Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 10870-10894 [06-1994]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
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November 2005, 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.
[FR Doc. 06–1997 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Tom
Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries Division,
Alaska Region, 907–481–1780, or e-mail
at tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216044–6044–01; I.D.
112805A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final
2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications
for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2006
and 2007 harvest specifications,
reserves and apportionments thereof,
Pacific halibut prohibited species catch
(PSC) limits, and associated
management measures for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to
establish harvest limits and associated
management measures for groundfish
during the 2006 and 2007 fishing years
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP). The intended effect of
this action is to conserve and manage
the groundfish resources in the GOA in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: The final 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications and associated
management measures are effective at
1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.),
March 3, 2006, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2007.
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: Records Officer or from the Alaska
Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the 2005
Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the GOA, dated
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NMFS
manages the GOA groundfish fisheries
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C.
1801, et seq. Regulations governing U.S.
fisheries and implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species and for the ‘‘other
species’’ category, the sum of which
must be within the optimum yield (OY)
range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons
(mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further
requires NMFS to publish and solicit
public comment on proposed annual
TACs, halibut PSC amounts, and
seasonal allowances of pollock and
inshore/offshore Pacific cod. The final
harvest specifications in Tables 1
through 18 of this document satisfy
these requirements. For 2006, the sum
of the TAC amounts is 291,950 mt. For
2007, the sum of the TAC amounts is
257,772 mt.
The proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications and Pacific halibut PSC
allowances for the GOA were published
in the Federal Register on December 16,
2005 (70 FR 74739). Comments were
invited and accepted through January
17, 2006. NMFS received 1 letter with
several comments on the proposed
harvest specifications. These comments
are summarized and responded to in the
Response to Comments section. In
December 2005, NMFS consulted with
the Council regarding the 2006 and 2007
harvest specifications. After considering
public comments received, as well as
biological and economic data that were
available at the Council’s December
2005 meeting, NMFS is implementing
the final 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications, as recommended by the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Council, with the exception of pollock
as described below.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Specifications
In December 2005, the Council, its
Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific
and Statistical Committee (SSC),
reviewed current biological and harvest
information about the condition of
groundfish stocks in the GOA. This
information was compiled by the
Council’s GOA Plan Team and was
presented in the 2005 SAFE report for
the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2005 (see ADDRESSES). The
SAFE report contains a review of the
latest scientific analyses and estimates
of each species’ biomass and other
biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information
on the GOA ecosystem and the
economic condition of the groundfish
fisheries off Alaska. From these data and
analyses, the Plan Team estimates an
ABC for each species or species
category.
The final ABC levels are based on the
best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including
projected biomass trends, information
on assumed distribution of stock
biomass, and revised methods used to
calculate stock biomass. The FMP
specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be
used in computing ABCs and
overfishing levels (OFLs). The formulas
applicable to a particular stock or stock
complex are determined by the level of
reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. This information is
categorized into a successive series of
six tiers with tier one representing the
highest level of information and tier six
the lowest level of information.
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 OY
range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt. The
Council adopted the AP’s TAC
recommendations. The Council
recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007
that are equal to ABCs for pollock, deepwater flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific
ocean perch, shortraker rockfish,
rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish,
pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead
rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates.
The Council recommended TACs that
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are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod,
flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish,
arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, and
Atka mackerel. None of the Council’s
recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007
exceeds the final ABC for any species or
species category. NMFS finds that the
recommended ABCs and TACs are
consistent with the biological condition
of the groundfish stocks as described in
the 2005 SAFE report and approved by
the Council. The apportionment of TAC
amounts among gear types, processing
sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
NMFS finds that the Council’s
recommendations for OFL, ABC, and
TAC amounts are consistent with the
biological condition of groundfish
stocks as adjusted for other biological
and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the total TAC
within the required OY range. NMFS
reviewed the Council’s recommended
TAC specifications and apportionments
and approves these specifications under
§ 679.20(c)(3)(ii).
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2006 and
2007 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area
apportionments of groundfish in the
GOA. The sum of 2006 and of 2007
groundfish ABCs are 500,626 and
472,260 mt respectively, which are
lower than the 2005 ABC total of
539,263 mt (70 FR 8958, February 24,
2005).
Specification and Apportionment of
TAC Amounts
As in 2005, the SSC and Council
recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among
management areas in 2006 and 2007
include commercial fishery and survey
data. NMFS stock assessment scientists
believe that the use of unbiased
commercial fishery data reflecting
catch-per-unit effort provides a
desirable input for stock distribution
assessments. The use of commercial
fishery data is evaluated annually to
ensure that unbiased information is
included in stock distribution models.
The Council’s recommendation for
sablefish area apportionments also takes
into account the prohibition on the use
of trawl gear in the Southeast Outside
(SEO) District of the Eastern Regulatory
Area and makes available 5 percent of
the combined Eastern Regulatory Area
ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental
catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat District
(§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State
managed pollock fishery in Prince
William Sound (PWS) the GOA Plan
Team has recommended that the
guideline harvest level (GHL) for the
pollock fishery in PWS be deducted
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from the ABC for the western stock of
pollock in the GOA in the Western/
Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area.
The Plan Team based its pollock ABC
recommendation for the W/C/WYK Area
on a pollock GHL for the PWS of 910
mt. Following the Council’s December
2005 meeting the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game (ADF&G) completed a
new assessment of the pollock biomass
in PWS. In a news release dated
December 28, 2005, ADF&G announced
a GHL of 3.64 million pounds (1,650 mt)
for the 2006 PWS pollock fishery, a
difference of 740 mt for the GHL already
considered. NMFS is reducing the 2006
and 2007 ABCs for the pollock fishery
in the W/C/WYK Area by 740 mt from
the Council’s recommendation to be
consistent with the conservation and
management policies for pollock in the
W/C/WYK. The Council recommended
that the TAC for pollock in the W/C/
WYK Area be set equal to the ABC,
therefore, NMFS is reducing the 2006
and 2007 TACs for pollock in the W/C/
WYK Area by 740 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock
TAC among the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the
seasonal biomass distribution and is
discussed in greater detail below. The
annual pollock TAC in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned among Statistical Areas
610, 620, and 630, as well as equally
among each of the following four
seasons: The A season (January 20
through March 10), the B season (March
10 through May 31), the C season
(August 25 through October 1), and the
D season (October 1 through November
1) (§§ 673.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council adopted
the Plan Team’s ABC recommendations
for all groundfish species categories,
except for Pacific cod in 2006. The SSC
disagreed with the Plan Team’s
maximum permissible ABC
recommendation of 79,618 mt based on
conservation concerns. In particular, the
SSC did not feel comfortable with the
large implied increase in fishing
mortality because of concerns over the
new maturity schedule, a series of low
recruitments between 2001 and 2004,
and limited experience with the new
model used for the Pacific cod
assessment. For these reasons, the SSC
recommended a stair-step approach to
the maximum permissible ABC in 2006
resulting in an ABC recommendation of
68,859 mt. The final 2006 and 2007
ABCs, recommended by the Council and
amended by NMFS, are listed in Tables
1 and 2.
The AP, SSC, and Council
recommended that the ABC for Pacific
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10871
cod in the GOA be apportioned among
regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS’ summer trawl surveys. As
in previous years, the Plan Team, AP,
SSC, and Council recommended that
total removals of Pacific cod from the
GOA not exceed ABC recommendations.
Accordingly, the Council recommended
that the 2006 and 2007 TACs be
adjusted downward from the ABCs by
amounts equal to the 2006 GHLs
established for Pacific cod by the State
of Alaska (State) for fisheries that occur
in State waters in the GOA. The effect
of the State’s GHLs on the Pacific cod
TAC is discussed in greater detail
below. As in 2005, NMFS will establish
for 2006 and 2007 an A season directed
fishing allowance (DFA) for the Pacific
cod fisheries in the GOA based on the
management area TACs less the recent
average A season incidental catch of
Pacific cod in each management area
before June 10 (§ 679.20(d)(1)). The DFA
and incidental catch before June 10 will
be managed such that total harvest in
the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental
catch taken after June 10 will continue
to be taken from the B season TAC. This
action meets the intent of the Steller Sea
Lion Protection Measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod
removals and by reducing the likelihood
of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the
annual TAC in the A season (January 1
through June 10).
The 2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs
are affected by the State’s developing
fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in
the Central and Western Regulatory
Areas, as well as in PWS. The SSC, AP,
and Council recommended that the sum
of all State and Federal water Pacific
cod removals not exceed the ABC.
Accordingly, the Council recommended
the 2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs be
reduced from ABC levels to account for
State GHLs in each regulatory area of
the GOA. Therefore, the 2006 TACs are
reduced from ABCs as follows: (1)
Eastern GOA, 413 mt; (2) Central GOA,
9,468 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,714
mt. Similarly, the 2007 TACs are
reduced from ABCs as follows: (1)
Eastern GOA, 297 mt; (2) Central GOA,
6,801 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 4,823
mt. These amounts reflect the sum of
the State’s 2006 GHLs in these areas,
which are 10 percent, 25 percent, and
25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and
Western GOA ABCs, respectively. The
percentages of ABC used to calculate the
GHLs for the State managed Pacific cod
fisheries are unchanged from 2005.
NMFS also is establishing seasonal
apportionments of the annual Pacific
cod TAC in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
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annual TAC is apportioned to the A
season for hook-and-line, pot and jig
gear from January 1 through June 10,
and for trawl gear from January 20
through June 10. Forty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the B
season for hook-and-line, pot and jig
gear from September 1 through
December 31, and for trawl gear from
September 1 through November 1
(§§ 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(11)).
These seasonal apportionments of the
annual Pacific cod TAC are discussed in
greater detail below.
The FMP specifies that the TAC
amount for the ‘‘other species’’ category
is calculated as 5 percent of the
combined TAC amounts for target
species. The 2006 GOA-wide ‘‘other
species’’ TAC is 13,856 mt, and the 2007
TAC is 12,229 mt, which is 5 percent of
the sum of the combined TAC amounts
(278,094 mt for 2006 and 245,543 mt for
2007) for the target species. The sum of
the TACs for all GOA groundfish is
291,950 mt for 2006 and 257,772 mt for
2007, which is within the OY range
specified by the FMP. The sums of the
2006 and 2007 TACs are higher in 2006
and lower in 2007 than the 2005 TAC
sum of 291,298 mt (70 FR 8958,
February 24, 2005).
In June 2005, the Council selected its
preferred alternative for Amendment 69
to the GOA FMP to revise the manner
in which the ‘‘other species’’ complex
TAC is annually established. If
approved, Amendment 69 would allow
the Council, as part of its annual harvest
specification process, to recommend a
TAC amount for the ‘‘other species’’ less
than or equal to 5 percent of the sum of
the combined TAC amounts for target
species. The intent of Amendment 69 is
to better conserve and manage the
species which comprise the ‘‘other
species’’ complex. NMFS published a
Notice of Availability (NOA) for
Amendment 69 in the Federal Register
on November 16, 2005 (70 FR 69505)
and a proposed rule to implement
Amendment 69 in the Federal Register
on November 29, 2005 (70 FR 71450).
Comments on the NOA were invited
through January 17, 2006, and
comments on the proposed rule were
invited through January 13, 2006.
Copies of Amendment 69, the EA/RIR/
IRFA prepared for the amendment, and
the proposed rule may be obtained from
NMFS, Alaska Region or from its Web
site (see ADDRESSES). In December 2005,
the Council recommended that if
Amendment 69 receives Secretarial
approval, then the TAC for the ‘‘other
species’’ complex should be amended to
4,500 mt in 2006 and 2007. This amount
would meet the incidental catch needs
in the other directed groundfish and
halibut fisheries while allowing for a
limited directed fishery of
approximately 500 mt.
At its June 2005 meeting, the Council
selected a preferred pilot program
alternative to rationalize the Central
GOA rockfish fishery. The program was
developed by the Council under the
authority of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004. If approved
by the Secretary, the Central GOA
Rockfish Pilot Program would allocate
rockfish, associated groundfish, halibut
PSC limits, and groundfish sideboard
limits to a specific group of eligible
harvesters in 2007. These amounts are
expected to be identified in September
2006 and would modify the harvest
specifications for 2007.
Changes From the Proposed 2006 and
2007 Harvest Specifications for the
GOA
In October 2005, the Council’s
recommendations for the proposed 2006
and 2007 harvest specifications (70 FR
74739, December 16, 2005) were based
largely on information contained in the
2004 SAFE report for the GOA
groundfish fisheries, dated November
2004. The Council recommended that
the 2006 and 2007 OFLs and ABCs for
stocks in tiers 1 through 3 be based on
biomass projections as set forth in the
2004 SAFE report and estimates of
groundfish harvests through the 2006
and 2007 fishing years. 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 2005 until the 2005
SAFE report could be completed.
The 2005 SAFE report (dated
November 2005), which was not
available when the Council made its
recommendations in October 2005,
contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition
of the groundfish stocks. This report
was considered in December 2005 by
the Council when it made its
recommendations for the final 2006 and
2007 harvest specifications. Based on
the 2005 SAFE report, the sum of the
2006 recommended final TACs for the
GOA (291,950 mt) is 9,354 mt less than
the proposed sum of TACs (301,304 mt).
