[Federal Register: February 27, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 39)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 10561-10590] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr27fe08-11] [[Page 10561]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Part III Department of Commerce ----------------------------------------------------------------------- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 50 CFR Part 679 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish; Final Rule [[Page 10562]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 071106671-8010-02] RIN 0648-XD67 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; closures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications, reserves and apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management measures for groundfish during the 2008 and 2009 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 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. DATES: The 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications and associated management measures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 27, 2008, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2009. ADDRESSES: Copies of the Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), and Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are available from the Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Ellen Sebastian, or from the Alaska Region Web site at http:// www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2007 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the GOA, dated November 2007, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252, phone 907-271-2809, or from its Web site at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, 907-481-1780, or e-mail at tom.pearson@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the 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 Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679 and 680. The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consultation with the Council, to specify and apportion the total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category, and the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt). The final specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 26 of this document satisfy this requirement. For 2008, the sum of the TAC amounts is 262,826 mt. For 2009, the sum of the TAC amounts is 279,264 mt. 50 CFR 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut PSC amounts, and seasonal allowances of pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific cod. The proposed GOA groundfish specifications and Pacific halibut PSC allowances for 2008 and 2009 were published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2007 (72 FR 68810). Comments were invited and accepted through January 7, 2008. NMFS received two letters of comment on the proposed specifications. These letters of comment are summarized in the Response to Comments section of this action. In December 2007, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding the 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications. After considering public comments received, as well as biological and economic data that were available at the Council's December 2007 meeting, NMFS is implementing the 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council. Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications In December 2007, 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 2007 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2007 (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 ABC levels 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, with tier one representing the highest level of information quality available and tier six the lowest level of information quality available. 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 AP's TAC recommendations. The Council recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009 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 2008 and 2009 that are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, and Atka mackerel. None of the Council's recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009 exceeds the final ABC for any species or species category. The 2008 and 2009 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 Final EIS. NMFS finds that the Council's recommended ABCs, OFLs, and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of the groundfish stocks as described in the 2007 SAFE report and approved by the Council. NMFS also [[Page 10563]] finds that the Council's recommendations for OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the 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 2008 and 2009 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sums of the 2008 and 2009 ABCs are 536,201 mt and 556,183 mt, respectively, which are higher than the 2007 ABC sum of 490,327 mt (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007). Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts As in 2007, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2008 and 2009 include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment scientists believe the use of unbiased commercial fishery data reflecting catch-per-unit-effort provides a desirable input for stock distribution assessments. NMFS evaluates the use of commercial fishery data annually 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 5 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 2008 and 2009 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 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)(iii)(B)). The SSC, AP, and Council adopted the Plan Team's OFL and ABC recommendations for all groundfish species categories. 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 2008 and 2009 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 SSC, AP, and Council recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water Pacific cod removals not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the Council recommended reducing the 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs from the ABCs in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 266 mt; (2) Central GOA, 9,475 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,483 mt. These amounts reflect the sum of the State's 2008 and 2009 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 percent, 25 percent, and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA ABCs, respectively. The percentages of the ABCs used to calculate the GHLs for the State managed Pacific cod fisheries are unchanged from 2007. NMFS also is establishing 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 (50 CFR 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)). As in 2007, NMFS establishes for 2008 and 2009 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 (January 1 through June 10 for hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear; January 20 through June 10 for trawl gear). The seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod TAC are discussed in greater detail below. The FMP specifies that the amount for the ``other species'' category be set at an amount less than or equal to 5 percent of the combined TAC amounts for target species. The final 2008 and 2009 annual GOA-wide ``other species'' TACs of 4,500 mt are less than 5 percent of the combined TAC amounts for target species. The sum of the TACs for all GOA groundfish is 262,826 mt for 2008 and 279,264 mt for 2009, which are within the OY range specified by the FMP. The sum of the 2008 TACs is lower and the sum of the 2009 TACs is higher than the 2007 TAC sum of 269,912 mt. Other Rules Affecting the 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications Congress granted NMFS specific statutory authority to manage Central GOA rockfish fisheries in Section 802 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-199). The elements of the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program (Rockfish Program) are discussed in detail in the