Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 10562-10590 [E8-3531]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 071106671–8010–02]
RIN 0648–XD67
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; 2008
and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications
for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2008 and
2009 final harvest specifications,
reserves and apportionments thereof,
Pacific halibut prohibited species catch
(PSC) limits, and associated
management measures for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to
establish harvest limits and associated
management measures for groundfish
during the 2008 and 2009 fishing years
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP). The intended effect of
this action is to conserve and manage
the groundfish resources in the GOA in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act.
DATES: The 2008 and 2009 final harvest
specifications and associated
management measures are effective at
1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.),
February 27, 2008, through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the
Supplementary Information Report (SIR)
to the Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Final Environmental
Impact Statement (Final EIS), Record of
Decision (ROD), and Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for
this action are available from the Alaska
Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau,
AK 99802, Attn: Ellen Sebastian, or
from the Alaska Region Web site at
https://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the
final 2007 Stock Assessment and
Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the GOA, dated
November 2007, are available from the
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council), 605 West 4th
Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99510–2252, phone 907–271–2809, or
from its Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.
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Tom
Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries Division,
Alaska Region, 907–481–1780, or e-mail
at tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fisheries in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq. Regulations governing U.S.
fisheries and implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify and apportion the total
allowable catch (TAC) for each target
species and for the ‘‘other species’’
category, and the sum of which must be
within the optimum yield (OY) range of
116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt). The
final specifications set forth in Tables 1
through 26 of this document satisfy this
requirement. For 2008, the sum of the
TAC amounts is 262,826 mt. For 2009,
the sum of the TAC amounts is 279,264
mt.
50 CFR 679.20(c)(1) further requires
NMFS to publish and solicit public
comment on proposed annual TACs,
halibut PSC amounts, and seasonal
allowances of pollock and inshore/
offshore Pacific cod. The proposed GOA
groundfish specifications and Pacific
halibut PSC allowances for 2008 and
2009 were published in the Federal
Register on December 6, 2007 (72 FR
68810). Comments were invited and
accepted through January 7, 2008.
NMFS received two letters of comment
on the proposed specifications. These
letters of comment are summarized in
the Response to Comments section of
this action. In December 2007, NMFS
consulted with the Council regarding
the 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications. After considering public
comments received, as well as biological
and economic data that were available
at the Council’s December 2007
meeting, NMFS is implementing the
2008 and 2009 final harvest
specifications, as recommended by the
Council.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Specifications
In December 2007, the Council, its
Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific
and Statistical Committee (SSC),
reviewed current biological and harvest
information about the condition of
groundfish stocks in the GOA. This
information was compiled by the
Council’s GOA Plan Team and was
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presented in the final 2007 SAFE report
for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2007 (see ADDRESSES). The
SAFE report contains a review of the
latest scientific analyses and estimates
of each species’ biomass and other
biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information
on the GOA ecosystem and the
economic condition of the groundfish
fisheries off Alaska. From these data and
analyses, the Plan Team estimates an
ABC for each species or species
category.
The final ABC levels are based on the
best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including
projected biomass trends, information
on assumed distribution of stock
biomass, and revised methods used to
calculate stock biomass. The FMP
specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be
used to compute ABCs and overfishing
levels (OFLs). The formulas applicable
to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable
information available to fisheries
scientists. This information is
categorized into a successive series of
six tiers, with tier one representing the
highest level of information quality
available and tier six the lowest level of
information quality available.
The final TAC recommendations were
based on the ABCs as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining
the sum of all TACs within the required
OY range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt. The
Council adopted the AP’s TAC
recommendations. The Council
recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009
equal to ABCs for pollock, deep-water
flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific ocean
perch, shortraker rockfish, rougheye
rockfish, northern rockfish, pelagic shelf
rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal
shelf rockfish, big skate, longnose skate,
and other skates. The Council
recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009
that are less than the ABCs for Pacific
cod, flathead sole, shallow-water
flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other
rockfish, and Atka mackerel. None of
the Council’s recommended TACs for
2008 and 2009 exceeds the final ABC for
any species or species category. The
2008 and 2009 harvest specifications
approved by the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) are unchanged from those
recommended by the Council and are
consistent with the preferred harvest
strategy alternative in the Final EIS.
NMFS finds that the Council’s
recommended ABCs, OFLs, and TACs
are consistent with the biological
condition of the groundfish stocks as
described in the 2007 SAFE report and
approved by the Council. NMFS also
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finds that the Council’s
recommendations for OFL, ABC, and
TAC amounts are consistent with the
biological condition of groundfish
stocks as adjusted for other biological
and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the total TAC
within the OY range. NMFS reviewed
the Council’s recommended TAC
specifications and apportionments and
approves these specifications under 50
CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment
of TAC amounts among gear types,
processing sectors, and seasons is
discussed below.
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2008 and
2009 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area
apportionments of groundfish in the
GOA. The sums of the 2008 and 2009
ABCs are 536,201 mt and 556,183 mt,
respectively, which are higher than the
2007 ABC sum of 490,327 mt (72 FR
9676, March 5, 2007).
Specification and Apportionment of
TAC Amounts
As in 2007, the SSC and Council
recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among
management areas in 2008 and 2009
include commercial fishery and survey
data. NMFS stock assessment scientists
believe the use of unbiased commercial
fishery data reflecting catch-per-uniteffort provides a desirable input for
stock distribution assessments. NMFS
evaluates the use of commercial fishery
data annually to ensure unbiased
information is included in stock
distribution models. The Council’s
recommendation for sablefish area
apportionments also takes into account
the prohibition on the use of trawl gear
in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District
of the Eastern Regulatory Area and
makes available 5 percent of the
combined Eastern Regulatory Area
ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental
catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat (WYK)
District (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State of
Alaska (State) managed pollock fishery
in Prince William Sound (PWS), the
GOA Plan Team has recommended the
guideline harvest level (GHL) for the
pollock fishery in PWS be deducted
from the ABC for the western stock of
pollock in the GOA in the Western/
Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area.
For the 2008 and 2009 pollock fisheries
in PWS, the State’s GHL is 1,650 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock
TAC among the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the
seasonal biomass distribution and is
discussed in greater detail below. The
annual pollock TAC in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
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apportioned among Statistical Areas
610, 620, and 630, as well as equally
among each of the following four
seasons: the A season (January 20
through March 10), the B season (March
10 through May 31), the C season
(August 25 through October 1), and the
D season (October 1 through November
1) (50 CFR 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv)
and 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council adopted
the Plan Team’s OFL and ABC
recommendations for all groundfish
species categories. The SSC, AP, and
Council recommended apportionment
of the ABC for Pacific cod in the GOA
among regulatory areas based on the
three most recent NMFS summer trawl
surveys.
The 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs
are affected by the State’s fishery for
Pacific cod in State waters in the Central
and Western Regulatory Areas, as well
as in PWS. The SSC, AP, and Council
recommended that the sum of all State
and Federal water Pacific cod removals
not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the
Council recommended reducing the
2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs from
the ABCs in the Central and Western
Regulatory Areas to account for State
GHLs. Therefore, the 2008 and 2009
Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs
by the following amounts: (1) Eastern
GOA, 266 mt; (2) Central GOA, 9,475
mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,483 mt.
These amounts reflect the sum of the
State’s 2008 and 2009 GHLs in these
areas, which are 10 percent, 25 percent,
and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central,
and Western GOA ABCs, respectively.
The percentages of the ABCs used to
calculate the GHLs for the State
managed Pacific cod fisheries are
unchanged from 2007.
NMFS also is establishing seasonal
apportionments of the annual Pacific
cod TAC in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the A
season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear from January 1 through June 10,
and for trawl gear from January 20
through June 10. Forty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the B
season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear from September 1 through
December 31, and for trawl gear from
September 1 through November 1 (50
CFR 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)).
As in 2007, NMFS establishes for
2008 and 2009 an A season directed
fishing allowance (DFA) for the Pacific
cod fisheries in the GOA based on the
management area TACs minus the
recent average A season incidental catch
of Pacific cod in each management area
before June 10 (§ 679.20(d)(1)). The DFA
and incidental catch before June 10 will
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10563
be managed such that total harvest in
the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental
catch taken after June 10 will continue
to accrue against the B season TAC. This
action meets the intent of the Steller Sea
Lion Protection Measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod
removals and by reducing the likelihood
of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the
annual TAC in the A season (January 1
through June 10 for hook-and-line, pot,
and jig gear; January 20 through June 10
for trawl gear). The seasonal
apportionments of the annual Pacific
cod TAC are discussed in greater detail
below.
The FMP specifies that the amount for
the ‘‘other species’’ category be set at an
amount less than or equal to 5 percent
of the combined TAC amounts for target
species. The final 2008 and 2009 annual
GOA-wide ‘‘other species’’ TACs of
4,500 mt are less than 5 percent of the
combined TAC amounts for target
species. The sum of the TACs for all
GOA groundfish is 262,826 mt for 2008
and 279,264 mt for 2009, which are
within the OY range specified by the
FMP. The sum of the 2008 TACs is
lower and the sum of the 2009 TACs is
higher than the 2007 TAC sum of
269,912 mt.
Other Rules Affecting the 2008 and
2009 Harvest Specifications
Congress granted NMFS specific
statutory authority to manage Central
GOA rockfish fisheries in Section 802 of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2004 (Pub. L. 108–199). The elements of
the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot
Program (Rockfish Program) are
discussed in detail in the proposed and
final rules for Amendment 68 to the
FMP (71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006, and 71
FR 67210, November 20, 2006,
respectively) and final rule revision (72
FR 37678, July 11, 2007). The Rockfish
Program is authorized for five years,
from January 1, 2007, until December
31, 2011.
The Rockfish Program allocates
exclusive harvesting and processing
privileges for the following primary
rockfish species: Northern rockfish,
Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf
rockfish. Secondary species are those
species incidentally harvested during
the primary rockfish species fisheries
and include Pacific cod, rougheye
rockfish, shortraker rockfish, sablefish,
and thornyhead rockfish. The Rockfish
Program also allocates a portion of the
total GOA halibut mortality limit
annually specified under § 679.21 to
participants based on historical halibut
mortality rates in the primary rockfish
species fisheries. The 2008 amounts of
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primary rockfish species, secondary
species, and halibut mortality to be
allocated to the Rockfish Program will
not be known until eligible participants
apply for participation in the Rockfish
Program by March 1, 2008. These
amounts will be posted on the Alaska
Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov when they become
available early in 2008. The entry level
allocation of rockfish, after subtraction
of incidental catch amounts, is equal to
5 percent of the Central GOA TAC for
Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish,
and pelagic shelf rockfish. Tables 8 and
9 list the final 2008 and 2009 allocations
of rockfish in the Central GOA,
respectively, to the entry level fishery.
The Rockfish Program also establishes
catch limits, commonly called
‘‘sideboards,’’ to limit the ability of
participants eligible for this program to
harvest fish in fisheries other than the
Central GOA rockfish fisheries.
Sideboards limit harvest in the specific
rockfish fisheries in the Western GOA
and in the WYK District and the amount
of halibut bycatch that can be used in
certain flatfish fisheries. Tables 19 and
20 list the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish
Program sideboard limits for catcher/
processors and catcher vessels in the
Western GOA and the WYK District.
Table 21 lists the final 2008 and 2009
Rockfish Program halibut mortality
limits for catcher/processors and catcher
vessels.
The final rule to implement
Amendment 80 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area was published in the
Federal Register on September 14, 2007
(72 FR 52668). Amendment 80 allocates
several Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
non-pollock trawl groundfish TACs
among fishing sectors, and facilitates the
formation of harvesting cooperatives in
the non-American Fisheries Act (nonAFA) trawl catcher/processor sector.
Amendment 80 establishes a limited
access privilege program for the nonAFA trawl catcher/processor sector. In
order to limit the ability of participants
eligible for the Amendment 80 fisheries
to expand their harvest efforts in the
GOA, Amendment 80 establishes
groundfish and halibut PSC catch limits
for Amendment 80 participants in the
GOA. Tables 22 and 23 list the final
2008 and 2009 sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 participants. Table 24
lists the final 2008 and 2009 halibut
PSC limits for Amendment 80
participants using trawl gear.
In April 2007, the Council
recommended Amendment 77 to the
GOA FMP. Amendment 77 would
remove dark rockfish from the pelagic
shelf rockfish (PSR) complex in the
GOA FMP in order to allow the State to
assume management of dark rockfish
beginning in 2009. This action is
necessary to allow the State to
implement more responsive, regionallybased management measures than are
currently possible under the FMP. If
Amendment 77 is submitted to and
approved by the Secretary, the GOAwide overfishing level (OFL), ABC, and
TAC for the PSR complex in 2009
would be reduced by approximately 250
mt from the levels listed in Table 2.
Changes From the Proposed 2008 and
2009 Harvest Specifications in the GOA
In October 2007, the Council’s
recommendations for the proposed 2008
and 2009 harvest specifications (72 FR
68810, December 6, 2007) were based
largely upon information contained in
the final 2006 SAFE report for the GOA
groundfish fisheries, dated November
2006 (see ADDRESSES). The Council
recommended that the proposed OFLs,
ABCs, and TACs established for the
groundfish fisheries in 2008 (72 FR
9676, March 5, 2007 see Table 2) be
rolled over to 2008 and 2009 pending
completion and review of the 2007
SAFE report at its December 2007
meeting.
The 2007 SAFE report, which was not
available when the Council made its
recommendations in October 2007,
contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition
of the groundfish stocks. This report
was considered in December 2007 by
the Council when it made
recommendations for the final 2008 and
2009 harvest specifications. Based on
the final 2007 SAFE report, the sum of
the 2008 final TACs for the GOA
(262,826 mt) is 23,347 mt lower than the
sum of the proposed 2008 TACs
(286,173 mt). The largest 2008 increases
occurred for rougheye rockfish, from
993 mt to 1,286 mt (30 percent
increase); for other skates, from 1,617 mt
to 2,104 mt (30 percent increase); for
flathead sole, from 9,258 mt to 11,054
mt (19 percent increase); and for other
rockfish, from 1,482 mt to 1,730 mt (17
percent increase). The largest decreases
occurred for pollock, from 81,467 mt to
60,810 mt (34 percent decrease); for
pelagic shelf rockfish, from 6,622 mt to
5,227 mt (27 percent decrease); for
thornyhead rockfish, from 2,209 mt to
1,910 mt (16 percent decrease); and for
sablefish, from 14,239 mt to 12,730 mt
(12 percent decrease). Other increases or
decreases in 2008 and 2009 are within
these ranges.
Compared to the proposed 2008
harvest specifications, the Council’s
final 2008 TAC recommendations
increase fishing opportunities for
species for which the Council had
sufficient information to raise TAC
levels. These include rex sole, flathead
sole, shallow-water flatfish, Pacific
ocean perch, shortraker rockfish,
rougheye rockfish, other rockfish, and
other skates. Conversely, the Council
reduced TAC levels to provide greater
protection for several species, including
pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish,
sablefish, northern rockfish, pelagic
shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish,
demersal shelf rockfish, and big skates.
