[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11749-11778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5472]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131362-0087-02]
RIN 0648-XS43
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Final 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications,
apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2010
and 2011 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the GOA. 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: Effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 12,
2010, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision
(ROD), Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are
available from http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2009 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the GOA, dated November 2009, is available from the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council's (the Council) Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, 907-481-1780, or Obren
Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the 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.
[[Page 11750]]
fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
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. Upon consideration of public
comment received under Sec. 679.20(c)(1), NMFS must publish notice of
final specifications for up to two fishing years as annual target and
``other species'' TAC, per Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final
specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 28 of this document
reflect the outcome of this process, as required at 679.20(c).
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications for groundfish of
the GOA and Pacific halibut PSC allowances were published in the
Federal Register on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62533). Comments were
invited and accepted through December 30, 2009. NMFS received three
letters of comment on the proposed specifications. The comments are
summarized in the Response to Comments section of this action. In
December 2009, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding the 2010 and
2011 harvest specifications. After considering public comments
received, as well as biological and economic data that were available
at the Council's December 2009 meeting, NMFS is implementing the final
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council.
For 2010, the sum of the TAC amounts is 292,087 mt. For 2011, the sum
of the TAC amounts is 328,464 mt.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications
In December 2009, the Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), reviewed current biological
and harvest information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the
GOA. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and
was presented in the final 2009 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish
fisheries, dated November 2009 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report
contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and 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
data and analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for each species or
species category.
The final ABCs and TACs are based on the best available biological
and socioeconomic information, 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 overfishing levels
(OFLs). The formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. This information is categorized into a successive
series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts, with tier one
representing the highest level of information quality available and
tier six representing the lowest level of information quality
available. The SSC adopted the final 2010 and 2011 OFLs and ABCs
recommended by the Plan Team for all groundfish species.
The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including
maintaining the sum of all TACs within the required OY range of 116,000
to 800,000 mt. The Council adopted the SSC's OFL and ABC
recommendations and the AP's TAC recommendations. The Council
recommended TACs for 2010 and 2011 that are equal to 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, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates. The Council recommended TACs
for 2010 and 2011 that are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead
sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, Atka
mackerel, and ``other species.'' None of the Council's recommended TACs
for 2010 and 2011 exceed the final ABC for any species or species
category. The 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications approved by the
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) are unchanged from those recommended
by the Council and are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy
alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the Council's
recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the biological
condition of the groundfish stocks as described in the 2009 SAFE report
and approved by the Council. NMFS also finds that the Council's
recommendations for OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the
biological condition of groundfish stocks as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the
total TAC within the OY range. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended
TAC specifications and apportionments and approves these specifications
under 50 CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment of TAC amounts among
gear types, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2010 and 2011 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sums of the 2010 and
2011 ABCs are 565,499 mt and 605,086 mt, respectively, which are higher
in 2010 and 2011 than the 2009 ABC sum of 516,055 mt (74 FR 7333,
February 17, 2009).
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
As in prior years, the SSC and Council recommended that the method
of apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2010 and
2011 include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe the use of unbiased commercial fishery data
reflecting catch-per-unit-effort provides rational input for stock
distribution assessments. NMFS annually evaluates the use of commercial
fishery data to ensure 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 five percent of the combined
Eastern Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental catch
in other directed groundfish fisheries in the West Yakutat (WYK)
District (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State of Alaska (State) managed pollock
fishery in Prince William Sound (PWS), the GOA Plan Team has
recommended the guideline harvest level (GHL) for the pollock fishery
in PWS be deducted from the ABC for the western stock of pollock in the
GOA in the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area. For the 2010
and 2011 pollock fisheries in PWS, the State's GHL is 1,650 mt.
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
[[Page 11751]]
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) (50 CFR 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A), (B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council recommended apportionment of the ABC for
Pacific cod in the GOA among regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. The 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod TACs
are affected by the State's fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in
the Central and Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in PWS. The Plan
Team, SSC, AP, and Council recommended that the sum of all State and
Federal water Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC
recommendations. Accordingly, the Council recommended reducing the 2010
and 2011 Pacific cod TACs from the ABCs in the Central and Western
Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 2010 Pacific
cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following amounts: (1) Eastern
GOA, 356 mt; (2) Central GOA, 12,260 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,921 mt.
The 2011 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following
amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 441 mt; (2) Central GOA, 15,174 mt; and (3)
Western GOA, 8,566 mt. These amounts reflect the sum of the State's
2010 and 2011 GHLs in these areas, which are 15 percent, 25 percent,
and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA ABCs,
respectively. The percentage of the ABC used to calculate the 2010 and
2011 GHL for the State-managed Pacific cod fishery in PWS fisheries has
been increased from 10 percent in 2009 to 15 percent of the Eastern GOA
ABC in 2010 and 2011.
NMFS establishes seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod
TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-line, pot, and
jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl gear from
January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is
apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot, and 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)(12)).
NMFS establishes--for 2010 and 2011--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 harvest in the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after June 10 will
continue to accrue against 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 by reducing the
likelihood of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A
season.
Other Actions Affecting the 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications
The Council is developing an amendment to the FMP to comply with
Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements associated with annual catch limits
and accountability measures. That amendment may result in revisions to
how total annual groundfish mortality is estimated and accounted for in
the annual SAFE reports, which in turn may affect the OFLs and ABCs for
certain groundfish species. NMFS will attempt to identify additional
sources of mortality to groundfish stocks not currently reported or
considered by the groundfish stock assessments in recommending OFL,
ABC, and TAC for certain groundfish species. These changes would not be
in effect until 2011, and could affect the 2011 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs
contained in this action.
In October 2008, the Council adopted Amendment 34 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs.
Amendment 34 would amend the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab
Rationalization Program (Crab Rationalization Program) to exempt
additional fishery participants from harvest limits, called sideboards,
which apply to some vessels and license limitation program (LLP)
licenses that are used to participate in GOA Pacific cod and pollock
fisheries. These particular sideboards are discussed under the
subsequent section titled ``Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest
Limitations.'' Tables 19 and 20 specify the 2010 and 2011 sideboard
amounts. If the Secretary approves Amendment 34, NMFS would revise the
sideboard amounts specified in Tables 19 and 20.
Changes From the Proposed 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications in the
GOA
In October 2009, the Council's recommendations for the proposed
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications (74 FR 62533, November 30, 2009)
were based largely upon information contained in the final 2008 SAFE
report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2008 (see
ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs
established for the groundfish fisheries in 2009 (74 FR 7333, February
17, 2009, see Table 2) be rolled over to 2010 and 2011, pending
completion and review of the 2009 SAFE report at its December 2009
meeting.
The 2009 SAFE report, which was not available when the Council made
its recommendations in October 2009, contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition of the groundfish stocks. The
Council considered this report in December 2009 when it made
recommendations for the final 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications. The
Council's final 2010 and 2011 TAC recommendations increase fishing
opportunities for species for which the Council had sufficient
information to raise TAC levels. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC
levels to provide greater protection for some species. Based on the
final 2009 SAFE report, the sum of the 2010 final TACs for the GOA
(292,087 mt) is 7,399 mt higher than the sum of the proposed 2010 TACs
(284,688 mt). The largest 2010 increases occurred for pollock, from
74,330 mt to 84,745 mt (14 percent increase); for rex sole, from 8,827
mt to 9,729 mt (10 percent increase); for Pacific ocean perch, from
15,098 mt to 17,584 mt (16 percent increase); for northern rockfish,
from 4,173 mt to 5,098 mt (22 percent increase); and for pelagic shelf
rockfish, from 4,465 mt to 5,059 mt (13 percent increase). The largest
decreases occurred for deep-water flatfish, from 9,793 mt to 6,190 mt
(37 percent decrease); for shallow-water flatfish, from 22,256 mt to
20,062 mt (10 percent decrease); for flathead sole, from 11,289 mt to
10,441 mt (8 percent decrease); for other rockfish, from 1,730 mt to
1,192 mt (31 percent decrease); for thornyhead rockfish, from 1,910 mt
to 1,770 mt (7 percent decrease); and for demersal shelf rockfish, from
362 mt to 295 mt (18 percent decrease). The sum of the final 2011 TACs
for the GOA (328,464 mt) is 43,776 mt higher than the sum of the
proposed 2011 TACs (284,688 mt). The largest 2011 increases occurred
for pollock, Pacific cod, rex sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Concurrently, decreases occurred
for sablefish, deep-water flatfish, shallow-water flatfish, flathead
sole, other rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish.
Other increases or decreases in 2010 and 2011 are within 2 percent of
the proposed specifications.
[[Page 11752]]
The changes in the final rule from the proposed rule are based on
the most recent scientific information and implement the harvest
strategy described in the proposed rule for the harvest specifications.
Tables 1 and 2 list the 2010 and 2011, respectively, final OFL, ABC,
and TAC amounts for GOA groundfish.
