[Federal Register: December 2, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 232)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 73222-73239]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02de08-25]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0810091344-81346-01]
RIN 0648-XL23
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Proposed 2009 and 2010 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications, reserves
and apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch for
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2009
and 2010 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The
intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish
resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: Comments must be received by January 2, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS,
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-
XL23, by any one of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at http://
www.regulations.gov.
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
Fax: (907) 586-7557.
Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All
Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or
Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only.
Copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications
Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) and the Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) prepared for this action are available from
NMFS at the addresses above or from the Alaska Region Web site at
http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2007 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), dated November 2007, are
available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)
at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510 or from the
Council's Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, 907-481-1780, or e-mail at
tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and
implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.
These proposed specifications are based in large part on the 2007
SAFE reports. In December 2008, the Council will consider a 2008 SAFE
report to develop its recommendations for the final 2009 and 2010
acceptable biological catch (ABC) amounts. Anticipated changes in the
final specifications from the proposed specifications are identified in
this notice for public review.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch
(TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category,
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000
to 800,000 metric tons (mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS
to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut
prohibited species catch (PSC) amounts, and seasonal allowances of
pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific cod. The proposed specifications
in Tables 1 through 17 of this document satisfy these requirements. For
2009 and 2010, the sum of the proposed TAC amounts is 279,264 mt. Under
Sec. 679.20(c)(3), NMFS will publish the final 2009 and 2010
specifications after (1) considering comments received within the
comment period (see DATES), (2) consulting with the Council at its
December 2008 meeting, and (3) considering information presented in the
Final EIS and the final 2008 SAFE report prepared for the 2009 and 2010
groundfish fisheries.
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2009 and 2010 Harvest
Specifications
NMFS published a proposed rule to implement Amendment 77 to the GOA
FMP in the Federal Register on September 24, 2008 (73 FR 55010), with
comments invited through November 17, 2008. If approved, Amendment 77
would remove dark rockfish from the pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR)
complex in the GOA FMP in order for the State of Alaska (State) to
assume management of dark rockfish. This action is necessary to allow
the State to implement more responsive, regionally based management
measures than are currently possible under the FMP. The effect on the
proposed 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications for PSR, if Amendment 77
is approved, would be to reduce the overfishing limit (OFL), ABC, and
TAC amounts listed in Table 1. The OFL for PSR would be reduced from
6,294 mt to 5,695 mt. The ABCs and TACs for PSR would be reduced from
986 mt to 804 mt in the Western Regulatory Area; from 3,566 mt to 3,339
mt in the Central Regulatory Area; from 247 mt to 230 mt in the West
Yakutat District; and from 5,140 mt to 4,690 mt
[[Page 73223]]
in the Southeast Outside District. The 2008 SAFE report will take into
account the removal of dark rockfish from the PSR complex.
Amendment 79 to the GOA FMP was approved by the Secretary of
Commerce on August 20, 2008 (73 FR 49963, August 25, 2008). Amendment
79 requires that the ``other species'' category undergo the identical
harvest level specifications procedure to which other groundfish
species or species groups are subject. Specifically, Amendment 79
requires that aggregate OFL, ABC, and TAC levels for the ``other
species'' category be established as part of the annual groundfish
harvest specification process. Previously only an annual TAC was
established. NMFS is proposing an OFL of 10,558 mt and an ABC of 7,943
mt for 2009 and 2010 (see Table 1). A stock assessment for the ``other
species'' complex will be included in 2008 SAFE report.
Proposed ABC and TAC Specifications
The proposed ABCs and TACs are based on the best available
biological and socioeconomic data, including projected biomass trends,
information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised
methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the
formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute ABCs and OFLs. The formulas
applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are determined by the
level of reliable information available to fisheries scientists. Tier
one represents the highest level of information quality available and
tier six represents the lowest level of information quality available.
In October 2008, the Council, the Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC), and the Advisory Panel (AP), reviewed current
biological and harvest information about the condition of GOA
groundfish stocks, most of which was initially compiled by the GOA
Groundfish Plan Team (Plan Team) and was presented in the final 2007
SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2007 (see
ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific
analyses, estimates of each species' biomass and other biological
parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the
GOA ecosystem and the economic condition of the groundfish fisheries
off Alaska. From these analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for
each species category. The Plan Team will update the 2007 SAFE report
to include new information collected during 2008. The Plan Team will
provide revised stock assessments in November 2008 in the final 2008
SAFE report. The Council will review the 2008 SAFE report in December
2008. The final 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications may be adjusted
from the proposed harvest specifications based on the 2008 SAFE report.
The SSC adopted the proposed 2009 and 2010 OFL and ABC
recommendations from the Plan Team for all groundfish species. These
amounts are unchanged from the final 2009 harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2008 (73 FR 10562),
with the exception of sablefish and ``other species.'' The AP and the
Council recommendations for the proposed 2009 and 2010 OFL, ABC, and
TAC amounts are also based on the final 2009 harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2008 (73 FR 10562),
with the exception of sablefish and ``other species.'' For 2009 and
2010, the Council recommended and NMFS proposes the OFLs and ABCs
listed in Table 1. The proposed ABCs reflect harvest amounts that are
less than the specified overfishing amounts. The sum of the proposed
2009 and 2010 ABCs for all assessed groundfish is 564,126 mt, which is
higher than the final 2008 ABC total of 536,201 mt (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008) for the reasons described in the February 27, 2008
harvest specifications and because of the addition of a 7,943 mt ABC
for ``other species'' under Amendment 79 to the FMP.
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
The Council recommended proposed TACs for 2009 and 2010 that are
equal to proposed ABCs for pollock, deep-water flatfish, rex sole,
sablefish, Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish,
northern rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish,
demersal shelf rockfish, and skates. The Council recommended proposed
TACs for 2009 and 2010 that are less than the proposed ABCs for Pacific
cod, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other
rockfish, Atka mackerel, and the ``other species'' category.
The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as
equally among each of the following four seasons: The A season (January
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1
through November 1) (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
As in 2008, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2009 and 2010
include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe that unbiased commercial fishery catch-per-unit-
effort data are useful for stock distribution assessments. NMFS
evaluates annually the use of commercial fishery data to assure that
unbiased information is included in stock distribution models. The
Council's recommendation for sablefish area apportionments also takes
into account the prohibition on the use of trawl gear in the Southeast
Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern Regulatory Area and makes
available 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area TACs to
trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat District (WYK) (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
The AP, SSC, and Council recommended apportioning the ABC for
Pacific cod in the GOA among regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. As in previous years, the Plan Team,
SSC, and Council recommended that the sum of all State and Federal
water Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations.
The proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's
fishery for Pacific cod in its waters in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas, as well as in Prince William Sound (PWS).
Accordingly, the Council recommended the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific
cod TACs be reduced from proposed ABC amounts to account for guideline
harvest levels (GHL) established for Pacific cod by the State for
fisheries that occur in State waters of the GOA. Therefore, the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod TACs are less than the proposed ABCs
by the following amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 266 mt; (2) Central GOA,
9,475 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,483 mt. These amounts reflect the sum
of the State's 2009 and 2010 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 percent,
25 percent, and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA
proposed ABCs, respectively.
NMFS also is proposing seasonal apportionments of the annual
Pacific cod TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty
percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-
line, pot, or jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl
gear from January 20 through June
[[Page 73224]]
10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the B season for
hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear from September 1 through December 31,
and for trawl gear from September 1 through November 1 (Sec. Sec.
679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(11)).
As in 2008, NMFS proposes to establish for 2009 and 2010 an A
season directed fishing allowance (DFA) for the Pacific cod fisheries
in the GOA based on the management area TACs minus the recent average A
season incidental catch of Pacific cod in each management area before
June 10 (Sec. 679.20(d)(1)). The DFA and incidental catch before June
10 will be managed such that total catch in the A season will be no
more than 60 percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after
June 10 will continue to be taken from the B season TAC. This action
meets the intent of the Steller sea lion protection measures by
achieving temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod removals and reducing
the likelihood of catch exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A
season (January 1 through June 10).