The largest 2006 increases occurred for
Pacific cod, from 42,128 mt to 52,264 mt
(24 percent increase); deep water
flatfish, from 6,820 mt to 8,665 mt (27
percent increase), other rockfish, from
670 mt to 1,480 mt (121 percent
increase), pelagic shelf rockfish, from
4,415 mt to 5,436 mt (23 percent
increase) and for Atka mackerel, from
600 mt to 1,500 mt (150 percent
increase). The largest decreases
occurred for pollock, from 105,220 mt to
85,807 mt (18 percent decrease) and for
rex sole, from 12,650 mt to 9,200 mt (27
percent decrease). Other increases or
decreases in both 2006 and 2007 are
within these ranges.
Compared to the proposed 2006 and
2007 harvest specifications, the
Council’s final 2006 and 2007 TAC
recommendations increase fishing
opportunities for species for which the
Council had sufficient information to
raise TAC levels. These include, Pacific
cod, deep water flatfish, other rockfish,
northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker rockfish, thornyhead
rockfish, longnose and other skates, and
Atka mackerel. Conversely, the Council
reduced TAC levels to provide greater
protection for several species; these
include pollock, rex sole, flathead sole,
shallow water flatfish, sablefish,
rougheye rockfish, and big skates. The
changes recommended by the Council
for the 2006 and 2007 fishing years 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 apprised and could
have made meaningful comments based
on the proposed harvest specifications.
TABLE 1.—FINAL 2006 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
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[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
Area 1
Pollock 2 .............................................
Shumagin (610) ..................
Chirikof (620) ......................
Totals
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ABC
TAC
28,918
30,492
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28,918
30,492
Overfishing
level
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
10873
TABLE 1.—FINAL 2006 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Overfishing
level
Species
Area 1
............................................................
Kodiak (630) .......................
WYK (640) ..........................
W/C/WYK ............................
18,448
1,792
79,650
18,448
1,792
79,650
n/a
n/a
110,100
SEO (650) ...........................
6,157
6,157
8,209
............................................................
.............................................
86,807
86,807
118,309
Pacific cod 3 .......................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
26,855
37,873
4,131
20,141
28,405
3,718
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
68,859
52,264
95,500
Flatfish 4 (deep-water) .......................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
420
4,139
2,661
1,445
420
4,139
2,661
1,445
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
8,665
8,665
11,008
Rex sole .............................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
1,159
5,506
1,049
1,486
1,159
5,506
1,049
1,486
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
9,200
9,200
12,000
Flathead sole .....................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
10,548
25,195
2,022
55
2,000
5,000
2,022
55
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
37,820
9,077
47,003
Flatfish 5 (shallow-water) ...................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
24,720
24,258
628
1,844
4,500
13,000
628
1,844
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
51,450
19,972
62,418
Arrowtooth flounder ...........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
20,154
134,906
15,954
6,830
8,000
25,000
2,500
2,500
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
177,844
38,000
207,678
Sablefish 6 ..........................................
2,670
6,370
2,280
3,520
5,800
2,670
6,370
2,280
3,520
5,800
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Totals
Subtotal ......................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
ABC
TAC
............................................................
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
14,840
14,840
17,880
Pacific ocean perch 7 .........................
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Subtotal ......................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
E .........................................
4,155
7,418
1,101
1,587
2,688
4,155
7,418
1,101
1,587
2,688
4,931
8,806
n/a
n/a
3,190
Subtotal ......................
............................................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
E .........................................
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
14,261
14,261
16,927
Shortraker rockfish 8 ..........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
153
353
153
353
n/a
n/a
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TABLE 1.—FINAL 2006 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Totals
Area 1
Species
ABC
Overfishing
level
TAC
E .........................................
337
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
843
843
1,124
Rougheye rockfish 9 ...........................
Total ....................
337
136
608
239
983
577
386
317
2,872
136
608
239
983
577
386
317
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
1,180
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ....................
............................................................
Other rockfish 10 11 .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
.............................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
4,152
1,480
5,394
Northern rockfish 11 12 ........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
1,483
3,608
0
1,483
3,608
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
5,091
5,091
7,673
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 .....................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
1,438
3,262
301
435
1,438
3,262
301
435
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
5,436
5,436
6,662
Thornyhead rockfish ..........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
513
989
707
513
989
707
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
2,209
2,209
2,945
Big skates 14 ......................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
695
2,250
599
695
2,250
599
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
3,544
3,544
4,726
Longnose skates 15 ............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
65
1,969
861
65
1,969
861
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
2,895
2,895
3,860
Other skates 16 ..................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 18 .................
Atka mackerel ....................................
Other GW species 17 19 ......................
GW ......................................
SEO ....................................
GW ......................................
GW ......................................
1,617
410
4,700
n/a
1,617
410
1,500
13,856
2,156
650
6,200
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
500,626
291,950
631,293
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
TOTAL 20 .............
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
1 Regulatory
areas and districts are defined at § 679.2.
2 Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is
based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 22
percent, 69 percent, and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based
on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
These seasonal apportionments for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the
Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
3 The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore
component. Seasonal apportionments and component allocations of TAC for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 7 and 8.
4 ‘‘Deep water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5 ‘‘Shallow water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep water flatfish’’, flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
6 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 these amounts are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
9 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus.
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10875
10 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf
rockfish. The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
11 ‘‘Slope rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion),
and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
12 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 Big skate means Raja binoculata.
15 Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
16 Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
17 N/A means not applicable.
18 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S.
helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
19 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ‘‘other species’’, the TAC for ‘‘other species’’
equals 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
20 The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
TABLE 2.—FINAL 2007 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C) EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Overfishing
level
Species
Area1
Pollock 2 .............................................
Shumagin (610) ..................
Chirikof (620) ......................
Kodiak (630) .......................
WYK (640) ..........................
W/C/WYK ............................
23,022
24,275
14,687
1,426
63,410
23,022
24,275
14,687
1,426
63,410
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
89,500
SEO (650) ...........................
6,157
6,157
8,209
............................................................
.............................................
69,567
69,567
97,709
Pacific cod 3 .......................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
19,292
27,206
2,968
14,469
20,405
2,671
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
49,466
37,545
59,100
Flatfish 4 (deep-water) .......................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
421
4,145
2,665
1,446
421
4,145
2,665
1,446
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
8,677
8,677
11,022
Rex sole .............................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
1,096
5,207
992
1,405
1,096
5,207
992
1,405
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
8,700
8,700
11,400
Flathead sole .....................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
10,932
26,111
2,096
57
2,000
5,000
2,096
57
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
39,196
9,153
48,763
Flatfish 5 (shallow-water) ...................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
24,720
27,258
628
1,844
4,500
13,000
628
1,844
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
51,450
19,972
62,418
Arrowtooth flounder ...........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
21,011
140,640
16,632
7,120
8,000
25,000
2,500
2,500
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
185,403
38,000
216,500
Sablefish 6 ..........................................
W ........................................
2,360
2,360
n/a
Total
Subtotal ......................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
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Total ....................
Total ....................
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ABC
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03MRR1
10876
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 2.—FINAL 2007 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C) EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Overfishing
level
Species
Area1
Subtotal ......................
............................................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
E .........................................
5,630
2,014
3,116
5,130
5,630
2,014
3,116
5130
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
13,120
13,120
15,800
Pacific ocean perch 7 .........................
4,290
7,660
1,137
1,639
........................
4,290
7,660
1,137
1,639
........................
4,997
8,923
n/a
n/a
3,232
Total
ABC
TAC
Subtotal ......................
............................................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
E .........................................
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
14,726
14,726
17,152
Shortraker rockfish 8 ..........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
153
353
337
153
353
337
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
843
843
1,124
Rougheye rockfish 9 ...........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
133
596
235
133
596
235
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
964
964
1,161
Other rockfish 10 11 .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
577
386
317
2,872
577
386
317
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
4,152
1,480
5,394
Northern rockfish 11 12 ........................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
1,483
3,608
0
1,483
3,608
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
5,091
5,091
7,618
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 .....................
W ........................................
C .........................................
WYK ....................................
SEO ....................................
1,463
3,318
306
443
1,463
3,318
306
443
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
5,530
5,530
6,779
Thornyhead rockfish ..........................
513
989
707
2,209
695
2,250
599
513
989
707
2,209
695
2,250
599
n/a
n/a
n/a
2,945
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
Total ....................
............................................................
Big skates 14 ......................................
Total ....................
............................................................
.............................................
3,544
3,544
4,726
Longnose skates 15 ............................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Total ....................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
.............................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
65
1,969
861
65
1,969
861
n/a
n/a
n/a
............................................................
.............................................
2,895
2,895
3,860
Other skates 16 ..................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 18 .................
Atka mackerel ....................................
Other species 17 19 .............................
GW ......................................
SEO ....................................
GW ......................................
GW ......................................
1,617
410
4,700
n/a
1,617
410
1,500
12,229
2,156
650
6,200
n/a
Total ....................
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
10877
TABLE 2.—FINAL 2007 ABCS, TACS, AND OVERFISHING LEVELS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C) EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
Area1
............................................................
.............................................
Total
Total20 .................
ABC
TAC
472,260
257,772
Overfishing
level
582,477
1 Regulatory
areas and districts are defined at § 679.2.
is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is
based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 22
percent, 69 percent, and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based
on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
These seasonal apportionments for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the
Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
3 The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore
component. Seasonal apportionments and component allocations of TAC for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 7 and 8.
4 ‘‘Deep water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5 ‘‘Shallow water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep water flatfish’’, flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
6 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 these amounts are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
9 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus.
10 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf
rockfish. The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
11 ‘‘Slope rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion),
and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
12 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 Big skate means Raja binoculata.
15 Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
16 Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
17 N/A means not applicable.
18 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S.
helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
19 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ‘‘other species’’, the TAC for ‘‘other species’’
equals 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
20 The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
2 Pollock
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 20
percent of each TAC for pollock, Pacific
cod, flatfish, and the ‘‘other species’’
category be set aside in reserves for
possible apportionment at a later date.
In 2005, NMFS reapportioned all the
reserves in the final harvest
specifications. For 2006 and 2007,
NMFS proposed apportionment of all
the reserves in the proposed 2006 and
2007 harvest specifications published in
the Federal Register on December 16,
2005 (70 FR 74739). NMFS received no
public comments on the proposed
reapportionments. For the final 2006
and 2007 harvest specifications, NMFS
apportioned all the reserves for pollock,
Pacific cod, flatfish, and ‘‘other
species.’’ Specifications of TAC shown
in Tables 1 and 2 reflect apportionment
of reserve amounts for these species and
species groups.
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16:36 Mar 02, 2006
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Allocations of the Sablefish TAC
Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-andLine and Trawl Gear
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii)
require allocation of sablefish TACs for
each of the regulatory areas and districts
to hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
80 percent of each TAC is allocated to
hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of
each TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In
the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent
of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line
gear and 5 percent is allocated to trawl
gear. The trawl gear allocation in the
Eastern Regulatory Area may only be
used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other
target species (see § 679.20(a)(1)). In
recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO
District of the Eastern Regulatory Area,
the Council recommended and NMFS
concurs the allocation of 5 percent of
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the combined Eastern Regulatory Area
sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK
District and the remainder to vessels
using hook-and-line gear. In the SEO
District, 100 percent of the sablefish
TAC is allocated to vessels using hookand-line gear. The Council
recommended that only the trawl
sablefish TAC be established biennially.
This recommendation results in an
allocation of 290 mt to trawl gear and
1,990 mt to hook-and-line gear in the
WYK District and 3,520 mt to hook-andline gear in the SEO District in 2006,
and 257 mt to trawl gear in the WYK
District in 2007. Table 3 shows the
allocations of the final 2006 sablefish
TACs between hook-and-line and trawl
gear. Table 4 shows the allocations of
the final 2007 allocation of sablefish
TACs to trawl gear.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 3.—FINAL 2006 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS THEREOF TO HOOKAND-LINE AND TRAWL GEAR
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
apportionment
TAC
Trawl
apportionment
Western ......................................................................................................................
Central .......................................................................................................................
West Yakutat .............................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .....................................................................................................
2,670
6,370
2,280
3,520
2,136
5,096
1,990
3,520
534
1,274
290
0
Total ....................................................................................................................
14,840
12,742
2,098
TABLE 4.—FINAL 2007 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATION THEREOF TO TRAWL
GEAR
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
apportionment 1
TAC
Trawl apportionment
Western ......................................................................................................................
Central .......................................................................................................................
West Yakutat .............................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .....................................................................................................
2,360
5,630
2,014
3,116
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
472
1,126
257
0
Total ....................................................................................................................
13,120
n/a
1,855
1 The
Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to 1 year.
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among
Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and
Allocations for Processing by Inshore
and Offshore Components
In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by
season and area, and is further allocated
for processing by inshore and offshore
components. Pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B), the annual pollock
TAC specified for the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned into four equal seasonal
allowances of 25 percent. As established
by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A,
B, C, and D season allowances are
available from January 20 through
March 10, from March 10 through May
31, from August 25 through October 1,
and from October 1 through November
1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA in
the A and B seasons are apportioned
among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and
630 in proportion to the distribution of
pollock biomass based on a composite
of NMFS winter surveys and in the C
and D seasons in proportion to the
distribution of pollock biomass based on
the four most recent NMFS summer
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16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
surveys. As in 2005, the Council
recommended averaging the winter and
summer distribution of pollock in the
Central Regulatory Area for the A season
to better reflect the distribution of
pollock and the performance of the
fishery in the area during the A season
for the 2006 and 2007 fishing years.
Within any fishing year, the underage or
overage of a seasonal allowance may be
added to, or subtracted from,
subsequent seasonal allowances in a
manner to be determined by the
Regional Administrator. The rollover
amount of unharvested pollock is
limited to 20 percent of the seasonal
apportionment for the statistical area.
