restrictions for the entire EEZ, including areas 
within the EEZ that were outside of designated EFH. NMFS disapproved 
the gear restrictions outside of designated EFH because there was 
insufficient information demonstrating that those areas were important 
for groundfish ecology and fisheries and warranted protection under EFH 
provisions. In the partial disapproval, NMFS pointed out that the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorizations under development at that time 
contained expanded authorities that could provide authority to make 
such closures outside of designated EFH in the future. The Amendment 19 
final rule provides additional detail on this partial disapproval (May 
11, 2006; 71 FR 27408). Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act in 
2007 added discretionary authority for Councils to restrict fishing 
activities, protect deep-sea corals and measures to meet other 
ecological goals and objectives.
    The Council's final preferred alternative and a brief description 
of the Council's rationale for its preferences are included below. For 
a thorough discussion of this alternative and the potential impacts, 
please see Chapters 2 and 4 of the DEIS. Maps can be found in Chapter 2 
of the DEIS.
    The Council recommended using Magnuson-Stevens Act discretionary 
authority to close deep water off California to certain gear types, 
creating a Discretionary Conservation Area, or DCA. Deep-sea habitats 
are sensitive to disturbance and slow to recover. Therefore, the 
closure would apply not just to vessels fishing with bottom trawl gear, 
but to any vessel fishing any gear designed to make contact with the 
bottom. The definition of bottom contact gear is not being revised in 
this rule and includes, but is not limited to, bottom trawl, dredge, 
and fixed gears like longline, trap or pot, set net, and stationary 
hook-and-line gears. This closure covers over 123,000 square miles 
(318,569 square km), and includes the entire EEZ south of Mendocino 
Ridge seaward of approximately 1,900 fathoms (3,500 m). The Council 
discussed how it values the role of deep-sea habitats in trapping 
greenhouse gases, slowing the rate of climate change, and providing 
nutrients (through upwelling) that fuel fisheries. Currently, there is 
no known bottom contact fishing activities occurring there. This 
proposed rule would prevent prospective fishing activities that could 
damage deep-sea ocean floor and sensitive deep-sea coral habitats. 
Similar to other conservation areas, the Council could allow future 
prospective fishing activities with bottom contacting gear in this area 
via a groundfish exempted fishing permit.

Regulatory Changes

    This rule proposes two categories of regulatory changes. The first 
includes measures to implement the Council's recommendation. The second 
includes minor technical corrections of related regulations. The 
proposed regulations also update cross-references and definitions as 
needed.
    To implement the Council's recommendation, all new closed areas are 
defined and described in subpart C with latitude and longitude 
coordinates and other regulatory boundaries. NMFS is particularly 
interested in receiving comments on ease of compliance with certain 
boundaries that do not lend themselves to long, straight lines, such as 
EFH conservation areas that have portions of their boundaries defined 
by the state water line, such as the Arago Reef and Rogue River Reef 
EFH conservation areas. Although fishery participants are familiar with 
the state water boundary line, NMFS remains concerned that complex 
boundary lines not defined with latitude and longitude lines may be 
difficult for fishery participants to navigate, and therefore more 
likely to lead to prohibited area violations.
    NMFS is also particularly interested in receiving comments on the 
Grays Canyon EFH conservation area, an existing EFH conservation area 
revised by this action, and how its boundaries relate to the Quinault 
Indian Nation's usual and accustomed fishing area (Quinault U&A). The 
Council's April 2018 motion that adopted the northern expansion of this 
EFH conservation area referred to an early proposal submitted in the 
Council process, and stated that the expansion should also include the 
area seaward of the adjudicated western boundary for the Quinault U&A. 
At the

[[Page 41822]]

time the Council adopted the motion, the United States District Court 
for the Western District of Washington had only recently issued an 
order setting forth the revised western boundary of the Quinault U&A in 
United States v. Washington, No. C70-9213RSM (W.D. Wash. March 5, 2018) 
(Order Regarding Boundaries of Quinault and Quileute U&As). The Council 
motion referenced an early proposed boundary for the area and depicted 
the prior western boundary for the Quinault U&A, rather than the 2018 
adjudicated western boundary. The motion also articulated specific 
latitude and longitude coordinates for the EFH conservation area. At 
the September 2018 Council meeting, NMFS stated its intention to 
propose a shoreward boundary of the EFH conservation area that would be 
consistent with the 2018 adjudicated western boundary. Upon further 
examination of coordinates described in the Council motion and the 
location of the 2018 adjudicated western boundary of the Quinault U&A, 
the coordinates of the Grays Canyon EFH conservation area northern 
expansion are approximately 2 miles (3.6 km) farther offshore than the 
western boundary of the Quinault U&A, which mirrors the coastline 30 
nautical miles off the coast of central Washington. NMFS did not have 
explicit direction from the Council on how to connect the coordinates 
of the EFH conservation area in the Council motion to the 2018 
adjudicated western boundary of the Quinault U&A, and would have had to 
make assumptions about how to make the connection. In addition, the 
Council motion describes and depicts a straight line shoreward boundary 
for the EFH conservation area expansion defined with coordinates. 
Replacing that straight line boundary with the 2018 adjudicated western 
boundary for the Quinault U&A, which is not defined with coordinates, 
may create challenges for enforcement and compliance. After consulting 
with the Council, NMFS decided to propose regulations that use the 
latitude and longitude coordinates from the motion to define the Grays 
Canyon EFH conservation area northern expansion, rather than creating 
new coordinates to expand the EFH conservation area an additional 
approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east to meet the 2018 adjudicated 
western boundary of the Quinault U&A.
    The potential boundaries of future BACs already exist in subpart C. 
The existing procedures through which inseason action would implement 
these closures is also described in subpart C. The restrictions within 
closed areas that apply to specific gear types are described in 
subparts D through F.
    The locations and descriptions of regulations that implement the 
Council's recommendations regarding Amendment 28 are described in 
greater detail in Table 1 below. To insure accuracy of EFH conservation 
area regulations at Sec. Sec.  660.77 through 79, NMFS is publishing 
each section in its entirety, rather than only publishing new and 
revised EFH conservation areas. For transparency, Table 2 categorizes 
every EFH conservation area as either new, revised, or re-published.

   Table 1--Location and Description of Substantive Regulatory Changes
                        Implementing Amendment 28
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Section, subpart          Regulatory change        Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   660.11, subpart C....  Define the DCA and    Add definition of
                               BACs.                 the DCA and mention
                                                     BACs as a type of
                                                     groundfish
                                                     conservation area.
Sec.   660.12, subpart C....  Add prohibitions for  Prohibit use of
                               DCAs.                 bottom contacting
                                                     gear in the DCA.
Sec.   660.60, subpart C....  BACs are a routine    Designate BACs as a
                               management measure.   routine management
                                                     measure that can be
                                                     changed inseason.
Sec.   660.71 through Sec.    Revise introductory   Boundary lines that
 660.75, subpart C.            text.                 approximate depth
                                                     contours are used
                                                     for more than just
                                                     RCAs, including
                                                     gear restrictions
                                                     and BACs.
Sec.   660.76, subpart C....  Revise the boundary   Revise the section
                               line approximating    title and revise
                               the 700 fm depth      coordinate at
                               contour.              Spanish Canyon,
                                                     South of Mars
                                                     Cable, and Cabrillo
                                                     Canyon.
Sec.   660.77 through Sec.    Add new and revise    EFH conservation
 660.79, subpart C.            existing EFH          area not being
                               conservation areas    revised are being
                               off Washington,       republished. See
                               Oregon and            Table 2 for
                               California.           additional details.
Sec.   660.111, subpart D...  Define BACs.........  Add definition of
                                                     BACs.
Sec.   660.112, subpart D...  Prohibitions for new  Update the lists of
                               EFH conservation      EFH conservation
                               areas.                areas closed to
                                                     bottom trawl and
                                                     closed to bottom
                                                     trawl except for
                                                     demersal seine (off
                                                     California).
Sec.   660.130, subpart D...  Off Oregon and        Revise regulations
                               California, remove    to no longer use
                               the trawl RCA and     the trawl RCA as a
                               add BACs.             reference point for
                                                     depth-based gear
                                                     restrictions;
                                                     remove the trawl
                                                     RCA off Oregon and
                                                     California; add
                                                     BACs as a potential
                                                     management measure.
Sec.   660.130, subpart D...  Retain status quo     Midwater trawl depth
                               depth restrictions    restrictions are
                               for midwater trawl    moved to paragraph
                               gear south of         (c)(4). This
                               40[deg]10' N lat.     replaces the
                                                     restriction at
                                                     660.130 (e) that
                                                     said ``midwater
                                                     trawl is prohibited
                                                     within and
                                                     shoreward of the
                                                     trawl RCA'' south
                                                     of 40[deg]10' N
                                                     lat.
Tables 1 (North) and 1        Remove trawl RCA off  Trawl RCA remains
 (South) to subpart D.         Oregon and            only north of
                               California.           46[deg]16' N lat.;
                                                     trawl RCA is
                                                     removed from Table
                                                     1 (South) title.
Sec.   660.212 and Sec.       Add reference to DCA  Bottom contact gear
 660.312, subpart E.           prohibitions.         restrictions within
                                                     the new DCA apply
                                                     to fixed gear,
                                                     including longline
                                                     and trap/pot gears.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 41823]]


   Table 2--EFH Conservation Area Changes Off Washington, Oregon, and California, Including Newly Added Areas,
       Existing Areas With Revised Boundaries, and Existing Areas Re-Published Without Substantive Changes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Section & state                      New                      Revised                Re-published
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   660.76--Coastwide.........  None.....................  Seaward of the 700-fm     None.
                                                               (1,280-m) contour.
Sec.   660.77--Washington........  Quinault Canyon, Willapa   Grays Canyon *..........  Olympic 2, Biogenic 1,
                                    Canyonhead, Willapa Deep.                            Biogenic 2, Biogenic 3.
Sec.   660.78--Oregon............  Astoria Deep, Garibaldi    Nehalem Bank/Shale Pile,  Thompson Seamount,
                                    Reef North, Garibaldi      Daisy Bank/Nelson         Astoria Canyon, Siletz
                                    Reef South, Hydrate        Island, Newport           Deepwater, Deepwater
                                    Ridge, Arago Reef,*        Rockpile/Stonewall        off Coos Bay, President
                                    Rogue River Reef *.        Bank, Heceta Bank,        Jackson Seamount, Rogue
                                                               Bandon High Spot.         Canyon.
Sec.   660.79--California........  Brush Patch, Trinidad      Eel River Canyon, Blunts  Tolo Bank, Point Arena
                                    Canyon, Mad River Rough    Reef, Mendocino Ridge,    North, Cordell Bank (50-
                                    Patch, Samoa Deepwater,    Delgada Canyon, Point     fm (91-m) isobath),
                                    Navarro Canyon, The        Arena South Biogenic      Half Moon Bay, Davidson
                                    Football, Gobbler's        Area, Cordell Bank/       Seamount, East San
                                    Knob, Point Reyes Reef,    Biogenic Area, Farallon   Lucia Bank, Point
                                    Rittenburg Bank,           Islands/Fanny Shoal/      Conception, Harris
                                    Farallon Escarpment,       Cochrane Bank, Monterey   Point, Harris Point
                                    Pescadero Reef, Pigeon     Bay/Canyon, Point Sur     Exception, Richardson
                                    Point Reef, Ascension      Deep, Big Sur Coast/      Rock, Scorpion, Painted
                                    Canyonhead, South of       Port San Luis, Potato     Cave, Anacapa Island,
                                    Davenport, West of         Bank.                     Carrington Point,
                                    Sobranes Point, La Cruz                              Judith Rock, Skunk
                                    Canyon, West of Piedras                              Point, Footprint, Gull
                                    Blancas, Southern                                    Island, South Point,
                                    California Bight.                                    Hidden Reef/Kidney
                                                                                         Bank, Catalina Island,
                                                                                         Santa Barbara, Cherry
                                                                                         Bank, Cowcod EFHCA
                                                                                         East.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* NMFS is specifically seeking public comments on these EFH conservation areas, as described above.

    This rule also proposes minor technical corrections for regulations 
relating to commercial gear restrictions and closed areas throughout 
the groundfish regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subparts C through F. 
The only substantive changes to regulations under this category are to 
resolve internal inconsistencies within regulations and align them with 
past Council actions. All other changes are not substantive and include 
moving, removing, and adding cross-references to regulations to reduce 
redundancies, and clarifying prohibitions and management measures to 
reduce complexity and simplify language.
    If the proposed regulations in this proposed rule are revised or 
corrected by other, separate rulemakings before these proposed 
regulations publish in the final rule, NMFS will update the final 
regulations for consistency and describe the changes from the proposed 
rule in the final rule.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has made a preliminary determination that 
this proposed rule is consistent with the FMP, Amendment 28 to the FMP, 
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. In making the final 
determination, NMFS will consider the data, views, and comments 
received during the public comment period.
    This proposed rule has been preliminarily determined to be not 
significant for purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866.
    NMFS prepared a DEIS for this action, which addresses the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The full suite 
of alternatives analyzed by the Council can be found on the NMFS 
website at www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov. The DEIS examined the 
environmental impacts of EFH conservation area changes, re-opening of 
the trawl RCA, and deep-water fishing restrictions separately and 
cumulatively. Considering each of the three types of changes separately 
was warranted based on differing goals and objectives. Considering 
these changes cumulatively was necessary because of spatial overlap of 
different alternatives. A copy of the DEIS is available from NMFS (see 
ADDRESSES).
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) that this proposed rule, if adopted, would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. The factual basis for this certification is as follows.
    This proposed rule would directly affect businesses that operate in 
the commercial fishing industry (NAICS code 11411) operating with 
bottom trawl fishing gear in Federal waters of the West Coast. This 
rule would primarily affect businesses harvesting and selling 
groundfish, but may also affect small businesses harvesting and selling 
pink shrimp, ridgeback prawn, and sea cucumber caught with bottom trawl 
gear. For Regulatory Flexibility Act purposes only, NMFS has 
established a small business size standard for businesses, including 
their affiliates, whose primary industry is commercial fishing. A 
business primarily engaged in commercial fishing is classified as a 
small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not 
dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has 
combined annual receipts not in excess of $11 million for all its 
affiliated operations worldwide.
    Limited entry groundfish vessels (trawl and non-trawl) are required 
to self-report size across all affiliated entities. All but one of the 
entities primarily involved in seafood harvest self-identified as 
small, and own 139 permits. In 2018, 58 vessels harvested groundfish 
with bottom trawl gear off of the West Coast. In 2018, 58 vessels 
harvested groundfish in the catch share program and would potentially 
benefit from some or all of the fishing area flexibility offered in the 
proposed rule. Vessels in California and Oregon are likely to 
experience the greatest benefits from reopening of the trawl RCA; 19 
bottom trawl vessels landed in California in 2018, and 38 in Oregon, 
although many vessels fish in multiple states. The five bottom trawl 
vessels landing in Washington would still have access to expanded 
fishing opportunity in other states and thus still experience expected 
benefits from this rule.

[[Page 41824]]

    Less information is available to NMFS regarding state-managed 
fisheries; therefore, business size is estimated based on available 
information. From 2011-2017, an annual average of 139 vessels landed 
non-groundfish species harvested with bottom trawl gear in state-
managed fisheries. Average annual revenue from all species landed by 
the 139 vessels vary by state. The coastwide average revenue per vessel 
is less than half a million dollars. The estimates of average annual 
revenue indicate that these 139 businesses are small businesses, 
assuming no affiliation and with ownership interest unknown.
    The proposed rule would close and reopen EFH conservation areas, 
which are closed areas to both goundfish and non-groundfish bottom 
trawl gear. The proposed rule would establish EFH conservation areas 
over 17,000 square miles (44,000 square km) of the EEZ. However, 
because some of those areas are already closed to bottom trawl gear by 
other fishery management measures and only a very small portion of 
these proposed closed areas are currently fished with bottom trawl gear 
for any species, we expect very little effort will be displaced by 
these closures. The groundfish areas to be closed contributed less than 
half a percent to revenues, coastwide. For non-groundfish, there is 
very little overlap of fishing areas and closures proposed by this 
rule. This rule is anticipated to have negligible effects to small 
businesses because of low overlap of closures with common bottom trawl 
fishing areas. This proposed rule would re-open to bottom trawl gear 
(both groundfish and non-groundfish) EFH conservation areas covering 
approximately 200 square miles (518 square km) of the EEZ. Changing 
areas fished or targeting strategies is optional, and up to the 
discretion of the operator. Some vessels may choose not to access 
reopened areas and thus would not be affected by reopened areas 
proposed by this rule. For vessels who do anticipate expanding 
operations into newly reopened areas, effects would be expected to be 
positive.
    The proposed rule would reopen almost 3,000 square miles (7,800 
square km) of the EEZ (e.g., the trawl RCA) to groundfish bottom 
trawling. Areas to be opened represent a substantial increase in 
potential fishing grounds to active operations off the coasts of 
California and Oregon, and contributed up to 11 percent of coastwide 
revenue to the fishery prior to their closure in 2002. For the same 
reasons stated above, expanding operations into newly reopened areas is 
optional and the effects would be expected to be positive for vessels 
that choose to do so. The trawl RCA that is the subject of this action 
does not apply to non-groundfish trawl vessels and its reopening to 
groundfish trawl vessels is therefore not anticipated to have any 
direct effect on non-groundfish trawl fisheries.
    The proposed rule would close over 123,000 square miles (318,569 
square km) seaward of approximately 1,900 fathoms (3,500 m) to fishing 
with bottom contact gears. Currently, there is no known bottom contact 
fishing activities occurring there, and there would be no adverse 
economic impact on any small business.
    In summary, this rule would not have an adverse economic impact on 
any small business. Any changes to coastwide revenue or pounds by the 
net of these closures and openings is not quantifiable; however, the 
impacts to small businesses operating in non-groundfish bottom trawl 
fisheries are anticipated to be negligible. The closures are not 
displacing much fishing activity and openings are anticipated to offer 
increased flexibility for active operations in terms of access to 
fishing areas. Therefore, NMFS expects this proposed rule would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities, and an initial regulatory flexibility analysis is not 
required and none has been prepared.
    Pursuant to Executive Order 13175, this proposed rule was developed 
after meaningful consultation and collaboration with the tribal 
representative on the Council who has agreed with the proposed action. 
None of the provisions in this proposed rule apply to tribal vessels 
operating in tribal usual and accustomed fishing areas.
    This proposed rule does not contain policies with Federalism or 
``takings'' implications as those terms are defined in E.O. 13132 and 
E.O. 12630, respectively.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660

    Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: July 29, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is 
proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES

0
1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16 
U.S.C. 7001 et seq.

