Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; Atlantic Cod Stocks in Need of Conservation and Management

NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has transmitted Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendment 25 would revise the stocks of Atlantic cod managed in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This action is necessary to incorporate the best scientific information available into the fishery management plan. The intended effect of Amendment 25 is to revise the fishery management plan to manage Atlantic cod in U.S. waters as four stocks rather than two. This document is intended to alert the public to this action and provide an opportunity for comment.