[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63966-63992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24684]



[[Page 63965]]

Vol. 84

Tuesday,

No. 223

November 19, 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 Fishery Management Plan; 
Amendment 28; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 223 / Tuesday, November 19, 2019 / 
Rules and Regulations  

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 191106-0077]
RIN 0648-BI89


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

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: In this rule NMFS implements Amendment 28 to the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, changing 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 final rule establishes 
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 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 also closes 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: This final rule is effective on January 1, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Information relevant to Amendment 28, which includes a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, a regulatory impact review, a 
Regulatory Flexibility Act certification, and a Record of Decision 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. 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 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/west-coast.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Purpose of This Regulatory Action
Major Provisions
    Revisions to EFH Conservation Areas
    Changes to Fishery Management Measures
    Bottom Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area
    Bottom Trawl Block Area Closures
    Discretionary Management Measures To Protect Deep-Water 
Habitats, Including Deep-Sea Corals
Response to Comments
Changes From the Proposed Rule
    Grays Canyon EFH Conservation Area
    Clarifications and Non-Substantive Changes
Classification

Executive Summary

    This final rule implements management measures from Amendment 28 to 
the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that would 
augment existing essential fish habitat (EFH) protection measures, 
reopen historically important fishing grounds, and protect deep-water 
habitats, including deep-sea corals. This final rule implements all of 
the Council's recommendations. NMFS published the proposed rule to 
implement Amendment 28 on August 15, 2019 (84 FR 41818). The Secretary 
of Commerce approved Amendment 28 on September 9, 2019. The comment 
period on the proposed rule ended on September 16, 2019. NMFS received 
22 comments on the proposed rule. A summary of those comments and 
responses from NMFS are provided in the Comments and Responses section 
of this preamble.

Purpose of This Regulatory Action

    This final rule establishes measures that conserve and protect EFH 
from the impacts of fishing, to achieve optimum yield, and ensure that 
these measures are based on the best scientific information available. 
This final rule includes changes to areas closed to bottom trawl 
fishing to protect EFH, called EFH conservation areas. When combined 
with existing EFH conservation areas, these measures are anticipated to 
minimize, to the extent practicable, the adverse effects of fishing on 
EFH. This final rule also revises management measures put in place to 
rebuild overfished groundfish stocks to meet the utilization goal in 
the FMP. The FMP utilization goal directly relates to National Standard 
1 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), stating 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. This final rule also closes deep water off California 
to certain gear types using Magnuson-Stevens Act discretionary 
authority to protect deep-water habitats, including deep-sea corals. 
Additional details about the goals and objectives of this final rule 
can be found in the preamble to the proposed rule (84 FR 41818; August 
15, 2019). This final rule also makes one substantive change and minor, 
non-substantive technical corrections and clarifications to the 
regulations presented in the proposed rule.

Major Provisions

    This final rule contains three categories of major provisions. The 
first are new and revised EFH conservation areas, which are defined 
with latitude and longitude coordinates and restrict groundfish and 
non-groundfish (e.g., ridgeback prawn, California halibut, sea 
cucumber) bottom trawl fishing. The second are changes relating to 
fishery management measures, specifically depth-based area closures, 
for groundfish bottom trawl gear off Oregon and California. The third 
is a new deep-water area closed to all bottom contacting fishing gear 
to protect deep-water habitats.

Revisions to EFH Conservation Areas

    The Council undertook an extensive, formal public process to 
develop alternatives and conduct environmental impacts analysis of 
changes to habitat management, between 2013 and 2018, described in the 
proposed rule preamble. The Council requested public input and received 
several proposals for habitat management changes in response. After 
initial screening and public comment, the Council selected all or part 
of several proposals and developed suites of potential EFH conservation 
area changes, which formed the preliminary range of alternatives. From 
these alternatives, the Council, in April 2018, adopted a final 
preferred alternative.

[[Page 63967]]

    This final rule closes over 12,000 square miles (31,000 square km) 
of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and re-opens over 200 square miles 
(518 square km) of the EEZ to bottom trawl gear, which adversely 
affects groundfish EFH. The new closures protect a variety of ocean 
floor types (substrates) designated as groundfish EFH, and include 
areas designated as habitat areas of particular concern. In particular, 
these closed areas protect submarine canyons, seamounts, methane seeps, 
deep-sea corals as well as stationary three-dimensional invertebrates 
like sponges and corals. 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 occurred in the closed areas (less than 2 
percent of the total groundfish landings and revenues on either a 
coastwide or port-group level). Overall, this final rule, 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.

Changes to Fishery Management Measures

    This final rule balances the conflicting need to restrict fishing 
to protect the resource with providing sufficient allowable catch to 
sustain the fleet and coastal communities.

Bottom Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area

    This final rule re-opens a depth-based bottom trawl closure that 
has been in place coastwide since 2002. This closure, referred to as 
the groundfish trawl Rockfish Conservation Area (trawl RCA), prohibited 
fishing with limited entry groundfish trawl gear to reduce impacts to 
species that were overfished at that time (Pacific Ocean perch and 
darkblotched rockfish). This final rule re-opens the trawl RCA to 
bottom trawling in the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota Program off 
of Oregon and California, an area of over 2,000 square miles (5,180 
square km). Areas closed to bottom trawling that overlap with the trawl 
RCA, such as EFH conservation areas and California state waters, remain 
closed to bottom trawling. NMFS is making this change because of the 
success of the trawl rationalization program and other commercial and 
recreational fishing innovations that have reduced bycatch. 
Improvements to scientific information regarding biology of stocks and 
their population dynamics have led to revised methods and modeling 
parameters that are more accurate than in the past. Since 2011, six of 
the seven previously overfished stocks are now rebuilt. The areas this 
rule reopens 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 this rule reopens 
are predominantly substrates that are the most resilient to disturbance 
and, when combined with the protections to EFH in this rule, adverse 
effects to designated groundfish EFH are 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 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).
    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 changes from this rule to the trawl RCA have no effect on vessels 
fishing with midwater trawl gear and depth-based restrictions on 
midwater trawl fishing off California remain in place.
Bottom Trawl Block Area Closures
    Reopening an area that has not been fished with bottom trawl gear 
for over 15 years is not without risk. This final rule implements 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 and 
state waters off Oregon and California. No BACs are implemented in this 
final rule, but as a future action the Council may recommend that NMFS 
close one or more BACs via routine inseason action and the size of the 
BACs can vary. A Federal Register notice will announce boundaries of 
one or more BACs, within which groundfish bottom trawling would be 
prohibited for a period of time. With the deep-water closure enacted by 
this rule, bottom trawling is now closed within the entire EEZ seaward 
(west) of a boundary line approximating the 700 fm (1,280 m) depth 
contour. BACs could be defined on the east and west by two boundary 
lines approximating depth contours, or by language describing the BACs 
as ``seaward of'' or ``shoreward of'' any of the depth contours 
described in Table 1 below. So BACs could, if implemented to the 
maximum extent, close the entire area between the shore and outer 
boundary of the EEZ (acknowledging that seaward of the 700 fm (1,290 m) 
depth contour is already closed and a BAC there has no on-the-water 
effect). BACs, when implemented would be bounded by specific latitudes 
and depths, as shown in Table 1 below, and described with coordinates 
in regulations.