Any unharvested pollock above the 20
percent limit could be further
distributed to the other statistical areas,
in proportion to the estimated biomass
in the subsequent season in those
statistical areas (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
The WYK and SEO District pollock
TACs of 1,792 mt and 6,157 mt in 2006
and 1,426 mt and 6,157 mt in 2007,
respectively, are not allocated by
season.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the
allocation of 100 percent of the pollock
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TAC in all regulatory areas and all
seasonal allowances to vessels catching
pollock for processing by the inshore
component after subtraction of amounts
that are projected by the Regional
Administrator to be caught by, or
delivered to, the offshore component
incidental to directed fishing for other
groundfish species. The amount of
pollock available for harvest by vessels
harvesting pollock for processing by the
offshore component is that amount
actually taken as incidental catch during
directed fishing for groundfish species
other than pollock, up to the maximum
retainable amounts allowed by
§ 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these
incidental catch amounts are unknown
and will be determined during the
fishing year.
The 2006 and 2007 seasonal biomass
distribution of pollock in the Western
and Central Regulatory Areas, area
apportionments, and seasonal
apportionments for the A, B, C, and D
seasons are summarized in Tables 5 and
6, except that amounts of pollock for
processing by the inshore and offshore
components are not shown.
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TABLE 5.—FINAL 2006 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF
ALASKA; SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
[Area apportionments resulting from seasonal distribution of biomass]
Shumagin
(area 610)
A
B
C
D
.......................................................................
.......................................................................
......................................................................
......................................................................
Chirikof
(area 620)
4,210
4,210
10,249
10,249
Season
11,192
13,394
2,953
2,953
(21.63%)
(21.63%)
(52.65%)
(52.65%)
Annual Total .............................................
Kodiak
(area 630)
Total
4,062 (20.87%)
1,861 (9.56%)
6,263 (32.17%)
6,262 (32.17%)
30,492
28,918
(57.50%)
(68.81%)
(15.17%)
(15.17%)
19,464
19,465
19,465
19,464
18,448
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
77,858
TABLE 6.—FINAL 2007 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF
ALASKA; SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
[Area apportionments resulting from seasonal distribution of biomass]
Shumagin
(area 610)
Season
A
B
C
D
.......................................................................
.......................................................................
......................................................................
......................................................................
3,352
3,352
8,159
8,159
(21.63%)
(21.63%)
(52.65%)
(52.65%)
Annual Total .............................................
Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific
Cod TAC and Allocations for
Processing of Pacific Cod TAC Between
Inshore and Offshore Components
Pacific cod fishing is divided into two
seasons in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA. For hookand-line, pot, and jig gear, the A season
begins on January 1 and ends on June
10, and the B season begins on
September 1 and ends on December 31.
For trawl gear, the A season begins on
January 20 and ends on June 10, and the
B season begins on September 1 and
ends on November 1 (§ 679.23(d)(3)).
After subtraction of incidental catch
needs by the inshore and offshore
components in other directed fisheries
Chirikof
(area 620)
8,910
10,663
2,351
2,351
Kodiak
(area 630)
Total
3,234 (20.87%)
1,481 (9.56%)
4,986 (32.17%)
4,986 (32.17%)
24,275
23,022
(57.50%)
(68.81%)
(15.17%)
(15.17%)
14,687
through the A season ending June 10, 60
percent of the annual TAC will be
available as a directed fishing allowance
during the A season for the inshore and
offshore components. The remaining 40
percent of the annual TAC will be
available for harvest during the B season
and will be apportioned between the
inshore and offshore components
(§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii)). Any amount of the A
season apportionment of Pacific cod
TAC under or over harvested will be
added to or subtracted from the B
season apportionment of Pacific cod
TAC (§ 679.20(a)(11)(ii)). For purposes
of clarification, NMFS points out that
the dates for the A season and the B
season for the Pacific cod fishery differ
15,496
15,496
15,496
15,496
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
62,984
from those of the A, B, C, and D seasons
for the pollock fisheries.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires the
allocation of the Pacific cod TAC
apportionment in all regulatory areas
between vessels catching Pacific cod for
processing by the inshore and offshore
components. Ninety percent of the
Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area
is allocated to vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent
of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by
the offshore component. These seasonal
apportionments and allocations of the
2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs are
shown in Tables 7 and 8, respectively.
TABLE 7.—FINAL 2006 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA; ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Season
Regulatory area
TAC
Inshore (90%)
A season (60%) ..................................................
B season (40%) ..................................................
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A season (60%) ..................................................
B season (40%) ..................................................
Total .............................................................
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Offshore (10%)
Western ..........................................
.........................................................
.........................................................
Central ............................................
.........................................................
.........................................................
Eastern ...........................................
20,141
12,085
8,056
28,405
17,043
11,362
3,718
18,127
10,876
7,251
25,565
15,339
10,226
3,346
2,014
1,208
806
2,840
1,704
1,136
372
.........................................................
52,264
47,038
5,226
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TABLE 8.—FINAL 2007 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA; ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Season
Regulatory area
TAC
Inshore (90%)
A season (60%) ..................................................
B season (40%) ..................................................
A season (60%) ..................................................
B season (40%) ..................................................
Total .............................................................
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Demersal Shelf Rockfish
In a commercial fisheries news release
dated December 9, 2005, the ADF&G
announced the closure to directed
fishing for demersal shelf rockfish (DSR)
in the SEO District for 2006. The
ADF&G estimates that the incidental
catch mortality in the commercial
halibut fishery combined with the
estimated DSR catch in the charter and
sport fisheries will exceed the TAC;
therefore, a directed fishery in the SEO
District cannot be prosecuted (5 AAC
28.160 (c))). NMFS reminds all
fishermen that full retention of all DSR
by federally permitted catcher vessels
using hook-and-line or jig gear fishing
for groundfish and Pacific halibut in the
SEO District of the GOA is required
(§ 679.20(j)).
Halibut PSC Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes the
annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-andline gear and may establish
apportionments for pot gear. In
December 2005, the Council
recommended that NMFS maintain the
2005 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt for
the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the
hook-and-line fisheries. Ten mt of the
hook-and-line limit is further allocated
to the DSR fishery in the SEO District.
The DSR fishery is defined at
§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A). This fishery has
been apportioned 10 mt in recognition
of its small scale harvests. Most vessels
in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft
(18.3 m) length overall (LOA) and are
exempt from observer coverage.
Therefore, observer data are not
available to verify actual bycatch
amounts. NMFS assumes the halibut
bycatch in the DSR fishery is low
because of the short soak times for the
gear and duration of the DSR fishery.
Also, the DSR fishery occurs in the
winter when less overlap occurs in the
distribution of DSR and halibut.
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Offshore (10%)
Western ..........................................
.........................................................
.........................................................
Central ............................................
.........................................................
.........................................................
Eastern ...........................................
14,469
8,681
5,788
20,405
12,243
8,162
2,671
13,022
7,813
5,209
18,365
11,019
7,346
2,404
1,447
868
579
2,040
1,224
816
267
.........................................................
37,545
33,791
3,754
Section 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A) authorizes
the exemption of specified non-trawl
fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. The
Council recommended that pot gear, jig
gear, and the hook-and-line sablefish
fishery be exempted from the non-trawl
halibut limit for 2006 and 2007. The
Council recommended these
exemptions because: (1) The pot gear
fisheries experience low annual halibut
bycatch mortality (averaging 18 mt
annually from 2001 through 2005); (2)
the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)
program requires legal-sized halibut to
be retained by vessels using hook-andline gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder
is aboard and is holding unused halibut
IFQ; and (3) halibut mortality for the jig
gear fleet cannot be estimated because
these vessels do not carry observers.
NMFS assumes halibut mortality is very
low, given the small amount of
groundfish harvested annually by jig
gear (averaging 298 mt annually from
2001 through 2005), and the survival
rates of any halibut incidentally caught
by jig gear and released are high.
Section 679.21(d)(5) requires NMFS to
seasonally apportion the halibut PSC
limits based on recommendations from
the Council. The FMP and regulations
require that the Council and NMFS
consider the following information in
seasonally apportioning halibut PSC
limits: (1) Seasonal distribution of
halibut, (2) seasonal distribution of
target groundfish species relative to
halibut distribution, (3) expected
halibut bycatch needs on a seasonal
basis relative to changes in halibut
biomass and expected catch of target
groundfish species, (4) expected bycatch
rates on a seasonal basis, (5) expected
changes in directed groundfish fishing
seasons, (6) expected actual start of
fishing effort, and (7) economic effects
of establishing seasonal halibut
allocations on segments of the target
groundfish industry.
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The final 2005 and 2006 harvest
specifications (70 FR 8958, February 24,
2005) summarized the Council’s and
NMFS’ findings with respect to each of
these FMP considerations. The
Council’s and NMFS’ findings for 2006
and 2007 are unchanged from 2005. The
opening date for the third seasonal
allowance of the trawl halibut PSC limit
and the start date for directed fishing for
rockfish by trawl gear is July 1 in 2006
and 2007. This date will facilitate
inseason management of the rockfish
fisheries and reduce the effect of the
rockfish fisheries on the annual NMFS
sablefish survey that occurs later in July.
NMFS concurs with the Council’s
recommendations described here and
listed in Table 9. Section
679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv) specify that any
underages or overages in a seasonal
apportionment of a PSC limit will be
deducted from or added to the next
respective seasonal apportionment
within the 2006 and 2007 fishing years.
The information to establish the halibut
PSC limits was obtained from the 2005
SAFE report, NMFS, ADF&G, the
International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC), and public
testimony.
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior
Years
The best available information on
estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2005. The
calculated halibut bycatch mortality by
trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gear
through December 31, 2005, is 2,012 mt,
194 mt, and 45 mt, respectively, for a
total halibut mortality of 2,251 mt.
Halibut bycatch restrictions
seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2005 fishing year.
Trawling during the first season closed
for the deep-water complex on March 23
(70 FR 15600, March 28, 2005) and
during the second season on April 8 (70
FR 19339, April 13, 2005). The April 8
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closure was modified to open trawling
for the deep-water fishery complex from
April 24 through May 3 (70 FR 21678,
April 27, 2005 and 70 FR 23940, May
6, 2005). Trawling during the third
season closed for the deep-water
complex on July 24 (70 FR 43327, July
27, 2005) and during the fourth season
on September 4 (70 FR 52326,
September 2, 2005). Trawling during the
third season closed for the shallowwater complex on August 19 (70 FR
49507, August 24, 2005) and during the
fourth season on September 4 (70 FR
52325, September 2, 2005). Trawling for
all groundfish targets (with the
exception of pollock by vessels using
pelagic trawl gear) closed for the fifth
season on October 1 (70 FR 57803,
October 4, 2005). The use of hook-andline gear targeting groundfish remained
open throughout the fishing year in
2005 because the first seasonal
allowance of halibut PSC was not
reached.
The amount of groundfish that trawl
gear might have harvested if halibut
catch limitations had not restricted the
2005 season is unknown.
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Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks
In December 2005, the Council
adopted higher ABCs for Pacific cod (in
2006), deep-water flatfish (2006 and
2007), other rockfish (2006 and 2007),
Pacific ocean perch (2006 and 2007),
shortraker rockfish (2006 and 2007),
pelagic shelf rockfish (2006 and 2007),
thornyhead rockfish (2006 and 2007),
Atka mackerel (2006 and 2007), and
longnose and other skates (2006 and
2007), than those established for 2005.
The Council adopted lower ABCs for
pollock (2006 and 2007), Pacific cod (in
2007), sablefish (2006 and 2007), rex
sole (2006 and 2007), shallow water
flatfish (2006 and 2007), flathead sole
(2006 and 2007), sablefish (2006 and
2007), arrowtooth flounder (2006 and
2007), rougheye rockfish (2006 and
2007), and big skate (2006 and 2007),
than those established for 2005. For
northern rockfish, the Council
recommended that ABC levels remain
unchanged from 2005. More information
on these changes is included in the 2005
SAFE report (November 2005) and in
the Council and SSC December 2005
meeting minutes.
Expected Changes in Groundfish Catch
The total TAC amounts for the GOA
are 291,950 mt for 2006, and 257,772 mt
for 2007, an increase of less than 1
percent in 2006 and a decrease of about
12 percent in 2007 from the 2005 TAC
total of 291,298 mt. Those fisheries for
which the 2006 and 2007 TACs are
lower than in 2005 are pollock
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
(decreased to 85,807 mt in 2006 and
69,567 mt in 2007, from 91,710 mt in
2005), Pacific cod (decreased to 37,545
mt in 2007, from 44,433 mt in 2005), rex
sole (decreased to 9,200 mt in 2006 and
8,700 mt in 2007, from 12,650 mt in
2005), shallow water flatfish (decreased
to 19,972 mt in 2006 and 2007, from
20,740 mt in 2005), flathead sole
(decreased to 9,077 mt in 2006 and
9,153 mt in 2007, from 10,390 mt in
2005), sablefish (decreased to 14,840 in
2006 and 13,120 mt in 2007, from
15,940 mt in 2005), rougheye rockfish
(decreased to 983 mt in 2006 and 964
mt in 2007, from 1,007 mt in 2005), big
skate (decreased to 3,544 mt in 2006 and
2007, from 3,999 mt in 2005), and
‘‘other species’’ (decreased to 13,856 in
2006 and to 12,314 mt in 2007, from
13,871 mt in 2005).
