Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2005 and 2006 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 8979-8999 [05-3582]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
relieved by making the final harvest
specifications effective on publication.
Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), an agency can waive a delay
in the effective date for good cause
found and published with the rule. For
all other fisheries not currently closed
because the interim TACs were reached,
the likely possibility exists for their
closures prior to the expiration of a 30day delayed effectiveness period
because their interim TACs or PSC
allowances could be reached.
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. The interim harvest specifications
currently in effect are not sufficient to
allow directed fisheries to continue
predictably, resulting in unnecessary
closures and disruption within the
fishing industry and the potential for
regulatory discards. The final harvest
specifications establish increased TACs
and PSC allowances to provide
continued directed fishing for species
that would otherwise be prohibited
under the interim harvest specifications.
These final harvest specifications were
developed as quickly a possible, given
Plan Team review in November 2004,
Council consideration and
recommendations in December 2004,
and NOAA fisheris review and
development in January–February 2005.
Additionally, if the final harvest
specifications are not effective by
February 27, 2005, which is the start of
the Pacific halibut season as specified
by the IPHC, the longline sablefish
fishery will not begin concurrently with
the Pacific halibut season. This would
cause sablefish that is caught with
Pacific halibut to be discarded, as both
longline sablefish and Pacific halibut
are managed under the same IFQ
program. These final harvest
specifications were developed as
quickly as possible, given plan team
review in November 2004, Council
consideration and recommendations in
December 2004, and NMFS review and
development in January through
February 2005.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et
seq., and 3631 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); Pub.
L. 105–277, Title II of Division C; Pub L. 106–
31, Sec. 3027; and Pub L. 106–554, Sec. 209.
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
Dated: February 17, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05–3581 Filed 2–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 041126332–5039–02; I.D.
112204A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands; 2005 and 2006 Final
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: 2005 and 2006 final harvest
specifications for groundfish;
apportionment of reserves; closures.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2005 and
2006 final harvest specifications and
prohibited species catch (PSC)
allowances for the groundfish fishery of
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for
groundfish during the 2005 and 2006
fishing years and to accomplish the
goals and objectives of the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (FMP). The intended
effect of this action is to conserve and
manage the groundfish resources in the
BSAI in accordance with the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act).
DATES: The 2005 and 2006 final harvest
specifications and associated
apportionment of reserves are effective
at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.),
February 24, 2005 through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final
Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA) prepared for this action are
available from Alaska Region, NMFS,
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802,
Attn: Lori Durall or from the Alaska
Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final
2004 Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated
November 2004, are available from the
PO 00000
Frm 00059
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8979
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council), West 4th Avenue,
Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510–2252
(907–271–2809) or from its Web site at
https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228 or e-mail
mary.furuness@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679
implement the FMP and govern the
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS
approved it under the MagnusonStevens Act. General regulations
governing U.S. fisheries also appear at
50 CFR part 600.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify annually 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 range of 1.4 million to
2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see
§ 679.20(a)(1)(i)). Also specified are
apportionments of TACs, and
Community Development Quota (CDQ)
reserve amounts, PSC allowances, and
prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserve
amounts. Regulations at § 679.20(c)(3)
further require NMFS to consider public
comment on the proposed annual TACs
and apportionments thereof and the
proposed PSC allowances, and to
publish final harvest specifications in
the Federal Register. The final harvest
specifications set forth in Tables 1
through 17 of this action satisfy these
requirements. For 2005 and 2006, the
sum of TACs for each year is 2 million
mt.
The 2005 and 2006 proposed harvest
specifications and PSC allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were
published in the Federal Register on
December 8, 2004 (69 FR 70974).
Comments were invited and accepted
through January 7, 2005. NMFS received
three letters of comment on the
proposed harvest specifications. These
letters of comment are summarized and
responded to in the Response to
Comments section. NMFS consulted
with the Council during the December
2004 Council meeting in Anchorage,
AK. After considering public comments,
as well as biological and economic data
that were available at the Council’s
December meeting, NMFS is
implementing the 2005 and 2006 final
harvest specifications as recommended
by the Council.
Regulations at § 679.20(c)(2)(ii)
establish the interim amounts of each
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8980
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
proposed initial TAC (ITAC) and
allocations thereof, of each CDQ reserve
established by § 679.20(b)(1)(iii), and of
the proposed PSC allowances and PSQ
reserves established by § 679.21 that
become available at 0001 hours, A.l.t.,
January 1, and remain available until
superseded by the final harvest
specifications. NMFS published the
2005 interim harvest specifications in
the Federal Register on December 23,
2004 (69 FR 76870). Regulations at
§ 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not provide for an
interim harvest specification for either
the hook-and-line or pot gear sablefish
CDQ reserve or for sablefish managed
under the Individual Fishing Quota
(IFQ) program. The 2005 final harvest
specifications, PSC allowances and PSQ
reserves contained in this action
supersede the 2005 interim harvest
specifications.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Harvest Specifications
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 technical methods
used to calculate stock biomass. In
general, the development of ABCs and
overfishing levels (OFLs) involves
sophisticated statistical analyses of fish
populations and is based on a
successive series of six levels, or tiers,
of reliable information available to
fishery scientists. Tier one represents
the highest data quality and tier six the
lowest level of data quality available.
In December 2004, the Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory
Panel (AP), and Council reviewed
current biological information about the
condition of groundfish stocks in the
BSAI. This information was compiled
by the Council’s Plan Team and is
presented in the final 2004 SAFE report
for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2004. 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 BSAI
ecosystem and the economic condition
of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The
SAFE report is available for public
review (see ADDRESSES). From these data
and analyses, the Plan Team estimates
an ABC for each species or species
category.
In December 2004, the SSC, AP, and
Council reviewed the Plan Team’s
recommendations. Except for pollock,
atka mackerel, rock sole, and the ‘‘other
species’’ category, the SSC, AP, and
Council endorsed the Plan Team’s ABC
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
recommendations. For the 2006 OFL
and ABC recommendations for Atka
mackerel, rock sole and Bering Sea
pollock the SSC used a downward
revised projection of catch that results
in higher OFLs and ABCs. For Aleutian
Islands pollock, the SSC recommended
using tier 5 management that calculates
a lower ABC than the Plan Team’s
recommendation using tier 3
management. For Bogoslof pollock, the
SSC recommended using a procedure
that reduces the ABC proportionately to
the ratio of current stock biomass to
target stock biomass. For ‘‘other
species’’, the SSC recommended using
tier 6 management for the sharks and
octopus species, that calculated lower
ABCs, instead of the Plan Team’s
recommended tier 5 management. The
Plan Team also recommended separate
OFLs and ABCs for the species in the
‘‘other species’’ category, however, the
current FMP specifies management at
the group level. Since 1999, the SSC has
recommended a procedure that moves
gradually to a higher ABC for ‘‘other
species’’ over a 10-year period instead of
a large increase in one year. The 2005
and 2006 ABC amounts reflect the 7th
and 8th years incremental increase in
the ABC for ‘‘other species.’’ For all
species, the AP endorsed the ABCs
recommended by the SSC, and the
Council adopted them.
The final TAC recommendations were
based on the ABCs as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining
the total TAC within the required
optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million
to 2.0 million mt. The Council adopted
the AP’s 2005 and 2006 TAC
recommendations, except for the 2005
rock sole, flathead sole, ‘‘other flatfish’’,
yellowfin sole, Alaska plaice, Bering Sea
pollock and’’other species’’category.
The Council increased TAC amounts for
rock sole, flathead sole, ‘‘other flatfish’’
by 500 mt each and the yellowfin sole
TAC by 3,200 mt. It decreased the
Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC by
2,500 mt, the Alaska plaice TAC by
2,000 mt, and the ‘‘other species’’ TAC
by 200 mt. None of the Council’s
recommended TACs for 2005 or 2006
exceed the final 2005 or 2006 ABC for
any species category. NMFS finds that
the recommended OFLs, ABCs, and
TACs are consistent with the biological
condition of groundfish stocks as
described in the 2004 SAFE report that
was approved by the Council.
Other Rules Affecting the 2005 and
2006 Harvest Specifications
Amendments 48/48 to the FMP and to
the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA)
PO 00000
Frm 00060
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
were approved by NMFS on October 12,
2004. The final rule implementing
Amendments 48/48 was published
November 8, 2004, (69 FR 64683).
Amendments 48/48 revise the
administrative process used to establish
annual specifications for the groundfish
fisheries of the GOA and the BSAI. The
goals of Amendments 48/48 in revising
the harvest specifications process are to
(1) manage fisheries based on the best
scientific information available, (2)
provide for adequate prior public review
and comment on Council
recommendations, (3) provide for
additional opportunity for Secretarial
review, (4) minimize unnecessary
disruption to fisheries and public
confusion, and (5) promote
administrative efficiency.
Based on the approval of
Amendments 48/48, the Council
recommended 2005 and 2006 final
harvest specifications for BSAI
groundfish. The 2006 harvest
specifications will be updated in early
2006, when final harvest specifications
for 2006 and new harvest specifications
for 2007 are implemented.
In June 2004, the Council adopted
Amendment 82 to the FMP. This
amendment would establish a program
for management of the Aleutian Islands
(AI) directed pollock fishery. Section
803 of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2004 (CAA), Public Law (Pub. L.)
No. 108–199, requires the AI directed
pollock fishery to be allocated to the
Aleut Corporation for economic
development in Adak, Alaska. Prior to
the CAA, the AI directed pollock fishery
was managed pursuant to the American
Fisheries Act (AFA), Pub. L. No. 105–
277, Title II of Division C. The AFA
allocated the AI directed pollock fishery
to specific harvesters and processors
named in the AFA. The CAA supersedes
that portion of the AFA. Together, the
CAA and the AFA effectively allocated
the AI directed pollock fishery to the
Aleut Corporation after subtraction of
the CDQ directed fishing allowance and
incidental catch allowance (ICA) from
the AI pollock TAC. The
implementation of section 803 of the
CAA requires amending AFA provisions
in the FMP and in the regulations at 50
CFR part 679. This would be
accomplished by Amendment 82 which
was approved by the Secretary of
Commerce on February 9, 2005.
Until the regulations for Amendment
82 are effective, NMFS will prohibit the
non-CDQ AI directed pollock fishery in
the final harvest specifications for 2005
and 2006 based on statutory language of
section 803 of the CAA. The AI pollock
TAC recommended by the Council
under provisions of proposed
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
Amendment 82 are included in the 2005
and 2006 final harvest specifications to
allow the Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, (Regional Administrator), to
open the AI directed pollock fishery if
and when the regulations for
Amendment 82 are effective. As stated
above, this prohibition is authorized by
section 803 of the CAA, which prohibits
fishing or processing of any part of the
AI non-CDQ pollock allocation except
with permission of the Aleut
Corporation or its designated agent. For
additional information, see the
November 16, 2004, notice of
availability (69 FR 67107) and the
December 7, 2004, proposed rule for
Amendment 82 (69 FR 70589).
Changes From the 2005 and 2006
Proposed Harvest Specifications in the
BSAI
In October 2004, the Council’s
recommendations for the 2005 and 2006
proposed harvest specifications (69 FR
70974, December 8, 2004) were based
largely upon information contained in
the final 2003 SAFE report for the BSAI
groundfish fisheries, dated November
2003. The Council recommended that
OFLs and ABCs for stocks in tiers 1
through 3 be based on biomass
projections as set forth in the 2003
SAFE report and estimates of groundfish
harvests through the 2004 fishing year.
For stocks in tiers 4 through 6, for
which projections could not be made,
the Council recommended that OFL and
ABC levels be unchanged from 2004
until the final 2004 SAFE report could
be completed. The final 2004 SAFE
report (dated November 2004), which
was not available when the Council
made its recommendations in October
2004, contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition
of the groundfish stocks and was
considered in December by the Council
in making its recommendations for the
2005 and 2006 final harvest
specifications. Based on the final 2004
SAFE report, the sum of the 2005
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
recommended final TACs for the BSAI
(2,000,000 mt) is the same as the sum of
the 2005 proposed TACs. The sum of
the 2006 recommended final TACs for
the BSAI (2,000,000 mt) is 1,577 mt
higher than the 2006 proposed TACs
(1,998,423 mt). This represents a .08percent increase overall. Those species
for which the final 2005 TAC is lower
than the proposed 2005 TAC are
Bogoslof pollock (decreased to 10 mt
from 50 mt), Pacific cod (decreased to
206,000 mt from 215,952 mt), AI
sablefish (decreased to 2,620 mt from
2,790 mt), Alaska plaice (decreased to
8,000 mt from 10,000 mt), and AI ‘‘other
rockfish’’ (decreased to 590 mt from 634
mt). Those species for which the final
2005 TAC is higher than the proposed
2005 TAC are Bering Sea pollock
(increased to 1,478,500 from 1,474,450
mt), Bering Sea sablefish (increased to
2,440 mt from 2,418 mt), rock sole
(increased to 41,500 mt from 41,450 mt),
flathead sole (increased to 19,500 mt
from 19,000 mt), ‘‘other flatfish’’
(increased to 3,500 mt from 3,000 mt),
yellowfin sole (increased to 90,686 mt
from 86,075 mt), Pacific ocean perch
(increased to 12,600 mt from 12,020 mt),
shortraker rockfish (increased to 596 mt
from 526 mt), rougheye rockfish
(increased to 223 from 195 mt), and
‘‘other species’’ (increased to 29,000 mt
from 27,205 mt). Those species for
which the final 2006 TAC is lower than
the proposed 2006 TAC are Bogoslof
pollock (decreased to 10 mt from 50 mt),
Pacific cod (decreased to 195,000 mt
from 215,500 mt), AI sablefish
(decreased to 2,480 mt from 2,589 mt),
Bering Sea greenland turbot (decreased
to 2,500 mt from 2,700 mt), and AI
‘‘other rockfish’’ (decreased to 590 mt
from 634). Those species for which the
final 2006 TAC is higher than the
proposed 2006 TAC are Bering Sea
pollock (increased to 1,487,756 from
1,474,000 mt), Bering Sea sablefish
(increased to 2,310 mt from 2,244 mt),
rock sole (increased to 42,000 mt from
41,000 mt), flathead sole (increased to
PO 00000
Frm 00061
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8981
20,000 mt from 19,000 mt), yellowfin
sole (increased to 90,000 mt from 86,075
mt), Pacific ocean perch (increased to
12,600 mt from 12,170 mt), shortraker
rockfish (increased to 596 mt from 526
mt), rougheye rockfish (increased to 223
from 195 mt), and ‘‘other species’’
(increased to 29,200 mt from 27,205 mt).
As mentioned in the 2005 and 2006
proposed harvest specifications, NMFS
is apportioning the amounts shown in
Table 2 from the non-specified reserve
to increase the ITAC of several target
species.
The 2005 and 2006 final TAC
recommendations for the BSAI are
within the OY range established for the
BSAI and do not exceed ABCs for any
single species/complexes. Compared to
the 2005 proposed harvest
specifications, the Council’s 2005 final
TAC recommendations increase fishing
opportunities for fishermen and
economic benefits to the nation for
species for which the Council had
sufficient information to raise TAC
levels. These include Bering Sea
pollock, Bering Sea sablefish, yellowfin
sole, AI Pacific ocean perch, shortraker
rockfish, rougheye rockfish, and ‘‘other
species.’’ Conversely, the Council
reduced TAC levels to provide greater
protection for several species, these
include Bogoslof pollock, Pacific cod,
AI sablefish, Bering Sea Pacific ocean
perch, AI ‘‘other rockfish.’’ The changes
recommended by the Council were
based on the best scientific information
available, consistent with National
Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, and within a reasonable range of
variation from the proposed TAC
recommendations so that the affected
public was fairly apprized and could
have made meaningful comments.
Table 1 lists the 2005 and 2006 final
OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC and CDQ reserve
amounts of groundfish in the BSAI. The
apportionment of TAC amounts among
fisheries and seasons is discussed
below.
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
VerDate jul<14>2003
Area
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00062
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
3,509,332
2,100,000
39,100
39,600
265,000
2,950
3,170
147,000
....................
....................
....................
148,000
157,000
19,200
....................
....................
132,000
70,200
28,500
237,000
17,300
....................
....................
....................
....................
9,810
794
298
1,870
....................
....................
2,620
87,920
OFL
3,044,769
1,960,000
29,400
2,570
206,000
2,440
2,620
124,000
24,550
52,830
46,620
124,000
132,000
3,930
2,720
1,210
108,000
58,500
21,400
189,000
14,600
2,920
3,210
3,165
5,305
8,260
596
223
1,400
810
590
1,970
53,860
ABC
2,000,000
1,478,500
19,000
10
206,000
2,440
2,620
63,000
7,500
35,500
20,000
90,686
41,500
3,500
2,700
800
12,000
19,500
3,500
8,000
12,600
1,400
3,080
3,035
5,085
5,000
596
223
1,050
460
590
1,275
29,000
TAC
2005
1,774,719
1,330,650
17,100
10
175,100
2,013
2,129
53,550
6,375
30,175
17,000
77,083
35,275
2,975
2,295
680
10,200
16,575
2,975
6,800
10,710
1,190
2,618
2,580
4,322
4,250
507
190
893
391
502
1,084
24,650
ITAC 2
186,608
147,850
1,900
....................