proposed and final rules for Amendment 68 to the FMP (71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006, and 71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006, respectively) and final rule revision (72 FR 37678, July 11, 2007). The Rockfish Program is authorized for five years, from January 1, 2007, until December 31, 2011. The Rockfish Program allocates exclusive harvesting and processing privileges for the following primary rockfish species: Northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Secondary species are those species incidentally harvested during the primary rockfish species fisheries and include Pacific cod, rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish, sablefish, and thornyhead rockfish. The Rockfish Program also allocates a portion of the total GOA halibut mortality limit annually specified under Sec. 679.21 to participants based on historical halibut mortality rates in the primary rockfish species fisheries. The 2008 amounts of [[Page 10564]] primary rockfish species, secondary species, and halibut mortality to be allocated to the Rockfish Program will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the Rockfish Program by March 1, 2008. These amounts will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov when they become available early in 2008. The entry level allocation of rockfish, after subtraction of incidental catch amounts, is equal to 5 percent of the Central GOA TAC for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Tables 8 and 9 list the final 2008 and 2009 allocations of rockfish in the Central GOA, respectively, to the entry level fishery. The Rockfish Program also establishes catch limits, commonly called ``sideboards,'' to limit the ability of participants eligible for this program to harvest fish in fisheries other than the Central GOA rockfish fisheries. Sideboards limit harvest in the specific rockfish fisheries in the Western GOA and in the WYK District and the amount of halibut bycatch that can be used in certain flatfish fisheries. Tables 19 and 20 list the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish Program sideboard limits for catcher/processors and catcher vessels in the Western GOA and the WYK District. Table 21 lists the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish Program halibut mortality limits for catcher/processors and catcher vessels. The final rule to implement Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area was published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2007 (72 FR 52668). Amendment 80 allocates several Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands non-pollock trawl groundfish TACs among fishing sectors, and facilitates the formation of harvesting cooperatives in the non- American Fisheries Act (non-AFA) trawl catcher/processor sector. Amendment 80 establishes 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 fisheries to expand their harvest efforts in the GOA, Amendment 80 establishes groundfish and halibut PSC catch limits for Amendment 80 participants in the GOA. Tables 22 and 23 list the final 2008 and 2009 sideboard limits for Amendment 80 participants. Table 24 lists the final 2008 and 2009 halibut PSC limits for Amendment 80 participants using trawl gear. In April 2007, the Council recommended Amendment 77 to the GOA FMP. Amendment 77 would remove dark rockfish from the pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR) complex in the GOA FMP in order to allow the State to assume management of dark rockfish beginning in 2009. This action is necessary to allow the State to implement more responsive, regionally-based management measures than are currently possible under the FMP. If Amendment 77 is submitted to and approved by the Secretary, the GOA- wide overfishing level (OFL), ABC, and TAC for the PSR complex in 2009 would be reduced by approximately 250 mt from the levels listed in Table 2. Changes From the Proposed 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications in the GOA In October 2007, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications (72 FR 68810, December 6, 2007) were based largely upon information contained in the final 2006 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2006 (see ADDRESSES). The Council recommended that the proposed OFLs, ABCs, and TACs established for the groundfish fisheries in 2008 (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007 see Table 2) be rolled over to 2008 and 2009 pending completion and review of the 2007 SAFE report at its December 2007 meeting. The 2007 SAFE report, which was not available when the Council made its recommendations in October 2007, contains the best and most recent scientific information on the condition of the groundfish stocks. This report was considered in December 2007 by the Council when it made recommendations for the final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications. Based on the final 2007 SAFE report, the sum of the 2008 final TACs for the GOA (262,826 mt) is 23,347 mt lower than the sum of the proposed 2008 TACs (286,173 mt). The largest 2008 increases occurred for rougheye rockfish, from 993 mt to 1,286 mt (30 percent increase); for other skates, from 1,617 mt to 2,104 mt (30 percent increase); for flathead sole, from 9,258 mt to 11,054 mt (19 percent increase); and for other rockfish, from 1,482 mt to 1,730 mt (17 percent increase). The largest decreases occurred for pollock, from 81,467 mt to 60,810 mt (34 percent decrease); for pelagic shelf rockfish, from 6,622 mt to 5,227 mt (27 percent decrease); for thornyhead rockfish, from 2,209 mt to 1,910 mt (16 percent decrease); and for sablefish, from 14,239 mt to 12,730 mt (12 percent decrease). Other increases or decreases in 2008 and 2009 are within these ranges. Compared to the proposed 2008 harvest specifications, the Council's final 2008 TAC recommendations increase fishing opportunities for species for which the Council had sufficient information to raise TAC levels. These include rex sole, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish, Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, other rockfish, and other skates. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC levels to provide greater protection for several species, including pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish, sablefish, northern rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and big skates. 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 2008 and 2009 final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts for GOA groundfish, respectively. Table 1.--Final 2008 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Area/district \1\ ABC TAC OFL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 17,602 17,602 n/a Chirikof (620).......... 19,181 19,181 n/a Kodiak (630)............ 13,640 13,640 n/a WYK (640)............... 1,517 1,517 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... W/C/WYK................. 51,940 51,940 72,110 ----------------------------------------------- [[Page 10565]] SEO (650)............... 