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  Table 1--Geographic Coordinates (Latitudes) and Depth-Based Boundary
 Lines That May Be Used To Define the Boundaries of BACs Off Oregon and
                               Washington
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                                                       Boundary lines
                                Commonly used       approximating depth
           State                  geographic          contours (50 CFR
                             coordinates (50 CFR     660.71-74) (East-
                            660.11) (North-South)          West)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oregon (OR)...............  Columbia River--       20 fm (37 m), 25 fm
                             46[deg]16.00' N        (46 m), 25 fm (46 m)
                             lat., Cape Falcon,     modified, 30 fm (55
                             OR--45[deg]46.00' N    m), 40 fm (73 m), 50
                             lat., Cape Lookout,    fm (91 m), 60 fm
                             OR--45[deg]20.25' N    (110 m), 75 fm (137
                             lat., Cascade Head,    m), 100 fm (183 m),
                             OR--45[deg]03.83' N    125 fm (229 m), 150
                             lat., Heceta Head,     fm (274 m), 150 fm
                             OR--44[deg]08.30' N    (274 m) modified,
                             lat., Cape Arago,      180 fm (329 m)
                             OR--43[deg]20.83' N    coastwide, 200 fm
                             lat., Cape Blanco,     (366 m), 200 fm (366
                             OR--42[deg]50.00' N    m) modified, 250 fm
                             lat., Humbug           (457 m), 250 fm (457
                             Mountain--42[deg]40.   m) modified.
                             50' N lat., Marck
                             Arch, OR--
                             42[deg]13.67' N lat.
California (CA)...........  Oregon/California      30 fm (55 m), 40 fm
                             border--42[deg]00.00   (73 m), 50 fm (91
                             ' N lat., Cape         m), 60 fm (110 m),
                             Mendocino, CA--        75 fm (137 m), 100
                             40[deg]30.00' N        fm (183 m), 125 fm
                             lat., North/South      (229 m), 150 fm (274
                             management line--      m), 150 fm (274 m)
                             40[deg]10.00' N        modified (northern
                             lat., Cape Vizcaino,   CA only), 180 fm
                             CA--39[deg]44.00' N    (329 m) coastwide,
                             lat., Point Arena,     180 fm (329 m)
                             CA--38[deg]57.50' N    modified, 200 fm
                             lat., Point San        (366 m), 200 fm (366
                             Pedro, CA--            m) modified, 250 fm
                             37[deg]35.67' N        (457 m), 250 fm (457
                             lat., Pigeon Point,    m) modified.
                             CA--37[deg]11.00' N
                             lat., Ano Nuevo, CA--
                             37[deg]07.00' N
                             lat., Point Lopez,
                             CA--36[deg]00.00' N
                             lat., Point
                             Conception, CA--
                             34[deg]27.00' N
                             lat., U.S./Mexico
                             Border, southern
                             bound of EEZ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: East-west boundaries of BACs may also include the seaward boundary
  of the EEZ or the shoreline, though they are not defined with
  coordinates in regulation.

    BACs may be closed to vessels fishing for groundfish with bottom 
trawl gear in the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota Program to meet 
various fishery management goals. These goals include, but are not 
limited to, reducing bycatch of protected species and preventing 
overfishing. BACs cannot be used to close an area to any type of 
fishing other than groundfish bottom trawling.
    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 individual fishing quota (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 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 incidental take statement. The Council could consider 
using BACs to close areas where salmon have been caught with limited 
entry bottom trawl gear in recent years.
    This rule allows 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. 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 period of time that BACs 
would be in effect, as well as the Council's purpose and rationale, 
will be described in the Federal Register notice. NMFS would also 
announce the boundaries and duration of the BACs through public notices 
and on the West Coast Region website (see ADDRESSES). If NMFS also 
revises its codified regulations to describe the BACs, such information 
will appear in Table 1 (North) and Table 1 (South) to subpart D. See 
the Changes from the Proposed Rule section for additional details.

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

    The 2007 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act added 
discretionary authority for Councils to restrict fishing activities, 
protect deep-sea corals, and recommend measures to meet other 
ecological goals and objectives.
    This final rule creates a new deep-water closure to prohibit 
prospective fishing with certain gears to protect deep-water habitats, 
including deep sea corals, consistent with Council recommendations. 
Deep-sea habitats are sensitive to disturbance and slow to recover. 
Therefore, the closure would apply 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, long-leader hook and line gear, 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 (west) of approximately 1,900 fathoms (3,500 m).