15,450
336
442
4,725
563
2,663
1,500
6,801
3,113
263
203
60
900
1,463
263
600
945
105
231
228
381
375
45
17
79
35
44
....................
2,175
CDQ 3
3,093,360
1,944,000
39,100
39,600
226,000
2,690
2,880
127,000
....................
....................
....................
133,000
145,000
11,100
....................
....................
103,000
56,100
28,500
115,000
17,408
....................
....................
....................
....................
9,480
794
298
1,870
....................
....................
2,620
87,920
OFL
2,547,259
1,617,000
29,400
2,570
195,000
2,310
2,480
107,000
21,190
45,580
40,230
114,000
122,000
3,600
2,500
1,100
88,400
48,400
21,400
109,000
14,600
2,920
3,210
3,165
5,305
8,040
596
223
1,400
810
590
1,970
57,870
ABC
2,000,000
1,487,756
19,000
10
195,000
2,310
2,480
63,000
7,500
35,500
20,000
90,000
42,000
3,500
2,500
1,000
12,000
20,000
3,000
10,000
12,600
1,400
3,080
3,035
5,085
5,000
596
223
1,050
460
590
1,275
29,200
TAC
2006
1,772,778
1,338,980
17,100
10
165,750
982
527
53,550
6,375
30,175
17,000
76,500
35,700
2,975
2,125
850
10,200
17,000
2,550
8,500
10,710
1,190
2,618
2,580
4,322
4,250
507
190
893
391
502
1,084
24,820
ITAC 2
187,350
148,776
1,900
....................
14,625
87
47
4,725
563
2,663
1,500
6,750
3,150
263
188
75
900
1,500
225
750
945
105
231
228
381
375
45
17
79
35
44
....................
2,190
CDQ 3
amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the
Bogoslof District.
2 Except for pollock and the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for each species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
3 Except for pollock, squid and the hook-and-line or pot gear allocation of sablefish, one half of the amount of the TACs placed in reserve, or 7.5 percent of the TACs, is designated as a CDQ reserve for use by
CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(iii) and 679.31).
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual Bering Sea pollock TAC after subtraction for the CDQ directed fishing allowance—10 percent and the ICA—3.35 percent, is further allocated by sector for a directed pollock
fishery as follows: inshore—50 percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under regulations that would be effective with the final rule implementing Amendment 82, the annual AI pollock
TAC, after first subtracting for the CDQ directed fishing allowance—10 percent and second the ICA—2,000 mt, would be allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery.
5 Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear and 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(iii)).
6 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder and Alaska plaice.
7 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern, shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
8 ‘‘Other species’’ includes sculpins, sharks, skates and octopus. Forage fish, as defined at § 679.2, are not included in the ‘‘other species’’ category.
1 These
Total ....................................................................
Squid ..........................................................................
Other species 8 ...........................................................
Northern rockfish ........................................................
Shortraker rockfish .....................................................
Rougheye rockfish .....................................................
Other rockfish 7 ...........................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ....................................................
Flathead sole ..............................................................
Other flatfish 6 .............................................................
Alaska plaice ..............................................................
Pacific ocean perch ....................................................
Yellowfin sole .............................................................
Rock sole ...................................................................
Greenland turbot ........................................................
Atka mackerel ............................................................
....................
Pollock 4 ......................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................
Sablefish 5 ..................................................................
BS 2 ............
AI 2 ..............
Bogoslof .....
BSAI ...........
BS ..............
AI ................
BSAI ...........
EAI/BS ........
CAI .............
WAI ............
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BS ..............
AI ................
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BS ..............
EAI .............
CAI .............
WAI ............
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
BS ..............
AI ................
BSAI ...........
BSAI ...........
Species
[Amounts are in metric tons]
TABLE 1.—2005 AND 2006 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND
CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI.1
8982
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
24FER1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
Reserves and the Incidental Catch
Allowance (ICA) for Pollock
Regulations at § 679.20(b)(1)(i) require
that 15 percent of the TAC for each
target species or species group, except
for pollock and the hook-and-line and
pot gear allocation of sablefish, be
placed in a non-specified reserve.
Regulations at § 679.20(b)(1)(iii) require
that one-half of each TAC amount
placed in the non-specified reserve (7.5
percent), with the exception of squid, be
allocated to the groundfish CDQ reserve
and that 20 percent of the hook-and-line
and pot gear allocation of sablefish be
allocated to the fixed gear sablefish CDQ
reserve. Regulations at
§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) also require that 10
percent of the BSAI pollock TACs be
allocated to the pollock CDQ directed
fishing allowance. The entire Bogoslof
District pollock TAC is allocated as an
ICA (see § 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the
exception of the hook-and-line and pot
gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the
regulations do not further apportion the
CDQ reserves by gear. Regulations at
§ 679.21(e)(1)(i) also require that 7.5
percent of each PSC limit, with the
exception of herring, be withheld as a
PSQ reserve for the CDQ fisheries.
Regulations governing the management
of the CDQ and PSQ reserves are set
forth at §§ 679.30 and 679.31.
Under regulations at
§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a
pollock ICA of 3.35 percent of the
Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC after
subtraction of the 10 percent CDQ
reserve. This allowance is based on an
examination of the incidental catch of
pollock, including CDQ vessels, in
target fisheries other than pollock from
1998 through 2004. During this 6-year
period, the incidental catch of pollock
ranged from a low of 2 percent in 2003,
to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a
6-year average of 3 percent. Under
regulations that would be effective with
the final rule implementing Amendment
82, NMFS is specifying a 2,000 mt ICA
for AI subarea pollock after subtraction
of the 10 percent CDQ directed fishing
8983
allowance. The Aleut Corporation’s
directed pollock fishing allowance will
be closed until regulations
implementing Amendment 82 (if
approved) become effective.
The regulations do not designate the
remainder of the non-specified reserve
by species or species group, and any
amount of the reserve may be
apportioned to a target species or to the
‘‘other species’’ category during the
year, providing that such
apportionments do not result in
overfishing, see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The
Regional Administrator has determined
that the ITACs specified for the species
listed in Table 2 need to be
supplemented from the non-specified
reserve because U.S. fishing vessels
have demonstrated the capacity to catch
the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is
apportioning the amounts shown in
Table 2 from the non-specified reserve
to increase the ITAC to an amount that
is equal to TAC minus the CDQ reserve.
TABLE 2.—2005 APPORTIONMENT OF RESERVES TO ITAC CATEGORIES
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2005
reserve
amount
Species—area or subarea
2005
final
ITAC
2006
reserve
amount
2006 final
ITAC
Atka mackerel—Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea ...............................
Atka mackerel—Central Aleutian District ........................................................................
Atka mackerel—Western Aleutian District .......................................................................
Pacific ocean perch—Eastern Aleutian District ...............................................................
Pacific ocean perch—Central Aleutian District ................................................................
Pacific ocean perch—Western Aleutian District ..............................................................
Pacific cod—BSAI ............................................................................................................
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI .................................................................................................
Rougheye rockfish-BSAI ..................................................................................................
Northern rockfish-BSAI ....................................................................................................
Other rockfish—Bering Sea subarea ...............................................................................
563
2,663
1,500
231
228
381
15,450
45
17
375
35
6,938
32,838
18,500
2,849
2,808
4,703
190,550
552
207
4,625
426
563
2,663
1,500
231
228
381
14,625
45
17
375
35
6,938
32,838
18,500
2,849
2,808
4,703
180,375
552
207
4,625
426
Total ..........................................................................................................................
21,488
264,996
20,663
254,821
Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the
AFA
Regulations at § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A),
require, after subtracting first the 10
percent for the CDQ program and
second the 3.35 percent for the ICA, the
Bering Sea subarea pollock to be
allocated as a directed fishing allowance
(DFA) as follows: 50 percent to the
inshore component, 40 percent to the
catcher/processor component, and 10
percent to the mothership component.
In the Bering Sea subarea, the A season,
January 20—June 10, is allocated 40
percent of the DFA and the B season,
June 10—November 1, is allocated 60
percent of the DFA. The AI directed
pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut
Corporation remains after subtracting
first the 10 percent for the CDQ DFA
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
and second the 2,000 mt for the ICA.
The Aleut Corporation directed pollock
fishery is closed to directed fishing until
the management provisions for the AI
directed pollock fishery become
effective under Amendment 82. In the
AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40
percent of the ABC and the B season is
allocated the remainder of the directed
pollock fishery. Table 3 lists these 2005
and 2006 amounts.
The regulations also contain several
specific requirements concerning
pollock and pollock allocations under
§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4). First, 8.5 percent
of the pollock allocated to the catcher/
processor sector will be available for
harvest by AFA catcher vessels with
catcher/processor sector endorsements,
unless the Regional Administrator
PO 00000
Frm 00063
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
receives a cooperative contract that
provides for the distribution of harvest
between AFA catcher/processors and
AFA catcher vessels in a manner agreed
to by all members. Second, AFA
catcher/processors not listed in the AFA
are limited to harvesting not more than
0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to
the catcher/processor sector. Table 3
lists the 2005 and 2006 allocations of
pollock TAC. Tables 10 through 17 list
other provisions of the AFA, including
inshore pollock cooperative allocations
and listed catcher/processor and catcher
vessel harvesting sideboard limits.
Table 3 also lists seasonal
apportionments of pollock and harvest
limits within the Steller Sea Lion
Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest
within the SCA, as defined at
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8984
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
§ 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to 28
percent of the annual directed fishing
allowance (DFA) until April 1. The
remaining 12 percent of the 40 percent
of the annual DFA allocated to the A
season may be taken outside of the SCA
before April 1 or inside the SCA after
April 1. If the 28 percent of the annual
DFA is not taken inside the SCA before
April 1, the remainder is available to be
taken inside the SCA after April 1. The
A season pollock SCA harvest limit will
be apportioned to each sector in
proportion to each sector’s allocated
percentage of the DFA. Table 3 lists by
sector these 2005 and 2006 amounts.
TABLE 3.—2005 AND 2006 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2005 A season 1
Area and sector
2006 A season 1
A season
DFA
SCA harvest limit 2
2006 B
season 1
B season
DFA
1,487,756
148,776
44,856
647,062
517,650
473,650
44,000
....................
59,510
....................
258,825
207,060
189,460
17,600
....................
41,657
....................
181,177
144,942
....................
....................
....................
89,265
....................
388,237
310,590
284,190
26,400
1,543
77,164
2,588
129,412
1,035
51,765
....................
36,235
1,553
77,647
A season
DFA
SCA harvest limit 2
2005 B
season 1
B season
DFA
1,478,500
147,850
44,577
643,037
514,429
470,703
43,726
....................
59,140
....................
257,215
205,772
188,281
17,491
....................
41,398
....................
180,050
144,040
....................
....................
....................
88,710
....................
385,822
308,658
282,422
26,236
2,572
128,607
1,029
51,443
....................
36,010
2005 Allocations
2006 Allocations
Bering Sea subarea .........
CDQ DFA .........................
ICA 1 .................................
AFA Inshore .....................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3
Catch by C/Ps ...........
Catch by CVs 3 .........
Unlisted C/P
Limit 4 .............
AFA Motherships .............
Excessive Harvesting
Limit 5 ............................
Excessive Processing
Limit 6 ............................
Total Bering Sea DFA
225,063
....................
....................
....................
226,472
....................
....................
....................
385,822
1,478,500
....................
573,569
....................
401,499
....................
860,354
388,237
1,487,756
....................
577,160
....................
404,012
....................
865,740
Aleutian Islands subarea 1
CDQ DFA ..................
ICA ............................
Aleut Corporation ......
19,000
1,900
2,000
15,100
....................
760
1,200
9,800
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
1,140
800
5,300
19,000
1,900
2,000
15,100
....................
760
1,200
9,800
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
1,140
800
5,300
Bogoslof District ICA 7 ......
10
....................
....................
....................
10
....................
....................
....................
1 Under
§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock after subtraction for the CDQ DFA—10 percent and the ICA—3.35 percent, the
pollock TAC is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component—50 percent, catcher/processor component—40 percent, and mothership component—10 percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, the A season, January 20–June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June
10–November 1 is allocated 60 percent of the DFA. The Aleutian Islands (AI) directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation remains
after first subtracting for the CDQ DFA—10 percent and second the ICA—2,000 mt. The Aleut Corporation directed pollock fishery is closed to
directed fishing until the management provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery become effective under Amendment 82. In the AI subarea, the
A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
2 In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining
12 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent
of the annual DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
3 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only by
eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
6 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
7 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only, and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel ITAC
Under § 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2
percent of the Eastern Aleutian District
and the Bering Sea subarea Atka
mackerel ITAC may be allocated to jig
gear. The amount of this allocation is
determined annually by the Council
based on several criteria, including the
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig
gear fleet. The Council recommended,
and NMFS approved, a 1 percent
allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in
the Eastern Aleutian District and the
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
Bering Sea subarea to the jig gear in
2005 and 2006. Based on an ITAC and
a reserve apportionment which together
total 6,938 mt, the jig gear allocation is
69 mt.
Regulations at § 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A)
apportion the Atka mackerel ITAC into
two equal seasonal allowances. After
subtraction of the jig gear allocation, the
first seasonal allowance is made
available for directed fishing from
January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to
April 15 (A season), and the second
seasonal allowance is made available
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
from September 1 to November 1 (B
season) (see Table 4).
Under § 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1), the
Regional Administrator will establish a
harvest limit area (HLA) limit of no
more than 60 percent of the seasonal
TAC for the Western and Central
Aleutian Districts. A lottery system is
used for the HLA Atka mackerel
directed fisheries to reduce the amount
of daily catch in the HLA by about half
and to disperse the fishery over two
districts, see § 679.20(a)(8)(iii).
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8985
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 4.—2005 AND 2006 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, AND CDQ RESERVE OF THE BSAI
ATKA MACKEREL TAC 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Seasonal allowances 2
2005 and
2006 TAC
Subarea and component
CDQ reserve
HLA limit 4
CDQ
reserve
A season 3
ITAC
B season 3
Total
HLA limit 4
Total
HLA limit 4
Western AI District ...........
Central AI District .............
EAI/BS subarea 5 .............
Jig (1%) 6 ..........................
Other gear (99%) .............
20,000
35,500
7,500
....................
....................
1,500
2,663
563
....................
....................
900
1,598
....................
....................
....................
18,500
32,838
6,938
69
6,868
9,250
16,419
....................
....................
3,434
5,550
9,851
....................
....................
....................
9,250
16,419
....................
....................
3,434
5,550
9,851
....................
....................
....................
Total ..........................
63,000
4,725
....................
58,275
29,103
....................
29,103
....................
1 Regulations
at §§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
2 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
3 The A season is January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to April 15 and the B season is September 1 to November 1.
4 Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (see § 679.2). In
2005 and 2006, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.
5 Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea.
6 Regulations at § 679.20 (a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea ITAC be allocated to
jig gear. The amount of this allocation is 1 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod ITAC
Under § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(A), 2 percent
of the Pacific cod ITAC is allocated to
vessels using jig gear, 51 percent to
vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear,
and 47 percent to vessels using trawl
gear. Under regulations at
§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B), the portion of the
Pacific cod ITAC allocated to trawl gear
is further allocated 50 percent to catcher
vessels and 50 percent to catcher/
processors. Under regulations at
§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(C)(1), a portion of the
Pacific cod ITAC allocated to hook-andline or pot gear is set aside as an ICA
of Pacific cod in directed fisheries for
groundfish using these gear types. Based
on anticipated incidental catch in these
fisheries, the Regional Administrator
specifies an ICA of 500 mt. The
remainder of Pacific cod ITAC is further
allocated to vessels using hook-and-line
or pot gear as the following DFAs: 80
percent to hook-and-line catcher/
processors, 0.3 percent to hook-and-line
catcher vessels, 3.3 percent to pot
catcher/processors, 15 percent to pot
catcher vessels, and 1.4 percent to
catcher vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m)
length overall (LOA) using hook-andline or pot gear.
Due to concerns about the potential
impact of the Pacific cod fishery on
Steller sea lions and their critical
habitat, the apportionment of the ITAC
disperses the Pacific cod fisheries into
two seasonal allowances (see
§§ 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A) and 679.23(e)(5)).
For pot and most hook-and-line gear,
the first seasonal allowance of 60
percent of the ITAC is made available
for directed fishing from January 1 to
June 10, and the second seasonal
allowance of 40 percent of the ITAC is
made available from June 10 (September
1 for pot gear) to December 31. No
seasonal harvest constraints are
imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by
catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m)
LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear.
For trawl gear, the first season is January
20 to April 1 and is allocated 60 percent
of the ITAC. The second season, April
1 to June 10, and the third season, June
10 to November 1, are each allocated 20
percent of the ITAC. The trawl catcher
vessel allocation is further allocated as
70 percent in the first season, 10 percent
in the second season and 20 percent in
the third season. The trawl catcher/
processor allocation is allocated 50
percent in the first season, 30 percent in
the second season, and 20 percent in the
third season. For jig gear, the first
season and third seasons are each
allocated 40 percent of the ITAC and the
second season is allocated 20 percent of
the ITAC. Table 5 lists the 2005 and
2006 allocations and seasonal
apportionments of the Pacific cod ITAC.