The changes in the final rule from the
proposed rule are based on the most
recent scientific information and
implement the harvest strategy
described in the proposed rule for the
harvest specifications. Tables 1 and 2
list the 2008 and 2009 final OFL, ABC,
and TAC amounts for GOA groundfish,
respectively.
TABLE 1.—FINAL 2008 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
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Species
Area/district 1
Pollock 2 ..........................................................
Shumagin (610) ..............................................
Chirikof (620) ..................................................
Kodiak (630) ...................................................
WYK (640) ......................................................
17,602
19,181
13,640
1,517
17,602
19,181
13,640
1,517
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
W/C/WYK .......................................................
51,940
51,940
72,110
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ABC
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TABLE 1.—FINAL 2008 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
SEO (650) ......................................................
8,240
8,240
11,040
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
60,180
60,180
83,150
Pacific cod 3 ....................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
25,932
37,901
2,660
19,449
28,426
2,394
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
66,493
50,269
88,660
Flatfish 4 (deep-water) .....................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
690
6,721
965
527
690
6,721
965
527
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
8,903
8,903
11,343
Rex sole ..........................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,022
6,731
520
859
1,022
6,731
520
859
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
9,132
9,132
11,933
Flathead sole ..................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
12,507
28,174
3,420
634
2,000
5,000
3,420
634
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
44,735
11,054
55,787
(shallow-water) .................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
26,360
29,873
3,333
1,423
4,500
13,000
3,333
1,423
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
60,989
22,256
74,364
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
30,817
167,936
15,245
12,472
8,000
30,000
2,500
2,500
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
226,470
43,000
266,914
Sablefish 6 .......................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,890
5,500
1,950
3,390
1,890
5,500
1,950
3,390
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
E (WYK and SEO) .........................................
5,340
5,340
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
12,730
12,730
15,040
......................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
3,686
8,185
1,100
2,028
3,686
8,185
1,100
2,028
4,376
9,717
n/a
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
E (WYK and SEO) .........................................
3,128
3,128
3,714
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
14,999
14,999
17,807
Shortraker rockfish 8 ........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
120
315
463
120
315
463
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
898
898
1,197
Rougheye rockfish 9 ........................................
W ....................................................................
125
125
n/a
Flatfish 5
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TABLE 1.—FINAL 2008 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
834
327
834
327
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
1,286
1,286
1,548
Other rockfish 10 11 ..........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
357
569
604
2,767
357
569
604
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
4,297
1,730
5,624
rockfish 11 12
.....................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
2,141
2,408
0
2,141
2,408
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
4,549
4,549
5,430
..................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,003
3,626
251
347
1,003
3,626
251
347
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
5,227
5,227
6,400
Thornyhead rockfish .......................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
267
860
783
267
860
783
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
1,910
1,910
2,540
Big skates 14 ....................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
632
2,065
633
632
2,065
633
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
3,330
3,330
4,439
Longnose skates 15 .........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
78
2,041
768
78
2,041
768
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
2,887
2,887
3,849
Other skates 16 ................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 17 ...............................
Atka mackerel .................................................
Other species 18 ..............................................
GW .................................................................
SEO ................................................................
GW .................................................................
GW .................................................................
2,104
382
4,700
n/a
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2,806
611
6,200
n/a
Total 19 ..............................................
.........................................................................
536,201
262,826
665,642
Northern
Pelagic shelf
rockfish 13
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
1 Regulatory
areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska;
WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide)
2 Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is
based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 26 percent, 49 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 26
percent, 60 percent, and 14 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is
based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
3 The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore
component in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component
allocations of the Pacific cod TAC.
4 ‘‘Deep water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5 ‘‘Shallow water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
6 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4 list the 2008 and 2009 allocations
of sablefish.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
9 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
10 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish.
The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
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11 ‘‘Slope rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion),
and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
12 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory Area has been combined with
the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 Big skate means Raja binoculata.
15 Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
16 Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
17 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S.
helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
18 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ‘‘other species,’’ the TAC for ‘‘other species’’ is set
at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
19 The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
TABLE 2.—FINAL 2009 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district 1
Species
Pollock 2
ABC
TAC
OFL
..........................................................
Shumagin (610) ..............................................
Chirikof (620) ..................................................
Kodiak (630) ...................................................
WYK (640) ......................................................
23,700
25,821
18,367
2,042
23,700
25,821
18,367
2,042
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
W/C/WYK .......................................................
69,930
69,930
95,940
SEO (650) ......................................................
8,240
8,240
11,040
.........................................................................
78,170
78,170
106,980
....................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
25,932
37,901
2,660
19,449
28,426
2,394
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
66,493
50,269
88,660
(deep-water) .....................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
707
6,927
995
543
707
6,927
995
543
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
9,172
9,172
11,583
Rex sole ..........................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
948
6,241
483
796
948
6,241
483
796
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
8,468
8,468
11,065
Flathead sole ..................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
13,001
29,289
3,556
659
2,000
5,000
3,556
659
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
46,505
11,215
57,962
Flatfish 5 (shallow-water) .................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
26,360
29,873
3,333
1,423
4,500
13,000
3,333
1,423
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
60,989
22,256
74,364
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
31,080
169,371
15,375
12,579
K8,000
30,000
2,500
2,500
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
228,405
43,000
269,237
Sablefish 6 .......................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
1,727
5,026
1,782
1,727
5,026
1,782
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
Pacific
cod 3
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Flatfish 4
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 2.—FINAL 2009 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
SEO ................................................................
3,098
3,098
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
E (WYK and SEO) .........................................
4,880
4,880
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
11,633
11,633
12,924
......................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
3,704
8,225
1,105
2,038
3,704
8,225
1,105
2,038
4,397
9,764
n/a
n/a
Subtotal ....................................................
E (WYK and SEO) .........................................
3,143
3,143
3,732
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
15,072
15,072
17,893
Shortraker rockfish 8 ........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
120
315
463
120
315
463
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
898
898
1,197
Rougheye rockfish 9 ........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
124
830
325
124
830
325
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
1,279
1,279
1,540
Other rockfish 10 11 ..........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
357
569
604
2,767
357
569
604
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
4,297
1,730
5,624
Northern rockfish 11 12 .....................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
2,047
2,302
0
2,047
2,302
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
4,349
4,349
5,120
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 ..................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
986
3,566
247
341
986
3,566
247
341
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
5,140
5,140
6,294
Thornyhead rockfish .......................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
267
860
783
267
860
783
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
1,910
1,910
2,540
Big skates 14 ....................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
632
2,065
633
632
2,065
633
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
3,330
3,330
4,439
Longnose skates 15 .........................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
78
2,041
768
78
2,041
768
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ..................................................
.........................................................................
2,887
2,887
3,849
GW .................................................................
SEO ................................................................
GW .................................................................
GW .................................................................
2,104
382
4,700
n/a
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2,806
611
6,200
n/a
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Pacific ocean
perch 7
skates 16
Other
................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 17 ...............................
Atka mackerel .................................................
Other species 18 ..............................................
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TABLE 2.—FINAL 2009 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT (W/C/
WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT (WYK),
SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district 1
Species
Total 19 ..............................................
ABC
.........................................................................
TAC
556,183
279,264
OFL
690,888
1 Regulatory
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska;
WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide)
2 Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is
based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 26 percent, 49 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 26
percent, 60 percent, and 14 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is
based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
3 The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore
component in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component
allocations of the Pacific cod TAC.
4 ‘‘Deep water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5 ‘‘Shallow water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
6 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4 list the 2008 and 2009 allocations
of sablefish.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
9 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
10 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish.
The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
11 ‘‘Slope rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion),
and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
12 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory Area has been combined with
the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 Big skate means Raja binoculata.
15 Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
16 Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
17 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S.
helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
18 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ‘‘other species,’’ the TAC for ‘‘other species’’ is set
at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
19 The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 20
percent of each TAC for pollock, Pacific
cod, flatfish, and the ‘‘other species’’
category be set aside in reserves for
possible apportionment at a later date
during the fishing year. In 2007, NMFS
reapportioned all the reserves in the
final harvest specifications. For 2008
and 2009, NMFS proposed
reapportionment of all the reserves in
the proposed 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications published in the Federal
Register on December 6, 2007 (72 FR
68810). NMFS received no public
comments on the proposed
reapportionments. For the final 2008
and 2009 harvest specifications, NMFS
reapportioned as proposed all the
reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish,
and ‘‘other species.’’ Specifications of
TAC shown in Tables 1 and 2 reflect
reapportionment of reserve amounts for
these species and species groups.
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Allocations of the Sablefish TAC
Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-andLine and Trawl Gear
Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require
allocations of sablefish TACs for each of
the regulatory areas and districts to
hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
80 percent of each TAC is allocated to
hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of
each TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In
the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent
of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line
gear, and 5 percent is allocated to trawl
gear. The trawl gear allocation in the
Eastern Regulatory Area may only be
used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other
target species (§ 679.20(a)(1)). In
recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO
District of the Eastern Regulatory Area,
the Council recommended and NMFS
concurs with the allocation of 5 percent
of the combined Eastern Regulatory
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Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the
WYK District and the remainder of the
WYK sablefish TAC be available to
vessels using hook-and-line gear. As a
result, NMFS allocates 100 percent of
the sablefish TAC in the SEO District to
vessels using hook-and-line gear. The
Council recommended that the hookand-line sablefish TAC be established
annually to ensure that the Individual
Fishery Quota (IFQ) fishery is
conducted concurrent with the halibut
IFQ fishery and is based on the most
recent survey information. This
recommendation results in an allocation
of 267 mt to trawl gear and 1,683 mt to
hook-and-line gear in the WYK District,
and 3,390 mt to hook-and-line gear in
the SEO District in 2008, and 244 mt to
trawl gear in the WYK District in 2009.
Table 3 lists the allocations of the 2008
sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and
trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations
of the 2009 sablefish TACs to trawl gear.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 3.—FINAL 2008 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO HOOK-AND-LINE
AND TRAWL GEAR
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
apportionment
TAC
Trawl apportionment
Western ........................................................................................................................................
Central .........................................................................................................................................
West Yakutat 1 .............................................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .......................................................................................................................
1,890
5,500
1,950
3,390
1,512
4,400
1,683
3,390
378
1,100
267
0
Total ......................................................................................................................................
12,730
10,985
1,745
1 Represents
an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
TABLE 4.—FINAL 2009 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
apportionment 1
TAC
Trawl apportionment
Western ........................................................................................................................................
Central .........................................................................................................................................
West Yakutat 2 .............................................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .......................................................................................................................
1,727
5,026
1,782
3,098
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
345
1,005
244
0
Total ......................................................................................................................................
11,633
0
1,595
1 The
Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishery Quota fisheries be limited to 1 year.
an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
2 Represents
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
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)(iv)(B), the annual pollock
TAC specified for the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned into four equal seasonal
allowances of 25 percent. As established
by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A,
B, C, and D season allowances are
available from January 20 to March 10,
March 10 to May 31, August 25 to
October 1, and October 1 to November
1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are
apportioned among Statistical Areas
610, 620, and 630. In the A and B
seasons, the apportionments are in
proportion to the distribution of pollock
biomass based on the four most recent
NMFS winter surveys. In the C and D
seasons, the apportionments are in
proportion to the distribution of pollock
biomass based on the four most recent
NMFS summer surveys. For 2008 and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
2009, the Council recommends and
NMFS approves averaging the winter
and summer distribution of pollock in
the Central Regulatory Area for the A
season. The average is intended to
reflect the distribution of pollock and
the performance of the fishery in the
area during the A season for the 2008
and 2009 fishing years. Within any
fishing year, the amount by which a
seasonal allowance is underharvested or
overharvested may be added to, or
subtracted from, subsequent seasonal
allowances 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)(iv)(B)). The WYK and
SEO District pollock TACs of 1,517 mt
and 8,240 mt, respectively, in 2008, and
2,042 mt and 8,240 mt, respectively, in
2009, are not allocated by season.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the
allocation of 100 percent of the pollock
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
TAC in all regulatory areas and all
seasonal allowances to vessels catching
pollock for processing by the inshore
component after subtracting amounts
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 2008 and 2009 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.
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10571
TABLE 5.—FINAL 2008 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]
Shumagin
(area 610)
Season
A
B
C
D
...............................................................................................
...............................................................................................
..............................................................................................
..............................................................................................
Chirikof
(area 620)
Kodiak
(area 630)
3,322
3,321
5,480
5,479
6,215
7,576
2,695
2,695
3,069
1,709
4,431
4,431
Annual Total .....................................................................
(26.35%)
(26.35%)
(43.47%)
(43.47%)
(49.30%)
(60.09%)
(21.38%)
(21.38%)
17,602
19,181
Total 1
(24.35%)
(13.56%)
(35.15%)
(35.15%)
12,606
12,606
12,606
12,605
13,640
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
50,423
1 The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.
Note: As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10,
March 10 to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore
and offshore components are not shown in this table.
TABLE 6.—FINAL 2009 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]
Shumagin
(area 610)
Season
A
B
C
D
...............................................................................................
...............................................................................................
..............................................................................................
..............................................................................................
4,472
4,472
7,378
7,378
Annual Total .....................................................................
Chirikof
(area 620)
(26.35%)
(26.35%)
(43.47%)
(43.47%)
8,367
10,198
3,628
3,628
Kodiak
(area 630)
(49.30%)
(60.09%)
(21.38%)
(21.38%)
23,700
4,133
2,302
5,966
5,966
25,821
Total 1
(24.35%)
(13.56%)
(35.15%)
(35.15%)
18,367
16,972
16,972
16,972
16,972
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
(100%)
67,888
1 The
WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.
Note: As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10,
March 10 to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore
and offshore components are not shown in this table.
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
is January 1 through June 10, and the B
season is September 1 through
December 31. For trawl gear, the A
season is January 20 through June 10,
and the B season is September 1 through
November 1 (§ 679.23(d)(3)). After
subtracting incidental catch from the A
season, 60 percent of the annual TAC
will be available as a DFA during the A
season for the inshore and offshore
components. The remaining 40 percent
of the annual TAC will be available for
harvest during the B season. The
seasonal allocations will be apportioned
between the inshore and offshore
components, as provided in
§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii). Under
§ 679.20(a)(11)(ii), any overage or
underage of the Pacific cod allowance
from the A season may be subtracted
from or added to the subsequent B
season allowance.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires
allocation of the TAC apportionments of
Pacific cod in all regulatory areas to
vessels catching Pacific cod for
processing by the inshore and offshore
components. Ninety percent of the
Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area
is allocated to vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent
of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by
the offshore component. Table 7 lists
the seasonal apportionments and
allocations of the final 2008 and 2009
Pacific cod TACs.
TABLE 7.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 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
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Inshore (90%)
A season (60%) ......................................................................
