(NMFS) cleared up fishermen's concerns and announced Friday the Alaska halibut and black cod fishery in Alaska will start March 11 for commercial longliners, according to KFSK.
Fishermen were unsure if they could start fishing on that date even though the International Pacific Halibut Commission set the date in January.
The confusion centered around President Donald Trump's January executive order, which required two previous regulations be identified for elimination for every new regulation issued, according to the news site.
Fishery decisions, such as start dates and quotas, are considered regulations because they're published in the federal registrar, but NMFS was unclear of the impact of Trump's order on fisheries as of last month, according to the news site.
“The executive order really in the end didn’t end up delaying the opening of the season dates this year,” said Rachel Baker, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries’ Alaska Region, according to KFSK.
“We had to work a little more extensively with folks back in NMFS headquarters and up the chain in NOAA and the Department of Commerce just to really stress the importance of getting the halibut management measures through the regulatory process to allow the season to open on time.”