Table 1--Final 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 26,256 26,256 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 28,095 28,095 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 19,118 19,118 n/a
WYK (640)............... 2,031 2,031 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
W/C/WYK (subtotal)...... 75,500 75,500 103,210
SEO (650)............... 9,245 9,245 12,326
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 84,745 84,745 115,536
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 27,685 20,764 n/a
C....................... 49,042 36,782 n/a
E....................... 2,373 2,017 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 79,100 59,563 94,100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \4\......................... W....................... 1,660 1,660 n/a
C....................... 4,510 4,510 n/a
WYK..................... 1,620 1,620 n/a
SEO..................... 2,580 2,580 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) 4,200 4,200 n/a
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 10,370 10,370 12,270
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep-water flatfish \5\............... W....................... 521 521 n/a
C....................... 2,865 2,865 n/a
WYK..................... 2,044 2,044 n/a
SEO..................... 760 760 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 6,190 6,190 7,680
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow-water flatfish \6\............ W....................... 23,681 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,999 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,228 1,228 n/a
SEO..................... 1,334 1,334 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 56,242 20,062 67,768
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,543 1,543 n/a
C....................... 6,403 6,403 n/a
WYK..................... 883 883 n/a
SEO..................... 900 900 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,729 9,729 12,714
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 34,773 8,000 n/a
C....................... 146,407 30,000 n/a
WYK..................... 22,835 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 11,867 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 215,882 43,000 254,271
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 16,857 2,000 n/a
C....................... 27,124 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,990 1,990 n/a
SEO..................... 1,451 1,451 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 47,422 10,411 59,295
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 2,895 2,895 3,332
C....................... 10,737 10,737 12,361
WYK..................... 2,004 2,004 n/a
SEO..................... 1,948 1,948 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) 3,952 3,952 4,550
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 11753]]
Total................ 17,584 17,584 20,243
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \8\ \9\............. W....................... 2,703 2,703 n/a
C....................... 2,395 2,395 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 5,098 5,098 6,070
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \10\................ W....................... 80 80 n/a
C....................... 862 862 n/a
E....................... 360 360 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,302 1,302 1,568
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \11\.............. W....................... 134 134 n/a
C....................... 325 325 n/a
E....................... 455 455 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 914 914 1,219
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \9\ \12\............... W....................... 212 212 n/a
C....................... 507 507 n/a
WYK..................... 273 273 n/a
SEO..................... 2,757 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,749 1,192 4,881
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 650 650 n/a
C....................... 3,249 3,249 n/a
WYK..................... 434 434 n/a
SEO..................... 726 726 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 5,059 5,059 6,142
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish \14\.......... SEO..................... 295 295 472
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 425 425 n/a
C....................... 637 637 n/a
E....................... 708 708 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,770 1,770 2,360
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 2,000 6,200
Big skate \15\........................ W....................... 598 598 n/a
C....................... 2,049 2,049 n/a
E....................... 681 681 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,328 3,328 4,438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skate \16\................... W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 2,009 2,009 n/a
E....................... 762 762 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 2,852 2,852 3,803
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \17\..................... GW...................... 2,093 2,093 2,791
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... 7,075 4,500 9,432
-----------------------------------------------
Total............................. ........................ 565,499 292,087 693,253
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent 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 percent,
54 percent, and 16 percent 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 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 7 and 8 list the proposed
2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
[[Page 11754]]
\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4
list the proposed 2010 and 2011 sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\6\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to
the Eastern GOA has been included in the slope rockfish complex.
\9\ ``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.
\10\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\11\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\12\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ ``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).
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja spp.
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
Table 2--Final 2011 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 34,728 34,728 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 37,159 37,159 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 25,287 25,287 n/a
WYK (640)............... 2,686 2,686 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
W/C/WYK (subtotal)...... 99,860 99,860 135,010
SEO (650)............... 9,245 9,245 12,326
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 109,105 109,105 147,336
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 34,265 25,699 n/a
C....................... 60,698 45,524 n/a
E....................... 2,937 2,496 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 97,900 73,719 116,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \4\......................... W....................... 1,488 1,488 n/a
C....................... 4,042 4,042 n/a
WYK..................... 1,450 1,450 n/a
SEO..................... 2,320 2,320 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
E (WYK and SEO) 3,770 3,770 n/a
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,300 9,300 11,008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep-water flatfish \5\............... W....................... 530 530 n/a
C....................... 2,928 2,928 n/a
WYK..................... 2,089 2,089 n/a
SEO..................... 778 778 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 6,325 6,325 7,847
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow-water flatfish \6\............ W....................... 23,681 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,999 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,228 1,228 n/a
SEO..................... 1,334 1,334 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 56,242 20,062 67,768
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,521 1,521 n/a
C....................... 6,312 6,312 n/a
WYK..................... 871 871 n/a
SEO..................... 888 888 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,592 9,592 12,534
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 34,263 8,000 n/a
C....................... 144,262 30,000 n/a
[[Page 11755]]
WYK..................... 22,501 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 11,693 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 212,719 43,000 250,559
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 17,520 2,000 n/a
C....................... 28,190 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 2,068 2,068 n/a
SEO..................... 1,508 1,508 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 49,286 10,576 61,601
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 2,797 2,797 3,220
C....................... 10,377 10,377 11,944
WYK..................... 1,937 1,937 n/a
SEO..................... 1,882 1,882 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
E (WYK and SEO) 3,819 3,819 4,396
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 16,993 16,993 19,560
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \8\ \9\............. W....................... 2,549 2,549 n/a
C....................... 2,259 2,259 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 4,808 4,808 5,730
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \10\................ W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 869 869 n/a
E....................... 363 363 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,313 1,313 1,581
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \11\.............. W....................... 134 134 n/a
C....................... 325 325 n/a
E....................... 455 455 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 914 914 1,219
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \\9 \12\............... W....................... 212 212 n/a
C....................... 507 507 n/a
WYK..................... 273 273 n/a
SEO..................... 2,757 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,749 1,192 4,881
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 607 607 n/a
C....................... 3,035 3,035 n/a
WYK..................... 405 405 n/a
SEO..................... 680 680 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 4,727 4,727 5,739
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish \14\.......... SEO..................... 295 295 472
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 425 425 n/a
C....................... 637 637 n/a
E....................... 708 708 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,770 1,770 2,360
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 2,000 6,200
Big skate \15\........................ W....................... 598 598 n/a
C....................... 2,049 2,049 n/a
E....................... 681 681 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,328 3,328 4,438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skate \16\................... W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 2,009 2,009 n/a
[[Page 11756]]
E....................... 762 762 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 2,852 2,852 3,803
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \17\..................... GW...................... 2,093 2,093 2,791
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... 7,075 4,500 9,432
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................. ........................ 605,086 328,464 743,559
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent 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 percent,
54 percent, and 16 percent 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 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Tables 7 and 8 list the proposed
2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4
list the proposed 2010 and 2011 sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\6\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to
the Eastern GOA has been included in the slope rockfish complex.
\9\ ``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.
\10\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\11\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\12\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ ``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).
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja spp.
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 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 2009, NMFS reapportioned all the reserves in the final
harvest specifications. For 2010 and 2011, NMFS proposed
reapportionment of all the reserves in the proposed 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications published in the Federal Register on November
30, 2009 (74 FR 62533). NMFS received no public comments on the
proposed reapportionments. For the final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, NMFS reapportioned, as proposed, all the reserves for
pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and ``other species.'' Specifications
of TAC shown in Tables 1 and 2 reflect reapportionment of reserve
amounts for these species and species groups.
Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-and-Line
and Trawl Gear
Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocations 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 Regulatory Area, 95
percent of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and five percent
is allocated to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in the Eastern
Regulatory Area may only be used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other target species (Sec.
679.20(a)(1)). In recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO District of
the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council recommended (and NMFS concurs
with) the allocation of five percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory
Area sablefish TAC 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 allocates 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in
the SEO District to vessels using hook-and-line gear. This
recommendation results in an allocation of 210 mt to trawl gear and
1,410 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District in 2010, an
allocation of 2,580 mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in
2010, and 189 mt to trawl gear in the WYK District in 2011. Table 3
lists the allocations of the 2010 sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and
trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations of the 2011 sablefish TACs to
trawl gear.
The Council recommended that the hook-and-line sablefish TAC be
established annually to ensure that the Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ)
fishery is conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery and is
based on the most recent survey information. The Council also
recommended that only a
[[Page 11757]]
trawl sablefish TAC be established for two years so that retention of
incidental catch of sablefish by trawl gear could commence in January
in the second year of the groundfish harvest specifications. However,
since there is an annual assessment for sablefish and the final harvest
specifications are expected to be published before the IFQ season
begins (typically, early March), the industry and Council recommended
that the sablefish TAC 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
during the entire fishing year, and given that fishing for groundfish
is prohibited prior to January 20, it is not likely that the sablefish
allocation to trawl gear would be reached before the effective date of
the final harvest specifications.
Table 3--Final 2010 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the GOA 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......................................................... 1,660 1,328 332
Central......................................................... 4,510 3,608 902
West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,620 1,410 210
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,580 2,580 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 10,370 8,926 1,444
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Table 4--Final 2011 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the GOA and Allocation to Trawl Gear \1\
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,488 n/a 298
Central......................................................... 4,042 n/a 808
West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,450 n/a 189
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,320 n/a 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 9,300 n/a 1,295
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing
Quota fisheries be limited to one year.