B season (40%) ......................................................................
A season (60%) ......................................................................
B season (40%) ......................................................................
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Western ..................................
................................................
................................................
Central ....................................
................................................
................................................
Eastern ...................................
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19,449
11,669
7,780
28,426
17,056
11,370
2,394
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
17,504
10,502
7,002
25,583
15,350
10,233
2,155
Offshore
(10%)
1,945
1,167
778
2,843
1,706
1,137
239
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 7.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE
GULF OF ALASKA; ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Season
Regulatory area
TAC
Inshore (90%)
Total .................................................................................
Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR)
In a commercial fisheries news release
dated December 11, 2007, the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
announced the opening of directed
fishing for DSR in the Northern
Southeast Inside (NSEI) and the
Southern Southeast Inside (SSEI)
Subdistricts of the Eastern Gulf of
Alaska at 900 hours, A.l.t., January 5,
2008. During the week of January 21,
2008, ADF&G announced future
openings of directed fishing for DSR in
the Southeast Outside District (SEO)
following the International Pacific
Halibut Commission’s (IPHC) annual
meeting held January 15–18, 2008. DSR
harvest in the halibut fishery is linked
to the halibut quota, therefore ADF&G
cannot estimate potential DSR
incidental catch in that fishery until
those quotas are established. 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
................................................
50,269
Pacific halibut in the SEO District of the
GOA is required (§ 679.20(j)).
Apportionments to the Central GOA
Rockfish Pilot Program
Sections 679.81(a)(1) and (2) require
the allocation of the primary rockfish
species TACs in the Central Regulatory
Area after deducting incidental catch
needs in other directed groundfish
fisheries, to participants in the Rockfish
Pilot Program. Five percent (2.5 percent
to trawl gear and 2.5 percent to fixed
gear) of the final TACs for Pacific ocean
perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic
shelf rockfish in the Central Regulatory
Area are allocated to the entry level
rockfish fishery and the remaining 95
percent to those vessels eligible to
participate in the Rockfish Program.
NMFS is setting aside in 2008 and 2009
incidental catch amounts (ICAs) of 200
mt of Pacific ocean perch, 100 mt of
northern rockfish, and 100 mt of pelagic
shelf rockfish for other directed fisheries
in the Central Regulatory Area. These
45,242
Offshore
(10%)
5,027
amounts are based on the 2003 through
2007 average incidental catch in the
Central Regulatory Area by these other
groundfish fisheries.
Section 679.83(a)(1)(i) requires
allocations to the trawl entry level
fishery to be made first from the
allocation of Pacific ocean perch
available to the rockfish entry level
fishery. If the amount of Pacific ocean
perch available for allocation is less
than the total allocation allowable for
trawl catcher vessels in the rockfish
entry level fishery, then northern
rockfish and pelagic shelf rockfish must
be allocated to trawl catcher vessels.
Allocations of Pacific ocean perch,
northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf
rockfish to longline gear vessels must be
made after the allocations to trawl gear.
Tables 8 and 9 list the final 2008 and
2009 allocations of rockfish in the
Central GOA to trawl and longline gear
in the entry level rockfish fishery,
respectively.
TABLE 8.—FINAL 2008 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO TRAWL AND LONGLINE GEAR1
IN THE ENTRY LEVEL ROCKFISH FISHERY
[Values are rounded to nearest mt]
Species
TAC
Incidental
catch
allowance
TAC minus
ICA
5% TAC
minus ICA
2.5% TAC
minus ICA
Entry level
trawl
allocation
Entry level
longline
allocation
Pacific ocean perch .............................
Northern rockfish ..................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...........................
8,185
2,408
3,626
200
100
100
7,985
2,308
3,526
399
115
176
200
58
88
345
0
0
54
115
176
Total ..............................................
14,219
400
13,819
691
345
345
345
1 Longline
gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
TABLE 9.—FINAL 2009 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO TRAWL AND LONGLINE GEAR 1
IN THE ENTRY LEVEL ROCKFISH FISHERY
[Values are rounded to nearest mt]
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Species
TAC
Incidental
catch
allowance
TAC minus
ICA
5% TAC
minus ICA
2.5% TAC
minus ICA
Entry level
trawl
allocation
Entry level
longline
allocation
Pacific ocean perch .............................
Northern rockfish ..................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...........................
8,225
2,302
3,566
200
100
100
8,025
2,202
3,466
401
110
173
201
55
87
342
0
0
59
110
173
Total ..............................................
14,093
400
13,693
685
342
342
342
1 Longline
gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
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10573
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
Halibut PSC Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes the
annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-andline gear and permits the establishment
of apportionments for pot gear. In
December 2007, the Council
recommended that NMFS maintain the
2007 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.
Section 679.21(d)(4)(i) authorizes the
exemption of specified non-trawl
fisheries from the halibut PSC limit.
NMFS, after consultation with the
Council, exempts pot gear, jig gear, and
the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear
fishery from the non-trawl halibut limit
for 2008 and 2009. The Council
recommended these exemptions
because (1) the pot gear fisheries have
low annual halibut bycatch mortality
(averaging 18 mt annually from 2001
through 2007); (2) the halibut and
sablefish IFQ fisheries have low halibut
bycatch mortality because the IFQ
program requires retention of legal-sized
halibut by vessels using hook-and-line
gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder is
aboard and is holding unused halibut
IFQ; and (3) halibut mortality for the jig
gear fisheries is assumed to be
negligible. Halibut mortality is assumed
to be negligible in the jig gear fisheries
given the small amount of groundfish
harvested by jig gear (averaging 323 mt
annually from 2001 through 2006 and
51 mt through December 31, 2007), the
selective nature of jig gear, and the high
survival rates of halibut caught and
released with jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) gives NMFS the
authority to seasonally apportion the
halibut PSC limits after consultation
with the Council. The FMP and
regulations require the Council and
NMFS consider the following
information in seasonally apportioning
halibut PSC limits: (1) Seasonal
distribution of halibut; (2) seasonal
distribution of target groundfish species
relative to halibut distribution; (3)
expected halibut bycatch needs on a
seasonal basis relative to changes in
halibut biomass and expected catch of
target groundfish species; (4) expected
bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; (5)
expected changes in directed groundfish
fishing seasons; (6) expected actual start
of fishing effort; and (7) economic
effects of establishing seasonal halibut
allocations on segments of the target
groundfish industry.
The final 2007 and 2008 groundfish
harvest specifications (72 FR 9676,
March 5, 2007) summarized the Council
and NMFS’s findings with respect to
each of these FMP considerations. The
Council and NMFS’s findings for 2008
and 2009 are unchanged from 2007. The
opening dates and halibut PSC
limitations for vessels using trawl gear
participating in the Rockfish Program in
the Central Regulatory Area are
described in the final rule to implement
the Rockfish Program (71 FR 67210,
November 20, 2006).
NMFS concurs in the Council’s
recommendations listed in Table 10,
which shows the final 2008 and 2009
Pacific halilbut PSC limits, allowances,
and apportionments. Sections
679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv) specify that any
underages or overages of a seasonal
apportionment of a PSC limit will be
deducted from or added to the next
respective seasonal apportionment
within the fishing year. The information
to establish the halibut PSC limits was
obtained from the 2007 SAFE report,
NMFS, ADF&G, the IPHC, and public
testimony.
TABLE 10.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS
[Values are in metric tons]
Hook-and-line gear 1
Trawl gear
Other than DSR
Season
DSR
Amount
Season
Amount
Season
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
n/a .........................................
n/a .........................................
250 (86%)
5 (2%)
35 (12%)
n/a
n/a
January 1–December 31 ......
...............................................
...............................................
...............................................
...............................................
10 (100%)
........................
........................
........................
........................
Total ...............................
2,000 (100%)
n/a .........................................
290 (100%)
...............................................
10 (100%)
1 The
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR.
The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes
further apportionment of the trawl
halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery
categories. The annual apportionments
are based on each category’s
proportional share of the anticipated
halibut bycatch mortality during the
fishing year and optimization of the
total amount of groundfish harvest
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
under the halibut PSC limit. The fishery
categories for the trawl halibut PSC
limits are (1) a deep-water 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,
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4700
Atka mackerel, skates, and ‘‘other
species’’ (§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 11
lists the final 2008 and 2009
apportionments of Pacific halibut PSC
trawl limits between the trawl gear
deep-water species complex and
shallow-water species complex.
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
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10574
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 11.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 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]
Shallow-water
species
complex
Season
Deep-water
species complex
Total
January 20–April 1 .......................................................
April 1–July 1 ................................................................
July 1–September 1 .....................................................
September 1–October 1 ...............................................
450
100
200
150
100
300
400
Any
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
remainder ..............................................................
550
400
600
150
Subtotal January 20–October 1 ............................
October 1–December 31 1 ............................................
900
n/a
800 ................................................................................
n/a .................................................................................
1,700
300
Total ...............................................................
n/a
n/a .................................................................................
2,000
1 No
apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water fishery complexes during the 5th season (October 1–December 31).
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior
Years
The best available information on
estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2007. The
calculated halibut bycatch mortality by
trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gear
through December 8, 2007, is 1,922 mt,
271 mt, and 18 mt, respectively, and a
total halibut mortality of 2,211 mt.
Halibut bycatch restrictions
seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2007 fishing year.
Trawling during the second season
closed for the deep-water species
category on May 17 (72 FR 28620, May
22, 2007), and during the third season
on August 10 (72 FR 45697, August 15,
2007). Trawling during the second
season closed for the shallow-water
species category on June 4 (72 FR 31472,
June 7, 2007), and during the third
season on August 10 (72 FR 45697,
August 15, 2007). To prevent exceeding
the fourth season halibut PSC limit for
the shallow-water species category,
directed fishing using trawl gear was
limited to three 12-hour open periods
on September 1 (72 FR 49229, August
28, 2007), September 6 (72 FR 51717,
September 11, 2007), and September 11
(72 FR 52491, September 14, 2007), and
to one 48-hour period beginning
September 21 (72 FR 54603, September
26, 2007). Trawling for all groundfish
targets (with the exception of pollock by
vessels using pelagic trawl gear) closed
for the fifth season on October 8 (72 FR
57888, October 11, 2007), reopened on
October 10 (72 FR 58261, October 15,
2007) until October 15 (72 FR 59038,
October 18, 2007), and reopened on
October 22 (72 FR 60586, October 25,
2007). Fishing for groundfish using
hook-and-line gear has remained open
throughout 2007 as the halibut PSC
limit was not reached. The amount of
groundfish that trawl gear might have
harvested if halibut PSC limits had not
restricted the 2007 season is unknown.
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks
and Catch
The final 2008 and 2009 ABCs for
pollock (in 2009), deep-water flatfish,
shallow-water flatfish, rex sole (in
2008), arrowtooth flounder, flathead
sole, Pacific ocean perch, rougheye,
shortraker, and other rockfish, and other
skates are higher than those established
for 2007. However, the final 2008 and
2009 ABCs for pollock (in 2008), Pacific
cod, sablefish, rex sole (in 2009),
northern, pelagic shelf, thornyhead, and
demersal shelf rockfish, and big and
longnose skates are lower than those
established for 2007. For the remaining
target species, the Council
recommended that ABC levels remain
unchanged from 2007. More information
on these changes is included in the final
SAFE report (November 2007) and in
the Council, SSC, and AP minutes from
the December 2007 meeting available
from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total final TAC
amounts are 262,826 mt for 2008, and
279,264 mt for 2009, a decrease of about
3 percent in 2008 and an increase of
about 3 percent in 2009 from the 2007
TAC total of 269,912 mt. Table 12
compares the final TACs for 2007 to the
final TACs for 2008 and 2009.
TABLE 12.—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2007 AND FINAL 2008 AND 2009 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Species
2007
Pollock .........................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ...................................................................................................................................
Deep-water flatfish .......................................................................................................................
Rex sole .......................................................................................................................................
Flathead sole ...............................................................................................................................
Shallow-water flatfish ...................................................................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .....................................................................................................................
Sablefish ......................................................................................................................................
Pacific ocean perch .....................................................................................................................
Shortraker rockfish .......................................................................................................................
Rougheye rockfish .......................................................................................................................
Other rockfish ..............................................................................................................................
Northern rockfish .........................................................................................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...................................................................................................................
Thornyhead rockfish ....................................................................................................................
Big skates ....................................................................................................................................
Longnose skates ..........................................................................................................................
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2008
68,307
52,264
8,707
9,100
9,148
19,972
43,000
14,310
14,636
843
988
1,482
4,938
5,542
2,209
3,544
2,895
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
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60,810
50,269
8,903
9,132
11,054
22,256
43,000
12,730
14,999
898
1,286
1,730
4,549
5,227
1,910
3,330
2,887
2009
78,170
50,269
9,172
8,468
11,215
22,256
43,000
11,633
15,072
898
1,279
1,730
4,349
5,140
1,910
3,330
2,887
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10575
TABLE 12.—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2007 AND FINAL 2008 AND 2009 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
2007
2008
2009
Other skates ................................................................................................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...............................................................................................................
Atka mackerel ..............................................................................................................................
‘‘Other species’’ ...........................................................................................................................
1,617
410
1,500
4,500
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
Total ......................................................................................................................................
269,912
262,826
279,264
Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass
and Stock Condition
The most recent halibut stock
assessment was developed by the
International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) staff in December
2007 for the 2008 commercial fishery;
this assessment was considered by the
IPHC at its annual January 2008
meeting. Information from ongoing
passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag
recoveries, as well as inconsistencies in
the traditional closed-area stock
assessments for some areas has
prompted the IPHC to reexamine the
stock assessment framework and
corresponding harvest policy. It had
been assumed that once the halibut
reached legal commercial size there was
little movement between regulatory
areas. PIT tag recoveries indicate greater
movement between regulatory areas
than previously thought. In response to
this new information, IPHC staff
developed a coast-wide assessment
based on a single stock. The assessment
recommends a coast-wide harvest rate of
20 percent of the exploitable biomass
overall, but a lower harvest rate of 15
percent for Areas 4B, C, D, and E. The
current exploitable halibut biomass in
Alaska for 2008 was estimated to be 361
million pounds, down from 414 million
pounds estimated for 2007.
Approximately half of the decrease is
due to changes in the assessment model
and the other half to anticipated lower
commercial and survey catch rates in
2008. The female spawning biomass
remains far above the minimum which
occurred in the 1970s.
The halibut resource is fully utilized.
Recent average catches (1994–2006) in
the commercial halibut fisheries in
Alaska have averaged 33,970 mt round
weight. Catch in waters off Alaska is 26
percent higher than long-term potential
yield for the entire halibut stock,
reflecting the good condition of the
Pacific halibut resource. In January
2008, the IPHC staff recommended
Alaska commercial catch limits totaling
30,349 mt round weight for 2008, a 4
percent decrease from 31,667 mt in
2007. Through December 31, 2007,
commercial hook-and-line harvests of
halibut off Alaska totaled 29,844 mt
round weight.