Response to Comments

    During the public comment periods for the Notice of Availability 
(NOA) and the proposed rule for this amendment, we received 37 distinct 
comments from over 15,000 individuals and 24 entities, two of which 
were not responsive to the action. NMFS received 22 unique comment 
letters from individuals. Those comments ranged from supporting the 
proposed rule to asking for an end to commercial fishing. NMFS received 
15 unique comment letters submitted by 24 entities, one of which was 
signed by 16 businesses or non-governmental organizations. Five 
entities, including Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 
Quinault Indian Nation, Oceana, PEW Charitable Trusts, and Earth 
Justice, requested minor changes to the regulations in the proposed 
rule.
    Comment 1: Six private citizens advocated for an end to all 
commercial fishing or commercial bottom trawling to protect natural 
resources. One commenter opposed bottom trawl fishing but expressed 
support for Amendment 28 until such time as all bottom trawling is 
ceased.
    Response: Reducing commercial or commercial bottom trawl fishing 
opportunity was not one of the goals

[[Page 63969]]

and objectives of Amendment 28, and was therefore not considered in 
this action. This action sought to review best available scientific 
information to minimize the effects of fishing on EFH, while balancing 
economic impacts on fishing communities by allowing access to 
productive fishing grounds. This was achieved through changes in EFH 
conservation areas, adding over 12,000 square miles (31,000 square km) 
of closures and reopening over 200 square miles (518 square km) to 
commercial bottom trawl fishing. This action also sought to relieve 
area restrictions, specifically the trawl RCA, to provide groundfish 
bottom trawl vessels with increased flexibility to achieve optimum 
yield and economic efficiency, while balancing risks to protected and 
overfished species. This was achieved through re-opening the trawl RCA 
off Oregon and California, over 2,000 square miles (5,180 square km) of 
historically important fishing grounds, and establishing a new, more 
responsive and flexible management tool called BACs. This action also 
sought to protect deep-water habitats, including deep-sea corals, from 
damage of prospective fishing with bottom-contacting gears. This was 
achieved through a closure of over 123,000 square miles (318,569 square 
km) to fishing with bottom-contacting gears, protecting sensitive 
habitats that are slow to recover from damage.
    Comment 2: Eleven private citizens were opposed to reopening areas 
that are currently closed to bottom trawl fishing because this type of 
fishing can damage the ocean floor. Commenters advocated that some 
areas of the ocean should remain closed to bottom trawling and 
cautioned against relieving restrictions for non-selective fishing 
gears like bottom trawl gear. Two commenters specifically requested 
that nearshore trawling should be limited to reduce disruption of 
recreational fisheries. The commenters asserted that re-opening areas 
to commercial trawling would cause overharvest and negatively affect 
recreational fisheries, would cause damage to the environment, and is 
not supported by science.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges that bottom trawl fishing can damage 
the ocean floor, and this final rule was designed to close new areas to 
protect sensitive ocean floor habitats from the negative effects of 
bottom trawling. With the area closure changes in this rule are 
combined with existing restrictions, approximately 70 percent of the 
U.S. West Coast EEZ (between 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) and 200 nautical 
miles (370.4 km) off Washington, Oregon and California) is closed to 
commercial bottom trawl fishing. Trawl gear is less selective than 
other gears like longline or fish pot gear, but this action is not 
intended to reduce harvest opportunities for vessels fishing with 
bottom trawl gear (see Comment 1). Existing rules govern the bottom 
trawl fishery to manage and monitor harvest, and gear specifications to 
reduce bycatch and mitigate the environmental impacts of fishing and 
are not revised with this rule. The individual accountability in the 
Shorebased IFQ Program in which these vessels fish for groundfish with 
bottom trawl gear has increased incentives for fishermen to reduce 
waste and prevents overharvest with close catch monitoring. If a vessel 
exceeds the quota available to it, it cannot fish again until the quota 
deficit is resolved.
    Amendment 28 does not change harvest specifications or increase the 
amount of quota available to bottom trawl fishermen, nor does it 
decrease the amount of quota available to recreational fishermen. Re-
opening historically important fishing grounds does not mean that 
harvest will increase to historic levels due to various catch controls 
that prevent overfishing and ensure a sustainable commercial bottom 
trawl fishery. The results of our analysis indicate that re-opening 
areas to bottom trawl fishing will not appreciably increase the risk of 
overfishing because of these catch controls.
    Amendment 28 is unlikely to negatively affect recreational 
fishermen or disrupt recreational fisheries. Recreational fishermen 
often fish in waters above underwater structures such as rocky reefs. 
Underwater structures and rocky reefs, if not closed to bottom trawling 
by EFH conservation areas, are generally not fished with bottom trawl 
gear because these structures damage bottom trawl gear and the repairs 
can be costly. Coastwide, this rule re-opens less than 200 square miles 
(518 square km) of area shoreward of 100 fm (183 m) and no area 
shoreward of 30 fm (55 m), which is the deepest depth that recreational 
fisheries are commonly allowed to fish. Because this action does not 
change trawling activity in nearshore regions, or around natural and 
artificial ocean habitats commonly targeted by recreational fishermen, 
no disruption of recreational fisheries is anticipated.
    The results of our analysis indicate that Amendment 28 will benefit 
habitat and fish resources. Amendment 28 would increase the number of 
square miles that are closed to bottom trawl fishing off the coasts of 
Washington, Oregon, and California. Bottom trawl closures would 
increase by over 10,000 square miles (25,900 square km), an increase of 
approximately 69 percent compared to the status quo. These EFH closures 
were designed to close sensitive benthic habitats while keeping 
negative socioeconomic impacts low. The areas that would be re-opened 
(over 2,000 square miles, or 5,180 square km) to bottom trawl fishing 
are estimated to be predominately soft substrate, which is the type of 
habitat most resilient to the negative effects of bottom trawl fishing. 
We have determined that Amendment 28 balances requirements to protect 
EFH with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act's National 
Standards 1 and 8 for achieving optimum yield and supporting fishing 
communities.
    The changes to EFH conservation areas, changes to the trawl RCAs, 
and deep sea habitat protections in Amendment 28 are based on analyses 
that use the best scientific information available, consistent with 
National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The best scientific 
information available regarding benthic habitats is primarily seafloor 
mapping. High resolution mapping, where available, was used to inform 
the analysis. For areas where high resolution mapping was unavailable, 
inferences regarding habitat types were made based on available data. 
The analysis also used available data from research surveys and the 
scientific literature to infer habitat suitability. The best scientific 
information available to assess impacts to fish resources, the 
socioeconomic environment, and protected resources included the most 
recently available fishery information.
    Comment 3: Four private citizens urged NMFS to adopt only the 
conservation aspects of the proposed rule.
    Response: NMFS agrees that the new closed areas to protect 
groundfish EFH are necessary and is implementing those provisions with 
this final rule. One of the goals of this action was to maintain 
fishing opportunities and to increase flexibility and efficiency (see 
Comment 1). Implementing conservation provisions alone would not have 
met the goals relating to sustainable seafood production and supporting 
coastal economies. The final rule appropriately balances NMFS's duties 
under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to conserve marine resources while 
simultaneously creating opportunities to achieve optimum yield.
    Comment 4: Sixteen of the unique comment letters expressed general 
support for the proposed rule, including a comment letter signed by 16 
non-governmental organizations. In addition