The sum of the proposed TACs for all GOA groundfish is 279,264 mt
for 2009 and 2010, which is within the OY range specified by the FMP.
The sums of the proposed 2009 and 2010 TACs are higher than the sum of
the 2008 TACs of 262,826 mt, but are unchanged from the 2009 TACs
currently specified for the GOA groundfish fisheries (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008).
NMFS finds that the Council's recommendations for proposed OFL,
ABC, and TAC amounts are consistent with the biological condition of
groundfish stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the required
OY range. Table 1 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs
of groundfish.
Table 1--Proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/
WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside
(SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
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Species Area\1\ ABC TAC OFL
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Pollock \2\............................... Shumagin (610)............... 23,700 23,700 n/a
Chirikof (620)............... 25,821 25,821 n/a
Kodiak (630)................. 18,367 18,367 n/a
WYK (640).................... 2,042 2,042 n/a
W/C/WYK (subtotal)........... 69,930 69,930 95,940
SEO (650).................... 8,240 8,240 11,040
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 78,170 78,170 106,980
Pacific cod \3\........................... W............................ 25,932 19,449 n/a
C............................ 37,901 28,426 n/a
E............................ 2,660 2,394 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 66,493 50,269 88,660
Deep-water flatfish \4\................... W............................ 707 707 n/a
C............................ 6,927 6,927 n/a
WYK.......................... 995 995 n/a
SEO.......................... 543 543 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 9,172 9,172 11,583
Rex sole.................................. W............................ 948 948 n/a
C............................ 6,241 6,241 n/a
WYK.......................... 483 483 n/a
SEO.......................... 796 796 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 8,468 8,468 11,065
Flathead sole............................. W............................ 13,001 2,000 n/a
C............................ 29,289 5,000 n/a
WYK.......................... 3,556 3,556 n/a
SEO.......................... 659 659 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 46,505 11,215 57,962
Shallow-water flatfish \5\................ W............................ 26,360 4,500 n/a
C............................ 29,873 13,000 n/a
WYK.......................... 3,333 3,333 n/a
SEO.......................... 1,423 1,423 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 60,989 22,256 74,364
Arrowtooth flounder....................... W............................ 31,080 8,000 n/a
C............................ 169,371 30,000 n/a
WYK.......................... 15,375 2,500 n/a
SEO.......................... 12,579 2,500 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 228,405 43,000 269,237
Sablefish \6\............................. W............................ 1,727 1,727 n/a
C............................ 5,026 5,026 n/a
WYK.......................... 1,937 1,937 n/a
SEO.......................... 2,943 2,943 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal)... 4,880 4,880 n/a
--------------------------------------
[[Page 73225]]
Total................................. ............................. 11,633 11,633 12,924
Pacific ocean perch \7\................... W............................ 3,704 3,704 4,397
C............................ 8,225 8,225 9,764
WYK.......................... 1,105 1,105 n/a
SEO.......................... 2,038 2,038 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal)... 3,143 3,143 3,732
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 15,072 15,072 17,893
Shortraker rockfish \8\................... W............................ 120 120 n/a
C............................ 315 315 n/a
E............................ 463 463 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 898 898 1,197
Rougheye rockfish \9\..................... W............................ 124 124 n/a
C............................ 830 830 n/a
E............................ 325 325 n/a
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Total................................. ............................. 1,279 1,279 1,540
Other rockfish \10\ \11\.................. W............................ 357 357 n/a
C............................ 569 569 n/a
WYK.......................... 604 604 n/a
SEO.......................... 2,767 200 n/a
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Total................................. ............................. 4,297 1,730 5,624
Northern rockfish \11\ \12\............... W............................ 2,047 2,047 n/a
C............................ 2,302 2,302 n/a
E............................ 0 0 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 4,349 4,349 5,120
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\............... W............................ 986 986 n/a
C............................ 3,566 3,566 n/a
WYK.......................... 247 247 n/a
SEO.......................... 341 341 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 5,140 5,140 6,294
Thornyhead rockfish....................... W............................ 267 267 n/a
C............................ 860 860 n/a
E............................ 783 783 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 1,910 1,910 2,540
Big skate \14\............................ W............................ 632 632 n/a
C............................ 2,065 2,065 n/a
E............................ 633 633 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 3,330 3,330 4,439
Longnose skate \15\....................... W............................ 78 78 n/a
C............................ 2,041 2,041 n/a
E............................ 768 768 n/a
--------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 2,887 2,887 3,849
Other skates \16\......................... GW........................... 2,104 2,104 2,806
Demersal shelf rockfish \17\.............. SEO.......................... 382 382 611
Atka mackerel............................. GW........................... 4,700 1,500 6,200
Other species \18\........................ GW........................... 7,943 4,500 10,558
--------------------------------------
Grand Total....................... ............................. 564,126 279,264 701,446
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\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2.
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A
season, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of
approximately 30%, 48%, and 22% in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the
apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30%, 59%, and 12% in Statistical
Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
distribution of pollock biomass at 53%, 15%, and 32% in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 pollock seasonal apportionments. In the West Yakutat and Southeast
Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60% to the A season and 40% to the B season in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90% for processing by the inshore component and
10% for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod seasonal
apportionments.
\4\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\5\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
[[Page 73226]]
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2009 and to trawl gear in 2010. Tables 2 and 3
list the proposed 2009 and 2010 sablefish TACs.
\7\ Sebastes alutus.
\8\ Sebastes borealis.
\9\ Sebastes aleutianus.
\10\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope
rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope
rockfish.
\11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern GOA only, slope rockfish also includes northern
rockfish, S. polyspinous.
\12\ Sebastes polyspinous.
\13\ Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Raja binoculata.
\15\ Raja rhina.
\16\ Bathyraja spp.
\17\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
Proposed Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires that 20 percent of each TAC for
pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and the ``other species'' category be
set aside in reserves for possible apportionment at a later date during
the fishing year. In 2008, NMFS apportioned all of the reserves in the
final harvest specifications. For 2009 and 2010, NMFS proposes
apportionment of all of the reserves for pollock, Pacific cod,
flatfish, and ``other species.'' Table 1 reflects the apportionment of
reserve amounts for these species and species groups.
Proposed Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using
Hook-and-Line and Trawl Gear
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocation of sablefish
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts to hook-and-line
and trawl gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent
of each TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of each
TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern GOA, 95 percent of the
TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear and 5 percent is allocated to
trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in the Eastern GOA may only be
used to support incidental catch of sablefish in directed fisheries for
other target species (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)). In recognition of the
trawl ban in the SEO District of the Eastern GOA, the Council
recommended and NMFS proposes that the allocation of 5 percent of the
combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC be available to trawl
gear in the WYK District and the remainder of the WYK sablefish TAC be
available to vessels using hook-and-line gear. As a result, NMFS
proposes to allocate 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in the SEO
District to vessels using hook-and-line gear. This recommendation
results in a proposed 2009 allocation of 244 mt to trawl gear and 1,693
mt to hook-and-line gear. Table 2 lists the allocations of the proposed
2009 sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and trawl gear. Table 3 lists the
allocations of the proposed 2010 sablefish TACs to trawl gear. The
Council recommended that only a trawl sablefish TAC be established for
two years so that incidental catch of sablefish by trawl gear could
commence in January in the second year of the harvest specifications.
However, since there is an annual assessment for sablefish and the
final annual specifications are expected to be published before the IFQ
season begins, the industry and Council recommended that the sablefish
TAC for the IFQ season be set on an annual basis so that the best and
most recent scientific information could be considered in recommending
the ABCs and TACs. Since sablefish is on bycatch status for trawl gear
from January 1, it is not likely that the sablefish allocation to trawl
gear would be reached prior to the effective date of the final harvest
specifications.