\2\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
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 allocated for processing by inshore and offshore 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 to March 10, March 10 to May
31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA
are apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, pursuant to
Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). 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 2010 and 2011,
the Council recommends, and NMFS approves, 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
and the performance of the fishery in the area during the A season for
the 2010 and 2011 fishing years. Within any fishing year, the amount by
which a seasonal allowance is under- or overharvested may be added to,
or subtracted from, subsequent seasonal allowances in a manner to be
determined by the Regional Administrator (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
The rollover amount of unharvested pollock is limited to 20 percent of
the 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 pollock TACs in the WYK and SEO District of
2,031 mt and 9,245 mt, respectively, in 2010, and 2,686 mt and 9,245
mt, respectively, in 2011, 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 projected by the Regional Administrator to be
caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component incidental to
directed fishing for other groundfish species. Thus, the amount of
pollock available for harvest by vessels harvesting pollock for
processing by the offshore component is that amount that will be taken
as incidental catch during directed fishing for groundfish species
other than pollock, up to the maximum retainable amounts allowed by
Sec. 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch amounts
of pollock are unknown and will be determined during the fishing year.
Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal biomass distribution of pollock in
the
[[Page 11758]]
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 5--Final 2010 Distribution of Pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas of the GOA; Seasonal Biomass Distribution, Area Apportionments;
and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season \1\ Shumagin (Area 610)
Chirikof (Area 620)
Kodiak (Area 630) Total \2\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10)............................................ 5,551 (30.22%) 8,414 (45.81%) 4,403 (23.97%) 18,368
B (Mar 10-May 31)............................................ 5,551 (30.22%) 9,925 (54.04%) 2,891 (15.74%) 18,367
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)............................................. 7,577 (41.25%) 4,878 (26.55%) 5,912 (32.19%) 18,367
D (Oct 1-Nov 1).............................................. 7,577 (41.25%) 4,878 (26.55%) 5,912 (32.19%) 18,367
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Total............................................. 26,256 ........... 28,095 ........... 19,118 ........... 73,469
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ As established by Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to
May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore
components are not shown in this table.
\2\ 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.
Table 6--Final 2011 Distribution of Pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas of the GOA; Seasonal Biomass Distribution, Area Apportionments;
and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season \1\ Shumagin (Area 610)
Chirikof (Area 620)
Kodiak (Area 630) Total \2\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10)............................................ 7,342 (30.22%) 11,129 (45.81%) 5,823 (23.97%) 24,294
B (Mar 10-May 31)............................................ 7,342 (30.22%) 13,128 (54.04%) 3,824 (15.74%) 24,294
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)............................................. 10,022 (41.25%) 6,451 (26.55%) 7,820 (32.19%) 24,293
D (Oct 1-Nov 1).............................................. 10,022 (41.25%) 6,451 (26.55%) 7,820 (32.19%) 24,293
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Total............................................. 34,728 ........... 37,159 ........... 25,287 ........... 97,174
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ As established by Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to
May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore
components are not shown in this table.
\2\ 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.
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)(i)). After subtraction of incidental
catch from the A season, 60 percent of the annual TAC will be available
as a DFA during the A season for the inshore and offshore components.
The remaining 40 percent of the annual TAC will be available for
harvest during the B season. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(12)(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 allocation of the TAC
apportionments of Pacific cod in all regulatory areas to 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.
Tables 7 and 8 list the seasonal apportionments and allocations of the
final 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod TACs, respectively.
Table 7--Final 2010 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod TAC Amounts in the GOA; Allocations
for Processing by the Inshore and Offshore Components
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component allocation
Regulatory area Season TAC -----------------------------------
Inshore (90%) Offshore (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western............................ Annual............... 20,764 18,687 2,077
A season (60%)....... 12,458 11,212 1,246
B season (40%)....... 8,306 7,475 831
Central............................ Annual............... 36,782 33,104 3,678
A season (60%)....... 22,069 19,862 2,207
B season (40%)....... 14,713 13,242 1,471
[[Page 11759]]
Eastern............................ Annual............... 2,017 1,816 201
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... ..................... 59,563 53,607 5,956
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8--Final 2011 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod TAC Amounts in the GOA; Allocations
for Processing by the Inshore and Offshore Components
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component allocation
Regulatory area Season TAC -----------------------------------
Inshore (90%) Offshore (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western............................ Annual............... 25,699 23,129 2,570
A season (60%)....... 15,419 13,877 1,542
B season (40%)....... 10,280 9,252 1,028
Central............................ Annual............... 45,524 40,972 4,552
A season (60%)....... 27,314 24,583 2,731
B season (40%)....... 18,210 16,389 1,821
Eastern............................ Annual............... 2,496 2,246 250
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... ..................... 73,719 66,347 7,372
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR)
The recommended 2010 and 2011 DSR TAC is 295 mt. In 2006, the
Alaska Board of Fish (BOF) allocated the SEO District DSR TAC between
the commercial fishery (84 percent) and the sportfish fishery (16
percent). This results in 2010 and 2011 allocations of 248 mt to the
commercial fishery and 47 mt to the sportfish fishery. Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) deducts estimates of incidental
catch of DSR in the commercial halibut fishery from the DSR commercial
fishery allocation. In 2009, this resulted in 115 mt being available
for the directed commercial DSR fishery apportioned between four outer
coast areas. Only two of these areas had GHLs large enough to support
directed fisheries, totaling 78 mt. Of this amount, 76 mt were
harvested in directed fisheries. DSR harvest in the halibut fishery is
linked to the halibut quota; therefore the ADF&G cannot estimate
potential DSR incidental catch in that fishery until those quotas are
established. Federally permitted catcher vessels using hook-and-line or
jig gear fishing for groundfish and Pacific halibut in the SEO District
of the GOA are required Full retention of all DSR (Sec. 679.20(j)).
The ADF&G announced the opening of directed fishing for DSR in January
following the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) annual
January meeting.
Apportionments to the Central GOA Rockfish Pilot 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 Rockfish Program. Five percent (2.5 percent to
trawl gear and 2.5 percent to fixed gear) of the final TACs for Pacific
ocean perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish in the
Central Regulatory Area are allocated to the entry-level rockfish
fishery; the remaining 95 percent are allocated to those vessels
eligible to participate in the Rockfish Program. NMFS is setting
aside--in 2010 and 2011--incidental catch amounts (ICAs) of 500 mt of
Pacific ocean perch, 100 mt of northern rockfish, and 100 mt of pelagic
shelf rockfish for other directed fisheries in the Central Regulatory
Area. These amounts are based on recent average incidental catch in the
Central Regulatory Area by these 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.
Tables 9 and 10 list the final 2010 and 2011 allocations of
rockfish in the Central GOA to trawl and longline gear in the entry-
level rockfish fishery, respectively. Allocations of primary rockfish
species TACs among participants in the Rockfish Program are not
included in the final 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
final 2010 allocations. NMFS will post these allocations on the Alaska
Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm) when they become available in March 2010.
[[Page 11760]]
Table 9--Final 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 metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental Entry-level Entry-level
Species TAC catch TAC minus ICA 5% TAC 2.5% TAC trawl longline
allowance allocation allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch..................... 10,737 500 10,237 512 256 392 120
Northern rockfish....................... 2,395 100 2,295 115 57 0 115
Pelagic shelf rockfish.................. 3,249 100 3,149 157 79 0 157
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................... 16,381 700 15,681 784 392 392 392
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
Table 10--Final 2011 Allocations of Rockfish in the Central GOA to Trawl and Longline Gear \1\ in the Entry-Level Rockfish Fishery
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental Entry-level Entry-level
Species TAC catch TAC minus ICA 5% TAC 2.5% TAC trawl longline
allowance allocation allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch..................... 10,377 500 9,877 494 247 375 119
Northern rockfish....................... 2,259 100 2,159 108 54 0 108
Pelagic shelf rockfish.................. 3,035 100 2,935 147 74 0 147
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................... 15,671 700 14,971 749 375 375 374
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
Halibut PSC Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes the annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-and-line gear and permits the
establishment of apportionments for pot gear. In December 2009, the
Council recommended that NMFS maintain the 2009 halibut PSC limits of
2,000 mt for the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the hook-and-line
fisheries. Ten mt of the hook-and-line limit is further allocated to
the 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) and are
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 duration of the DSR 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 directed
DSR commercial fishery. ADF&G sets the GHLs after estimates of
incidental catch in all fisheries (including halibut and subsistence)
and allocation to the sportfish fishery have been deducted. Of the 362
mt TAC for DSR in 2009, 115 mt was available for the commercial
fishery, of which 76 mt were harvested.
The FMP authorizes the Council to exempt specific gear from the
halibut PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation with the Council, exempts
pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery
from the non-trawl halibut limit for 2010 and 2011. The Council
recommended these exemptions because (1) the pot gear fisheries have
low annual halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 18 mt annually from
2001 through 2009); (2) IFQ program regulations prohibit discard of
halibut if any halibut IFQ permit holder on board a catcher vessel
holds unused halibut IFQ (Sec. 679.7(f)(11)). Sablefish IFQ fishermen
typically also hold halibut IFQ permits, so are required to retain the
halibut they catch while fishing sablefish 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 small amount of groundfish harvested by jig gear (averaging
258 mt annually from 2001 through 2009), the selective nature of jig
gear, and the high survival rates of halibut caught and released with
jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) authorizes NMFS to seasonally apportion the
halibut PSC limits after consultation with the Council. The FMP and
regulations require the Council and NMFS to 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 information to
establish the halibut PSC limits was obtained from the 2009 SAFE
report, NMFS, ADF&G, the IPHC, and public testimony.
NMFS concurs in the Council's recommendations listed in Table 11,
which shows the final 2010 and 2011 Pacific halibut PSC limits,
allowances, and apportionments. Sections 679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv)
specify that any underages or overages of a seasonal apportionment of a
PSC limit will be deducted from or added to the next respective
seasonal apportionment within the fishing year.
