Pacific Island Fisheries; Withdrawal of Proposed Rule; Catch and Retention Limits for Striped Marlin in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean North of the Equator

NMFS withdraws the proposed rule for "Catch and Retention Limits for Striped Marlin in the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean North of the Equator" that published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2024. This proposed rule was intended to satisfy Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) obligations to address U.S. fishing vessels' relative impact on this internationally managed stock that, based on a prior stock assessment and domestic status determination criteria, NMFS determined was overfished. NMFS is now withdrawing the proposed rule because NMFS has determined the stock is no longer overfished, not approaching an overfished condition, and is rebuilding, based on a more recent assessment. Thus, the factual and legal bases for the proposed rule no longer apply.