Table 2--Proposed 2009 Sablefish TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocations to Hook-and-Line and Trawl
Gear
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,727 1,382 345
Central......................................................... 5,026 4,021 1,005
West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,937 1,693 244
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,943 2,943 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 11,633 10,039 1,594
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Table 3--Proposed 2010 Sablefish TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation to Trawl Gear \1\
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,727 n/a 345
Central......................................................... 5,026 n/a 1,005
West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,937 n/a 244
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,943 n/a 0
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 73227]]
Total....................................................... 11,633 0 1,594
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing
Quota fisheries be limited to 1 year.
\2\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Proposed Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among Seasons and Regulatory
Areas, and Allocations for Processing by Inshore and Offshore
Components
In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by season and area, and is
further divided between inshore and offshore processing components.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock TAC specified
for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is apportioned
into four equal seasonal allowances of 25 percent. As established by
Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season
allowances are available from January 20 through March 10, March 10
through May 31, August 25 through October 1, and October 1 through
November 1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA
are apportioned among statistical areas 610, 620, and 630. In the A and
B seasons, the apportionments are in proportion to the distribution of
pollock biomass based on the four most recent NMFS winter surveys. In
the C and D seasons, the apportionments are in proportion to the
distribution of pollock biomass based on the four most recent NMFS
summer surveys. For 2009 and 2010, the Council recommended averaging
the winter and summer distribution of pollock in the Central Regulatory
Area for the A season. The average is intended to reflect the
distribution of pollock as indicated by the historic performance of the
fishery during the A season. Within any fishing year, the amount by
which a seasonal allowance is underharvested or overharvested may be
added to, or subtracted from, subsequent seasonal allowances. The
rollover amount is limited to 20 percent of the unharvested seasonal
apportionment for the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above
the 20-percent limit could be further distributed to the other
statistical areas, in proportion to the estimated biomass in the
subsequent season in those statistical areas (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The proposed pollock TACs in the WYK of 2,042 mt
and SEO District of 8,240 mt for 2009 and 2010 are not allocated by
season.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the allocation of 100 percent of
the pollock TAC in all regulatory areas and all seasonal allowances to
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component after
subtraction of amounts that are projected by the Regional Administrator
to be caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component incidental to
directed fishing for other groundfish species. The amount of pollock
available for vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the offshore
component is that amount actually taken as incidental catch during
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock, up to the
maximum retainable amounts allowed under Sec. 679.20(e) and (f). At
this time, these incidental catch amounts are unknown and will be
determined during the fishing year.
Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 seasonal biomass
distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
area apportionments, and seasonal allowances. The amounts of pollock
for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown.
Table 4--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Distribution of Pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska; Seasonal Biomass
Distribution, Area Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seasons Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10)............................................... 4,472 (26.35%) 8,367 (49.30%) 4,133 (24.35%) 16,972
B (Mar 10-May 31)............................................... 4,472 (26.35%) 10,198 (60.09%) 2,302 (13.56%) 16,972
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)................................................ 7,378 (43.47%) 3,628 (21.38%) 5,966 (35.15%) 16,972
D (Oct 1-Nov 1)................................................. 7,378 (43.47%) 3,628 (21.38%) 5,966 (35.15%) 16,972
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Total................................................ 23,700 25,821 18,367 67,888
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.
Proposed Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific Cod TAC and Allocations for
Processing of Pacific Cod TAC Between Inshore and Offshore Components
Pacific cod fishing is divided into two seasons in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. For hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear, the A season is January 1 through June 10, and the B season is
September 1 through December 31. For trawl gear, the A season is
January 20 through June 10, and the B season is September 1 through
November 1 (Sec. 679.23(d)(3)). After subtraction of incidental catch,
60 percent and 40 percent of the annual TAC will be available for
harvest during the A and B seasons, respectively, and will be
apportioned between the inshore and offshore processing components, as
provided in Sec. 679.20(a)(6)(ii). Between the A and the B seasons,
directed fishing for Pacific cod is closed, and fishermen participating
in other directed fisheries must retain Pacific cod up to the maximum
retainable amounts allowed under Sec. 679.20(e) and
[[Page 73228]]
(f). Under Sec. 679.20(a)(11)(ii), any overage or underage of the
Pacific cod allowance from the A season may be subtracted from or added
to the subsequent B season allowance.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires the allocation of the Pacific cod
TAC apportionment in all regulatory areas between vessels catching
Pacific cod for processing by the inshore and offshore components.
Ninety percent of the Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area is
allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 5
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 seasonal apportionments and
allocations of the Pacific cod TAC amounts.
Table 5--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocations of Pacific Cod TAC Amounts in the Gulf
of Alaska and Allocations for Processing by the Inshore and Offshore Components
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component allocation
-------------------------
Regulatory area Season TAC Inshore Offshore
(90%) (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western................................... Annual....................... 19,449 17,504 1,945
A season (60%)............... 11,669 10,502 1,167
B season (40%)............... 7,780 7,002 778
Central................................... Annual....................... 28,426 25,583 2,843
A season (60%)............... 17,056 15,350 1,706
B season (40%)............... 11,370 10,233 1,137
Eastern................................... Annual....................... 2,394 2,155 239
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 50,269 45,243 5,027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Apportionments to the Central GOA Rockfish Program
Section 679.81(a)(1) and (2) require the allocation of the primary
rockfish species TACs in the Central Regulatory Area, after deducting
incidental catch needs in other directed groundfish fisheries, to
participants in the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program
(Rockfish Program). Five percent (2.5 percent to trawl gear and 2.5
percent to fixed gear) of the proposed TACs for Pacific ocean perch,
northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish in the Central Regulatory
Area are allocated to the entry level rockfish fishery and the
remaining 95 percent to those vessels eligible to participate in the
Rockfish Program. NMFS proposes 2009 and 2010 incidental catch amounts
of 100 mt for northern rockfish, 100 mt for pelagic shelf rockfish, and
200 mt for Pacific ocean perch for other directed groundfish fisheries
in the Central Regulatory Area. These proposed amounts are based on the
2003 through 2007 average incidental catch in the Central Regulatory
Area by other groundfish fisheries.
Section 679.83(a)(1)(i) requires that allocations to the trawl
entry level fishery must be made first from the allocation of Pacific
ocean perch available to the rockfish entry level fishery. If the
amount of Pacific ocean perch available for allocation is less than the
total allocation allowable for trawl catcher vessels in the rockfish
entry level fishery, then northern rockfish and pelagic shelf rockfish
must be allocated to trawl catcher vessels. Allocations of Pacific
ocean perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish to longline
gear vessels must be made after the allocations to trawl gear.
Table 6 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 allocations of rockfish in
the Central GOA to trawl and longline gear in the entry level rockfish
fishery. Allocations of primary rockfish species TACs among
participants in the Rockfish Program are not included in the proposed
harvest specifications because applications for catcher processor and
catcher vessel cooperatives are due to NMFS on March 1 of each calendar
year, thereby preventing NMFS from calculating proposed 2009
allocations. NMFS will post these allocations on the Alaska Region Web
site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/goarat/
default.htm when they become available in March 2009.
Table 6--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Allocations of Rockfish in the Central Gulf of Alaska to Trawl and Longline Gear 1 in the Entry Level Rockfish Fishery
[Values are rounded to the nearest mt]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental Entry level Entry level
Species Proposed catch TAC minus 5% TAC 2.5% TAC trawl longline
TAC allowance ICA allocation allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.......................................... 8,225 200 8,025 401 201 342 59
Northern rockfish............................................ 2,302 100 2,202 110 55 0 110
Pelagic shelf rockfish....................................... 3,566 100 3,466 173 87 0 173
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................................................... 14,093 400 13,693 685 342 342 342
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
[[Page 73229]]
Proposed Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-and-line gear and permits the
establishment of apportionments for pot gear. In October 2008, the
Council recommended that NMFS maintain the 2008 halibut PSC limits of
2,000 mt for the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the hook-and-line
fisheries for 2009 and 2010. Ten mt of the hook-and-line limit is
further allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery in the
SEO District. The DSR fishery is defined at Sec. 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A).
