Groundfish FMP Amendment 24: Default harvest control rules

Amendment 24 established default harvest control rules that, unless modified by the Council, are used to establish biennial harvest specifications for stocks and stock complexes. Amendment 24 also added new stocks to the fishery management plan (FMP) and designed some FMP species as ecosystem component species.

Amendment 24 also implements minor changes to the FMP. It clarifies routine management measures and adjustments to those measures, clarifies the harvest specifications decision making schedule, changes the description of the biennial management cycle process, makes the FMP consistent with the best available science on the FMSY proxy for elasmobranchs, and clarifies definitions. Appendix F was updated to reflect the rebuilding parameters and annual catch limits for overfished species for 2015 and beyond. Amendment 24 was implemented in 2015.

Amendment 24 Final Environmental Impact Statement adopted as part of the Harvest Specifications and Management Measures for 2015-2016 (January 2015)

Secretarial Approval Letter for Amendment 24 (February 26, 2015)