[[Page 11761]]
Table 11--Final 2010 and 2011 Pacific Halibut PSC Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
[Values are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other than DSR DSR
Season Percent Amount ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Percent Amount Season Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1...................... 27.5 550 January 1-June 10......... 86 250 January 1-December 31..... 10
April 1-July 1.......................... 20 400 June 10-September 1....... 2 5
July 1-September 1...................... 30 600 September 1-December 31... 12 35
September 1-October 1................... 7.5 150
October 1-December 31................... 15 300
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................... .......... 2,000 .......................... ......... 290 .......................... 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the 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 the 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 12 lists the final
2010 and 2011 apportionments of Pacific halibut PSC trawl limits
between the trawl gear deep-water and the shallow-water species
categories.
Table 12--Final 2010 and 2011 Apportionment of Pacific Halibut PSC Trawl Limits Between the Trawl Gear Deep-
Water Species Complex and the Shallow-Water Species Complex
[Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Shallow-water Deep-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 Any remainder................... 150
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal January 20-October 1......... 900 800............................. 1,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 1-December 31 \2\................. ................ ................................ 300
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................. ................ ................................ 2,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive a portion of the
third season (July 1-September 1) deep-water category halibut PSC apportionment. This amount is not currently
known but will be posted later on the Alaska Region Web site (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-December 31).
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior Years
The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2009. The calculated halibut bycatch
mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gears through December 31,
2009, is 1,817 mt, 277 mt, and 7 mt, respectively, for a total halibut
mortality of 2,101 mt. This mortality was calculated using groundfish
and halibut catch data from the NMFS, Alaska Region's catch accounting
system. This system contains historical and recent catch information
compiled from each Alaska groundfish fishery.
Halibut bycatch restrictions seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2009 fishing year. Table 13 displays the closure
dates for fisheries that resulted from the attainment of seasonal or
annual halibut PSC limits. NMFS does not know amount of groundfish that
trawl gear might have harvested if halibut PSC limits had not
restricted some 2009 GOA groundfish fisheries.
Table 13--Fishery Closures Due to Attainment of Pacific Halibut PSC Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fishery category Opening date Closure date Federal Register Citation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl Deep-water, season 1..... January 20, 2009.. March 3, 2009..... 74 FR 9964, March 9, 2009.
Trawl Deep-water, season 2..... April 1, 2009..... April 23, 2009.... 74 FR 19459, April 29, 2009.
Trawl Shallow-water, season 4.. Sept 1, 2009...... Sept. 2, 2009..... 74 FR 45378, Sept. 2, 2009.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 11762]]
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks and Catch
The final 2010 and 2011 ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, rex sole,
flathead sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, rougheye
rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and ``other species'' are higher than
those established for 2009, while the final 2010 and 2011 ABCs for
sablefish, deep-water flatfish, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth
flounder, other rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish,
big skate, longnose skate, and ``other skates'' are lower than those
established for 2009. The final ABCs for pelagic shelf rockfish are,
respectively, higher in 2010 and lower in 2011 than the 2009 ABCs. For
the remaining target species, the Council recommended and the Secretary
approved ABC levels in 2010 and 2011 that remain unchanged from 2009.
More information on these changes is included in the final 2009 SAFE
report. This document is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total final 2010 TAC amount is 292,087 mt, an
increase of three percent from the total proposed 2010 TAC limit of
284,688 mt. The total final 2011 TAC amount is 328,464 mt, an increase
of 15 percent from the total proposed 2011 TAC limit of 284,688 mt.
Table 14 compares the proposed 2010 TACs to the final 2010 and 2011
TACs.
Table 14--Comparison of Proposed and Final 2010 and 2011 GOA TACs
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 2011
Species 2010 final TAC 2010 proposed difference 2011 final TAC 2011 proposed difference
TAC from proposed TAC from proposed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock................................................. 84,745 74,330 10,415 109,105 74,330 34,775
Pacific cod............................................. 59,563 60,102 -539 73,719 60,102 13,617
Sablefish............................................... 10,370 10,337 33 9,300 10,337 -1,037
Deep-water flatfish..................................... 6,190 9,793 -3,603 6,325 9,793 -3,468
Shallow-water flatfish.................................. 20,062 22,256 -2,194 20,062 22,256 -2,194
Rex sole................................................ 9,729 8,827 902 9,592 8,827 765
Arrowtooth flounder..................................... 43,000 43,000 0 43,000 43,000 0
Flathead sole........................................... 10,441 11,289 -848 10,576 11,289 -713
Pacific ocean perch..................................... 17,584 15,098 2,486 16,993 15,098 1,895
Northern rockfish....................................... 5,098 4,173 925 4,808 4,173 635
Rougheye rockfish....................................... 1,302 1,297 5 1,313 1,297 16
Shortraker rockfish..................................... 914 898 16 914 898 16
Other rockfish.......................................... 1,192 1,730 -538 1,192 1,730 -538
Pelagic shelf rockfish.................................. 5,059 4,465 594 4,727 4,465 262
Demersal shelf rockfish................................. 295 362 -67 295 362 -67
Thornyhead rockfish..................................... 1,770 1,910 -140 1,770 1,910 -140
Atka mackerel........................................... 2,000 2,000 0 2,000 2,000 0
Big skate............................................... 3,328 3,330 -2 3,328 3,330 -2
Longnose skates......................................... 2,852 2,887 -35 2,852 2,887 -35
Other skates............................................ 2,093 2,104 -11 2,093 2,104 -11
Other species........................................... 4,500 4,500 0 4,500 4,500 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... 292,087 284,688 7,399 328,464 284,688 43,776
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition
The most recent halibut stock assessment was developed by the IPHC
staff in December 2009 for the 2010 commercial fishery; this assessment
was considered by the IPHC at its annual January 2010 meeting. Since
2006, the IPHC stock assessment has been fitted to a coastwide data set
(including the United States and Canada) to estimate total exploitable
biomass. Coastwide exploitable biomass at the beginning of 2010 is
estimated to be 334 million pounds. The assessment revised last year's
estimate of 325 million pounds at the start of 2009 downwards to 291
million pounds and projects an increase of 14 percent over that value
to arrive at the 2010 value of 334 million pounds. At least part, if
not most, of the downward revision for 2009 is believed to be caused by
the ongoing decline in size at age, which continues for all ages in all
areas. Projections based on the currently estimated age compositions
suggest that the exploitable and female spawning biomasses will
continue to increase over the next several years as a sequence of
strong year classes recruit to the legal-sized component of the
population. The coastwide exploitable biomass was apportioned among
regulatory areas in accordance with survey estimates of relative
abundance and other considerations. The assessment recommends a
coastwide harvest rate of 20 percent of the exploitable biomass
overall, but a lower harvest rate of 15 percent for Areas 4A, 4B, 4C,
4D, 4E, and 3B.
The halibut resource is fully utilized. Recent catches, over the
last 16 years (1994-2009) in the commercial halibut fisheries in Alaska
have averaged 32,850 mt round weight. In December 2009, IPHC staff
recommended Alaska commercial catch limits totaling 25,008 mt round
weight for 2010, a 5 percent decrease from 26,338 mt in 2009. Through
December 31, 2009, commercial hook-and-line harvests of halibut off
Alaska totaled 25,536 mt round weight.
Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment may
be found in the IPHC's 2009 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December
2009), available on the IPHC Web site at http://www.iphc.washington.edu. The IPHC considered the 2009 Pacific halibut
assessment for 2010 at its January 2010 annual meeting when it set the
2010 commercial halibut fishery catch limits.
Other Factors
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications (74 FR 62533,
November 30, 2009) discuss potential impacts of expected fishing for
groundfish on halibut stocks, as well as methods available for, and
costs of, reducing halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries.
[[Page 11763]]
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommended and NMFS concurs that the halibut discard
mortality rates (DMRs) developed and recommended by the IPHC for the
2010 through 2012 GOA groundfish fisheries be used to monitor the 2010
and 2011 GOA halibut bycatch mortality allowances. The IPHC will
analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a
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 1999 and 2008. Long-term average DMRs
were not available for some fisheries (for example, the deepwater
flatfish fishery has not been prosecuted in recent years), so the IPHC
used the average rates from the available years between 1999 and 2008.
For other fisheries targets (which include Atka mackerel, ``other
species,'' and skates for all gear types; and for the hook-and-line
sablefish targets), where no data mortality was available, the IPHC
recommended the mortality rate of halibut caught in the Pacific cod
fishery for that gear type as a default rate. Table 15 compares the
final GOA halibut DMRs for 2010 and 2011 with the DMRs published in the
proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications (74 FR 62533, November
30, 2009). A discussion of the DMRs and their justification is
presented in Appendix 2 to the 2009 SAFE report (see ADDRESSES).
Table 15--Comparison of Proposed and Final 2010 and 2011 Halibut DMRs for Vessels Fishing in the GOA
[Values are percent of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed 2010
and 2011 Final 2010 and
Gear Target fishery mortality rate 2011 mortality
(%) rate (%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line.............................. Other fisheries \1\................ 14 12
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod........................ 14 12
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rockfish........................... 10 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl...................................... Arrowtooth flounder................ 69 72
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep-water flatfish................ 53 48
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole...................... 61 65
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-pelagic pollock................ 59 59
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Other fisheries \1\................ 63 62
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod........................ 63 62
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic pollock.................... 76 76
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole........................... 63 64
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rockfish........................... 67 67
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish.......................... 65 65
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow-water flatfish............. 71 71
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pot........................................ Other fisheries \1\................ 16 17
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod........................ 16 17
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Other fisheries include all gear types for Atka mackerel, ``other species,'' and skates; and hook-and-line
sablefish.
