Groundfish conservation areas.

  1. Law
  2. CFR 50
  3. Wildlife and Fisheries
  4. Fishery Conservation and Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
  5. Fisheries off West Coast States
  6. West Coast Groundfish Fisheries
  7. Groundfish conservation areas.

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§ 660.70 Groundfish conservation areas.

(a) General. Groundfish conservation area (GCA) is defined in § 660.11. This section defines GCAs whose shapes are not exclusively defined by boundary lines approximating depth contours found in §§ 660.71 through 660.74 or commonly used geographic coordinates at § 660.11. Fishing activity that is prohibited or permitted within a particular GCA is detailed at subparts C through G of part 660.

(b) North Coast Recreational Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area. The North Coast Recreational Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) is a C-shaped area off the northern Washington coast intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The North Coast Recreational YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 48°18.00′ N. lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.;

(2) 48°18.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;

(3) 48°11.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;

(4) 48°11.00′ N. lat.; 125°11.00′ W. long.;

(5) 48°04.00′ N. lat.; 125°11.00′ W. long.;

(6) 48°04.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;

(7) 48°00.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;

(8) 48°00.00′ N. lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.;

and connecting back to 48°18.00′ N. lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.

(c) North Coast Commercial Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area. The North Coast Commercial Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) is an area off the northern Washington coast, overlapping the northern part of North Coast Recreational YRCA, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The North Coast Commercial YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 48°11.77′ N. lat., 125°13.03′ W. long.;

(2) 48°16.43′ N. lat., 125°07.55′ W. long.;

(3) 48°14.72′ N. lat., 125°01.84′ W. long.;

(4) 48°13.36′ N. lat., 125°03.20′ W. long.;

(5) 48°12.74′ N. lat., 125°05.83′ W. long.;

(6) 48°11.55′ N. lat., 125°04.99′ W. long.;

(7) 48°09.96′ N. lat., 125°06.63′ W. long.;

(8) 48°09.68′ N. lat., 125°08.75′ W. long.;

and connecting back to 48°11.77′ N. lat., 125°13.03′ W. long.

(d) Salmon Troll Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area. The Salmon Troll Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) is an area off the northern Washington coast, overlapping the southern part of North Coast Recreational YRCA, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish.The Salmon Troll YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 48°00.00′ N. lat., 125°14.00′ W. long.;

(2) 48°02.00′ N. lat., 125°14.00′ W. long.;

(3) 48°02.00′ N. lat., 125°16.50′ W. long.;

(4) 48°00.00′ N. lat., 125°16.50′ W. long.; and connecting back to 48°00.00′ N. lat., 125°14.00′ W. long.

(e) South Coast Recreational Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area. The South Coast Recreational Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) is an area off the southern Washington coast intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The South Coast Recreational YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 46°58.00′ N. lat., 124°48.00′ W. long.;

(2) 46°55.00′ N. lat., 124°48.00′ W. long.;

(3) 46°55.00′ N. lat., 124°49.00′ W. long.;

(4) 46°58.00′ N. lat., 124°49.00′ W. long.; and connecting back to 46°58.00′ N. lat., 124°48.00′ W. long.

(f) Westport Offshore Recreational YRCA. The Westport Offshore Recreational YRCA is an area off the southern Washington coast intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Westport Recreational YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 46°54.30′ N. lat., 124°53.40′ W. long.;

(2) 46°54.30′ N. lat., 124°51.00′ W. long.;

(3) 46°53.30′ N. lat., 124°51.00′ W. long.;

(4) 46°53.30′ N. lat., 124°53.40′ W. long.; and connecting back to 46°54.30′ N. lat., 124°53.40′ W. long.

(g) Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area. The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) is an area off central Oregon, near Stonewall Bank, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish.The Stonewall Bank YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 44°37.46′ N. lat.; 124°24.92′ W. long.;

(2) 44°37.46′ N. lat.; 124°23.63′ W. long.;

(3) 44°28.71′ N. lat.; 124°21.80′ W. long.;

(4) 44°28.71′ N. lat.; 124°24.10′ W. long.;

(5) 44°31.42′ N. lat.; 124°25.47′ W. long.;

and connecting back to 44°37.46′ N. lat.; 124°24.92′ W. long.

(h) Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area, Expansion 1. The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) Expansion 1 is an area off central Oregon, near Stonewall Bank, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Stonewall Bank YRCA Expansion 1 is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 44°41.76′ N. lat.; 124°30.02′ W. long.;

(2) 44°41.73′ N. lat.; 124°21.60′ W. long.;

(3) 44°25.25′ N. lat.; 124°16.94′ W. long.;

(4) 44°25.29′ N. lat.; 124°30.14′ W. long.;

(5) 44°41.76′ N. lat.; 124°30.02′ W. long.; and connecting back to 44°41.76′ N. lat.; 124°30.02′ W. long.

(i) Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area, Expansion 2. The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) Expansion 2 is an area off central Oregon, near Stonewall Bank, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Stonewall Bank YRCA Expansion 2 is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 44°38.54′ N. lat.; 124°27.41′ W. long.;

(2) 44°38.54′ N. lat.; 124°23.86′ W. long.;

(3) 44°27.13′ N. lat.; 124°21.50′ W. long.;

(4) 44°27.13′ N. lat.; 124°26.89′ W. long.;

(5) 44°31.30′ N. lat.; 124°28.35′ W. long.; and connecting back to 44°38.54′ N. lat.; 124°27.41′ W. long.