This fishery has been apportioned 10 mt in recognition of its small
scale harvests. Most vessels in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft
(18.3 m) length overall (LOA) making them exempt from observer
coverage. Therefore, observer data are not available to verify actual
bycatch amounts. NMFS assumes the halibut bycatch in the DSR fishery is
low because of the short soak times for the gear and short duration of
the fishery. Also, the DSR fishery occurs in the winter when less
overlap occurs in the distribution of DSR and halibut. Finally, much of
the DSR TAC is not available to the commercial DSR fishery. The Alaska
Department of Fish and Game sets the quota for the commercial DSR
fishery after estimates of incidental catch in all fisheries (including
halibut) and anticipated recreational harvest have been deducted from
the DSR TAC. Of the 382 mt TAC for DSR in 2008, 87 were available for
the commercial fishery.
Section 679.21(d)(4) authorizes the exemption of specified non-
trawl fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, NMFS,
after consultation with the Council, proposes to exempt pot gear, jig
gear, and the sablefish IFQ (Individual Fishing Quota) hook-and-line
gear fishery categories from the non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2009
and 2010. The Council and NMFS recommend these exemptions because (1)
the pot gear fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 19
mt annually from 2001 through 2007 and 20 mt through October 11, 2008);
(2) the halibut and sablefish IFQ fisheries have low halibut bycatch
mortality because the IFQ program requires retention of legal-sized
halibut by vessels using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ permit
holder is aboard and is holding unused halibut IFQ; and (3) halibut
mortality for the jig gear fisheries is assumed to be negligible.
Halibut mortality is assumed to be negligible in the jig gear fisheries
given the low amount of groundfish harvested by jig gear (averaging 284
mt annually from 2001 through 2007, and 83 mt through October 11,
2008), the selective nature of jig gear, and the likelihood of high
survival rates of halibut caught and released by jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) provided NMFS the authority to seasonally
apportion the halibut PSC limits after consultation with the Council.
The FMP and regulations require that the Council and NMFS consider the
following information in seasonally apportioning halibut PSC limits:
(1) Seasonal distribution of halibut, (2) seasonal distribution of
target groundfish species relative to halibut distribution, (3)
expected halibut bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relative to changes
in halibut biomass and expected catch of target groundfish species, (4)
expected bycatch rates on a seasonal basis, (5) expected changes in
directed groundfish fishing seasons, (6) expected actual start of
fishing effort, and (7) economic effects of establishing seasonal
halibut allocations on segments of the target groundfish industry.
The final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008) summarized the Council's and NMFS's findings with
respect to each of these FMP considerations. The Council's and NMFS's
findings for 2009 and 2010 are unchanged from 2008. Table 7 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific halibut PSC limits, allowances, and
apportionments. Section 679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv), respectively,
specify that any underages or overages of a seasonal apportionment of a
PSC limit will be added to or removed from the next respective seasonal
apportionment within the fishing year.
Table 7--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific Halibut PSC Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
[Values are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other than DSR DSR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Amount Season Amount Season Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1....................... 550 (27.5%) January 1-June 10........... 250 (86%) January 1-December 31....... 10 (100%)
April 1-July 1........................... 400 (20%) June 10-September 1......... 5 (2%) n/a......................... n/a
July 1-September 1....................... 600 (30%) September 1-December 31..... 35 (12%) n/a......................... n/a
September 1-October 1.................... 150 (7.5%) n/a......................... n/a n/a......................... n/a
October 1-December 31.................... 300 (15%) n/a......................... n/a n/a......................... n/a
Total................................ 2,000 (100%) n/a......................... 290 (100%) n/a......................... 10 (100%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR. The
hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes further apportionment of the
trawl halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery categories. The annual
apportionments are based on each category's proportional share of the
anticipated halibut bycatch mortality during a fishing year and
optimization of the total amount of groundfish harvest under the
halibut PSC limit. The fishery categories for the trawl halibut PSC
limits are (1) a deep-water species category, comprised of sablefish,
rockfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and
(2) a shallow-water species category, comprised of pollock, Pacific
cod, shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel, skates, and
``other species'' (Sec. 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 8 lists the proposed
2009 and 2010 seasonal apportionments of Pacific halibut PSC trawl
limits for the deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories.
Based on public comment and information contained in the final 2008
SAFE report, the Council may recommend or NMFS may make changes in the
seasonal, gear-type, or fishery category apportionments of halibut PSC
limits for the final 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications.
[[Page 73230]]
Table 8--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific
Halibut PSC Trawl Limits Between the Trawl Gear Shallow-Water Species
and the Deep-Water Species Categories
[Values are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow- Deep-water
Season water \1\ Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1............... 450 100 550
April 1-July 1................... 100 300 400
July 1-September 1............... 200 400 600
September 1-October 1............ 150 (\3\) 150
Subtotal January 20-October 1.... 900 800 1,700
October 1-December 31 \2\........ n/a n/a 300
--------------------------------------
Total........................ n/a n/a 2,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central Gulf of Alaska
Rockfish Pilot Program will receive a portion of the third season
(July 1-September 1) deep-water category halibut PSC apportionment. At
this time, this amount is not known but will be posted later on the
Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when it
becomes available.
\2\ There is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water trawl
fishery categories during the fifth season (October 1 through December
31).
\3\ Any remainder.
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior Years
The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2008. The calculated halibut bycatch
mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gears through November 1,
2008, is 1,836 mt, 407 mt, and 22 mt, respectively, for a total halibut
mortality of 2,265 mt.
Halibut bycatch restrictions seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2008 fishing year. The trawl fishery during the
second season was closed for the deep-water species category on April
21 (73 FR 22062, April 24, 2008), and during the fourth season on
September 11 (73 FR 53159, September 15, 2008). The trawl fishery
during the first season was closed for the shallow-water species
category on March 10 (73 FR 13464, March 13, 2008) and opened on March
21 through May 21 (73 FR 15942, March 26, 2008, and 73 FR 30318, May
27, 2008). To prevent exceeding the fourth season halibut PSC limit for
the shallow-water species category, directed fishing using trawl gear
was limited to one 48-hour open period beginning September 1 (73 FR
51601, September 4, 2008), and to one 36-hour period beginning
September 10 (73 FR 52930, September 12, 2008). The trawl fishery for
all groundfish targets (with the exception of vessels participating in
the Rockfish Program in the Central GOA) closed for the fifth season on
November 6, 2008 (73 FR 66561, November 10, 2008) and reopened on
November 16, 2008 (73 FR 69586, November 19, 2008). Directed fishing
for groundfish using hook-and-line gear closed for the year on October
16 (73 FR 62212, October 20, 2008). The amount of groundfish that trawl
gear might have harvested if halibut PSC limits had not restricted the
2008 season is unknown.
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks and Catch
Proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water
flatfish, flathead sole, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific ocean perch, and
pelagic shelf rockfish are higher than those established for 2008,
while the proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for rex sole and sablefish are
lower than those established for 2008. For the remaining target
species, the Council recommended that ABC levels remain unchanged from
2008. More information on these changes is included in the final SAFE
report (November 2007). This document is available from the Council
(see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total proposed 2009 and 2010 TAC amounts are
279,264 mt, an increase of six percent from the 2008 TAC total of
262,826 mt. Table 9 compares the final 2008 TACs to the proposed 2009
and 2010 TACs.
