"Amendment 4 updates and revises the original fishery management plan (FMP) for the Pacific coast groundfish fishery off the coast of Washington, Oregon, and California developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), approved by the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), (Assistant Administrator) on January 4, 1982. Amendment 4 is intended to replace the entire text of the original FMP ... The Pacific coast groundfish fishery is the largest, most important fishery managed by the Council in terms of landings and value. The fishery for some of the most valuable stocks has become more competitive and management more controversial in recent years. Although the original FMP provided flexibility to modify management measures for biological reasons, it contained no provisions for making adjustments for social or economic reasons. Amendment 4, among other things, provides these provisions, incorporates the previous amendments into a single document, and reorganizes the FMP into a more readable and useful document"--Page 1-1.