(j) Point St. George YRCA. The Point St. George YRCA is an area off the northern California coast, northwest of Point St. George, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Point St. George YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 41°51.00′ N. lat., 124°23.75′ W. long.;

(2) 41°51.00′ N. lat., 124°20.75′ W. long.;

(3) 41°48.00′ N. lat., 124°20.75′ W. long.;

(4) 41°48.00′ N. lat., 124°23.75′ W. long.; and connecting back to 41°51.00′ N. lat., 124°23.75′ W. long.

(k) South Reef YRCA. The South Reef YRCA is an area off the northern California coast, southwest of Crescent City, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The South Reef YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 41°42.20′ N. lat., 124°16.00′ W. long.;

(2) 41°42.20′ N. lat., 124°13.80′ W. long.;

(3) 41°40.50′ N. lat., 124°13.80′ W. long.;

(4) 41°40.50′ N. lat., 124°16.00′ W. long.; and connecting back to 41°42.20′ N. lat., 124°16.00′ W. long.

(l) Reading Rock YRCA. The Reading Rock YRCA is an area off the northern California coast, between Crescent City and Eureka, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Reading Rock YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 41°21.50′ N. lat., 124°12.00′ W. long.;

(2) 41°21.50′ N. lat., 124°10.00′ W. long.;

(3) 41°20.00′ N. lat., 124°10.00′ W. long.;

(4) 41°20.00′ N. lat., 124°12.00′ W. long.; and connecting back to 41°21.50′ N. lat., 124°12.00′ W. long.

(m) Point Delgada YRCAs. The Point Delgada YRCAs are two areas off the northern California coast, south of Point Delgada and Shelter Cove, intended to protect yelloweye rockfish. The Northern Point Delgada YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 39°59.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.;

(2) 39°59.00′ N. lat., 124°03.00′ W. long.;

(3) 39°57.00′ N. lat., 124°03.00′ W. long.;

(4) 39°57.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.; and connecting back to 39°59.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.

(n) Southern Point Delgada YRCA. The Southern Point Delgada YRCA is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 39°57.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.;

(2) 39°57.00′ N. lat., 124°02.00′ W. long.;

(3) 39°54.00′ N. lat., 124°02.00′ W. long.;

(4) 39°54.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.; and connecting back to 39°57.00′ N. lat., 124°05.00′ W. long.

(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°50.00′ N lat., 119°30.00′ W long.:

(i) 33°50.00′ N lat., 119°30.00′ W long.;

(ii) 33°50.00′ N lat., 118°50.00′ W long.;

(iii) 32°20.00′ N lat., 118°50.00′ W long.;

(iv) 32°20.00′ N lat., 119°37.00′ W long.;

(v) 33°00.00′ N lat., 119°37.00′ W long.;

(vi) 33°00.00′ N lat., 119°53.00′ W long.;

(vii) 33°33.00′ N lat., 119°53.00′ W long.; and

(viii) 33°33.00′ N lat., 119°30.00′ W long.

(2) Transit corridor. The Western CCA transit corridor is bounded on the north by the latitude line at 33°00.50′ N lat., and bounded on the south by the latitude line at 32°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°42.00′ N lat., 118°02.00′ W long.:

(i) 32°42.00′ N lat., 118°02.00′ W long.;

(ii) 32°42.00′ N lat., 117°50.00′ W long.;

(iii) 32°36.70′ N lat., 117°50.00′ W long.;

(iv) 32°30.00′ N lat., 117°53.50′ W long.; and

(v) 32°30.00′ N lat., 118°02.00′ W long.

(p) Farallon Islands. The Farallon Islands, off San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, include Southeast Farallon Island, Middle Farallon Island, North Farallon Island and Noon Day Rock. Generally, the State of California prohibits fishing for groundfish between the shoreline and the 10-fm (18-m) depth contour around the Farallon Islands.

(q) Cordell Banks. Cordell Banks are located offshore of California's Marin County. Generally, fishing for groundfish is prohibited in waters of depths less than 100-fm (183-m) around Cordell Banks as defined by specific latitude and longitude coordinates. The Cordell Banks closed area is defined by straight lines connecting the following specific latitude and longitude coordinates in the order listed:

(1) 38°03.18′ N. lat., 123°20.77′ W. long.;

(2) 38°06.29′ N. lat., 123°25.03′ W. long.;

(3) 38°06.34′ N. lat., 123°29.32′ W. long.;

(4) 38°04.57′ N. lat., 123°31.30′ W. long.;

(5) 38°02.32′ N. lat., 123°31.07′ W. long.;

(6) 38°00.00′ N. lat., 123°28.40′ W. long.;

(7) 37°58.10′ N. lat., 123°26.66′ W. long.;

(8) 37°55.07′ N. lat., 123°26.81′ W. long.;

(9) 38°00.00′ N. lat., 123°23.08′ W. long.;

and connecting back to 38°03.18′ N. lat., 123°20.77′ W. long.

[71 FR 78663, Dec. 29, 2006, as amended at 72 FR 53167, Sept. 18, 2007; 74 FR 9893, Mar. 6, 2009. Redesignated at 75 FR 60995, Oct. 1, 2010; 76 FR 53835, Aug. 30, 2011; 82 FR 9640, Feb. 7, 2017; 84 FR 63973, Nov. 19, 2019]


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