[[Page 63970]]

to their own letter, Oceana also submitted a letter of support with 
15,842 signatures of residents of the United States and its 
territories. Commenters support the protections to the living seafloor 
and the restoration of commercial fishing opportunities, and appreciate 
how Amendment 28 supports both habitat conservation and sustainable 
fisheries. One comment letter supported the proposed rule with the 
caveat that it is an appropriate measure until future actions consider 
ceasing all bottom trawling (see Comment 1). Overall, these sixteen 
letters, endorsed by over 15,000 people and 20 entities, support all 
major aspects of the proposed rule and recognize that it was widely 
supported by stakeholders and the public during the Council process.
    Response: NMFS agrees that this final rule appropriately balances 
NMFS's duties under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to conserve marine 
resources while simultaneously creating opportunities to achieve 
optimum yield and extends gratitude for the engagement and 
contributions of stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, 
scientists, and the public during this long process.
    Comment 5: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the 
Quinault Indian Nation both submitted comment letters with identical, 
revised latitude and longitude coordinates for the Grays Canyon 
northern modification. They ask NMFS to revise the coordinates from the 
proposed rule to better meet the Council's intent by expanding the 
closed area approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east to better align with 
the 2018 adjudicated seaward boundary of the Quinault Indian Nation's 
usual and accustomed fishing area (U&A). Three other commenters, 
including Oceana, PEW Charitable Trusts, and Earth Justice, also 
suggested that the Grays Canyon northern modification should be 
expanded to better meet the Council's intent, protecting glass sponges 
in the area seaward of the U&A.
    Response: NMFS evaluated additional information submitted during 
the public comment period and determined that the Grays Canyon EFH 
conservation area northern modification should expand approximately 2 
miles (3.2 km) east to better align with the 2018 adjudicated seaward 
boundary of the Quinault Indian Nation's U&A, consistent with the 
Council's recommendation. See the Changes from the Proposed Rule 
section for additional discussion.
    Comment 6: Oceana and Earth Justice requested that NMFS change the 
name of the ``Discretionary Conservation Area'' so that it would not be 
mistaken for a voluntary closure when it is intended to be a mandatory 
closure to fishing with bottom contacting gears. Both suggested calling 
it the ``Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Area'' as it would more 
accurately reflect the reason for the closure and its mandatory nature.
    Response: NMFS determined that having ``discretionary'' in the name 
of the deep-water closed area could be misleading to the regulated 
public given that the closure is mandatory. See the Changes from the 
Proposed Rule section for additional discussion.
    Comment 7: Oceana suggested NMFS add an additional point, at 
33[deg]34.71' N lat., 118[deg]11.40' W long., in the line that defines 
the portion of the Southern California Bight EFH conservation off San 
Pedro Bay, California. The Southern California Bight EFH conservation 
area is defined as the areas of the EEZ seaward of these line segments. 
One of the line segments overlaps with the existing Catalina Island EFH 
conservation area, so a corner of the Catalina Island EFH conservation 
area is shoreward of the line segment. The suggested coordinate is the 
same as the corner of the Catalina Island EFH conservation area and 
would clarify that the northern corner of the Catalina Island EFH 
conservation area, would not be mistaken as open to bottom trawling.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges that the line segment off San Pedro 
Bay, California, could be misunderstood. The northern tip of the 
Catalina Island EFH conservation area, which is not revised in this 
final rule, remains closed. NMFS is including the added point in this 
final rule to make it clear that areas not proposed to be reopened 
remain closed. See the Changes from the Proposed Rule section for 
additional discussion.
    Comment 8: Oceana expressed that it is their understanding that EFH 
conservation areas that have a portion of their boundaries adjoining 
and defined by the state water line (three nautical miles offshore) are 
not difficult for fishing vessels to comply with because it is a 
boundary well established in law, on nautical charts and is generally 
well understood by commercial fishermen. Fishermen have the knowledge 
and technology on their fishing vessels to know where this boundary is 
located. Oceana suggests that if NMFS is concerned about compliance, it 
could consider defining the EFH conservation areas with latitude and 
longitude coordinates that closely match the state water line.
    Response: NMFS is satisfied that the state water boundary is 
commonly known, appears on most nautical charts, and can be navigated 
using common commercial fishing technologies. If, after implementation, 
NMFS identifies compliance or enforcement issues with EFH conservation 
areas with boundaries not exclusively defined with latitude and 
longitude coordinates, NMFS may alert the Council and request 
consideration of alternatives to more clearly define these areas with 
latitude and longitude coordinates in regulations.
    Comment 9: Oceana requests that the next time NMFS analyzes the 
effects of changes to conservation areas (e.g., EFH conservation area 
or RCA changes) the combined habitat net effects should also be 
considered at the scale of biogeographic regions (e.g., northern slope, 
etc.) and depth zones, and not just coastwide.
    Response: The Council developed Amendment 28 based on various goals 
and objectives (described in detail in the proposed rule). One of the 
objectives for habitat protection was to protect a diversity and range 
of habitats. NMFS notes that this objective is not a mandate or 
requirement of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or the FMP. NMFS agrees that 
considering effects at a finer spatial scale could be informative to 
ensure adequate protections are in place across a diverse range of 
habitat types, if this objective remains among the Council's objectives 
of future conservation area changes. The Council has stated its intent 
to incorporate lessons learned from the Amendment 28 process into the 
next 5-year review, which is expected to commence in 2024 or 2025. The 
Council may consider changes to habitat management as a result of the 
next 5-year review. If that should occur, the Council would likely 
consider a variety of objectives to guide future changes.
    Comment 10: Oceana requests that NMFS implement measures to improve 
the level of precision that vessel monitoring systems monitor for 
compliance with closed areas, including the new closed areas in this 
final rule.
    Response: It is for this reason that the Council recommended and 
NMFS is implementing an increase to the rate that vessel monitoring 
systems report the position of the fishing vessel. NMFS published a 
proposed rule that will increase the rate from once every hour to once 
every 15 minutes on October 10, 2019 (84 FR 54579).
    Comment 11: One private citizen commented that NMFS should, in 
addition to supporting recreational anglers and commercial fishermen, 
support indigenous people's fishing heritage.