In accordance with §§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(D)
and 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), any unused
portion of a seasonal Pacific cod
allowance will become available at the
beginning of the next seasonal
allowance.
TABLE 5.—2005 AND 2006 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD ITAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Gear sector
Percent
2005
Share of
gear
sector
total
2005
Subtotoal
percentages for
gear sectors
2005
Share of
gear
sector
total
2005 Seasonal
apportionment 1
Date
Amount
2006
Share of
gear
sector
total
2006
Subtotal
percentages for
gear
sectors
2006
Share of
gear
sector
total
2006 Seasonal
apportionment 1
Date
Amount
Total hook-and-line/pot
gear.
Hook-and-line/pot ICA ......
Hook-and-line/pot subtotal
Hook-and-line C/P ............
51
97,181
...............
..............
..........................
..............
91,991
..............
..............
..........................
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
96,681
..............
...............
...............
80
500
..............
77,344
Hook-and-line CV .............
..............
..............
0.3
290
Pot C/P .............................
..............
..............
3.3
3,190
Pot CV ..............................
..............
..............
15
14,502
..........................
..........................
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Dec 31
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Dec 31
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Sept 1–Dec 31
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Sept 1–Dec 31
..............
..............
46,407
30,938
174
116
1,914
1,276
8,701
5,801
..............
91,491
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
80
..............
0.3
..............
3.3
..............
15
..............
500
..............
73,193
..............
274
..............
3,019
..............
13,724
..............
..........................
..........................
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Dec 31
Jan 1–Jun ........
..........................
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Sept 1–Dec 31
Jan 1–Jun 10 ...
Sept 1–Dec 31
..............
..............
43,916
29,277
165
110
1,812
1,208
8,234
5,489
VerDate jul<14>2003
21:03 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8986
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 5.—2005 AND 2006 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD ITAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Gear sector
Percent
2005
Share of
gear
sector
total
2005
Subtotoal
percentages for
gear sectors
2005
Share of
gear
sector
total
2005 Seasonal
apportionment 1
Date
Amount
2006
Share of
gear
sector
total
2006
Subtotal
percentages for
gear
sectors
2006
Share of
gear
sector
total
2006 Seasonal
apportionment 1
Date
Amount
CV < 60 feet LOA using
Hook-and-line or Pot
gear.
Total Trawl Gear ..............
Trawl CV ....................
..............
..............
1.4
1,354
..........................
..............
..............
1.4
1,281
..........................
..............
47
..............
89,559
..............
...............
50
..............
44,779
Trawl CP ....................
..............
..............
50
44,779
Jig .....................................
2
..............
..............
3,811
..............
..............
...............
...............
...............
..............
..............
..............
..........................
Jan 20–Apr 1 ...
Apr 1–Jun10 .....
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...
Jan 20–Apr 1 ...
Apr 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...
Jan 1–Apr 30 ...
Apr 30–Aug 31
Aug 31–Dec 31
..............
31,345
4,478
8,956
22,390
13,434
8,956
1,524
762
1,524
84,776
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
3,608
..............
..............
..............
50
..............
..............
50
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
42,388
..............
..............
42,388
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..........................
Jan 20–Apr 1 ...
Apr 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...
Jan 20–Apr 1 ...
Apr 1–Jun 10 ...
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...
Jan 1–Apr 30 ...
Apr 30–Aug 31
Aug 31–Dec 31
..............
29,672
4,239
8,478
21,194
12,716
8,478
1,443
722
1,443
Total .......................
100
190,550
...............
..............
..........................
..............
180,375
..............
..............
..........................
..............
1 For
most non-trawl gear the first season is allocated 60 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 40 percent of the ITAC. For jig gear, the first season and third seasons are each allocated 40 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. No seasonal harvest constraints are imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. For trawl gear, the first season is allocated 60
percent of the ITAC and the second and third seasons are each allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. The trawl catcher vessels’ allocation is further allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. The trawl catcher/processors’ allocation is allocated 50 percent in the
first season, 30 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. Any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod allowance will be reapportioned to the
next seasonal allowance.
Sablefish Gear Allocation
Regulations at § 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and
(iv) require that sablefish TACs for the
Bering Sea and AI subareas be allocated
between trawl and hook-and-line or pot
gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for
the Bering Sea subarea are 50 percent
for trawl gear and 50 percent for hookand-line or pot gear and for the AI
subarea are 25 percent for trawl gear and
75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear.
Regulations at § 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B)
require that 20 percent of the hook-andline and pot gear allocation of sablefish
be apportioned to the CDQ reserve.
Additionally, regulations at
§ 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(A) require that 7.5
percent of the trawl gear allocation of
sablefish (one half of the reserve) be
apportioned to the CDQ reserve.
The Council recommended that
specifications for the hook-and-line gear
and pot gear sablefish individual fishing
quota (IFQ) fisheries continue to be
limited to one year to ensure that those
fisheries are conducted concurrent with
the halibut IFQ fishery and are based on
the most recent survey information (69
FR 44634, July 27, 2004). Having the
sablefish IFQ fisheries concurrent with
the halibut IFQ fishery will reduce the
potential for discards of halibut and
sablefish in these fisheries. Because of
the high value of this fishery, the
Council recommended the setting of
TAC be based on the most recent survey
information. Under the current IFQ
fishery season start date, sablefish stock
assessments based on the most recent
survey are available before the
beginning of the fishery to allow for
rulemaking each year. The sablefish IFQ
fisheries remain closed at the beginning
of each fishing year, until the final
specifications for the sablefish IFQ
fisheries are in effect. The trawl
sablefish fishery will be managed using
specifications for up to a two-year
period, similar to GOA pollock, Pacific
cod and the ‘‘other species’’ category.
Table 6 specifies the 2005 and 2006 gear
allocations of the sablefish TAC and
CDQ reserve amounts.
TABLE 6.—2005 AND 2006 GEAR SHARES AND CDQ RESERVE OF BSAI SABLEFISH TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Percent of
TAC
2006 Share
of TAC
2006 ITAC
2006 CDQ
reserve
92
244
1,155
....................
982
....................
87
....................
2,013
336
2,310
982
87
655
1,965
557
1,572
49
393
620
....................
527
....................
47
....................
2,620
2,129
442
2,480
527
47
2005 Share
of TAC
2005 ITAC 1
50
50
1,220
1,220
1,037
976
Total ...........................................
Aleutian Islands:
Trawl 2 ...............................................
Hook-and-line/pot gear 3 ...................
100
2,440
25
75
Total ...........................................
100
Subarea and gear
Bering Sea:
Trawl 2 ...............................................
Hook-and-line/pot gear 3 ...................
2005 CDQ
reserve
1 Except
for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of
the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
2 For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using trawl gear, one half of the reserve (7.5 percent of the specified TAC) is reserved for the CDQ program.
3 For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use
by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to 1 year.
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:10 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut,
Salmon, Crab, and Herring
PSC limits for halibut are set forth in
regulations at § 679.21(e). For the BSAI
trawl fisheries, the limit is 3,675 mt of
halibut mortality and for non-trawl
fisheries, the limit is 900 mt of halibut
mortality. Regulations at
§ 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specify a 2005 and
2006 chinook salmon PSC limit for the
pollock fishery to be 29,000 fish.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocate
7.5 percent, or 2,175 chinook salmon, as
the PSQ for the CDQ program and the
remaining 26,825 chinook salmon to the
non-CDQ fisheries. Amendment 82 and
its implementing rule would establish
an AI chinook salmon limit of 700 fish.
Regulations at 679.21(e)(1)(i) would
allocate 7.5 percent, or 53 chinook
salmon, as an AI PSQ for the CDQ
program and the remaining 647 chinook
salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(1)(viii)
specify a 2005 and 2006 non-chinook
salmon PSC limit of 42,000 fish.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocate
7.5 percent or 3,150 non-chinook
salmon as the PSQ for the CDQ program
and the remaining 38,850 non-chinook
salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. PSC
limits for crab and herring are specified
annually based on abundance and
spawning biomass.
The red king crab mature female
abundance is estimated from the 2004
survey data to be 35.4 million king crab
and the effective spawning biomass is
estimated to be 61.9 million pounds
(27,500 mt). Based on the criteria set out
at § 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the 2005 and 2006
PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for
trawl gear is 197,000 animals as a result
of the mature female abundance being
above 8.4 million king crab and the
effective spawning biomass estimate
being greater than 55 million pounds
(24,948 mt).
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)
establish criteria under which NMFS
must specify an annual red king crab
bycatch limit for the Red King Crab
Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The
regulations limit the RKCSS to up to 35
percent of the trawl bycatch allowance
specified for the rock sole/flathead sole/
‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery category and are
based on the need to optimize the
groundfish harvest relative to red king
crab bycatch. The Council
recommended, and NMFS approves, a
red king crab bycatch limit equal to 35
percent of the trawl bycatch allowance
specified for the rock sole/flathead sole/
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:10 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery category within
the RKCSS.
Based on 2004 survey data, the
Chionoecetes bairdi crab abundance is
estimated to be 437.41 million animals.
Given the criteria set out at
§ 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the 2005 and 2006 C.
bairdi crab PSC limit for trawl gear is
980,000 animals in Zone 1 and
2,970,000 animals in Zone 2 as a result
of the C. bairdi crab abundance estimate
of over 400 million animals.
Under § 679.21(e)(1)(iv), the PSC limit
for C. opilio crab is based on total
abundance as indicated by the NMFS
annual bottom trawl survey. The C.
opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133
percent of the Bering Sea abundance
index. Based on the 2004 survey
estimate of 4.421 billion animals, the
calculated limit is 5,008,993 animals.
Under § 679.21(e)(1)(iv)(B), the 2005
and 2006 C. opilio crab PSC limit will
be 5,008,993 animals minus 150,000
animals which results a limit of
4,858,993 animals.
Under § 679.21(e)(1)(vi), the PSC limit
of Pacific herring caught while
conducting any trawl operation for
groundfish in the BSAI is 1 percent of
the annual eastern Bering Sea herring
biomass. The best estimate of 2005 and
2006 herring biomass is 201,180 mt.
This amount was derived using 2004
survey data and an age-structured
biomass projection model developed by
the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game. Therefore, the 2005 and 2006
herring PSC limit is 2,012 mt.
Under § 679.21(e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of
each PSC limit specified for halibut and
crab is allocated as a PSQ reserve for use
by the groundfish CDQ program.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(3) require the
apportionment of each trawl PSC limit
into PSC bycatch allowances for seven
specified fishery categories. Regulations
at § 679.21(e)(4)(ii) authorize the
apportionment of the non-trawl halibut
PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances
among five fishery categories. Table 7
lists the fishery bycatch allowances for
the trawl and non-trawl fisheries.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(4)(ii)
authorize exemption of specified nontrawl fisheries from the halibut PSC
limit. As in past years, NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, is
exempting pot gear, jig gear, and the
sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery
categories from halibut bycatch
restrictions because these fisheries use
selective gear types that take few halibut
compared to other gear types such as
non-pelagic trawl. In 2004, total
PO 00000
Frm 00067
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8987
groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery
in the BSAI was approximately 18,719
mt with an associated halibut bycatch
mortality of about 4 mt. The 2004
groundfish jig gear fishery harvested
about 216 mt of groundfish. Most
vessels in the jig gear fleet are less than
60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and thus are exempt
from observer coverage requirements.
As a result, observer data are not
available on halibut bycatch in the jig
gear fishery. However, a negligible
amount of halibut bycatch mortality is
assumed because of the selective nature
of this gear type and the likelihood that
halibut caught with jig gear have a high
survival rate when released.
As in past years, the Council
recommended the sablefish IFQ fishery
be exempt from halibut bycatch
restrictions because of the sablefish and
halibut IFQ program (subpart D of 50
CFR part 679). The sablefish IFQ
program requires legal-sized halibut to
be retained by vessels using hook-andline gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder
or his or her hired master is aboard and
is holding unused halibut IFQ. NMFS is
approving the Council’s
recommendation. This provision results
in reduced halibut discard in the
sablefish fishery. In 1995, about 36 mt
of halibut discard mortality was
estimated for the sablefish IFQ fishery.
The estimates for 1996 through 2004
have not been calculated; however,
NMFS has no information indicating
that it would be significantly different.
Regulations at § 679.21(e)(5) authorize
NMFS, after consultation with the
Council, to establish seasonal
apportionments of PSC amounts in
order to maximize the ability of the fleet
to harvest the available groundfish TAC
and to minimize bycatch. The factors to
be considered are: (1) Seasonal
distribution of prohibited species, (2)
seasonal distribution of target
groundfish species, (3) PSC bycatch
needs on a seasonal basis relevant to
prohibited species biomass, (4) expected
variations in bycatch rates throughout
the year, (5) expected start of fishing
effort, and (6) economic effects of
seasonal PSC apportionments on
industry sectors. In December 2004, the
Council’s AP recommended seasonal
PSC apportionments in order to
maximize harvest among gear types,
fisheries, and seasons while minimizing
bycatch of PSC based upon the above
criteria.
The Council recommended, and
NMFS approves, the PSC
apportionments specified in Table 7.
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8988
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 7.—2005 AND 2006 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL AND NON-TRAWL
FISHERIES
Prohibited species and zone
C. bairdi
(animals)
Red King
Crab
(animals)
Zone 1 1
C. opilio
(animals)
COBLZ 1
Zone 1 1
Zone 2 1
183
....................
....................
....................
....................
27
....................
....................
....................
12
10
27
1,562
192
....................
....................
33,843
....................
....................
....................
....................
121,413
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
26,563
....................
406
....................
42,495
3,101,915
....................
....................
....................
....................
1,082,528
....................
....................
....................
44,946
44,945
139,331
....................
80,903
....................
....................
340,844
....................
....................
....................
....................
365,320
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
183,112
....................
17,224
....................
....................
1,788,459
....................
....................
....................
....................
596,154
....................
....................
....................
....................
10,988
324,176
....................
27,473
....................
....................
3,400
2,012
182,225
4,494,569
906,500
2,747,250
Non-trawl Fisheries
Pacific cod–Total ..............................................................
January 1–June 10 ...................................................
June 10–August 15 ...................................................
August 15–December 31 ..........................................
Other non-trawl–Total ......................................................
May 1–December 31 ................................................
Groundfish pot and jig .....................................................
Sablefish hook-and-line ...................................................
775
320
0
455
58
58
exempt
exempt
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
Total non-trawl PSC .................................................
PSC reserve 5 ...........................................................
833
342
....................
....................
....................
14,775
....................
364,424
....................
73,500
....................
222,750
PSC grand total .................................................
4,575
2,012
197,000
4,858,993
980,000
2,970,000
Trawl fisheries
Halibut
mortality
(mt) BSAI
Herring (mt)
BSAI
Yellowfin sole ...................................................................
January 20–April 1 ....................................................
April 1–May 21 ..........................................................
May 21–July 5 ..........................................................
July 5–December 31 .................................................
Rock sole/other flat/flathead sole 2 ..................................
January 20–April 1 ....................................................
April 1–July 5 ............................................................
July 5–December 31 .................................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 3 ...........................................
Rockfish: July 5–December 31 ........................................
Pacific cod ........................................................................
Midwater trawl pollock .....................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other 4 ..........................................
Red King Crab Savings Subarea 6 ..................................
(non-pelagic trawl) ....................................................
886
262
195
49
380
779
448
164
167
....................
69
1,434
....................
232
....................
....................
Total trawl PSC .................................................
1 Refer
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin
sole and arrowtooth flounder.
3 Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish fishery category.
4 Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ fishery category.
5 With the exception of herring, 7.5 percent of each PSC limit is allocated to the CDQ program as PSQ reserve. The PSQ reserve is not allocated by fishery, gear or season.
6 In December 2004, the Council recommended that Red King Crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be limited to 35 percent of
the total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery category (see § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)).
2 ‘‘Other
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
To monitor halibut bycatch mortality
allowances and apportionments, the
Regional Administrator will use
observed halibut bycatch rates, assumed
discard mortality rates (DMR), and
estimates of groundfish catch to project
when a fishery’s halibut bycatch
mortality allowance or seasonal
apportionment is reached. The DMRs
are based on the best information
available, including information
contained in the annual SAFE report.
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
The Council recommended, and
NMFS concurs, that the recommended
halibut DMR developed by the staff of
the International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) for the 2005 and
2006 BSAI groundfish fisheries be used
to monitor halibut bycatch allowances
established for the 2005 and 2006
groundfish fisheries (see Table 8). These
DMRs were developed by the IPHC
using the 10-year mean DMRs for the
BSAI non-CDQ groundfish fisheries.
Plots of annual DMRs against the 10year mean indicated little change since
1990 for most fisheries. DMRs were
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
more variable for the smaller fisheries
which typically take minor amounts of
halibut bycatch. The IPHC will analyze
observer data annually and recommend
changes to the DMR where a fishery
DMR shows large variation from the
mean. The IPHC has been calculating
the CDQ fisheries DMR since 1998 and
a 10-year mean is not available. The
Council recommended and NMFS
concurs with the DMR recommended by
the IPHC for 2005 and 2006 CDQ
fisheries. The justification for these
DMRs is discussed in Appendix A of the
final SAFE report dated November 2004.