American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel (CV)
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Section 679.64 establishes groundfish harvesting and processing
sideboard limitations on AFA catcher/processors and CVs in the GOA.
These sideboard limits are necessary to protect the interests of
fishermen and processors, who have not directly benefitted from the
AFA, from fishermen and processors who have received 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
harvested in a directed pollock fishery in the GOA and any groundfish
harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.
AFA CVs 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 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 CVs in the GOA
are based on their traditional harvest levels of TAC in groundfish
fisheries covered by the FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii) establishes the
groundfish sideboard limitations in the GOA based on the retained catch
of non-exempt AFA CVs of each sideboard species from 1995 through 1997
divided by the TAC for that species over the same period. Tables 16 and
17 list the final 2010 and 2011 non-exempt AFA CV groundfish sideboard
limits. NMFS will deduct all targeted or incidental catch of sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA CVs from the sideboard limits specified
in Tables 16 and 17.
[[Page 11764]]
Table 16--Final 2010 GOA Non-Exempt AFA CV Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995-
1997 non- 2010 non-
Species Apportionments Area/component exempt AFA CV 2010 TAC exempt AFA CV
by season/gear catch to 1995- sideboard
1997 TAC limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610).. 0.6047 5,551 3,357
January 20-
March 10.
Chirikof (620).. 0.1167 8,414 982
Kodiak (630).... 0.2028 4,403 893
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season--March Shumagin (610).. 0.6047 5,551 3,357
10-May 31.
Chirikof (620).. 0.1167 9,925 1,158
Kodiak (630).... 0.2028 2,891 586
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C Season-- Shumagin (610).. 0.6047 7,577 4,582
August 25-
October 1.
Chirikof (620).. 0.1167 4,878 569
Kodiak (630).... 0.2028 5,912 1,199
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D Season-- Shumagin (610).. 0.6047 7,577 4,582
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620).. 0.1167 4,878 569
Kodiak (630).... 0.2028 5,912 1,199
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual......... WYK (640)....... 0.3495 2,031 710
SEO (650)....... 0.3495 9,245 3,231
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season \1\-- W inshore....... 0.1365 11,212 1,530
January 1-June
10.
W offshore...... 0.1026 1,246 128
C inshore....... 0.0689 19,862 1,368
C offshore...... 0.0721 2,207 159
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season \2\-- W inshore....... 0.1365 7,475 1,020
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore...... 0.1026 831 85
C inshore....... 0.0689 13,242 912
C offshore...... 0.0721 1,471 106
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual......... E inshore....... 0.0079 1,815 14
E offshore...... 0.0078 202 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish.................... Annual, trawl W............... 0.0000 332 0
gear.
C............... 0.0642 902 58
E............... 0.0433 210 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, deep-water......... Annual......... W............... 0.0000 521 0
C............... 0.0647 2,865 185
E............... 0.0128 2,804 36
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, shallow-water...... Annual......... W............... 0.0156 4,500 70
C............... 0.0587 13,000 763
E............... 0.0126 2,562 32
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole..................... Annual......... W............... 0.0007 1,543 1
C............... 0.0384 6,403 246
E............... 0.0029 1,783 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth Flounder.......... Annual......... W............... 0.0021 8,000 17
C............... 0.0280 30,000 840
E............... 0.0002 5,000 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole................ Annual......... W............... 0.0036 2,000 7
C............... 0.0213 5,000 107
E............... 0.0009 3,441 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean Perch.......... Annual......... W............... 0.0023 2,895 7
C............... 0.0748 10,737 803
E............... 0.0466 3,952 184
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Rockfish............ Annual......... W............... 0.0003 2,703 1
[[Page 11765]]
C............... 0.0277 2,395 66
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye Rockfish............ Annual......... W............... 0.0000 80 0
C............... 0.0237 862 20
E............... 0.0124 360 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker Rockfish.......... Annual......... W............... 0.0000 134 0
C............... 0.0218 325 7
E............... 0.0110 455 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Rockfish............... Annual......... W............... 0.0034 212 1
C............... 0.1699 507 86
E............... 0.0000 473 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf Rockfish....... Annual......... W............... 0.0001 650 0
C............... 0.0000 3,249 0
E............... 0.0067 1,160 8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish...... Annual......... SEO............. 0.0020 295 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead Rockfish.......... Annual......... W............... 0.0280 425 12
C............... 0.0280 637 18
E............... 0.0280 708 20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel................ Annual......... Gulfwide........ 0.0309 2,000 62
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skates................... Annual......... W............... 0.0063 598 4
C............... 0.0063 2,049 13
E............... 0.0063 681 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose Skates.............. Annual......... W............... 0.0063 81 0
C............... 0.0063 2,009 13
E............... 0.0063 762 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates................. Annual......... Gulfwide........ 0.0063 2,093 13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Table 17--Final 2011 GOA Non-Exempt AFA CV Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995-
1997 non- 2011 non-
Species Apportionments Area/component exempt AFA CV 2011 TAC exempt AFA CV
by season/gear catch to 1995- sideboard
1997 TAC limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.6047 7,342 4,440
January 20-
March 10.
Chirikof (620). 0.1167 11,129 1,299
Kodiak (630)... 0.2028 5,823 1,181
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season--March Shumagin (610). 0.6047 7,342 4,440
10--May 31.
Chirikof (620). 0.1167 13,128 1,532
Kodiak (630)... 0.2028 3,824 776
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C Season--August Shumagin (610). 0.6047 10,022 6,060
25-October 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.1167 6,451 753
Kodiak (630)... 0.2028 7,820 1,586
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.6047 10,022 6,060
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.1167 6,451 753
Kodiak (630)... 0.2028 7,820 1,586
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... WYK (640)...... 0.3495 2,686 939
[[Page 11766]]
SEO (650)...... 0.3495 9,245 3,231
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season \1\ W inshore...... 0.1365 13,877 1,894
January 1-June
10.
W offshore..... 0.1026 1,542 158
C inshore...... 0.0689 24,583 1,694
C offshore..... 0.0721 2,731 197
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season \2\ W inshore...... 0.1365 9,252 1,263
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore..... 0.1026 1,028 105
C inshore...... 0.0689 16,389 1,129
C offshore..... 0.0721 1,821 131
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... E inshore...... 0.0079 2,246 18
E offshore..... 0.0078 250 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish.................... Annual, trawl W.............. 0.0000 298 0
gear.
C.............. 0.0642 808 52
E.............. 0.0433 189 8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, deep-water......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 530 0
C.............. 0.0647 2,928 189
E.............. 0.0128 2,867 37
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, shallow-water...... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0156 4,500 70
C.............. 0.0587 13,000 763
E.............. 0.0126 2,562 32
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole..................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0007 1,521 1
C.............. 0.0384 6,312 242
E.............. 0.0029 1,759 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth Flounder.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0021 8,000 17
C.............. 0.0280 30,000 840
E.............. 0.0002 5,000 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole................ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0036 2,000 7
C.............. 0.0213 5,000 107
E.............. 0.0009 3,576 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean Perch.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0023 2,797 6
C.............. 0.0748 10,377 776
E.............. 0.0466 3,819 178
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0003 2,549 1
C.............. 0.0277 2,259 63
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 81 0
C.............. 0.0237 869 21
E.............. 0.0124 363 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 134 0
C.............. 0.0218 325 7
E.............. 0.0110 455 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Rockfish............... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0034 212 1
C.............. 0.1699 507 86
E.............. 0.0000 473 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf Rockfish....... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0001 607 0
C.............. 0.0000 3,035 0
E.............. 0.0067 1,085 7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish...... Annual.......... SEO............ 0.0020 295 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0280 425 12
C.............. 0.0280 637 18
[[Page 11767]]
E.............. 0.0280 708 20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel................ Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0309 2,000 62
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skates................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0063 598 4
C.............. 0.0063 2,049 13
E.............. 0.0063 681 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose Skates.............. Annual.......... W.............. 0.0063 81 0
C.............. 0.0063 2,009 13
E.............. 0.0063 762 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates................. Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0063 2,093 13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 CVs in the GOA
are based on the aggregate retained groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA
CVs 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 18 lists the final 2010 and 2011 non-exempt
AFA CV halibut PSC limits for vessels using trawl gear in the GOA.
Table 18--Final 2010 and 2011 Non-Exempt AFA CV Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limits for Vessels Using
Trawl Gear in the GOA
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995-
1997 non- 2010 and 2011
exempt AFA CV 2010 and 2011 non- exempt
Season Season dates Target fishery retained catch PSC limit AFA CV PSC
to total limit
retained catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................ January 20-April shallow-water.. 0.340 450 153
1.
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 shallow-water.. 0.340 200 68
1.
deep-water..... 0.070 400 28
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4............................ September 1- shallow-water.. 0.340 150 51
October 1.
deep-water..... 0.070 0 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5............................ October 1- all targets.... 0.205 300 62
December 31.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Limitations
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 the vessels'
catch to their collective historical landings in each GOA groundfish
fishery (except the fixed-gear sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits
also apply to catch made using an LLP license derived from the history
of a restricted vessel, even if that LLP license is used on another
vessel.
Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA are based on
their traditional harvest levels of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered
by the FMP. Sections 680.22(d) and (e) base the groundfish sideboard
limitations 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. Tables 19 and 20
list the final 2010 and 2011 GOA groundfish sideboard limits for non-
AFA crab vessels. All targeted or incidental catch of sideboard species
made by non-AFA crab vessels will be
[[Page 11768]]
deducted from the sideboard limits specified in Tables 19 and 20.
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 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 19--Final 2010 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limits
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1996-
2000 non-AFA 2010 non-AFA
crab vessel crab vessel
Species Season/gear Area/component catch to 1996- 2010 TAC sideboard
2000 total limit
harvest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.0098 5,551 54
January 20-
March 10.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 8,414 26
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 4,403 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season--March Shumagin (610). 0.0098 5,551 54
10-May 31.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 9,925 31
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 2,891 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C Season--August Shumagin (610). 0.0098 7,577 74
25-October 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 4,878 15
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 5,912 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.0098 7,577 74
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 4,878 15
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 5,912 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... WYK (640)...... 0.0000 2,031 0
SEO (650)...... 0.0000 9,245 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season \1\-- W inshore...... 0.0902 11,212 1,011
January 1-June
10.
W offshore..... 0.2046 1,246 255
C inshore...... 0.0383 19,862 761
C offshore..... 0.2074 2,207 458
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season \2\-- W inshore...... 0.0902 7,475 674
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore..... 0.2046 831 170
C inshore...... 0.0383 13,242 507
C offshore..... 0.2074 1,471 305
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... E inshore...... 0.0110 1,815 20
E offshore..... 0.0000 202 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish.................... Annual, trawl W.............. 0.0000 332 0
gear.
C.............. 0.0000 902 0
E.............. 0.0000 210 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, deep-water......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0035 521 2
C.............. 0.0000 2,865 0
E.............. 0.0000 2,804 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, shallow-water...... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0059 4,500 27
C.............. 0.0001 13,000 1
E.............. 0.0000 2,562 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole..................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 1,543 0
C.............. 0.0000 6,403 0
E.............. 0.0000 1,783 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth Flounder.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0004 8,000 3
C.............. 0.0001 30,000 3
E.............. 0.0000 5,000 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Sole................ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0002 2,000 0
C.............. 0.0004 5,000 2
E.............. 0.0000 3,441 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean Perch.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 2,895 0
C.............. 0.0000 10,737 0
[[Page 11769]]
E.............. 0.0000 3,952 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0005 2,703 1
C.............. 0.0000 2,395 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0067 80 1
C.............. 0.0047 862 4
E.............. 0.0008 360 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0013 134 0
C.............. 0.0012 325 0
E.............. 0.0009 455 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Rockfish............... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0035 212 1
C.............. 0.0033 507 2
E.............. 0.0000 473 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf Rockfish....... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0017 650 1
C.............. 0.0000 3,249 0
E.............. 0.0000 1,160 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf Rockfish...... Annual.......... SEO............ 0.0000 295 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0047 425 2
C.............. 0.0066 637 4
E.............. 0.0045 708 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel................ Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0000 2,000 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skate.................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0392 598 23
C.............. 0.0159 2,049 33
E.............. 0.0000 681 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose Skate............... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0392 81 3
C.............. 0.0159 2,009 32
E.............. 0.0000 762 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates................. Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0176 2,093 37
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Table 20--Final 2011 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limits
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1996-
2000 non-AFA 2011 non-AFA
crab vessel crab vessel
Species Season/gear Area/component catch to 1996- 2011 TAC sideboard
2000 total limit
harvest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.0098 7,342 72
January 20-
March 10.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 11,129 34
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 5,823 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season--March Shumagin (610). 0.0098 7,342 72
10-May 31.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 13,128 41
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 3,824 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C Season--August Shumagin (610). 0.0098 10,022 98
25-October 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 6,451 20
[[Page 11770]]
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 7,820 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.0098 10,022 98
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.0031 6,451 20
Kodiak (630)... 0.0002 7,820 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... WYK (640)...... 0.0000 2,686 0
SEO (650)...... 0.0000 9,245 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season \1\ W inshore...... 0.0902 13,877 1,252
January 1-June
10.
W offshore..... 0.2046 1,542 315
C inshore...... 0.0383 24,583 942
C offshore..... 0.2074 2,731 566
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B Season \2\ W inshore...... 0.0902 9,252 835
September 1-
December 31.
W offshore..... 0.2046 1,028 210
C inshore...... 0.0383 16,389 628
C offshore..... 0.2074 1,821 378
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual.......... E inshore...... 0.0110 2,246 25
E offshore..... 0.0000 250 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish.................... Annual, trawl W.............. 0.0000 298 0
gear.
C.............. 0.0000 808 0
E.............. 0.0000 188 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, deep-water......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0035 530 2
C.............. 0.0000 2,928 0
E.............. 0.0000 2,867 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish, shallow-water...... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0059 4,500 27
C.............. 0.0001 13,000 1
E.............. 0.0000 2,562 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole..................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 1,541 0
C.............. 0.0000 6,312 0
E.............. 0.0000 1,759 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth Flounder.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0004 8,000 3
C.............. 0.0001 30,000 3
E.............. 0.0000 5,000 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Sole................ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0002 2,000 0
C.............. 0.0004 5,000 2
E.............. 0.0000 3,576 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean Perch.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0000 2,797 0
C.............. 0.0000 10,377 0
E.............. 0.0000 3,819 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0005 2,549 1
C.............. 0.0000 2,259 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye Rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 0.0067 81 1
C.............. 0.0047 869 4
E.............. 0.0008 363 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0013 134 0
C.............. 0.0012 325 0
E.............. 0.0009 455 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Rockfish............... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0035 212 1
C.............. 0.0033 507 2
E.............. 0.0000 473 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 11771]]
Pelagic shelf Rockfish....... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0017 607 1
C.............. 0.0000 3,035 0
E.............. 0.0000 1,085 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf............... Annual.......... SEO............ 0.0000 295 0
Rockfish.....................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead Rockfish.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0047 425 2
C.............. 0.0066 637 4
E.............. 0.0045 708 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel................ Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0000 2,000 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skate.................... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0392 598 23
C.............. 0.0159 2,049 33
E.............. 0.0000 681
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose Skate............... Annual.......... W.............. 0.0392 81 3
C.............. 0.0159 2,009 32
E.............. 0.0000 762 0
Other skates................. Annual.......... Gulfwide....... 0.0176 2,093 37
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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) 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, who could
use this economic advantage to increase their participation in other
fisheries, thus possibly adversely affecting participants in other
fisheries. The final sideboards for 2010 and 2011 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. Tables 21 and
22 list the final 2010 and 2011 Rockfish Program harvest limits in the
WYK District and the Western GOA. Table 23 lists the final 2010 and
2011 Rockfish Program halibut mortality limits for catcher/processors
and CVs.
Table 21--Final 2010 Rockfish Program Harvest Limits by Sector for WYK District and Western Regulatory Area by
the Catcher/Processor (C/P) and Catcher Vessel (CV) Sectors
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C/P sector CV sector 2010 C/P 2010 CV
Area Fishery (% of TAC) (% of TAC) 2010 TAC limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Yakutat District........ Pelagic shelf 72.4 1.7 434 314 7
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean 76.0 2.9 2,004 1,523 58
perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA.................. Pelagic shelf 63.3 0 650 411 0
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean 61.1 0 2,895 1,769 0
perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern 78.9 0 2,703 2,133 0
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 11772]]
Table 22--Final 2011 Rockfish Program Harvest Limits by Sector for WYK District and Western Regulatory Area by
the Catcher/Processor (C/P) and Catcher Vessel (CV) Sectors
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C/P sector CV sector 2011 C/P 2011 CV
Area Fishery (% of TAC) (% of TAC) 2011 TAC limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Yakutat District........ Pelagic shelf 72.4 1.7 405 293 7
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean 76.0 2.9 1,937 1,472 56
perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA.................. Pelagic shelf 63.3 0 607 384 0
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean 61.1 0 2,797 1,709 0
perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern 78.9 0 2,549 2,011 0
rockfish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 23--Final 2010 and 2011 Rockfish Program Halibut Mortality Limits for the Catcher/Processor (C/P) and Catcher Vessel (CV) Sectors
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual shallow- Annual deep-
Shallow-water Deep-water Annual halibut water complex water complex
Sector complex halibut complex halibut mortality limit halibut PSC halibut PSC
PSC sideboard PSC sideboard (mt) sideboard limit sideboard limit
ratio (percent) ratio (percent) (mt) (mt)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C/P........................................................... 0.54 3.99 2,000 11 80
CV............................................................ 6.32 1.08 2,000 126 22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOA 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 catch limits for
Amendment 80 program participants.
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 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.
Groundfish sideboard limits for Amendment 80 program vessels
operating in the GOA are based on their average aggregate harvests from
1998 to 2004. Tables 24 and 25 list the final 2010 and 2011 sideboard
limits for Amendment 80 program vessels, respectively. All targeted or
incidental catch of sideboard species made by Amendment 80 program
vessels will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Tables 24 and 25.