0
2. In Sec.  [thinsp]660.11, revise the definition of ``Conservation 
area(s),'' and add the definition of ``Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ'' 
in alphabetical order to read as follows.


Sec.  660.11  General definitions.

* * * * *
    Conservation area(s) means an enclosed geographic area defined by 
coordinates expressed in degrees latitude and longitude where NMFS may 
prohibit fishing with particular gear types. Conservation areas include 
Groundfish Conservation Areas (GCA), Essential Fish Habitat 
Conservation Areas (EFHCA) and Discretionary Conservation Areas (DCA).
    (1) Groundfish Conservation Area or GCA means a conservation area 
created or modified and enforced to control catch of groundfish or 
protected species. Regulations at Sec.  660.60(c)(3) describe the 
various purposes for which NMFS may implement certain types of GCAs 
through routine management measures. Regulations at Sec.  660.70 
further describe and define coordinates for certain GCAs, including: 
Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas; Cowcod Conservation Areas; 
waters encircling the Farallon Islands; and waters encircling the 
Cordell Banks. GCAs also include depth-based closures bounded by lines 
approximating depth contours and lines of latitude, including Bycatch 
Reduction Areas or BRAs, Block Area Closures or BACs, and Rockfish 
Conservation Areas or RCAs, which may be closed to fishing with 
particular gear types. BRA, BAC, and RCA boundaries may change 
seasonally according to conservation needs. Regulations at Sec. Sec.  
660.71 through 660.74 define depth-based closure boundary lines with 
latitude/longitude coordinates. Regulations at Sec.  660.11 describe 
commonly used geographic coordinates that define lines of latitude. 
Fishing prohibitions associated with GCAs are in addition to those 
associated with other conservation areas.
    (i) Block Area Closures or BACs are defined at Sec.  660.111.
    (ii) Bycatch Reduction Areas or BRAs are conservation areas that 
apply to vessels using midwater groundfish trawl gear during the 
Pacific whiting primary season, as described at Sec. Sec.  660.60(d) 
and 660.131(c).
    (iii) Cordell Banks is defined at Sec.  660.70.
    (iv) Cowcod Conservation Areas are defined at Sec.  660.70.
    (v) Farallon Islands is defined at Sec.  660.70.

[[Page 41825]]

    (vi) Rockfish Conservation Areas or RCAs. RCA restrictions are 
detailed in subparts D through G of this part. RCAs may apply to a 
single gear type or to a group of gear types such as ``trawl RCAs'' or 
``non-trawl RCAs.'' Specific latitude and longitude coordinates for RCA 
boundaries that approximate the depth contours selected for trawl, non-
trawl, and recreational RCAs are provided in Sec. Sec.  660.71 through 
660.74. Also provided in Sec. Sec.  660.71 through 660.74, are 
references to islands and rocks that serve as reference points for the 
RCAs.
    (A) Trawl (Limited Entry and Open Access Non-groundfish Trawl 
Gears) RCAs. The trawl RCAs are intended to protect a complex of 
species, such as overfished shelf rockfish species, and have boundaries 
defined by specific latitude and longitude coordinates approximating 
depth contours. Boundaries for the limited entry trawl RCA throughout 
the year are provided in Table 1 (North) subpart D of this part. 
Boundaries for the open access non-groundfish trawl RCA throughout the 
year are provided in Table 3 (South) subpart F of this part. Boundaries 
of the trawl RCAs may be modified by NMFS inseason pursuant to Sec.  
660.60(c).
    (B) Non-Trawl (Limited Entry Fixed Gear and Open Access Non-trawl 
Gears) RCAs. Non-trawl RCAs are intended to protect a complex of 
species, such as overfished shelf rockfish species, and have boundaries 
defined by specific latitude and longitude coordinates approximating 
depth contours. Boundaries for the non-trawl RCA throughout the year 
are provided in Table 2 (North) and Table 2 (South) of subpart E of 
this part, and Table 3 (North) and Table 3 (South) of subpart F of this 
part, and may be modified by NMFS inseason pursuant to Sec.  660.60(c).
    (C) Recreational RCAs. Recreational RCAs are closed areas intended 
to protect overfished rockfish species. Recreational RCAs may either 
have boundaries defined by general depth contours or boundaries defined 
by specific latitude and longitude coordinates approximating depth 
contours. Boundaries for the recreational RCAs throughout the year are 
provided in the text in subpart G of this part under each state 
(Washington, Oregon and California) and may be modified by NMFS 
inseason pursuant to Sec.  660.60(c).
    (vii) Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas or YRCAs are defined at 
Sec.  660.70.
    (2) Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Area or EFHCA means an area 
created and enforced to contribute to the protection of groundfish 
essential fish habitat. Regulations at Sec. Sec.  660.75 through 660.79 
define EFHCA boundaries. Fishing prohibitions associated with EFHCAs, 
which are found at Sec. Sec.  660.12, 660.112, 660.212, and 660.312, 
are in addition to those associated with other conservation areas.
    (3) Discretionary Conservation Area or DCA is the area within the 
EEZ deeper than 3,500 m (1,914 fm) that is not designated as EFH, 
defined at Sec.  660.75 with latitude and longitude coordinates. The 
DCA is closed to bottom contact gear for the reasons described under 
MSA Section 303(b), and contributes to the protection of deep-water 
habitats including deep-sea corals. Fishing prohibitions associated 
with DCAs, at Sec.  660.12, are in addition to those associated with 
other conservation areas.
* * * * *
    Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ is defined at Sec.  600.10. See also 
Fishery management area of this section.
* * * * *
0
3. In Sec.  660.12, add paragraphs (a)(16) through (18) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  660.12   General groundfish prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (16) Fish with bottom contact gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) within 
the EEZ in the following EFHCAs (defined at Sec. Sec.  660.78 and 
660.79): Thompson Seamount, President Jackson Seamount, Cordell Bank 
(50-fm (91-m) isobath), Harris Point, Richardson Rock, Scorpion, 
Painted Cave, Anacapa Island, Carrington Point, Judith Rock, Skunk 
Point, Footprint, Gull Island, South Point, and Santa Barbara.
    (17) Fish with bottom contact gear (defined at Sec.  660.11), or 
any other gear that is deployed deeper than 500-fm (914-m), within the 
Davidson Seamount EFHCA (defined at Sec.  660.79).
    (18) Fish with bottom contact gear, defined at Sec.  660.11, in the 
DCA, defined at Sec.  660.11.
* * * * *
0
4. In Sec.  660.60 revise introductory text paragraph (c) and paragraph 
(c)(3)(i) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.60   Specifications and management measures.

* * * * *
    (c) Routine management measures. Catch restrictions that are likely 
to be adjusted on a biennial or more frequent basis may be imposed and 
announced by a single notification in the Federal Register if good 
cause exists under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) to waive 
notice and comment, and if they have been designated as routine through 
the two-meeting process described in the PCGFMP. Routine management 
measures that may be revised during the fishing year, via this process, 
are implemented in paragraph (h) of this section, and in subparts C 
through G of this part, including Tables 1a through 1c, and 2a through 
2c to subpart C of this part, Tables 1 (North) and 1 (South) of subpart 
D of this part, Tables 2 (North) and 2 (South) of subpart E of this 
part, and Tables 3 (North) and 3 (South) of subpart F of this part. 
Most trip, bag, and size limits, and some Groundfish Conservation Area 
closures in the groundfish fishery have been designated ``routine,'' 
which means they may be changed rapidly after a single Council meeting. 
Council meetings are held in the months of March, April, June, 
September, and November. Inseason changes to routine management 
measures are announced in the Federal Register pursuant to the 
requirements of the APA. Changes to trip limits are effective at the 
times stated in the Federal Register. Once a trip limit change is 
effective, it is illegal to take and retain, possess, or land more fish 
than allowed under the new trip limit. This means that, unless 
otherwise announced in the Federal Register, offloading must begin 
before the time a fishery closes or a more restrictive trip limit takes 
effect. The following catch restrictions have been designated as 
routine:
* * * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) Depth-based management measures. Depth-based management 
measures, particularly closed areas known as Groundfish Conservation 
Areas, defined in Sec.  660.11, include RCAs, BRAs, and BACs, and may 
be implemented in any fishery sector that takes groundfish directly or 
incidentally. Depth-based management measures are set using specific 
boundary lines that approximate depth contours with latitude/longitude 
waypoints found at Sec. Sec.  660.70 through 660.74. Depth-based 
management measures and closed areas may be used for the following 
conservation objectives: To protect and rebuild overfished stocks; to 
prevent the overfishing of any groundfish species by minimizing the 
direct or incidental catch of that species; or to minimize the 
incidental harvest of any protected or prohibited species taken in the 
groundfish fishery. Depth-based management measures and closed areas 
may be used for the following economic objectives: To extend the 
fishing season; for the commercial fisheries, to minimize disruption of 
traditional fishing and marketing patterns; for the

[[Page 41826]]

recreational fisheries, to spread the available catch over a large 
number of anglers; to discourage target fishing while allowing small 
incidental catches to be landed; and to allow small fisheries to 
operate outside the normal season.
    (A) Rockfish Conservation Areas. RCAs, as defined at Sec.  660.11, 
may be modified as routine action for vessels using trawl gear (off 
Washington), non-trawl gear (coastwide), or recreational gear 
(coastwide) consistent with the purposes described in paragraph 
(c)(3)(i) of this section.
    (B) Bycatch Reduction Areas. BRAs may be implemented through 
automatic action in the Pacific whiting fishery consistent with 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section. BRAs may be implemented as routine 
management measures for vessels using midwater groundfish trawl gear 
consistent with the purposes described in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this 
section.
    (C) Block Area Closures. BACs, as defined at Sec.  660.111, may be 
closed or reopened, off Oregon and California, for vessels using 
limited entry bottom trawl gear consistent with the purposes described 
in paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section.
* * * * *
0
5. Amend Sec.  660.70 by:
0
a. Removing the introductory text, paragraphs (n), (o) and (r);
0
b. Redesignating paragraphs (a) through (m) as (b) through (n);
0
c. Adding new paragraphs (a) and (o).
    The additions read as follows:


Sec.  660.70   Groundfish conservation areas.

    (a) General. Groundfish conservation area (GCA) is defined in Sec.  
660.11. This section defines GCAs whose shapes are not exclusively 
defined by boundary lines approximating depth contours found in 
Sec. Sec.  660.71 through 660.74 or commonly used geographic 
coordinates at Sec.  660.11. Fishing activity that is prohibited or 
permitted within a particular GCA is detailed at subparts C through G 
of part 660.
* * * * *
    (o) Cowcod Conservation Areas. The Cowcod Conservation Areas (CCAs) 
are two areas off the southern California coast intended to protect 
cowcod.
    (1) Western CCA. The Western CCA is an area south of Point 
Conception defined by the straight lines connecting the following 
specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:
    (A) 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 119[deg]30.00' W long.;
    (B) 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 118[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (C) 32[deg]20.00' N lat., 118[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (D) 32[deg]20.00' N lat., 119[deg]37.00' W long.;
    (E) 33[deg]00.00' N lat., 119[deg]37.00' W long.;
    (F) 33[deg]00.00' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (G) 33[deg]33.00' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (H) 33[deg]33.00' N lat., 119[deg]30.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 119[deg]30.00' W long.
    (2) Transit corridor. The Western CCA transit corridor is bounded 
on the north by the latitude line at 33[deg]00.50' N lat., and bounded 
on the south by the latitude line at 32[deg]59.50' N lat.
    (3) Eastern CCA. The Eastern CCA is an area west of San Diego 
defined by the straight lines connecting the following specific 
latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:
    (A) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    (B) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (C) 32[deg]36.70' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (D) 32[deg]30.00' N lat., 117[deg]53.50' W long.;
    (E) 32[deg]30.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.
* * * * *
0
6. In Sec.  660.71 revise the introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  660.71   Latitude/longitude coordinates defining the 10-fm (18-m) 
through 40-fm (73-m) depth contours.

    Boundaries for some GCAs are defined by straight lines connecting a 
series of latitude/longitude coordinates. This section provides 
coordinates for the 10-fm (18-m) through 40-fm (73-m) depth contours.
* * * * *
0
7. In Sec.  660.72 revise the introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  660.72   Latitude/longitude coordinates defining the 50 fm (91 m) 
through 75 fm (137 m) depth contours.

    Boundaries for some GCAs are defined by straight lines connecting a 
series of latitude/longitude coordinates. This section provides 
coordinates for the 50 fm (91 m) through 75 fm (137 m) depth contours.
* * * * *
0
8. In Sec.  660.73 revise the introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  660.73   Latitude/longitude coordinates defining the 100 fm (183 
m) through 150 fm (274 m) depth contours.

    Boundaries for some GCAs are defined by straight lines connecting a 
series of latitude/longitude coordinates. This section provides 
coordinates for the 100 fm (183 m) through 150 fm (274 m) depth 
contours.
* * * * *
0
9. In Sec.  660.74 revise the introductory text and paragraphs (l)(209) 
and (210) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.74   Latitude/longitude coordinates defining the 180 fm (329 
m) through 250 fm (457 m) depth contours.

    Boundaries for some GCAs are defined by straight lines connecting a 
series of latitude/longitude coordinates. This section provides 
coordinates for the 180 fm (329 m) through 250 fm (457 m) depth 
contours.
* * * * *
    (l) * * *
    (209) 34[deg]27.00' N lat., 120[deg]42.61' W long.;
    (210) 34[deg]19.08' N lat., 120[deg]31.21' W long.;
* * * * *
0
10. Amend Sec.  660.76 by:
0
a. Revising the section heading and paragraphs (a) and (b);
0
b. Removing introductory text.
    The revisions read as follows:


Sec.  660.76   Coastwide EFHCAs.

    (a) General. EFHCAs are defined at Sec.  660.11. The boundaries of 
areas designated as EFHCAs are defined by straight lines connecting a 
series of latitude and longitude coordinates and other regulatory 
boundaries. This paragraph provides coordinates outlining the 
boundaries of the coastwide EFHCA. Coordinates outlining the boundaries 
of EFHCAs off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California are 
provided in Sec. Sec.  660.77, 660.78, and 660.79, respectively. 
Fishing activity that is prohibited or permitted within a particular 
EFHCA is detailed at subparts C through G of this part.
    (b) Seaward of the 700-fm (1280-m) contour. This area includes all 
waters designated as EFH within the West Coast EEZ west of a line 
approximating the 700-fm (1280-m) depth contour which is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 48[deg]06.97' N lat., 126[deg]02.96' W long.;
    (2) 48[deg]00.44' N lat., 125[deg]54.96' W long.;
    (3) 47[deg]55.96' N lat., 125[deg]46.51' W long.;
    (4) 47[deg]47.21' N lat., 125[deg]43.73' W long.;

[[Page 41827]]