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8989
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 8.—2005 AND 2006 ASSUMED PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI FISHERIES
Preseason
assumed
mortality
(percent)
Fishery
Hook-and-line gear fisheries:
Greenland turbot ...............................................................................................................................................................................
Other species ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ........................................................................................................................................................................................
Rockfish ............................................................................................................................................................................................
Trawl gear fisheries:
Atka mackerel ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Flathead sole ....................................................................................................................................................................................
Greenland turbot ...............................................................................................................................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock ..........................................................................................................................................................................
Pelagic pollock ..................................................................................................................................................................................
Other flatfish .....................................................................................................................................................................................
Other species ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ........................................................................................................................................................................................
Rockfish ............................................................................................................................................................................................
Rock sole ..........................................................................................................................................................................................
Sablefish ...........................................................................................................................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ....................................................................................................................................................................................
Pot gear fisheries:
Other species ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ........................................................................................................................................................................................
CDQ trawl fisheries:
Atka mackerel ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Flathead sole ....................................................................................................................................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock ..........................................................................................................................................................................
Pelagic pollock ..................................................................................................................................................................................
Rockfish ............................................................................................................................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ....................................................................................................................................................................................
CDQ hook-and-line fisheries:
Greenland turbot ...............................................................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ........................................................................................................................................................................................
CDQ pot fisheries:
Pacific cod ........................................................................................................................................................................................
Sablefish ...........................................................................................................................................................................................
Directed Fishing Closures
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), if
the Regional Administrator determines
that any allocation or apportionment of
a target species or ‘‘other species’’
category has been or will be reached, the
Regional Administrator may establish a
directed fishing allowance for that
species or species group. If the Regional
Administrator establishes a directed
fishing allowance, 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 subarea or
district (see § 697.20(d)(1)(iii)).
Similarly, under regulations at
§ 679.21(e), if the Regional
Administrator determines that a fishery
category’s bycatch allowance of halibut,
red king crab, C. bairdi crab or C. opilio
15
11
11
16
78
67
72
76
85
71
67
68
74
77
49
78
8
8
85
67
85
90
74
84
15
10
8
33
crab for a specified area has been
reached, the Regional Administrator
will prohibit directed fishing for each
species in that category in the specified
area.
The Regional Administrator has
determined that the remaining
allocation amounts in Table 9 will be
necessary as incidental catch to support
other anticipated groundfish fisheries
for the 2005 and 2006 fishing year:
TABLE 9.—2005 AND 2006 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2005
Incidental
catch
allowance
Area
Species
Bogoslof District ................................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea ..................................................
Pollock ..............................................................................
Non-CDQ Pollock .............................................................
‘‘Other rockfish’’ ................................................................
Pacific ocean perch ..........................................................
‘‘Other rockfish’’ ................................................................
Northern rockfish ..............................................................
Shortraker rockfish ...........................................................
Rougheye rockfish ...........................................................
‘‘Other species’’ ................................................................
CDQ Northern rockfish .....................................................
CDQ Shortraker rockfish ..................................................
Bering Sea subarea ..........................................................
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands ......................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:10 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
10
2,000
502
1,190
426
4,625
552
207
24,650
375
45
2006
Incidental
catch
allowance
10
2,000
502
1,190
426
4,625
552
207
24,820
375
45
8990
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 9.—2005 AND 2006 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Area
2005
Incidental
catch
allowance
Species
CDQ Rougheye rockfish ..................................................
CDQ ‘‘Other species’’ .......................................................
1 Maximum
17
2,175
2006
Incidental
catch
allowance
17
2,190
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to CFR part 679.
Consequently, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator establishes the directed
fishing allowances for the above species
or species groups as zero.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for these species in the
specified areas and these closures are
effective immediately through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2006.
In addition, the BSAI Zone 1 annual
red king crab allowance specified for the
trawl rockfish fishery (see
§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(D)) is 0 mt and the
BSAI first seasonal halibut bycatch
allowance specified for the trawl
rockfish fishery is 0 mt. The BSAI
annual halibut bycatch allowance
specified for the trawl Greenland turbot/
arrowtooth flounder/sablefish fishery
categories is 0 mt (see
§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C)). Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.21(e)(7)(ii) and
(v), NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for rockfish by vessels using
trawl gear in Zone 1 of the BSAI and
directed fishing for Greenland turbot/
arrowtooth flounder/sablefish by vessels
using trawl gear in the BSAI effective
immediately through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2006. NMFS is also
prohibiting directed fishing for rockfish
outside Zone 1 in the BSAI through
1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 5, 2005.
Under authority of the 2005 interim
harvest specifications (69 FR 76870,
December 23, 2004), NMFS prohibited
directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the
Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering
Sea subarea of the BSAI effective 1200
hrs, A.l.t., January 20, 2005, through
1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2005 (70
FR 3311, January 24, 2005). NMFS
opened the first directed fisheries in the
HLA in area 542 and area 543 effective
1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 22, 2005. The
first HLA fishery in area 542 remained
open through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February
5, 2005 and in area 543 remained open
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 29,
2005. The second directed fisheries in
the HLA in area 542 and area 543
opened effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
February 7, 2005. The second HLA
fishery in area 542 remained open
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 21,
2005 and in area 543 remained open
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 14,
2005. NMFS prohibited directed fishing
for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 60 feet
(18.3 meters) length overall and longer
using pot gear in the BSAI, effective 12
noon, A.l.t., February 13, 2005 (70 FR
7900, February 16, 2005). NMFS
prohibited directed fishing for Atka
mackerel in the Central Aleutian District
of the BSAI, effective 12 noon, A.l.t.,
February 17, 2005.
These closures remain effective under
authority of these 2005 and 2006 final
harvest specifications. These closures
supersede the closures announced
under the authority of the 2005 interim
harvest specifications (69 FR 76870,
December 23, 2005). While these
closures are in effect, the maximum
retainable amounts at § 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 679.
Bering Sea Subarea Inshore Pollock
Allocations
Section 679.4(l) sets forth procedures
for AFA inshore catcher vessel pollock
cooperatives to apply for and receive
cooperative fishing permits and inshore
pollock allocations. Table 10 lists the
2005 and 2006 Bering Sea subarea
pollock allocations to the seven inshore
catcher vessel pollock cooperatives
based on 2005 cooperative allocations
that have been approved and permitted
by NMFS for the 2005 fishing year. The
Bering Sea subarea allocations may be
revised pending adjustments to
cooperatives’ membership in 2006.
Allocations for cooperatives and open
access vessels are not made for the AI
subarea because the CAA requires the
non-CDQ directed pollock fishery in the
AI subarea to be fully allocated to the
Aleut Corporation.
TABLE 10.—2005 AND 2006 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Sum of member vessel’s
official catch
histories 1
Cooperative name and member vessels
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association ALDEBARAN, ARCTIC EXPLORER, ARCTURUS, BLUE FOX, CAPE KIWANDA, COLUMBIA, DOMINATOR, EXODUS,
FLYING CLOUD, GOLDEN DAWN, GOLDEN PISCES, HAZEL LORRAINE,
INTREPID EXPLORER, LESLIE LEE, LISA MELINDA, MARK I, MAJESTY,
MARCY J, MARGARET LYN, NORDIC EXPLORER, NORTHERN PATRIOT,
NORTHWEST EXPLORER, PACIFIC RAM, PACIFIC VIKING, PEGASUS,
PEGGY JO, PERSEVERANCE, PREDATOR, RAVEN, ROYAL AMERICAN,
SEEKER, SOVEREIGNTY, TRAVELER, VIKING EXPLORER ..........................
Arctic Enterprise Association BRISTOL EXPLORER, OCEAN EXPLORER, PACIFIC EXPLORER ...............................................................................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:10 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Percentage
of inshore
sector allocation
2005 Annual
cooperative
allocation
2006 Annual
cooperative
allocation
245,922
28.130
180,886
182,018
36,807
4.210
27,073
27,242
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8991
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 10.—2005 AND 2006 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Sum of member vessel’s
official catch
histories 1
Cooperative name and member vessels
Percentage
of inshore
sector allocation
2005 Annual
cooperative
allocation
2006 Annual
cooperative
allocation
73,656
8.425
54,177
54,516
23,850
2.728
17,542
17,652
106,737
12.209
78,510
79,001
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative ANITA J, COLLIER BROTHERS, COMMODORE, EXCALIBUR II, GOLDRUSH, HALF MOON BAY, MISS BERDIE,
NORDIC FURY, PACIFIC FURY, POSEIDON, ROYAL ATLANTIC, SUNSET
BAY, STORM PETREL ........................................................................................
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative AJ, AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY, ELIZABETH F, MORNING STAR, OCEAN LEADER, OCEANIC, PACIFIC CHALLENGER, PROVIDIAN, TOPAZ, WALTER N ......................................................
Unalaska Cooperative ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE, DESTINATION, GREAT
PACIFIC, MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY, PROGRESS, SEA WOLF,
VANGUARD, WESTERN DAWN .........................................................................
UniSea Fleet Cooperative ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY, AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER, GUN-MAR, MAR-GUN, NORDIC STAR, PACIFIC MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH, STARLITE, STARWARD .................................
Westward Fleet Cooperative ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA, ARCTIC WIND,
CAITLIN ANN, CHELSEA K, DONA MARTITA, FIERCE ALLEGIANCE, HICKORY WIND, OCEAN HOPE 3, PACIFIC KNIGHT, PACIFIC PRINCE, VIKING,
WESTWARD I ......................................................................................................
Open access AFA vessels ......................................................................................
213,521
24.424
157,054
158,037
173,744
0
19.874
0.00
127,795
0
128,595
0
Total inshore allocation ....................................................................................
874,238
100
643,037
647,062
1 According
to regulations at § 679.62(e)(1), the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel’s best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/
processors from 1995 through 1997.
In accordance with section
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(3), NMFS must further
divide the inshore sector allocation into
separate allocations for cooperative and
open access fishing. In addition,
according to section 679.22(a)(7)(vii),
NMFS must establish harvest limits
inside the SCA and provide a set-aside
so that catcher vessels less than or equal
to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA have the
opportunity to operate entirely within
the SCA until April 1. Accordingly,
Table 11 lists the Bering Sea subarea
pollock allocation to the inshore
cooperative and open access sectors and
establishes a cooperative-sector SCA set-
aside for AFA catcher vessels less than
or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA. The SCA
set-aside for catcher vessels less than or
equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA that are not
participating in a cooperative will be
established inseason based on actual
participation levels and is not included
in Table 11.
TABLE 11.—2005 AND 2006 BERING SEA SUBAREA POLLOCK ALLOCATIONS TO THE COOPERATIVE AND OPEN ACCESS
SECTORS OF THE INSHORE POLLOCK FISHERY
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2005 A
season TAC
2005 A
season SCA
harvest
limit 1
2005 B
season TAC
2006 A
season TAC
2006 A
season SCA
harvest
limit 1
2006 B
season TAC
Inshore cooperative sector:
Vessels > 99 ft ..........................................................
Vessels ≤ 99 ft ..........................................................
n/a
n/a
154,632
25,418
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
155,600
25,577
n/a
n/a
Total ...................................................................
Open access sector .........................................................
257,215
0
180,050
02
385,822
0
258,825
0
181,177
02
388,237
0
Total inshore sector ..................................................
257,215
180,050
385,822
258,825
181,177
388,237
Sector
1 The
Steller sea lion conservation area (SCA) is established at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii).
SCA limitations for vessels less than or equal to 99 ft LOA that are not participating in a cooperative will be established on an inseason
basis in accordance with § 679.22(a)(7)(vii)(C)(2) which specifies that ‘‘the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for pollock by vessels greater than 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA, catching pollock for processing by the inshore component before reaching the inshore SCA harvest limit
before April 1 to accommodate fishing by vessels less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) inside the SCA until April 1.’’
2 The
Listed AFA Catcher/Processor
Sideboard Limits
According to section 679.64(a), the
Regional Administrator will restrict the
ability of listed AFA catcher/processors
to engage in directed fishing for
groundfish species other than pollock to
VerDate jul<14>2003
19:10 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
protect participants in other groundfish
fisheries from adverse effects resulting
from the AFA and from fishery
cooperatives in the directed pollock
fishery. The basis for these sideboard
limits is described in detail in the final
rule implementing major provisions of
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30,
2002). Table 12 lists the 2005 and 2006
catcher/processor sideboard limits.
All groundfish other than pollock that
are harvested by listed AFA catcher/
processors, whether as targeted catch or
incidental catch, will be deducted from
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8992
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
the sideboard limits in Table 12.
However, groundfish other than pollock
that are delivered to listed catcher/
processors by catcher vessels will not be
deducted from the 2005 and 2006
sideboard limits for the listed catcher/
processors.
TABLE 12.—2005 AND 2006 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD
LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
1995–1997
Target species
Area
Retained
catch
Total
catch
Ratio of
retained
catch to
total catch
2005 ITAC
available to
trawl C/Ps
2005 C/P
sideboard
limit
2006 ITAC
available to
trawl C/Ps
2006 C/P
sideboard
ard limit
Pacific cod trawl .............................................
Sablefish trawl ................................................
BSAI .............
BS ................
AI ..................
Central AI .....
A season 1 ....
HLA limit 2 ....
B season 1 ....
HLA limit 2 ....
Western AI ...
A season 1 ....
HLA limit 2 ....
B season 1 ....
HLA limit 2 ....
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BS ................
AI ..................
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BS ................
Eastern AI ....
Central AI .....
Western AI ...
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
BS ................
AI ..................
BSAI .............
BSAI .............
12,424
8
0
....................
n/a
....................
n/a
....................
....................
n/a
....................
n/a
....................
100,192
6,317
121
23
76
1,925
14
3,058
12
125
3
54
91
50
50
18
22
73
553
48,177
497
145
....................
n/a
....................
n/a
....................
....................
n/a
....................
n/a
....................
435,788
169,362
17,305
4,987
33,987
52,755
9,438
52,298
4,879
6,179
5,698
13,598
13,040
2,811
2,811
621
806
3,328
68,672
0.258
0.016
0.000
....................
0.115
....................
0.115
....................
....................
0.200
....................
0.200
....................
0.230
0.037
0.007
0.005
0.002
0.036
0.001
0.058
0.002
0.020
0.001
0.004
0.007
0.018
0.018
0.029
0.027
0.022
0.008
44,779
1,037
557
....................
16,419
9,851
16,419
9,851
....................
9,250
5,550
9,250
5,550
77,083
35,275
2,295
680
10,200
16,575
6,800
2,550
1,190
2,849
2,808
4,703
4,625
552
207
426
502
1,084
24,650
11,553
17
0
....................
1,888
1,133
1,888
1,133
....................
1,850
1,110
1,850
1,110
17,729
1,305
16
3
20
597
7
148
2
57
3
19
32
10
4
12
14
24
197
42,388
982
527
....................
16,419
9,851
16,419
9,851
....................
9,250
5,550
9,250
5,550
76,500
34,700
2,125
850
10,200
17,000
8,500
2,550
1,190
2,849
2,808
4,703
4,625
552
207
426
502
1,084
24,820
10,936
16
0
....................
1,888
1,133
1,888
1,133
....................
1,850
1,110
1,850
1,110
17,595
1,284
15
4
20
612
9
148
2
57
3
19
32
10
4
12
14
24
199
Atka mackerel .................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................
Rock sole ........................................................
Greenland turbot .............................................
Arrowtooth flounder ........................................
Flathead sole ..................................................
Alaska plaice ..................................................
Other flatfish ...................................................
Pacific ocean perch ........................................
Northern rockfish ............................................
Shortraker rockfish .........................................
Rougheye rockfish ..........................................
Other rockfish .................................................
Squid ...............................................................
Other species .................................................
1 The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Western
Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.
2 Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (see § 679.2). In 2005 and 2006, 60
percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.
Section 679.64(a)(5) establishes a
formula for PSC sideboard limits for
listed AFA catcher/processors. These
amounts are equivalent to the
percentage of the PSC amounts taken in
the groundfish fisheries other than
pollock by the AFA catcher/processors
listed in subsection 208(e) and section
209 of the AFA from 1995 through 1997
(see Table 13). These amounts were
used to calculate the relative amount of
PSC that was caught by pollock catcher/
processors shown in Table 13. That
relative amount of PSC was then used
to determine the PSC sideboard limits
for listed AFA catcher/processors in the
2005 and 2006 groundfish fisheries
other than pollock.
PSC that is caught by listed AFA
catcher/processors participating in any
groundfish fishery other than pollock
listed in Table 13 would accrue against
the 2005 and 2006 PSC sideboard limits
for the listed AFA catcher/processors.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS
to close directed fishing for groundfish
other than pollock for listed AFA
catcher/processors once a 2005 or 2006
PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 13
is reached.
Crab or halibut PSC that is caught by
listed AFA catcher/processors while
fishing for pollock will accrue against
the bycatch allowances annually
specified for either the midwater
pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/
‘‘other species’’ fishery categories under
regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 13.—2005 AND 2006 BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES
SIDEBOARD LIMITS 1
1995—1997
PSC species
PSC catch
Halibut mortality .......................................................................................