8,240 8,240 11,040 ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 60,180 60,180 83,150 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 25,932 19,449 n/a C....................... 37,901 28,426 n/a E....................... 2,660 2,394 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 66,493 50,269 88,660 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)............. W....................... 690 690 n/a C....................... 6,721 6,721 n/a WYK..................... 965 965 n/a SEO..................... 527 527 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 8,903 8,903 11,343 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,022 1,022 n/a C....................... 6,731 6,731 n/a WYK..................... 520 520 n/a SEO..................... 859 859 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 9,132 9,132 11,933 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flathead sole......................... W....................... 12,507 2,000 n/a C....................... 28,174 5,000 n/a WYK..................... 3,420 3,420 n/a SEO..................... 634 634 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 44,735 11,054 55,787 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).......... W....................... 26,360 4,500 n/a C....................... 29,873 13,000 n/a WYK..................... 3,333 3,333 n/a SEO..................... 1,423 1,423 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 60,989 22,256 74,364 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 30,817 8,000 n/a C....................... 167,936 30,000 n/a WYK..................... 15,245 2,500 n/a SEO..................... 12,472 2,500 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 226,470 43,000 266,914 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sablefish \6\......................... W....................... 1,890 1,890 n/a C....................... 5,500 5,500 n/a WYK..................... 1,950 1,950 n/a SEO..................... 3,390 3,390 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 5,340 5,340 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 12,730 12,730 15,040 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 3,686 3,686 4,376 C....................... 8,185 8,185 9,717 WYK..................... 1,100 1,100 n/a SEO..................... 2,028 2,028 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 3,128 3,128 3,714 ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 14,999 14,999 17,807 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shortraker rockfish \8\............... W....................... 120 120 n/a C....................... 315 315 n/a E....................... 463 463 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 898 898 1,197 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rougheye rockfish \9\................. W....................... 125 125 n/a [[Page 10566]] C....................... 834 834 n/a E....................... 327 327 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 1,286 1,286 1,548 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other rockfish \10\ \11\.............. W....................... 357 357 n/a C....................... 569 569 n/a WYK..................... 604 604 n/a SEO..................... 2,767 200 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 4,297 1,730 5,624 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northern rockfish \11\ \12\........... W....................... 2,141 2,141 n/a C....................... 2,408 2,408 n/a E....................... 0 0 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 4,549 4,549 5,430 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 1,003 1,003 n/a C....................... 3,626 3,626 n/a WYK..................... 251 251 n/a SEO..................... 347 347 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 5,227 5,227 6,400 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 267 267 n/a C....................... 860 860 n/a E....................... 783 783 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 1,910 1,910 2,540 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big skates \14\....................... W....................... 632 632 n/a C....................... 2,065 2,065 n/a E....................... 633 633 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 3,330 3,330 4,439 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Longnose skates \15\.................. W....................... 78 78 n/a C....................... 2,041 2,041 n/a E....................... 768 768 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 2,887 2,887 3,849 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other skates \16\..................... GW...................... 2,104 2,104 2,806 Demersal shelf rockfish \17\.......... SEO..................... 382 382 611 Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 1,500 6,200 Other species \18\.................... GW...................... n/a 4,500 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total \19\.................... ........................ 536,201 262,826 665,642 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide) \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 26 percent, 49 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 26 percent, 60 percent, and 14 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 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. \3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a 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 in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component allocations of the Pacific cod TAC. \4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole. \5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. \6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4 list the 2008 and 2009 allocations of sablefish. \7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus. \8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis. \9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). \10\ ``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. [[Page 10567]] \11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis. \12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory Area has been combined with the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District. \13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). \14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata. \15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina. \16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp. \17\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). \18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species,'' the TAC for ``other species'' is set at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species. \19\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species. Table 2.--Final 2009 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Area/district \1\ ABC TAC OFL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 23,700 23,700 n/a Chirikof (620).......... 25,821 25,821 n/a Kodiak (630)............ 18,367 18,367 n/a WYK (640)............... 2,042 2,042 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... W/C/WYK................. 69,930 69,930 95,940 ----------------------------------------------- SEO (650)............... 8,240 8,240 11,040 ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 78,170 78,170 106,980 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 25,932 19,449 n/a C....................... 37,901 28,426 n/a E....................... 2,660 2,394 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 66,493 50,269 88,660 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)............. W....................... 707 707 n/a C....................... 6,927 6,927 n/a WYK..................... 995 995 n/a SEO..................... 543 543 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 9,172 9,172 11,583 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rex sole.............................. W....................... 948 948 n/a C....................... 6,241 6,241 n/a WYK..................... 483 483 n/a SEO..................... 796 796 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 8,468 8,468 11,065 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flathead sole......................... W....................... 13,001 2,000 n/a C....................... 29,289 5,000 n/a WYK..................... 3,556 3,556 n/a SEO..................... 659 659 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 46,505 11,215 57,962 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).......... W....................... 26,360 4,500 n/a C....................... 29,873 13,000 n/a WYK..................... 3,333 3,333 n/a SEO..................... 1,423 1,423 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 60,989 22,256 74,364 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 31,080 K8,000 n/a C....................... 169,371 30,000 n/a WYK..................... 15,375 2,500 n/a SEO..................... 12,579 2,500 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 