    (5) 47[deg]42.89' N lat., 125[deg]49.58' W long.;
    (6) 47[deg]38.18' N lat., 125[deg]37.26' W long.;
    (7) 47[deg]32.36' N lat., 125[deg]32.87' W long.;
    (8) 47[deg]29.77' N lat., 125[deg]26.27' W long.;
    (9) 47[deg]28.54' N lat., 125[deg]18.82' W long.;
    (10) 47[deg]19.25' N lat., 125[deg]17.18' W long.;
    (11) 47[deg]08.82' N lat., 125[deg]10.01' W long.;
    (12) 47[deg]04.69' N lat., 125[deg]03.77' W long.;
    (13) 46[deg]48.38' N lat., 125[deg]18.43' W long.;
    (14) 46[deg]41.92' N lat., 125[deg]17.29' W long.;
    (15) 46[deg]27.49' N lat., 124[deg]54.36' W long.;
    (16) 46[deg]14.13' N lat., 125[deg]02.72' W long.;
    (17) 46[deg]09.53' N lat., 125[deg]04.75' W long.;
    (18) 45[deg]46.64' N lat., 124[deg]54.44' W long.;
    (19) 45[deg]40.86' N lat., 124[deg]55.62' W long.;
    (20) 45[deg]36.50' N lat., 124[deg]51.91' W long.;
    (21) 44[deg]55.69' N lat., 125[deg]08.35' W long.;
    (22) 44[deg]49.93' N lat., 125[deg]01.51' W long.;
    (23) 44[deg]46.93' N lat., 125[deg]02.83' W long.;
    (24) 44[deg]41.96' N lat., 125[deg]10.64' W long.;
    (25) 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]11.42' W long.;
    (26) 43[deg]58.37' N lat., 125[deg]02.93' W long.;
    (27) 43[deg]52.74' N lat., 125[deg]05.58' W long.;
    (28) 43[deg]44.18' N lat., 124[deg]57.17' W long.;
    (29) 43[deg]37.58' N lat., 125[deg]07.70' W long.;
    (30) 43[deg]15.95' N lat., 125[deg]07.84' W long.;
    (31) 42[deg]47.50' N lat., 124[deg]59.96' W long.;
    (32) 42[deg]39.02' N lat., 125[deg]01.07' W long.;
    (33) 42[deg]34.80' N lat., 125[deg]02.89' W long.;
    (34) 42[deg]34.11' N lat., 124[deg]55.62' W long.;
    (35) 42[deg]23.81' N lat., 124[deg]52.85' W long.;
    (36) 42[deg]16.80' N lat., 125[deg]00.20' W long.;
    (37) 42[deg]06.60' N lat., 124[deg]59.14' W long.;
    (38) 41[deg]59.28' N lat., 125[deg]06.23' W long.;
    (39) 41[deg]31.10' N lat., 125[deg]01.30' W long.;
    (40) 41[deg]14.52' N lat., 124[deg]52.67' W long.;
    (41) 40[deg]40.65' N lat., 124[deg]45.69' W long.;
    (42) 40[deg]35.05' N lat., 124[deg]45.65' W long.;
    (43) 40[deg]23.81' N lat., 124[deg]41.16' W long.;
    (44) 40[deg]20.54' N lat., 124[deg]36.36' W long.;
    (45) 40[deg]20.84' N lat., 124[deg]57.23' W long.;
    (46) 40[deg]18.54' N lat., 125[deg]09.47' W long.;
    (47) 40[deg]14.54' N lat., 125[deg]09.83' W long.;
    (48) 40[deg]11.79' N lat., 125[deg]07.39' W long.;
    (49) 40[deg]06.72' N lat., 125[deg]04.28' W long.;
    (50) 39[deg]52.62' N lat., 124[deg]40.65' W long.;
    (51) 39[deg]52.29' N lat., 124[deg]34.72' W long.;
    (52) 39[deg]55.19' N lat., 124[deg]29.32' W long.;
    (53) 39[deg]54.43' N lat., 124[deg]24.06' W long.;
    (54) 39[deg]44.25' N lat., 124[deg]12.60' W long.;
    (55) 39[deg]35.82' N lat., 124[deg]12.02' W long.;
    (56) 39[deg]24.54' N lat., 124[deg]16.01' W long.;
    (57) 39[deg]01.97' N lat., 124[deg]11.20' W long.;
    (58) 38[deg]33.48' N lat., 123[deg]48.21' W long.;
    (59) 38[deg]14.49' N lat., 123[deg]38.89' W long.;
    (60) 37[deg]56.97' N lat., 123[deg]31.65' W long.;
    (61) 37[deg]49.09' N lat., 123[deg]27.98' W long.;
    (62) 37[deg]40.29' N lat., 123[deg]12.83' W long.;
    (63) 37[deg]22.54' N lat., 123[deg]14.65' W long.;
    (64) 37[deg]05.98' N lat., 123[deg]05.31' W long.;
    (65) 36[deg]59.02' N lat., 122[deg]50.92' W long.;
    (66) 36[deg]51.52' N lat., 122[deg]22.03' W long.;
    (67) 36[deg]49.09' N lat., 122[deg]21.84' W long.;
    (68) 36[deg]50.47' N lat., 122[deg]19.03' W long.;
    (69) 36[deg]50.14' N lat., 122[deg]17.50' W long.;
    (70) 36[deg]44.54' N lat., 122[deg]19.42' W long.;
    (71) 36[deg]40.76' N lat., 122[deg]17.28' W long.;
    (72) 36[deg]39.88' N lat., 122[deg]09.69' W long.;
    (73) 36[deg]40.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.09' W long.;
    (74) 36[deg]40.99' N lat., 122[deg]08.53' W long.;
    (75) 36[deg]41.17' N lat., 122[deg]08.97' W long.;
    (76) 36[deg]44.52' N lat., 122[deg]07.13' W long.;
    (77) 36[deg]42.26' N lat., 122[deg]03.54' W long.;
    (78) 36[deg]30.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.85' W long.;
    (79) 36[deg]22.33' N lat., 122[deg]22.99' W long.;
    (80) 36[deg]14.36' N lat., 122[deg]21.19' W long.;
    (81) 36[deg]09.50' N lat., 122[deg]14.25' W long.;
    (82) 35[deg]51.50' N lat., 121[deg]55.92' W long.;
    (83) 35[deg]49.53' N lat., 122[deg]13.00' W long.;
    (84) 34[deg]58.30' N lat., 121[deg]36.76' W long.;
    (85) 34[deg]53.13' N lat., 121[deg]37.49' W long.;
    (86) 34[deg]46.54' N lat., 121[deg]46.25' W long.;
    (87) 34[deg]37.81' N lat., 121[deg]35.72' W long.;
    (88) 34[deg]37.72' N lat., 121[deg]27.35' W long.;
    (89) 34[deg]26.77' N lat., 121[deg]07.58' W long.;
    (90) 34[deg]18.54' N lat., 121[deg]05.01' W long.;
    (91) 34[deg]02.68' N lat., 120[deg]54.30' W long.;
    (92) 33[deg]48.11' N lat., 120[deg]25.46' W long.;
    (93) 33[deg]42.54' N lat., 120[deg]38.24' W long.;
    (94) 33[deg]46.26' N lat., 120[deg]43.64' W long.;
    (95) 33[deg]40.71' N lat., 120[deg]51.29' W long.;
    (96) 33[deg]33.14' N lat., 120[deg]40.25' W long.;
    (97) 32[deg]51.57' N lat., 120[deg]23.35' W long.;
    (98) 32[deg]38.54' N lat., 120[deg]09.54' W long.;
    (99) 32[deg]35.76' N lat., 119[deg]53.43' W long.;
    (100) 32[deg]29.54' N lat., 119[deg]46.00' W long.;
    (101) 32[deg]25.99' N lat., 119[deg]41.16' W long.;
    (102) 32[deg]30.46' N lat., 119[deg]33.15' W long.;
    (103) 32[deg]23.47' N lat., 119[deg]25.71' W long.;
    (104) 32[deg]19.19' N lat., 119[deg]13.96' W long.;
    (105) 32[deg]13.18' N lat., 119[deg]04.44' W long.;
    (106) 32[deg]13.40' N lat., 118[deg]51.87' W long.;
    (107) 32[deg]19.62' N lat., 118[deg]47.80' W long.;
    (108) 32[deg]27.26' N lat., 118[deg]50.29' W long.;
    (109) 32[deg]28.42' N lat., 118[deg]53.15' W long.;

[[Page 41828]]

    (110) 32[deg]31.30' N lat., 118[deg]55.09' W long.;
    (111) 32[deg]33.04' N lat., 118[deg]53.57' W long.;
    (112) 32[deg]19.07' N lat., 118[deg]27.54' W long.;
    (113) 32[deg]18.57' N lat., 118[deg]18.97' W long.;
    (114) 32[deg]09.01' N lat., 118[deg]13.96' W long.;
    (115) 32[deg]06.57' N lat., 118[deg]18.78' W long.;
    (116) 32[deg]01.32' N lat., 118[deg]18.21' W long.; and
    (117) 31[deg]57.89' N lat., 118[deg]10.51' W long.
0
11. Revise Sec.  660.77 to read as follows:


Sec.  660.77   EFHCAs off the Coast of Washington.

    (a) General. Boundary line coordinates for EFHCAs off Washington 
are provided in this section. Fishing activity that is prohibited or 
permitted within the EEZ in a particular area designated as a 
groundfish EFHCAs is detailed at Sec. Sec.  660.12, 660.112, 660.130, 
660.212, 660.230, 660.312, 660.330, and 660.360.
    (b) Olympic 2. The boundary of the Olympic 2 EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 48[deg]21.46' N lat., 124[deg]51.61' W long.;
    (2) 48[deg]17.00' N lat., 124[deg]57.18' W long.;
    (3) 48[deg]06.13' N lat., 125[deg]00.68' W long.;
    (4) 48[deg]06.66' N lat., 125[deg]06.55' W long.;
    (5) 48[deg]08.44' N lat., 125[deg]14.61' W long.;
    (6) 48[deg]22.57' N lat., 125[deg]09.82' W long.;
    (7) 48[deg]21.42' N lat., 125[deg]03.55' W long.;
    (8) 48[deg]22.99' N lat., 124[deg]59.29' W long.;
    (9) 48[deg]23.89' N lat., 124[deg]54.37' W long.;
    and connecting back to 48[deg]21.46' N lat., 124[deg]51.61' W long.
    (c) Biogenic 1. The boundary of the Biogenic 1 EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 47[deg]29.97' N lat., 125[deg]20.14' W long.;
    (2) 47[deg]30.01' N lat., 125[deg]30.06' W long.;
    (3) 47[deg]40.09' N lat., 125[deg]50.18' W long.;
    (4) 47[deg]47.27' N lat., 125[deg]50.06' W long.;
    (5) 47[deg]47.00' N lat., 125[deg]24.28' W long.;
    (6) 47[deg]39.53' N lat., 125[deg]10.49' W long.;
    (7) 47[deg]30.31' N lat., 125[deg]08.81' W long.;
    and connecting back to 47[deg]29.97' N lat., 125[deg]20.14' W long.
    (d) Biogenic 2. The boundary of the Biogenic 2 EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 47[deg]08.77' N lat., 125[deg]00.91' W long.;
    (2) 47[deg]08.82' N lat., 125[deg]10.01' W long.;
    (3) 47[deg]20.01' N lat., 125[deg]10.00' W long.;
    (4) 47[deg]20.00' N lat., 125[deg]01.25' W long.;
    and connecting back to 47[deg]08.77' N lat., 125[deg]00.91' W long.
    (e) Quinault Canyon. The boundary of the Quinault Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 47[deg]17.00' N lat., 125[deg]15.63' W long.;
    (2) 47[deg]17.00' N lat., 125[deg]10.00' W long.;
    (3) 47[deg]08.82' N lat., 125[deg]10.01' W long.;
    and connecting back to 47[deg]17.00' N lat., 125[deg]15.63' W long.
    (f) Grays Canyon. The boundary of the Grays Canyon EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 125[deg]00.00' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]58.30' N lat., 125[deg]00.21' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]58.47' N lat., 124[deg]59.08' W long.;
    (4) 47[deg]01.04' N lat., 124[deg]59.54' W long.;
    (5) 47[deg]02.54' N lat., 124[deg]57.40' W long.,
    (6) 46[deg]57.88' N lat., 124[deg]55.63' W long.;
    (7) 46[deg]58.01' N lat., 124[deg]55.09' W long.;
    (8) 46[deg]55.07' N lat., 124[deg]54.14' W long.;
    (9) 46[deg]59.60' N lat., 124[deg]49.79' W long.;
    (10) 46[deg]58.72' N lat., 124[deg]48.78' W long.;
    (11) 46[deg]54.45' N lat., 124[deg]48.36' W long.;
    (12) 46[deg]53.99' N lat., 124[deg]49.95' W long.;
    (13) 46[deg]54.38' N lat., 124[deg]52.73' W long.;
    (14) 46[deg]53.30' N lat., 124[deg]52.35' W long.;
    (15) 46[deg]53.30' N lat., 124[deg]49.13' W long.;
    (16) 46[deg]50.40' N lat., 124[deg]49.06' W long.;
    (17) 46[deg]48.12' N lat., 124[deg]47.94' W long.;
    (18) 46[deg]47.48' N lat., 124[deg]50.86' W long.;
    (19) 46[deg]49.81' N lat., 124[deg]52.79' W long.;
    (20) 46[deg]51.55' N lat., 125[deg]00.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 125[deg]00.00' W long.
    (g) Biogenic 3. The boundary of the Biogenic 3 EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 46[deg]48.16' N lat., 125[deg]10.75' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]40.00' N lat., 125[deg]10.00' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]40.00' N lat., 125[deg]20.01' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]50.00' N lat., 125[deg]20.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]48.16' N lat., 125[deg]10.75' W long.
    (h) Willapa Canyonhead. The boundary of the Willapa Canyonhead 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 46[deg]33.50' N lat., 124[deg]28.77' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]33.50' N lat., 124[deg]29.50' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]33.85' N lat., 124[deg]36.99' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]36.50' N lat., 124[deg]38.00' W long.;
    (5) 46[deg]37.50' N lat., 124[deg]41.00' W long.;
    (6) 46[deg]37.64' N lat., 124[deg]41.11' W long.;
    (7) 46[deg]39.43' N lat., 124[deg]38.69' W long.;
    (8) 46[deg]34.50' N lat., 124[deg]28.50' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]33.50' N lat., 124[deg]28.77' W long.
    (i) Willapa Deep. The boundary of the Willapa Deep EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 46[deg]22.57' N lat., 124[deg]46.70' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]24.38' N lat., 124[deg]56.31' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]27.49' N lat., 124[deg]54.36' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]36.87' N lat., 125[deg]09.27' W long.;
    (5) 46[deg]35.59' N lat., 125[deg]04.58' W long.;
    (6) 46[deg]31.54' N lat., 124[deg]57.53' W long.;
    (7) 46[deg]28.70' N lat., 124[deg]51.77' W long.;
    (8) 46[deg]23.78' N lat., 124[deg]43.30' W long.;
    And connecting back to 46[deg]22.57' N lat., 124[deg]46.70' W long.
0
12. Revise Sec.  660.78 to read as follows:


Sec.  660.78   EFHCAs off the Coast of Oregon.

    (a) General. Boundary line coordinates for EFHCAs off Oregon are

[[Page 41829]]

provided in this section. Fishing activity that is prohibited or 
permitted within the EEZ in a particular area designated as a 
groundfish EFHCA is detailed at Sec. Sec.  660.12, 660.112, 660.130, 
660.212, 660.230, 660.312, 660.330, and 660.360.
    (b) Astoria Deep. The boundary of the Astoria Deep EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 124[deg]57.36' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]05.37' N lat., 125[deg]02.88' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]09.53' N lat., 125[deg]04.75' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]14.13' N lat., 125[deg]02.72' W long.;
    (5) 46[deg]14.79' N lat., 125[deg]02.31' W long.;
    (6) 46[deg]08.28' N lat., 125[deg]00.20' W long.;
    (7) 46[deg]05.74' N lat., 124[deg]55.32' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 124[deg]57.36' W long.
    (c) Thompson Seamount. The boundary of the Thompson Seamount EFHCA 
is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in 
the order stated:
    (1) 46[deg]06.93' N lat., 128[deg]39.77' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]06.76' N lat., 128[deg]39.60' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]07.80' N lat., 128[deg]39.43' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]08.50' N lat., 128[deg]34.39' W long.;
    (5) 46[deg]06.76' N lat., 128[deg]29.36' W long.;
    (6) 46[deg]03.64' N lat., 128[deg]28.67' W long.;
    (7) 45[deg]59.64' N lat., 128[deg]31.62' W long.;
    (8) 45[deg]56.87' N lat., 128[deg]33.18' W long.;
    (9) 45[deg]53.92' N lat., 128[deg]39.25' W long.;
    (10) 45[deg]54.26' N lat., 128[deg]43.42' W long.;
    (11) 45[deg]56.87' N lat., 128[deg]45.85' W long.;
    (12) 46[deg]00.86' N lat., 128[deg]46.02' W long.;
    (13) 46[deg]03.29' N lat., 128[deg]44.81' W long.;
    (14) 46[deg]06.24' N lat., 128[deg]42.90' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]06.93' N lat., 128[deg]39.77' W long.
    (d) Astoria Canyon. The boundary of the Astoria Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 46[deg]06.48' N lat., 125[deg]05.46' W long.;
    (2) 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 124[deg]57.36' W long.;
    (3) 46[deg]02.28' N lat., 124[deg]57.66' W long.;
    (4) 46[deg]01.92' N lat., 125[deg]02.46' W long.;
    (5) 45[deg]48.72' N lat., 124[deg]56.58' W long.;
    (6) 45[deg]47.70' N lat., 124[deg]52.20' W long.;
    (7) 45[deg]40.86' N lat., 124[deg]55.62' W long.;
    (8) 45[deg]29.82' N lat., 124[deg]54.30' W long.;
    (9) 45[deg]25.98' N lat., 124[deg]56.82' W long.;
    (10) 45[deg]26.04' N lat., 125[deg]10.50' W long.;
    (11) 45[deg]33.12' N lat., 125[deg]16.26' W long.;
    (12) 45[deg]40.32' N lat., 125[deg]17.16' W long.;
    (13) 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 125[deg]14.94' W long.;
    and connecting back to 46[deg]06.48' N lat., 125[deg]05.46' W long.
    (e) Nehalem Bank/Shale Pile. The boundary of the Nehalem Bank/Shale 
Pile EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 45[deg]51.53' N lat., 124[deg]31.15' W long.;
    (2) 45[deg]47.95' N lat., 124[deg]31.70' W long.;
    (3) 45[deg]52.75' N lat., 124[deg]39.20' W long.;
    (4) 45[deg]58.02' N lat., 124[deg]38.99' W long.;
    (5) 45[deg]60.83' N lat., 124[deg]36.78' W long.;
    (6) 45[deg]59.94' N lat., 124[deg]34.63' W long.;
    (7) 45[deg]58.90' N lat., 124[deg]33.47' W long.;
    (8) 45[deg]54.27' N lat., 124[deg]30.73' W long.;
    (9) 45[deg]53.62' N lat., 124[deg]30.83' W long.;
    (10) 45[deg]52.90' N lat., 124[deg]30.67' W long.;
    (11) 45[deg]52.03' N lat., 124[deg]30.60' W long.;
    (12) 45[deg]51.74' N lat., 124[deg]30.85' W long.;
    and connecting back to 45[deg]51.53' N lat., 124[deg]31.15' W long.
    (f) Garibaldi Reef North. The boundary of the Garibaldi Reef North 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 45[deg]40.81' N lat., 124[deg]18.46' W long.;
    (2) 45[deg]39.70' N lat., 124[deg]19.46' W long.;
    (3) 45[deg]40.84' N lat., 124[deg]22.17' W long.;
    (4) 45[deg]44.94' N lat., 124[deg]23.07' W long.;
    (5) 45[deg]45.17' N lat., 124[deg]22.19' W long.;
    (6) 45[deg]43.49' N lat., 124[deg]18.94' W long.;
    and connecting back to 45[deg]40.81' N lat., 124[deg]18.46' W long.
    (g) Garibaldi Reef South. The boundary of the Garibaldi Reef South 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 45[deg]34.53' N lat., 124[deg]15.47' W long.;
    (2) 45[deg]33.46' N lat., 124[deg]13.59' W long.;
    (3) 45[deg]32.53' N lat., 124[deg]14.39' W long.;
    (4) 45[deg]33.58' N lat., 124[deg]16.54' W long.;
    and connecting back to 45[deg]34.53' N lat., 124[deg]15.47' W long.
    (h) Siletz Deepwater. The boundary of the Siletz Deepwater EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 44[deg]42.72' N lat., 125[deg]18.49' W long.;
    (2) 44[deg]56.26' N lat., 125[deg]12.61' W long.;
    (3) 44[deg]56.34' N lat., 125[deg]09.13' W long.;
    (4) 44[deg]49.93' N lat., 125[deg]01.51' W long.;
    (5) 44[deg]46.93' N lat., 125[deg]02.83' W long.;
    (6) 44[deg]41.96' N lat., 125[deg]10.64' W long.;
    (7) 44[deg]33.36' N lat., 125[deg]08.82' W long.;
    (8) 44[deg]33.38' N lat., 125[deg]17.08' W long.;
    and connecting back to 44[deg]42.72' N lat., 125[deg]18.49' W long.
    (i) Daisy Bank/Nelson Island. The boundary of the Daisy Bank/Nelson 
Island EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 44[deg]39.24' N lat., 124[deg]38.65' W long.;
    (2) 44[deg]37.17' N lat., 124[deg]38.60' W long.;
    (3) 44[deg]35.55' N lat., 124[deg]39.27' W long.;
    (4) 44[deg]37.57' N lat., 124[deg]41.70' W long.;
    (5) 44[deg]36.90' N lat., 124[deg]42.91' W long.;
    (6) 44[deg]38.25' N lat., 124[deg]46.28' W long.;
    (7) 44[deg]38.52' N lat., 124[deg]49.11' W long.;
    (8) 44[deg]40.27' N lat., 124[deg]49.11' W long.;
    (9) 44[deg]41.35' N lat., 124[deg]48.03' W long.;
    (10) 44[deg]43.92' N lat., 124[deg]44.66' W long.;
    and connecting back to 44[deg]39.24' N lat., 124[deg]38.65' W long.
    (j) Newport Rockpile/Stonewall Bank. The boundary of the Newport 
Rockpile/