Red king crab ...........................................................................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4700
955
3,098
Sfmt 4700
Total PSC
11,325
473,750
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
Ratio of
PSC catch
to total PSC
2005 and
2006 PSC
available to
trawl vessels
0.084
0.007
3,400
182,225
24FER1
2005 and
2006 C/P
sideboard
limit
286
1,276
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
8993
TABLE 13.—2005 AND 2006 BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES
SIDEBOARD LIMITS 1—Continued
1995—1997
PSC species
PSC catch
C. opilio 2 ..................................................................................................
C. bairdi:
Zone 1 2 ............................................................................................
Zone 2 2 ............................................................................................
Total PSC
Ratio of
PSC catch
to total PSC
2005 and
2006 PSC
available to
trawl vessels
2005 and
2006 C/P
sideboard
limit
2,323,731
15,139,178
0.153
4,494,569
687,669
385,978
406,860
2,750,000
8,100,000
0.140
0.050
906,500
2,747,250
126,910
137,363
1 Halibut
2 Refer
amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits
Under section 679.64(a), the Regional
Administrator restricts the ability of
AFA catcher vessels to engage in
directed fishing for groundfish species
other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish
fisheries from adverse effects resulting
from the AFA and from fishery
cooperatives in the directed pollock
fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a
formula for setting AFA catcher vessel
groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for
the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard
limits is described in detail in the final
rule implementing major provisions of
the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30,
2002). Tables 14 and 15 list the 2005
and 2006 AFA catcher vessel sideboard
limits.
All harvests of groundfish sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels, whether as targeted
catch or incidental catch, will be
deducted from the sideboard limits
listed in Table 14.
TABLE 14.—2005 AND 2006 BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Fishery by area/season/processor/gear
Pacific cod ....................................
BSAI ..............................................
Jig gear .........................................
Hook-and-line CV .........................
Jan 1–Jun10 .................................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............................
Pot gear CV ..................................
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................................
Sept 1–Dec 31 ..............................
CV < 60 feet LOA using hookand-line or pot gear.
Trawl gear CV ..............................
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............................
BS trawl gear ................................
AI trawl gear .................................
Eastern AI/BS ...............................
Jig gear .........................................
Other gear ....................................
Jan 1–Apr 15 ................................
Sept 1–Nov 1 ................................
Central AI ......................................
Jan–Apr 15 ...................................
HLA limit .......................................
Sept 1–Nov 1 ................................
HLA limit .......................................
Western AI ....................................
Jan–Apr 15 ...................................
HLA limit .......................................
Sept 1–Nov 1 ................................
HLA limit .......................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
BS .................................................
AI ..................................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
Sablefish .......................................
Atka mackerel ...............................
Yellowfin sole ................................
Rock sole ......................................
Greenland Turbot .........................
Arrowtooth flounder ......................
Alaska plaice ................................
Other flatfish .................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 4700
Ratio of
1995–1997
AFA CV
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
2005 ITAC
2005 Catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
2006 ITAC
2006 Catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
....................
0.0000
....................
0.0006
0.0006
....................
0.0006
0.0006
0.0006
....................
3,811
....................
173
116
....................
8,701
5,801
1,354
....................
0
....................
0
0
....................
5
3
1
....................
3,608
....................
165
110
....................
8,234
5,489
1,281
....................
0
....................
0
0
....................
5
3
1
....................
0.8609
0.8609
0.8609
0.0906
0.0645
....................
0.0031
....................
0.0032
0.0032
....................
0.0001
0.0001
0.0001
0.0001
....................
0.0000
....................
0.0000
....................
0.0647
0.0341
0.0645
0.0205
0.0690
0.0441
0.0441
....................
31,345
4,478
8,956
1,037
557
....................
69
....................
3,156
3,156
....................
16,419
9,851
16,419
9,851
....................
9,250
5,550
9,250
5,550
77,083
35,275
2,295
680
10,200
6,800
2,975
....................
26,985
3,449
6,899
94
36
....................
0
....................
10
10
....................
2
1
2
1
....................
0
0
0
0
4,987
1,203
148
14
704
300
131
....................
29,672
4,239
8,478
982
537
....................
69
....................
3,156
3,156
....................
16,419
9,851
16,419
9,851
....................
9,250
5,550
9,250
5,550
76,500
35,700
2,125
850
10,200
8,500
2,550
....................
25,545
3,265
6,531
89
35
....................
0
....................
10
10
....................
2
1
2
1
....................
0
0
0
0
4,950
1,217
137
17
704
375
112
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8994
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 14.—2005 AND 2006 BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Fishery by area/season/processor/gear
Pacific ocean perch ......................
BS .................................................
Eastern AI .....................................
Central AI ......................................
Western AI ....................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
BS .................................................
AI ..................................................
BSAI ..............................................
BSAI ..............................................
BS trawl gear ................................
Northern rockfish ..........................
Shortraker rockfish .......................
Rougheye rockfish ........................
Other rockfish ...............................
Squid .............................................
Other species ...............................
Flathead Sole ...............................
The AFA catcher vessel PSC limit for
halibut and each crab species in the
BSAI, for which a trawl bycatch limit
has been established, will be a portion
of the PSC limit equal to the ratio of
aggregate retained groundfish catch by
AFA catcher vessels in each PSC target
category from 1995 through 1997,
relative to the retained catch of all
vessels in that fishery from 1995
through 1997. Table 15 lists the 2005
Ratio of
1995–1997
AFA CV
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
0.1000
0.0077
0.0025
0.0000
0.0084
0.0037
0.0037
0.0048
0.0095
0.3827
0.0541
0.0505
2005 ITAC
1,190
2,849
2,808
4,703
4,625
552
207
426
502
1,084
24,650
16,575
and 2006 PSC sideboard limits for AFA
catcher vessels.
Halibut and crab PSC that are caught
by AFA catcher vessels participating in
any groundfish fishery for groundfish
other than pollock listed in Table 15
will accrue against the 2005 and 2006
PSC sideboard limits for the AFA
catcher vessels. Sections 679.21(d)(8)
and (e)(3)(v) provide authority to close
directed fishing for groundfish other
2005 Catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
119
22
7
0
39
2
1
2
5
415
1,334
837
2006 ITAC
1,190
2,849
2,808
4,703
4,625
552
207
426
502
1,084
24,820
17,100
2006 Catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
119
22
7
0
39
2
1
2
5
415
1,343
864
than pollock for AFA catcher vessels
once a 2005 or 2006 PSC sideboard limit
listed in Table 15 for the BSAI is
reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA
catcher vessels, while fishing for
pollock in the BSAI, will accrue against
the bycatch allowances annually
specified for either the midwater
pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/
‘‘other species’’ fishery categories under
regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 15.—2005 AND 2006 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD
LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
PSC species
Target fishery category 2
Ratio of
1995–1997
AFA CV retained catch
to total retained catch
Halibut .........................................
Pacific cod trawl .............................................................................
Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot .....................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................
January 20–April 1 .........................................................................
April 1–May 21 ...............................................................................
May 21–July 5 ................................................................................
July 5–December 31 ......................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 5
January 20–April 1 .........................................................................
April 1–July 5 ..................................................................................
July 5–December 31 ......................................................................
Turbot/Arrowtooth/Sablefish ...........................................................
Rockfish (July 1–December 31) .....................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ..............................................
Pacific cod ......................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 5
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ..............................................
Pacific cod ......................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 5
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ..............................................
Rockfish ..........................................................................................
Turbot/Arrowtooth/Sablefish ...........................................................
Pacific cod ......................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 5
0.6183
0.0022
....................
0.1144
0.1144
0.1144
0.1144
....................
0.2841
0.2841
0.2841
0.2327
0.0245
0.0227
0.6183
0.1144
0.2841
0.0227
0.6183
0.1144
0.2841
0.0227
0.0245
0.2327
0.6183
0.1144
0.2841
Red King Crab ............................
Zone 1 3,4 ....................................
C. opilio .......................................
COBLZ 3 ......................................
C. bairdi ......................................
Zone 1 3 ......................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
2005 and
2006 PSC
limit
2005 and
2006 AFA
catcher vessel PSC
sideboard
limit
1,434
775
....................
262
195
49
380
....................
448
164
167
0
69
232
26,563
33,843
121,413
406
139,331
3,101,915
1,082,528
80,903
44,945
44,946
183,112
340,844
365,320
887
2
....................
30
22
6
43
....................
127
47
47
0
2
5
16,424
3,872
34,493
9
86,148
354,859
307,546
1,836
1,101
10,459
113,218
38,993
103,787
8995
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 15.—2005 AND 2006 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD
LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Ratio of
1995–1997
AFA CV retained catch
to total retained catch
Target fishery category 2
PSC species
C. bairdi ......................................
Zone 2 3 ......................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ..............................................
Pacific cod ......................................................................................
Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 5
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ..............................................
Rockfish ..........................................................................................
0.0227
0.6183
0.1144
0.2841
0.0227
0.0245
2005 and
2006 PSC
limit
2005 and
2006 AFA
catcher vessel PSC
sideboard
limit
17,224
324,176
1,788,459
596,154
27,473
10,988
391
200,438
204,600
169,367
624
269
1 Halibut
amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
fishery categories are defined in regulation at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
3 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
4 In December 2004, the Council recommended that red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be limited to 35 percent of the
total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery category (see § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)).
5 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin
sole, arrowtooth flounder.
2 Target
Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures
AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher
Vessel Sideboard Closures
The Regional Administrator has
determined that many of the AFA
catcher/processor and catcher vessel
sideboard limits listed in Tables 16 and
17 are necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish
fisheries for the 2005 fishing year. In
accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the
Regional Administrator establishes the
sideboard limits listed in Tables 16 and
17 as directed fishing allowances. The
Regional Administrator finds that many
of these directed fishing allowances will
be reached before the end of the year.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing by listed AFA catcher/
processors for the species in the
specified areas set out in Table 16 and
directed fishing by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels for the species in the
specified areas set out in Table 17.
TABLE 16.—2005 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area
Gear types
Sablefish trawl ................................................................
BS ......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
Eastern AI ..........................
Central AI ...........................
Western AI .........................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
Trawl ..................................
Trawl ..................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
Rock sole ........................................................................
Greenland turbot .............................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ........................................................
Pacific ocean perch ........................................................
Northern rockfish ............................................................
Shortraker rockfish ..........................................................
Rougheye rockfish ..........................................................
Other rockfish .................................................................
Squid ...............................................................................
‘‘Other species’’ ..............................................................
1 Maximum
2005
Sideboard
limit
2006
Sideboard
limit
17
0
1,305
16
3
20
2
57
3
19
32
10
4
12
14
24
197
16
0
1,284
15
4
20
2
57
3
19
32
10
4
12
14
24
199
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to CFR part 679.
TABLE 17.—2005 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area
Gear types
Pacific cod ......................................................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
hook-and-line .....................
pot ......................................
jig .......................................
trawl ...................................
Sablefish .........................................................................
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
2005
Sideboard
limit
0
9
0
94
2006
Sideboard
limit
0
9
0
89
8996
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 17.—2005 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area
Atka mackerel .................................................................
Greenland Turbot ............................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ........................................................
Pacific ocean perch ........................................................
Northern rockfish ............................................................
Shortraker rockfish ..........................................................
Rougheye rockfish ..........................................................
Other rockfish .................................................................
Squid ...............................................................................
‘‘Other species’’ ..............................................................
1 Maximum
AI ........................................
Eastern AI/BS ....................
Eastern AI/BS ....................
Central AI ...........................
Western AI .........................
BS ......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
Eastern AI ..........................
Central AI ...........................
Western AI .........................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS ......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
trawl ...................................
jig .......................................
other ...................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
all .......................................
2005
Sideboard
limit
36
0
20
4
0
148
14
704
119
22
7
0
39
2
1
2
5
415
1,334
2006
Sideboard
limit
35
0
20
4
0
137
17
704
119
22
7
0
39
2
1
5
5
415
1,343
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to CFR part 679.
Response to Comments
NMFS received 3 letters of comment
in response to the proposed 2005 and
2006 harvest specifications. These
letters contained 17 separate comments
that are summarized and responded to
below.
Comment 1: The Council has yet to
take any action on the review of the
‘‘Scientific Review of the Harvest
Strategy Currently Used in the BSAI and
GOA Groundfish Fishery Management
Plans.’’ The Council’s current approach
to setting catch rates results in rates that
are too high for rockfish.
Response: The report referred to in
the comment is:
Goodman, Daniel, Marc Mangel, Graeme
Parkes, Terry Quinn, Victor
Restrepo, Tony Smith, Kevin
Stokes. 2002. ‘‘Scientific Review of
the Harvest Strategy Currently Used
in the BSAI and GOA Groundfish
Fishery Management Plans.’’
Prepared for the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council.
November 21, 2002.
Evaluation of fishery management
strategies has been an ongoing research
activity of the NMFS, Alaska Fisheries
Science Center (AFSC) for years. Most
recently, the Programmatic
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (PSEIS) for the BSAI and
GOA Groundfish FMPs devoted
thousands of pages to evaluate both
current and alternative fishery
management strategies. A working
group (WG) has been established to
ensure the fisheries are managed based
on the best available science, and tasked
VerDate jul<14>2003
Gear types
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
with continuing and expanding the
AFSC’s research in the area of
management strategy evaluation (MSE).
MSE research is ongoing and the WG is
expected to make significant
advancements in this area over the next
few years. The GOA SAFE report (page
387) evaluated the harvest strategy used
in the rockfish assessments with
particular attention given to the
consideration of the harvest rates for
rockfish because of their ‘‘low
productivity’’ (Goodman et al. 2002).
The evaluation indicated that the
harvest strategy is sufficiently
conservative. The stock assessments are
updated annually and adjustments will
be made if new data indicates a
downturn in the fishery populations.
Also, the rockfish section of the SSC’s
minutes from the December 2004
Council meeting states, ‘‘The SSC
appreciates the attention given by the
SAFE authors and the Plan Teams to the
recommendations that the SSC made
last year regarding the ‘‘F40 report’’ by
Goodman et al., the contributions to
stock productivity of older female
rockfish, local depletion, and the effects
of disaggregation of the ABCs.’’ At the
February 2005 Council meeting, a
discussion paper on rockfish
management will be presented by
Council staff. Also, the Council includes
ecosystem research information in an
ecosystem considerations appendix to
the SAFE reports.
Comment 2: The EA fails to provide
the public with a full and fair analysis
of the consequence of implementing the
FMPs; and there is no FMP level
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that evaluates the effects of authorizing
fishing pursuant to the FMPs.
Response: Pursuant to NEPA, NMFS
prepared an EA for this action. The EA
comprehensively analyzes the potential
impacts of the 2005 and 2006 harvest
specifications and provides the
evidence to decide whether an agency
must prepare an EIS. The analysis in the
EA supports a finding of no significant
impact on the human environment as a
result of the 2005 and 2006 final harvest
specifications. Therefore, an EIS is not
required.
Comment 3: The commentor is
concerned about the serious limitations
and disappointed about the insufficient
action taken regarding the Improved
Retention/Improved Utilization (IR/IU)
program.
Response: This action does not
address IR/IU. In 1998, Groundfish FMP
Amendments 49/49 were implemented,
requiring 100 percent retention of all
pollock and Pacific cod in all fisheries,
regardless of gear type. This provided
incentives for fishermen to avoid
catching these species if they were not
targeted, and also required that they be
retained for processing if they were
caught. An overall minimum groundfish
retention standard was approved by the
Council in June 2003, with increasing
retention standards being phased in
starting in 2005. NMFS is preparing a
proposed rule based on the Council
recommendations. Concurrently, the
Council is developing a program that
allows sectors targeting flatfish species
in the BSAI to form fishery
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
cooperatives. This program is intended
to provide these sectors with the
operational tools necessary to adhere to
the increased retention standards.
Comment 4: The Council and NMFS
have taken no action to ensure that
adverse impacts on essential fish habitat
(EFH) will not occur during the EIS
process and that the choice of
reasonable alternatives will not be
limited.
Response: NMFS prepared a draft EIS
for EFH dated January 2004, which
included a broad range of alternatives
for minimizing the effects of fishing on
EFH. Further information on the draft
EIS may be found at the NMFS Alaska
Region Web site at www.fakr.noaa.gov.
NMFS is revising the EIS to include two
additional alternatives based on public
comments. The final EFH EIS is
scheduled for publication by June 1,
2005. Fishing in accordance with this
action in the context of the fishery as a
whole could have led to adverse
impacts on EFH. Therefore, NMFS
prepared an EFH Assessment that
incorporates all of the information
required in 50 CFR 600.920(e)(3), and
initiated EFH consultation pursuant to
50 CFR 600.920(i). The EFH Assessment
is contained in the EA prepared for this
action. The consultation found that this
action continues to minimize to the
extent practicable adverse effects on
EFH.
Comment 5: Fishing, as allowed
under the current specifications, is
overfishing and starves all other marine
life of food.
Response: None of the groundfish
species managed in Alaska are known to
be experiencing overfishing or are
overfished as defined by the MagnusonStevens Act. Ecosystem considerations
are part of the harvest specification
process to ensure fish harvests impacts
on the ecosystem are minimized as
much as possible and that all organisms
dependent on the marine ecosystem are
adequately protected.
Comment 6: All quotas should be cut
by 50 percent starting in 2005 and 10
percent each year thereafter. Also,
marine sanctuaries should be
established.
