Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Proposed 2009 and 2010 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 73222-73239 [E8-28617]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag
limit for such captain and crew is zero.
(ix) Gulf reef fish, combined,
excluding those specified in paragraphs
(b)(1)(i), (iii), (iv), (vi), (vii), and (viii) of
this section and excluding dwarf sand
perch and sand perch--20.
*
*
*
*
*
5. In § 622.42, add paragraph
(a)(1)(vii) to read as follows:
§ 622.42
Quotas.
*
*
*
*
*
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(vii) Gag -1.32 million lb (0.60 million
kg), gutted weight, that is, eviscerated
but otherwise whole.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. E8–28616 Filed 12–1–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0810091344–81346–01]
RIN 0648–XL23
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska;
Proposed 2009 and 2010 Harvest
Specifications for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for
comments.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2009 and
2010 harvest specifications, reserves
and apportionments, and Pacific halibut
prohibited species catch for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to
establish harvest limits for groundfish
during the 2009 and 2010 fishing years
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska. The intended effect of this
action is to conserve and manage the
groundfish resources in the GOA in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: Comments must be received by
January 2, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue
Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn:
Ellen Sebastian. You may submit
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comments, identified by RIN 0648–
XL23, by any one of the following
methods:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at
https://www.regulations.gov.
• Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802.
• Fax: (907) 586–7557.
• Hand delivery to the Federal
Building: 709 West 9th Street, Room
420A, Juneau, AK.
All comments received are a part of
the public record and will generally be
posted to https://www.regulations.gov
without change. All Personal Identifying
Information (e.g., name, address)
voluntarily submitted by the commenter
may be publicly accessible. Do not
submit Confidential Business
Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter N/A in the required
fields, if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft
Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe
portable document file (pdf) formats
only.
Copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish
Harvest Specifications Environmental
Impact Statement (Final EIS) and the
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(IRFA) prepared for this action are
available from NMFS at the addresses
above or from the Alaska Region Web
site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
Copies of the final 2007 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation
(SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA),
dated November 2007, are available
from the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council) at 605
West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage,
AK 99510 or from the Council’s Web
site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
npfmc.
Tom
Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries Division,
Alaska Region, 907–481–1780, or e-mail
at tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the GOA groundfish fisheries
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the GOA under the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP). The Council prepared the
FMP under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801,
et seq. Regulations governing U.S.
fisheries and implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
These proposed specifications are
based in large part on the 2007 SAFE
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reports. In December 2008, the Council
will consider a 2008 SAFE report to
develop its recommendations for the
final 2009 and 2010 acceptable
biological catch (ABC) amounts.
Anticipated changes in the final
specifications from the proposed
specifications are identified in this
notice for public review.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species and for the ‘‘other
species’’ category, the sum of which
must be within the optimum yield (OY)
range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons
(mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further
requires NMFS to publish and solicit
public comment on proposed annual
TACs, halibut prohibited species catch
(PSC) amounts, and seasonal allowances
of pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific
cod. The proposed specifications in
Tables 1 through 17 of this document
satisfy these requirements. For 2009 and
2010, the sum of the proposed TAC
amounts is 279,264 mt. Under
§ 679.20(c)(3), NMFS will publish the
final 2009 and 2010 specifications after
(1) considering comments received
within the comment period (see DATES),
(2) consulting with the Council at its
December 2008 meeting, and (3)
considering information presented in
the Final EIS and the final 2008 SAFE
report prepared for the 2009 and 2010
groundfish fisheries.
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the
2009 and 2010 Harvest Specifications
NMFS published a proposed rule to
implement Amendment 77 to the GOA
FMP in the Federal Register on
September 24, 2008 (73 FR 55010), with
comments invited through November
17, 2008. If approved, Amendment 77
would remove dark rockfish from the
pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR) complex in
the GOA FMP in order for the State of
Alaska (State) to assume management of
dark rockfish. This action is necessary
to allow the State to implement more
responsive, regionally based
management measures than are
currently possible under the FMP. The
effect on the proposed 2009 and 2010
harvest specifications for PSR, if
Amendment 77 is approved, would be
to reduce the overfishing limit (OFL),
ABC, and TAC amounts listed in Table
1. The OFL for PSR would be reduced
from 6,294 mt to 5,695 mt. The ABCs
and TACs for PSR would be reduced
from 986 mt to 804 mt in the Western
Regulatory Area; from 3,566 mt to 3,339
mt in the Central Regulatory Area; from
247 mt to 230 mt in the West Yakutat
District; and from 5,140 mt to 4,690 mt
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in the Southeast Outside District. The
2008 SAFE report will take into account
the removal of dark rockfish from the
PSR complex.