Additional information on the Pacific
halibut stock assessment may be found
in the IPHC’s 2007 Pacific halibut stock
assessment (December 2007), available
on the IPHC Web site at https://
www.iphc.washington.edu. The IPHC
considered the 2007 Pacific halibut
assessment for 2008 at its January 2008
annual meeting when the IPHC set the
2008 commercial halibut fishery quotas.
Other Factors
The proposed 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications (72 FR 68810, December
6, 2007) discuss potential impacts of
expected fishing for groundfish on
halibut stocks, as well as methods
available for, and costs of, reducing
halibut bycatch in the groundfish
fisheries.
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommends and NMFS
concurs that the halibut discard
mortality rates (DMRs) recommended by
the IPHC for the 2008 and 2009 GOA
groundfish fisheries be used to monitor
the 2008 and 2009 GOA halibut bycatch
mortality limits. The IPHC
recommended use of long-term average
DMRs for the 2008 and 2009 groundfish
fisheries. The IPHC will analyze
observer data annually and recommend
changes to the DMRs where a DMR
shows large variation from the mean.
Most of the IPHC’s assumed DMRs were
based on an average of mortality rates
determined from NMFS observer data
collected between 1996 and 2005. Longterm average DMRs were not available
for some fisheries, so rates from the
most recent years were used. For the
‘‘other species’’ and skate fisheries,
where insufficient mortality data are
available, the mortality rate of halibut
caught in the Pacific cod fishery for that
gear type was recommended as a default
rate. The GOA DMRs for 2008 and 2009
are unchanged from those used in 2007.
The DMRs for hook-and-line targeted
fisheries range from 10 to 14 percent.
The DMRs for trawl target fisheries
range from 53 to 76 percent. Each DMR
for the pot target fisheries is 16 percent.
The final halibut DMRs for vessels
fishing in the GOA for 2008 and 2009
are listed in Table 13. A copy of the
document justifying these DMRs is
available from the Council (see
ADDRESSES) and is discussed in the final
2007 SAFE report, dated November
2007.
TABLE 13.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are percent of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
Mortality
rate (%)
Target fishery
Hook-and-line ................................................................................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Gear
Other species ...............................................................................
Skates ..........................................................................................
Pacific cod ...................................................................................
Rockfish .......................................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .....................................................................
Atka mackerel ..............................................................................
Deep-water flatfish .......................................................................
Trawl ..............................................................................................
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14
14
14
10
69
60
53
10576
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 13.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA—Continued
[Values are percent of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
Gear
Mortality
rate (%)
Target fishery
Pot .................................................................................................
American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/
Processor and Catcher Vessel
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Section 679.64 establishes groundfish
harvesting and processing sideboard
limitations on AFA catcher/processors
and catcher vessels in the GOA. These
sideboard limits are necessary to protect
the interests of fishermen and
processors who have not directly
benefitted from the AFA from fishermen
and processors who have received
exclusive harvesting and processing
privileges under the AFA. Section
679.7(k)(1)(ii) prohibits listed AFA
catcher/processors from harvesting any
species of fish in the GOA.
Flathead sole ...............................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock .....................................................................
Other species ...............................................................................
Skates ..........................................................................................
Pacific cod ...................................................................................
Pelagic pollock .............................................................................
Rex sole .......................................................................................
Rockfish .......................................................................................
Sablefish ......................................................................................
Shallow-water flatfish ...................................................................
Other species ...............................................................................
Skates ..........................................................................................
Pacific cod ...................................................................................
Additionally, § 679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits
listed AFA catcher/processors from
processing any pollock harvested in a
directed pollock fishery in the GOA and
any groundfish harvested in Statistical
Area 630 of the GOA.
AFA catcher vessels that are less than
125 ft (38.1 m) LOA, have annual
landings of pollock in the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands less than 5,100 mt,
and have made at least 40 groundfish
landings from 1995 through 1997 are
exempt from GOA sideboard limits
under § 679.64(b)(2)(ii). Sideboard
limits for non-exempt AFA catcher
vessels in the GOA are based on their
traditional harvest levels of TAC in
groundfish fisheries covered by the
61
59
63
63
63
76
63
67
65
71
16
16
16
GOA FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii)
establishes the groundfish sideboard
limitations in the GOA based on the
retained catch of non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels of each sideboard
species from 1995 through 1997 divided
by the TAC for that species over the
same period. The final 2008 and 2009
non-exempt AFA catcher vessel
groundfish harvest sideboard limitations
are listed in Tables 14 and 15,
respectively. All catch of sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels, whether as targeted
catch or incidental catch, will be
deducted from the sideboard limits in
Tables 14 and 15.
TABLE 14.—FINAL 2008 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Pollock ...................................
Apportionments by season/
gear
A Season, January 20–
March 10.
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season, August 25–October 1.
D Season, October 1–November 1.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Annual ...................................
Pacific cod .............................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–
December 31.
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Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Area/
component
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
WYK (640) ............................
SEO (650) .............................
W inshore ..............................
W offshore ............................
C inshore ..............................
C offshore .............................
W inshore ..............................
W offshore ............................
C inshore ..............................
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.3499
0.3499
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
2008 TAC
3,322
6,215
3,069
3,321
7,576
1,709
5,480
2,695
4,431
5,479
2,695
4,431
1,517
8,240
10,502
1,167
15,350
1,706
7,002
778
10,233
2008 nonexempt AFA
catcher vessel
sideboard
2,030
887
748
2,030
1,081
417
3,349
385
1,080
3,349
385
1,080
531
2,883
1,494
120
1,108
123
996
80
739
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10577
TABLE 14.—FINAL 2008 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments by season/
gear
Annual ...................................
Flatfish deep-water ...............
Annual ...................................
Rex sole ................................
Annual ...................................
Flathead sole ........................
Annual ...................................
Flatfish shallow-water ...........
Annual ...................................
Arrowtooth flounder ...............
Annual ...................................
Sablefish ...............................
Annual, trawl gear .................
Pacific ocean perch ..............
Annual ...................................
Shortraker rockfish ................
Annual ...................................
Rougheye rockfish ................
Annual ...................................
Other rockfish ........................
Annual ...................................
Northern rockfish ...................
Annual ...................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ............
Annual ...................................
Thornyhead rockfish .............
Annual ...................................
Big skates .............................
Annual ...................................
Longnose skates ...................
Annual ...................................
Other skates ..........................
DSR .......................................
Atka mackerel .......................
Other species ........................
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
1 The
2 The
...................................
...................................
...................................
...................................
Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Area/
component
C offshore .............................
E inshore ...............................
E offshore .............................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
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 ................................
0.0721
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
0.0309
0.0090
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
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2008 TAC
1,137
2,155
239
690
6,721
1,492
1,022
6,731
1,379
2,000
5,000
4,054
4,500
13,000
4,756
8,000
30,000
5,000
378
1,100
267
3,686
8,185
3,128
120
315
463
125
834
327
357
569
804
2,141
2,408
1,003
3,626
598
267
860
783
632
2,065
633
78
2,041
768
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2008 nonexempt AFA
catcher vessel
sideboard
82
17
2
0
450
26
1
271
21
7
131
19
70
777
60
17
927
10
0
79
13
230
709
146
0
7
6
0
20
4
1
117
0
1
81
0
0
4
8
26
24
6
19
6
1
18
7
19
1
46
41
10578
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 15.—FINAL 2009 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments by season/
gear
Area/component
Pollock .....................................
A Season, January 20–March
10.
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season, August 25–October
1.
D Season, October 1–November 1.
Annual .....................................
Pacific cod ...............................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–December 31.
Annual .....................................
Flatfish deep-water ..................
Annual .....................................
Rex sole ...................................
Annual .....................................
Flathead sole ...........................
Annual .....................................
Flatfish shallow-water ..............
Annual .....................................
Arrowtooth flounder .................
Annual .....................................
Sablefish ..................................
Annual, trawl gear ...................
Pacific ocean perch .................
Annual .....................................
Shortraker rockfish ..................
Annual .....................................
Rougheye rockfish ...................
Annual .....................................
Other rockfish ..........................
Annual .....................................
Northern rockfish .....................
Annual .....................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...............
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Annual .....................................
Thornyhead rockfish ................
Annual .....................................
Big skates ................................
Annual .....................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
WYK (640) ...............................
SEO (650) ...............................
W inshore ................................
W offshore ...............................
C inshore .................................
C offshore ................................
W inshore ................................
W offshore ...............................
C inshore .................................
C offshore ................................
E inshore .................................
E offshore ................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
Fmt 4701
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E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
0.6112
0.1427
8,367
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.6112
0.1427
0.2438
0.3499
0.3499
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
0.1423
0.1026
0.0722
0.0721
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
27FER3
2009
TAC
2009 nonexempt AFA
catcher vessel
sideboard
4,472
2,733
1,194
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
3,628
5,966
7,378
3,628
5,966
2,042
8,240
10,502
1,167
15,350
1,706
7,002
778
10,233
1,137
2,155
239
707
6,927
1,538
948
6,241
1,279
2,000
5,000
4,215
4,500
13,000
4,756
8,000
30,000
5,000
345
1,005
244
3,704
8,225
3,143
120
315
463
142
830
325
357
569
804
2,047
2,302
986
3,566
588
267
860
783
632
2,065
1,008
2,733
1,455
561
4,509
518
1,455
4,509
518
1,455
714
2,883
1,494
120
1,108
123
996
80
739
82
17
2
0
464
26
1
251
20
7
131
20
70
777
60
17
927
10
0
72
12
231
712
146
0
7
6
0
20
4
1
117
0
1
77
0
0
4
8
26
24
6
19
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10579
TABLE 15.—FINAL 2009 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments by season/
gear
Longnose skates .....................
Annual .....................................
Other skates ............................
DSR .........................................
Atka mackerel ..........................
Other species ..........................
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
1 The
2 The
Ratio of 1995–
1997 nonexempt AFA
CV catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Area/component
.....................................
.....................................
.....................................
.....................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
GW ..........................................
SEO .........................................
Gulfwide ...................................
Gulfwide ...................................
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0090
0.0020
0.0309
0.0090
2009 nonexempt AFA
catcher vessel
sideboard
2009
TAC
633
78
2,041
768
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
6
1
18
7
19
1
46
41
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 limits for nonexempt 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)). Table 16
lists the final 2008 and 2009 non-
exempt AFA catcher vessel halibut PSC
limits for vessels using trawl gear in the
GOA.
TABLE 16.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL HALIBUT PROHIBITED
SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA
[Values are in metric tons]
Ratio of 1995–
1997 non-exempt
AFA CV retained
catch to total
retained catch
Season
Target fishery
1 ........................
January 20–April 1 .................
2 ........................
April 1–July 1 .........................
3 ........................
July 1–September 1 ...............
4 ........................
September 1–October 1 ........
5 ........................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Seasonal
allowance
October 1–December 31 .......
shallow-water .........................
deep-water .............................
shallow-water .........................
deep-water .............................
shallow-water .........................
deep-water .............................
shallow-water .........................
deep-water .............................
all targets ...............................
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish
Harvest Limitations
Section 680.22 establishes groundfish
catch limits for vessels with a history of
participation in the Bering Sea snow
crab fishery from using the increased
flexibility provided by the Crab
Rationalization Program to expand their
level of participation in the GOA
groundfish fisheries. These sideboard
limits restrict these vessels’ catch to
their collective historical landings in
each GOA groundfish fishery (except
the fixed-gear sablefish fishery).
Sideboard limits also will apply to catch
made using a License Limitation
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.205
Program (LLP) license derived from the
history of a restricted vessel, even if that
LLP license is used on another vessel.
Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab
vessels in the GOA are based on their
traditional harvest levels of TAC in
groundfish fisheries covered by the
GOA FMP. Section 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. The 2008 and 2009 final GOA
non-AFA crab vessel groundfish harvest
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
2008 and 2009
PSC limit
450
100
100
300
200
400
150
0
300
2008 and 2009
non-exempt
AFA CV PSC limit
153
7
34
21
68
28
51
0
61
sideboard limits are listed in Tables 17
and 18. All targeted or incidental catch
of sideboard species made by non-AFA
crab vessels will be deducted from the
sideboard limits in Tables 17 and 18.
Vessels exempt from Pacific cod
sideboards are those that landed less
than 45,359 kilograms of Bering Sea
snow crab and more than 500 mt of
groundfish (in round weight
equivalents) from the GOA between
January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2000,
and any vessel named on an LLP that
was generated in whole or in part by the
fishing history of a vessel meeting the
criteria in § 680.22(a)(3).
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
10580
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 17.—FINAL 2008 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Pollock ...................................
Season/gear
Area/component
A Season, January 20–
March 10.
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season, August 25–October 1.
D Season, October 1–November 1.
Annual ...................................
Pacific cod .............................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–
December 31.
Annual ...................................
Annual ...................................
Rex sole ................................
Annual ...................................
Flathead sole ........................
Annual ...................................
Flatfish shallow-water ...........
Annual ...................................
Arrowtooth flounder ...............
Annual ...................................
Sablefish ...............................
Annual, trawl gear .................
Pacific ocean perch ..............
Annual ...................................
Shortraker rockfish ................
Annual ...................................
Rougheye rockfish ................
Annual ...................................
Other rockfish ........................
Annual ...................................
Northern rockfish ...................
Annual ...................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ............
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Flatfish deep-water ...............
Annual ...................................
Thornyhead rockfish .............
Annual ...................................
Big skate ...............................
Annual ...................................
Longnose skate .....................
Annual ...................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
WYK (640) ............................
SEO (650) .............................
W inshore ..............................
W offshore ............................
C inshore ..............................
C offshore .............................
W inshore ..............................
W offshore ............................
C inshore ..............................
C offshore .............................
E inshore ...............................
E offshore .............................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
E ............................................
W ...........................................
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0000
0.0000
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
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
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
2008 TAC
3,322
6,215
3,069
3,321
7,576
1,709
5,480
2,695
4,431
5,479
2,695
4,431
1,517
8,240
10,502
1,167
15,350
1,706
7,002
778
10,233
1,137
2,155
239
690
6,721
1,492
1,022
6,731
1,379
2,000
5,000
4,054
4,500
13,000
4,756
8,000
30,000
5,000
378
1,100
267
3,686
8,185
3,128
120
315
463
125
834
327
357
569
804
2,141
2,408
1,003
3,626
598
267
860
783
632
2,065
633
78
2008 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
33
19
1
33
23
0
54
8
1
54
8
1
0
0
947
239
588
354
632
159
392
236
24
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
27
1
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
1
2
0
1
0
2
0
0
1
6
4
25
33
0
3
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10581
TABLE 17.—FINAL 2008 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Other skates ..........................
Demersal shelf rockfish ........
Atka mackerel .......................
Other species ........................
1 The
2 The
Season/gear
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
Area/component
...................................
...................................
...................................
...................................
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
C ...........................................