Table 24--Final 2010 GOA Groundfish Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of
Apportionments Amendment 80 2010 Amendment
Species and allocations Area sector vessels 2010 TAC (mt) 80 vessel
by season 1998-2004 sideboards
catch to TAC (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.003 5,551 17
January 20-
February 25.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 8,414 17
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 4,403 9
B Season--March Shumagin (610). 0.003 5,551 17
10-May 31.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 9,925 20
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 2,891 6
C Season--August Shumagin (610). 0.003 7,577 23
25-September 15.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 4,878 10
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 5,912 12
[[Page 11773]]
D Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.003 7,577 23
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 4,878 10
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 5,912 12
Annual.......... WYK (640)...... 0.002 2,031 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season \1\-- W.............. 0.020 12,458 249
January 1-June
10.
C.............. 0.044 22,069 971
B Season \2\-- W.............. 0.020 8,306 166
September 1-
December 31.
C.............. 0.044 14,713 647
Annual.......... WYK............ 0.034 2,017 69
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.994 2,895 2,878
WYK............ 0.961 2,004 1,926
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 1.000 2,703 2,703
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish....... Annual.......... W.............. 0.764 650 497
WYK............ 0.896 434 389
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
Table 25--Final 2011 GOA Groundfish Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of
Apportionments Amendment 80 2011 Amendment
Species and allocations Area sector vessels 2011 TAC (mt) 80 vessel
by season 1998-2004 sideboards
catch to TAC (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...................... A Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.003 7,342 22
January 20-
February 25.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 11,129 22
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 5,823 12
B Season--March Shumagin (610). 0.003 7,342 22
10-May 31.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 13,128 26
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 3,824 8
C Season--August Shumagin (610). 0.003 10,022 30
25-September 15.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 6,451 13
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 7,820 16
D Season-- Shumagin (610). 0.003 10,022 30
October 1-
November 1.
Chirikof (620). 0.002 6,451 13
Kodiak (630)... 0.002 7,820 16
Annual.......... WYK (640)...... 0.002 2,686 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................. A Season\1\-- W.............. 0.020 15,419 308
January 1-June
10.
C.............. 0.044 27,314 1,202
B Season\2\-- W.............. 0.020 10,280 206
September 1-
December 31.
C.............. 0.044 18,210 801
Annual.......... WYK............ 0.034 2,496 85
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.......... Annual.......... W.............. 0.994 2,797 2,780
WYK............ 0.961 1,937 1,861
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish............ Annual.......... W.............. 1.000 2,549 2,549
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish....... Annual.......... W.............. 0.764 607 464
WYK............ 0.896 405 363
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
[[Page 11774]]
The PSC sideboard limits for Amendment 80 program vessels in the
GOA are based on the historic use of halibut PSC by Amendment 80
program vessels in each PSC target category from 1998 through 2004.
These values are slightly lower than the average historic use to
accommodate two factors: Allocation of halibut PSC Cooperative Quotas
(CQs) under the Central GOA Rockfish Program and the exemption of the
F/V GOLDEN FLEECE from this restriction (Sec. 679.92(b)(2)). Table 26
lists the final 2010 and 2011 halibut PSC limits for Amendment 80
program vessels, as proscribed at Table 38 to 50 CFR part 679.
Table 26--Final 2010 and 2011 Halibut PSC Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels in the GOA
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic
Amendment 80 2010 and 2011
use of the 2010 and 2011 Amendment 80
Season Season dates Target fishery annual halibut annual PSC vessel PSC
PSC limit limit (mt) limit (mt)
catch (ratio)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- shallow-water..... 0.0074 2,000 15
October 1.
deep-water........ 0.0014 2,000 3
5....................... October 1-December shallow-water..... 0.0227 2,000 45
31.
deep-water........ 0.0371 2,000 74
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directed Fishing Closures
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the Regional Administrator
determines (1) that any allocation or apportionment of a target species
or ``other species'' category allocated or apportioned to a fishery
will be reached; or (2) with respect to pollock and Pacific cod, that
an allocation or apportionment to an inshore or offshore component
allocation will be reached, the Regional Administrator may establish a
DFA for that species or species group. If the Regional Administrator
establishes a DFA and that allowance is or will be reached before the
end of the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that
species or species group in the specified GOA regulatory area or
district (Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
The Regional Administrator has determined that the following TAC
amounts in Table 27 are necessary as incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2010 and 2011 fishing years:
Table 27--2010 and 2011 Directed Fishing Closures in the GOA
[Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target Area/component/gear Incidental catch amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel......................... all...................... 2,000.
Thornyhead rockfish................... all...................... 1,770.
Shortraker rockfish................... all...................... 914.
Rougheye rockfish..................... all...................... 1,302 (2010); 1,313 (2011).
Other rockfish........................ all...................... 1,192.
Sablefish............................. all/trawl................ 1,444 (2010); 1,295 (2011).
Big skate............................. all...................... 3,328.
Longnose skate........................ all...................... 2,852.
Other skates.......................... all...................... 2,093.
Pollock............................... all/offshore............. unknown\1\.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Pollock is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore component under Sec. 679.20(a)(6)(i).
Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the
Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species or species
groups listed in Table 27 as zero. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for those
species, areas, gear types, and components in the GOA listed in Table
27. These closures will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2011.
Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for management of AFA CV groundfish
harvest limits and PSC bycatch limits using directed fishing closures
and PSC closures according to procedures set out at Sec. Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(8), and 679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional
Administrator has determined that, in addition to the closures listed
above, many of the non-exempt AFA CV sideboard limits listed in Tables
16 and 17 are necessary as incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2010 and 2011 fishing years.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator
sets the DFAs for the species and species groups in Table 28 at zero.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing by non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA for the
species and specified areas listed in Table 28. These closures will
remain in effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
[[Page 11775]]
Table 28--2010 and 2011 Non-Exempt AFA CV Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures for All Gear Types in the GOA
[Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric
tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regulatory area/ Incidental catch
Species district amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod................. Eastern............. 16 (inshore) and 2
(offshore) in 2010.
18 (inshore) and 2
(offshore) in 2011.
Deep-water flatfish......... Western............. 0.
Rex sole.................... Eastern and Western. 5 and 1.
Flathead sole............... Eastern and Western. 3 and 7.
Arrowtooth flounder......... Eastern and Western. 1 and 17.
Pacific ocean perch......... Western............. 7 in 2010.
6 in 2011.
Northern rockfish........... Western............. 1.
Pelagic shelf rockfish...... Entire GOA.......... 0 (W), 0 (C), 8 (E)
in 2010.
0 (W), 0 (C), 7 (E)
in 2011.
Demersal shelf rockfish..... SEO District........ 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 680.22 provides for the management of non-AFA crab vessel
GHLs using directed fishing closures in accordance with Sec.
680.22(e)(2) and (3). The Regional Administrator has determined that
the non-AFA crab vessel sideboards listed in Tables 19 and 20 are
insufficient to support a directed fishery and set the sideboard DFA at
zero, with the exception of Pacific cod in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Therefore, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by
non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA for all species and species groups
listed in Tables 19 and 20, with the exception of Pacific cod in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas.
Section 679.82 provides for the management of Rockfish Program
sideboard limits using directed fishing closures in accordance with
Sec. 679.82(d)(7)(i) and (ii). The Regional Administrator has
determined that the CV sideboards listed in Tables 21 and 22 are
insufficient to support a directed fishery and set the sideboard DFA at
zero. Therefore, NMFS is closing directed fishing for pelagic shelf
rockfish and Pacific ocean perch in the WYK District and the Western
Regulatory Area and for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory
Area by CVs participating in the Central GOA Rockfish Program during
the month of July in 2010 and 2011. These closures will remain in
effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
Closures implemented under the 2009 and 2010 Gulf of Alaska harvest
specifications for groundfish (74 FR 7333, February 17, 2009) remain
effective under authority of these final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, and are posted at the following Web sites: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/index/infobulletins/infobulletins.asp?Yr=2010,
and http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2010/status.htm. While these
closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at Sec.
679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These
closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and
prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS may
implement other closures during the 2010 and 2011 fishing years as
necessary for effective conservation and management.
Response to Comments
NMFS received three letters of comment, which included six distinct
comments, in response to the proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications (74 FR 62533, November 30, 2009). These letters were
from an individual, an environmental organization, and a company
involved in the guided Pacific halibut sport fishery in Alaska,
respectively. These comments are summarized and responded to below.
Comment 1: The commenter raises general concerns about NMFS's
management of fisheries, asserting that fishery policies have not
benefited American citizens. The commenter also asserts that NMFS does
not enforce fisheries regulations and should not be allowed to manage
commercial fisheries.
Response: This comment is not specifically related to the proposed
rule. The comment recommends broad changes to fisheries management and
provides opinions of the Federal Government's general management of
marine resources that are outside the scope of this action. The comment
did not raise new relevant issues or concerns that have not been
explained in the preamble to the proposed rule or addressed in the SAFE
reports and other analyses prepared to support the GOA groundfish
harvest specifications.
Comment 2: The comment asserts that the groundfish quotas are too
high.
Response: The harvest specifications process is intended to foster
conservation and management of marine resources. This process
incorporates the best available scientific information from the most
recent stock assessment and fisheries evaluation reports prepared by
multi-disciplinary teams of scientists. Such reports contain the most
recent scientific information on the condition of various groundfish
stocks, as well as the condition of other ecosystem components and
economic data about Alaska groundfish fisheries. This suite of
information allows the Council to make scientifically-based
recommendations for annual catch limits that do not exceed, on a
species-by-species basis, the OFLs and ABCs established for each GOA
target species managed under the FMP.