[[Page 63971]]

    Response 11: NMFS supports the exercise of tribal treaty fishing 
rights and this action was developed with input from the treaty tribes 
with fishing rights on the coast. To that end, this final rule includes 
no changes to fishing regulations (tribal or non-tribal) within the 
tribal U&A fishing areas off the northern and central coast of 
Washington.

Changes From the Proposed Rule

    Regulations implemented in this final rule are unchanged from those 
in the proposed rule, except as described below. There is one 
substantive change, to the shape and extent of the Grays Canyon North 
EFH conservation area. NMFS discussed this issue with the Council at 
the September 11-18, 2019 Council meeting. The rest of the changes 
described below are not substantive and do not impact the intent or 
implementation of the provisions in this rule. NMFS consulted with the 
Council on all regulation changes, as required by section 304(b)(3) of 
the MSA, through an exchange of letters dated October 9, 2019 and 
October 17, 2019. The locations and descriptions of regulations 
implemented in this final rule are described in greater detail the 
proposed rule.

Grays Canyon EFH Conservation Area

    In the proposed rule, NMFS specifically sought comment on the 
latitude and longitude coordinates used to define the Grays Canyon EFH 
conservation area, which incorporated a ``northern modification'' and a 
``southern modification.'' The Council motion included latitude and 
longitude coordinates, a description of the northern modification as 
extending to meet the seaward boundary of the Quinault Indian Nation's 
tribal U&A, and a discussion that the area in the motion was based on 
an early alternative for the northern modification. The coordinates, 
description, and discussion, all unanimously recommended by the 
Council, each resulted in a slightly differently shaped closed area. To 
create clearly defined regulatory boundaries, NMFS used only the 
latitude and longitude coordinates from the motion to incorporate the 
definition of the northern modification into the Grays Canyon EFH 
conservation area. This resulted in a slightly smaller closed area that 
did not incorporate coordinates from the early alternative for the 
northern expansion, and was also not immediately adjacent to the U&A.
    WDFW, the Quinault Indian Nation, Oceana, PEW Charitable Trusts, 
and Earth Justice recommended in their comment letters on the proposed 
rule that the Grays Canyon EFH conservation area be expanded to meet 
the U&A boundary and align with the early alternative while not closing 
areas within the U&A (see Comment 5 in Response to Comments). WDFW and 
the Quinault Indian Nation recommended identical coordinates to define 
the Grays Canyon northern expansion such that it expands to the east to 
meet coordinates that approximate the western boundary of the U&A. 
Commenters noted that it was the intent of the motion to protect a 
glass sponge reef in the area seaward of the U&A by including that area 
in the EFH conservation area.
    NMFS agrees that it was the Council's intent to close this area 
seaward of the U&A to protect a glass sponge reef, and appreciates the 
specific latitude and longitude coordinates submitted by WDFW and the 
Quinault Indian Nation (see Comment 5 in Response to Comments). 
Regulations that include latitude and longitude coordinates, connected 
by straight lines, will create a clearly defined closed area and 
addresses NMFS' concerns with compliance and enforcement. For maximum 
transparency, the Grays Canyon EFH conservation area will be described 
with two adjacent polygons that are defined in their own sub-
paragraphs, so it is clear which part of the EFH conservation area had 
a substantive change from the proposed rule. NMFS is implementing the 
coordinates submitted by WDFW and the Quinault Indian Nation to define 
the Grays Canyon northern expansion in regulations at Sec.  
660.77(f)(1).
    NMFS is also adding a single point to the south-central portion of 
the Grays Canyon EFH conservation area where the revised northern 
expansion meets up with it, to make it clear that the two polygons 
(north and south-central) are adjacent. This added point at Sec.  
660.77(f)(1)(iii) does not appreciably change the shape or extent of 
the south-central Grays Canyon EFH conservation area that was in the 
proposed rule.

Clarifications and Non-Substantive Changes

    The following changes to regulations were made from the proposed 
rule to improve clarity, and to be consistent with current regulations 
that were not intended to be revised.
    Oceana and Earth Justice, in their comment letters on the proposed 
rule, requested that the new deep-water closure off California be re-
named to make it clear that the closure itself is not discretionary 
(see Comment 6 in Response to Comments). NMFS is implementing the name 
change from ``Discretionary Conservation Area, or DCA'' to ``Deep-sea 
Ecosystem Conservation Area, or DECA'' in the regulatory definition at 
Sec.  660.11 and replaced ``DCA'' with ``DECA'' in every instance. This 
change from the proposed rule is not substantive, has no on-the-water 
effects, and will reduce potential confusion regarding the nature of 
the closure.
    Oceana requested that NMFS add a point to one of the line segments 
that defines, in part, the Southern California Bight EFH conservation 
area (see Comment 7 in Response to Comments). NMFS acknowledges that 
the line segment off San Pedro Bay, California, could be misunderstood, 
implying that the corner of another overlapping EFH conservation is re-
opened. NMFS has added this new point in regulations at Sec.  
660.79(bbb)(4), which is coincident with the northern tip of the 
Catalina Island EFH conservation area. This will make it clear that the 
northern tip of the Catalina Island EFH conservation area, which is not 
revised in this final rule, remains closed. This change from the 
proposed rule will reduce potential confusion regarding the shape of 
EFH conservation areas in that area.
    At Sec.  660.11, the definition of ``groundfish conservation area'' 
is clarified so it does not imply that Bycatch Reduction Areas (BRAs) 
can vary by latitude, because they are coastwide closures and it was 
not the intent of the proposed definition to imply that the BRAs could 
vary or be defined with latitudes. This change from the proposed rule 
will reduce potential confusion regarding the spatial extent of BRAs. 
Also in paragraph (2) of this definition the word ``prohibitions'' is 
added to read thus, ``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 prohibitions associated with other 
conservation areas.'' The second ``prohibitions'' is added to clarify 
that the additional applicable regulations are prohibitions.
    At Sec.  660.130(c)(2)(ii), the footrope size restrictions to 
mitigate salmon bycatch in the area between 42[deg] N lat. and 
40[deg]10' N lat. were inadvertently omitted in the proposed rule when 
paragraph (c)(2) was re-published. This final rule includes paragraph 
(ii), maintaining existing gear restrictions in that area to mitigate 
salmon bycatch. The subsequent sub-paragraph is renumbered as (iii) and 
is not otherwise changed from the proposed rule. This change from the 
proposed rule will make it clear that gear restrictions to mitigate 
salmon bycatch in this area remain unchanged.