E ............................................
Gulfwide ................................
SEO ......................................
Gulfwide ................................
Gulfwide ................................
2008 TAC
0.0159
0.0000
0.0176
0.0000
0.0000
0.0176
2,041
768
2,014
382
1,500
4,500
2008 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
32
0
35
0
0
79
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 18.—FINAL 2009 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
Pollock .....................................
A Season, January 20–March
10.
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
Shumagin (610) .......................
Chirikof (620) ...........................
Kodiak (630) ............................
WYK (640) ...............................
SEO (650) ...............................
W inshore ................................
W offshore ...............................
C inshore .................................
C offshore ................................
W inshore ................................
W offshore ...............................
C inshore .................................
C offshore ................................
E inshore .................................
E offshore ................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season, August 25–October
1.
D Season, October 1–November 1.
Annual .....................................
Pacific cod ...............................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–December 31.
Annual .....................................
Flatfish deep-water ..................
Annual .....................................
Rex sole ...................................
Annual .....................................
Flathead sole ...........................
Annual .....................................
Flatfish shallow-water ..............
Annual .....................................
Arrowtooth flounder .................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
Annual .....................................
Sablefish ..................................
Annual, trawl gear ...................
Pacific ocean perch .................
Annual .....................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:01 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
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Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0000
0.0000
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
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
27FER3
2009
TAC
4,472
8,367
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
3,628
5,966
7,378
3,628
5,966
2,042
8,240
10,502
1,167
15,350
1,706
7,002
778
10,233
1,137
2,155
239
707
6,927
1,538
948
6,241
1,279
2,000
5,000
4,215
4,500
13,000
4,756
8,000
30,000
5,000
345
1,005
244
3,704
8,225
2009 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
44
26
1
44
32
0
72
11
1
72
11
1
0
0
947
239
588
354
632
159
392
236
24
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
27
1
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
10582
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 18.—FINAL 2009 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Season/gear
Shortraker rockfish ..................
Annual .....................................
Rougheye rockfish ...................
Annual .....................................
Other rockfish ..........................
Annual .....................................
Northern rockfish .....................
Annual .....................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...............
Annual .....................................
Thornyhead rockfish ................
Annual .....................................
Big skate ..................................
Annual .....................................
Longnose skate .......................
Annual .....................................
Other skates ............................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...........
Atka mackerel ..........................
Other species ..........................
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
1 The
2 The
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
Area/component
.....................................
.....................................
.....................................
.....................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
W .............................................
C ..............................................
E ..............................................
Gulfwide ...................................
SEO .........................................
Gulfwide ...................................
Gulfwide ...................................
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
2009
TAC
3,143
120
315
463
124
830
325
357
569
804
2,047
2,302
986
3,566
588
267
860
783
632
2,065
633
78
2,041
768
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2009 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
1
2
0
1
0
2
0
0
1
6
4
25
33
0
3
32
0
37
0
0
79
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
Rockfish Program Groundfish
Sideboard Limitations and Halibut
Mortality Limitations
Section 679.82(d)(7) establishes
sideboards to limit the ability of
participants eligible for the Rockfish
Program to harvest fish in fisheries other
than the Central GOA rockfish fisheries.
The Rockfish Program provides certain
economic advantages to harvesters.
Harvesters could use this economic
advantage to increase their participation
in other fisheries, adversely affecting the
participants in other fisheries. The final
sideboards for 2008 and 2009 limit the
total amount of catch that could be
taken by eligible harvesters and limit
the amount of halibut mortality to
historic levels. The sideboard measures
are in effect only during the month of
July. Traditionally, the Central GOA
rockfish fisheries opened in July. The
sideboards are designed to restrict
fishing during the historical season for
the fishery, but allow eligible rockfish
harvesters to participate in fisheries
before or after the historical rockfish
season. The sideboard provisions are
discussed in detail in the proposed rule
(71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006) and final
rule (71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006,
and 72 FR 37678, July 11, 2007) for the
Rockfish Program. Tables 19 and 20 list
the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish
Program harvest limits in the WYK
District and the Western GOA. Table 21
lists the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish
Program halibut mortality limits for
catcher/processors and catcher vessels.
TABLE 19.—FINAL 2008 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN
REGULATORY AREA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR (CP) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
CP sector
(% of TAC)
Fishery
West Yakutat District ....................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
Management area
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Northern rockfish ..........................
Western Regulatory Area .............
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
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Fmt 4701
CV sector
(% of TAC)
72.4
76.0
63.3
61.1
78.9
1.7
2.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
2008 TAC
251
1,100
1,003
3,686
2,141
27FER3
2008 CP
limit
182
836
635
2,252
1,689
2008 CV
limit
4
32
0
0
0
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10583
TABLE 20.—FINAL 2009 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN
REGULATORY AREA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR (CP) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
CP sector
(% of TAC)
Management area
Fishery
West Yakutat District ....................
CV sector
(% of TAC)
72.4
76.0
63.3
61.1
78.9
1.7
2.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Northern rockfish ..........................
Western Regulatory Area .............
2009 TAC
2009 CP
limit
247
1,105
986
3,704
2,047
2009 CV
limit
179
840
624
2,263
1,615
4
32
0
0
0
TABLE 21.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR AND
CATCHER VESSEL SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Shallow-water
complex halibut
PSC sideboard
ratio
Sector
Catcher/processor ..................................
Catcher vessel .......................................
Deep-water
complex halibut
PSC sideboard
ratio
0.54
6.32
Gulf of Alaska Amendment 80 Vessel
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Section 679.92 establishes groundfish
harvesting sideboard limits on all
Amendment 80 vessels, other than the
F/V GOLDEN FLEECE, to amounts no
greater than the limits shown in Table
37 to part 679. Sideboard limits in the
GOA are for pollock in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas and in the
WYK District, for Pacific cod gulfwide,
for Pacific ocean perch and pelagic shelf
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area
and WYK District, and for northern
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area.
Annual halibut
mortality limit (mt)
3.99
1.08
Annual
shallow-water
complex halibut
PSC sideboard
limit (mt)
2,000
2,000
The harvest of Pacific ocean perch,
pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern
rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area
of the GOA is subject to regulation
under the Central GOA Rockfish
Program. Amendment 80 vessels not
qualified under the Rockfish Program
are excluded from directed fishing for
these rockfish species in the Central
GOA. Under regulations, the F/V
GOLDEN FLEECE is prohibited from
directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod,
Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf
rockfish, and northern rockfish in the
GOA. These sideboard limits are
necessary to protect the interests of
11
126
Annual
deep-water
complex
halibut PSC
sideboard limit
(mt)
80
22
fishermen who do not directly benefit
from Amendment 80 from expansion
into their fisheries by the Amendment
80 participants.
Groundfish sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 vessels operating in the
GOA are based on their average
aggregate harvests from 1998 to 2004.
Tables 22 and 23 list the final 2008 and
2009 sideboard limits for Amendment
80 vessels, respectively. All targeted or
incidental catch of sideboard species
made by Amendment 80 vessels will be
deducted from the sideboard limits in
Tables 22 and 23.
TABLE 22.—FINAL 2008 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels 1998–
2004 catch to
TAC
Species
Apportionments and
allocations by season
Area
Pollock ...................................
A Season, January 20–February 25.
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.002
0.020
0.044
0.020
0.044
3,322
6,215
3,069
3,321
7,576
1,709
5,480
2,695
4,431
5,479
2,695
4,431
1,517
11,669
17,056
7,780
11,370
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
WYK (640) ............................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season August 25–September 15.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with RULES3
2008 TAC (mt)
D Season, October 1–November 1.
Pacific cod .............................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Annual ...................................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–
December 31.
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E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
2008
Amendment
80
vessel
sideboard
limits (mt)
10
12
6
10
15
3
16
5
9
16
5
9
3
233
750
156
500
10584
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 22.—FINAL 2008 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels 1998–
2004 catch to
TAC
Species
Apportionments and
allocations by season
Area
Pacific ocean perch ..............
Annual ...................................
Annual ...................................
Northern rockfish ...................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ............
Annual ...................................
Annual ...................................
2008 TAC (mt)
0.034
0.994
0.961
1.000
0.764
0.896
2,394
3,686
1,100
2,141
1,003
251
WYK ......................................
W ...........................................
WYK ......................................
W ...........................................
W ...........................................
WYK ......................................
1
2
2008
Amendment
80
vessel
sideboard
limits (mt)
81
3,664
1,057
2,141
766
225
The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 23.—FINAL 2009 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels 1998–
2004 catch to
TAC
Species
Apportionments and
allocations by season
Area
Pollock ...................................
A Season, January 20–February 25.
2009 TAC (mt)
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.002
0.020
0.044
0.020
0.044
0.034
0.994
0.961
1.000
0.764
0.896
4,472
8,367
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
3,628
5,966
7,398
3,628
5,966
2,042
11,669
17,056
7,780
11,370
2,394
3,704
1,105
2,047
986
247
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
Shumagin (610) ....................
Chirikof (620) ........................
Kodiak (630) .........................
WYK (640) ............................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
W ...........................................
C ...........................................
WYK ......................................
W ...........................................
WYK ......................................
W ...........................................
W ...........................................
WYK ......................................
B Season, March 10–May 31
C Season, August 25–September 15.
D Season, October 1–November 1.
Pacific ocean perch ..............
Annual ...................................
A Season 1, January 1–June
10.
B Season 2, September 1–
December 31.
Annual ...................................
Annual ...................................
Northern rockfish ...................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ............
Annual ...................................
Annual ...................................
Pacific cod .............................
1
2
2009
Amendment
80
vessel
sideboard
limits (mt)
13
17
8
13
20
5
22
7
12
22
7
12
0
233
750
156
500
81
3,682
1,062
2,047
753
221
The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The PSC sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 vessels in the GOA are
based on the historic use of halibut PSC
by Amendment 80 vessels in each PSC
target category from 1998 through 2004
(Table 38 to 50 CFR part 679). These
values are slightly lower than the
average historic use to accommodate
two factors: allocation of halibut PSC
Cooperative Quotas (CQs) under the
Central GOA Rockfish Program and the
exemption of the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE
from this restriction. Table 24 lists the
final 2008 and 2009 halibut PSC limits
for Amendment 80 vessels.
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TABLE 24.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS IN
THE GOA
Historic
Amendment
80 use of the
annual halibut
PSC limit
catch
Seasonal
allowance
Season
Target fishery
1 ...............
January 20–April 1 ..............................
2 ...............
April 1–July 1 .......................................
shallow-water .......................................
deep-water ...........................................
shallow-water .......................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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Frm 00024
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
2008 and
2009 annual
PSC limit (mt)
0.0048
0.0115
0.0189
2,000
2,000
2,000
E:\FR\FM\27FER3.SGM
27FER3
2008 and
2009
Amendment
80
vessel PSC
limit (mt)
10
23
38
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
10585
TABLE 24.—FINAL 2008 AND 2009 HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS IN
THE GOA—Continued
Seasonal
allowance
Season
3 ...............
July 1–September 1 ............................
4 ...............
September 1–October 1 ......................
5 ...............
October 1–December 31 .....................
Historic
Amendment
80 use of the
annual halibut
PSC limit
catch
Target fishery
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 allocated or apportioned to a
fishery will be reached; or (2) with
respect to pollock and Pacific cod, that
2008 and
2009 annual
PSC limit (mt)
0.1072
0.0146
0.0521
0.0074
0.0014
0.0227
0.0371
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
deep-water ...........................................
shallow-water .......................................
deep-water ...........................................
shallow-water .......................................
deep-water ...........................................
shallow-water .......................................
deep-water ...........................................
an allocation or apportionment to an
inshore or offshore component
allocation will be reached, the Regional
Administrator may establish a DFA for
that species or species group. If the
Regional Administrator establishes a
DFA and that allowance is or will be
reached before the end of the fishing
year, NMFS will prohibit directed
2008 and
2009
Amendment
80
vessel PSC
limit (mt)
214
29
104
15
3
45
74
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 25 are necessary as
incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the
2008 and 2009 fishing years.
TABLE 25.—2008 AND 2009 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA
[Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
Target
Area/component/gear
Atka mackerel ........................................................................................................................
Thornyhead rockfish ...............................................................................................................
Shortraker rockfish .................................................................................................................
Rougheye rockfish .................................................................................................................
all
all
all
all
Other rockfish .........................................................................................................................
Sablefish .................................................................................................................................
all ....................................................
trawl ................................................
Big skates ...............................................................................................................................
Longnose skates ....................................................................................................................
Other skates ...........................................................................................................................
Pollock ....................................................................................................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all/offshore ......................................
1 Pollock
1,500
1,910
898
1,286 (2008)
1,279 (2009)
1,730
1,745 (2008)
1,595 (2009)
3,300
2,887
2,104
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 DFA for
the species or species groups listed in
Table 25 as zero. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for
those species, areas, gear types, and
components in the GOA listed in Table
25. These closures will remain in effect
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2009.
Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for
management of AFA catcher vessel
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....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
Amount
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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groundfish harvest limits and PSC
bycatch limits using directed fishing
closures and PSC closures according to
procedures set out at § 679.20(d)(1)(iv),
679.21(d)(8), and 679.21(e)(3)(v). The
Regional Administrator has determined
that, in addition to the closures listed
above, many of the non-exempt AFA
catcher vessel sideboard limits listed in
Tables 14 and 15 are necessary as
incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the
2008 and 2009 fishing years. In
accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the
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Sfmt 4700
Regional Administrator sets the DFAs
for the species and species groups in
Table 26 at 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 Table 26. These closures will
remain in effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2009.
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TABLE 26.—2008 AND 2009 NON-EXEMPT AFA CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR ALL
GEAR TYPES IN THE GOA
[Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
Regulatory area/district
Amount
Pacific cod ................................................................................
Eastern .....................................................................................
Deep-water flatfish ...................................................................
Rex sole ...................................................................................
Flathead sole ...........................................................................
Western ....................................................................................
Western ....................................................................................
Eastern and Western ...............................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ..................................................................
Northern rockfish ......................................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...............................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...........................................................
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Species
Eastern and Western ...............................................................
Western ....................................................................................
Entire GOA ..............................................................................
SEO District .............................................................................
17 (inshore)
2 (offshore).
0.
1.
19 and 7 (2008)
20 and 70 (2009).
17 and 10.
1.
0(W), 0(C), 4(E).
1.
Section 680.22 provides for the
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 the
non-AFA crab vessel sideboards listed
in Tables 17 and 18 are insufficient to
support a directed fishery and set the
sideboard DFA at zero, with the
exception of Pacific cod in the Western
and Central Regulatory Areas.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 680.22(e)(3), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing by non-AFA crab
vessels in the GOA for all species and
species groups listed in Tables 17 and
18, with the exception of Pacific cod in
the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas.