Those fisheries for which the 2006 or
2007 TACs are higher than in 2005 are
Pacific cod (increased to 52,264 mt in
2006, from 44,433 mt in 2005), deepwater flatfish (increased to 8,665 mt in
2006 and 8,677 mt in 2007, from 6,820
mt in 2005), other rockfish (increased to
1,480 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 670 mt
in 2005), Pacific ocean perch (increased
to 14,261 mt in 2006 and 14,726 mt in
2007, from 13,575 mt in 2005),
shortraker rockfish (increased to 843 mt
in 2006 and 2007, from 753 mt in 2005),
pelagic shelf rockfish (increased to
5,436 mt in 2006 and 5,530 mt in 2007,
from 4,553 mt in 2005), thornyhead
rockfish (increased to 2,209 mt in 2006
and 2007, from 1,940 mt in 2005), Atka
mackerel (increased to 1,500 mt in 2006
and 2007, from 600 mt in 2005),
longnose skate (increased to 2,895 mt in
2006 and 2007, from 2,818 mt in 2005),
and other skates (increased to 1,617 mt
in 2006 and 2007, from 1,327 mt in
2005). species (increased to 13,942 mt in
2006, from 13,871 mt in 2005).
Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass
and Stock Condition
The most recent halibut stock
assessment was conducted by the
International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) in December 2005
for the 2006 commercial fishery. The
2005 assessment methods are
unchanged from the previous year. The
current exploitable halibut biomass in
Alaska for 2006 was estimated to be
189,543 mt, down from 192,023 mt in
2005. The female spawning biomass
remains far above the minimum
spawning biomass that occurred in the
1970s.
The exploitable biomass of the Pacific
halibut stock apparently peaked at
326,520 mt in 1988. According to the
IPHC, the long-term average
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10881
reproductive biomass for the Pacific
halibut resource is estimated at 118,000
mt. Long-term average yield was
estimated at 26,980 mt. The species is
fully utilized. Recent average catches
(1994–2004) in the commercial halibut
fisheries in Alaska have averaged 34,241
mt. Catch in Alaska is 27 percent higher
than long-term potential yield for the
entire halibut stock reflecting the good
condition of the Pacific halibut
resource. In December 2005, IPHC staff
recommended Alaska commercial catch
limits totaling 33,421 mt in 2006, down
from 34,459 mt in 2005. Through
December 31, 2005, commercial hookand line harvests of halibut in Alaska
totaled 33,381 mt.
In 2004, IPHC staff identified a 25
percent harvest rate as a candidate target
rate for use with the new population
assessment, pending its evaluation
using the sex-specific population model.
This updated evaluation indicated that
a harvest rate less than 25 percent
would result in a 50 percent lower
probability that the stock biomass
would reach a level requiring reductions
in harvest rate. For 2006, the IPHC staff
recommended a harvest rate of 22.5
percent for Areas 2C and 3A, 20 percent
in Areas 3B and 4A, and 15 percent in
Areas 4B and 4CDE. These are the same
rates as used in 2005 except in Areas 4B
and 4CDE, where the rate has been
reduced from 20 percent to 15 percent.
For Area 4B, the continued decline in
biomass relative to the estimated
historical minimum, the lack of
recruitment, and a new analysis of
productivity, prompted the IPHC staff to
recommend the lower harvest rate of 15
percent. Similarly for Area 4CDE, the
sharp decline in survey and commercial
catch rates resulted in the IPHC staff’s
recommendation of a 15 percent harvest
rate.
Additional information on the Pacific
halibut stock assessment may be found
in the IPHC’s 2005 Pacific halibut stock
assessment (December 2005), available
from the IPHC and on its Web site at
https://www.iphc.washington.edu. At its
annual meeting in January 2006 the
IPHC adopted staff recommendations for
the commercial catch limits described
above for 2006 and set a season opening
date of March 5.
Other Factors
The proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications (70 FR 74739, December
16, 2005) discuss potential impacts of
expected fishing for groundfish on
halibut stocks and methods and costs of
reducing halibut bycatch in the
groundfish fisheries.
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TABLE 9.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS
[Values are in metric tons]
Hook-and-line gear 1
Trawl gear
Other than DRS
Dates
DSR
Amount
Dates
Amount
Dates
Amount
January 20–April 1 ................
April 1—July 1 .......................
July 1–September 1 ..............
September 1–October 1 ........
October 1–December 31 .......
550 (27.5%)
400 (20%)
600 (30%)
150 (7.5%)
300 (15%)
January 1–June 10 ...............
June 10–September 1 ..........
September 1–December 31
...............................................
...............................................
250 (86%)
5 (2%)
35 (12%)
........................
........................
January 1–December 31 ......
...............................................
...............................................
...............................................
...............................................
10 (100%)
........................
........................
........................
........................
Total ...............................
2,000 (100%)
...............................................
290 (100%)
...............................................
10 (100%)
1 The
Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR.
The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes the
further apportionment of the trawl
halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery
categories. The annual apportionments
are based on each category’s
proportional share of the anticipated
halibut bycatch mortality and
optimization of the total amount of
groundfish harvest under the halibut
PSC limit. The fishery categories for the
trawl halibut PSC limits are: (1) A deepwater species complex, comprised of
sablefish, rockfish, deep-water flatfish,
rex sole and arrowtooth flounder; and
(2) a shallow-water species complex,
comprised of pollock, Pacific cod,
shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole,
Atka mackerel, skates, and ‘‘other
species’’ (§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). The final
seasonal 2006 and 2007 apportionments
for the two fishery complexes are
presented in Table 10.
TABLE 10.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL
GEAR DEEP-WATER SPECIES COMPLEX AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES COMPLEX
[Values are in metric tons]
Season
Shallow-water
Deep-water
Total
January 20–April 1 .....................................................................................................
April 1–July 1 .............................................................................................................
July 1–September 1 ...................................................................................................
September 1–October 1 ............................................................................................
Subtotal January 20–October 1 .................................................................................
October 1–December 31 1 .........................................................................................
450
100
200
150
900
n/a
100
300
400
Any remainder
800
n/a
550
400
600
150
1,700
300
Total ....................................................................................................................
n/a
n/a
n/a
1 There
is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water fishery complexes during the 5th season (October 1–December 31).
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommends and NMFS
concurs that the recommended halibut
discard mortality rates (DMRs)
developed by the staff of the IPHC for
the 2005 GOA groundfish fisheries be
used to monitor the 2006 and 2007 GOA
halibut bycatch mortality limits. The
IPHC recommended use of long-term
average DMRs for the 2004–2006
groundfish fisheries. The IPHC
recommendation also includes a
provision that DMRs could be revised
should analysis indicate that a fishery’s
annual DMR deviates substantially (up
or down) from the long-term average.
Most of the IPHC’s assumed DMRs were
based on an average of mortality rates
determined from NMFS observer data
collected between 1993 and 2002. DMRs
were lacking for some fisheries, so rates
from the most recent years were used.
For the ‘‘other species’’ and skate
fisheries, where insufficient mortality
data are available, the mortality rate of
halibut caught in the Pacific cod fishery
for each gear type was recommended as
a default rate. The GOA DMRs for 2006
and 2007 are unchanged from those
used in 2005. The DMRs for hook-andline targeted fisheries range from 8 to 13
percent. The DMRs for trawl targeted
fisheries range from 57 to 75 percent.
The DMRs for all pot targeted fisheries
are 17 percent. The final DMRs for 2006
and 2007 are listed in Table 11. The
justification for these DMRs is discussed
in Appendix A of the 2004 SAFE report
dated November 2004. In December
2006, the IPHC will recommend DMRs
for the 2007–2009 groundfish fisheries.
TABLE 11.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA
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[Listed values are percentages of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
Mortality
rate
(percent)
Gear
Target
Hook-and-line .................................................................................
Other species ................................................................................
Skates ...........................................................................................
Pacific cod ....................................................................................
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10883
TABLE 11.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA—Continued
[Listed values are percentages of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
Gear
Mortality
rate
(percent)
Target
Trawl ...............................................................................................
Pot ..................................................................................................
Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act
(AFA) Catcher Vessel Groundfish
Harvest and PSC Sideboard Limitations
Section 679.64 established groundfish
harvesting and processing sideboard
limitations on AFA catcher/processors
and catcher vessels in the GOA. These
sideboard limitations are necessary to
protect the interests of fishermen and
processors who do not directly benefit
from the AFA from fishermen and
processors who received exclusive
harvesting and processing privileges
under the AFA. In the GOA, listed AFA
catcher/processors are prohibited from
Rockfish ........................................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ......................................................................
Atka mackerel ...............................................................................
Deep-water flatfish ........................................................................
Flathead sole ................................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock ......................................................................
Other species ................................................................................
Skates ...........................................................................................
Pacific cod ....................................................................................
Pelagic pollock ..............................................................................
Rex sole ........................................................................................
Rockfish ........................................................................................
Sablefish .......................................................................................
Shallow-water flatfish ....................................................................
Other species ................................................................................
Skates ...........................................................................................
Pacific cod ....................................................................................
harvesting any species of fish
(§ 679.7(k)(1)(ii)). These listed AFA
catcher/processors also are prohibited
from processing any pollock in the GOA
and any groundfish harvested in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA
(§ 679.7(k)(1)(iv)). Section
679.64(b)(2)(ii) exempts from sideboard
limitations AFA catcher vessels in the
GOA less than 125 ft (38.1 m) LOA
whose annual BSAI pollock landings
totaled less than 5,100 mt and that made
40 or more GOA groundfish landings
from 1995 through 1997.
For non-exempt AFA catcher vessels
in the GOA, sideboards limitations are
8
69
60
57
62
59
61
61
61
75
62
67
62
68
17
17
17
based on their traditional harvest levels
of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered
by the GOA FMP. Section
679.64(b)(3)(iii) establishes the
groundfish sideboard limitations in the
GOA based on the retained catch of nonexempt AFA catcher vessels of each
sideboard species from 1995 through
1997 divided by the TAC for that
species over the same period. These
amounts are listed in Table 12 for 2006
and in Table 13 for 2007. All targeted
or incidental catch of sideboard species
made by non-exempt AFA catcher
vessels will be deducted from the
sideboard limits in Tables 12 and 13.
TABLE 12.—FINAL 2006 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are in metric tons]
Pollock ...............................................................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV
catch to
1995-1997
TAC
A Season (W/C areas only) January 20–February
25
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
B Season (W/C areas only) March 10–May 31
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
C Season (W/C areas only) August 25–September
15
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
D Season (W/C areas only) October 1–November
1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
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2006 TAC
2006 nonexempt
AFA catcher
vessel
sideboard
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
4,210
11,192
4,062
2,573
1,597
990
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
4,210
13,394
1,861
2,573
1,911
454
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
10,249
2,953
6,263
6,264
421
1,527
0.6112
10,249
6,264
03MRR1
10884
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 12.—FINAL 2006 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Species
Pacific cod .........................................................
Flatfish deep-water ............................................
Rex sole ............................................................
Flathead sole .....................................................
Flatfish shallow-water ........................................
Arrowtooth flounder ...........................................
Sablefish ............................................................
Pacific ocean perch ...........................................
Shortraker rockfish ............................................
Rougheye rockfish ............................................
Other rockfish ....................................................
Northern rockfish ...............................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ........................................
Thornyhead rockfish ..........................................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Big skates ..........................................................
Longnose skates ...............................................
Other skates ......................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish .....................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV
catch to
1995-1997
TAC
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
Annual
WYK (640) ...............................................................
SEO (650) ................................................................
A Season 1 January 1–June 10
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
B Season 2 September 1–December 31
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
Annual
E inshore ..................................................................
E offshore .................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W trawl gear .............................................................
C trawl gear .............................................................
E trawl gear ..............................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
GW ...........................................................................
SEO ..........................................................................
PO 00000
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E:\FR\FM\03MRR1.SGM
2006 TAC
2006 nonexempt
AFA catcher
vessel
sideboard
0.1427
0.2438
2,953
6,262
421
1,527
0.3499
0.3499
1,792
6,157
627
2,154
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
10,876
1,208
15,339
1,704
1,548
124
1,107
123
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
7,251
806
10,226
1,136
1,032
83
738
82
0.0079
0.0078
0.0000
0.0670
0.0171
0.0010
0.0402
0.0153
0.0036
0.0261
0.0048
0.0156
0.0598
0.0126
0.0021
0.0309
0.0020
0.0000
0.0720
0.0488
0.0623
0.0866
0.0466
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
0.0034
0.2065
0.0000
0.0003
0.0336
0.0001
0.0000
0.0067
0.0308
0.0308
0.0308
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0020
3,346
372
420
4,139
4,106
1,159
5,506
2,535
2,000
5,000
2,077
4,500
13,000
2,472
8,000
25,000
5,000
534
1,294
290
4,155
7,418
2,688
153
353
337
136
608
239
557
386
517
1,483
3,608
1,438
3,262
736
513
989
707
695
2,250
599
65
1,969
861
1,617
410
26
3
0
277
70
1
221
39
7
131
10
70
777
31
17
773
10
0
93
14
259
642
125
0
8
4
0
14
3
2
80
0
0
121
0
0
5
16
30
22
6
20
5
1
18
8
15
1
03MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
10885
TABLE 12.—FINAL 2006 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Atka mackerel ...................................................
Other species ....................................................
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV
catch to
1995-1997
TAC
Gulfwide ...................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
1 The
2 The
0.0309
0.0090
2006 TAC
1,500
13,856
2006 nonexempt
AFA catcher
vessel
sideboard
46
125
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 13.—FINAL 2007 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Pollock ...............................................................
A Season (W/C areas only) January 20–February
25
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
B Season (W/C areas only) March 10–May 31
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
C Season (W/C areas only) August 25–September
15
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
D Season (W/C areas only) October 1–November
1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
Annual
WYK (640) ...............................................................