[[Page 41830]]

Stonewall Bank EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 44[deg]27.42' N lat., 124[deg]19.52' W long.;
    (2) 44[deg]27.42' N lat., 124[deg]25.31' W long.;
    (3) 44[deg]29.05' N lat., 124[deg]28.88' W long.;
    (4) 44[deg]35.33' N lat., 124[deg]28.87' W long.;
    (5) 44[deg]36.94' N lat., 124[deg]26.78' W long.;
    (6) 44[deg]38.62' N lat., 124[deg]26.76' W long.;
    (7) 44[deg]39.02' N lat., 124[deg]25.56' W long.;
    (8) 44[deg]38.41' N lat., 124[deg]22.73' W long.;
    (9) 44[deg]35.12' N lat., 124[deg]21.79' W long.;
    (10) 44[deg]28.82' N lat., 124[deg]18.80' W long.;
    and connecting back to 44[deg]27.42' N lat., 124[deg]19.52' W long.
    (k) Hydrate Ridge. The boundary of the Hydrate Ridge EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]11.42' W long.;
    (2) 44[deg]33.37' N lat., 125[deg]11.13' W long.;
    (3) 44[deg]33.36' N lat., 125[deg]08.82' W long.;
    (4) 44[deg]35.36' N lat., 125[deg]09.24' W long.;
    (5) 44[deg]35.36' N lat., 125[deg]07.79' W long.;
    (6) 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]07.66' W long.;
    and connecting back to 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]11.42' W long.
    (l) Heceta Bank. The boundary of the Heceta Bank EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 44[deg]22.27' N lat., 124[deg]37.63' W long.;
    (2) 44[deg]20.56' N lat., 124[deg]36.27' W long.;
    (3) 44[deg]21.06' N lat., 124[deg]32.69' W long.;
    (4) 44[deg]21.76' N lat., 124[deg]29.28' W long.;
    (5) 44[deg]21.23' N lat., 124[deg]28.08' W long.;
    (6) 44[deg]18.68' N lat., 124[deg]28.13' W long.;
    (7) 44[deg]17.66' N lat., 124[deg]31.42' W long.;
    (8) 44[deg]14.32' N lat., 124[deg]31.15' W long.;
    (9) 44[deg]13.02' N lat., 124[deg]31.53' W long.;
    (10) 44[deg]12.97' N lat., 124[deg]32.29' W long.;
    (11) 44[deg]13.84' N lat., 124[deg]32.87' W long.;
    (12) 44[deg]16.64' N lat., 124[deg]33.44' W long.;
    (13) 44[deg]17.00' N lat., 124[deg]33.52' W long.;
    (14) 44[deg]15.93' N lat., 124[deg]35.93' W long.;
    (15) 44[deg]14.38' N lat., 124[deg]37.37' W long.;
    (16) 44[deg]13.52' N lat., 124[deg]40.45' W long.;
    (17) 44[deg]09.00' N lat., 124[deg]45.30' W long.;
    (18) 44[deg]03.46' N lat., 124[deg]45.71' W long.;
    (19) 43[deg]58.55' N lat., 124[deg]45.79' W long.;
    (20) 43[deg]57.37' N lat., 124[deg]50.89' W long.;
    (21) 43[deg]56.66' N lat., 124[deg]54.47' W long.;
    (22) 43[deg]57.24' N lat., 124[deg]55.54' W long.;
    (23) 43[deg]57.68' N lat., 124[deg]55.48' W long.;
    (24) 44[deg]00.14' N lat., 124[deg]55.25' W long.;
    (25) 44[deg]02.88' N lat., 124[deg]53.96' W long.;
    (26) 44[deg]13.47' N lat., 124[deg]54.08' W long.;
    (27) 44[deg]19.27' N lat., 124[deg]41.03' W long.;
    (28) 44[deg]24.16' N lat., 124[deg]40.62' W long.;
    (29) 44[deg]24.10' N lat., 124[deg]38.10' W long.;
    and connecting back to 44[deg]22.27' N lat., 124[deg]37.63' W long.
    (m) Deepwater off Coos Bay. The boundary of the Deepwater off Coos 
Bay EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 43[deg]29.32' N lat., 125[deg]20.11' W long.;
    (2) 43[deg]38.96' N lat., 125[deg]18.75' W long.;
    (3) 43[deg]37.88' N lat., 125[deg]08.26' W long.;
    (4) 43[deg]36.58' N lat., 125[deg]06.56' W long.;
    (5) 43[deg]33.04' N lat., 125[deg]08.41' W long.;
    (6) 43[deg]27.74' N lat., 125[deg]07.25' W long.;
    (7) 43[deg]15.95' N lat., 125[deg]07.84' W long.;
    (8) 43[deg]15.38' N lat., 125[deg]10.47' W long.;
    (9) 43[deg]25.73' N lat., 125[deg]19.36' W long.;
    and connecting back to 43[deg]29.32' N lat., 125[deg]20.11' W long.
    (n) Arago Reef. The boundary of the Arago Reef EFHCA is defined as 
the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a boundary line 
defined by connecting the following coordinates in the order stated:
    (1) 43[deg]08.49' N lat., 124[deg]30.78' W long.;
    (2) 43[deg]08.55' N lat., 124[deg]30.79' W long.;
    (3) 43[deg]10.22' N lat., 124[deg]37.82' W long.;
    (4) 43[deg]16.91' N lat., 124[deg]37.50' W long.;
    (5) 43[deg]16.51' N lat., 124[deg]28.97' W long.; and
    (6) 43[deg]16.88' N lat., 124[deg]28.16' W long.
    (o) Bandon High Spot. The boundary of the Bandon High Spot EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 42[deg]57.18' N lat., 124[deg]46.01' W long.;
    (2) 42[deg]56.10' N lat., 124[deg]47.48' W long.;
    (3) 42[deg]56.66' N lat., 124[deg]48.79' W long.;
    (4) 42[deg]53.67' N lat., 124[deg]51.81' W long.;
    (5) 42[deg]54.00' N lat., 124[deg]53.03' W long.;
    (6) 42[deg]55.11' N lat., 124[deg]53.71' W long.;
    (7) 42[deg]58.00' N lat., 124[deg]52.99' W long.;
    (8) 43[deg]00.39' N lat., 124[deg]51.77' W long.;
    (9) 43[deg]02.64' N lat., 124[deg]52.01' W long.;
    (10) 43[deg]06.07' N lat., 124[deg]50.97' W long.;
    (11) 43[deg]06.07' N lat., 124[deg]50.23' W long.;
    (12) 43[deg]04.47' N lat., 124[deg]48.50' W long.;
    (13) 43[deg]03.20' N lat., 124[deg]47.52' W long.;
    (14) 43[deg]00.94' N lat., 124[deg]46.57' W long.;
    and connecting back to 42[deg]57.18' N lat., 124[deg]46.01' W long.
    (p) President Jackson Seamount. The boundary of the President 
Jackson Seamount EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of 
the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 42[deg]21.41' N lat., 127[deg]42.91' W long.;
    (2) 42[deg]21.96' N lat., 127[deg]43.73' W long.;
    (3) 42[deg]23.78' N lat., 127[deg]46.09' W long.;
    (4) 42[deg]26.05' N lat., 127[deg]48.64' W long.;
    (5) 42[deg]28.60' N lat., 127[deg]52.10' W long.;
    (6) 42[deg]31.06' N lat., 127[deg]55.02' W long.;
    (7) 42[deg]34.61' N lat., 127[deg]58.84' W long.;
    (8) 42[deg]37.34' N lat., 128[deg]01.48' W long.;
    (9) 42[deg]39.62' N lat., 128[deg]05.12' W long.;

[[Page 41831]]

    (10) 42[deg]41.81' N lat., 128[deg]08.13' W long.;
    (11) 42[deg]43.44' N lat., 128[deg]10.04' W long.;
    (12) 42[deg]44.99' N lat., 128[deg]12.04' W long.;
    (13) 42[deg]48.27' N lat., 128[deg]15.05' W long.;
    (14) 42[deg]51.28' N lat., 128[deg]15.05' W long.;
    (15) 42[deg]53.64' N lat., 128[deg]12.23' W long.;
    (16) 42[deg]52.64' N lat., 128[deg]08.49' W long.;
    (17) 42[deg]51.64' N lat., 128[deg]06.94' W long.;
    (18) 42[deg]50.27' N lat., 128[deg]05.76' W long.;
    (19) 42[deg]48.18' N lat., 128[deg]03.76' W long.;
    (20) 42[deg]45.45' N lat., 128[deg]01.94' W long.;
    (21) 42[deg]42.17' N lat., 127[deg]57.57' W long.;
    (22) 42[deg]41.17' N lat., 127[deg]53.92' W long.;
    (23) 42[deg]38.80' N lat., 127[deg]49.92' W long.;
    (24) 42[deg]36.43' N lat., 127[deg]44.82' W long.;
    (25) 42[deg]33.52' N lat., 127[deg]41.36' W long.;
    (26) 42[deg]31.24' N lat., 127[deg]39.63' W long.;
    (27) 42[deg]28.33' N lat., 127[deg]36.53' W long.;
    (28) 42[deg]23.96' N lat., 127[deg]35.89' W long.;
    (29) 42[deg]21.96' N lat., 127[deg]37.72' W long.;
    (30) 42[deg]21.05' N lat., 127[deg]40.81' W long.;
    and connecting back to 42[deg]21.41' N lat., 127[deg]42.91' W long.
    (q) Rogue Canyon. The boundary of the Rogue Canyon EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 42[deg]41.33' N lat., 125[deg]16.61' W long.;
    (2) 42[deg]41.55' N lat., 125[deg]03.05' W long.;
    (3) 42[deg]35.29' N lat., 125[deg]02.21' W long.;
    (4) 42[deg]34.11' N lat., 124[deg]55.62' W long.;
    (5) 42[deg]30.61' N lat., 124[deg]54.97' W long.;
    (6) 42[deg]23.81' N lat., 124[deg]52.85' W long.;
    (7) 42[deg]17.94' N lat., 125[deg]10.17' W long.;
    and connecting back to 42[deg]41.33' N lat., 125[deg]16.61' W long.
    (r) Rogue River Reef. The boundary of the Rogue River Reef EFHCA is 
defined as the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a 
boundary line defined by connecting the following coordinates in the 
order stated:
    (1) 42[deg]23.27' N lat., 124[deg]30.03' W long.;
    (2) 42[deg]24.10' N lat., 124[deg]32.41' W long.;
    (3) 42[deg]22.28' N lat., 124[deg]39.92' W long.;
    (4) 42[deg]25.46' N lat., 124[deg]43.91' W long.;
    (5) 42[deg]27.87' N lat., 124[deg]44.63' W long.;
    (6) 42[deg]29.27' N lat., 124[deg]44.22' W long.;
    (7) 42[deg]29.71' N lat., 124[deg]39.83' W long.;
    (8) 42[deg]29.36' N lat., 124[deg]36.53' W long.; and
    (9) 42[deg]28.16' N lat., 124[deg]34.05' W long.
0
14. Revise Sec.  660.79 to read as follows:


Sec.  660.79   EFHCAs off the Coast of California.

    (a) General. Boundary line coordinates for EFHCA off California are 
provided in this section. Fishing activity that is prohibited or 
permitted within the EEZ in a particular area designated as a 
groundfish EFHCA is detailed at Sec. Sec.  660.12, 660.112, 660.130, 
660.212, 660.230, 660.312, 660.330, and 660.360.
    (b) Brush Patch. The boundary of the Brush Patch EFHCA is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 41[deg]51.03' N lat., 124[deg]48.65' W long.;
    (2) 41[deg]51.98' N lat., 124[deg]51.00' W long.;
    (3) 41[deg]53.63' N lat., 124[deg]53.12' W long.;
    (4) 41[deg]55.22' N lat., 124[deg]54.50' W long.;
    (5) 41[deg]57.16' N lat., 124[deg]54.87' W long.;
    (6) 41[deg]59.16' N lat., 124[deg]52.89' W long.;
    (7) 41[deg]58.93' N lat., 124[deg]51.25' W long.;
    (8) 41[deg]57.98' N lat., 124[deg]50.42' W long.;
    (9) 41[deg]54.50' N lat., 124[deg]49.72' W long.;
    (10) 41[deg]52.66' N lat., 124[deg]47.85' W long.;
    (11) 41[deg]51.24' N lat., 124[deg]47.23' W long.;
    and connecting back to 41[deg]51.03' N lat., 124[deg]48.65' W long.
    (c) Trinidad Canyon. The boundary of the Trinidad Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 41[deg]07.81' N lat., 124[deg]51.29' W long.;
    (2) 41[deg]14.52' N lat., 124[deg]52.67' W long.;
    (3) 41[deg]17.66' N lat., 124[deg]54.31' W long.;
    (4) 41[deg]18.37' N lat., 124[deg]45.50' W long.;
    (5) 41[deg]17.60' N lat., 124[deg]43.42' W long.;
    (6) 41[deg]09.44' N lat., 124[deg]43.11' W long.;
    and connecting back to 41[deg]07.81' N lat., 124[deg]51.29' W long.
    (d) Mad River Rough Patch. The boundary of the Mad River Rough 
Patch EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 40[deg]53.66' N lat., 124[deg]26.68' W long.;
    (2) 40[deg]54.49' N lat., 124[deg]28.22' W long.;
    (3) 40[deg]54.88' N lat., 124[deg]28.54' W long.;
    (4) 40[deg]57.27' N lat., 124[deg]29.10' W long.;
    (5) 40[deg]57.37' N lat., 124[deg]28.96' W long.;
    (6) 40[deg]57.27' N lat., 124[deg]28.34' W long.;
    (7) 40[deg]54.56' N lat., 124[deg]26.25' W long.;
    (8) 40[deg]54.13' N lat., 124[deg]26.27' W long.;
    and connecting back to 40[deg]53.66' N lat., 124[deg]26.68' W long.
    (e) Samoa Deepwater. The boundary of the Samoa Deepwater EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 40[deg]50.11' N lat., 124[deg]35.29' W long.;
    (2) 40[deg]46.37' N lat., 124[deg]34.69' W long.;
    (3) 40[deg]48.50' N lat., 124[deg]39.04' W long.;
    (4) 40[deg]51.96' N lat., 124[deg]41.23' W long.;
    (5) 40[deg]52.04' N lat., 124[deg]38.08' W long.;
    and connecting back to 40[deg]50.11' N lat., 124[deg]35.29' W long.
    (f) Eel River Canyon. The boundary of the Eel River Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 40[deg]40.33' N lat., 124[deg]41.82' W long.;
    (2) 40[deg]39.69' N lat., 124[deg]33.36' W long.;
    (3) 40[deg]40.13' N lat., 124[deg]32.61' W long.;
    (4) 40[deg]39.84' N lat., 124[deg]31.21' W long.;
    (5) 40[deg]39.36' N lat., 124[deg]30.48' W long.;
    (6) 40[deg]39.42' N lat., 124[deg]29.40' W long.;
    (7) 40[deg]38.91' N lat., 124[deg]28.42' W long.;
    (8) 40[deg]38.57' N lat., 124[deg]28.49' W long.;
    (9) 40[deg]37.56' N lat., 124[deg]28.78' W long.;
    (10) 40[deg]37.08' N lat., 124[deg]28.42' W long.;

[[Page 41832]]