Amendment 79 to the GOA FMP was
approved by the Secretary of Commerce
on August 20, 2008 (73 FR 49963,
August 25, 2008). Amendment 79
requires that the ‘‘other species’’
category undergo the identical harvest
level specifications procedure to which
other groundfish species or species
groups are subject. Specifically,
Amendment 79 requires that aggregate
OFL, ABC, and TAC levels for the
‘‘other species’’ category be established
as part of the annual groundfish harvest
specification process. Previously only
an annual TAC was established. NMFS
is proposing an OFL of 10,558 mt and
an ABC of 7,943 mt for 2009 and 2010
(see Table 1). A stock assessment for the
‘‘other species’’ complex will be
included in 2008 SAFE report.
Proposed ABC and TAC Specifications
The proposed ABCs and TACs are
based on the best available biological
and socioeconomic data, 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 OFLs. The
formulas applicable to a particular stock
or stock complex are determined by the
level of reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. Tier one represents
the highest level of information quality
available and tier six represents the
lowest level of information quality
available.
In October 2008, the Council, the
Scientific and Statistical Committee
(SSC), and the Advisory Panel (AP),
reviewed current biological and harvest
information about the condition of GOA
groundfish stocks, most of which was
initially compiled by the GOA
Groundfish Plan Team (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, 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
analyses, the Plan Team estimates an
ABC for each species category. The Plan
Team will update the 2007 SAFE report
to include new information collected
during 2008. The Plan Team will
provide revised stock assessments in
November 2008 in the final 2008 SAFE
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report. The Council will review the
2008 SAFE report in December 2008.
The final 2009 and 2010 harvest
specifications may be adjusted from the
proposed harvest specifications based
on the 2008 SAFE report.
The SSC adopted the proposed 2009
and 2010 OFL and ABC
recommendations from the Plan Team
for all groundfish species. These
amounts are unchanged from the final
2009 harvest specifications published in
the Federal Register on February 27,
2008 (73 FR 10562), with the exception
of sablefish and ‘‘other species.’’ The AP
and the Council recommendations for
the proposed 2009 and 2010 OFL, ABC,
and TAC amounts are also based on the
final 2009 harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register on
February 27, 2008 (73 FR 10562), with
the exception of sablefish and ‘‘other
species.’’ For 2009 and 2010, the
Council recommended and NMFS
proposes the OFLs and ABCs listed in
Table 1. The proposed ABCs reflect
harvest amounts that are less than the
specified overfishing amounts. The sum
of the proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for
all assessed groundfish is 564,126 mt,
which is higher than the final 2008 ABC
total of 536,201 mt (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008) for the reasons
described in the February 27, 2008
harvest specifications and because of
the addition of a 7,943 mt ABC for
‘‘other species’’ under Amendment 79 to
the FMP.
Specification and Apportionment of
TAC Amounts
The Council recommended proposed
TACs for 2009 and 2010 that are equal
to proposed ABCs for pollock, deepwater flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific
ocean perch, shortraker rockfish,
rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish,
pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead
rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and
skates. The Council recommended
proposed TACs for 2009 and 2010 that
are less than the proposed ABCs for
Pacific cod, flathead sole, shallow-water
flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other
rockfish, Atka mackerel, and the ‘‘other
species’’ category.
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
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(August 25 through October 1), and the
D season (October 1 through November
1) (§§ 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
As in 2008, the SSC and Council
recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among
management areas in 2009 and 2010
include commercial fishery and survey
data. NMFS stock assessment scientists
believe that unbiased commercial
fishery catch-per-unit-effort data are
useful for stock distribution
assessments. NMFS evaluates annually
the use of commercial fishery data to
assure that unbiased information is
included in stock distribution models.
The Council’s recommendation for
sablefish area apportionments also takes
into account the prohibition on the use
of trawl gear in the Southeast Outside
(SEO) District of the Eastern Regulatory
Area and makes available 5 percent of
the combined Eastern Regulatory Area
TACs to trawl gear for use as incidental
catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat District
(WYK) (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
The AP, SSC, and Council
recommended apportioning the ABC for
Pacific cod in the GOA among
regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. As
in previous years, the Plan Team, SSC,
and Council recommended that the sum
of all State and Federal water Pacific
cod removals from the GOA not exceed
ABC recommendations. The proposed
2009 and 2010 Pacific cod TACs are
affected by the State’s fishery for Pacific
cod in its waters in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas, as well as in
Prince William Sound (PWS).
Accordingly, the Council recommended
the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod
TACs be reduced from proposed ABC
amounts to account for guideline
harvest levels (GHL) established for
Pacific cod by the State for fisheries that
occur in State waters of the GOA.