SEO (650) ................................................................
A Season 1 January 1–June 10
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
B Season 2 September 1–December 31
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
Annual ......................................................................
E inshore ..................................................................
E offshore .................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
Pacific cod .........................................................
Flatfish deep-water ............................................
Rex sole ............................................................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CA
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Flathead sole .....................................................
Flatfish shallow-water ........................................
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2007 TAC
2007 nonexempt AFA
catcher
vessel
sideboard
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
3,352
8,910
3,234
2,049
1,271
788
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
3,352
10,663
1,481
2,049
1,522
361
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
8,159
2,351
4,986
4,987
335
1,216
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
8,159
2,351
4,986
4,987
335
1,216
0.3499
0.3499
1,426
6,157
499
2,154
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
7,813
868
11,019
1,224
1,112
89
796
88
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
5,209
579
7,346
816
741
59
530
59
0.0079
0.0078
0.0000
0.0670
0.0171
0.0010
0.0402
0.0153
0.0036
0.0261
0.0048
0.0156
0.0598
2,404
267
421
4,145
4,111
1,096
5,207
2,397
2,000
5,000
2,644
4,500
13,000
19
2
0
278
70
1
209
37
7
131
13
70
777
03MRR1
10886
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 13.—FINAL 2007 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Species
Arrowtooth flounder ...........................................
Sablefish trawl gear ..........................................
Pacific ocean perch ...........................................
Shortraker rockfish ............................................
Shortraker rockfish ............................................
Other rockfish ....................................................
Northern rockfish ...............................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ........................................
Thornyhead rockfish ..........................................
Big skates ..........................................................
Big and Longnose skates .................................
Other skates ......................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish .....................................
Atka mackerel ...................................................
Other species ....................................................
1 The
2 The
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CA
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W trawl gear .............................................................
C trawl gear .............................................................
E trawl gear ..............................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
GW ...........................................................................
SEO ..........................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
0.0126
0.0021
0.0309
0.0020
0.0000
0.0720
0.0488
0.0623
0.0866
0.0466
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
0.0034
0.2065
0.0000
0.0003
0.0336
0.0001
0.0000
0.0067
0.0308
0.0308
0.0308
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0020
0.0309
0.0090
2007 TAC
2007 nonexempt AFA
catcher
vessel
sideboard
2,472
8,000
25,000
5,000
472
1,126
257
4,290
7,660
2,776
153
353
337
133
596
235
577
386
517
1,483
3,608
1,463
3,318
749
513
989
707
695
2,250
599
65
1,969
861
1,617
410
1,500
12,229
31
17
773
10
0
81
13
267
663
129
0
8
4
0
14
3
2
80
0
0
121
0
0
5
16
30
22
6
20
5
1
18
8
15
1
46
110
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The PSC sideboard limitations for
non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the
GOA are based on the aggregate retained
groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels in each PSC target
category from 1995 through 1997
divided by the retained catch of all
vessels in that fishery from 1995
through 1997 (§ 679.64(b)(4)). These
amounts are shown in Table 14.
TABLE 14.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES
CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR THE GOA
[Values are in metric tons]
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
PSC species
Season
Target fishery
Halibut mortality .........
Trawl 1st seasonal allowance ........................
January 20–April 1 .........................................
Trawl 2nd seasonal allowance .......................
April 1–July 1 .................................................
Trawl 3rd seasonal allowance .......................
Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV retained
catch to total
retained catch
2006 and
2007 PSC limit
2006 and
2007 non-exempt AFA
catcher vessel
PSC limit
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.340
450
100
100
300
200
153
7
34
21
68
shallow-water ..........
deep-water ..............
shallow-water ..........
deep-water ..............
shallow-water ..........
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03MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
10887
TABLE 14.—FINAL 2006 AND 2007 NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES
CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR THE GOA—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
PSC species
Season
Target fishery
July 1–September 1 .......................................
Trawl 4th seasonal allowance ........................
September 1–October 1 .................................
Trawl 5th seasonal allowance ........................
October 1–December 31.
Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV retained
catch to total
retained catch
2006 and
2007 PSC limit
2006 and
2007 non-exempt AFA
catcher vessel
PSC limit
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.205
400
150
0
300
28
51
0
61
deep-water ..............
shallow-water ..........
deep-water ..............
all targets ................
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish
Harvest Limitations
Section 680.22 establishes groundfish
catch limitations for vessels with a
history of participation in the Bering
Sea snow crab fishery to prevent these
vessels from using the increased
flexibility provided by the Crab
Rationalization Program to expand their
level of participation in the GOA
groundfish fisheries. Restrictions on
participation in other fisheries, also
called sideboards, restrict a vessel’s
harvests to its historical landings in all
GOA groundfish fisheries (except the
fixed-gear sablefish fishery). Restrictions
also apply to landings made using a
License Limitation Program (LLP)
license derived from the history of a
restricted vessel, even if that LLP is
used on another vessel.
For non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA,
sideboard limitations are based on their
traditional harvest levels of TAC in
groundfish fisheries covered by the
GOA FMP. Sections 680.22(d) and (e)
base the groundfish sideboard
limitations in the GOA on the retained
catch by non-AFA crab vessels of each
sideboard species from 1996 through
2000 divided by the total retained
harvest of that species over the same
period. These amounts are listed in
Table 15 for 2006 and in Table 16 for
2007. All targeted or incidental catch of
sideboard species made by non-AFA
crab vessels will be deducted from the
sideboard limits in Tables 15 and 16.
Vessels exempt from Pacific cod
sideboards are those that landed less
than 45,359 kg of Bering Sea snow crab
and more than 500 mt of groundfish (in
round weight equivalents) from the
GOA between January 1, 1996 and
December 31, 2000, and any vessel
named on an LLP that was generated in
whole or in part by the fishing history
of a vessel meeting the criteria in
§ 680.22(a)(3).
TABLE 15.—FINAL 2006 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD
LIMITATIONS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
CV catch to
1996–2000 total
harvest
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Pollock .......................................
A Season (W/C areas only) January 20—March 10
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
B Season (W/C areas only) March 10–May 31
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
C Season (W/C areas only) August 25–October 1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
D Season (W/C areas only) October 1–November
1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
Annual
WYK (640) ...............................................................
SEO (650) ................................................................
A Season 1 January 1–June 10
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
B Season 2 September 1—December 31
W inshore .................................................................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Pacific cod .................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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2006 TAC
2006 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
4,210
11,192
4,062
41
35
1
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
4,210
13,394
1,861
41
42
0
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
10,249
2,953
6,263
100
9
1
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
10,249
2,953
6,262
100
9
1
0.0000
0.0000
1,792
6,157
0
0
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
10,876
1,208
15,339
1,704
981
247
587
353
0.0902
7,251
654
E:\FR\FM\03MRR1.SGM
03MRR1
10888
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 15.—FINAL 2006 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD
LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Flatfish deep-water ....................
Rex sole ....................................
Flathead sole .............................
Flatfish shallow-water ................
Arrowtooth flounder ...................
Sablefish ....................................
Pacific ocean perch ...................
Shortraker rockfish ....................
Rougheye rockfish ....................
Other rockfish ............................
Northern rockfish .......................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ................
Thornyhead rockfish ..................
Big skate ...................................
Longnose skate .........................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Other skates ..............................
Demersal shelf rockfish .............
Atka mackerel ...........................
Other species ............................
1 The
2 The
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
CV catch to
1996–2000 total
harvest
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
Annual
E inshore ..................................................................
E offshore .................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W trawl gear .............................................................
C trawl gear .............................................................
E trawl gear ..............................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
GW ...........................................................................
SEO ..........................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
2006 TAC
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
806
10,226
1,136
165
392
236
0.0110
0.0000
0.0035
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0002
0.0004
0.0000
0.0059
0.0001
0.0000
0.0004
0.0001
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0013
0.0012
0.0009
0.0067
0.0047
0.0008
0.0035
0.0033
0.0000
0.0005
0.0000
0.0017
0.0000
0.0000
0.0047
0.0066
0.0045
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
0.0176
0.0000
0.0000
0.0176
3,346
372
420
4,139
4,106
1,159
5,506
2,535
2,000
5,000
2,077
4,500
13,000
2,472
8,000
25,000
5,000
534
1,274
290
4,155
7,418
2,688
153
353
337
136
608
239
577
386
517
1,483
3,608
1,438
3,262
736
513
989
707
695
2,250
599
65
1,969
861
1,617
410
1,500
13,856
37
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
27
1
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
2
1
0
1
0
2
0
0
2
7
3
27
36
0
3
31
0
28
0
0
244
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
2006 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard
E:\FR\FM\03MRR1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
10889
TABLE 16.—FINAL 2007 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD
LIMITATIONS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
CV catch to
1996–2000 total
harvest
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
Pollock .......................................
A Season (W/C areas only) January 20–March 10
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
B Season (W/C areas only) March 10–May 31
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
C Season (W/C areas only) August 25–October 1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
D Season (W/C areas only) October 1–November
1
Shumagin (610) .......................................................
Chirikof (620) ...........................................................
Kodiak (630) .............................................................
Annual
WYK (640) ...............................................................
SEO (650) ................................................................
A Season 1 January 1–June 10
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
B Season 2 September 1–December 31
W inshore .................................................................
W offshore ................................................................
C inshore ..................................................................
C offshore ................................................................
Annual
E inshore ..................................................................
E offshore .................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W trawl gear .............................................................
C trawl gear .............................................................
E trawl gear ..............................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
Pacific cod .................................
Flatfish deep-water ....................
Rex sole ....................................
Flathead sole .............................
Flatfish shallow-water ................
Arrowtooth flounder ...................
Sablefish ....................................
Pacific ocean perch ...................
Shortraker rockfish ....................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Rougheye rockfish ....................
Other rockfish ............................
Northern rockfish .......................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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PO 00000
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2007 TAC
2007 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
3,352
8,910
3,234
33
28
1
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
3,352
10,633
1,481
33
33
0
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
8,159
2,351
4,986
80
7
1
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
8,159
2,351
4,986
80
7
1
0.0000
0.0000
1,426
6,157
0
0
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
7,813
868
11,019
1,224
705
178
422
254
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
5,209
579
7,346
816
470
118
281
169
0.0110
0.0000
0.0035
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0002
0.0004
0.0000
0.0059
0.0001
0.0000
0.0004
0.0001
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0013
0.0012
0.0009
0.0067
0.0047
0.0008
0.0035
0.0033
0.0000
0.0005
0.0000
0.0017
2,404
267
421
4,145
4,111
1,096
5,207
2,397
2,000
5,000
2,664
4,500
13,000
2,472
8,000
25,000
5,000
472
1,126
257
4,290
7,660
2,776
153
353
337
133
596
235
577
386
517
1,483
3,608
1,463
26
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
27
1
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
2
1
0
1
0
2
E:\FR\FM\03MRR1.SGM
03MRR1
10890
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 16.—FINAL 2007 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD
LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Thornyhead rockfish ..................
Big skate ...................................
Longnose skate .........................
Other skates ..............................
Demersal shelf rockfish .............
Atka mackerel ...........................
Other species ............................
1 The
2 The
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
CV catch to
1996–2000 total
harvest
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/
processor/gear
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
W ..............................................................................
C ...............................................................................
E ...............................................................................
GW ...........................................................................
SEO ..........................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
Gulfwide ...................................................................
2007 TAC
0.0000
0.0000
0.0047
0.0066
0.0045
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
0.0176
0.0000
0.0000
0.0176
3,318
749
513
989
707
695
2,250
599
65
2,250
599
1,617
410
1,500
12,229
2007 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard
0
0
2
7
3
27
36
0
3
36
0
28
0
0
215
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
Directed Fishing Closures
Pursuant to § 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the
Regional Administrator determines: (1)
That any allocation or apportionment of
a target species or ‘‘other species’’
category apportioned to a fishery will be
reached or, (2) with respect to pollock
and Pacific cod, an allocation or
apportionment to an inshore or offshore
component allocation 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 has or will be reached before
the end of the fishing year, NMFS will
prohibit directed fishing for that species
or species group in the specified GOA
regulatory area or district
(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
The Regional Administrator has
determined that the following TAC
amounts in Table 17 are necessary as
incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the
2006 and 2007 fishing years.
TABLE 17.—DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA 2006 AND 2007
[Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in mt.]
Target
Regulatory Area
Atka mackerel ..............................................................................................
Thornyhead rockfish ....................................................................................
Shortraker rockfish .......................................................................................
Rougheye rockfish .......................................................................................
entire
entire
entire
entire
Other rockfish ..............................................................................................
Sablefish ......................................................................................................
entire GOA ................
entire GOA ................
all ...............................
trawl ...........................
Big skates ....................................................................................................
Longnose skates ..........................................................................................
Other skates ................................................................................................
Pollock .........................................................................................................
entire
entire
entire
entire
all ...............................
all ...............................
all ...............................
all/offshore .................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
1 Pollock
GOA
GOA
GOA
GOA
GOA
GOA
GOA
GOA
................
................
................
................
Gear/Component
................
................
................
................
all
all
all
all
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
Incidental catch
1,500
2,209
843
983 (2006)
964 (2007)
1,480
2,098 (2006)
1,885 (2007)
3,544
2,895
1,617
1 unknown
is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore component under § 679.20(a)(6)(i).
Consequently, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator establishes the directed
fishing allowances for the species or
species groups listed in Table 17 as
zero. Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for those species,
regulatory areas, gear types, and
components listed in Table 17. These
closures will remain in effect through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007. In
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
a commercial fisheries news release
dated December 7, 2005, ADF&G, in
accordance with 5 AAC 28.160(c) (),
has closed directed fishing for demersal
shelf rockfish in the SEO District during
the 2006 fishing year.
Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for
management of AFA catcher vessel
groundfish harvest limits and PSC
bycatch limits using directed fishing
closures and PSC closures in accordance
with §§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(8),
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
and 679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional
Administrator has determined that, in
addition to the closures listed above,
many of the non-exempt AFA catcher
vessel sideboard limits listed in Tables
12 and 13 are necessary as incidental
catch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries for the 2006 and
2007 fishing years. In accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional
Administrator establishes the directed
fishing allowances for the species and
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
species groups in Table 18 as zero.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels in the GOA for the
species and specified areas set out in
10891
Table 18. These closures will remain in
effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December
31, 2007.
TABLE 18.—2006 AND 2007 NON-EXEMPT AFA CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE
GOA
[Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
Species
Regulatory area/district
Gear
Pacific cod ...............................................................................................
Eastern GOA .............
all ...............................
Deep-water flatfish ...................................................................................
Rex sole ...................................................................................................
Flathead sole ...........................................................................................
Western GOA ............
Western GOA ............
Eastern and Western
GOA.
Eastern GOA .............
Eastern and Western
GOA.
Western GOA ............
entire GOA ................
SEO District ...............
all ...............................
all ...............................
all ...............................
Shallow-water flatfish ...............................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................................
wwhite on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Northern rockfish ......................................................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...............................................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...........................................................................
Section 680.22 provides for
management of non-AFA crab vessel
groundfish harvest limits using directed
fishing closures in accordance with
§ 680.22(e)(2) and (3). The Regional
Administrator has determined that, in
addition to the closures listed above in
Table 17, many of the non-AFA crab
vessel sideboard limits listed in Tables
15 and 16 are necessary as incidental
catch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries for the 2006 and
2007 fishing years. Pursuant to
§ 680.22(e)(2), the Regional
Administrator establishes the directed
fishing allowances for all species and
species groups in Tables 15 and 16 as
zero, with the exception of Pacific cod
in the Western and Central GOA.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 680.22(e)(3), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing by non-AFA crab
vessels in the GOA for all species and
specified areas set out in Tables 15 and
16, with the exception of Pacific cod in
the Western and Central GOA. These
closures will remain in effect through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007.
Under authority of the final 2005 and
2006 harvest specifications (70 FR 8958,
February 24, 2005), pollock fishing
opened on January 20, 2006, for
amounts specified in that notice. NMFS
has since closed Statistical Area 610 to
directed fishing for pollock effective
1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 22, 2006 (71 FR
4311, January 26, 2006) and 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., January 26, 2006, through January
27, 2006 (71 FR 5014, January 31, 2006).
Also, NMFS has closed Statistical Area
630 to directed fishing for pollock
effective 1200 hours, A.l.t, February 15,
2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
2006 (71 FR 8993, February 22, 2006).
NMFS has prohibited directed fishing
for Pacific cod by vessels catching
Pacific cod for processing by the
offshore component of the Western
Regulatory Area of the GOA, effective
1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 19, 2006,
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1,
2006, (71 FR 9476, February 24, 2006).
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for
Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the offshore
component of the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOS, effective 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., February 19, 2006, through 1200
hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2006 (71 FR
9477, February 24, 2006). NMFS
prohibited directed fishing for species
that comprise the shallow-water species
fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the
GOA, effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February
23, 2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April
1, 2006 (published in the Federal
Register of February 28, 2006). NMFS
opened directed fishing for shallow
water species by vessels using trawl gear
in the GOA, effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
February 27, 2006 (published in the
Federal Register of March 2, 2006).
These closures supersede the closures
announced under the authority of the
final 2005 and 2006 harvest
specifications (70 FR 8958, February 24,
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 part 679. NMFS
may implement other closures during
the 2006 and 2007 fishing years as
PO 00000
Frm 00061
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Incidental catch
all ...............................
all ...............................
26 (inshore 2006)
19 (inshore 2007)
3 (offshore 2006)
2 (offshore 2007)
0
1
10 and 7 (2006)
13 and 7 (2007)
31
10 and 17
all ...............................
all ...............................
all ...............................
0
0 (W), 0 (), 5(E)
1
necessary for effective conservation and
management.
Response to Comments
NMFS received one letter of comment
in response to the proposed 2006 and
2007 harvest specifications. This letter
contained 7 separate comments that are
summarized and responded to below.
Comment 1: The action is a major
federal action that has significant effects
on the quality of the human
environment and requires an
Environmental Impact Statement.
Response: NMFS prepared an EA for
the 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications. The analysis in the EA
supports a finding of no significant
impact on the human environment as a
result of the harvest specifications.
Therefore, an environmental impact
statement is not required under section
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act or its implementing
regulations.
Comment 2: The ‘‘Ecosystem
Considerations’’ report is not explicitly
integrated into the process of setting
ABC and TAC. NMFS should also
integrate directly ecosystem needs into
harvest specifications through
development and implementation of
Ecologically Sustainable Yield (ESY).
Response: ESY is defined as ‘‘the
yield an ecosystem can sustain without
shifting to an undesirable state’’ (Zabel
et al. 2003). This is a qualitative concept
because judging an ‘‘undesirable state’’
may vary widely. ESY requires
simultaneously considering the impacts
of all harvested species on an ecosystem
and quantifying important qualities
such as community stability or
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10892
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
resilience. This poses challenges due to
uncertainty and indeterminacy inherent
in ecological systems and the fact that
ecosystems respond to natural processes
in ways that are not well understood.
The NMFS and the Council, in
essence, fulfill determinations of the
ESYs through the development and
evaluation of the SAFE report (see
ADDRESSES) and during implementation
of inseason multispecies fisheries
management practices. The SAFE report
evaluates the status and trends of the
entire ecosystem. Also, the SAFE report
responds to the stated ecosystem-based
management goals of the Council. These
goals are: (1) Maintain biodiversity
consistent with natural evolutionary
and ecological processes, including
dynamic change and variability; (2)
Maintain and restore habitats essential
for fish and their prey; (3) Maintain
system sustainability and sustainable
yields for human consumption and
nonextractive uses; and (4) Maintain the
concept that humans are components of
the ecosystem.
All groundfish species are currently
managed for their impacts from a
conservation and ecosystem
perspective. As an example, the recent
development of the GOA skate fishery
led to prompt management action to
provide appropriate protection of this
species assemblage. Currently, there are
ABC levels specified for the two main
species of skates over three different
areas. This effectively has prohibited the
further development of a directed
fishery for skates until more information
is available to ensure appropriate
conservation measures are taken. Zabel,
R. W., C. J. Harvey, S. L. Katz, T. P.
Good, and P. S. Levin. 2003.
Ecologically stainable yield. American
Scientist 91: 150–157.
Comment 3: Catch levels for North
Pacific rockfish are being set without
sufficient precaution. They are based on
inadequate and highly variable biomass
estimates, without regard to stock
structure and without proper
consideration of life history
characteristics such as rockfish
longevity, late age at sexual maturity,
and the increased reproductive success
of older, more fecund female fish.
Response: Multiple layers of
precaution are built into catch levels for
North Pacific rockfish with agestructured models (Tier 3). For example,
GOA Pacific ocean perch are assigned
an FABC at F40%. Bayesian spawnerrecruit analysis showed that maximum
sustainable yield (MSY) was attained at
approximately F29%. While the target
fishing mortality is already well below
MSY, the Eastern GOA is closed to
trawling, further reducing fishing
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
mortality by 10 percent. Another
precautionary layer is to employ a
catchability coefficient near two. This
means that the fishing mortality is
applied to a biomass estimate that is
about half of the biomass estimate that
is derived from the trawl survey. The
age-structured modeling approach
integrates a variety of information to
compensate for variable survey results.
Catch levels for North Pacific rockfish
with survey-biomass based models (Tier
5) are based on highly variable biomass
estimates. This variability is stabilized
by using a 3-survey moving average. The
catch levels for these species are set by
applying a fishing mortality of 75
percent of the natural mortality to the
average exploitable biomass. These
fishing mortalities are precautionary in
that they are theoretically at least 25
percent below MSY fishing mortality
and are based on very low natural
mortalities (e.g., 0.02–0.07).
At this time, stock structure
information has not been synthesized
directly into the stock assessments
because of the lack of definitive
structure and sufficient data to model
spatially explicit populations. However,
life history characteristics are explicitly
accounted for in both the fishing
mortality estimates in age-structured
models (Tier 3) and in survey-biomass
based estimates (Tier 5). In agestructured models, age at maturity is
defined specific to each species and
longevity is incorporated in the natural
mortality estimates and the age data. For
survey biomass based models, this
information is not as well known, but
the low natural mortality estimates for
rockfish species is based on their
maximum age. Recent research of black
rockfish off the West Coast shows
evidence of older, mature fish being
more fecund, or producing higher
quality larvae, than younger mature fish.
Research is in progress to attempt to
answer this question for Alaskan
rockfish.
Comment 4: Signs of stress in North
Pacific rockfish populations include age
truncation, localized depletion, and
potential overfishing.
Response: Some age truncation will
occur if a stock is fished. Only GOA
Pacific ocean perch showed more age
truncation than was expected at
equilibrium. However, this population
is not at equilibrium and has increased
substantially in the last decade.
Therefore, the observed age truncation
may be from fishing, but it also may be
from the recent strength of recruitment
substantially increasing the proportion
of younger fish.
Three species of rockfish have shown
localized depletion in some years and
PO 00000
Frm 00062
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
areas. Most of the significant depletions
did not occur in the same place or in
consecutive years. The densities were as
high as they were in the previous year
when fishing resumed, implying
migration and replenishment when
depletions did occur in the same place
or in consecutive years.
Recently, North Pacific rockfish
species have not been subject to
consistent overfishing.
Comment 5: NMFS should support
the proposal by Goodman et al. in the
review of the North Pacific harvest
strategy to shift to F50% to F60%-based
harvest rates as one step in sustainable
rockfish management.
Response: There has been no evidence
that Alaskan rockfish need to have a
more conservative spawning output per
recruit (SPR) rate than other species.
Goodman et al. presented evidence
based on less productive West Coast
rockfish. The fishing mortality derived
from an F40% strategy is much lower for
rockfish with their sensitive life history
characteristics than the fishing
mortalities derived from the same
harvest strategy for other species. This
is due to the late maturity, slow growth,
and low natural mortality of rockfish.
For example, the fishing mortality rate
for rougheye rockfish is about one tenth
the fishing mortality rate for Pacific cod.
Several analyses for Pacific ocean perch
show F40% to be relatively conservative
for rockfish.
Comment 6: We are particularly
concerned with recommendations to
increase TAC for rockfish in the GOA.
The slope rockfish TAC is
recommended to increase 45 percent in
2006. This level of increase is not
sufficiently precautionary given that we
have no point of reference for the
populations of many species within the
management complexes.
Response: The 2005 GOA survey
showed large increases in rockfish
abundance in the Western and Central
GOA, particularly for harlequin
rockfish, sharpchin rockfish, and
redstripe rockfish. In the three-year
moving average, a year of relatively low
slope rockfish abundance (1999) was
removed and replaced by a relatively
high year of slope rockfish abundance.
The overall slope rockfish ABC
increased by only 10 percent. The
associated TAC increased more than 10
percent because of increases in the
Western and Central GOA to a higher
ABC, while the Eastern GOA TAC
remained at 200 mt. However, the
recommended TAC is still far below the
GOA wide ABC recommended in the
stock assessment. None of the species in
the slope rockfish complex are directly
targeted and it is unlikely that they will
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be harvested disproportionately to their
abundance. Yet, the regionally
apportioned TACs have been exceeded
in the past, which may be a
conservation concern or it may be
driven by poor survey biomass
estimates. The stock assessment authors
for slope rockfish are researching
alternative survey weighting schemes to
attempt to prevent large changes in
ABCs and resultant TACs, because of
highly variable survey estimates.
Comment 7: The TAC for other
rockfish in the Gulf including shortraker
rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, and
thornyhead rockfish are also
recommended to increase. NMFS
should proceed with caution if it
authorizes any increase in rockfish
harvest, given large uncertainties in
biomass and population structure, and
past over-harvest of regionally
apportioned TACs.
Response: The 2005 GOA survey also
showed substantial increases for species
with age-structured models. Northern
rockfish and dusky rockfish biomass
estimates more than doubled from the
previous survey, however, because the
models use many data sources, these
biennial variations in survey abundance
are smoothed into modest changes in
ABC.
The stock assessment authors concur
that there is a lack of knowledge about
many of the slope rockfish species in
terms of distribution and stock
structure. Therefore, catches will be
monitored closely to ensure that these
regional TACs are not exceeded.
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
2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications and prohibited species
bycatch allowances for the groundfish
fishery of the GOA. This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits and
associated management measures for
groundfish during the 2006 and 2007
fishing years and to accomplish the
goals and objectives of the FMP. This
action affects all fishermen who
participate in the GOA 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.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
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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 2006 and
2007 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 harvest
specifications was published in the
Federal Register on December 16, 2005
(70 FR 74739). An Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was
prepared for the proposed rule and was
described in the classifications section
of the preamble to that rule. Copies of
the IRFA prepared for this action are
available from NMFS, Alaska Region
(see ADDRESSES). The public comment
period ended on January 17, 2006. No
comments were received on the IRFA or
regarding the economic impacts of this
rule.