Response: The commentor provided
no reason for the quotas to be reduced.
The decisions on the amount of harvest
are based on the best available science
and socioeconomic considerations.
NMFS finds that the ABCs and TACs are
consistent with the biological condition
of the groundfish stocks as described in
the 2004 SAFE report and approved by
the Council. Additionally, this action
does not address the creation of marine
sanctuaries. The concept of establishing
marine reserves is explored in the draft
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
environmental impact statement (EIS)
for essential fish habitat (EFH), dated
January 2004. Further information on
the draft EIS may be found at the NMFS
Alaska Region Web site at
www.fakr.noaa.gov.
Comment 7: A commentor
incorporated the Pew Foundation
reports on overfishing and the United
Nations report on overfishing into their
comment.
Response: The specific concerns and
relationship of these reports to this
action are not presented by the
commentor. Because no further details
are provided by the commentor, NMFS
is unable to respond further to this
comment.
Comment 8: The number of vessels
that are allowed to catch fish are far to
great.
Response: On January 1, 2000, the
NMFS implemented the License
Limitation Program (LLP), which limits
the number, size, and specific operation
of vessels that may be deployed in the
groundfish fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone off Alaska. By limiting
the number of vessels that are eligible to
participate in the affected fisheries, the
LLP places an upper limit on the
amount of capitalization that may occur
in those fisheries. This upper limit will
prevent future overcapitalization in
those fisheries at levels that could occur
if such a constraint was not present. The
number of vessels participating in the
groundfish fisheries off Alaska has
decreased approximately 16 percent
from 1,228 vessels in 2000 to 1,037
vessels in 2003.
Comment 9: Steller sea lions and
other seal populations are being
decimated by the commercial fisheries.
Response: Several species of
groundfish, notably pollock, Pacific cod,
and Atka mackerel, are important prey
species for Steller sea lions and are also
targeted by the groundfish fisheries. The
pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel
fisheries may compete with Steller sea
lions by reducing the availability of prey
for foraging sea lions. However, this
potential competition between
commercial fishers and Steller sea lions
for pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka
mackerel is addressed by regulations
that limit the total amount of catch and
impose temporal and spatial controls on
harvest. These Steller sea lion
protection measures are designed to
preserve prey abundance and
availability for foraging sea lions. These
protection measures ensure the
groundfish fisheries are unlikely to
cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse
modification or destruction of critical
habitat for the Western distinct
population segment of Steller sea lions.
PO 00000
Frm 00077
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8997
Comment 10: NMFS does not use the
‘‘best’’ information. It uses manipulated
information submitted by commercial
fisheries. NMFS does zero law
enforcement to catch illegal raping of
the sea.
Response: NMFS used data from
sources other than the fishing industry
reported data. NMFS uses data from
fisheries observers who are biologists
working independently to collect
biological information aboard
commercial fishing vessels and at
shoreside processing plants in Alaska.
Observers are deployed by private,
federally permitted observer providers.
The NMFS, AFSC, Resource Assessment
and Conservation Engineering Division
conducts fishery surveys to measure the
distribution and abundance of
commercially important fish stocks in
the BSAI and GOA. This data is used to
investigate biological processes and
interactions with the environment to
estimate growth, mortality, and
recruitment to improve the precision
and accuracy of forecasting stock
dynamics. Data derived from groundfish
surveys are documented in scientific
reports and are incorporated into stock
assessment advice to the Council,
international fishery management
organizations, the fishing industry, and
the general public. See comment 12
regarding NMFS fishery enforcement.
Comment 11: The time period for the
public to comment on this proposed
rule should be extended by 120 days.
Response: The commentor provided
no reason for the comment period
extension request. Because no
justification is known for extending the
comment period, the comment period
remains 30 days for the proposed rule.
Comment 12: The fisherman are
taking 3 times what they report.
Response: NMFS disagrees with the
commentor’s assertion that groundfish
fishers systematically under-report their
catch. The recordkeeping and reporting
requirements in these fisheries are
comprehensive, and NMFS and United
States Coast Guard law enforcement
officers conduct numerous vessel
boardings each year. Reporting
violations do occur, but they are
relatively rare compared to the
participation in the overall fishery and
are prosecuted pursuant to the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Comment 13: A commentor provided
an article regarding the United Nations
recommendations for banning of high
seas bottom trawling.
Response: The commentor did not
provide the relationship of this action to
the article. This action is limited to the
EEZ off Alaska and does not address
high seas commercial fishing activities.
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
8998
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
However, NMFS does work on issues
concerning high seas commercial
fishing activities. One example is the
limitation of high seas drift net fishing
for salmon in the north Pacific. As a
result of this international treaty the
United States is empowered to prohibit
United States vessels from participating
in this activity and enforce the terms of
the treaty on the high seas. Also, NMFS,
AFSC is conducting studies on the
impacts of bottom trawls on the sea
floor and the description of bottom
types.
Comment 14: It is unclear why there
is a slight difference between the 2005
and 2006 A/B season apportionments of
the Aleut Corporation fishery.
Response: The values for 2005 and
2006 Aleut Corporation fisheries should
be 9,800 mt for the A season and 5,300
mt for the B season. There was an error
in the proposed specifications and it has
been corrected in the final specifications
based on the December Council
recommendations.
Comment 15: The decrease in the AI
pollock ABC from the proposed amount
of 39,400 mt to the final amount of
29,400 mt will change the amount of the
Aleut Corporation’s A season fishery
from 13,800 mt under the proposed
harvest specifications to 9,800 mt under
the final specifications. This should not
affect the CDQ or ICA amounts, or the
A season apportionments of the CDQ
and ICA.
Response: The Aleut Corporations’s A
season allocation of pollock decreases
from 13,800 mt under the proposed
specifications to 9,800 mt under the
final specifications. The CDQ and ICA
amounts are the same as under the
proposed and final specifications.
Comment 16: The commentor agrees
that is it appropriate to maintain the 40/
60 seasonal apportionment of the CDQ
allocation.
Response: The CDQ pollock allocation
in the AI will continue to be conducted
with the same seasonal apportionments
as currently specified for the AI and BS
subareas and CDQ components under
§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B).
Comment 17: The ICA does not need
to be set at 2,000 mt in the initial
specifications.
Response: NMFS emphasizes that this
is the first year of new management for
AI pollock. In 2003, the total catch of AI
pollock was 1,653 mt. NMFS is
establishing an ICA of 2,000 mt to
ensure enough pollock is available to
support bycatch needs in other
groundfish fisheries and to minimize
the potential of disrupting the AI
directed pollock fishery.
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
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
management measures are to announce
2005 final harvest specifications and
prohibited species bycatch allowances
for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI.
This action is necessary to establish
harvest limits and associated
management measures for groundfish
during the 2005 and 2006 fishing years
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
This action affects all fishermen who
participate in the BSAI fishery. The
specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC and
PSC amounts are provided in tabular
form to assist the reader. NMFS will
announce closures of directed fishing in
the Federal Register and in information
bulletins released by the Alaska Region.
Affected fishermen should keep
themselves informed of such closures.
Classification
This action is authorized under
§ 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
A Final Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (FRFA) was prepared to
evaluate the impacts of the 2005 and
2006 harvest level specifications on
directly regulated small entities. This
FRFA is intended to meet the statutory
requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA).
The proposed rule for the BSAI
specifications was published in the
Federal Register on December 8, 2004
(69 FR 70974). A correction was
published on December 22, 2004 (69 FR
76682). An Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (IRFA) was prepared for the
proposed rule, and described in the
classifications section of the preamble to
the rule. Copies of the IRFA prepared
for this action are available from Alaska,
Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau,
AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall. The public
comment period ended on January 7,
2005. No comments were received on
the IRFA or regarding the economic
impacts of this rule.
The 2005 and 2006 harvest
specifications establish harvest limits
for the groundfish species and species
groups in the BSAI. This action is
necessary to allow fishing in 2005 and
2006. About 758 small catcher vessels,
24 small catcher-processors, and six
small private non-profit CDQ groups
PO 00000
Frm 00078
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
may be directly regulated by the BSAI
specifications.
This regulation does not impose new
recordkeeping or reporting requirements
on the regulated small entities. This
regulation does not duplicate, overlap,
or conflict with any other Federal rules.
The FRFA examined the impacts of
the preferred alternative on small
entities within fisheries defined by the
harvest of species groups whose TACs
might be affected by the specifications.
The FRFA identified the following
adverse impacts of the preferred
alternative on small fishing operations
harvesting sablefish and Pacific cod in
the BSAI and on CDQ groups operating
in the BSAI.
The aggregate gross revenues for an
estimated 53 small BSAI sablefish
entities were estimated to decline by
about $1.6 million. A reduction in
revenues of this magnitude would have
accounted for about 2.7 percent of total
2003 gross revenues from all sources for
these small entities.
The aggregated gross revenues for an
estimated 120 small BSAI Pacific cod
entities were estimated to decline by
about $1.7 million. A reduction in
revenues of this magnitude would have
accounted for about 1.3% of total 2003
gross revenues from all sources for these
small entities.
The aggregate gross revenues for six
small BSAI CDQ group entities were
estimated to decline by about $1.2
million between 2004 and 2006. This is
less than 1 percent of the gross revenues
for these allocations in 2004.
Although the preferred alternative
had adverse impacts on some classes of
small entities, compared to the fishery
in the preceding year, alternatives that
had smaller adverse impacts were
precluded by biological management
concerns. Four alternatives were
evaluated, in addition to the preferred
alternative. Alternative 1 set TACs equal
to the maxFABC fishing rate. Alternative
1 was associated with high TACs, high
revenues, and TACs that exceeded the
statutory BSAI OY. Alternative 2, the
preferred alternative, set TACs to
produce the fishing rates recommended
by the Council on the basis of Plan
Team and SSC recommendations.
Alternative 3 set TACs to produce
fishing rates equal to half the maxFABC,
and Alternative 4 set TACs to produce
fishing rates equal to the last five years’
average fishing rate. Alternative 5 set
TACs equal to zero.
The BSAI Pacific cod fishermen and
CDQ groups would have had larger
gross revenues under Alternative 1 than
under the preferred alternative. The
BSAI sablefish fishermen would not
have had larger gross revenues under
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 36 / Thursday, February 24, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
any alternative. While Pacific cod
fishermen and CDQ groups would have
had higher gross revenues under
Alternative 1, total BSAI TACs would
have been greater than the two million
mt BSAI OY required by law. An
increase in the TAC for Pacific cod
would have had to come at the expense
of TACs provided to other operations.
Moreover, and most importantly, both
the Pacific cod and sablefish TACs set
under the preferred alternative were set
equal to the ABCs recommended by the
Council’s BSAI Plan Team and its SSC.
Higher TACs would not be consistent
with prudent biological management of
the fishery; therefore, Alternative 2 was
chosen instead of Alternative 1 because
it sets TACs as high as possible while
still protecting the biological health of
the stock. Alternative 2 was chosen
instead of Alternatives 3, 4, or 5 because
it provided these groups larger gross
revenues than Alternatives 3, 4, or 5.
Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B), an agency can waive the
requirement for prior notice and
opportunity for public comment if for
good cause it finds that such notice and
comment is impracticable, unnecessary,
or contrary to public interest. Certain
fisheries, such as those for Pacific cod,
Atka mackerel, and Pacific ocean perch,
are intensive fast-paced fisheries. Other
fisheries, such as those for flatfish and
rockfish, are critical as directed fisheries
and as incidental catch in other
fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have
demonstrated the capacity to catch full
TAC allocations in all these fisheries.
Any delay in allocating full TAC in
these fisheries would cause disruption
to the industry and potential economic
harm through unnecessary discards.
These final harvest specifications which
contain this TAC allocation were
developed as quickly as possible, given
Plan Team review in November 2004,
Council consideration and
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:17 Feb 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
recommendations in December 2004,
and NOAA Fisheries review and
development in January–February 2005.
For the foregoing reasons and pursuant
to 50 CFR 679.20(b)(3) and 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B), NMFS finds good cause to
waive the requirement for prior notice
and opportunity for public comment for
the apportionment of a portion of the
non-specified reserve to fisheries that it
has determined appropriate (see Table
2) to increase the ITAC to an amount
that is equal to TAC minus the CDQ
reserve in order to allow for the orderly
conduct and efficient operation of these
fisheries because such notice and
comment is impracticable and contrary
to the public interest.
Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(1), an agency can waive a delay
in the effective date of a substantive rule
if it relieves a restriction. Unless this
delay is waived, fisheries that are
currently closed (see SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION) because the interim TACs
were reached would remain closed until
the final harvest specifications became
effective. Those closed fisheries are
restrictions on the industry that can be
relieved by making the final harvest
specifications effective on publication.
Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), an agency can waive a delay
in the effective date for good cause
found and published with the rule. For
all other fisheries not currently closed
because the interim TACs were reached,
the likely possibility exists for their
closures prior to the expiration of a 30day delayed effectiveness period
because their interim TACs or PSC
allowances could be reached.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
8999
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. The interim harvest specifications
currently in effect are not sufficient to
allow directed fisheries to continue
predictably, resulting in unnecessary
closures and disruption within the
fishing industry and the potential for
regulatory discards. The final harvest
specifications establish increased TACs
and PSC allowances to provide
continued directed fishing for species
that would otherwise be prohibited
under the interim harvest specifications.
These final harvest specifications were
developed as quickly as possible, given
Plan Team review in November 2004,
Council consideration and
recommendations in December 2004,
and NOAA fisheries review and
development in January–February 2005.
Additionally, if the final harvest
specifications are not effective by
February 27, 2005, which is the start of
the Pacific halibut season as specified
by the IPHC, the longline sablefish
fishery will not begin concurrently with
the Pacific halibut season. This would
cause sablefish that is caught with
Pacific halibut to be discarded, as both
longline sablefish and Pacific halibut
are managed under the same IFQ
program.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et
seq., and 3631 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); Pub.
L. 105–277, Title II of Division C; Pub L. 106–
31, Sec. 3027; Pub L. 106–554, Sec. 209 and
Pub. L. 108–199, Sec. 803.
Dated: February 17, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05–3582 Filed 2–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\24FER1.SGM
24FER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8979-8999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3582]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 041126332-5039-02; I.D. 112204A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands; 2005 and 2006 Final Harvest Specifications for
Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: 2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications for groundfish;
apportionment of reserves; closures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications and
prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action
is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2005
and 2006 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The intended effect of this
action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI
in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: The 2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications and associated
apportionment of reserves are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), February 24, 2005 through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are
available from Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802,
Attn: Lori Durall or from the Alaska Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2004 Stock Assessment and
Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the
BSAI, dated November 2004, are available from the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council), West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99510-2252 (907-271-2809) or from its Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228 or e-mail
mary.furuness@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the FMP and govern
the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared the FMP, and
NMFS approved it under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. General regulations
governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify annually 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 range of
1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see Sec.
679.20(a)(1)(i)). Also specified are apportionments of TACs, and
Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts, PSC allowances, and
prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserve amounts. Regulations at Sec.
679.20(c)(3) further require NMFS to consider public comment on the
proposed annual TACs and apportionments thereof and the proposed PSC
allowances, and to publish final harvest specifications in the Federal
Register. The final harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1
through 17 of this action satisfy these requirements. For 2005 and
2006, the sum of TACs for each year is 2 million mt.
The 2005 and 2006 proposed harvest specifications and PSC
allowances for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in the
Federal Register on December 8, 2004 (69 FR 70974). Comments were
invited and accepted through January 7, 2005. NMFS received three
letters of comment on the proposed harvest specifications. These
letters of comment are summarized and responded to in the Response to
Comments section. NMFS consulted with the Council during the December
2004 Council meeting in Anchorage, AK. After considering public
comments, as well as biological and economic data that were available
at the Council's December meeting, NMFS is implementing the 2005 and
2006 final harvest specifications as recommended by the Council.
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) establish the interim amounts
of each
[[Page 8980]]
proposed initial TAC (ITAC) and allocations thereof, of each CDQ
reserve established by Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii), and of the proposed PSC
allowances and PSQ reserves established by Sec. 679.21 that become
available at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, and remain available until
superseded by the final harvest specifications. NMFS published the 2005
interim harvest specifications in the Federal Register on December 23,
2004 (69 FR 76870). Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not
provide for an interim harvest specification for either the hook-and-
line or pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve or for sablefish managed under
the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. The 2005 final harvest
specifications, PSC allowances and PSQ reserves contained in this
action supersede the 2005 interim harvest specifications.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest Specifications
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
technical methods used to calculate stock biomass. In general, the
development of ABCs and overfishing levels (OFLs) involves
sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations and is based on
a successive series of six levels, or tiers, of reliable information
available to fishery scientists. Tier one represents the highest data
quality and tier six the lowest level of data quality available.
In December 2004, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC),
Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current biological
information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the BSAI. This
information was compiled by the Council's Plan Team and is presented in
the final 2004 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2004. 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 BSAI ecosystem and the economic condition of
groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The SAFE report is available for
public review (see ADDRESSES). From these data and analyses, the Plan
Team estimates an ABC for each species or species category.