Section 679.82 provides for the
management of Rockfish Program
sideboard limits using directed fishing
closures in accordance with
§ 679.82(d)(7)(i) and (ii). The Regional
Administrator has determined that the
catcher vessel sideboards listed in
Tables 19 and 20 are insufficient to
support a directed fishery and set the
sideboard DFA at zero. Therefore,
NMFS is closing directed fishing for
pelagic shelf rockfish and Pacific ocean
perch in the WYK District and the
Western Regulatory Area and for
northern rockfish in the Western
Regulatory Area by catcher vessels
participating in the Central GOA
Rockfish Program during the month of
July in 2008 and 2009. These closures
will remain in effect through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2009.
Under authority of the final 2007
specifications (72 FR 9676, March 5,
2007), pollock fishing opened on
January 20, 2008, for the 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, 2008 (73 FR 4493,
January 25, 2008), until 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
March 10, 2008. NMFS closed Statistical
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19:38 Feb 26, 2008
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Area 630 to directed fishing for pollock
effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 22,
2008 (73 FR 4494, January 25, 2008),
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 25, 2008,
and 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 27, 2008,
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2008 (73
FR 5128, January 29, 2008). NMFS
rescinds the closure in the Chiniak
Gully Research Area of the GOA to all
commercial trawl fishing and testing of
trawl gear from August 1 to September
20, 2008 (73 FR 1555, January 9, 2008).
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for
species that comprise the shallow-water
species fishery by Amendment 80
vessels subject to sideboard limits in the
GOA effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January
23, 2008 (73 FR 4760, January 28, 2008),
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 29, 2008
(73 FR 6055, February 1, 2008). NMFS
prohibited directed fishing for the A
season allowance of the 2008 Pacific
cod sideboard limits apportioned to
non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component in the Western Regulatory
Area of the GOA effective 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., February 4, 2008, until September
1, 2008 (73 FR 7224, February 7, 2008).
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for
the A season allowance of the 2008
Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned
to non-AFA crab vessels catching
Pacific cod for processing by the inshore
component in the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA effective 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., February 9, 2008, until September
1, 2008 (73 FR 8229, February 13, 2008).
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for
Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component of the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA, effective 12 noon,
Alaska local time, February 20, 2008,
through September 1, 2008 (73 FR
XXXX, February XX, 2008). 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
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Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679.
NMFS may implement other closures
during the 2008 and 2009 fishing years
as necessary for effective conservation
and management.
Response to Comments
NMFS received two letters of
comment (five comments) in response to
the proposed 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications. These comments are
summarized and responded to below.
Comment 1: Explain why the catch
specifications as reported in the
proposed harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register do not
match the actual numbers discussed and
recommended by the Groundfish Plan
Teams, Scientific and Statistical
Committee, or the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council in December 2007.
Response: NMFS’s primary objective
in the harvest specifications process is
the conservation and management of
fish resources. The harvest
specifications process was developed to
balance the use of the best available
scientific information from the most
recent Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) reports with the
notice and comment procedures
required by the Administrative
Procedure Act that allow public
participation in the development of
rules for more informed agency decision
making. Chapter 3 of the Alaska
Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final
Environmental Impact Statement,
January 2007, provides a detailed
description of the harvest specifications
process and is available on the NMFS
website at https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
analyses/specs/eis/final.pdf.
As explained in the proposed harvest
specifications, the Council
recommended the proposed harvest
specifications for 2008 and 2009 in
October 2007. NMFS then published the
proposed harvest specifications in the
Federal Register (72 FR 68810,
December 6, 2007, and 72 FR 68833,
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
December 6, 2007). The Council used
the best information available to
recommend that proposed 2008 and
2009 overfishing levels (OFLs),
acceptable biological catches (ABCs),
and total allowable catches (TACs) be
set equal to the 2008 amounts
previously published in the Federal
Register (72 FR 9451, March 2, 2007,
and 72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007). The
proposed harvest specifications were
based largely on information contained
in the 2006 SAFE reports for the GOA
groundfish fisheries, dated November
2006, because the 2007 SAFE reports
were not completed until November
2007.
In November 2007, the 2007 SAFE
reports were forwarded to the Council
by the Council’s Groundfish Plan
Teams. The 2007 SAFE reports are
available on the NMFS Web site at
https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/stocks/
assessments.htm. The 2007 SAFE
reports contain the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition
of the groundfish stocks, including
projected biomass trends, information
on assumed distribution of stock
biomass, and revised methods used to
calculate stock biomass. In December
2007, the Council developed
recommendations for the final harvest
specifications based on the new
information in the 2007 SAFE reports,
public testimony, and the Scientific and
Statistical Committee’s reviews of the
SAFE reports and recommendations.
NMFS reviewed the Council’s final
harvest specifications recommendations
and public comments on the proposed
harvest specifications, and determined
that the final harvest specifications (1)
were set using the most recent scientific
information according to the harvest
strategy, (2) are within the optimum
yield established for the GOA, and (3)
do not exceed the ABC for any single
species or species complex.
Comment 2: Cut all quotas by 50
percent this year and by 10 percent each
year thereafter.
Response: The decisions on the
amount of harvest are based on the best
available science and socioeconomic
considerations. NMFS finds that the
ABCs and TACs are consistent with the
biological condition of the groundfish
stocks as described in the 2007 SAFE
reports and approved by the Council.
See response to comment 1.
Comment 3: It is difficult to
understand the process in which NMFS
addresses the impacts of the Federal
groundfish fisheries on the North Pacific
ecosystem. No existing National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
document adequately assesses the
effects of the total allowable catch levels
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19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
under current circumstances. Removing
millions of tons of fish from the
ecosystem using various types of gear,
including trawl gear, is likely to have
significant effects on the environment,
and on fish habitat in particular. Given
prevailing ecological and ecosystem
conditions and the implications of
fishery removals, NMFS must prepare
an EIS to evaluate the impacts of the
2008 and 2009 harvest specifications.
Response: NMFS analyzed the
impacts of the Federal groundfish
fisheries on the North Pacific ecosystem
in the Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Final Environmental
Impact Statement, January 2007. The
EIS examined alternative harvest
strategies and projected TAC levels for
the federally managed groundfish
fisheries in the GOA that comply with
Federal regulations, the FMPs, and the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. The preferred
harvest strategy prescribes setting TACs
for groundfish species and species
complexes through the Council’s
harvest specifications process.
Each year, NMFS and the Council
utilize the best available scientific
information to derive annual harvest
specifications, which include TACs and
prohibited species catch limits for the
following two years. The Council’s
Groundfish Plan Teams and Scientific
and Statistical Committee use stock
assessments to calculate biomass,
overfishing levels, and ABC limits for
each species or species group for
specified management areas. The annual
SAFE reports include an ecosystem
considerations chapter which is used by
the stock assessment scientists in the
development of the assessments and the
recommended ABCs. The SAFE reports
detail how ecosystem considerations are
incorporated into the assessment
process.
Overfishing levels and ABCs provide
the foundation for the Council and
NMFS to develop the TACs. Overfishing
levels and ABC amounts reflect fishery
science, applied pursuant to the
requirements of the FMPs. The TACs
recommended by the Council are either
at or below the ABCs. The sum of the
TACs for each area is constrained by the
optimum yield established for that area.
The EIS evaluated the consequences
of alternative harvest strategies and
projected TAC levels on ecosystem
components and the ecosystem as a
whole. Chapter 2 of the Groundfish EIS
points to the implications of overall
declines in pollock and Pacific cod
biomass, discusses the resulting
decreases in TACs for those species, and
identifies potential increases in flatfish
TACs. These changes in abundance and
TAC levels were evaluated in the EIS.
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10587
The EIS assessed the environmental
consequences of each alternative on
target species, non-specified species,
forage species, prohibited species,
marine mammals, seabirds, essential
fish habitat, ecosystem relationships,
the economy, and environmental
justice. Ecosystem impacts were
evaluated with respect to predator-prey
relationships, energy flow and balance,
and diversity.
NMFS also prepared a Supplemental
Information Report to evaluate the need
to prepare a Supplemental EIS for the
2008 and 2009 groundfish harvest
specifications. The Supplemental
Information Report is available on the
NMFS Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/analyses/specs/eis/
default.htm. A Supplemental EIS is
required if (1) the agency makes
substantial changes in the proposed
action that are relevant to
environmental concerns, or (2)
significant new circumstances or
information exists relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts (40
CFR 1502.9(c)(1)).
In this report, NMFS analyzed the
information contained in the Council’s
2007 SAFE reports and other
information available to NMFS and the
Council to determine whether a
Supplemental EIS should be prepared.
As described in the report, NMFS
concluded that the 2008 and 2009
harvest specifications are consistent
with the preferred alternative harvest
strategy analyzed in the EIS because
they were set through the harvest
specifications process pursuant to the
selected harvest strategy, are within the
optimum yield established for the GOA,
and do not exceed the ABC for any
single species or species complex. The
preferred harvest strategy analyzed in
the EIS anticipated that new
information on changes in species
abundance would be used in setting the
annual harvest specifications and was
designed to adjust to such fluctuations.
As described in the Supplemental
Information Report, the information
used to set the 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications is not significant relative
to the environmental impacts analyzed
in the EIS and it raises no new
environmental concerns significantly
different from those previously analyzed
in the EIS. The harvest specifications
process and the environmental
consequences of the selected harvest
strategy are fully described in the EIS.
Thus, NMFS concluded that the new
information available is not of a scale
and scope that would require a
Supplemental EIS.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 / Rules and Regulations
Comment 4: NEPA and the
Magnuson-Stevens Act require NMFS to
undertake a new, credible analysis of
habitat and bycatch impacts before
raising flatfish quotas. The Essential
Fish Habitat EIS and the Alaska
Groundfish Harvest Specifications EIS
are not sufficient to evaluate the
potential impacts, including bottom
habitat impacts, of an increase in the
flatfish harvests, the use of bottom
trawls, and redistribution of fishing
effort.
Response: NMFS has performed an
appropriate analysis of the potential
impacts, including bottom habitat
impacts, of an increase in the flatfish
harvests, the use of bottom trawls, and
redistribution of fishing effort. The
Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Final EIS (Groundfish
EIS, January 2007) based its conclusions
on the Final EIS for Essential Fish
Habitat Identification and Conservation
in Alaska (EFH EIS, April 2005,
available on the NMFS website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/habitat/seis/
efheis.htm) analysis and on the
extensive habitat protection measures
enacted after the EFH EIS was finalized.
The EFH EIS represents the best
available science and fully discloses the
uncertainties in understanding the
impacts of fishing on EFH. The EFH EIS
concludes that the effects on EFH are
minimal, although some may be
persistent, because the analysis found
no indication that continued fishing
activities at the current rate and
intensity would alter the capacity of
EFH to support healthy populations of
managed species over the long term.
Due to the uncertainties identified in
the EFH EIS, the Council recommended,
and NMFS implemented, precautionary
measures to protect nearly 300,000
square nautical miles of habitat
identified as EFH and habitat areas of
particular concern from the effects of
fishing activities in the Aleutian Islands
and GOA (71 FR 36694, June 28, 2006).
Additionally, the Council
recommended habitat protection
measures for the Bering Sea under
Amendment 89. Amendment 89, if
approved by the Secretary, would close
portions of the Bering Sea to nonpelagic trawling, including flatfish
fishing, to ensure fishing remained in
historically fished areas and prevent
substantial redistribution of effort from
increased TAC levels. This amendment
and proposed rule is scheduled to be
published in the spring and, if
approved, implemented by fall 2008. A
draft Environmental Assessment was
prepared for that action. It analyzes the
impacts of bottom trawl gear on habitat
in the Bering Sea and the impacts from
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
closing these specific areas to bottom
trawl gear. The draft Environmental
Assessment is available on the NMFS
website at https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
npfmc/current_issues/BSHC/
BSHC307.pdf.
The Groundfish EIS projects increases
in flatfish TACs under the preferred
harvest strategy and under Alternative
1. Chapter 2 of the Groundfish EIS
points to the implications of overall
declines in pollock and Pacific cod
biomass, discusses the resulting
decreases in TACs for those species, and
identifies potential increases in flatfish
TACs. Potential changes in flatfish
TACs are evaluated in the EIS where
changes in flatfish harvests may impact
resource components. For example,
there are discussions in Chapter 8 on
marine mammals, Chapter 10 on habitat,
Chapter 11 on ecosystem relationships,
and Chapter 12 on economic and social
factors. For habitat, the EIS concluded
that since flatfish are harvested with
bottom gear, the impacts to habitat may
increase with an increase in flatfish
TACs. However, increased TACs may
not lead to proportionate increases in
fishing activity or harvests, or benthic
habitat impacts. The flatfish fisheries
routinely do not harvest the full TAC
because of halibut PSC constraints and
limited marketability for some flatfish
species. The halibut PSC limits and the
marketability of some flatfish species,
such as arrowtooth flounder, are not
likely to change in 2008. Due to these
factors, actual flatfish harvest in 2008 is
likely to be lower than the predicted
TAC amounts.
Additionally, the EFH conservation
measures, closures of habitat areas of
particular concern, and other area
closures and gear restrictions
established in the FMPs protect areas of
ecological importance to the long-term
sustainability of managed species from
fishing impacts, regardless of the TAC
levels.
Thus, NMFS concluded that the
preferred harvest strategy impacts EFH
for managed species, but that the
available information does not identify
effects of fishing that are more than
minimal. An increase in flatfish TACs
would not change this conclusion
because of the existing habitat
protection measures and limits on the
actual flatfish harvests that prevent the
TACs from being fully harvested.
Additionally, the general location of the
fisheries, the fishing seasons, and the
gear used in the fisheries are not likely
to be changed by the 2008 and 2009
TAC changes.
Comment 5: Recent increases in the
amount of bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska
pollock fishery from 2005 to 2006
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Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
require substantial analysis not only
focused on bycatch, but also focused on
habitat impacts.
Response: The increase in incidental
catch of groundfish and Tanner crab
from 2005 to 2006 is attributed to the
increased use of bottom trawl gear to
target pollock and multiple species
during a single trip (pollock, flatfish,
and Pacific cod for example). Catches of
groundfish remain generally well below
the TAC levels previously analyzed for
their impacts on habitat. Estimates of
incidental catch of Tanner crab by a
particular gear type and target fishery
vary tremendously from year to year.
The incidental catch of Tanner crab in
all of the GOA groundfish fisheries
combined decreased from 0.2 percent in
2005 to 0.14 percent in 2006.
Classification
NMFS has determined that these final
specifications are consistent with the
FMP and with the Magnuson-Stevens
Act and other applicable laws.
This action is authorized under 50
CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
NMFS prepared a Final EIS for the
Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications and made it available to
the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR
1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS
issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for
the Final EIS. In January 2007 NMFS
prepared a Supplemental Information
Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of
the Final EIS, ROD, and SIR for this
action are available from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES). The Final EIS analyzes the
environmental consequences of the
groundfish harvest specifications and
alternative harvest strategies on
resources in the action area. The SIR
evaluates the need to prepare a
Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2008
and 2009 groundfish harvest
specifications.