    (11) 40[deg]35.79' N lat., 124[deg]29.21' W long.;
    (12) 40[deg]37.52' N lat., 124[deg]33.41' W long.;
    (13) 40[deg]37.51' N lat., 124[deg]34.46' W long.;
    (14) 40[deg]38.22' N lat., 124[deg]35.72' W long.;
    (15) 40[deg]38.27' N lat., 124[deg]39.11' W long.;
    (16) 40[deg]37.47' N lat., 124[deg]40.46' W long.;
    (17) 40[deg]35.47' N lat., 124[deg]42.97' W long.;
    (18) 40[deg]32.78' N lat., 124[deg]44.79' W long.;
    (19) 40[deg]24.32' N lat., 124[deg]39.97' W long.;
    (20) 40[deg]23.26' N lat., 124[deg]42.45' W long.;
    (21) 40[deg]27.34' N lat., 124[deg]51.21' W long.;
    (22) 40[deg]32.68' N lat., 124[deg]65.63' W long.;
    (23) 40[deg]49.12' N lat., 124[deg]47.41' W long.;
    (24) 40[deg]44.32' N lat., 124[deg]46.48' W long.;
    (25) 40[deg]41.67' N lat., 124[deg]42.92' W long.;
    and connecting back to 40[deg]40.33' N lat., 124[deg]41.82' W long.
    (g) Blunts Reef. The Blunts Reef EFHCA consists of the two adjacent 
polygons defined in this paragraph, combined.
    (1) Blunts Reef North. The boundary of Blunts Reef North is defined 
by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (i) 40[deg]30.21' N lat., 124[deg]26.85' W long.;
    (ii) 40[deg]27.53' N lat., 124[deg]26.84' W long.;
    (iii) 40[deg]24.66' N lat., 124[deg]29.49' W long.;
    (iv) 40[deg]27.84' N lat., 124[deg]31.92' W long.;
    (v) 40[deg]28.31' N lat., 124[deg]33.49' W long.;
    (vi) 40[deg]29.99' N lat., 124[deg]33.49' W long.;
    (vii) 40[deg]30.46' N lat., 124[deg]32.23' W long.;
    and connecting back to 40[deg]30.21' N lat., 124[deg]26.85' W long.
    (2) Blunts Reef South. The boundary of Blunts Reef South is defined 
as the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a boundary 
line defined by straight lines connecting the following coordinates in 
the order stated:
    (i) 40[deg]27.84' N lat., 124[deg]31.92' W long.;
    (ii) 40[deg]28.31' N lat., 124[deg]33.49' W long.;
    (iii) 40[deg]22.49' N lat., 124[deg]30.92' W long.; and
    (iv) 40[deg]23.67' N lat., 124[deg]28.43' W long.
    (h) Mendocino Ridge. The Mendocino Ridge EFHCA consists of the two 
adjacent polygons defined in this paragraph, combined.
    (1) Mendocino Ridge North. The boundary of Mendocino Ridge North is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (i) 40[deg]25.23' N lat., 124[deg]24.06' W long.;
    (ii) 40[deg]12.50' N lat., 124[deg]22.59' W long.;
    (iii) 40[deg]13.84' N lat., 124[deg]31.89' W long.;
    (iv) 40[deg]14.96' N lat., 124[deg]35.42' W long.;
    (v) 40[deg]15.92' N lat., 124[deg]36.38' W long.;
    (vi) 40[deg]15.81' N lat., 124[deg]38.37' W long.;
    (vii) 40[deg]17.45' N lat., 124[deg]45.42' W long.;
    (viii) 40[deg]18.39' N lat., 124[deg]48.55' W long.;
    (ix) 40[deg]19.98' N lat., 124[deg]52.73' W long.;
    (x) 40[deg]20.06' N lat., 125[deg]02.18' W long.;
    (xi) 40[deg]11.79' N lat., 125[deg]07.39' W long.;
    (xii) 40[deg]12.55' N lat., 125[deg]11.56' W long.;
    (xiii) 40[deg]12.81' N lat., 125[deg]12.98' W long.;
    (xiv) 40[deg]20.72' N lat., 125[deg]57.31' W long.;
    (xv) 40[deg]23.96' N lat., 125[deg]56.83' W long.;
    (xvi) 40[deg]24.04' N lat., 125[deg]56.82' W long.;
    (xvii) 40[deg]25.68' N lat., 125[deg]09.77' W long.;
    (xviii) 40[deg]21.03' N lat., 124[deg]33.96' W long.;
    (xix) 40[deg]25.72' N lat., 124[deg]24.15' W long.;
    and connecting back to 40[deg]25.23' N lat., 124[deg]24.06' W long.
    (2) Mendocino Ridge South. The boundary of Mendocino Ridge South is 
defined as the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a 
boundary line defined by connecting the following coordinates in the 
order stated:
    (i) 40[deg]10.03' N lat., 124[deg]20.51' W long.;
    (ii) 40[deg]10.42' N lat., 124[deg]22.26' W long.;
    (iii) 40[deg]13.84' N lat., 124[deg]31.89' W long.; and
    (iv) 40[deg]12.82' N lat., 124[deg]24.85' W long.
    (i) Delgada Canyon. The boundary of the Delgada Canyon EFHCA is 
defined as the areas of the state territorial sea, east of the West 
Coast EEZ and within a boundary line defined by connecting the 
following coordinates in the order stated:
    (1) 40[deg]06.58' N lat., 124[deg]07.39' W long.;
    (2) 40[deg]01.37' N lat., 124[deg]08.79' W long.;
    (3) 40[deg]04.35' N lat., 124[deg]10.89' W long.;
    (4) 40[deg]05.71' N lat., 124[deg]09.42' W long.;
    (5) 40[deg]07.18' N lat., 124[deg]09.61' W long.; and
    (6) 40[deg]07.13' N lat., 124[deg]09.09' W long.
    (j) Tolo Bank. The boundary of the Tolo Bank EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 39[deg]58.75' N lat., 124[deg]04.58' W long.;
    (2) 39[deg]56.05' N lat., 124[deg]01.45' W long.;
    (3) 39[deg]53.99' N lat., 124[deg]00.17' W long.;
    (4) 39[deg]52.28' N lat., 124[deg]03.12' W long.;
    (5) 39[deg]57.90' N lat., 124[deg]07.07' W long.;
    and connecting back to 39[deg]58.75' N lat., 124[deg]04.58' W long.
    (k) Navarro Canyon. The boundary of the Navarro Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 39[deg]04.76' N lat., 124[deg]11.80' W long.;
    (2) 39[deg]11.84' N lat., 124[deg]13.30' W long.;
    (3) 39[deg]11.39' N lat., 124[deg]10.38' W long.;
    (4) 39[deg]08.73' N lat., 124[deg]10.38' W long.;
    (5) 39[deg]07.16' N lat., 124[deg]08.98' W long.;
    (6) 39[deg]06.07' N lat., 124[deg]08.55' W long.;
    and connecting back to 39[deg]04.76' N lat., 124[deg]11.80' W long.
    (l) Point Arena North. The boundary of the Point Arena North EFHCA 
is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in 
the order stated:
    (1) 39[deg]03.32' N lat., 123[deg]51.15' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]56.54' N lat., 123[deg]49.79' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]54.12' N lat., 123[deg]52.69' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]59.64' N lat., 123[deg]55.02' W long.;
    (5) 39[deg]02.83' N lat., 123[deg]55.21' W long.;
    and connecting back to 39[deg]03.32' N lat., 123[deg]51.15' W long.
    (m) Point Arena South Biogenic Area. The boundary of the Point 
Arena South

[[Page 41833]]

Biogenic Area EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 38[deg]33.24' N lat., 123[deg]35.18' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]32.01' N lat., 123[deg]35.78' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]33.19' N lat., 123[deg]40.30' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]34.62' N lat., 123[deg]42.32' W long.;
    (5) 38[deg]35.98' N lat., 123[deg]44.22' W long.;
    (6) 38[deg]38.27' N lat., 123[deg]46.57' W long.;
    (7) 38[deg]41.11' N lat.,123[deg]48.69' W long.;
    (8) 38[deg]41.95' N lat., 123[deg]45.41' W long.;
    (9) 38[deg]36.02' N lat., 123[deg]41.30' W long.;
    (10) 38[deg]34.37' N lat., 123[deg]37.47' W long.;
    and connecting back to 38[deg]33.24' N lat., 123[deg]35.18' W long.
    (n) The Football. The boundary of The Football EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 38[deg]24.36' N lat., 123[deg]32.10' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]23.58' N lat., 123[deg]33.96' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]29.10' N lat., 123[deg]37.32' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]29.04' N lat., 123[deg]35.04' W long.;
    and connecting back to 38[deg]24.36' N lat., 123[deg]32.10' W long.
    (o) Gobbler's Knob. The boundary of the Gobbler's Knob EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 38[deg]06.84' N lat., 123[deg]25.98' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]07.14' N lat., 123[deg]27.60' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]11.64' N lat., 123[deg]29.58' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]12.36' N lat., 123[deg]28.80' W long.;
    (5) 38[deg]12.42' N lat., 123[deg]27.78' W long.;
    (6) 38[deg]08.70' N lat., 123[deg]25.98' W long.;
    and connecting back to 38[deg]06.84' N lat., 123[deg]25.98' W long.
    (p) Point Reyes Reef. The boundary of the Point Reyes Reef EFHCA is 
defined as the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a 
boundary line defined by connecting the following coordinates in the 
order stated:
    (1) 38[deg]2.88' N lat., 123[deg]03.46' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]2.98' N lat., 123[deg]03.84' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]6.52' N lat., 123[deg]03.63' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]8.69' N lat., 123[deg]01.86' W long.; and
    (5) 38[deg]8.92' N lat., 123[deg]00.90' W long.
    (q) Cordell Bank/Biogenic Area. The boundary of the Cordell Bank/
Biogenic Area EFHCA is located offshore of California's Marin County 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 38[deg]05.46' N lat., 123[deg]25.97' W long.;
    (2) 38[deg]04.44' N lat., 123[deg]24.44' W long.;
    (3) 38[deg]03.05' N lat., 123[deg]21.33' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]03.07' N lat., 123[deg]07.35' W long.;
    (5) 38[deg]02.84' N lat., 123[deg]07.36' W long.;
    (6) 38[deg]01.09' N lat., 123[deg]07.06' W long.;
    (7) 38[deg]01.02' N lat., 123[deg]22.08' W long.;
    (8) 37[deg]54.75' N lat., 123[deg]23.64' W long.;
    (9) 37[deg]46.01' N lat., 123[deg]25.62' W long.;
    (10) 37[deg]46.68' N lat., 123[deg]27.05' W long.;
    (11) 37[deg]47.66' N lat., 123[deg]28.18' W long.;
    (12) 37[deg]50.26' N lat., 123[deg]30.94' W long.;
    (13) 37[deg]54.41' N lat., 123[deg]32.69' W long.;
    (14) 37[deg]56.94' N lat., 123[deg]32.87' W long.;
    (15) 37[deg]57.09' N lat., 123[deg]26.39' W long.;
    (16) 37[deg]57.76' N lat., 123[deg]26.48' W long.;
    (17) 37[deg]58.57' N lat., 123[deg]26.95' W long.;
    (18) 37[deg]59.94' N lat., 123[deg]28.58' W long.;
    (19) 38[deg]00.27' N lat., 123[deg]29.32' W long.;
    (20) 38[deg]00.63' N lat., 123[deg]29.95' W long.;
    (21) 38[deg]01.23' N lat., 123[deg]30.53' W long.;
    (22) 38[deg]01.60' N lat., 123[deg]30.81' W long.;
    (23) 38[deg]01.84' N lat., 123[deg]31.05' W long.;
    (24) 38[deg]02.00' N lat., 123[deg]31.31' W long.;
    (25) 38[deg]02.37' N lat., 123[deg]31.45' W long.;
    (26) 38[deg]03.99' N lat., 123[deg]30.75' W long.;
    (27) 38[deg]04.85' N lat., 123[deg]30.36' W long.;
    (28) 38[deg]05.73' N lat., 123[deg]28.46' W long.;
    and connecting back to 38[deg]05.46' N lat., 123[deg]25.97' W long.
    (r) Cordell Bank (50-fm (91-m) isobath). The boundary of the 
Cordell Bank (50-fm (91-m) isobath) EFHCA is located offshore of 
California's Marin County defined by straight lines connecting all of 
the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]57.62' N lat., 123[deg]24.22' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]57.70' N lat., 123[deg]25.25' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]59.47' N lat., 123[deg]26.63' W long.;
    (4) 38[deg]00.24' N lat., 123[deg]27.87' W long.;
    (5) 38[deg]00.98' N lat., 123[deg]27.65' W long.;
    (6) 38[deg]02.81' N lat., 123[deg]28.75' W long.;
    (7) 38[deg]04.26' N lat., 123[deg]29.25' W long.;
    (8) 38[deg]04.55' N lat., 123[deg]28.32' W long.;
    (9) 38[deg]03.87' N lat., 123[deg]27.69' W long.;
    (10) 38[deg]04.27' N lat., 123[deg]26.68' W long.;
    (11) 38[deg]02.67' N lat., 123[deg]24.17' W long.;
    (12) 38[deg]00.87' N lat., 123[deg]23.15' W long.;
    (13) 37[deg]59.32' N lat., 123[deg]22.52' W long.;
    (14) 37[deg]58.24' N lat., 123[deg]23.16' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]57.62' N lat., 123[deg]24.22' W long.
    (s) Rittenburg Bank. The boundary of the Rittenburg Bank EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]51.36' N lat., 123[deg]19.18' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]53.61' N lat., 123[deg]21.67' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]54.32' N lat., 123[deg]19.69' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]53.98' N lat., 123[deg]18.99' W long.;
    (5) 37[deg]54.96' N lat., 123[deg]16.32' W long.;
    (6) 37[deg]53.32' N lat., 123[deg]15.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]51.36' N lat., 123[deg]19.18' W long.
    (t) Farallon Islands/Fanny Shoal/Cochrane Bank. The boundary of the 
Farallon Islands/Fanny Shoal/Cochrane Bank EFHCA is defined by straight 
lines connecting all of the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]51.58' N lat., 123[deg]14.07' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]44.51' N lat., 123[deg]01.50' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]41.71' N lat., 122[deg]58.38' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]40.80' N lat., 122[deg]58.54' W long.;
    (5) 37[deg]39.87' N lat., 122[deg]59.64' W long.;
    (6) 37[deg]42.05' N lat., 123[deg]03.72' W long.;
    (7) 37[deg]43.73' N lat., 123[deg]04.45' W long.;

[[Page 41834]]

    (8) 37[deg]46.94' N lat., 123[deg]11.65' W long.;
    (9) 37[deg]46.51' N lat., 123[deg]14.14' W long.;
    (10) 37[deg]47.87' N lat., 123[deg]16.94' W long.;
    (11) 37[deg]49.23' N lat., 123[deg]16.81' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]51.58' N lat., 123[deg]14.07' W long.
    (u) Farallon Escarpment. The boundary of the Farallon Escarpment 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]44.85' N lat., 123[deg]13.73' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]45.58' N lat., 123[deg]12.74' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]45.18' N lat., 123[deg]11.87' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]42.71' N lat., 123[deg]09.04' W long.;
    (5) 37[deg]40.73' N lat., 123[deg]08.42' W long.;
    (6) 37[deg]39.15' N lat., 123[deg]06.76' W long.;
    (7) 37[deg]38.26' N lat., 123[deg]08.27' W long.;
    (8) 37[deg]34.32' N lat., 123[deg]07.43' W long.;
    (9) 37[deg]29.55' N lat., 123[deg]09.74' W long.;
    (10) 37[deg]29.18' N lat., 123[deg]13.97' W long.;
    (11) 37[deg]40.29' N lat., 123[deg]12.83' W long.;
    (12) 37[deg]47.52' N lat., 123[deg]25.28' W long.;
    (13) 37[deg]50.65' N lat., 123[deg]24.57' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]44.85' N lat., 123[deg]13.73' W long.
    (v) Half Moon Bay. The boundary of the Half Moon Bay EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]18.14' N lat., 122[deg]31.15' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]19.80' N lat., 122[deg]34.70' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]19.28' N lat., 122[deg]38.76' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]23.54' N lat., 122[deg]40.75' W long.;
    (5) 37[deg]25.41' N lat., 122[deg]33.20' W long.;
    (6) 37[deg]23.28' N lat., 122[deg]30.71' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]18.14' N lat., 122[deg]31.15' W long.
    (w) Pescadero Reef. The boundary of the Pescadero Reef EFHCA is 
defined as the areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a 
boundary line defined by connecting the following coordinates in the 
order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]17.18' N lat., 122[deg]28.34' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]17.76' N lat., 122[deg]29.59' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]19.38' N lat., 122[deg]29.63' W long.; and
    (4) 37[deg]19.50' N lat., 122[deg]28.00' W long.;
    (x) Pigeon Point Reef. The boundary of the Pigeon Point EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 37[deg]06.02' N lat., 122[deg]28.14' W long.;
    (2) 37[deg]08.91' N lat., 122[deg]31.76' W long.;
    (3) 37[deg]10.29' N lat., 122[deg]29.70' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]07.20' N lat., 122[deg]26.82' W long.;
    and connecting back to 37[deg]06.02' N lat., 122[deg]28.14' W long.
    (y) Ascension Canyonhead. The boundary of the Ascension Canyonhead 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 36[deg]56.88' N lat., 122[deg]24.84' W long.;
    (2) 36[deg]57.30' N lat., 122[deg]26.36' W long.;
    (3) 36[deg]56.65' N lat., 122[deg]27.06' W long.;
    (4) 37[deg]01.55' N lat., 122[deg]24.73' W long.;
    (5) 37[deg]01.40' N lat., 122[deg]24.37' W long.;
    (6) 37[deg]01.00' N lat., 122[deg]24.35' W long.;
    (7) 37[deg]00.61' N lat., 122[deg]24.03' W long.;
    (8) 36[deg]59.20' N lat., 122[deg]24.64' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]56.88' N lat., 122[deg]24.84' W long.
    (z) South of Davenport. The boundary of the South of Davenport 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 36[deg]54.00' N lat., 122[deg]13.05' W long.;
    (2) 36[deg]56.79' N lat., 122[deg]17.91' W long.;
    (3) 36[deg]57.80' N lat., 122[deg]18.14' W long.;
    (4) 36[deg]57.84' N lat., 122[deg]17.72' W long.;
    (5) 36[deg]57.38' N lat., 122[deg]17.05' W long.;
    (6) 36[deg]55.84' N lat., 122[deg]14.26' W long.;
    (7) 36[deg]54.80' N lat., 122[deg]12.61' W long.;
    (8) 36[deg]54.49' N lat., 122[deg]12.48' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]54.00' N lat., 122[deg]13.05' W long.
    (aa) Monterey Bay/Canyon. The boundary of the Monterey Bay/Canyon 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 36[deg]54.17' N lat., 122[deg]23.68' W long.;
    (2) 36[deg]53.58' N lat., 122[deg]22.48' W long.;
    (3) 36[deg]52.72' N lat., 122[deg]22.11' W long.;
    (4) 36[deg]49.09' N lat., 122[deg]21.84' W long.;
    (5) 36[deg]50.47' N lat., 122[deg]19.03' W long.;
    (6) 36[deg]49.60' N lat., 122[deg]15.08' W long.;
    (7) 36[deg]49.37' N lat., 122[deg]15.20' W long.;
    (8) 36[deg]48.31' N lat., 122[deg]18.59' W long.;
    (9) 36[deg]45.55' N lat., 122[deg]18.91' W long.;
    (10) 36[deg]44.32' N lat., 122[deg]18.49' W long.;
    (11) 36[deg]42.04' N lat., 122[deg]16.07' W long.;
    (12) 36[deg]40.30' N lat., 122[deg]13.31' W long.;
    (13) 36[deg]39.88' N lat., 122[deg]09.69' W long.;
    (14) 36[deg]40.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.09' W long.;
    (15) 36[deg]40.99' N lat., 122[deg]08.53' W long.;
    (16) 36[deg]41.30' N lat., 122[deg]09.35' W long.;
    (17) 36[deg]44.94' N lat., 122[deg]08.46' W long.;
    (18) 36[deg]46.31' N lat., 122[deg]05.48' W long.;
    (19) 36[deg]48.50' N lat., 122[deg]06.02' W long.;
    (20) 36[deg]49.18' N lat., 122[deg]03.12' W long.;
    (21) 36[deg]47.80' N lat., 122[deg]02.71' W long.;
    (22) 36[deg]49.60' N lat., 122[deg]00.85' W long.;
    (23) 36[deg]51.53' N lat., 121[deg]58.25' W long.;
    (24) 36[deg]50.78' N lat., 121[deg]56.89' W long.;
    (25) 36[deg]47.39' N lat., 121[deg]58.16' W long.;
    (26) 36[deg]48.34' N lat., 121[deg]50.95' W long.;
    (27) 36[deg]47.23' N lat., 121[deg]52.25' W long.;
    (28) 36[deg]45.60' N lat., 121[deg]54.17' W long.;
    (29) 36[deg]44.76' N lat., 121[deg]56.04' W long.;
    (30) 36[deg]41.68' N lat., 121[deg]56.33' W long.;
    (31) 36[deg]38.21' N lat., 121[deg]55.96' W long.; extending along 
the mainland coast to
    (32) 36[deg]25.31' N lat., 121[deg]54.86' W long.;
    (33) 36[deg]25.25' N lat., 121[deg]58.34' W long.;