Table 9--Comparison of Final 2008 and Proposed 2009 and 2010 Total
Allowable Catch amount (TACs) in the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed
Species Final 2008 2009 and
TACs 2010 TACs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock....................................... 60,180 78,170
Pacific cod................................... 50,269 50,269
Deep-water flatfish........................... 8,903 9,172
Rex sole...................................... 9,132 8,468
Flathead sole................................. 11,054 11,215
Shallow water flatfish........................ 22,256 22,256
Arrowtooth flounder........................... 43,000 43,000
Sablefish..................................... 12,730 11,633
Pacific ocean perch........................... 14,999 15,072
Shortraker rockfish........................... 898 898
Rougheye rockfish............................. 1,286 1,279
Other rockfish................................ 1,730 1,730
Northern rockfish............................. 4,549 4,349
Pelagic shelf rockfish........................ 5,227 5,140
Thornyhead rockfish........................... 1,910 1,910
Big skates.................................... 3,330 3,330
[[Page 73231]]
Longnose skates............................... 2,887 2,887
Other skates.................................. 2,104 2,104
Demersal shelf rockfish....................... 382 382
Atka mackerel................................. 1,500 1,500
``Other species''............................. 4,500 4,500
-------------------------
Total..................................... 262,826 279,264
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition
The most recent halibut stock assessment was developed by the
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) staff in December 2007
for the 2008 commercial fishery; this assessment was considered by the
IPHC at its annual January 2008 meeting. Information from ongoing
passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag recoveries, as well as
inconsistencies in the traditional closed-area stock assessments for
some areas, has prompted the IPHC to reexamine the stock assessment
framework and corresponding harvest policy. It had been assumed that
once the halibut reached legal commercial size there was little
movement between regulatory areas. PIT tag recoveries indicate greater
movement between regulatory areas than previously thought. In response
to this new information, IPHC staff developed a coast-wide assessment
based on a single stock. The assessment recommends a coast-wide harvest
rate of 20 percent of the exploitable biomass overall, but a lower
harvest rate of 15 percent for Areas 4B, C, D, and E. The current
exploitable halibut biomass in Alaska for 2008 was estimated to be
163,719 mt, down from 187,755 mt estimated for 2007. Approximately half
of the decrease is due to changes in the assessment model and the other
half to anticipated lower commercial and survey catch rates in 2008.
The female spawning biomass remains far above the minium acceptable
level, which occurred in the 1970s.
The halibut resource is fully utilized. The IPHC estimates that the
long term, potential yield for the entire halibut stock is 26,980 mt
round weight per year. The average annual yield (catch) of the
commercial halibut fisheries in Alaska has averaged 33,675 mt over the
14 year period from 1994 to 2007. This is 25 percent higher than the
potential annual yield. The IPHC believes that this reflects the good
condition of the Pacific halibut resource, as the halibut biomass
presently is greater than that which could be expected to sustain a
26,980 mt annual harvest. In January 2008, the IPHC approved Alaska
commercial catch limits totaling 30,349 mt round weight for 2008, a
four percent decrease from 31,661 mt round weight in 2007.
Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment may
be found in the IPHC's 2007 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December
2007), available on the IPHC Web site at http://
www.iphc.washington.edu. The IPHC considered the 2007 Pacific halibut
assessment for 2008 at its January 2008 annual meeting when the IPHC
set the 2008 commercial halibut fishery quotas. Through November 4,
2008, commercial hook-and-line harvests of halibut off Alaska totaled
28,036 mt, round weight. The IPHC will consider the 2008 Pacific
halibut assessment for 2009 at its January 2009 annual meeting when it
sets the 2009 commercial halibut fishery quotas.
Other Factors
The allowable commercial catch of halibut will be adjusted to
account for the overall halibut PSC mortality limit established for
groundfish fisheries. The 2009 and 2010 groundfish fisheries are
expected to use the entire proposed annual halibut PSC limit of 2,300
mt. The allowable directed commercial catch is determined by first
accounting for recreational and subsistence catch, waste, and bycatch
mortality, and then providing the remainder to the directed fishery.
Groundfish fishing is not expected to affect adversely the halibut
stocks. Methods available for reducing halibut bycatch include (1)
publication of individual vessel bycatch rates on the NMFS Alaska
Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov, (2) modifications
to gear, (3) changes in groundfish fishing seasons, (4) individual
transferable quota programs, and (5) time/area closures.
Reductions in groundfish TAC amounts provide no incentive for
fishermen to reduce bycatch rates. Costs that would be imposed on
fishermen as a result of reducing TAC amounts depend on the species and
amounts of groundfish forgone.
The definition of ``Authorized fishing gear'' at Sec. 679.2
specifies requirements for biodegradable panels and tunnel openings for
groundfish pots to reduce halibut bycatch. As a result, low bycatch and
mortality rates of halibut in pot fisheries have justified exempting
pot gear from PSC limits.
The definitions at Sec. 679.2 for ``Authorized fishing gear,''
defines ``pelagic trawl gear'' in a manner intended to reduce bycatch
of halibut by displacing fishing effort off the bottom of the sea floor
when certain halibut bycatch levels are reached during the fishing
year. The definition provides standards for physical conformation and
performance of the trawl gear in terms of crab bycatch (Sec.
679.7(a)(14)). Furthermore, all hook-and-line vessel operators are
required to employ careful release measures when handling halibut
bycatch (Sec. 679.7(a)(13)). These measures are intended to reduce
handling mortality, thereby lowering overall halibut bycatch mortality
in the groundfish fisheries, and to increase the amount of groundfish
harvested under the available halibut mortality bycatch limits.
NMFS and the Council will review the methods available for reducing
halibut bycatch listed here to determine their effectiveness and will
initiate changes, as necessary, in response to this review or to public
testimony and comment.
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommended and NMFS proposes that the halibut discard
mortality rates (DMRs) developed and recommended by the IPHC for the
2009 and 2010 GOA groundfish fisheries be used to monitor the proposed
2009 and
[[Page 73232]]
2010 GOA halibut bycatch mortality limits. The IPHC recommended use of
long-term average DMRs for the 2009 and 2010 groundfish fisheries. The
IPHC will analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the
DMRs where a fishery DMR shows large variation from the mean. Most of
the IPHC's assumed DMRs were based on an average of mortality rates
determined from NMFS observer data collected between 1996 and 2005.
Long-term average DMRs were not available for some fisheries, so rates
from the most recent years were used. For the ``other species'' and
skate fisheries, where insufficient mortality data are available, the
mortality rate of halibut caught in the Pacific cod fishery for each
gear type was recommended as the default rate. Table 10 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 DMRs, which are unchanged from the 2008 DMRs.
The DMRs for hook-and-line target fisheries range from 10 to 14
percent. The DMRs for trawl target fisheries range from 53 to 76
percent. Each DMR for the pot target fisheries is 16 percent. A copy of
the document justifying these DMRs is available from the Council (see
ADDRESSES) and is discussed in Appendix A of the final 2007 SAFE
report, dated November 2008.
Table 10--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Halibut Discard Mortality Rates for
Vessels Fishing in the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mortality
Gear Target fishery rate (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line.................... Other species........... 14
Skates.................. 14
Pacific cod............. 14
Rockfish................ 10
Trawl............................ Arrowtooth flounder..... 69
Atka mackerel........... 60
Deep-water flatfish..... 53
Flathead sole........... 61
Non-pelagic pollock..... 59
Other species........... 63
Skates.................. 63
Pacific cod............. 63
Pelagic pollock......... 76
Rex sole................ 63
Rockfish................ 67
Sablefish............... 65
Shallow-water flatfish.. 71
Pot.............................. Other species........... 16
Skates.................. 16
Pacific cod............. 16
------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher Processor and Catcher Vessel
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Section 679.64 establishes groundfish harvesting and processing
sideboard limits on AFA catcher processors and catcher vessels in the
GOA. These sideboard limits are necessary to protect the interests of
fishermen and processors who do not directly benefit from the AFA from
expansion in their fisheries by those fishermen and processors who
receive exclusive harvesting and processing privileges under the AFA.
Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii) prohibits listed AFA catcher processors from
harvesting any species of fish in the GOA. Additionally, Sec.
679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits listed AFA catcher processors from processing
any pollock in the GOA and any groundfish harvested in Statistical Area
630 of the GOA.
AFA catcher vessels that are less than 125 ft (38.1 m) LOA, have
annual landings of pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands less
than 5,100 mt, and have made at least 40 GOA groundfish landings from
1995 through 1997 are exempt from GOA sideboard limits under Sec.