[[Page 63972]]

    BACs may be implemented in regulations inseason through a single 
Federal Register notice if good cause exists to waive notice and 
comment under the Administrative Procedures Act, as described in the 
proposed rule. BACs that are not temporary, or will be in place for 
more than one year, will appear in Table 1 (North) and Table 1 (South) 
to subpart D. Table 1 (North) and Table 1 (South) to subpart D in 50 
CFR part 660 in the proposed rule did not mention BACs may appear in 
those tables. A placeholder noting that BACs may be described in Table 
1 (North) and Table 1 (South), is added in this final rule. This change 
from the proposed rule will make it clear that BACs may be described in 
this location and does not change how BACs will be implemented.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is 
consistent with the FMP, Amendment 28 to the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, and other applicable laws.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866. This final rule is considered 
an Executive Order 13771 deregulatory action.
    NMFS prepared an FEIS for this action, which addresses the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The full suite 
of alternatives considered by NMFS can be found on the NMFS website at 
www.fisheries.noaa.gov. The FEIS 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. The 
Record of Decision (ROD) was signed by NMFS on September 9, 2019. A 
copy of the FEIS or ROD 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) at the proposed stage that this rule would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. No comments were received on that certification nor do any of 
the changes to the proposed rule necessitate a need to reconsider the 
certification.
    Pursuant to Executive Order 13175, this final rule was developed 
after meaningful consultation and collaboration with the tribal 
representative on the Council who has agreed with the final rule. None 
of the provisions in this final rule apply to tribal vessels operating 
in tribal usual and accustomed fishing areas.
    This final 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: November 7, 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 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.  660.11, revise the definition of ``Conservation area(s),'' 
and add a definition for ``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 Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Areas 
(DECA).
    (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, including Bycatch Reduction Areas or 
BRAs, or bounded by depth contours and lines of latitude, including, 
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.
    (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

[[Page 63973]]

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 prohibitions associated with other 
conservation areas.
    (3) Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Area or DECA 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 
DECA 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 DECAs, 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 
DECA, defined at Sec.  660.11.
* * * * *

0
4. In Sec.  660.60, revise paragraphs (c) introductory text and 
(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 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 this paragraph 
(c)(3)(i).
    (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 this paragraph (c)(3)(i).
    (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 this paragraph (c)(3)(i).
* * * * *

0
5. Amend Sec.  660.70 by:
0
a. Removing the introductory text and paragraphs (n), (o), and (r);

[[Page 63974]]

0
b. Redesignating paragraphs (a) through (m) as (b) through (n); and
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 and 
connecting back to 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 119[deg]30.00' W long.:
    (i) 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 119[deg]30.00' W long.;
    (ii) 33[deg]50.00' N lat., 118[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (iii) 32[deg]20.00' N lat., 118[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (iv) 32[deg]20.00' N lat., 119[deg]37.00' W long.;
    (v) 33[deg]00.00' N lat., 119[deg]37.00' W long.;
    (vi) 33[deg]00.00' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.;
    (vii) 33[deg]33.00' N lat., 119[deg]53.00' W long.; and
    (viii) 33[deg]33.00' 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 and connecting 
back to 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.:
    (i) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W long.;
    (ii) 32[deg]42.00' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (iii) 32[deg]36.70' N lat., 117[deg]50.00' W long.;
    (iv) 32[deg]30.00' N lat., 117[deg]53.50' W long.; and
    (v) 32[deg]30.00' 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. Revise Sec.  660.76 to 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.;
    (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.;

[[Page 63975]]

    (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.;
    (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 and connecting back to 48[deg]21.46' N lat., 124[deg]51.61' W 
long.:
    (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.;

[[Page 63976]]

