INFORMATION BULLETIN (03-100)                                                       December 15, 2003  
 Sustainable Fisheries Division                                                      9:30 a.m.               
 907-586-7228                           
                                
                                
NMFS RESCINDS A PREVIOUS ACTION AND REALLOCATES PACIFIC COD FROM
  VESSELS USING TRAWL AND JIG GEAR TO CATCHER/PROCESSORS USING
         HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR AND VESSELS USING POT GEAR 
             IN THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

The National Marine Fisheries service (NMFS) is rescinding an action that reallocated Pacific
cod among gear types in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and that
was effective November 26, 2003.  NMFS also is establishing an action reallocating Pacific cod
among gear types to reflect current fishing effort and update catch amounts, according to James
W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

On November 26, 2003, NMFS reallocated the projected unused amount of Pacific cod total
allowable catch (TAC) from vessels using trawl and jig to vessels using hook-and-line and pot
gear in the BSAI.  Based on revised catch amounts, NMFS has determined that catcher vessels
using trawl gear have already harvested all but 1,671 mt originally apportioned to them by the
final 2003 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI.  This reduces the projected unused
amount available to catcher/processor vessels using hook-and-line gear by 4,113 metric tons (mt)
and to vessels using pot gear by 216 mt. Therefore, we are rescinding the previous action and
reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod as follows.   

The following table summarizes the reallocation in metric tons:
______________________________________________________________________________
                     CURRENT SHARE     THESE ACTIONS     REVISED SHARE

Pacific cod
Hook and Line gear 
  Catcher Processor             77,911       +15,932      93,843
Pot gear                        17,822       +   839      18,661
Jig gear                         3,839       - 3,600         239
Trawl gear
  Catcher Processor             45,105       -11,500       33,605
  Catcher Vessel                45,105       - 1,671       43,434

This action is necessary to allow the 2003 TAC of Pacific cod to be harvested and is issued
pursuant to 50 CFR 679.20(a)(7)(ii).  This action does not imply any change in the status of the
fisheries.

This information bulletin only provides notice of a regulatory change.  For the purposes of
complying with the regulatory change, you are advised to see the actual text of the regulation in
the Code of Federal Regulations.