679.64(b)(2)(ii). Sideboard limits for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels
operating in the GOA are based on their traditional harvest levels in
groundfish fisheries covered by the GOA FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii)
establishes the GOA groundfish sideboard limits based on the retained
catch of non-exempt AFA catcher vessels of each sideboard species from
1995 through 1997 divided by the TAC for that species over the same
period. Table 11 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 groundfish sideboard
limits for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels. All targeted or incidental
catch of sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels will
be deducted from the sideboard limits in Table 11. NMFS slightly
adjusted the ratios used to calculate these sideboard limits as a
result of two vessels changing status from non-exempt to exempt, based
on NMFS administrative review of these vessels' applications for non-
exempt status. This results in slight decreases to the catch-to-TAC
ratios used to establish the non-exempt AFA CV sideboard limits.
[[Page 73233]]
Table 11--Proposed 2009 and 2010 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest
Sideboard Limits
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of Proposed
1995-1997 2009 and
non-exempt Proposed 2010 non-
Species Apportionments by Area/component AFA CV 2009 and exempt AFA
season/gear catch to 2010 TACs CV
1995-1997 sideboard
TAC limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock........................ A Season--January Shumagin (610)... 0.6047 4,472 2,704
20-March 10.
Chirikof (620).... 0.1167 8,367 976
Kodiak (630)...... 0.2028 4,133 838
B Season--March 10- Shumagin (610)... 0.6047 4,472 2,704
May 31.
Chirikof (620).... 0.1167 10,198 1,190
Kodiak (630)...... 0.2028 2,302 467
C Season--August 25- Shumagin (610).... 0.6047 7,378 4,461
October 1.
Chirikof (620).... 0.1167 3,628 423
Kodiak (630)...... 0.2028 5,966 1,210
D Season--October 1- Shumagin (610)... 0.6047 7,378 4,461
November 1.
Chirikof (620).... 0.1167 3,628 423
Kodiak (630)...... 0.2028 5,966 1,210
Annual............. WYK (640)........ 0.3495 1,694 592
SEO (650)......... 0.3495 6,157 2,152
Pacific cod.................... A Season \1\-- W inshore........ 0.1365 10,502 1,434
January 1-June 10.
W offshore........ 0.1026 1,167 120
C inshore......... 0.0689 15,350 1,058
C offshore........ 0.0721 1,706 123
B Season \2\-- W inshore........ 0.1365 7,002 956
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore........ 0.1026 778 80
C inshore......... 0.0689 10,233 705
C offshore........ 0.0721 1,137 82
Annual............. E inshore........ 0.0079 2,155 17
E offshore........ 0.0078 239 2
Flatfish, deep-water........... Annual............ W................ 0.0000 707 0
C................. 0.0647 6,927 448
E................. 0.0128 1,538 20
Rex sole....................... Annual............ W................ 0.0007 948 1
C................. 0.0384 6,241 240
E................. 0.0029 1,279 4
Flathead sole.................. Annual............ W................ 0.0036 2,000 7
C................. 0.0213 5,000 107
E................. 0.0009 4,215 4
Flatfish, shallow-water........ Annual............ W................ 0.0156 4,500 70
C................. 0.0587 13,000 763
E................. 0.0126 4,756 60
Arrowtooth flounder............ Annual............ W................ 0.0021 8,000 17
C................. 0.0280 30,000 840
E................. 0.0002 5,000 1
Sablefish...................... Annual, trawl gear W................ 0.0000 345 0
C................. 0.0642 1,005 65
E................. 0.0433 244 11
Pacific ocean perch............ Annual............ W................ 0.0023 3,704 9
C................. 0.0748 8,225 615
E................. 0.0466 3,143 146
Shortraker rockfish............ Annual............ W................ 0.0000 120 0
C................. 0.0218 315 7
E................. 0.0110 463 5
Rougheye rockfish.............. Annual............ W................ 0.0000 142 0
C................. 0.0237 830 20
E................. 0.0124 325 4
Other rockfish................. Annual............ W................ 0.0034 357 1
C................. 0.1699 569 97
E................. 0.0000 804 0
Northern rockfish.............. Annual............ W................ 0.0003 2,047 1
C................. 0.0277 2,302 64
Pelagic shelf rockfish......... Annual............ W................ 0.0001 986 0
C................. 0.0000 3,566 0
E................. 0.0067 588 4
[[Page 73234]]
Thornyhead rockfish............ Annual............ W................ 0.0280 267 7
C................. 0.0280 860 24
E................. 0.0280 783 22
Big skates..................... Annual............ W................ 0.0063 632 4
C................. 0.0063 2,065 13
E................. 0.0063 633 4
Longnose skates................ Annual............ W................ 0.0063 78 0
C................. 0.0063 2,041 13
E................. 0.0063 768 5
Other skates................... Annual............ Gulfwide......... 0.0063 2,104 13
Demersal shelf rockfish........ Annual............ SEO.............. 0.0020 382 1
Atka mackerel.................. Annual............ Gulfwide......... 0.0309 1,500 46
Other species.................. Annual............ Gulfwide......... 0.0063 4,500 28
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The halibut PSC sideboard limits for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels
in the GOA are based on the aggregate retained groundfish catch by non-
exempt AFA catcher vessels in each PSC target category from 1995
through 1997 divided by the retained catch of all vessels in that
fishery from 1995 through 1997 (Sec. 679.64(b)(4)). Table 12 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 catcher vessel halibut PSC limits for non-exempt
AFA vessels using trawl gear in the GOA.
Table 12--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Halibut Prohibited Species
Catch (PSC) Limits for Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the GOA
[Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of
1995-1997
non-exempt Proposed
AFA CV Proposed 2009 and
Seasons Season dates Target fishery retained 2009 and 2010 non-
catch to 2010 PSC exempt AFA
total limit CV PSC
retained limit
catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................... January 20-April 1...... shallow-water.......... 0.340 450 153
deep-water............. 0.070 100 7
2..................... April 1-July 1.......... shallow-water.......... 0.340 100 34
deep-water............. 0.070 300 21
3..................... July 1-September 1...... shallow-water.......... 0.340 200 68
deep-water............. 0.070 400 28
4..................... September 1-October 1... shallow-water.......... 0.340 150 51
deep-water............. 0.070 0 0
5..................... October 1-December 31... all targets............ 0.205 300 61
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Sideboard Limits
Section 680.22 establishes groundfish catch limits for vessels with
a history of participation in the Bering Sea snow crab fishery to
prevent these vessels from using the increased flexibility provided by
the Crab Rationalization Program to expand their level of participation
in the GOA groundfish fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these
vessels' catch to their collective historical landings in all GOA
groundfish fisheries (except the fixed-gear sablefish fishery).
Sideboard limits also apply to landings made using an LLP license
derived from the history of a restricted vessel, even if that LLP is
used on another vessel.
Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab vessels operating in the GOA are
based on their traditional harvest levels of TAC in groundfish
fisheries covered by the GOA FMP. Section 680.22(d) and (e) base the
groundfish sideboard limits in the GOA on the retained catch by non-AFA
crab vessels of each sideboard species from 1996 through 2000 divided
by the total retained harvest of that species over the same period.
Table 13 lists these proposed 2009 and 2010 groundfish sideboard limits
for non-AFA crab vessels. All targeted or incidental catch of sideboard
species made by non-AFA crab vessels will be deducted from the
sideboard limits in Table 13.
Vessels exempt from Pacific cod sideboards are those that landed
less than 45,359 kilograms of Bering Sea snow crab and more than 500 mt
of groundfish (in round weight
[[Page 73235]]
equivalents) from the GOA between January 1, 1996, and December 31,
2000, and any vessel named on an LLP that was generated in whole or in
part by the fishing history of a vessel meeting the criteria in Sec.
680.22(a)(3).
Table 13--Proposed 2009 and 2010 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limits
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of
1996-2000 Proposed
non-AFA 2009 and
crab vessel Proposed 2010 non-
Species Season/gear Area/component catch to 2009 and AFA crab
1996-2000 2010 TACs vessel
total sideboard
harvest limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock......................... A Season--January Shumagin (610).... 0.0098 4,472 44
20-March 10.