[[Page 41835]]

    (34) 36[deg]30.86' N lat., 122[deg]00.45' W long.;
    (35) 36[deg]30.78' N lat., 122[deg]01.32' W long.;
    (36) 36[deg]31.22' N lat., 122[deg]01.35' W long.;
    (37) 36[deg]32.38' N lat., 122[deg]01.69' W long.;
    (38) 36[deg]35.41' N lat., 122[deg]04.44' W long.;
    (39) 36[deg]34.69' N lat., 122[deg]04.99' W long.;
    (40) 36[deg]30.59' N lat., 122[deg]03.45' W long.;
    (41) 36[deg]30.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.85' W long.;
    (42) 36[deg]30.23' N lat., 122[deg]36.82' W long.;
    (43) 36[deg]55.08' N lat., 122[deg]36.46' W long.;
    (44) 36[deg]54.01' N lat., 122[deg]29.95' W long.;
    (45) 36[deg]56.65' N lat., 122[deg]27.06' W long.;
    (46) 36[deg]57.30' N lat., 122[deg]26.36' W long.;
    (47) 36[deg]56.88' N lat., 122[deg]24.84' W long.;
    (48) 36[deg]56.53' N lat., 122[deg]23.58' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]54.17' N lat., 122[deg]23.68' W long.
    (bb) West of Sobranes Point. The boundary of the West of Sobranes 
Point EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 36[deg]30.59' N lat., 122[deg]03.45' W long.;
    (2) 36[deg]25.41' N lat., 122[deg]13.54' W long.;
    (3) 36[deg]25.71' N lat., 122[deg]17.22' W long.;
    (4) 36[deg]30.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.85' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]30.59' N lat., 122[deg]03.45' W long.
    (cc) Point Sur Deep. The boundary of the Point Sur Deep EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 36[deg]17.95' N lat., 122[deg]17.13' W long.;
    (2) 36[deg]17.83' N lat., 122[deg]22.56' W long.;
    (3) 36[deg]22.33' N lat., 122[deg]22.99' W long.;
    (4) 36[deg]26.00' N lat., 122[deg]20.81' W long.;
    (5) 36[deg]25.41' N lat., 122[deg]13.54' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]17.95' N lat., 122[deg]17.13' W long.
    (dd) Big Sur Coast/Port San Luis. The Big Sur Coast/Port San Luis 
EFHCA consists of the three adjacent polygons defined in this 
paragraph, combined.
    (1) Main. The main EFHCA covers Davidson Seamount, portions of 
Santa Lucia Bank and Sur Canyon, and is defined by straight lines 
connecting all of the following points in the order stated:
    (i) 36[deg]15.74' N lat., 121[deg]56.75' W long.;
    (ii) 36[deg]15.84' N lat., 121[deg]56.35' W long.;
    (iii) 36[deg]14.27' N lat., 121[deg]53.89' W long.;
    (iv) 36[deg]10.93' N lat., 121[deg]48.66' W long.;
    (v) 36[deg]07.40' N lat., 121[deg]43.14' W long.;
    (vi) 36[deg]07.36' N lat., 121[deg]43.26' W long.;
    (vii) 35[deg]59.00' N lat., 121[deg]50.49' W long.;
    (viii) 35[deg]55.70' N lat., 121[deg]50.02' W long.;
    (ix) 35[deg]53.05' N lat., 121[deg]56.69' W long.;
    (x) 35[deg]38.99' N lat., 121[deg]49.73' W long.;
    (xi) 35[deg]20.06' N lat., 121[deg]27.00' W long.;
    (xii) 35[deg]20.39' N lat., 121[deg]33.08' W long.;
    (xiii) 35[deg]09.72' N lat., 121[deg]33.92' W long.;
    (xiv) 35[deg]06.21' N lat., 121[deg]33.51' W long.;
    (xv) 35[deg]04.09' N lat., 121[deg]32.19' W long.;
    (xvi) 35[deg]02.65' N lat., 121[deg]30.63' W long.;
    (xvii) 35[deg]02.79' N lat., 121[deg]26.30' W long.;
    (xviii) 34[deg]58.71' N lat., 121[deg]24.21' W long.;
    (xix) 34[deg]47.24' N lat., 121[deg]22.40' W long.;
    (xx) 34[deg]35.70' N lat., 121[deg]45.99' W long.;
    (xxi) 35[deg]47.36' N lat., 122[deg]30.25' W long.;
    (xxii) 35[deg]27.26' N lat., 122[deg]45.15' W long.;
    (xxiii) 35[deg]34.39' N lat., 123[deg]00.25' W long.;
    (xxiv) 36[deg]01.64' N lat., 122[deg]40.76' `W long.;
    (xxv) 36[deg]17.41' N lat., 122[deg]41.22' W long.;
    (xxvi) 36[deg]17.83' N lat., 122[deg]22.56' W long.;
    (xxvii) 36[deg]17.95' N lat., 122[deg]17.13' W long.;
    (xxviii) 36[deg]13.85' N lat., 122[deg]15.95' W long.;
    (xxix) 36[deg]12.30' N lat., 122[deg]10.19' W long.;
    (xxx) 36[deg]09.95' N lat., 122[deg]03.73' W long.;
    (xxxi) 36[deg]09.93' N lat., 121[deg]56.57' W long.;
    (xxxii) 36[deg]11.89' N lat., 121[deg]55.81' W long.;
    (xxxiii) 36[deg]12.58' N lat., 121[deg]58.55' W long.;
    (xxxiv) 36[deg]13.95' N lat., 121[deg]58.45' W long.;
    (xxxv) 36[deg]14.84' N lat., 122[deg]00.28' W long.;
    (xxxvi) 36[deg]15.21' N lat., 121[deg]58.83' W long.;
    and connecting back to 36[deg]15.74' N lat., 121[deg]56.75' W long.
    (2) North. This area is a northern expansion in the vicinity of 
Point Sur Platform and is defined as the areas within the West Coast 
EEZ shoreward (east) of a boundary line defined by connecting the 
following coordinates in the order stated:
    (i) 36[deg]15.74' N lat., 121[deg]56.75' W long.;
    (ii) 36[deg]15.21' N lat., 121[deg]58.83' W long.;
    (iii) 36[deg]16.66' N lat., 122[deg]01.19' W long.;
    (iv) 36[deg]17.95' N lat., 122[deg]02.25' W long.;
    (v) 36[deg]18.56' N lat., 122[deg]01.53' W long.; and
    (vi) 36[deg]17.65' N lat., 121[deg]57.85' W long.
    (3) Northeast. This area is a northeastern expansion in the 
vicinity of Partington Point and Lopez Point and is defined as the 
areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a boundary line 
defined by connecting the following coordinates in the order stated:
    (i) 36[deg]02.32' N lat., 121[deg]39.40' W long.;
    (ii) 35[deg]58.89' N lat., 121[deg]45.38' W long.;
    (iii) 35[deg]59.00' N lat., 121[deg]50.49' W long.; and
    (iv) 36[deg]07.36' N lat., 121[deg]43.26' W long.
    (ee) Davidson Seamount. The boundary of the Davidson Seamount EFHCA 
is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 35[deg]54.00' N lat., 123[deg]00.00' W long.;
    (2) 35[deg]54.00' N lat., 122[deg]30.00' W long.;
    (3) 35[deg]30.00' N lat., 122[deg]30.00' W long.;
    (4) 35[deg]30.00' N lat., 123[deg]00.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 35[deg]54.00' N lat., 123[deg]00.00' W long.
    (ff) La Cruz Canyon. The boundary of the La Cruz Canyon EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 35[deg]42.85' N lat., 121[deg]25.92' W long.;
    (2) 35[deg]42.83' N lat., 121[deg]26.31' W long.;
    (3) 35[deg]43.63' N lat., 121[deg]26.92' W long.;
    (4) 35[deg]45.14' N lat., 121[deg]27.61' W long.;

[[Page 41836]]

    (5) 35[deg]46.88' N lat., 121[deg]27.80' W long.;
    (6) 35[deg]49.15' N lat., 121[deg]29.43' W long.;
    (7) 35[deg]49.53' N lat., 121[deg]28.71' W long.;
    (8) 35[deg]49.15' N lat., 121[deg]27.84' W long.;
    (9) 35[deg]48.68' N lat., 121[deg]27.58' W long.;
    (10) 35[deg]47.84' N lat., 121[deg]27.75' W long.;
    (11) 35[deg]46.50' N lat., 121[deg]26.57' W long.;
    (12) 35[deg]45.40' N lat., 121[deg]25.99' W long.;
    (13) 35[deg]44.19' N lat., 121[deg]24.69' W long.;
    (14) 35[deg]43.83' N lat., 121[deg]26.52' W long.;
    and connecting back to 35[deg]42.85' N lat., 121[deg]25.92' W long.
    (gg) West of Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area. The 
boundary of the West of Piedras Blancas SMCA EFHCA is defined as the 
areas within the West Coast EEZ shoreward (east) of a boundary line 
defined by connecting the following coordinates in the order stated:
    (1) 35[deg]39.12' N lat., 121[deg]20.94' W long.;
    (2) 35[deg]39.11' N lat., 121[deg]21.32' W long.;
    (3) 35[deg]40.63' N lat., 121[deg]22.63' W long.;
    (4) 35[deg]42.84' N lat., 121[deg]23.67' W long.; and
    (5) 35[deg]42.85' N lat., 121[deg]22.81' W long.
    (hh) East San Lucia Bank. The boundary of the East San Lucia Bank 
EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]45.09' N lat., 121[deg]05.73' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]39.90' N lat., 121[deg]10.30' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]43.39' N lat., 121[deg]14.73' W long.;
    (4) 34[deg]52.83' N lat., 121[deg]14.85' W long.;
    (5) 34[deg]52.82' N lat., 121[deg]05.90' W long.;
    and connecting back to 34[deg]45.09' N lat., 121[deg]05.73' W long.
    (ii) Point Conception. The boundary of the Point Conception EFHCA 
is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in 
the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]29.24' N lat., 120[deg]36.05' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]28.57' N lat., 120[deg]34.44' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]26.81' N lat., 120[deg]33.21' W long.;
    (4) 34[deg]24.54' N lat., 120[deg]32.23' W long.;
    (5) 34[deg]23.41' N lat., 120[deg]30.61' W long.;
    (6) 33[deg]53.05' N lat., 121[deg]05.19' W long.;
    (7) 34[deg]13.64' N lat., 121[deg]20.91' W long.;
    (8) 34[deg]40.04' N lat., 120[deg]54.01' W long.;
    (9) 34[deg]36.41' N lat., 120[deg]43.48' W long.;
    (10) 34[deg]33.50' N lat., 120[deg]43.72' W long.;
    (11) 34[deg]31.22' N lat., 120[deg]42.06' W long.;
    (12) 34[deg]30.04' N lat., 120[deg]40.27' W long.;
    (13) 34[deg]30.02' N lat., 120[deg]40.23' W long.;
    (14) 34[deg]29.26' N lat., 120[deg]37.89' W long.;
    and connecting back to 34[deg]29.24' N lat., 120[deg]36.05' W long.
    (jj) Harris Point. The boundary of the Harris Point EFHCA is 
defined by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting all 
of the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]03.10' N lat., 120[deg]23.30' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]12.50' N lat., 120[deg]23.30' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]12.50' N lat., 120[deg]18.40' W long.;
    (4) 34[deg]01.80' N lat., 120[deg]18.40' W long.;
    (5) 34[deg]02.90' N lat., 120[deg]20.20' W long.; and
    (6) 34[deg]03.50' N lat., 120[deg]21.30' W long.
    (kk) Harris Point Exception. An exemption to the Harris Point 
reserve, where commercial and recreational take of living marine 
resources is allowed, exists between the mean high water line in Cuyler 
Harbor and a straight line connecting all of the following points:
    (1) 34[deg]02.90' N lat., 120[deg]20.20' W long.; and
    (2) 34[deg]03.50' N lat., 120[deg]21.30' W long.
    (ll) Richardson Rock. The boundary of the Richardson Rock EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]10.40' N lat., 120[deg]28.20' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]10.40' N lat., 120[deg]36.29' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]02.21' N lat., 120[deg]36.29' W long.;
    (4) 34[deg]02.21' N lat., 120[deg]28.20' W long.;
    and connecting back to 34[deg]10.40' N lat., 120[deg]28.20' W long.
    (mm) Scorpion. The boundary of the Scorpion EFHCA is defined by the 
mean high water line and a straight line connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]02.94' N lat., 119[deg]35.50' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]09.35' N lat., 119[deg]35.50' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]09.35' N lat., 119[deg]32.80' W long.; and
    (4) 34[deg]02.80' N lat., 119[deg]32.80' W long.
    (nn) Painted Cave. The boundary of the Painted Cave EFHCA is 
defined by the mean high water line and a straight line connecting all 
of the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]04.50' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]05.20' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]05.00' N lat., 119[deg]51.00' W long.; and
    (4) 34[deg]04.00' N lat., 119[deg]51.00' W long.
    (oo) Anacapa Island. The boundary of the Anacapa Island EFHCA is 
defined by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting all 
of the following points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]00.80' N lat., 119[deg]26.70' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]05.00' N lat., 119[deg]26.70' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]05.00' N lat., 119[deg]21.40' W long.; and
    (4) 34[deg]01.00' N lat., 119[deg]21.40' W long.
    (pp) Carrington Point. The boundary of the Carrington Point EFHCA 
is defined by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting 
all of the following points:
    (1) 34[deg]01.30' N lat., 120[deg]05.20' W long.;
    (2) 34[deg]04.00' N lat., 120[deg]05.20' W long.;
    (3) 34[deg]04.00' N lat., 120[deg]01.00' W long.;
    (4) 34[deg]00.50' N lat., 120[deg]01.00' W long.; and
    (5) 34[deg]00.50' N lat., 120[deg]02.80' W long.
    (qq) Judith Rock. The boundary of the Judith Rock EFHCA is defined 
by the mean high water line and a straight line connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 34[deg]01.80' N lat., 120[deg]26.60' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]58.50' N lat., 120[deg]26.60' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]58.50' N lat., 120[deg]25.30' W long.; and
    (4) 34[deg]01.50' N lat., 120[deg]25.30' W long.
    (rr) Skunk Point. The boundary of the Skunk Point EFHCA is defined 
by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]58.80' W long.;

[[Page 41837]]