The 2006 and 2007 harvest
specifications establish harvest limits
for the groundfish species and species
groups in the GOA. This action is
necessary to allow fishing in 2006 and
2007. About 946 small catcher vessels
and 29 small catcher/processors fishing
off of Alaska may be directly regulated
by the harvest specifications. This
regulation does not impose new
recordkeeping or reporting requirements
on the regulated small entities.
The FRFA examined the impacts of
the preferred alternative on small
entities within fisheries that might be
affected by the harvest specifications.
The FRFA identified the potential for
adverse impacts of the preferred
alternative on small fishing operations
harvesting pollock, Pacific cod, and
sablefish in the GOA.
There were an estimated 62 directly
regulated small entities in the GOA
pollock sector. These small operations
were expected to see their revenues
from all sources (including fishing on
other groundfish and non-groundfish
species off of Alaska) decline by about
1 percent in 2006 and 5 percent in 2007,
as compared to 2005. There were an
estimated 488 directly regulated small
entities in the GOA Pacific cod sector.
These small operations were expected to
see their revenues from all sources
increase from 2005 to 2006, but to
decline by about 3 percent from 2005 to
2007. There were an estimated 392
directly regulated small entities in the
GOA sablefish sector. These small
operations were expected to see their
revenues from all sources decline by
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Sfmt 4700
10893
about 3 percent between 2005 and 2006,
and by about 9 percent between 2005
and 2007.
Although the preferred alternative
had adverse impacts on some classes of
small entities, as 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 GOA OY. Alternative
2, the preferred alternative, set TACs to
produce the fishing rates recommended
by the Council on the basis of Plan
Team, SSC, and AP recommendations
and public comment. 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.
GOA Pacific cod and pollock
fishermen would have had larger gross
revenues under Alternative 1 than
under the preferred alternative. GOA
sablefish fishermen would not have had
larger gross revenues under any
alternative. However, for each species,
the Council recommended the highest
TAC levels it could, consistent with the
ABC recommendations of the GOA Plan
Team and the SSC. The ABCs are
recommended by the Council on the
basis of the biological recommendations
made to it by its Plan Teams and its
SSC. Higher TACs would not be
consistent with prudent biological
management of the fishery. The Pacific
cod TAC is actually less than the ABC,
but only to accommodate State of
Alaska (State) fisheries conducted for
Pacific cod under its own guideline
harvest levels. To protect the resource,
the sum of the State’s GHL and the
Federal TAC are not allowed to exceed
the ABC. Thus, this TAC also has been
set as high as possible while still
protecting the biological health of the
stock. The Pacific cod federal TACs and
State GHLs under Alternative 1 would
have exceeded the ABCs. TACs for all
three species were higher under
Alternative 2 than under Alternatives 3,
4, or 5.
Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), an agency can waive a delay
in the effective date of a substantive rule
for good cause. The current allocation
for GOA Pacific cod under the authority
of the final 2005 and 2006 harvest
specifications (70 FR 8958, February 24,
2005) is lower (44,433 mt) than the
allocation under the 2006 and 2007 final
harvest specifications (52,264 mt),
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which is based on the best scientific
information available. Because the
allocation is divided into seasonal
amounts, the first season (A season) will
close earlier than necessary unless the
delay in the effective date is waived and
the 2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications become effective upon
publication. The GOA Pacific cod
fishery is the second largest fishery in
the GOA after pollock and all gear types
fish in the Pacific cod fisheries. Early
closures results in a disruption within
the fishing industry and the potential
for regulatory discards. The 2006 and
2007 final harvest specifications
establish increased Pacific cod TACs to
provide continued directed fishing for
species that would otherwise be
prohibited under the 2005 and 2006
harvest specifications. These final
harvest specifications were developed
as quickly as possible, given Council
consideration and recommendations in
December 2005.
Also, the current allocation for GOA
pollock under the authority of the final
2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (70
FR 8958, February 24, 2005) is higher
(91,910 mt) than the allocation under
the 2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications (86,547 mt). Unless this
delay is waived, the A season pollock
fisheries will overharvest allocations
based on the best scientific information
available that was based incorporated
into the 2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications.
Additionally, if the final harvest
specifications are not effective by March
5, 2006, which is the start of the Pacific
halibut season as specified by the IPHC,
the hook-and-line 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.
Finally, the 2006 and 2007 final
harvest specifications implements the
groundfish sideboards and sideboard
closures that restrict the owners of
vessels with a history of participation in
the Bering Sea snow crab fishery from
using the increased flexibility provided
by the Crab Rationalization Program to
expand their level of participation in
GOA groundfish fisheries. Until the
2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications are effective no sideboard
restrictions or closures apply to these
vessels.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1540(f);
1801 et seq., 1851 note; and 3631 et seq.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
Dated: February 28, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06–1994 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216044–6044–01; I.D.
112805B]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands; 2006 and 2007 Final
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; apportionment of
reserves; closures.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2006 and
2007 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 2006 and 2007
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 2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications and associated
apportionment of reserves are effective
at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.),
March 3, 2006 through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2007.
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: Records Officer or from the Alaska
Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the 2005
Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated
November 2005, are available from the
North Pacific Fishery Management
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
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: 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 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. Section
679.20(c)(3) further requires 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 listed in Tables 1 through
17 of this action satisfy these
requirements. For 2006 and 2007, the
sum of TACs for each year is 2 million
mt.
The 2006 and 2007 proposed harvest
specifications and PSC allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were
published in the Federal Register on
December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74723).
Comments were invited and accepted
through January 17, 2006. NMFS
received 1 letter with several comments
on the proposed harvest specifications.
These comments are summarized and
responded to in the Response to
Comments section. NMFS consulted
with the Council during the December
2005 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 2006 and 2007 final
harvest specifications as recommended
by the Council.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Harvest Specifications
The final ABC levels are based on the
best available biological and
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10870-10894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216044-6044-01; I.D. 112805A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Final 2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications,
reserves and apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species
catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management
measures for groundfish during the 2006 and 2007 fishing years and to
accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The intended effect of this
action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: The final 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications and associated
management measures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), March 3, 2006, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007.
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: Records Officer or from the Alaska Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the 2005 Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the GOA, dated
November 2005, 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: Tom Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, 907-481-1780, or e-mail at
tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and
implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch
(TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category,
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000
to 800,000 metric tons (mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS
to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut
PSC amounts, and seasonal allowances of pollock and inshore/offshore
Pacific cod. The final harvest specifications in Tables 1 through 18 of
this document satisfy these requirements. For 2006, the sum of the TAC
amounts is 291,950 mt. For 2007, the sum of the TAC amounts is 257,772
mt.
The proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications and Pacific
halibut PSC allowances for the GOA were published in the Federal
Register on December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74739). Comments were invited and
accepted through January 17, 2006. NMFS received 1 letter with several
comments on the proposed harvest specifications. These comments are
summarized and responded to in the Response to Comments section. In
December 2005, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding the 2006 and
2007 harvest specifications. After considering public comments
received, as well as biological and economic data that were available
at the Council's December 2005 meeting, NMFS is implementing the final
2006 and 2007 harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council,
with the exception of pollock as described below.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications
In December 2005, the Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), reviewed current biological
and harvest information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the
GOA. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and
was presented in the 2005 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries,
dated November 2005 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a review
of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species'
biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the
available information on the GOA ecosystem and the economic condition
of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From these data and analyses,
the Plan Team estimates an ABC for each species or species category.
The final ABC levels are based on the best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends,
information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised
methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the
formulas, or tiers, to be used in computing ABCs and overfishing levels
(OFLs). The formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. This information is categorized into a successive
series of six tiers with tier one representing the highest level of
information and tier six the lowest level of information.
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 OY range of 116,000 to
800,000 mt. The Council adopted the AP's TAC recommendations. The
Council recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007 that are equal to ABCs for
pollock, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, pelagic
shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates. The Council recommended TACs
that
[[Page 10871]]
are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole, shallow-water
flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, and Atka mackerel. None
of the Council's recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007 exceeds the final
ABC for any species or species category. NMFS finds that the
recommended ABCs and TACs are consistent with the biological condition
of the groundfish stocks as described in the 2005 SAFE report and
approved by the Council. The apportionment of TAC amounts among gear
types, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
NMFS finds that the Council's recommendations for OFL, ABC, and TAC
amounts are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish
stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the required
OY range. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended TAC specifications
and apportionments and approves these specifications under Sec.
679.20(c)(3)(ii).
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2006 and 2007 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sum of 2006 and of
2007 groundfish ABCs are 500,626 and 472,260 mt respectively, which are
lower than the 2005 ABC total of 539,263 mt (70 FR 8958, February 24,
2005).
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
As in 2005, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2006 and 2007
include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe that the use of unbiased commercial fishery data
reflecting catch-per-unit effort provides a desirable input for stock
distribution assessments. The use of commercial fishery data is
evaluated annually to ensure that unbiased information is included in
stock distribution models. The Council's recommendation for sablefish
area apportionments also takes into account the prohibition on the use
of trawl gear in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern
Regulatory Area and makes available 5 percent of the combined Eastern
Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other
directed groundfish fisheries in the West Yakutat District (Sec.
679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State managed pollock fishery in Prince
William Sound (PWS) the GOA Plan Team has recommended that the
guideline harvest level (GHL) for the pollock fishery in PWS be
deducted from the ABC for the western stock of pollock in the GOA in
the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area. The Plan Team based
its pollock ABC recommendation for the W/C/WYK Area on a pollock GHL
for the PWS of 910 mt. Following the Council's December 2005 meeting
the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) completed a new
assessment of the pollock biomass in PWS. In a news release dated
December 28, 2005, ADF&G announced a GHL of 3.64 million pounds (1,650
mt) for the 2006 PWS pollock fishery, a difference of 740 mt for the
GHL already considered. NMFS is reducing the 2006 and 2007 ABCs for the
pollock fishery in the W/C/WYK Area by 740 mt from the Council's
recommendation to be consistent with the conservation and management
policies for pollock in the W/C/WYK. The Council recommended that the
TAC for pollock in the W/C/WYK Area be set equal to the ABC, therefore,
NMFS is reducing the 2006 and 2007 TACs for pollock in the W/C/WYK Area
by 740 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as
equally among each of the following four seasons: The A season (January
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1
through November 1) (Sec. Sec. 673.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council adopted the Plan Team's ABC
recommendations for all groundfish species categories, except for
Pacific cod in 2006. The SSC disagreed with the Plan Team's maximum
permissible ABC recommendation of 79,618 mt based on conservation
concerns. In particular, the SSC did not feel comfortable with the
large implied increase in fishing mortality because of concerns over
the new maturity schedule, a series of low recruitments between 2001
and 2004, and limited experience with the new model used for the
Pacific cod assessment. For these reasons, the SSC recommended a stair-
step approach to the maximum permissible ABC in 2006 resulting in an
ABC recommendation of 68,859 mt. The final 2006 and 2007 ABCs,
recommended by the Council and amended by NMFS, are listed in Tables 1
and 2.
The AP, SSC, and Council recommended that the ABC for Pacific cod
in the GOA be apportioned among regulatory areas based on the three
most recent NMFS' summer trawl surveys. As in previous years, the Plan
Team, AP, SSC, and Council recommended that total removals of Pacific
cod from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. Accordingly, the
Council recommended that the 2006 and 2007 TACs be adjusted downward
from the ABCs by amounts equal to the 2006 GHLs established for Pacific
cod by the State of Alaska (State) for fisheries that occur in State
waters in the GOA. The effect of the State's GHLs on the Pacific cod
TAC is discussed in greater detail below. As in 2005, NMFS will
establish for 2006 and 2007 an A season directed fishing allowance
(DFA) for the Pacific cod fisheries in the GOA based on the management
area TACs less the recent average A season incidental catch of Pacific
cod in each management area before June 10 (Sec. 679.20(d)(1)). The
DFA and incidental catch before June 10 will be managed such that total
harvest in the A season will be no more than 60 percent of the annual
TAC. Incidental catch taken after June 10 will continue to be taken
from the B season TAC. This action meets the intent of the Steller Sea
Lion Protection Measures by achieving temporal dispersion of the
Pacific cod removals and by reducing the likelihood of harvest
exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A season (January 1
through June 10).
The 2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's
developing fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in the Central and
Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in PWS. The SSC, AP, and Council
recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water Pacific cod
removals not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the Council recommended the
2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs be reduced from ABC levels to account
for State GHLs in each regulatory area of the GOA. Therefore, the 2006
TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 413 mt; (2)
Central GOA, 9,468 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,714 mt. Similarly, the
2007 TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 297 mt;
(2) Central GOA, 6,801 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 4,823 mt. These amounts
reflect the sum of the State's 2006 GHLs in these areas, which are 10
percent, 25 percent, and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and
Western GOA ABCs, respectively. The percentages of ABC used to
calculate the GHLs for the State managed Pacific cod fisheries are
unchanged from 2005.
NMFS also is establishing seasonal apportionments of the annual
Pacific cod TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty
percent of the
[[Page 10872]]
annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-line, pot and
jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl gear from
January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is
apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot and jig gear from
September 1 through December 31, and for trawl gear from September 1
through November 1 (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(11)). These
seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod TAC are discussed in
greater detail below.
The FMP specifies that the TAC amount for the ``other species''
category is calculated as 5 percent of the combined TAC amounts for
target species. The 2006 GOA-wide ``other species'' TAC is 13,856 mt,
and the 2007 TAC is 12,229 mt, which is 5 percent of the sum of the
combined TAC amounts (278,094 mt for 2006 and 245,543 mt for 2007) for
the target species. The sum of the TACs for all GOA groundfish is
291,950 mt for 2006 and 257,772 mt for 2007, which is within the OY
range specified by the FMP. The sums of the 2006 and 2007 TACs are
higher in 2006 and lower in 2007 than the 2005 TAC sum of 291,298 mt
(70 FR 8958, February 24, 2005).