Chirikof (620).... 0.0031 8,367 26
Kodiak (630)...... 0.0002 4,133 1
B Season--March 10- Shumagin (610).... 0.0098 4,472 44
May 31.
Chirikof (620).... 0.0031 10,198 32
Kodiak (630)...... 0.0002 2,302 0
C Season--August 25- Shumagin (610).... 0.0098 7,378 72
October 1.
Chirikof (620).... 0.0031 3,628 11
Kodiak (630)...... 0.0002 5,966 1
D Season--October 1- Shumagin (610).... 0.0098 7,378 72
November 1.
Chirikof (620).... 0.0031 3,628 11
Kodiak (630)...... 0.0002 5,966 1
Annual............. WYK (640)......... 0.0000 1,694 0
SEO (650)......... 0.0000 6,157 0
Pacific cod..................... A Season \1\-- W inshore......... 0.0902 11,278 1,017
January 1-June 10.
W offshore........ 0.2046 1,253 256
C inshore......... 0.0383 15,905 609
C offshore........ 0.2074 1,767 366
B Season \2\-- W inshore......... 0.0902 7,519 678
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore........ 0.2046 835 171
C inshore......... 0.0383 10,603 406
C offshore........ 0.2074 1,178 244
Annual............. E inshore......... 0.0110 3,470 38
E offshore........ 0.0000 386 0
Flatfish deep-water............. Annual............. W................. 0.0035 707 2
C................. 0.0000 6,927 0
E................. 0.0000 1,538 0
Rex sole........................ Annual............. W................. 0.0000 948 0
C................. 0.0000 6,241 0
E................. 0.0000 1,279 0
Flathead sole................... Annual............. W................. 0.0002 2,000 0
C................. 0.0004 5,000 2
E................. 0.0000 4,215 0
Flatfish shallow-water.......... Annual............. W................. 0.0059 4,500 27
C................. 0.0001 13,000 1
E................. 0.0000 4,756 0
Arrowtooth flounder............. Annual............. W................. 0.0004 8,000 3
C................. 0.0001 30,000 3
E................. 0.0000 5,000 0
Sablefish....................... Annual, trawl gear. W................. 0.0000 345 0
C................. 0.0000 1,005 0
E................. 0.0000 244 0
Pacific ocean perch............. Annual............. W................. 0.0000 3,704 0
C................. 0.0000 8,225 0
E................. 0.0000 3,143 0
Shortraker rockfish............. Annual............. W................. 0.0013 120 0
C................. 0.0012 315 0
E................. 0.0009 463 0
Rougheye rockfish............... Annual............. W................. 0.0067 142 1
C................. 0.0047 830 4
E................. 0.0008 325 0
Other rockfish.................. Annual............. W................. 0.0035 357 1
C................. 0.0033 569 2
E................. 0.0000 804 0
Northern rockfish............... Annual............. W................. 0.0005 2,047 1
C................. 0.0000 2,302 0
[[Page 73236]]
Pelagic shelf rockfish.......... Annual............. W................. 0.0017 986 2
C................. 0.0000 3,566 0
E................. 0.0000 588 0
Thornyhead rockfish............. Annual............. W................. 0.0047 267 1
C................. 0.0066 860 6
E................. 0.0045 783 4
Big skate....................... Annual............. W................. 0.0392 632 25
C................. 0.0159 2,065 33
E................. 0.0000 633 0
Longnose skate.................. Annual............. W................. 0.0392 78 3
C................. 0.0159 2,041 32
E................. 0.0000 768 0
Other skates.................... Annual............. Gulfwide.......... 0.0176 2,104 37
Demersal shelf rockfish......... Annual............. SEO............... 0.0000 382 0
Atka mackerel................... Annual............. Gulfwide.......... 0.0000 1,500 0
Other species................... Annual............. Gulfwide.......... 0.0176 4,500 79
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard Limitations and Halibut Mortality
Limitations
Section 679.82(d)(7) establishes sideboards to limit the ability of
participants eligible for the Rockfish Program to harvest fish in
fisheries other than the Central GOA rockfish fisheries. The Rockfish
Program provides certain economic advantages to harvesters. Harvesters
could use this economic advantage to increase their participation in
other fisheries, adversely affecting the participants in other
fisheries. The proposed sideboards for 2009 and 2010 limit the total
amount of catch that could be taken by eligible harvesters and limit
the amount of halibut mortality to historic levels. The sideboard
measures are in effect only during the month of July. Traditionally,
the Central GOA rockfish fisheries opened in July. The sideboards are
designed to restrict fishing during the historical season for the
fishery, but allow eligible rockfish harvesters to participate in
fisheries before or after the historical rockfish season. The sideboard
provisions are discussed in detail in the proposed rule (71 FR 33040,
June 7, 2006) and final rules (71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006, and 72
FR 37678, July 11, 2007) for the Rockfish Program. Table 14 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Rockfish Program harvest limits in the WYK
District and the Western GOA. Table 15 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010
Rockfish Program halibut mortality limits for catcher processors and
catcher vessels.
Table 14--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Rockfish Program Harvest Limits by Sector for West Yakutat District and Western
GOA by the Catcher Processor (CP) and Catcher Vessel (CV) Sectors
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Proposed
CP sector CV sector Proposed 2009 and 2009 and
Area Fishery (% of TAC) (% of TAC) 2009 and 2010 CP 2010 CV
2010 TACs limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Yakutat District........ Pelagic shelf 72.4 1.7 247 179 4
rockfish.
Pacific ocean 76.0 2.9 1,105 840 32
perch.
Western GOA.................. Pelagic shelf 63.3 0.0 986 624 0
rockfish.
Pacific ocean 61.1 0.0 3,704 2,263 0
perch.
Northern 78.9 0.0 2,047 1,615 0
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 73237]]
Table 15--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Rockfish Program Halibut Mortality Limits for the Catcher Processor and Catcher
Vessel Sectors
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Shallow- Deep-water shallow- Annual deep-
water complex Annual water water
Sector complex halibut PSC halibut complex complex
halibut PSC sideboard mortality halibut PSC halibut PSC
sideboard ratio limit (mt) sideboard sideboard
ratio limit (mt) limit (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catcher processor.............................. 0.54 3.99 2,000 11 80
Catcher vessel................................. 6.32 1.08 2,000 126 22
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gulf of Alaska Amendment 80 Vessel Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, hereinafter referred
to as the ``Amendment 80 program,'' established a limited access
privilege program for the non-AFA trawl catcher processor sector. In
order to limit the ability of participants eligible for the Amendment
80 program to expand their harvest efforts in the GOA, the Amendment 80
program established groundfish and halibut PSC limits for Amendment 80
program participants in the GOA.
Section 679.92 establishes groundfish harvesting sideboard limits
on all Amendment 80 program vessels, other than the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE,
to amounts no greater than the limits shown in Table 37 to part 679.
Sideboard limits in the GOA are proposed for pollock in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District, for Pacific cod
gulfwide, for Pacific ocean perch and pelagic shelf rockfish in the
Western Regulatory Area and WYK District, and for northern rockfish in
the Western Regulatory Area. The harvest of Pacific ocean perch,
pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern rockfish in the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA is subject to regulation under the Central GOA Rockfish
Program. Amendment 80 program vessels not qualified under the Rockfish
Program are excluded from directed fishing for these rockfish species
in the Central GOA. Under regulations, the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE is
prohibited from directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific
ocean perch, pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern rockfish in the GOA.
These sideboard limits are necessary to restrict the ability of
participants eligible for the Amendment 80 program to expand their
harvest efforts in the GOA.
Groundfish sideboard limits for Amendment 80 vessels operating in
the GOA are based on their average aggregate harvests from 1998 to
2004. Table 16 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 vessels. All targeted or incidental catch of sideboard
species made by Amendment 80 vessels will be deducted from the
sideboard limits in Table 16.