A SEIS should be prepared if (1) the
agency makes substantial changes in the
proposed action that are relevant to
environmental concerns, or (2)
significant new circumstances or
information exist relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts (40
CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the
information contained in the SIR and
SAFE reports, the Administrator, Alaska
Region, has determined that (1)
approval of the 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications, which were set according
the preferred harvest strategy in the
Final EIS, do not constitute a change in
the action; and (2) there are no
significant new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental
concerns and bearing on the action or its
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impacts. Additionally, the 2008 and
2009 harvest specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope
of those analyzed and disclosed in the
Final EIS. Therefore, supplemental
National Environmental Protection Act
(NEPA) documentation is not necessary
to implement the 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications.
The proposed harvest specifications
were published in the Federal Register
on December 6, 2007 (72 FR 68810). An
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(IRFA) was prepared to evaluate the
impacts on small entities of alternative
harvest strategies for the groundfish
fisheries in the Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) off Alaska on small entities.
The public comment period ended on
January 16, 2007. No comments were
received regarding the IRFA or the
economic impacts of this action. A Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)
was prepared that meets the statutory
requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by
the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5
U.S.C. 601–612). Copies of the IRFA and
FRFA prepared for this action are
available from NMFS, Alaska Region
(see ADDRESSES). A summary of the
FRFA follows.
The action under consideration is a
harvest strategy to govern the harvest of
groundfish in the GOA. The preferred
alternative is the status quo harvest
strategy in which TACs fall within the
range of ABCs recommended by the
Council’s harvest specifications process
and TACs recommended by the Council.
This action is taken in accordance with
the FMP prepared by the Council
pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The directly regulated small entities
include approximately 747 small
catcher vessels and fewer than 20 small
catcher/processors. The entities directly
regulated by this action are those that
harvest groundfish in the EEZ of the
GOA, and in parallel fisheries within
State of Alaska waters. These include
entities operating catcher vessels and
catcher/processor vessels within the
action area, and entities receiving direct
allocations of groundfish. Catcher
vessels and catcher/processors were
considered to be small entities if they
had annual gross receipts of $4 million
per year or less from all economic
activities, including the revenue of their
affiliated operations. Data from 2005
were the most recent available to
determine the number of small entities.
Estimates of first wholesale gross
revenues for the GOA were used as
indices of the potential impacts of the
alternative harvest strategies on small
entities. An index of revenues was
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projected to decline under the preferred
alternative due to declines in ABCs for
key species in the GOA. The index of
revenues declined by less than 4 percent
between 2007 and 2008 and by less than
one percent between 2007 and 2009.
The preferred alternative (Alternative
2) was compared to four other
alternatives. These included Alternative
1, which would have set TACs to
generate fishing rates equal to the
maximum permissible ABC (if the full
TAC were harvested), unless the sum of
TACs exceeded the GOA OY, in which
case harvests would be limited to the
OY. Alternative 3 would have set TACs
to produce fishing rates equal to the
most recent five-year average fishing
rate. Alternative 4 would have set TACs
to equal the lower limit of the GOA OY
range. Alternative 5 would have set
TACs equal to zero. Alternative 5 is the
‘‘no action’’ alternative.
Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 were all
associated with smaller levels for
important fishery TACs than Alternative
2. Estimated total first wholesale gross
revenues were used as an index of
potential adverse impacts to small
entities. As a consequence of the lower
TAC levels, Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 all
had smaller of these first wholesale
revenue indices than Alternative 2.
Thus, Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 had
greater adverse impacts on small
entities. Alternative 1 appeared to
generate higher values of the gross
revenue index for fishing operations in
the GOA than Alternative 2. A large part
of the Alternative 1 GOA revenue
appears to be due to the assumption that
the full Alternative 1 TAC would be
harvested. This increased revenue is
due to increases in flatfish TACs that
were much higher for Alternative 1 than
for Alternative 2. In recent years, halibut
bycatch constraints in these fisheries
have kept actual flatfish catches from
reaching Alternative 1 levels. Therefore,
a large part of the revenues associated
with Alternative 1 is unlikely to occur.
Also, Alternative 2 TACs are
constrained by the ABCs the Plan Teams
and SSC are likely to recommend to the
Council on the basis of a full
consideration of biological issues. These
ABCs are often less than Alternative 1’s
maximum permissible ABCs. Therefore
higher TACs under Alternative 1 may
not be consistent with prudent
biological management of the resource.
For these reasons, Alternative 2 is the
preferred alternative.
This action does not modify
recordkeeping or reporting
requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or
conflict with any Federal rules.
Adverse impacts on marine mammals
resulting from fishing activities
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10589
conducted under this rule are discussed
in the Final EIS (see ADDRESSES).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in effectiveness for this
rule. Plan Team review occurred in
November 2007, Council consideration
and recommendations in December
2007, and NOAA Fisheries review and
development in January-February 2008.
For all fisheries not currently closed
because the TACs established under the
2007 and 2008 final harvest
specifications (72 FR 9676, March 5,
2007) were not reached, the likely
possibility exists that they will be
closed prior to the expiration of a 30day delayed effectiveness period
because their TACs could be reached.
Certain fisheries, such as those for
pollock and Pacific cod are intensive,
fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries,
such as those for flatfish, rockfish, and
‘‘other species,’’ are critical as directed
fisheries and as incidental catch in other
fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have
demonstrated the capacity to catch the
TAC allocations in these fisheries. Any
delay in allocating the final TACs in
these fisheries would cause disruption
to the industry and potential economic
harm through unnecessary discards.
Determining which fisheries may close
is impossible because these fisheries are
affected by several factors that cannot be
predicted in advance, including fishing
effort, weather, movement of fishery
stocks, and market price. Furthermore,
the closure of one fishery has a
cascading effect on other fisheries by
freeing-up fishing vessels, allowing
them to move from closed fisheries to
open ones, increasing the fishing
capacity in those open fisheries and
causing them to close at an accelerated
pace.
If the final harvest specifications are
not effective by March 8, 2008, 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 result in the
needless discard of sablefish that are
caught along with Pacific halibut as
both hook-and-line sablefish and Pacific
halibut are managed under the same IFQ
program. Immediate effectiveness of the
final 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications will allow the sablefish
fishery to begin concurrently with the
Pacific halibut season. Also, the
immediate effectiveness of this action is
required to provide consistent
management and conservation of fishery
resources based on the best available
scientific information, and to give the
fishing industry the earliest possible
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opportunity to plan its fishing
operations. Therefore NMFS finds good
cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
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Small Entity Compliance Guide
The following information is a plain
language guide to assist small entities in
complying with this final rule as
required by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996. This final rule’s primary purpose
is to announce the 2008 and 2009 final
harvest specifications and prohibited
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19:38 Feb 26, 2008
Jkt 214001
species bycatch allowances for the
groundfish fisheries of the GOA. This
action is necessary to establish harvest
limits and associated management
measures for groundfish during the 2008
and 2009 fishing years and to
accomplish the goals and objectives of
the FMP. This action affects all
fishermen who participate in the GOA
fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL,
ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in
tables to assist the reader. NMFS will
announce closures of directed fishing in
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the Federal Register and information
bulletins released by the Alaska Region.
Affected fishermen should keep
themselves informed of such closures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et
seq., 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 108–447.
Dated: February 19, 2008.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, For
Regulatory Services, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8–3531 Filed 2–26–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10562-10590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3531]
[[Page 10561]]
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Part III
Department of Commerce
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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50 CFR Part 679
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska;
2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2008 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 10562]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 071106671-8010-02]
RIN 0648-XD67
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; 2008 and 2009 Final Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications,
reserves and apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species
catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management
measures for groundfish during the 2008 and 2009 fishing years and to
accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The intended effect of this
action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act.
DATES: The 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications and associated
management measures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), February 27, 2008, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2009.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the
Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact
Statement (Final EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), and Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are available from
the Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Ellen
Sebastian, or from the Alaska Region Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2007 Stock Assessment and
Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the
GOA, dated November 2007, are available from the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council), 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306,
Anchorage, AK 99510-2252, phone 907-271-2809, or from its Web site at
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 groundfish fisheries in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify and apportion the total
allowable catch (TAC) for each target species and for the ``other
species'' category, and the sum of which must be within the optimum
yield (OY) range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt). The final
specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 26 of this document
satisfy this requirement. For 2008, the sum of the TAC amounts is
262,826 mt. For 2009, the sum of the TAC amounts is 279,264 mt.
50 CFR 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS to publish and solicit
public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut PSC amounts, and
seasonal allowances of pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific cod. The
proposed GOA groundfish specifications and Pacific halibut PSC
allowances for 2008 and 2009 were published in the Federal Register on
December 6, 2007 (72 FR 68810). Comments were invited and accepted
through January 7, 2008. NMFS received two letters of comment on the
proposed specifications. These letters of comment are summarized in the
Response to Comments section of this action. In December 2007, NMFS
consulted with the Council regarding the 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications. After considering public comments received, as well as
biological and economic data that were available at the Council's
December 2007 meeting, NMFS is implementing the 2008 and 2009 final
harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications
In December 2007, the Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), reviewed current biological
and harvest information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the
GOA. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and
was presented in the final 2007 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish
fisheries, dated November 2007 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report
contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of
each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information on the GOA ecosystem and the
economic condition of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From these
data and analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for each species or
species category.
The final ABC levels are based on the best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends,
information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised
methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the
formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute ABCs and overfishing levels
(OFLs). The formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. This information is categorized into a successive
series of six tiers, with tier one representing the highest level of
information quality available and tier six the lowest level of
information quality available.
The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including
maintaining the sum of all TACs within the required OY range of 116,000
to 800,000 mt. The Council adopted the AP's TAC recommendations. The
Council recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009 equal to ABCs for pollock,
deep-water flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, pelagic
shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates. The Council recommended TACs
for 2008 and 2009 that are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead
sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, and
Atka mackerel. None of the Council's recommended TACs for 2008 and 2009
exceeds the final ABC for any species or species category. The 2008 and
2009 harvest specifications approved by the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) are unchanged from those recommended by the Council and are
consistent with the preferred harvest strategy alternative in the Final
EIS. NMFS finds that the Council's recommended ABCs, OFLs, and TACs are
consistent with the biological condition of the groundfish stocks as
described in the 2007 SAFE report and approved by the Council. NMFS
also
[[Page 10563]]
finds that the Council's recommendations for OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts
are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as
adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the total TAC within the OY range. NMFS reviewed
the Council's recommended TAC specifications and apportionments and
approves these specifications under 50 CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The
apportionment of TAC amounts among gear types, processing sectors, and
seasons is discussed below.
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2008 and 2009 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sums of the 2008 and
2009 ABCs are 536,201 mt and 556,183 mt, respectively, which are higher
than the 2007 ABC sum of 490,327 mt (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007).
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
As in 2007, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2008 and 2009
include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe the use of unbiased commercial fishery data
reflecting catch-per-unit-effort provides a desirable input for stock
distribution assessments. NMFS evaluates the use of commercial fishery
data annually to ensure unbiased information is included in stock
distribution models. The Council's recommendation for sablefish area
apportionments also takes into account the prohibition on the use of
trawl gear in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern
Regulatory Area and makes available 5 percent of the combined Eastern
Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other
directed groundfish fisheries in the West Yakutat (WYK) District (Sec.
679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State of Alaska (State) managed pollock
fishery in Prince William Sound (PWS), the GOA Plan Team has
recommended the guideline harvest level (GHL) for the pollock fishery
in PWS be deducted from the ABC for the western stock of pollock in the
GOA in the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area. For the 2008
and 2009 pollock fisheries in PWS, the State's GHL is 1,650 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as
equally among each of the following four seasons: the A season (January
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1
through November 1) (50 CFR 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council adopted the Plan Team's OFL and ABC
recommendations for all groundfish species categories. The SSC, AP, and
Council recommended apportionment of the ABC for Pacific cod in the GOA
among regulatory areas based on the three most recent NMFS summer trawl
surveys.
The 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's
fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in the Central and Western
Regulatory Areas, as well as in PWS. The SSC, AP, and Council
recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water Pacific cod
removals not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the Council recommended
reducing the 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs from the ABCs in the
Central and Western Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs.
Therefore, the 2008 and 2009 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by
the following amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 266 mt; (2) Central GOA, 9,475
mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,483 mt. These amounts reflect the sum of the
State's 2008 and 2009 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 percent, 25
percent, and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA ABCs,
respectively. The percentages of the ABCs used to calculate the GHLs
for the State managed Pacific cod fisheries are unchanged from 2007.
NMFS also is establishing seasonal apportionments of the annual
Pacific cod TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty
percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-
line, pot, and jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl
gear from January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC
is apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear
from September 1 through December 31, and for trawl gear from September
1 through November 1 (50 CFR 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)).
As in 2007, NMFS establishes for 2008 and 2009 an A season directed
fishing allowance (DFA) for the Pacific cod fisheries in the GOA based
on the management area TACs minus the recent average A season
incidental catch of Pacific cod in each management area before June 10
(Sec. 679.20(d)(1)). The DFA and incidental catch before June 10 will
be managed such that total harvest in the A season will be no more than
60 percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after June 10 will
continue to accrue against the B season TAC. This action meets the
intent of the Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod removals and by reducing the
likelihood of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A
season (January 1 through June 10 for hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear;
January 20 through June 10 for trawl gear). The seasonal apportionments
of the annual Pacific cod TAC are discussed in greater detail below.
The FMP specifies that the amount for the ``other species''
category be set at an amount less than or equal to 5 percent of the
combined TAC amounts for target species. The final 2008 and 2009 annual
GOA-wide ``other species'' TACs of 4,500 mt are less than 5 percent of
the combined TAC amounts for target species. The sum of the TACs for
all GOA groundfish is 262,826 mt for 2008 and 279,264 mt for 2009,
which are within the OY range specified by the FMP. The sum of the 2008
TACs is lower and the sum of the 2009 TACs is higher than the 2007 TAC
sum of 269,912 mt.
Other Rules Affecting the 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications
Congress granted NMFS specific statutory authority to manage
Central GOA rockfish fisheries in Section 802 of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-199). The elements of the
Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program (Rockfish Program) are
discussed in detail in the proposed and final rules for Amendment 68 to
the FMP (71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006, and 71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006,
respectively) and final rule revision (72 FR 37678, July 11, 2007). The
Rockfish Program is authorized for five years, from January 1, 2007,
until December 31, 2011.