    (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.; and
    (9) 48[deg]23.89' N lat., 124[deg]54.37' 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 and connecting back to 47[deg]29.97' N lat., 125[deg]20.14' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (7) 47[deg]30.31' N lat., 125[deg]08.81' 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 and connecting back to 47[deg]08.77' N lat., 125[deg]00.91' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 47[deg]20.00' N lat., 125[deg]01.25' 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 and connecting back to 47[deg]17.00' N lat., 
125[deg]15.63' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (3) 47[deg]08.82' N lat., 125[deg]10.01' W long.
    (f) Grays Canyon. The Grays Canyon EFHCA consists of two adjacent 
polygons defined in this paragraph, combined.
    (1) Grays Canyon North. The boundary of Grays Canyon North is 
defined by straight lines connecting all of the following points in the 
order stated and connecting back to 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 
125[deg]00.00' W long.:
    (i) 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 125[deg]00.00' W long.;
    (ii) 46[deg]58.30' N lat., 125[deg]00.21' W long.;
    (iii) 46[deg]58.47' N lat., 124[deg]59.08' W long.;
    (iv) 47[deg]01.04' N lat., 124[deg]59.54' W long.;
    (v) 47[deg]03.63' N lat., 124[deg]56.00' W long.,
    (vi) 47[deg]03.69' N lat., 124[deg]55.84' W long.;
    (vii) 47[deg]02.69' N lat., 124[deg]54.35' W long.;
    (viii) 46[deg]58.03' N lat., 124[deg]54.12' W long.;
    (ix) 46[deg]55.91' N lat., 124[deg]54.40' W long.; and
    (x) 46[deg]58.01' N lat., 124[deg]55.09' W long.
    (2) Grays Canyon South-Central. The boundary of Grays Canyon South-
Central is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated and connecting back to 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 
125[deg]00.00' W long.:
    (i) 46[deg]56.79' N lat., 125[deg]00.00' W long.;
    (ii) 46[deg]58.01' N lat., 124[deg]55.09' W long.;
    (iii) 46[deg]55.91' N lat., 124[deg]54.40' W long.;
    (iv) 46[deg]55.07' N lat., 124[deg]54.14' W long.;
    (v) 46[deg]59.60' N lat., 124[deg]49.79' W long.;
    (vi) 46[deg]58.72' N lat., 124[deg]48.78' W long.;
    (vii) 46[deg]54.45' N lat., 124[deg]48.36' W long.;
    (viii) 46[deg]53.99' N lat., 124[deg]49.95' W long.;
    (ix) 46[deg]54.38' N lat., 124[deg]52.73' W long.;
    (x) 46[deg]53.30' N lat., 124[deg]52.35' W long.;
    (xi) 46[deg]53.30' N lat., 124[deg]49.13' W long.;
    (xii) 46[deg]50.40' N lat., 124[deg]49.06' W long.;
    (xiii) 46[deg]48.12' N lat., 124[deg]47.94' W long.;
    (xiv) 46[deg]47.48' N lat., 124[deg]50.86' W long.;
    (xv) 46[deg]49.81' N lat., 124[deg]52.79' W long.; and
    (xvi) 46[deg]51.55' 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 and connecting back to 46[deg]48.16' N lat., 125[deg]10.75' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 46[deg]50.00' N lat., 125[deg]20.00' 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 and connecting back to 46[deg]33.50' N lat., 
124[deg]28.77' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 46[deg]34.50' N lat., 124[deg]28.50' 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 and connecting back to 46[deg]22.57' N lat., 124[deg]46.70' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 46[deg]23.78' N lat., 124[deg]43.30' 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 
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 and connecting back to 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 124[deg]57.36' W 
long.:
    (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.;

[[Page 63977]]

    (6) 46[deg]08.28' N lat., 125[deg]00.20' W long.; and
    (7) 46[deg]05.74' N lat., 124[deg]55.32' 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 and connecting back to 46[deg]06.93' N lat., 
128[deg]39.77' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (14) 46[deg]06.24' N lat., 128[deg]42.90' 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 and connecting back to 46[deg]06.48' N lat., 
125[deg]05.46' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (13) 46[deg]03.00' N lat., 125[deg]14.94' 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 and connecting back to 45[deg]51.53' N lat., 
124[deg]31.15' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (12) 45[deg]51.74' N lat., 124[deg]30.85' 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 and connecting back to 45[deg]40.81' N lat., 
124[deg]18.46' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 45[deg]43.49' N lat., 124[deg]18.94' 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 and connecting back to 45[deg]34.53' N lat., 
124[deg]15.47' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 45[deg]33.58' N lat., 124[deg]16.54' 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 and connecting back to 44[deg]42.72' N lat., 
125[deg]18.49' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 44[deg]33.38' N lat., 125[deg]17.08' 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 and connecting back to 
44[deg]39.24' N lat., 124[deg]38.65' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (10) 44[deg]43.92' N lat., 124[deg]44.66' W long.
    (j) Newport Rockpile/Stonewall Bank. The boundary of the Newport 
Rockpile/Stonewall Bank EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting 
all of the following points in the order stated and connecting back to 
44[deg]27.42' N lat., 124[deg]19.52' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (10) 44[deg]28.82' N lat., 124[deg]18.80' W long.
    (k) Hydrate Ridge. The boundary of the Hydrate Ridge EFHCA is 
defined by

[[Page 63978]]

straight lines connecting all of the following points in the order 
stated and connecting back to 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]11.42' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 44[deg]28.31' N lat., 125[deg]07.66' 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 and connecting back to 44[deg]22.27' N lat., 124[deg]37.63' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (29) 44[deg]24.10' N lat., 124[deg]38.10' 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 and connecting back to 43[deg]29.32' N lat., 
125[deg]20.11' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (9) 43[deg]25.73' N lat., 125[deg]19.36' 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 and connecting back to 42[deg]57.18' N lat., 
124[deg]46.01' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (14) 43[deg]00.94' N lat., 124[deg]46.57' 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 and connecting back to 
42[deg]21.41' N lat., 127[deg]42.91' W long.:
    (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.;
    (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.;

[[Page 63979]]

    (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.; and
    (30) 42[deg]21.05' N lat., 127[deg]40.81' 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 and connecting back to 42[deg]41.33' N lat., 125[deg]16.61' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (7) 42[deg]17.94' N lat., 125[deg]10.17' 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 and connecting back to 41[deg]51.03' N lat., 124[deg]48.65' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (11) 41[deg]51.24' N lat., 124[deg]47.23' 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 and connecting back to 41[deg]07.81' N lat., 
124[deg]51.29' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 41[deg]09.44' N lat., 124[deg]43.11' 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 and connecting back to 
40[deg]53.66' N lat., 124[deg]26.68' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 40[deg]54.13' N lat., 124[deg]26.27' 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 and connecting back to 40[deg]50.11' N lat., 
124[deg]35.29' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (5) 40[deg]52.04' N lat., 124[deg]38.08' 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 and connecting back to 40[deg]40.33' N lat., 
124[deg]41.82' W long.:
    (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.;
    (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.; and
    (25) 40[deg]41.67' N lat., 124[deg]42.92' W long.