In December 2004, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's
recommendations. Except for pollock, atka mackerel, rock sole, and the
``other species'' category, the SSC, AP, and Council endorsed the Plan
Team's ABC recommendations. For the 2006 OFL and ABC recommendations
for Atka mackerel, rock sole and Bering Sea pollock the SSC used a
downward revised projection of catch that results in higher OFLs and
ABCs. For Aleutian Islands pollock, the SSC recommended using tier 5
management that calculates a lower ABC than the Plan Team's
recommendation using tier 3 management. For Bogoslof pollock, the SSC
recommended using a procedure that reduces the ABC proportionately to
the ratio of current stock biomass to target stock biomass. For ``other
species'', the SSC recommended using tier 6 management for the sharks
and octopus species, that calculated lower ABCs, instead of the Plan
Team's recommended tier 5 management. The Plan Team also recommended
separate OFLs and ABCs for the species in the ``other species''
category, however, the current FMP specifies management at the group
level. Since 1999, the SSC has recommended a procedure that moves
gradually to a higher ABC for ``other species'' over a 10-year period
instead of a large increase in one year. The 2005 and 2006 ABC amounts
reflect the 7th and 8th years incremental increase in the ABC for
``other species.'' For all species, the AP endorsed the ABCs
recommended by the SSC, and the Council adopted them.
The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including
maintaining the total TAC within the required optimum yield (OY) range
of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. The Council adopted the AP's 2005 and
2006 TAC recommendations, except for the 2005 rock sole, flathead sole,
``other flatfish'', yellowfin sole, Alaska plaice, Bering Sea pollock
and''other species''category. The Council increased TAC amounts for
rock sole, flathead sole, ``other flatfish'' by 500 mt each and the
yellowfin sole TAC by 3,200 mt. It decreased the Bering Sea subarea
pollock TAC by 2,500 mt, the Alaska plaice TAC by 2,000 mt, and the
``other species'' TAC by 200 mt. None of the Council's recommended TACs
for 2005 or 2006 exceed the final 2005 or 2006 ABC for any species
category. NMFS finds that the recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are
consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as
described in the 2004 SAFE report that was approved by the Council.
Other Rules Affecting the 2005 and 2006 Harvest Specifications
Amendments 48/48 to the FMP and to the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) were approved by NMFS on October
12, 2004. The final rule implementing Amendments 48/48 was published
November 8, 2004, (69 FR 64683). Amendments 48/48 revise the
administrative process used to establish annual specifications for the
groundfish fisheries of the GOA and the BSAI. The goals of Amendments
48/48 in revising the harvest specifications process are to (1) manage
fisheries based on the best scientific information available, (2)
provide for adequate prior public review and comment on Council
recommendations, (3) provide for additional opportunity for Secretarial
review, (4) minimize unnecessary disruption to fisheries and public
confusion, and (5) promote administrative efficiency.
Based on the approval of Amendments 48/48, the Council recommended
2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications for BSAI groundfish. The
2006 harvest specifications will be updated in early 2006, when final
harvest specifications for 2006 and new harvest specifications for 2007
are implemented.
In June 2004, the Council adopted Amendment 82 to the FMP. This
amendment would establish a program for management of the Aleutian
Islands (AI) directed pollock fishery. Section 803 of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (CAA), Public Law (Pub. L.) No. 108-199,
requires the AI directed pollock fishery to be allocated to the Aleut
Corporation for economic development in Adak, Alaska. Prior to the CAA,
the AI directed pollock fishery was managed pursuant to the American
Fisheries Act (AFA), Pub. L. No. 105-277, Title II of Division C. The
AFA allocated the AI directed pollock fishery to specific harvesters
and processors named in the AFA. The CAA supersedes that portion of the
AFA. Together, the CAA and the AFA effectively allocated the AI
directed pollock fishery to the Aleut Corporation after subtraction of
the CDQ directed fishing allowance and incidental catch allowance (ICA)
from the AI pollock TAC. The implementation of section 803 of the CAA
requires amending AFA provisions in the FMP and in the regulations at
50 CFR part 679. This would be accomplished by Amendment 82 which was
approved by the Secretary of Commerce on February 9, 2005.
Until the regulations for Amendment 82 are effective, NMFS will
prohibit the non-CDQ AI directed pollock fishery in the final harvest
specifications for 2005 and 2006 based on statutory language of section
803 of the CAA. The AI pollock TAC recommended by the Council under
provisions of proposed
[[Page 8981]]
Amendment 82 are included in the 2005 and 2006 final harvest
specifications to allow the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator), to open the AI directed pollock fishery if
and when the regulations for Amendment 82 are effective. As stated
above, this prohibition is authorized by section 803 of the CAA, which
prohibits fishing or processing of any part of the AI non-CDQ pollock
allocation except with permission of the Aleut Corporation or its
designated agent. For additional information, see the November 16,
2004, notice of availability (69 FR 67107) and the December 7, 2004,
proposed rule for Amendment 82 (69 FR 70589).
Changes From the 2005 and 2006 Proposed Harvest Specifications in the
BSAI
In October 2004, the Council's recommendations for the 2005 and
2006 proposed harvest specifications (69 FR 70974, December 8, 2004)
were based largely upon information contained in the final 2003 SAFE
report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2003. The
Council recommended that OFLs and ABCs for stocks in tiers 1 through 3
be based on biomass projections as set forth in the 2003 SAFE report
and estimates of groundfish harvests through the 2004 fishing year. For
stocks in tiers 4 through 6, for which projections could not be made,
the Council recommended that OFL and ABC levels be unchanged from 2004
until the final 2004 SAFE report could be completed. The final 2004
SAFE report (dated November 2004), which was not available when the
Council made its recommendations in October 2004, contains the best and
most recent scientific information on the condition of the groundfish
stocks and was considered in December by the Council in making its
recommendations for the 2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications.
Based on the final 2004 SAFE report, the sum of the 2005 recommended
final TACs for the BSAI (2,000,000 mt) is the same as the sum of the
2005 proposed TACs. The sum of the 2006 recommended final TACs for the
BSAI (2,000,000 mt) is 1,577 mt higher than the 2006 proposed TACs
(1,998,423 mt). This represents a .08-percent increase overall. Those
species for which the final 2005 TAC is lower than the proposed 2005
TAC are Bogoslof pollock (decreased to 10 mt from 50 mt), Pacific cod
(decreased to 206,000 mt from 215,952 mt), AI sablefish (decreased to
2,620 mt from 2,790 mt), Alaska plaice (decreased to 8,000 mt from
10,000 mt), and AI ``other rockfish'' (decreased to 590 mt from 634
mt). Those species for which the final 2005 TAC is higher than the
proposed 2005 TAC are Bering Sea pollock (increased to 1,478,500 from
1,474,450 mt), Bering Sea sablefish (increased to 2,440 mt from 2,418
mt), rock sole (increased to 41,500 mt from 41,450 mt), flathead sole
(increased to 19,500 mt from 19,000 mt), ``other flatfish'' (increased
to 3,500 mt from 3,000 mt), yellowfin sole (increased to 90,686 mt from
86,075 mt), Pacific ocean perch (increased to 12,600 mt from 12,020
mt), shortraker rockfish (increased to 596 mt from 526 mt), rougheye
rockfish (increased to 223 from 195 mt), and ``other species''
(increased to 29,000 mt from 27,205 mt). Those species for which the
final 2006 TAC is lower than the proposed 2006 TAC are Bogoslof pollock
(decreased to 10 mt from 50 mt), Pacific cod (decreased to 195,000 mt
from 215,500 mt), AI sablefish (decreased to 2,480 mt from 2,589 mt),
Bering Sea greenland turbot (decreased to 2,500 mt from 2,700 mt), and
AI ``other rockfish'' (decreased to 590 mt from 634). Those species for
which the final 2006 TAC is higher than the proposed 2006 TAC are
Bering Sea pollock (increased to 1,487,756 from 1,474,000 mt), Bering
Sea sablefish (increased to 2,310 mt from 2,244 mt), rock sole
(increased to 42,000 mt from 41,000 mt), flathead sole (increased to
20,000 mt from 19,000 mt), yellowfin sole (increased to 90,000 mt from
86,075 mt), Pacific ocean perch (increased to 12,600 mt from 12,170
mt), shortraker rockfish (increased to 596 mt from 526 mt), rougheye
rockfish (increased to 223 from 195 mt), and ``other species''
(increased to 29,200 mt from 27,205 mt). As mentioned in the 2005 and
2006 proposed harvest specifications, NMFS is apportioning the amounts
shown in Table 2 from the non-specified reserve to increase the ITAC of
several target species.
The 2005 and 2006 final TAC recommendations for the BSAI are within
the OY range established for the BSAI and do not exceed ABCs for any
single species/complexes. Compared to the 2005 proposed harvest
specifications, the Council's 2005 final TAC recommendations increase
fishing opportunities for fishermen and economic benefits to the nation
for species for which the Council had sufficient information to raise
TAC levels. These include Bering Sea pollock, Bering Sea sablefish,
yellowfin sole, AI Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, rougheye
rockfish, and ``other species.'' Conversely, the Council reduced TAC
levels to provide greater protection for several species, these include
Bogoslof pollock, Pacific cod, AI sablefish, Bering Sea Pacific ocean
perch, AI ``other rockfish.'' The changes recommended by the Council
were based on the best scientific information available, consistent
with National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and within a
reasonable range of variation from the proposed TAC recommendations so
that the affected public was fairly apprized and could have made
meaningful comments.
Table 1 lists the 2005 and 2006 final OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC and CDQ
reserve amounts of groundfish in the BSAI. The apportionment of TAC
amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed below.
[[Page 8982]]
Table 1.--2005 and 2006 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI.\1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 2006
Species Area ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\ OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \4\........................... BS \2\................ 2,100,000 1,960,000 1,478,500 1,330,650 147,850 1,944,000 1,617,000 1,487,756 1,338,980 148,776
AI \2\................ 39,100 29,400 19,000 17,100 1,900 39,100 29,400 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof.............. 39,600 2,570 10 10 ........... 39,600 2,570 10 10 ...........
Pacific cod........................... BSAI.................. 265,000 206,000 206,000 175,100 15,450 226,000 195,000 195,000 165,750 14,625
Sablefish \5\......................... BS.................... 2,950 2,440 2,440 2,013 336 2,690 2,310 2,310 982 87
AI.................... 3,170 2,620 2,620 2,129 442 2,880 2,480 2,480 527 47
Atka mackerel......................... BSAI.................. 147,000 124,000 63,000 53,550 4,725 127,000 107,000 63,000 53,550 4,725
EAI/BS................ ........... 24,550 7,500 6,375 563 ........... 21,190 7,500 6,375 563
CAI................... ........... 52,830 35,500 30,175 2,663 ........... 45,580 35,500 30,175 2,663
WAI................... ........... 46,620 20,000 17,000 1,500 ........... 40,230 20,000 17,000 1,500
Yellowfin sole........................ BSAI.................. 148,000 124,000 90,686 77,083 6,801 133,000 114,000 90,000 76,500 6,750
Rock sole............................. BSAI.................. 157,000 132,000 41,500 35,275 3,113 145,000 122,000 42,000 35,700 3,150
Greenland turbot...................... BSAI.................. 19,200 3,930 3,500 2,975 263 11,100 3,600 3,500 2,975 263
BS.................... ........... 2,720 2,700 2,295 203 ........... 2,500 2,500 2,125 188
AI.................... ........... 1,210 800 680 60 ........... 1,100 1,000 850 75
Arrowtooth flounder................... BSAI.................. 132,000 108,000 12,000 10,200 900 103,000 88,400 12,000 10,200 900
Flathead sole......................... BSAI.................. 70,200 58,500 19,500 16,575 1,463 56,100 48,400 20,000 17,000 1,500
Other flatfish \6\.................... BSAI.................. 28,500 21,400 3,500 2,975 263 28,500 21,400 3,000 2,550 225
Alaska plaice......................... BSAI.................. 237,000 189,000 8,000 6,800 600 115,000 109,000 10,000 8,500 750
Pacific ocean perch................... BSAI.................. 17,300 14,600 12,600 10,710 945 17,408 14,600 12,600 10,710 945
BS.................... ........... 2,920 1,400 1,190 105 ........... 2,920 1,400 1,190 105
EAI................... ........... 3,210 3,080 2,618 231 ........... 3,210 3,080 2,618 231
CAI................... ........... 3,165 3,035 2,580 228 ........... 3,165 3,035 2,580 228
WAI................... ........... 5,305 5,085 4,322 381 ........... 5,305 5,085 4,322 381
Northern rockfish..................... BSAI.................. 9,810 8,260 5,000 4,250 375 9,480 8,040 5,000 4,250 375
Shortraker rockfish................... BSAI.................. 794 596 596 507 45 794 596 596 507 45
Rougheye rockfish..................... BSAI.................. 298 223 223 190 17 298 223 223 190 17
Other rockfish \7\.................... BSAI.................. 1,870 1,400 1,050 893 79 1,870 1,400 1,050 893 79
BS.................... ........... 810 460 391 35 ........... 810 460 391 35
AI.................... ........... 590 590 502 44 ........... 590 590 502 44
Squid................................. BSAI.................. 2,620 1,970 1,275 1,084 ........... 2,620 1,970 1,275 1,084 ...........
Other species \8\..................... BSAI.................. 87,920 53,860 29,000 24,650 2,175 87,920 57,870 29,200 24,820 2,190
-------------------------
Total............................. ...................... 3,509,332 3,044,769 2,000,000 1,774,719 186,608 3,093,360 2,547,259 2,000,000 1,772,778 187,350
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS)
subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock and the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for each species is the remainder of
the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
\3\ Except for pollock, squid and the hook-and-line or pot gear allocation of sablefish, one half of the amount of the TACs placed in reserve, or 7.5 percent of the TACs, is designated as a
CDQ reserve for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii) and 679.31).
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual Bering Sea pollock TAC after subtraction for the CDQ directed fishing allowance--10 percent and the ICA--3.35 percent, is further allocated
by sector for a directed pollock fishery as follows: inshore--50 percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under regulations that would be effective with the final
rule implementing Amendment 82, the annual AI pollock TAC, after first subtracting for the CDQ directed fishing allowance--10 percent and second the ICA--2,000 mt, would be allocated to the
Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery.
\5\ Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear and 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see
Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii)).
\6\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder and Alaska
plaice.
\7\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern, shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
\8\ ``Other species'' includes sculpins, sharks, skates and octopus. Forage fish, as defined at Sec. 679.2, are not included in the ``other species'' category.
[[Page 8983]]
Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i) require that 15 percent of the
TAC for each target species or species group, except for pollock and
the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, be placed in a
non-specified reserve. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii) require
that one-half of each TAC amount placed in the non-specified reserve
(7.5 percent), with the exception of squid, be allocated to the
groundfish CDQ reserve and that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot
gear allocation of sablefish be allocated to the fixed gear sablefish
CDQ reserve. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) also require that
10 percent of the BSAI pollock TACs be allocated to the pollock CDQ
directed fishing allowance. The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is
allocated as an ICA (see Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of
the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations
do not further apportion the CDQ reserves by gear. Regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(1)(i) also require that 7.5 percent of each PSC limit, with
the exception of herring, be withheld as a PSQ reserve for the CDQ
fisheries. Regulations governing the management of the CDQ and PSQ
reserves are set forth at Sec. Sec. 679.30 and 679.31.
Under regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a
pollock ICA of 3.35 percent of the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC after
subtraction of the 10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on
an examination of the incidental catch of pollock, including CDQ
vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 1998 through 2004.
During this 6-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from
a low of 2 percent in 2003, to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a 6-
year average of 3 percent. Under regulations that would be effective
with the final rule implementing Amendment 82, NMFS is specifying a
2,000 mt ICA for AI subarea pollock after subtraction of the 10 percent
CDQ directed fishing allowance. The Aleut Corporation's directed
pollock fishing allowance will be closed until regulations implementing
Amendment 82 (if approved) become effective.
The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified
reserve by species or species group, and any amount of the reserve may
be apportioned to a target species or to the ``other species'' category
during the year, providing that such apportionments do not result in
overfishing, see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The Regional Administrator has
determined that the ITACs specified for the species listed in Table 2
need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve because U.S.
fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC
allocations. Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is
apportioning the amounts shown in Table 2 from the non-specified
reserve to increase the ITAC to an amount that is equal to TAC minus
the CDQ reserve.
Table 2.--2005 Apportionment of Reserves to ITAC Categories
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 2006
Species--area or subarea reserve 2005 final reserve 2006 final
amount ITAC amount ITAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel--Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea 563 6,938 563 6,938
subarea....................................................