In June 2005, the Council selected its preferred alternative for
Amendment 69 to the GOA FMP to revise the manner in which the ``other
species'' complex TAC is annually established. If approved, Amendment
69 would allow the Council, as part of its annual harvest specification
process, to recommend a TAC amount for the ``other species'' less than
or equal to 5 percent of the sum of the combined TAC amounts for target
species. The intent of Amendment 69 is to better conserve and manage
the species which comprise the ``other species'' complex. NMFS
published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for Amendment 69 in the
Federal Register on November 16, 2005 (70 FR 69505) and a proposed rule
to implement Amendment 69 in the Federal Register on November 29, 2005
(70 FR 71450). Comments on the NOA were invited through January 17,
2006, and comments on the proposed rule were invited through January
13, 2006. Copies of Amendment 69, the EA/RIR/IRFA prepared for the
amendment, and the proposed rule may be obtained from NMFS, Alaska
Region or from its Web site (see ADDRESSES). In December 2005, the
Council recommended that if Amendment 69 receives Secretarial approval,
then the TAC for the ``other species'' complex should be amended to
4,500 mt in 2006 and 2007. This amount would meet the incidental catch
needs in the other directed groundfish and halibut fisheries while
allowing for a limited directed fishery of approximately 500 mt.
At its June 2005 meeting, the Council selected a preferred pilot
program alternative to rationalize the Central GOA rockfish fishery.
The program was developed by the Council under the authority of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004. If approved by the Secretary,
the Central GOA Rockfish Pilot Program would allocate rockfish,
associated groundfish, halibut PSC limits, and groundfish sideboard
limits to a specific group of eligible harvesters in 2007. These
amounts are expected to be identified in September 2006 and would
modify the harvest specifications for 2007.
Changes From the Proposed 2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications for the
GOA
In October 2005, the Council's recommendations for the proposed
2006 and 2007 harvest specifications (70 FR 74739, December 16, 2005)
were based largely on information contained in the 2004 SAFE report for
the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2004. The Council
recommended that the 2006 and 2007 OFLs and ABCs for stocks in tiers 1
through 3 be based on biomass projections as set forth in the 2004 SAFE
report and estimates of groundfish harvests through the 2006 and 2007
fishing years. 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 2005 until the 2005 SAFE report could be completed.
The 2005 SAFE report (dated November 2005), which was not available
when the Council made its recommendations in October 2005, contains the
best and most recent scientific information on the condition of the
groundfish stocks. This report was considered in December 2005 by the
Council when it made its recommendations for the final 2006 and 2007
harvest specifications. Based on the 2005 SAFE report, the sum of the
2006 recommended final TACs for the GOA (291,950 mt) is 9,354 mt less
than the proposed sum of TACs (301,304 mt). The largest 2006 increases
occurred for Pacific cod, from 42,128 mt to 52,264 mt (24 percent
increase); deep water flatfish, from 6,820 mt to 8,665 mt (27 percent
increase), other rockfish, from 670 mt to 1,480 mt (121 percent
increase), pelagic shelf rockfish, from 4,415 mt to 5,436 mt (23
percent increase) and for Atka mackerel, from 600 mt to 1,500 mt (150
percent increase). The largest decreases occurred for pollock, from
105,220 mt to 85,807 mt (18 percent decrease) and for rex sole, from
12,650 mt to 9,200 mt (27 percent decrease). Other increases or
decreases in both 2006 and 2007 are within these ranges.
Compared to the proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications, the
Council's final 2006 and 2007 TAC recommendations increase fishing
opportunities for species for which the Council had sufficient
information to raise TAC levels. These include, Pacific cod, deep water
flatfish, other rockfish, northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, longnose and other skates,
and Atka mackerel. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC levels to
provide greater protection for several species; these include pollock,
rex sole, flathead sole, shallow water flatfish, sablefish, rougheye
rockfish, and big skates. The changes recommended by the Council for
the 2006 and 2007 fishing years 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
apprised and could have made meaningful comments based on the proposed
harvest specifications.
Table 1.--Final 2006 ABCs, TACs, and Overfishing Levels of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern
(E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overfishing
Totals Species Area \1\ ABC TAC level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\...................... Shumagin (610).............. 28,918 28,918 n/a
Chirikof (620).............. 30,492 30,492 n/a
[[Page 10873]]
Kodiak (630)................ 18,448 18,448 n/a
WYK (640)................... 1,792 1,792 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. W/C/WYK..................... 79,650 79,650 110,100
-----------------------------------------------
SEO (650)................... 6,157 6,157 8,209
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 86,807 86,807 118,309
===============================================
Pacific cod \3\.................. W........................... 26,855 20,141 n/a
C........................... 37,873 28,405 n/a
E........................... 4,131 3,718 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 68,859 52,264 95,500
===============================================
Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)........ W........................... 420 420 n/a
C........................... 4,139 4,139 n/a
WYK......................... 2,661 2,661 n/a
SEO......................... 1,445 1,445 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 8,665 8,665 11,008
===============================================
Rex sole......................... W........................... 1,159 1,159 n/a
C........................... 5,506 5,506 n/a
WYK......................... 1,049 1,049 n/a
SEO......................... 1,486 1,486 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 9,200 9,200 12,000
===============================================
Flathead sole.................... W........................... 10,548 2,000 n/a
C........................... 25,195 5,000 n/a
WYK......................... 2,022 2,022 n/a
SEO......................... 55 55 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 37,820 9,077 47,003
===============================================
Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water)..... W........................... 24,720 4,500 n/a
C........................... 24,258 13,000 n/a
WYK......................... 628 628 n/a
SEO......................... 1,844 1,844 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 51,450 19,972 62,418
===============================================
Arrowtooth flounder.............. W........................... 20,154 8,000 n/a
C........................... 134,906 25,000 n/a
WYK......................... 15,954 2,500 n/a
SEO......................... 6,830 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 177,844 38,000 207,678
===============================================
Sablefish \6\.................... W........................... 2,670 2,670 n/a
C........................... 6,370 6,370 n/a
WYK......................... 2,280 2,280 n/a
SEO......................... 3,520 3,520 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. E........................... 5,800 5,800 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 14,840 14,840 17,880
===============================================
Pacific ocean perch \7\.......... W........................... 4,155 4,155 4,931
C........................... 7,418 7,418 8,806
WYK......................... 1,101 1,101 n/a
SEO......................... 1,587 1,587 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. E........................... 2,688 2,688 3,190
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 14,261 14,261 16,927
===============================================
Shortraker rockfish \8\.......... W........................... 153 153 n/a
C........................... 353 353 n/a
[[Page 10874]]
E........................... 337 337 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 843 843 1,124
===============================================
Rougheye rockfish \9\............ W........................... 136 136 n/a
C........................... 608 608 n/a
E........................... 239 239 n/a
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 983 983 1,180
Other rockfish \10\ \11\......... W........................... 577 577 n/a
C........................... 386 386 n/a
WYK......................... 317 317 n/a
SEO......................... 2,872 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 4,152 1,480 5,394
===============================================
Northern rockfish \11\ \12\...... W........................... 1,483 1,483 n/a
C........................... 3,608 3,608 n/a
E........................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 5,091 5,091 7,673
===============================================
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\...... W........................... 1,438 1,438 n/a
C........................... 3,262 3,262 n/a
WYK......................... 301 301 n/a
SEO......................... 435 435 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 5,436 5,436 6,662
===============================================
Thornyhead rockfish.............. W........................... 513 513 n/a
C........................... 989 989 n/a
E........................... 707 707 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 2,209 2,209 2,945
===============================================
Big skates \14\.................. W........................... 695 695 n/a
C........................... 2,250 2,250 n/a
E........................... 599 599 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 3,544 3,544 4,726
===============================================
Longnose skates \15\............. W........................... 65 65 n/a
C........................... 1,969 1,969 n/a
E........................... 861 861 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 2,895 2,895 3,860
===============================================
Other skates \16\................ GW.......................... 1,617 1,617 2,156
Demersal shelf rockfish \18\..... SEO......................... 410 410 650
Atka mackerel.................... GW.......................... 4,700 1,500 6,200
Other GW species \17\ \19\....... GW.......................... n/a 13,856 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
TOTAL \20\......................... ................................. ............................ 500,626 291,950 631,293
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2.
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is based on an
adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 percent in Statistical Areas 610,
620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 22 percent, 69 percent,
and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal
apportionments for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area,
pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the
GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Seasonal
apportionments and component allocations of TAC for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 7 and 8.
\4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish'', flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 these amounts are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus.
[[Page 10875]]
\10\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish.
The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata.
\15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
\16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
\17\ N/A means not applicable.
\18\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus
(rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\19\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species'', the TAC for ``other species'' equals 5
percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
\20\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
Table 2.--Final 2007 ABCs, TACs, and Overfishing Levels of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C) Eastern
(E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overfishing
Total Species Area\1\ ABC TAC level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\...................... Shumagin (610).............. 23,022 23,022 n/a
Chirikof (620).............. 24,275 24,275 n/a
Kodiak (630)................ 14,687 14,687 n/a
WYK (640)................... 1,426 1,426 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. W/C/WYK..................... 63,410 63,410 89,500
-----------------------------------------------
SEO (650)................... 6,157 6,157 8,209
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 69,567 69,567 97,709
===============================================
Pacific cod \3\.................. W........................... 19,292 14,469 n/a
C........................... 27,206 20,405 n/a
E........................... 2,968 2,671 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 49,466 37,545 59,100
===============================================
Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)........ W........................... 421 421 n/a
C........................... 4,145 4,145 n/a
WYK......................... 2,665 2,665 n/a
SEO......................... 1,446 1,446 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 8,677 8,677 11,022
===============================================
Rex sole......................... W........................... 1,096 1,096 n/a
C........................... 5,207 5,207 n/a
WYK......................... 992 992 n/a
SEO......................... 1,405 1,405 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 8,700 8,700 11,400
===============================================
Flathead sole.................... W........................... 10,932 2,000 n/a
C........................... 26,111 5,000 n/a
WYK......................... 2,096 2,096 n/a
SEO......................... 57 57 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 39,196 9,153 48,763
===============================================
Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water)..... W........................... 24,720 4,500 n/a
C........................... 27,258 13,000 n/a
WYK......................... 628 628 n/a
SEO......................... 1,844 1,844 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 51,450 19,972 62,418
===============================================
Arrowtooth flounder.............. W........................... 21,011 8,000 n/a
C........................... 140,640 25,000 n/a
WYK......................... 16,632 2,500 n/a
SEO......................... 7,120 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 185,403 38,000 216,500
===============================================
Sablefish \6\.................... W........................... 2,360 2,360 n/a
[[Page 10876]]
C........................... 5,630 5,630 n/a
WYK......................... 2,014 2,014 n/a
SEO......................... 3,116 3,116 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. E........................... 5,130 5130 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 13,120 13,120 15,800
===============================================
Pacific ocean perch \7\.......... W........................... 4,290 4,290 4,997
C........................... 7,660 7,660 8,923
WYK......................... 1,137 1,137 n/a
SEO......................... 1,639 1,639 n/a
Subtotal............................... ................................. E........................... .............. .............. 3,232
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 14,726 14,726 17,152
===============================================
Shortraker rockfish \8\.......... W........................... 153 153 n/a
C........................... 353 353 n/a
E........................... 337 337 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 843 843 1,124
===============================================
Rougheye rockfish \9\............ W........................... 133 133 n/a
C........................... 596 596 n/a
E........................... 235 235 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 964 964 1,161
===============================================
Other rockfish \10\ \11\......... W........................... 577 577 n/a
C........................... 386 386 n/a
WYK......................... 317 317 n/a
SEO......................... 2,872 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 4,152 1,480 5,394
===============================================
Northern rockfish \11\ \12\...... W........................... 1,483 1,483 n/a
C........................... 3,608 3,608 n/a
E........................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 5,091 5,091 7,618
===============================================
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\...... W........................... 1,463 1,463 n/a
C........................... 3,318 3,318 n/a
WYK......................... 306 306 n/a
SEO......................... 443 443 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 5,530 5,530 6,779
===============================================
Thornyhead rockfish.............. W........................... 513 513 n/a
C........................... 989 989 n/a
E........................... 707 707 n/a
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 2,209 2,209 2,945
Big skates \14\.................. W........................... 695 695 n/a
C........................... 2,250 2,250 n/a
E........................... 599 599 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 3,544 3,544 4,726
===============================================
Longnose skates \15\............. W........................... 65 65 n/a
C........................... 1,969 1,969 n/a
E........................... 861 861 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total.............................. ................................. ............................ 2,895 2,895 3,860
===============================================
Other skates \16\................ GW.......................... 1,617 1,617 2,156
Demersal shelf rockfish \18\..... SEO......................... 410 410 650
Atka mackerel.................... GW.......................... 4,700 1,500 6,200
Other species \17\ \19\.......... GW.......................... n/a 12,229 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 10877]]
Total\20\.......................... ................................. ............................ 472,260 257,772 582,477
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2.
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is based on an
adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 percent in Statistical Areas 610,
620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 22 percent, 69 percent,
and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal
apportionments for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area,
pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the
GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Seasonal
apportionments and component allocations of TAC for 2006 and 2007 are shown in Tables 7 and 8.
\4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish'', flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 these amounts are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus.
\