[[Page 63980]]

    (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 and connecting back to 40[deg]30.21' N lat., 124[deg]26.85' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (vii) 40[deg]30.46' N lat., 124[deg]32.23' 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 and connecting back to 40[deg]25.23' N lat., 
124[deg]24.06' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (xix) 40[deg]25.72' N lat., 124[deg]24.15' 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 and connecting back to 39[deg]58.75' N lat., 124[deg]04.58' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (5) 39[deg]57.90' N lat., 124[deg]07.07' 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 and connecting back to 39[deg]04.76' N lat., 
124[deg]11.80' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 39[deg]06.07' N lat., 124[deg]08.55' 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 and connecting back to 39[deg]03.32' N lat., 
123[deg]51.15' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (5) 39[deg]02.83' N lat., 123[deg]55.21' W long.
    (m) Point Arena South Biogenic Area. The boundary of the Point 
Arena South Biogenic Area EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting 
all of the following points in the order stated and connecting back to 
38[deg]33.24' N lat., 123[deg]35.18' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (10) 38[deg]34.37' N lat., 123[deg]37.47' 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 and connecting back to 38[deg]24.36' N lat., 123[deg]32.10' W 
long.:
    (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.;

[[Page 63981]]

    (3) 38[deg]29.10' N lat., 123[deg]37.32' W long.; and
    (4) 38[deg]29.04' N lat., 123[deg]35.04' 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 and connecting back to 38[deg]06.84' N lat., 
123[deg]25.98' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 38[deg]08.70' 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 and connecting back to 38[deg]05.46' N lat., 
123[deg]25.97' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (28) 38[deg]05.73' N lat., 123[deg]28.46' 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 and connecting back to 
37[deg]57.62' N lat., 123[deg]24.22' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (14) 37[deg]58.24' N lat., 123[deg]23.16' 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 and connecting back to 37[deg]51.36' N lat., 
123[deg]19.18' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 37[deg]53.32' N lat., 123[deg]15.00' 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 and 
connecting back to 37[deg]51.58' N lat., 123[deg]14.07' W long.:
    (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.;
    (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.; and
    (11) 37[deg]49.23' N lat., 123[deg]16.81' 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 and connecting back to 37[deg]44.85' N lat., 
123[deg]13.73' W long.:
    (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.;

[[Page 63982]]

    (12) 37[deg]47.52' N lat., 123[deg]25.28' W long.; and
    (13) 37[deg]50.65' N lat., 123[deg]24.57' 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 and connecting back to 37[deg]18.14' N lat., 
122[deg]31.15' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (6) 37[deg]23.28' N lat., 122[deg]30.71' 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 and connecting back to 37[deg]06.02' N lat., 
122[deg]28.14' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 37[deg]07.20' N lat., 122[deg]26.82' 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 and connecting back to 36[deg]56.88' N lat., 
122[deg]24.84' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 36[deg]59.20' N lat., 122[deg]24.64' 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 and connecting back to 36[deg]54.00' N lat., 
122[deg]13.05' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (8) 36[deg]54.49' N lat., 122[deg]12.48' 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 and connecting back to 36[deg]54.17' N lat., 
122[deg]23.68' W long.:
    (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.;
    (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.; and
    (48) 36[deg]56.53' N lat., 122[deg]23.58' 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 and connecting back to 
36[deg]30.59' N lat., 122[deg]03.45' W long.:
    (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.; and

[[Page 63983]]

    (4) 36[deg]30.02' N lat., 122[deg]09.85' 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 and connecting back to 36[deg]17.95' N lat., 
122[deg]17.13' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (5) 36[deg]25.41' N lat., 122[deg]13.54' 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 polygon 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 and 
connecting back to 36[deg]15.74' N lat., 121[deg]56.75' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (xxxvi) 36[deg]15.21' N lat., 121[deg]58.83' 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 and connecting back to 35[deg]54.00' N lat., 
123[deg]00.00' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 35[deg]30.00' 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 and connecting back to 35[deg]42.85' N lat., 
121[deg]25.92' W long.:
    (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.;
    (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.; and
    (14) 35[deg]43.83' N lat., 121[deg]26.52' 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 and connecting back to 34[deg]45.09' N. 
lat., 121[deg]05.73' W. long.:

[[Page 63984]]

    (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.; and
    (5) 34[deg]52.82' N lat., 121[deg]05.90' 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 and connecting back to 34[deg]29.24' N lat., 
120[deg]36.05' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (14) 34[deg]29.26' N lat., 120[deg]37.89' 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 and connecting back to 34[deg]10.40' N lat., 
120[deg]28.20' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 34[deg]02.21' 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.;
    (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 and connecting back to 33[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]26.00' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 33[deg]54.11' 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

[[Page 63985]]

Bank EFHCA is defined by straight lines connecting all of the following 
points in the order stated and connecting back to 33[deg]48.00' N lat., 
119[deg]15.06' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 33[deg]33.00' 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 and connecting back to 33[deg]34.71' N lat., 
118[deg]11.40' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (9) 33[deg]27.07' N lat., 118[deg]20.33' 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 and connecting back to 33[deg]11.00' N lat., 
119[deg]55.67' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 33[deg]11.00' N lat., 119[deg]45.67' 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 and connecting back to 
32[deg]59.00' N lat., 119[deg]32.05' W long.:
    (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.; and
    (4) 32[deg]46.00' 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 and connecting back to 32[deg]41.15' N lat., 118[deg]02.00' W 
long.:
    (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.; and
    (7) 32[deg]40.49' 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.;
    (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]34.71' N lat., 118[deg]11.40' W long.;
    (v) 33[deg]32.69' N lat., 118[deg]09.66' W long.; and
    (vi) 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.

[[Page 63986]]

    (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 definitions 
for ``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).
    The revisions read as follows:


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 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 DECA, 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

[[Page 63987]]

(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 bycatch mitigation restrictions. The use of small 
footrope trawl, other than selective flatfish trawl gear, is prohibited 
between 42[deg] N lat. and 40[deg]10' N lat.
    (iii) 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 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.

[[Page 63988]]

    (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 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.

[[Page 63989]]

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:

Table 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.

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

[[Page 63990]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR19NO19.000


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 63991]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR19NO19.001

BILLING CODE 3510-22-C

0
 21. In Sec.  660.212, revise the introductory text and paragraph 
(c)(2) and remove paragraph (c)(3).
    The revisions 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 DECA, as specified in Sec.  660.12(a).
* * * * *

0
 22. Amend Sec.  660.230 by:
0
a. Revising paragraphs (d) introductory text, (d)(10) introductory 
text, and (d)(11) introductory text;
0
 b. Removing paragraph (d)(14);
0
c. Adding paragraph (g).
    The revisions and addition 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

[[Page 63992]]

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 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 DECA, 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 paragraphs (d) introductory text and (d)(11) introductory 
text;
0
b. Removing paragraph (d)(16); and
0
c. Adding paragraph (g).
    The revisions and addition 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. 2019-24684 Filed 11-18-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P