    (2) 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]58.02' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]57.10' N lat., 119[deg]58.00' W long.; and
    (4) 33[deg]57.10' N lat., 119[deg]58.20' W long.
    (ss) Footprint. The boundary of the Footprint EFHCA is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]26.00' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]31.00' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]54.11' N lat., 119[deg]31.00' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]54.11' N lat., 119[deg]26.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]26.00' W long.
    (tt) Gull Island. The boundary of the Gull Island EFHCA is defined 
by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]58.02' N lat., 119[deg]51.00' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]58.02' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]51.63' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]51.62' N lat., 119[deg]48.00' W long.; and
    (5) 33[deg]57.70' N lat., 119[deg]48.00' W long.
    (uu) South Point. The boundary of the South Point EFHCA is defined 
by the mean high water line and straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]55.00' N lat., 120[deg]10.00' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]50.40' N lat., 120[deg]10.00' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]50.40' N lat., 120[deg]06.50' W long.; and
    (4) 33[deg]53.80' N lat., 120[deg]06.50' W long.
    (vv) Hidden Reef/Kidney Bank. The boundary of the Hidden Reef/
Kidney Bank EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]48.00' N lat., 119[deg]15.06' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]48.00' N lat., 118[deg]57.06' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]33.00' N lat., 118[deg]57.06' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]33.00' N lat., 119[deg]15.06' W long.;
    and connecting back to 33[deg]48.00' N lat., 119[deg]15.06' W long.
    (ww) Catalina Island. The boundary of the Catalina Island EFHCA is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]34.71' N lat., 118[deg]11.40' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]25.88' N lat., 118[deg]03.76' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]11.69' N lat., 118[deg]09.21' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]19.73' N lat., 118[deg]35.41' W long.;
    (5) 33[deg]23.90' N lat., 118[deg]35.11' W long.;
    (6) 33[deg]25.68' N lat., 118[deg]41.66' W long.;
    (7) 33[deg]30.25' N lat., 118[deg]42.25' W long.;
    (8) 33[deg]32.73' N lat., 118[deg]38.38' W long.;
    (9) 33[deg]27.07' N lat., 118[deg]20.33' W long.;
    and connecting back to 33[deg]34.71' N lat., 118[deg]11.40' W long.
    (xx) Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara EFHCA is defined by the mean 
high water line and straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]28.50' N lat., 119[deg]01.70' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]28.50' N lat., 118[deg]54.54' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]21.78' N lat., 118[deg]54.54' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]21.78' N lat., 119[deg]02.20' W long.; and
    (5) 33[deg]27.90' N lat., 119[deg]02.20' W long.
    (yy) Potato Bank. Potato Bank is within the Western Cowcod 
Conservation Area, defined at Sec.  660.70. The boundary of the Potato 
Bank EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated:
    (1) 33[deg]11.00' N lat., 119[deg]55.67' W long.;
    (2) 33[deg]21.00' N lat., 119[deg]55.67' W long.;
    (3) 33[deg]21.00' N lat., 119[deg]45.67' W long.;
    (4) 33[deg]11.00' N lat., 119[deg]45.67' W long.;
    and connecting back to 33[deg]11.00' N lat., 119[deg]55.67' W long.
    (zz) Cherry Bank. Cherry Bank is within the Cowcod Conservation 
Area West, an area south of Point Conception. The Cherry Bank EFH 
Conservation Area is defined by straight lines connecting all of the 
following points in the order stated:
    (1) 32[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]32.05' W long.;
    (2) 32[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]17.05' W long.;
    (3) 32[deg]46.00' N lat., 119[deg]17.05' W long.;
    (4) 32[deg]46.00' N lat., 119[deg]32.05' W long.;
    and connecting back to 32[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]32.05' W long.
    (aaa) Cowcod EFHCA East. The Cowcod EFHCA East is defined by 
straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated:
    (1) 32[deg]41.15' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    (2) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    (3) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (4) 32[deg]36.70' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (5) 32[deg]30.00' N lat., 117[deg]53.50' W long.;
    (6) 32[deg]30.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    (7) 32[deg]40.49' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    and connecting back to 32[deg]41.15' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.
    (bbb) Southern California Bight. The boundary of the Southern 
California Bight EFHCA is defined as the area that includes all waters 
within the West Coast EEZ that is: south of a straight line connecting 
34[deg]02.65' N lat., 120[deg]54.25' W long. and 34[deg]23.09' N lat., 
120[deg]30.98' W long.; shoreward (east and northeast) of the boundary 
line approximating the 700-fm (1280-m) depth contour, defined at Sec.  
660.76(b) and seaward (south and southwest) of a line defined by the 
inner boundary of the West Coast EEZ and a series of straight lines 
connecting the coordinates listed below in the order stated. The 
straight line segments and coordinates defined below exclude nearshore 
portions of the West Coast EEZ from this EFHCA.
    (1) Northern Boundary. The northern boundary of the Southern 
California Bight EFHCA is a straight line connecting the following 
points in the order stated.
    (i) 34[deg]02.68' N lat., 120[deg]54.30' W long.; and
    (ii) 34[deg]23.09' N lat., 120[deg]30.98' W long.
    (2) Santa Barbara Channel. In the area of the Santa Barbara 
Channel, the EFHCA extends seaward/southwest of a boundary line defined 
by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:
    (i) 34[deg]02.68' N lat., 120[deg]54.30' W long.;
    (ii) 34[deg]23.09' N lat., 120[deg]30.98' W long.;
    (iii) 34[deg]21.64' N lat., 120[deg]25.32' W long.;
    (iv) 34[deg]23.55' N lat., 120[deg]15.12' W long.;
    (v) 34[deg]20.15' N lat., 119[deg]57.09' W long.;
    (vi) 34[deg]16.84' N lat., 119[deg]49.14' W long.;
    (vii) 34[deg]11.24' N lat., 119[deg]42.12' W long.;
    (viii) 34[deg]11.30' N lat., 119[deg]37.11' W long.;
    (ix) 34[deg]09.89' N lat., 119[deg]29.78' W long.;

[[Page 41838]]

    (x) 34[deg]09.19' N lat., 119[deg]27.45' W long.;
    (xi) 34[deg]04.70' N lat., 119[deg]15.38' W long.;
    (xii) 34[deg]03.33' N lat., 119[deg]12.93' W long.; and
    (xiii) 34[deg]02.84' N lat., 119[deg]07.92' W long.
    (3) Santa Monica Bay. In the area of Santa Monica bay, the EFHCA 
extends seaward/southwest of a boundary line defined by straight lines 
connecting the following points in the order stated:
    (i) 33[deg]58.64' N lat., 118[deg]44.34' W long.;
    (ii) 33[deg]55.90' N lat., 118[deg]36.39' W long.;
    (iii) 33[deg]53.54' N lat., 118[deg]39.81' W long.;
    (iv) 33[deg]50.10' N lat., 118[deg]36.30' W long.; and
    (v) 33[deg]46.75' N lat., 118[deg]29.33' W long.
    (4) San Pedro Bay. In the area between Long Beach, CA and Newport 
Beach, CA, the EFHCA extends seaward/southwest of a boundary line 
defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order 
stated:
    (i) 33[deg]39.28' N lat., 118[deg]16.82' W long.;
    (ii) 33[deg]35.78' N lat., 118[deg]17.28' W long.;
    (iii) 33[deg]33.74' N lat., 118[deg]12.53' W long.;
    (iv) 33[deg]32.69' N lat., 118[deg]09.66' W long.; and
    (v) 33[deg]33.70' N lat., 117[deg]57.43' W long.
    (5) San Clemente. In the area between Dana Point, CA and Oceanside, 
CA, the EFHCA extends seaward/southwest of a boundary line defined by 
straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:
    (i) 33[deg]24.37' N lat., 117[deg]42.49' W long.;
    (ii) 33[deg]16.07' N lat., 117[deg]34.74' W long.; and
    (iii) 33[deg]09.00' N lat., 117[deg]25.27' W long.
    (6) San Diego. In the area west of San Diego, CA, the EFHCA extends 
seaward/west of a boundary line defined by straight lines connecting 
the following points in the order stated:
    (i) 32[deg]51.02' N lat., 117[deg]20.47' W long.;
    (ii) 32[deg]46.31' N lat., 117[deg]23.44' W long.;
    (iii) 32[deg]42.68' N lat., 117[deg]20.98' W long.; and
    (iv) 32[deg]34.18' N lat., 117[deg]21.08' W long.
0
15. In Sec.  660.111, revise the introductory text and add the 
definitions of ``Block area closures or BACs'', ``Columbia River Salmon 
Conservation Zone'', ``Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zone'', and 
``Stow or stowed,'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  660.111   Trawl fishery--definitions.

    These definitions are specific to the limited entry trawl fisheries 
covered in this subpart. General groundfish definitions are found at 
Sec.  660.11.
* * * * *
    Block area closures or BACs are a type of groundfish conservation 
area, defined at Sec.  660.11, bounded on the north and south by 
commonly used geographic coordinates, defined at Sec.  660.11, and on 
the east and west by boundary lines approximating depth contours, 
defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at Sec. Sec.  660.71 
through 660.74. BACs may be implemented or modified, off Oregon and 
California, as routine management measures, per regulations at Sec.  
660.60(c). BACs may vary in their shape and duration. Their shape and 
effective dates will be announced in the Federal Register. BACs may 
have a specific re-opening date as described in the Federal Register, 
or may be in effect until modified. BACs that are in effect until 
modified by Council recommendation and subsequent NMFS action are set 
out in Tables 1 (North) and 1 (South) of this subpart.
* * * * *
    Columbia River Salmon Conservation Zone means the ocean area 
surrounding the Columbia River mouth bounded by a line extending for 6 
nm due west from North Head along 46[deg]18' N lat. to 124[deg]13.30' W 
long., then southerly along a line of 167 True to 46[deg]11.10' N lat. 
and 124[deg]11' W long. (Columbia River Buoy), then northeast along Red 
Buoy Line to the tip of the south jetty.
* * * * *
    Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zone means the ocean area 
surrounding the Klamath River mouth bounded on the north by 
41[deg]38.80' N lat. (approximately 6 nm north of the Klamath River 
mouth), on the west by 124[deg]23' W long. (approximately 12 nm from 
shore), and on the south by 41[deg]26.80' N lat. (approximately 6 nm 
south of the Klamath River mouth).
* * * * *
    Stow or stowed, for the purposes of this subpart, means the subject 
trawl gear is either stored below deck; or, if the gear cannot readily 
be moved, must be stowed in a secured and covered manner detached from 
all towing lines so that it is rendered unusable for fishing; or, if 
remaining on deck uncovered, must be stowed disconnected from the trawl 
doors with the trawl doors hung from their stanchions.
* * * * *
0
16. In Sec.  660.112, revise the introductory text and paragraphs 
(a)(5)(i) through (vii), and remove (a)(5)(viii).


Sec.  660.112   Trawl fishery--prohibitions.

    In addition to the general prohibitions specified in Sec.  660.12 
and Sec.  600.725 of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person or 
vessel to:
* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (5) * * *
    (i) Operate any vessel registered to a limited entry permit with a 
trawl endorsement in an applicable GCA (defined at Sec. Sec.  660.11 
and 660.130), except for purposes of continuous transiting (defined at 
Sec.  660.11), unless all groundfish trawl gear on board is stowed (as 
defined at Sec.  660.111), or unless otherwise authorized at Sec.  
660.130.
    (ii) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) anywhere 
within EFH seaward of a line approximating the 700-fm (1,280-m) depth 
contour, as defined in Sec.  660.76. For the purposes of regulation, 
EFH seaward of 700-fm (1,280-m) within the EEZ is described at Sec.  
660.75.
    (iii) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) with a 
footrope diameter greater than 19 inches (48 cm) (including rollers, 
bobbins or other material encircling or tied along the length of the 
footrope) anywhere within EFH within the EEZ. For the purposes of 
regulation, EFH within the EEZ is described at Sec.  660.75.
    (iv) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) with a 
footrope diameter greater than 8 inches (20 cm) (including rollers, 
bobbins or other material encircling or tied along the length of the 
footrope) anywhere within the EEZ shoreward of a line approximating the 
100-fm (183-m) depth contour (defined at Sec.  660.73).
    (v) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11), within 
the EEZ in the following EFHCAs areas (defined at Sec. Sec.  660.77 and 
660.78): Olympic 2, Biogenic 1, Biogenic 2, Quinault Canyon, Grays 
Canyon, Willapa Canyonhead, Willapa Deep, Biogenic 3, Astoria Deep, 
Astoria Canyon, Nehalem Bank/Shale Pile, Garibaldi Reef North, 
Garibaldi Reef South, Siletz Deepwater, Daisy Bank/Nelson Island, 
Newport Rockpile/Stonewall Bank, Hydrate Ridge, Heceta Bank, Deepwater 
off Coos Bay, Arago Reef, Bandon High Spot, Rogue Canyon, and Rogue 
River Reef.
    (vi) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11), other 
than

[[Page 41839]]

demersal seine, unless otherwise specified in this section or Sec.  
660.130, within the EEZ in the following EFHCAs areas (defined at Sec.  
660.79): Brush Patch, Trinidad Canyon, Mad River Rough Patch, Samoa 
Deepwater, Eel River Canyon, Blunts Reef, Mendocino Ridge, Delgada 
Canyon, Tolo Bank, Navarro Canyon, Point Arena North, Point Arena South 
Biogenic Area, The Football, Gobbler's Knob, Point Reyes Reef, Cordell 
Bank/Biogenic Area, Rittenburg Bank, Farallon Islands/Fanny Shoal/
Cochrane Bank, Farallon Escarpment, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero Reef, 
Pigeon Point Reef, Ascension Canyonhead, South of Davenport, Monterey 
Bay/Canyon, West of Sobranes Point, Point Sur Deep, Big Sur Coast/Port 
San Luis, La Cruz Canyon, West of Piedras Blancas State Marine 
Conservation Area, East San Lucia Bank, Point Conception, Hidden Reef/
Kidney Bank (within Cowcod Conservation Area West), Catalina Island, 
Potato Bank (within Cowcod Conservation Area West), Cherry Bank (within 
Cowcod Conservation Area West), Cowcod EFHCA Conservation Area East, 
and Southern California Bight.
    (vii) Fish with bottom contact gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) 
within specific EFHCAs and the DCA, consistent with the prohibitions at 
Sec.  660.12(a)(4), (16) through (18).
* * * * *
0
17. In Sec.  660.130, revise paragraphs (a), (c), and (e), and add 
paragraph (f) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.130   Trawl fishery--management measures.

    (a) General. This section applies to the limited entry trawl 
fishery. Most species taken in the limited entry trawl fishery will be 
managed with quotas (see Sec.  660.140), allocations or set-asides (see 
Sec.  660.150 or Sec.  660.160), or cumulative trip limits (see trip 
limits in Tables 1 (North) and 1 (South) of this subpart), size limits 
(see Sec.  660.60 (h)(5)), seasons (see Pacific whiting at Sec.  
660.131(b), subpart D), gear restrictions (see paragraphs (b) and (c) 
of this section) and closed areas (see paragraphs (c) and (e) of this 
section and Sec. Sec.  660.70 through 660.79). The limited entry trawl 
fishery has gear requirements and harvest limits that differ by the 
type of groundfish trawl gear on board and the area fished. Groundfish 
vessels operating south of Point Conception must adhere to CCA 
restrictions (see paragraph (e)(1) of this section and Sec.  660.70). 
The trip limits in Tables 1 (North) and 1 (South) of this subpart 
applies to vessels participating in the limited entry trawl fishery and 
may not be exceeded. Federal commercial groundfish regulations are not 
intended to supersede any more restrictive state commercial groundfish 
regulations relating to federally-managed groundfish.
* * * * *
    (c) Restrictions by limited entry trawl gear type. Management 
measures may vary depending on the type of trawl gear (i.e., large 
footrope, small footrope, selective flatfish, or midwater trawl gear) 
used and/or on board a vessel during a fishing trip, cumulative limit 
period, and the area fished. Trawl nets may be used on and off the 
seabed. For some species or species groups, Table 1 (North) and Table 1 
(South) of this subpart provide trip limits that are specific to 
different types of trawl gear: Large footrope, small footrope 
(including selective flatfish), selective flatfish, midwater, and 
multiple types. If Table 1 (North) and Table 1 (South) of this subpart 
provide gear specific limits or closed areas for a particular species 
or species group, prohibitions at Sec. Sec.  660.12 and 660.112(a)(5) 
apply. Additional conservation areas applicable to vessels registered 
to limited entry permits with trawl endorsements are listed at 
paragraph (e) of this section.
    (1) Fishing with large footrope trawl gear--(i) North of 46[deg]16' 
N lat. It is unlawful for any vessel using large footrope gear to fish 
for groundfish shoreward of the trawl RCA, defined at Sec.  660.11 and 
with latitude and longitude coordinates at Sec. Sec.  660.71 through 
660.74. The use of large footrope gear is allowed where bottom trawling 
is allowed seaward of the trawl RCA.
    (ii) South of 46[deg]16' N lat. It is unlawful for any vessel using 
large footrope gear to fish for groundfish shoreward of the boundary 
line approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth contour defined with 
latitude and longitude coordinates at Sec.  660.73. The use of large 
footrope gear is allowed where bottom trawling is allowed seaward of 
the boundary line approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth contour.
    (2) Fishing with small footrope trawl gear. The use of small 
footrope bottom trawl gear is allowed in all areas where bottom 
trawling is allowed with the following requirements:
    (i) Fishing with selective flatfish trawl gear. The use of 
selective flatfish trawl gear, a type of small footrope trawl gear, is 
allowed in all areas where bottom trawling is allowed. Selective 
flatfish trawl gear is required shoreward of the boundary line 
approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth contour between 42[deg] N lat. 
and 40[deg]10' N lat. and fishing with all other types of small 
footrope trawl gear is prohibited in this area.
    (ii) Salmon conservation area restrictions. The use of small 
footrope trawl, other than of selective flatfish trawl gear, is 
prohibited inside the Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zone and the 
Columbia River Salmon Conservation Zone (defined at Sec.  
660.131(e)(8)).
    (3) Fishing with limited entry midwater trawl gear--(i) North of 
40[deg]10' N lat., limited entry midwater trawl gear is required for 
vessels declared into the Pacific whiting fishery; limited entry 
midwater trawl gear is allowed for vessels declared into the non-
whiting Shorebased IFQ Program during the Pacific whiting primary 
season.
    (ii) South of 40[deg]10' N lat., vessels declared into limited 
entry midwater trawl are prohibited from operating, other than for the 
purpose of continuous transiting with prohibited gear stowed, shoreward 
of the boundary line approximating the 150 fm (274 m) depth contour, as 
defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at Sec.  660.73. 
Vessels declared limited entry midwater trawl may operate seaward of a 
boundary line approximating the 150 fm (274 m) depth contour. See also 
paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of this section for additional restrictions.
    (4) More than one type of trawl gear on board. The trip limits in 
Table 1 (North) or Table 1 (South) of this subpart must not be 
exceeded. A vessel may not have both groundfish trawl gear and non-
groundfish trawl gear onboard simultaneously. A vessel may have more 
than one type of limited entry trawl gear on board (midwater, large or 
small footrope, including selective flatfish trawl), either 
simultaneously or successively, during a cumulative limit period except 
between 42[deg] N lat. and 40[deg]10' N lat. as described in this 
section. If a vessel fishes both north and south of 40[deg]10' N lat. 
with any type of small or large footrope gear onboard the vessel at any 
time during the cumulative limit period, the most restrictive 
cumulative limit associated with the gear on board would apply for that 
trip and all catch would be counted toward that cumulative limit (See 
crossover provisions at Sec.  660.60(h)(7)). When operating in an 
applicable GCA, all trawl gear must be stowed, consistent with 
prohibitions at Sec.  660.112(a)(5)(i), unless authorized in this 
section.
    (i) Vessels operating north of 40[deg]10' N lat.--(A) Limited entry 
bottom trawl gears. A vessel may have more than one type of limited 
entry bottom trawl gear on board (large or small footrope, including 
selective flatfish trawl), either simultaneously or successively, 
during a