The Rockfish Program allocates exclusive harvesting and processing
privileges for the following primary rockfish species: Northern
rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Secondary
species are those species incidentally harvested during the primary
rockfish species fisheries and include Pacific cod, rougheye rockfish,
shortraker rockfish, sablefish, and thornyhead rockfish. The Rockfish
Program also allocates a portion of the total GOA halibut mortality
limit annually specified under Sec. 679.21 to participants based on
historical halibut mortality rates in the primary rockfish species
fisheries. The 2008 amounts of
[[Page 10564]]
primary rockfish species, secondary species, and halibut mortality to
be allocated to the Rockfish Program will not be known until eligible
participants apply for participation in the Rockfish Program by March
1, 2008. These amounts will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at
https://www.fakr.noaa.gov when they become available early in 2008. The
entry level allocation of rockfish, after subtraction of incidental
catch amounts, is equal to 5 percent of the Central GOA TAC for Pacific
ocean perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Tables 8
and 9 list the final 2008 and 2009 allocations of rockfish in the
Central GOA, respectively, to the entry level fishery.
The Rockfish Program also establishes catch limits, commonly called
``sideboards,'' to limit the ability of participants eligible for this
program to harvest fish in fisheries other than the Central GOA
rockfish fisheries. Sideboards limit harvest in the specific rockfish
fisheries in the Western GOA and in the WYK District and the amount of
halibut bycatch that can be used in certain flatfish fisheries. Tables
19 and 20 list the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish Program sideboard
limits for catcher/processors and catcher vessels in the Western GOA
and the WYK District. Table 21 lists the final 2008 and 2009 Rockfish
Program halibut mortality limits for catcher/processors and catcher
vessels.
The final rule to implement Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management
Area was published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2007 (72 FR
52668). Amendment 80 allocates several Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
non-pollock trawl groundfish TACs among fishing sectors, and
facilitates the formation of harvesting cooperatives in the non-
American Fisheries Act (non-AFA) trawl catcher/processor sector.
Amendment 80 establishes a limited access privilege program for the
non-AFA trawl catcher/processor sector. In order to limit the ability
of participants eligible for the Amendment 80 fisheries to expand their
harvest efforts in the GOA, Amendment 80 establishes groundfish and
halibut PSC catch limits for Amendment 80 participants in the GOA.
Tables 22 and 23 list the final 2008 and 2009 sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 participants. Table 24 lists the final 2008 and 2009
halibut PSC limits for Amendment 80 participants using trawl gear.
In April 2007, the Council recommended Amendment 77 to the GOA FMP.
Amendment 77 would remove dark rockfish from the pelagic shelf rockfish
(PSR) complex in the GOA FMP in order to allow the State to assume
management of dark rockfish beginning in 2009. This action is necessary
to allow the State to implement more responsive, regionally-based
management measures than are currently possible under the FMP. If
Amendment 77 is submitted to and approved by the Secretary, the GOA-
wide overfishing level (OFL), ABC, and TAC for the PSR complex in 2009
would be reduced by approximately 250 mt from the levels listed in
Table 2.
Changes From the Proposed 2008 and 2009 Harvest Specifications in the
GOA
In October 2007, the Council's recommendations for the proposed
2008 and 2009 harvest specifications (72 FR 68810, December 6, 2007)
were based largely upon information contained in the final 2006 SAFE
report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2006 (see
ADDRESSES). The Council recommended that the proposed OFLs, ABCs, and
TACs established for the groundfish fisheries in 2008 (72 FR 9676,
March 5, 2007 see Table 2) be rolled over to 2008 and 2009 pending
completion and review of the 2007 SAFE report at its December 2007
meeting.
The 2007 SAFE report, which was not available when the Council made
its recommendations in October 2007, contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition of the groundfish stocks. This
report was considered in December 2007 by the Council when it made
recommendations for the final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications.
Based on the final 2007 SAFE report, the sum of the 2008 final TACs for
the GOA (262,826 mt) is 23,347 mt lower than the sum of the proposed
2008 TACs (286,173 mt). The largest 2008 increases occurred for
rougheye rockfish, from 993 mt to 1,286 mt (30 percent increase); for
other skates, from 1,617 mt to 2,104 mt (30 percent increase); for
flathead sole, from 9,258 mt to 11,054 mt (19 percent increase); and
for other rockfish, from 1,482 mt to 1,730 mt (17 percent increase).
The largest decreases occurred for pollock, from 81,467 mt to 60,810 mt
(34 percent decrease); for pelagic shelf rockfish, from 6,622 mt to
5,227 mt (27 percent decrease); for thornyhead rockfish, from 2,209 mt
to 1,910 mt (16 percent decrease); and for sablefish, from 14,239 mt to
12,730 mt (12 percent decrease). Other increases or decreases in 2008
and 2009 are within these ranges.
Compared to the proposed 2008 harvest specifications, the Council's
final 2008 TAC recommendations increase fishing opportunities for
species for which the Council had sufficient information to raise TAC
levels. These include rex sole, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish,
Pacific ocean perch, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, other
rockfish, and other skates. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC levels
to provide greater protection for several species, including pollock,
Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish, sablefish, northern rockfish, pelagic
shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and big
skates. The changes in the final rule from the proposed rule are based
on the most recent scientific information and implement the harvest
strategy described in the proposed rule for the harvest specifications.
Tables 1 and 2 list the 2008 and 2009 final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts
for GOA groundfish, respectively.
Table 1.--Final 2008 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western
(W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and
Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area/district \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 17,602 17,602 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 19,181 19,181 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 13,640 13,640 n/a
WYK (640)............... 1,517 1,517 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... W/C/WYK................. 51,940 51,940 72,110
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 10565]]
SEO (650)............... 8,240 8,240 11,040
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 60,180 60,180 83,150
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 25,932 19,449 n/a
C....................... 37,901 28,426 n/a
E....................... 2,660 2,394 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 66,493 50,269 88,660
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)............. W....................... 690 690 n/a
C....................... 6,721 6,721 n/a
WYK..................... 965 965 n/a
SEO..................... 527 527 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 8,903 8,903 11,343
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,022 1,022 n/a
C....................... 6,731 6,731 n/a
WYK..................... 520 520 n/a
SEO..................... 859 859 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 9,132 9,132 11,933
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 12,507 2,000 n/a
C....................... 28,174 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 3,420 3,420 n/a
SEO..................... 634 634 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 44,735 11,054 55,787
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).......... W....................... 26,360 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,873 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 3,333 3,333 n/a
SEO..................... 1,423 1,423 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 60,989 22,256 74,364
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 30,817 8,000 n/a
C....................... 167,936 30,000 n/a
WYK..................... 15,245 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 12,472 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 226,470 43,000 266,914
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \6\......................... W....................... 1,890 1,890 n/a
C....................... 5,500 5,500 n/a
WYK..................... 1,950 1,950 n/a
SEO..................... 3,390 3,390 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 5,340 5,340 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 12,730 12,730 15,040
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 3,686 3,686 4,376
C....................... 8,185 8,185 9,717
WYK..................... 1,100 1,100 n/a
SEO..................... 2,028 2,028 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 3,128 3,128 3,714
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 14,999 14,999 17,807
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \8\............... W....................... 120 120 n/a
C....................... 315 315 n/a
E....................... 463 463 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 898 898 1,197
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \9\................. W....................... 125 125 n/a
[[Page 10566]]
C....................... 834 834 n/a
E....................... 327 327 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 1,286 1,286 1,548
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \10\ \11\.............. W....................... 357 357 n/a
C....................... 569 569 n/a
WYK..................... 604 604 n/a
SEO..................... 2,767 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 4,297 1,730 5,624
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \11\ \12\........... W....................... 2,141 2,141 n/a
C....................... 2,408 2,408 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 4,549 4,549 5,430
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 1,003 1,003 n/a
C....................... 3,626 3,626 n/a
WYK..................... 251 251 n/a
SEO..................... 347 347 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 5,227 5,227 6,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 267 267 n/a
C....................... 860 860 n/a
E....................... 783 783 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 1,910 1,910 2,540
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skates \14\....................... W....................... 632 632 n/a
C....................... 2,065 2,065 n/a
E....................... 633 633 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 3,330 3,330 4,439
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skates \15\.................. W....................... 78 78 n/a
C....................... 2,041 2,041 n/a
E....................... 768 768 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 2,887 2,887 3,849
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \16\..................... GW...................... 2,104 2,104 2,806
Demersal shelf rockfish \17\.......... SEO..................... 382 382 611
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 1,500 6,200
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... n/a 4,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total \19\.................... ........................ 536,201 262,826 665,642
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of
Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide)
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A
season, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of
approximately 26 percent, 49 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 26 percent,
60 percent, and 14 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons,
the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal
apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is
not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component allocations
of the Pacific cod TAC.
\4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4
list the 2008 and 2009 allocations of sablefish.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\10\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
[[Page 10567]]
\11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes
northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern
Regulatory Area has been combined with the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata.
\15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
\16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
\17\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species,''
the TAC for ``other species'' is set at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target
species.
\19\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
Table 2.--Final 2009 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western
(W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and
Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area/district \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 23,700 23,700 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 25,821 25,821 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 18,367 18,367 n/a
WYK (640)............... 2,042 2,042 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... W/C/WYK................. 69,930 69,930 95,940
-----------------------------------------------
SEO (650)............... 8,240 8,240 11,040
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 78,170 78,170 106,980
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 25,932 19,449 n/a
C....................... 37,901 28,426 n/a
E....................... 2,660 2,394 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 66,493 50,269 88,660
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)............. W....................... 707 707 n/a
C....................... 6,927 6,927 n/a
WYK..................... 995 995 n/a
SEO..................... 543 543 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 9,172 9,172 11,583
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 948 948 n/a
C....................... 6,241 6,241 n/a
WYK..................... 483 483 n/a
SEO..................... 796 796 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 8,468 8,468 11,065
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 13,001 2,000 n/a
C....................... 29,289 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 3,556 3,556 n/a
SEO..................... 659 659 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 46,505 11,215 57,962
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).......... W....................... 26,360 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,873 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 3,333 3,333 n/a
SEO..................... 1,423 1,423 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 60,989 22,256 74,364
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 31,080 K8,000 n/a
C....................... 169,371 30,000 n/a
WYK..................... 15,375 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 12,579 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 228,405 43,000 269,237
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \6\......................... W....................... 1,727 1,727 n/a
C....................... 5,026 5,026 n/a
WYK..................... 1,782 1,782 n/a
[[Page 10568]]
SEO..................... 3,098 3,098 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 4,880 4,880 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 11,633 11,633 12,924
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 3,704 3,704 4,397
C....................... 8,225 8,225 9,764
WYK..................... 1,105 1,105 n/a
SEO..................... 2,038 2,038 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Subtotal.......................... E (WYK and SEO)......... 3,143 3,143 3,732
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 15,072 15,072 17,893
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \8\............... W....................... 120 120 n/a
C....................... 315 315 n/a
E....................... 463 463 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 898 898 1,197
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \9\................. W....................... 124 124 n/a
C....................... 830 830 n/a
E....................... 325 325 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 1,279 1,279 1,540
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \10\ \11\.............. W....................... 357 357 n/a
C....................... 569 569 n/a
WYK..................... 604 604 n/a
SEO..................... 2,767 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 4,297 1,730 5,624
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \11\ \12\........... W....................... 2,047 2,047 n/a
C....................... 2,302 2,302 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 4,349 4,349 5,120
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 986 986 n/a
C....................... 3,566 3,566 n/a
WYK..................... 247 247 n/a
SEO..................... 341 341 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 5,140 5,140 6,294
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 267 267 n/a
C....................... 860 860 n/a
E....................... 783 783 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 1,910 1,910 2,540
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big skates \14\....................... W....................... 632 632 n/a
C....................... 2,065 2,065 n/a
E....................... 633 633 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 3,330 3,330 4,439
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skates \15\.................. W....................... 78 78 n/a
C....................... 2,041 2,041 n/a
E....................... 768 768 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total......................... ........................ 2,887 2,887 3,849
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \16\..................... GW...................... 2,104 2,104 2,806
Demersal shelf rockfish \17\.......... SEO..................... 382 382 611
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 1,500 6,200
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... n/a 4,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 10569]]
Total \19\.................... ........................ 556,183 279,264 690,888
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at 50 CFR 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of
Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide)
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A
season, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of
approximately 26 percent, 49 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 26 percent,
60 percent, and 14 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons,
the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 43 percent, 21 percent, and 35
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the 2008 and 2009 seasonal
apportionments of pollock. In the WYK District and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is
not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Table 7 lists the 2008 and 2009 seasonal apportionments and component allocations
of the Pacific cod TAC.
\4\ ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\5\ ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2008 and to trawl gear in 2009. Tables 3 and 4
list the 2008 and 2009 allocations of sablefish.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\10\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes
northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. The 2 mt ABC for northern rockfish in the Eastern
Regulatory Area has been combined with the ABC for slope rockfish in the WYK District.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata.
\15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
\16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
\17\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species,''
the TAC for ``other species'' is set at less than or equal to 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target
species.
\19\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 20 percent of each TAC for pollock,
Pacific cod, flatfish, and the ``other species'' category be set aside
in reserves for possible apportionment at a later date during the
fishing year. In 2007, NMFS reapportioned all the reserves in the final
harvest specifications. For 2008 and 2009, NMFS proposed
reapportionment of all the reserves in the proposed 2008 and 2009
harvest specifications published in the Federal Register on December 6,
2007 (72 FR 68810). NMFS received no public comments on the proposed
reapportionments. For the final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications,
NMFS reapportioned as proposed all the reserves for pollock, Pacific
cod, flatfish, and ``other species.'' Specifications of TAC shown in
Tables 1 and 2 reflect reapportionment of reserve amounts for these
species and species groups.
Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-and-Line
and Trawl Gear
Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocations of sablefish
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts to hook-and-line
and trawl gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent
of each TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of each
TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95
percent of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 5 percent is
allocated to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in the Eastern
Regulatory Area may only be used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other target species (Sec.
679.20(a)(1)). In recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO District of
the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council recommended and NMFS concurs
with the allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory
Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District and the remainder
of the WYK sablefish TAC be available to vessels using hook-and-line
gear. As a result, NMFS allocates 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in
the SEO District to vessels using hook-and-line gear. The Council
recommended that the hook-and-line sablefish TAC be established
annually to ensure that the Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) fishery is
conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the
most recent survey information. This recommendation results in an
allocation of 267 mt to trawl gear and 1,683 mt to hook-and-line gear
in the WYK District, and 3,390 mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO
District in 2008, and 244 mt to trawl gear in the WYK District in 2009.
Table 3 lists the allocations of the 2008 sablefish TACs to hook-and-
line and trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations of the 2009
sablefish TACs to trawl gear.
[[Page 10570]]
Table 3.--Final 2008 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocations to Hook-and-Line and
Trawl Gear
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC apportionment apportionment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,890 1,512 378
Central......................................................... 5,500 4,400 1,100
West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,950 1,683 267
Southeast Outside............................................... 3,390 3,390 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 12,730 10,985 1,745
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Table 4.--Final 2009 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation to Trawl Gear
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line
Area/district TAC apportionment Trawl
\1\ apportionment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,727 n/a 345
Central......................................................... 5,026 n/a 1,005
West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,782 n/a 244
Southeast Outside............................................... 3,098 n/a