228,405 43,000 269,237 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sablefish \6\......................... W....................... 1,727 1,727 n/a C....................... 5,026 5,026 n/a WYK..................... 1,782 1,782 n/a [[Page 10568]] SEO..................... 3,098 3,098 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 4,880 4,880 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 11,633 11,633 12,924 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 3,704 3,704 4,397 C....................... 8,225 8,225 9,764 WYK..................... 1,105 1,105 n/a SEO..................... 2,038 2,038 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 3,143 3,143 3,732 ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 15,072 15,072 17,893 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shortraker rockfish \8\............... W....................... 120 120 n/a C....................... 315 315 n/a E....................... 463 463 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 898 898 1,197 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rougheye rockfish \9\................. W....................... 124 124 n/a C....................... 830 830 n/a E....................... 325 325 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 1,279 1,279 1,540 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other rockfish \10\ \11\.............. W....................... 357 357 n/a C....................... 569 569 n/a WYK..................... 604 604 n/a SEO..................... 2,767 200 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 4,297 1,730 5,624 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northern rockfish \11\ \12\........... W....................... 2,047 2,047 n/a C....................... 2,302 2,302 n/a E....................... 0 0 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 4,349 4,349 5,120 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 986 986 n/a C....................... 3,566 3,566 n/a WYK..................... 247 247 n/a SEO..................... 341 341 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 5,140 5,140 6,294 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 267 267 n/a C....................... 860 860 n/a E....................... 783 783 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 1,910 1,910 2,540 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big skates \14\....................... W....................... 632 632 n/a C....................... 2,065 2,065 n/a E....................... 633 633 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 3,330 3,330 4,439 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Longnose skates \15\.................. W....................... 78 78 n/a C....................... 2,041 2,041 n/a E....................... 768 768 n/a ----------------------------------------------- Total......................... ........................ 2,887 2,887 3,849 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other skates \16\..................... GW...................... 2,104 2,104 2,806 Demersal shelf rockfish \17\.......... SEO..................... 382 382 611 Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 1,500 6,200 Other species \18\.................... GW...................... n/a 4,500 n/a ----------------------------------------------- [[Page 10569]] Total \19\.................... ........................ 556,183 279,264 690,888 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide) \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 26 percent, 49 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 26 percent, 60 percent, and 14 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 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. \3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a 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 in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component allocations of the Pacific cod TAC. \4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole. \5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. \6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4 list the 2008 and 2009 allocations of sablefish. \7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus. \8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis. \9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). \10\ ``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. \11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis. \12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory Area has been combined with the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District. \13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). \14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata. \15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina. \16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp. \17\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). \18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species,'' the TAC for ``other species'' is set at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species. \19\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species. 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 2007, NMFS reapportioned all the reserves in the final harvest specifications. For 2008 and 2009, NMFS proposed reapportionment of all the reserves in the proposed 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2007 (72 FR 68810). NMFS received no public comments on the proposed reapportionments. For the final 2008 and 2009 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 5 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 5 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. 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. This recommendation results in an allocation of 267 mt to trawl gear and 1,683 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District, and 3,390 mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in 2008, and 244 mt to trawl gear in the WYK District in 2009. Table 3 lists the allocations of the 2008 sablefish TACs to hook-and- line and trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations of the 2009 sablefish TACs to trawl gear. [[Page 10570]] Table 3.--Final 2008 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocations to Hook-and-Line and Trawl Gear [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hook-and-line Trawl Area/district TAC apportionment apportionment ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Western......................................................... 1,890 1,512 378 Central......................................................... 5,500 4,400 1,100 West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,950 1,683 267 Southeast Outside............................................... 3,390 3,390 0 ----------------------------------------------- Total....................................................... 12,730 10,985 1,745 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \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 2009 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation to Trawl Gear [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hook-and-line Area/district TAC apportionment Trawl \1\ apportionment ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Western......................................................... 1,727 n/a 345 Central......................................................... 5,026 n/a 1,005 West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,782 n/a 244 Southeast Outside............................................... 3,098 n/a 0 ----------------------------------------------- Total....................................................... 11,633 0 1,595 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishery Quota fisheries be limited to 1 year. \2\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District. 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. 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 2008 and 2009, the Council recommends an