[[Page 41840]]

cumulative limit period with the following exception: Between 42[deg] N 
lat. and 40[deg]10' N lat. and shoreward of the boundary line 
approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth contour defined with latitude 
and longitude coordinates at Sec.  660.73. In this area, vessels may 
not have any type of small footrope trawl gear other than selective 
flatfish trawl gear on board when fishing, per prohibitions at Sec.  
660.112(a)(5)(i).
    (B) Limited entry midwater trawl gears. A vessel may have more than 
one type of midwater groundfish trawl gear on board, either 
simultaneously or successively, during a cumulative limit period.
    (C) Limited entry selective flatfish trawl gear. If a vessel fishes 
exclusively with selective flatfish trawl gear during an entire 
cumulative limit period, then the vessel is subject to the selective 
flatfish trawl gear-cumulative limits during that limit period, 
regardless of whether the vessel is fishing shoreward or seaward of the 
trawl RCA or the boundary line approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth 
contour defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at Sec.  
660.73.
    (D) Cumulative limits. If a vessel fishes exclusively with large or 
small footrope trawl gear during an entire cumulative limit period, the 
vessel is subject to the cumulative limits for that gear. If more than 
one type of groundfish bottom trawl gear (selective flatfish, large 
footrope, or small footrope) is on board, either simultaneously or 
successively, at any time during a cumulative limit period, then the 
most restrictive cumulative limit associated with the groundfish bottom 
trawl gear on board during that cumulative limit period applies for the 
entire cumulative limit period.
    (ii) Vessels operating south of 40[deg]10' N lat.- (A) Limited 
entry bottom trawl gears. A vessel may have more than one type of 
limited entry bottom trawl gear on board (large or small footrope, 
including selective flatfish trawl), either simultaneously or 
successively, during a cumulative limit period.
    (B) Limited entry midwater trawl gear. Vessels may not operate, 
other than transiting through, with limited entry midwater trawl gear 
on board that is not stowed, consistent with Sec.  660.112(a)(5), in 
the area shoreward of the boundary line approximating the 150 fm (274 
m) depth contour defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at 
Sec.  660.73. If a vessel fishes with limited entry bottom trawl gear 
in this area, vessels may have midwater trawl gear on board that is 
stowed, consistent with Sec.  660.112(a)(5), and may fish seaward of 
the boundary line approximating the 150 fm (274 m) depth contour on the 
same trip with appropriate declaration changes. Vessels with groundfish 
on board harvested using limited entry midwater trawl gear may transit 
the area shoreward of the boundary line approximating the 150 fm (274 
m) depth contour defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at 
Sec.  660.73 if the midwater gear is stowed consistent with Sec.  
660.112(a)(5).
* * * * *
    (e) Groundfish conservation areas (GCAs). GCAs are closed areas, 
defined at Sec.  660.11, and using latitude and longitude coordinates 
specified at Sec. Sec.  660.70 through 660.74. This paragraph describes 
GCAs applicable to the limited entry trawl fishery, per prohibitions at 
Sec.  660.112(a)(5), and exceptions to those closures. Vessels with 
trawl gear on board that is not stowed, as defined at Sec.  660.111, 
may not operate within a GCA listed in this section, unless authorized 
in this section. Vessels may not take and retain, possess, or land 
groundfish taken within an applicable GCA, except as authorized in this 
paragraph. A vessel authorized to fish within an applicable GCA may 
simultaneously have other groundfish trawl gear on board the vessel 
that is unlawful to use for fishing within the applicable GCAs, but 
only if the prohibited gear is stowed, as defined at Sec.  660.111. 
Continuous transit, with or without groundfish on board, is allowed 
within an applicable GCA, only when all prohibited trawl gear on board 
stowed, as defined at Sec.  660.111. Additional closed areas that 
specifically apply to vessels using limited entry midwater trawl gear 
are described at Sec.  660.131(c).
    (1) Cowcod conservation areas (CCAs). This closure applies to 
vessels with limited entry trawl gear on board. Limited entry trawl 
vessels may transit through the Western CCA within the transit 
corridor, defined at Sec.  660.70.
    (2) Farallon islands. Under California law, commercial fishing for 
all groundfish is prohibited around the Farallon Islands, as defined at 
Sec.  660.70.Vessels may transit through with all trawl gear stowed.
    (3) Cordell Banks. Commercial fishing for groundfish is prohibited 
in waters of depths less than 100-fm (183-m) around Cordell Banks, 
defined at Sec.  660.70. Vessels may transit through with all trawl 
gear stowed.
    (4) Trawl RCA. This GCA is off the coast of Washington, between the 
US/Canada border and 46[deg]16' N lat. Boundaries for the trawl RCA 
applicable to groundfish trawl vessels throughout the year are provided 
in the header to Table 1 (North) of this subpart and may be modified by 
NMFS inseason pursuant to Sec.  660.60(c). Prohibitions at Sec.  
660.112(a)(5) do not apply under the following conditions and when the 
vessel has a valid declaration for the allowed fishing:
    (i) Limited entry midwater trawl gear. Limited entry midwater trawl 
gear may be used within the trawl RCA by vessels targeting Pacific 
whiting or non-whiting when it is an authorized gear type for the area 
and season. If a vessel fishes in the trawl RCA using midwater trawl 
gear, it may also fish outside the trawl RCA with limited entry trawl 
gear on the same trip with appropriate declaration changes.
    (ii) Transiting. A vessel authorized to operate in the trawl RCA 
may continuously transit through the trawl RCA, with or without 
groundfish on board, with prohibited trawl gear stowed, as defined at 
Sec.  660.111.
    (5) Block area closures or BACs. BACs, defined at Sec.  660.111, 
are applicable to vessels with groundfish bottom trawl gear on board 
that is not stowed, per the prohibitions in Sec.  660.112(a)(5). When 
in effect, BACs are areas closed to bottom trawl fishing. A vessel 
operating, for any purpose other than continuous transiting, in the BAC 
must have prohibited trawl gear stowed, as defined at Sec.  660.111. 
Nothing in these Federal regulations supersedes any state regulations 
that may prohibit trawling shoreward of the fishery management area, 
defined at Sec.  660.11. Prohibitions at Sec.  660.112(a)(5) do not 
apply under any of the following conditions and when the vessel has a 
valid declaration for the allowed fishing:
    (i) Limited entry midwater trawl. Limited entry midwater trawl gear 
may be used within the BAC only when it is an authorized gear type for 
the area and season. If a vessel fishes in the BAC using midwater trawl 
gear, it may also fish outside the BAC with groundfish bottom trawl 
gear on the same trip with appropriate declaration changes.
    (ii) Transiting. A vessel authorized to operate in a BAC may 
continuously transit through the BAC, with or without groundfish on 
board, with prohibited trawl gear stowed, as defined at Sec.  660.111.
    (iii) Multiple gears. If a vessel fishes in a BAC using midwater 
trawl gear, it may also fish outside the BAC with groundfish bottom 
trawl gear on the same trip with the appropriate declaration change.
    (6) Bycatch reduction areas or BRAs. Vessels using midwater 
groundfish trawl gear during the applicable Pacific whiting primary 
season may be prohibited from fishing shoreward of a

[[Page 41841]]

boundary line approximating the 75 fm (137 m), 100 fm (183 m), 150 fm 
(274 m), or 200 fm (366 m) depth contours.
    (7) Eureka management area midwater trawl trip limits. No more than 
10,000-lb (4,536 kg) of whiting may be taken and retained, possessed, 
or landed by a vessel that, at any time during a fishing trip, fished 
with midwater groundfish trawl gear in the fishery management area 
shoreward of the boundary line approximating the 100 fm (183 m) depth 
contour in the Eureka management area, defined at Sec.  660.11. See 
also midwater trawl depth restrictions in paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (8) Salmon conservation zones. Fishing with midwater trawl gear and 
bottom trawl gear, other than selective flatfish trawl gear, is 
prohibited in the Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zone and the 
Columbia River Salmon Conservation Zone (defined at Sec.  660.111).
    (f) Essential fish habitat conservation areas. EFHCAs are defined 
at Sec.  660.11 and at Sec. Sec.  660.76 through 660.79. EFHCAs apply 
to vessels using bottom trawl gear or to vessels using bottom contact 
gear, defined at Sec.  660.11. Vessels may transit through, with or 
without groundfish on board, with all prohibited gear stowed. EFHCAs 
closed to bottom trawl gear are listed at Sec.  660.112(a)(5)(v). 
EFHCAs off California that are closed to bottom trawl gear, except 
vessels fishing with a valid declaration for demersal seine gear, are 
listed in Sec.  660.112(a)(5)(vi). EFHCAs closed to bottom contact gear 
are listed at Sec.  660.12(a)(4), (16) and (17).
* * * * *
0
18. In Sec.  660.131 revise paragraph (c) to read as follows.


Sec.  660.131   Pacific whiting fishery management measures.

* * * * *
    (c) Closed areas. The conservation areas described here are in 
addition to conservation areas applicable to vessels operating with 
midwater trawl gear on board described in Sec.  660.130(c) and (e). 
Vessels fishing during the Pacific whiting primary seasons shall not 
target Pacific whiting with midwater groundfish trawl gear in the 
following portions of the fishery management area:
    (1) Klamath river salmon conservation zone, defined at Sec.  
660.111.
    (2) Columbia river salmon conservation zone, defined at Sec.  
660.111.
    (3) Bycatch reduction areas or BRAs. Bycatch reduction area 
closures specified at Sec.  660.130(e) may be implemented inseason 
through automatic action when NMFS projects that a Pacific whiting 
sector will exceed an allocation for a non-whiting groundfish species 
specified for that sector before the sector's whiting allocation is 
projected to be reached.
* * * * *
0
19. Table 1 (North) to part 660, subpart D, is revised to read as 
follows:

Tables 1 (North) to Part 660, Subpart D--Limited Entry Trawl Rockfish 
Conservation Areas and Landing Allowances for Non-IFQ Species and 
Pacific Whiting North of 40[deg]10' N Lat

[[Page 41842]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU19.000

0
20. Table 1 (South) to part 660, subpart D, is revised to read as 
follows:

Table 1 (South) to Part 660, Subpart D--Limited Entry Trawl Landing 
Allowances for Non-IFQ Species and Pacific Whiting South of 40[deg]10' 
N Lat

[[Page 41843]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU19.001

0
21. In Sec.  660.212, revise the introductory text and paragraph 
(c)(2), and remove paragraph (c)(3) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.212   Fixed gear fishery--prohibitions.

    These prohibitions are specific to the limited entry fixed gear 
fisheries and to the limited entry trawl fishery Shorebased IFQ Program 
under gear switching. In addition to the general prohibitions specified 
in Sec. Sec.  660.12 and 600.725 of this chapter, it is unlawful for 
any person to:
* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) Fish with bottom contact gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) within 
specific EFHCAs or the DCA, as specified in Sec.  660.12(a).
* * * * *
0
22. Amend Sec.  660.230 by:
0
a. Revising the introductory text for paragraph (d) and paragraphs 
(d)(10) and (11);
0
b. Removing paragraph (d)(14);
0
c. Adding paragraph (g).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  660.230   Fixed gear fishery--management measures.

* * * * *
    (d) Groundfish conservation areas. GCAs are defined by coordinates 
expressed in degrees of latitude and longitude. The latitude and 
longitude coordinates of the GCA boundaries are specified at Sec. Sec.  
660.70 through 660.74. A vessel that is authorized by this paragraph to 
fish within a GCA (e.g., fishing for ``other flatfish'' using no more 
than 12 hooks, ``Number 2'' or smaller), may not simultaneously have 
other gear on board the vessel that is unlawful to use for fishing 
within the GCA. The following GCAs apply to vessels participating in 
the limited entry fixed gear fishery.
* * * * *
    (10) Cowcod Conservation Areas. It is unlawful to take and retain, 
possess, or land groundfish within the CCAs, except for species 
authorized in this paragraph caught according to gear requirements in 
this paragraph, when those waters are open to fishing. Commercial 
fishing vessels may transit through the Western CCA with their gear 
stowed and groundfish on board only in the transit corridor, defined at 
Sec.  660.70. Fishing with limited entry

[[Page 41844]]

fixed gear is prohibited within the CCAs, except as follows:
* * * * *
    (11) Nontrawl Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA). The nontrawl RCA is 
defined at Sec.  660.11 and with latitude and longitude coordinates, at 
Sec. Sec.  660.71 through 660.74, where fishing for groundfish with 
nontrawl gear is prohibited. Boundaries for the nontrawl RCA throughout 
the year are provided in the header to Table 2 (North) and Table 2 
(South) of this subpart and may be modified by NMFS inseason pursuant 
to Sec.  660.60(c).
* * * * *
    (g) Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas (EFHCA). EFHCAs, 
defined at Sec.  660.11 and with latitude and longitude coordinates at 
Sec. Sec.  660.75 through 660.79, apply to vessels using bottom contact 
gear, defined at Sec.  660.11, and includes limited entry fixed gear 
(e.g. longline and pot/trap,) among other gear types. EFHCAs closed to 
bottom contact gear are listed at Sec.  660.12(a).
0
23. Amend Sec.  660.312 by revising the introductory text and 
paragraphs (d)(3) and (4), and adding paragraphs (d)(5) through (7), to 
read as follows:


Sec.  660.312   Open access fishery--prohibitions.

    In addition to the general prohibitions specified in Sec. Sec.  
660.12 and 600.725 of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to:
* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (3) Fish with bottom contact gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) within 
specific EFHCAs or the DCA, as specified in Sec.  660.12(a).
    (4) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) anywhere 
within EFH seaward of a line approximating the 700-fm (1280-m) depth 
contour, as defined in Sec.  660.76. For the purposes of regulation, 
EFH seaward of 700-fm (1280-m) within the EEZ is described at Sec.  
660.75.
    (5) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11) with a 
footrope diameter greater than 8 inches (20 cm) (including rollers, 
bobbins or other material encircling or tied along the length of the 
footrope) anywhere within the EEZ shoreward of a line approximating the 
100-fm (183-m) depth contour (defined at Sec.  660.73).
    (6) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11), within 
the EEZ in the following EFHCAs (defined at Sec. Sec.  660.77 and 
660.78): Olympic 2, Biogenic 1, Biogenic 2, Quinault Canyon, Grays 
Canyon, Willapa Canyonhead, Willapa Deep, Biogenic 3, Astoria Deep, 
Astoria Canyon, Nehalem Bank/Shale Pile, Garibaldi Reef North, 
Garibaldi Reef South, Siletz Deepwater, Daisy Bank/Nelson Island, 
Newport Rockpile/Stonewall Bank, Hydrate Ridge, Heceta Bank, Deepwater 
off Coos Bay, Arago Reef, Bandon High Spot, Rogue Canyon, and Rogue 
River Reef.
    (7) Fish with bottom trawl gear (defined at Sec.  660.11), other 
than demersal seine, unless otherwise specified in this section or 
Sec.  660.330, within the EEZ in the following EFHCAs (defined at Sec.  
660.79): Brush Patch, Trinidad Canyon, Mad River Rough Patch, Samoa 
Deepwater, Eel River Canyon, Blunts Reef, Mendocino Ridge, Delgada 
Canyon, Tolo Bank, Navarro Canyon, Point Arena North, Point Arena South 
Biogenic Area, The Football, Gobbler's Knob, Point Reyes Reef, Cordell 
Bank/Biogenic Area, Rittenburg Bank, Farallon Islands/Fanny Shoal/
Cochrane Bank, Farallon Escarpment, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero Reef, 
Pigeon Point Reef, Ascension Canyonhead, South of Davenport, Monterey 
Bay/Canyon, West of Sobranes Point, Point Sur Deep, Big Sur Coast/Port 
San Luis, La Cruz Canyon, West of Piedras Blancas State Marine 
Conservation Area, East San Lucia Bank, Point Conception, Hidden Reef/
Kidney Bank (within Cowcod Conservation Area West), Catalina Island, 
Potato Bank (within Cowcod Conservation Area West), Cherry Bank (within 
Cowcod Conservation Area West), Cowcod EFHCA Conservation Area East, 
and Southern California Bight.
0
24. Amend Sec.  660.330 by:
0
a. Revising the introductory text for paragraph (d) and paragraph 
(d)(11),
0
b. Removing paragraph (d)(16), and
0
c. Adding paragraph (g).
    The additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  660.330   Open access fishery--management measures.

* * * * *
    (d) Groundfish conservation areas (GCAs). GCAs, a type of closed 
area, are defined at Sec.  660.11 and with latitude and longitude 
coordinates at Sec. Sec.  660.70 through 660.74. A vessel that is 
authorized by this paragraph to fish within a GCA (e.g. fishing for 
``other flatfish'' using no more than 12 hooks, ``Number 2'' or 
smaller), may not simultaneously have other gear on board the vessel 
that is unlawful to use for fishing within the GCA. The following GCAs 
apply to vessels participating in the open access groundfish fishery.
* * * * *
    (11) Cowcod Conservation Areas (CCAs). It is unlawful to take and 
retain, possess, or land groundfish within the CCAs, except for species 
authorized in this paragraph caught according to gear requirements in 
this paragraph, when those waters are open to fishing. Commercial 
fishing vessels may transit through the Western CCA with their gear 
stowed and groundfish on board only in the transit corridor, defined at 
Sec.  660.70. Fishing with open access gear is prohibited in the CCAs, 
except as follows:
* * * * *
    (g) Essential fish habitat conservation areas (EFHCA). EFHCAs, 
defined at Sec.  660.11 and with latitude and longitude coordinates at 
Sec. Sec.  660.75 through 660.79, apply to vessels using bottom trawl 
gear or bottom contact gear, defined at Sec.  660.11, and includes non-
groundfish trawl gear and limited entry fixed gear (e.g. longline and 
pot/trap,) among other gear types. EFHCAs closed to bottom contact gear 
are listed at Sec.  660.12(a). EFHCAs closed to bottom trawl gear are 
listed at Sec.  660.312(d).

[FR Doc. 2019-16493 Filed 8-14-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P