Comment 3: Overfishing is having a detrimental effect on the health
of oceans and coastal communities.
Response: This comment does not specially address the proposed 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications for the GOA. None of the species
encompassed by these harvest specifications are overfished or subject
to overfishing.
Comment 4: The decline of pollock stocks is having a detrimental
impact on marine mammals.
Response: The most recent GOA pollock stock surveys indicate that
pollock stocks in this management area are increasing. Furthermore, the
EIS (see ADDRESSES) prepared for the Alaska groundfish fisheries
specifications process identified a preferred harvest strategy for
groundfish and concluded that the preferred harvest strategy, under
existing regulations, would have no lasting adverse impacts on marine
mammals and other marine life. Additionally, pursuant to the Endangered
Species Act, NMFS consults to ensure that Federal actions, including
this one, do not jeopardize the
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continued existence of any endangered or threatened marine mammal
species.
Comment 5: Federal agencies are obligated to renew an EIS when
conditions prevalent at the time of the EIS's development have
substantially changed. Recent reductions in the amount of halibut
allocated to the halibut IFQ fisheries, as well as implementation of a
one-halibut daily bag limit for the guided sport fishery in 2009,
constitute a substantial change in environmental conditions. NMFS
should update the EIS and adopt reductions in the halibut PSC limits to
address the disparity between relatively constant halibut PSC limits
and decreasing IFQ halibut and sport halibut allocations.
Response: The EIS examines the environmental impacts of alternative
harvest strategies for the federally managed groundfish fisheries in
the GOA and the BSAI management areas. The EIS concludes that for all
of the components of the environment analyzed, the effects of the
harvest specifications, including PSC limits, are insignificant based
on the available scientific information. That information is annually
updated and incorporated into the harvest specifications process. The
EIS explains how PSC limits constrain bycatch in the groundfish
fisheries, as well as how halibut bycatch is accounted for by the IPHC.
The IPHC is responsible for analyzing the status of halibut stocks and
setting the constant exploitation yield (CEY). The CEY is adjusted to
account for a variety of removals that occur outside of the commercial
hook-and-line fisheries, including incidental catch of halibut in the
groundfish fisheries.
NMFS annually prepares a SIR (see ADDRESSES) to evaluate the need
to prepare a Supplemental EIS. A Supplemental EIS should be prepared if
the agency makes substantial changes in a proposed action that are
relevant to environmental concerns, or if significant new circumstances
or information exist relevant to environmental concerns associated with
the action. The 2010 SIR analyzes the information contained in the
Council's SAFE reports and other new, relevant information associated
with the management of Alaska groundfish fisheries. The SIR concluded
that (1) new changes to the preferred harvest strategy (the action)
have not occurred and (2) the new information evaluated in the SIR does
not indicate that there are significant new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the
proposed action or its impacts. The harvest specifications will result
in environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and
disclosed in the EIS.
Comment 6: Businesses engaged in the guided sport fishing sector in
IPHC Area 2C have suffered economic and social impacts due to the 2009
implementation of a one-halibut daily bag limit for guided sport
fishermen. These impacts could be mitigated to some extent by managing
the halibut PSC limit apportioned to the GOA trawl fisheries to mirror
the fluctuations in the directed fishery catch limits set by the IPHC.
Response: The commercial halibut setline and groundfish trawl
fisheries currently are subject to binding halibut PSC limits set by
the IPHC and Council, respectively, as a part of their efforts to
maintain sustainable groundfish stocks. These commercial fisheries are
required to stop fishing when their halibut limits (either IFQ or PSC)
are taken. Commercial groundfish fisheries are often closed due to the
attainment of halibut PSC limits before target species TACs have been
fully harvested. Participants in these fisheries incur significant
costs to stay within their halibut catch limits. The issue regarding
changes to commercial catch limits was considered during the
development of the one-halibut daily bag limit (74 FR 21194, May 6,
2009). In the context of seeking economic parity between halibut
resource user groups, implementing additional restrictions on the
incidental catch of halibut by the commercial fishing sector is outside
the scope of this action.
Classification
NMFS has determined that these final harvest specifications are
consistent with the FMP and 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 an EIS for this action (see ADDRESSES) 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 EIS. In
January 2010, NMFS prepared a Supplemental Information Report (SIR) for
this action. Copies of the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are
available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The EIS analyzes the environmental
consequences of the groundfish harvest specifications and alternative
harvest strategies on resources in the action area. The SIR evaluates
the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2010 and 2011
groundfish harvest specifications.
A SEIS should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial
changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental
concerns, or (2) significant new circumstances or information exist
relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action
or its impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information
contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has
determined that (1) approval of the 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest
strategy in the EIS, do not constitute a change in the action; and (2)
there are no significant new circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on the action or its impacts.
Additionally, the 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed
in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental National Environmental Protection
Act (NEPA) documentation is not necessary to implement the 2010 and
2011 harvest specifications.
The proposed harvest specifications were published in the Federal
Register on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62533). An Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was prepared to evaluate the impacts on
small entities of alternative harvest strategies for the groundfish
fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska. The public comment period ended on
December 30, 2009. No comments were received regarding the IRFA or the
economic impacts of this action. A FRFA was prepared pursuant to the
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601-612). Copies
of the IRFA and FRFA prepared for this action are available from NMFS,
Alaska Region (see ADDRESSES).
Each year, NMFS promulgates a rule establishing the harvest
specifications pursuant to the adopted harvest strategy. While the
harvest specification numbers may change from year to year, the harvest
strategy for establishing those numbers does not change. Therefore,
NMFS is using the same IRFA and FRFA prepared in connection with the
EIS in association with this action. NMFS considers the annual
rulemakings establishing the harvest specification numbers to be a
series of closely-related rules stemming from the harvest strategy and
representing one rule for purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 605(c)). A summary of the FRFA follows.
The action analyzed in the FRFA is the adoption of a harvest
strategy to govern the catch of groundfish in the GOA. The preferred
alternative is the
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status quo harvest strategy in which TACs fall within the range of ABCs
recommended by the Council's harvest specifications 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 CVs and fewer than 20 small catcher/processors. The entities
directly regulated by this action harvest groundfish in the EEZ of the
GOA, and in parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters. These
include entities operating CVs and catcher/processor vessels within the
action area, and entities receiving direct allocations of groundfish.
CVs 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 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 was 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 four
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--the ``no
action'' alternative--would have set TACs equal to zero.
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 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. This increased revenue is due to increases in
flatfish TACs that were much higher 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 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 Alternative 1's maximum
permissible ABCs; 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 EIS (see ADDRESSES).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness for this rule. Plan Team review occurred in November
2009, and Council consideration and recommendations occurred in
December 2009. Accordingly, NMFS review could not begin until January
2010. For all fisheries not currently closed because the TACs
established under the final 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications (74 FR
7333, February 17, 2009) were not reached, the possibility exists that
they would be closed prior to the expiration of a 30-day delayed
effectiveness period, if implemented, because their TACs could be
reached. Certain fisheries, such as those for pollock and Pacific cod
are intensive, fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those for
flatfish, rockfish, and ``other species,'' are critical as directed
fisheries and as incidental catch in other fisheries. U.S. fishing
vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the TAC allocations in
these fisheries. Any delay in allocating the final TACs in these
fisheries would cause confusion to the industry and potential economic
harm through unnecessary discards. Determining which fisheries may
close is impossible because these fisheries are affected by several
factors that cannot be predicted in advance, including fishing effort,
weather, movement of fishery stocks, and market price. Furthermore, the
closure of one fishery has a cascading effect on other fisheries by
freeing-up fishing vessels, allowing them to move from closed fisheries
to open ones, increasing the fishing capacity in those open fisheries
and causing them to close at an accelerated pace.
In fisheries subject to declining sideboards, a failure to
implement the updated sideboards before initial season's end could
preclude the intended economic protection to the non-sideboarded
sectors. Conversely, in fisheries with increasing sideboards, economic
benefit could be precluded to the sideboarded sectors.
If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 6,
2010, which is the start of the 2010 Pacific halibut season as
specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not
begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. This would
result in confusion for the industry and economic harm from unnecessary
discard of sablefish that are caught along with Pacific halibut, as
both hook-and-line sablefish and Pacific halibut are managed under the
same IFQ program. Immediate effectiveness of the final 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin
concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also, the immediate
effectiveness of this action is required to provide consistent
management and conservation of fishery resources based on the best
available scientific information. This is particularly true of those
species which have lower 2010 ABCs and TACs than those established in
the 2009-2010 harvest specifications. Immediate effectiveness also
would give the fishing industry the earliest possible opportunity to
plan and conduct its fishing operations with respect to new information
about TAC limits. Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to waive the 30-day
delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Small Entity Compliance Guide
The following information is a plain language guide to assist small
entities in complying with this final rule as required by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's
primary purpose is to announce the final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the
groundfish fisheries of the GOA. This action is necessary to establish
harvest
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limits and associated management measures for groundfish during the
2010 and 2011 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives
of the FMP. This action affects all fishermen who participate in the
GOA fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC are
provided in tables to assist the reader. NMFS will announce closures of
directed fishing in the Federal Register and information bulletins
released by the Alaska Region. Affected fishermen should keep
themselves informed of such closures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540 (f), 1801 et
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-31; Pub.
L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub.
L 109-479.
Dated: March 9, 2010.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5472 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P