Atka mackerel--Central Aleutian District.................... 2,663 32,838 2,663 32,838
Atka mackerel--Western Aleutian District.................... 1,500 18,500 1,500 18,500
Pacific ocean perch--Eastern Aleutian District.............. 231 2,849 231 2,849
Pacific ocean perch--Central Aleutian District.............. 228 2,808 228 2,808
Pacific ocean perch--Western Aleutian District.............. 381 4,703 381 4,703
Pacific cod--BSAI........................................... 15,450 190,550 14,625 180,375
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI.................................... 45 552 45 552
Rougheye rockfish-BSAI...................................... 17 207 17 207
Northern rockfish-BSAI...................................... 375 4,625 375 4,625
Other rockfish--Bering Sea subarea.......................... 35 426 35 426
--------------
Total................................................... 21,488 264,996 20,663 254,821
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the AFA
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), require, after subtracting
first the 10 percent for the CDQ program and second the 3.35 percent
for the ICA, the Bering Sea subarea pollock to be allocated as a
directed fishing allowance (DFA) as follows: 50 percent to the inshore
component, 40 percent to the catcher/processor component, and 10
percent to the mothership component. In the Bering Sea subarea, the A
season, January 20--June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the
B season, June 10--November 1, is allocated 60 percent of the DFA. The
AI directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation remains
after subtracting first the 10 percent for the CDQ DFA and second the
2,000 mt for the ICA. The Aleut Corporation directed pollock fishery is
closed to directed fishing until the management provisions for the AI
directed pollock fishery become effective under Amendment 82. In the AI
subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B
season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
Table 3 lists these 2005 and 2006 amounts.
The regulations also contain several specific requirements
concerning pollock and pollock allocations under Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4). First, 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to
the catcher/processor sector will be available for harvest by AFA
catcher vessels with catcher/processor sector endorsements, unless the
Regional Administrator receives a cooperative contract that provides
for the distribution of harvest between AFA catcher/processors and AFA
catcher vessels in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA
catcher/processors not listed in the AFA are limited to harvesting not
more than 0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the catcher/processor
sector. Table 3 lists the 2005 and 2006 allocations of pollock TAC.
Tables 10 through 17 list other provisions of the AFA, including
inshore pollock cooperative allocations and listed catcher/processor
and catcher vessel harvesting sideboard limits.
Table 3 also lists seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest
limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest
within the SCA, as defined at
[[Page 8984]]
Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to 28 percent of the annual
directed fishing allowance (DFA) until April 1. The remaining 12
percent of the 40 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season
may be taken outside of the SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after
April 1. If the 28 percent of the annual DFA is not taken inside the
SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the
SCA after April 1. The A season pollock SCA harvest limit will be
apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's allocated
percentage of the DFA. Table 3 lists by sector these 2005 and 2006
amounts.
Table 3.--2005 and 2006 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 A season \1\ 2005 B 2006 A season \1\ 2006 B
2005 -------------------------- season \1\ 2006 -------------------------- season \1\
Area and sector Allocations A season SCA harvest B season Allocations A season SCA harvest B season
DFA limit \2\ DFA DFA limit \2\ DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea.............................. 1,478,500 ........... ........... ........... 1,487,756 ........... ........... ...........
CDQ DFA......................................... 147,850 59,140 41,398 88,710 148,776 59,510 41,657 89,265
ICA \1\......................................... 44,577 ........... ........... ........... 44,856 ........... ........... ...........
AFA Inshore..................................... 643,037 257,215 180,050 385,822 647,062 258,825 181,177 388,237
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................... 514,429 205,772 144,040 308,658 517,650 207,060 144,942 310,590
Catch by C/Ps............................... 470,703 188,281 ........... 282,422 473,650 189,460 ........... 284,190
Catch by CVs \3\............................ 43,726 17,491 ........... 26,236 44,000 17,600 ........... 26,400
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\.................. 2,572 1,029 ........... 1,543 2,588 1,035 ........... 1,553
AFA Motherships................................. 128,607 51,443 36,010 77,164 129,412 51,765 36,235 77,647
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................. 225,063 ........... ........... ........... 226,472 ........... ........... ...........
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................. 385,822 ........... ........... ........... 388,237 ........... ........... ...........
Total Bering Sea DFA........................ 1,478,500 573,569 401,499 860,354 1,487,756 577,160 404,012 865,740
--------------
Aleutian Islands subarea \1\.................... 19,000 ........... ........... ........... 19,000 ........... ........... ...........
CDQ DFA..................................... 1,900 760 ........... 1,140 1,900 760 ........... 1,140
ICA......................................... 2,000 1,200 ........... 800 2,000 1,200 ........... 800
Aleut Corporation........................... 15,100 9,800 ........... 5,300 15,100 9,800 ........... 5,300
--------------
Bogoslof District ICA \7\....................... 10 ........... ........... ........... 10 ........... ........... ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock after subtraction for the CDQ DFA--10 percent and the ICA--3.35 percent, the pollock
TAC is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component--50 percent, catcher/processor component--40 percent, and mothership component--10 percent. In
the Bering Sea subarea, the A season, January 20-June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June 10-November 1 is allocated 60
percent of the DFA. The Aleutian Islands (AI) directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation remains after first subtracting for the CDQ
DFA--10 percent and second the ICA--2,000 mt. The Aleut Corporation directed pollock fishery is closed to directed fishing until the management
provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery become effective under Amendment 82. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC
and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of
the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent of the annual DFA
is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only
by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\6\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\7\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only, and are
not apportioned by season or sector.
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel ITAC
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the Eastern
Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be
allocated to jig gear. The amount of this allocation is determined
annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council
recommended, and NMFS approved, a 1 percent allocation of the Atka
mackerel ITAC in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea
subarea to the jig gear in 2005 and 2006. Based on an ITAC and a
reserve apportionment which together total 6,938 mt, the jig gear
allocation is 69 mt.
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportion the Atka
mackerel ITAC into two equal seasonal allowances. After subtraction of
the jig gear allocation, the first seasonal allowance is made available
for directed fishing from January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to
April 15 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance is made
available from September 1 to November 1 (B season) (see Table 4).
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1), the Regional Administrator will
establish a harvest limit area (HLA) limit of no more than 60 percent
of the seasonal TAC for the Western and Central Aleutian Districts. A
lottery system is used for the HLA Atka mackerel directed fisheries to
reduce the amount of daily catch in the HLA by about half and to
disperse the fishery over two districts, see Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(iii).
[[Page 8985]]
Table 4.--2005 and 2006 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, and CDQ Reserve of the BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seasonal allowances \2\
---------------------------------------------------
2005 and CDQ CDQ reserve A season \3\ B season \3\
Subarea and component 2006 TAC reserve HLA limit ITAC ---------------------------------------------------
\4\ HLA limit HLA limit
Total \4\ Total \4\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western AI District............................. 20,000 1,500 900 18,500 9,250 5,550 9,250 5,550
Central AI District............................. 35,500 2,663 1,598 32,838 16,419 9,851 16,419 9,851
EAI/BS subarea \5\.............................. 7,500 563 ........... 6,938 ........... ........... ........... ...........
Jig (1%) \6\.................................... ........... ........... ........... 69 ........... ........... ........... ...........
Other gear (99%)................................ ........... ........... ........... 6,868 3,434 ........... 3,434 ...........
--------------
Total....................................... 63,000 4,725 ........... 58,275 29,103 ........... 29,103 ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
\2\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\3\ The A season is January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to April 15 and the B season is September 1 to November 1.
\4\ Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (see Sec. 679.2). In
2005 and 2006, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.
\5\ Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea.
\6\ Regulations at Sec. 679.20 (a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea ITAC be allocated to
jig gear. The amount of this allocation is 1 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod ITAC
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(A), 2 percent of the Pacific cod ITAC
is allocated to vessels using jig gear, 51 percent to vessels using
hook-and-line or pot gear, and 47 percent to vessels using trawl gear.
Under regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B), the portion of the
Pacific cod ITAC allocated to trawl gear is further allocated 50
percent to catcher vessels and 50 percent to catcher/processors. Under
regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(C)(1), a portion of the Pacific
cod ITAC allocated to hook-and-line or pot gear is set aside as an ICA
of Pacific cod in directed fisheries for groundfish using these gear
types. Based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries, the
Regional Administrator specifies an ICA of 500 mt. The remainder of
Pacific cod ITAC is further allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or
pot gear as the following DFAs: 80 percent to hook-and-line catcher/
processors, 0.3 percent to hook-and-line catcher vessels, 3.3 percent
to pot catcher/processors, 15 percent to pot catcher vessels, and 1.4
percent to catcher vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA)
using hook-and-line or pot gear.
Due to concerns about the potential impact of the Pacific cod
fishery on Steller sea lions and their critical habitat, the
apportionment of the ITAC disperses the Pacific cod fisheries into two
seasonal allowances (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A) and
679.23(e)(5)). For pot and most hook-and-line gear, the first seasonal
allowance of 60 percent of the ITAC is made available for directed
fishing from January 1 to June 10, and the second seasonal allowance of
40 percent of the ITAC is made available from June 10 (September 1 for
pot gear) to December 31. No seasonal harvest constraints are imposed
for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3
m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. For trawl gear, the first
season is January 20 to April 1 and is allocated 60 percent of the
ITAC. The second season, April 1 to June 10, and the third season, June
10 to November 1, are each allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. The trawl
catcher vessel allocation is further allocated as 70 percent in the
first season, 10 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the
third season. The trawl catcher/processor allocation is allocated 50
percent in the first season, 30 percent in the second season, and 20
percent in the third season. For jig gear, the first season and third
seasons are each allocated 40 percent of the ITAC and the second season
is allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. Table 5 lists the 2005 and 2006
allocations and seasonal apportionments of the Pacific cod ITAC. In
accordance with Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(D) and
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod
allowance will become available at the beginning of the next seasonal
allowance.
Table 5.--2005 and 2006 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod ITAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 2005 2005 2005 Seasonal apportionment \1\ 2006 2006 2006 2006 Seasonal apportionment \1\
Share of Subtotoal Share of --------------------------------------- Share of Subtotal Share of --------------------------------------
Gear sector Percent gear percentages gear gear percentages gear
sector for gear sector Date Amount sector for gear sector Date Amount
total sectors total total sectors total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total hook-and-line/pot gear.......... 51 97,181 ........... ........ ........................... ........ 91,991 ........... ........ ........................... ........
Hook-and-line/pot ICA................. ........ ........ ........... 500 ........................... ........ ........ ........... 500 ........................... ........
Hook-and-line/pot subtotal............ ........ 96,681 ........... ........ ........................... ........ 91,491 ........... ........ ........................... ........
Hook-and-line C/P..................... ........ ........ 80 77,344 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 46,407 ........ 80 73,193 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 43,916
Jun 10-Dec 31.............. 30,938 ........ ........... ........ Jun 10-Dec 31.............. 29,277
Hook-and-line CV...................... ........ ........ 0.3 290 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 174 ........ 0.3 274 Jan 1-Jun.................. 165
Jun 10-Dec 31.............. 116 ........ ........... ........ ........................... 110
Pot C/P............................... ........ ........ 3.3 3,190 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 1,914 ........ 3.3 3,019 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 1,812
Sept 1-Dec 31.............. 1,276 ........ ........... ........ Sept 1-Dec 31.............. 1,208
Pot CV................................ ........ ........ 15 14,502 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 8,701 ........ 15 13,724 Jan 1-Jun 10............... 8,234
Sept 1-Dec 31.............. 5,801 ........ ........... ........ Sept 1-Dec 31.............. 5,489
[[Page 8986]]
CV < 60 feet LOA using Hook-and-line ........ ........ 1.4 1,354 ........................... ........ ........ 1.4 1,281 ........................... ........
or Pot gear.
Total Trawl Gear...................... 47 89,559 ........... ........ ........................... ........ 84,776 ........... ........ ........................... ........
Trawl CV.......................... ........ ........ 50 44,779 Jan 20-Apr 1............... 31,345 ........ 50 42,388 Jan 20-Apr 1............... 29,672
........ ........ ........... ........ Apr 1-Jun10................ 4,478 ........ ........... ........ Apr 1-Jun 10............... 4,239
........ ........ ........... ........ Jun 10-Nov 1............... 8,956 ........ ........... ........ Jun 10-Nov 1............... 8,478
Trawl CP.......................... ........ ........ 50 44,779 Jan 20-Apr 1............... 22,390 ........ 50 42,388 Jan 20-Apr 1............... 21,194
........ ........ ........... ........ Apr 1-Jun 10............... 13,434 ........ ........... ........ Apr 1-Jun 10............... 12,716
........ ........ ........... ........ Jun 10-Nov 1............... 8,956 ........ ........... ........ Jun 10-Nov 1............... 8,478
Jig................................... 2 3,811 ........... ........ Jan 1-Apr 30............... 1,524 3,608 ........... ........ Jan 1-Apr 30............... 1,443
........ ........ ........... ........ Apr 30-Aug 31.............. 762 ........ ........... ........ Apr 30-Aug 31.............. 722
........ ........ ........... ........ Aug 31-Dec 31.............. 1,524 ........ ........... ........ Aug 31-Dec 31.............. 1,443
-----------
Total........................... 100 190,550 ........... ........ ........................... ........ 180,375 ........... ........ ........................... ........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For most non-trawl gear the first season is allocated 60 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 40 percent of the ITAC. For jig gear, the first season and third seasons are
each allocated 40 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. No seasonal harvest constraints are imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels
less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. For trawl gear, the first season is allocated 60 percent of the ITAC and the second and third seasons are each allocated 20
percent of the ITAC. The trawl catcher vessels' allocation is further allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. The
trawl catcher/processors' allocation is allocated 50 percent in the first season, 30 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. Any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific
cod allowance will be reapportioned to the next seasonal allowance.
Sablefish Gear Allocation
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require that
sablefish TACs for the Bering Sea and AI subareas be allocated between
trawl and hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for
the Bering Sea subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for
hook-and-line or pot gear and for the AI subarea are 25 percent for
trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Regulations at
Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B) require that 20 percent of the hook-and-line
and pot gear allocation of sablefish be apportioned to the CDQ reserve.
Additionally, regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(A) require that
7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish (one half of the
reserve) be apportioned to the CDQ reserve.
The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line
gear and pot gear sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) fisheries
continue to be limited to one year to ensure that those fisheries are
conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery and are based on the
most recent survey information (69 FR 44634, July 27, 2004). Having the
sablefish IFQ fisheries concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery will
reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in these
fisheries. Because of the high value of this fishery, the Council
recommended the setting of TAC be based on the most recent survey
information. Under the current IFQ fishery season start date, sablefish
stock assessments based on the most recent survey are available before
the beginning of the fishery to allow for rulemaking each year. The
sablefish IFQ fisheries remain closed at the beginning of each fishing
year, until the final specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries
are in effect. The trawl sablefish fishery will be managed using
specifications for up to a two-year period, similar to GOA pollock,
Pacific cod and the ``other species'' category. Table 6 specifies the
2005 and 2006 gear allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve
amounts.
Table 6.--2005 and 2006 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent of 2005 Share 2005 ITAC 2005 CDQ 2006 Share 2006 CDQ
Subarea and gear TAC of TAC \1\ reserve of TAC 2006 ITAC reserve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea:
Trawl \2\................................................ 50 1,220 1,037 92 1,155 982 87
Hook-and-line/pot gear \3\............................... 50 1,220 976 244 ........... ........... ...........
--------------
Total................................................ 100 2,440 2,013 336 2,310 982 87
Aleutian Islands:
Trawl \2\................................................ 25 655 557 49 620 527 47
Hook-and-line/pot gear \3\............................... 75 1,965 1,572 393 ........... ........... ...........
--------------
Total................................................ 100 2,620 2,129 442 2,480 527 47
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC
after the subtraction of these reserves.
\2\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using trawl gear, one half of the reserve (7.5 percent of the specified TAC) is reserved
for the CDQ program.
\3\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use by
CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to 1 year.
[[Page 8987]]
Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring
PSC limits for halibut are set forth in regulations at Sec.
679.21(e). For the BSAI trawl fisheries, the limit is 3,675 mt of
halibut mortality and for non-trawl fisheries, the limit is 900 mt of
halibut mortality. Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specify a
2005 and 2006 chinook salmon PSC limit for the pollock fishery to be
29,000 fish. Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocate 7.5 percent,
or 2,175 chinook salmon, as the PSQ for the CDQ program and the
remaining 26,825 chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. Amendment 82
and its implementing rule would establish an AI chinook salmon limit of
700 fish. Regulations at 679.21(e)(1)(i) would allocate 7.5 percent, or
53 chinook salmon, as an AI PSQ for the CDQ program and the remaining
647 chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. Regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(1)(viii) specify a 2005 and 2006 non-chinook salmon PSC limit
of 42,000 fish. Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocate 7.5
percent or 3,150 non-chinook salmon as the PSQ for the CDQ program and
the remaining 38,850 non-chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. PSC
limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance
and spawning biomass.
The red king crab mature female abundance is estimated from the
2004 survey data to be 35.4 million king crab and the effective
spawning biomass is estimated to be 61.9 million pounds (27,500 mt).
Based on the criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the 2005 and
2006 PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 197,000
animals as a result of the mature female abundance being above 8.4
million king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate being
greater than 55 million pounds (24,948 mt).
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B) establish criteria under
which NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the
Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS
to up to 35 percent of the trawl bycatch allowance specified for the
rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category and are
based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red
king crab bycatch. The Council recommended, and NMFS approves, a red
king crab bycatch limit equal to 35 percent of the trawl bycatch
allowance specified for the rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish''
fishery category within the RKCSS.
Based on 2004 survey data, the Chionoecetes bairdi crab abundance
is estimated to be 437.41 million animals. Given the criteria set out
at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the 2005 and 2006 C. bairdi crab PSC limit
for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and 2,970,000 animals in
Zone 2 as a result of the C. bairdi crab abundance estimate of over