Table 16--Proposed 2009 and 2010 GOA Groundfish Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Vessels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of
Amendment 2009 and
Apportionments and 80 sector 2009 and 2010
Species allocations by Area vessels 2010 TAC Amendment
season 1998-2004 (mt) 80 vessel
catch to sideboards
TAC (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock......................... A Season--January Shumagin (610).... 0.003 4,472 13
20-February 25.
Chirikof (620).... 0.002 8,367 17
Kodiak (630)...... 0.002 4,133 8
B Season--March 10- Shumagin (610).... 0.003 4,472 13
May 31.
Chirikof (620).... 0.002 10,198 20
Kodiak (630)...... 0.002 2,302 5
C Season--August 25- Shumagin (610).... 0.003 7,378 22
September 15.
Chirikof (620).... 0.002 3,628 7
Kodiak (630)...... 0.002 5,966 12
D Season--October 1- Shumagin (610).... 0.003 7,378 22
November 1.
Chirikof (620).... 0.002 3,628 7
Kodiak (630)...... 0.002 5,966 12
Annual............. WYK (640)......... 0.002 2,042 4
Pacific cod..................... A Season \1\-- W................. 0.020 11,669 233
January 1-June 10.
C................. 0.044 17,056 750
B Season \2\-- W................. 0.020 7,780 156
September 1-
December 31.
C................. 0.044 11,370 500
Annual............. WYK............... 0.034 2,394 81
Pacific ocean perch............. Annual............. W................. 0.994 3,704 3,682
WYK............... 0.961 1,105 1,062
Northern rockfish............... Annual............. W................. 1.000 2,047 2,047
[[Page 73238]]
Pelagic shelf rockfish.......... Annual............. W................. 0.764 986 753
WYK............... 0.896 247 221
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The halibut PSC sideboard limits for Amendment 80 vessels in the
GOA are based on the historic use of halibut PSC by Amendment 80
vessels in each PSC target category from 1998 through 2004 (Table 38 to
50 CFR part 679). These values are slightly lower than the average
historic use to accommodate two factors: Allocation of halibut PSC
cooperative quota under the Central GOA Rockfish Program and the
exemption of the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE from this restriction. Table 17
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 halibut PSC limits for Amendment 80
vessels.
Table 17--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limits for Amendment 80 Vessels in the
GOA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic
Amendment 2009 and
80 use of 2009 and 2010
Season Season dates Target fishery the annual 2010 annual Amendment
halibut PSC PSC limit 80 vessel
limit catch (mt) PSC limit
(ratio) (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................... January 20-April 1...... shallow-water.......... 0.0048 2,000 10
........................ deep-water............. 0.0115 2,000 23
2..................... April 1-July 1.......... shallow-water.......... 0.0189 2,000 38
deep-water............. 0.1072 2,000 214
3..................... July 1-September 1...... shallow-water.......... 0.0146 2,000 29
deep-water............. 0.0521 2,000 104
4..................... September 1-October 1... shallow-water.......... 0.0074 2,000 15
deep-water............. 0.0014 2,000 3
5..................... October 1-December 31... shallow-water.......... 0.0227 2,000 45
deep-water............. 0.0371 2,000 74
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classification
NMFS has determined that the proposed harvest specifications are
consistent with the FMP and preliminarily determined that the proposed
harvest specifications are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and
other applicable laws.
This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
NMFS prepared a Final EIS for Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications and made it available to the public on January 12, 2007
(72 FR 1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision
(ROD) for the Final EIS. Copies of the Final EIS and ROD for this
action are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The Final EIS analyzes
the environmental consequences of the proposed action and its
alternatives on resources in the action area. The Final EIS found no
significant environmental consequences from the proposed action or its
alternatives.
NMFS also prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(IRFA) as required by Section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
The IRFA evaluated the impacts on small entities of alternative harvest
strategies for the groundfish fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ) off of Alaska. While the specification numbers may change from
year to year, the harvest strategy for establishing those numbers
remains the same. NMFS therefore is using the same IRFA prepared in
connection with the EIS. NMFS published a notice of the availability of
the IRFA and its summary in the classification section of the proposed
harvest specifications for the groundfish fisheries in the GOA in the
Federal Register on December 15, 2006 (71 FR 75460). The comment period
on the GOA proposed harvest specifications and IRFA ended on January
16, 2007. NMFS did not receive any comments on the IRFA.
A description of the proposed action, why it is being considered,
and the legal basis for this proposed action are contained in the
preamble above. This IRFA meets the statutory requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601-612). A copy
of this analysis is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A summary of
the IRFA follows.
The action under consideration is a harvest strategy to govern the
catch of groundfish in the GOA. The preferred alternative is the status
quo harvest strategy in which TACs fall within the range of ABCs
recommended by the Council's harvest specification process and TACs
recommended by the Council. This action is taken in accordance with the
FMP prepared by the Council pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The directly regulated small entities include approximately 747
small catcher vessels and fewer than 20 small catcher processors. The
entities directly regulated by this action are those that harvest
groundfish in the exclusive
[[Page 73239]]
economic zone of the GOA, and in parallel fisheries within State of
Alaska waters. These include entities operating catcher vessels and
catcher processor vessels within the action area, and entities
receiving direct allocations of groundfish. Catcher vessels and catcher
processors were considered to be small entities if they had annual
gross receipts of $4 million per year or less from all economic
activities, including the revenue of their affiliated operations. Data
from 2005 were the most recent available and were used to determine the
number of small entities.
Estimates of first wholesale gross revenues for the GOA were used
as indices of the potential impacts of the alternative harvest
strategies on small entities. An index of revenues were projected to
decline under the preferred alternative due to declines in ABCs for key
species in the GOA. The index of revenues declined by less than 4
percent between 2007 and 2008 and by less than one percent between 2007
and 2009.
The preferred alternative (Alternative 2) was compared to four
other alternatives. These included Alternative 1, which would have set
TACs to generate fishing rates equal to the maximum permissible ABC (if
the full TAC were harvested), unless the sum of TACs exceeded the GOA
OY, in which case harvests would be limited to the OY. Alternative 3
would have set TACs to produce fishing rates equal to the most recent
five-year average fishing rate. Alternative 4 would have set TACs to
equal the lower limit of the GOA OY range. Alternative 5 would have set
TACs equal to zero. Alternative 5 is the ``no action'' alternative.
Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 were all associated with smaller levels
for important fishery TACs than Alternative 2. Estimated total first
wholesale gross revenues were used as an index of potential adverse
impacts to small entities. As a consequence of the lower TAC levels,
Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 all had smaller of these first wholesale
revenue indices than Alternative 2. Thus, Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 had
greater adverse impacts on small entities. Alternative 1 appeared to
generate higher values of the gross revenue index for fishing
operations in the GOA than Alternative 2. A large part of the
Alternative 1 GOA revenue appears to be due to the assumption that the
full Alternative 1 TAC would be harvested. Much of the larger revenue
is due to increases in flatfish TACs that were much greater for
Alternative 1 than for Alternative 2. In recent years, halibut bycatch
constraints in these fisheries have kept actual flatfish catches from
reaching Alternative 1 levels. Therefore, a large part of the revenues
associated with Alternative 1 are unlikely to occur. Also, Alternative
2 TACs are constrained by the ABCs that the Plan Teams and SSC are
likely to recommend to the Council on the basis of a full consideration
of biological issues. These ABCs are often less than the maximum
permissible ABCs of Alternative 1. Therefore higher TACs under
Alternative 1 may not be consistent with prudent biological management
of the resource. For these reasons, Alternative 2 is the preferred
alternative.
This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting
requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any Federal
rules.
Adverse impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities
conducted under this rule are discussed in the Final EIS (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Public Law 105-277; Public Law
106-31; Public Law 106-554; Public Law 108-199; Public Law 108-447;
Public Law 109-241; Public Law 109-479.
Dated: November 25, 2008.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28617 Filed 12-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P