2024 Harvest Specifications for Pacific Whiting and 2024 Tribal Allocation

NOAA Fisheries is announcing a public comment period on a proposed rule for the 2024 Pacific whiting fishery, which would implement the recommendation of the Pacific Hake/Whiting Treaty Joint Management Committee (JMC) on an adjusted U.S. total allowable catch (TAC) of 410,034 mt. This TAC was developed during the February 27-29, 2024, JMC meeting, and includes the interim tribal Pacific whiting allocation; a set-aside for incidental catch and research; allocations for the non-tribal Pacific whiting fishery, and harvest guideline split among the shoreside, catcher-processor, and mothership sectors.

NOAA Fisheries contacted the four Pacific whiting treaty tribes between September and December 2023 to determine their plans for participation in the 2024 tribal Pacific whiting fishery. The Makah Tribe is the only tribe that has expressed interest in participating in the 2024 fishery. The Quileute Indian Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, and Hoh Indian Tribe, while reserving the right to fish Pacific whiting, do not have plans to enter into or participate in the 2024 Pacific whiting fishery. The research set-aside is consistent with the Pacific Fishery Management Council recommendations made during their November 2023 meeting. The Harvest Guideline is allocated among the non-tribal sectors as follows:

The public comment period for this proposed rule is 15 days, giving the public adequate time to comment on the proposed measures while implementing the management measures and announcing the Pacific whiting allocations as close as possible to the start of the Pacific whiting fishery season on May 1, 2024. To submit comments, see the Federal Register notice. Because the final rule for this action will publish after May 1, the 2024 whiting fishery will start the season on interim allocations based on the recommended U.S. TAC announced in the proposed rule.