Therefore, the proposed 2009 and 2010
Pacific cod TACs are less than the
proposed 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 2009 and 2010
GHLs in these areas, which are 10
percent, 25 percent, and 25 percent of
the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA
proposed ABCs, respectively.
NMFS also is proposing seasonal
apportionments of the annual Pacific
cod TACs in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the A
season for hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear
from January 1 through June 10, and for
trawl gear from January 20 through June
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10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is
apportioned to the B season for hookand-line, pot, or jig gear from September
1 through December 31, and for trawl
gear from September 1 through
November 1 (§§ 679.23(d)(3) and
679.20(a)(11)).
As in 2008, NMFS proposes to
establish for 2009 and 2010 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 be managed such that total catch in
the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental
catch taken after June 10 will continue
to be taken from the B season TAC. This
action meets the intent of the Steller sea
lion protection measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod
removals and reducing the likelihood of
catch exceeding 60 percent of the
annual TAC in the A season (January 1
through June 10).
The sum of the proposed TACs for all
GOA groundfish is 279,264 mt for 2009
and 2010, which is within the OY range
specified by the FMP. The sums of the
proposed 2009 and 2010 TACs are
higher than the sum of the 2008 TACs
of 262,826 mt, but are unchanged from
the 2009 TACs currently specified for
the GOA groundfish fisheries (73 FR
10562, February 27, 2008).
NMFS finds that the Council’s
recommendations for proposed OFL,
ABC, and TAC amounts are consistent
with the biological condition of
groundfish stocks as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining
the total TAC within the required OY
range. Table 1 lists the proposed 2009
and 2010 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of
groundfish.
TABLE 1—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area1
Pollock 2 ................................................................
Shumagin (610) ....................................................
Chirikof (620) ........................................................
Kodiak (630) .........................................................
WYK (640) ............................................................
W/C/WYK (subtotal) .............................................
SEO (650) ............................................................
23,700
25,821
18,367
2,042
69,930
8,240
23,700
25,821
18,367
2,042
69,930
8,240
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
95,940
11,040
Total ...............................................................
Pacific cod 3 ..........................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
78,170
25,932
37,901
2,660
78,170
19,449
28,426
2,394
106,980
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Deep-water flatfish 4 ..............................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
66,493
707
6,927
995
543
50,269
707
6,927
995
543
88,660
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Rex sole ................................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
9,172
948
6,241
483
796
9,172
948
6,241
483
796
11,583
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Flathead sole ........................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
8,468
13,001
29,289
3,556
659
8,468
2,000
5,000
3,556
659
11,065
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Shallow-water flatfish 5 ..........................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
46,505
26,360
29,873
3,333
1,423
11,215
4,500
13,000
3,333
1,423
57,962
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ..............................................
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Species
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
60,989
31,080
169,371
15,375
12,579
22,256
8,000
30,000
2,500
2,500
74,364
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Sablefish 6 .............................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ...............................
228,405
1,727
5,026
1,937
2,943
4,880
43,000
1,727
5,026
1,937
2,943
4,880
269,237
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
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TABLE 1—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST
YAKUTAT (W/C/WYK), WESTERN (W), CENTRAL (C), EASTERN (E) REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT
(WYK), SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE (SEO), AND GULFWIDE (GW) DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
Area1
Total ...............................................................
Pacific ocean perch 7 ............................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ...............................
11,633
3,704
8,225
1,105
2,038
3,143
11,633
3,704
8,225
1,105
2,038
3,143
12,924
4,397
9,764
n/a
n/a
3,732
Total ...............................................................
Shortraker rockfish 8 .............................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
15,072
120
315
463
15,072
120
315
463
17,893
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Rougheye rockfish 9 ..............................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
898
124
830
325
898
124
830
325
1,197
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Other rockfish 10 11 ................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
1,279
357
569
604
2,767
1,279
357
569
604
200
1,540
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Northern rockfish 11 12 ...........................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
4,297
2,047
2,302
0
1,730
2,047
2,302
0
5,624
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 ........................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
WYK .....................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
4,349
986
3,566
247
341
4,349
986
3,566
247
341
5,120
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Thornyhead rockfish .............................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
5,140
267
860
783
5,140
267
860
783
6,294
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Big skate 14 ...........................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
1,910
632
2,065
633
1,910
632
2,065
633
2,540
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Longnose skate 15 .................................................
...............................................................................
W ..........................................................................
C ...........................................................................
E ...........................................................................
3,330
78
2,041
768
3,330
78
2,041
768
4,439
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ...............................................................
Other skates 16 ......................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 17 ....................................
Atka mackerel .......................................................
Other species 18 ....................................................
...............................................................................
GW .......................................................................
SEO ......................................................................
GW .......................................................................
GW .......................................................................
2,887
2,104
382
4,700
7,943
2,887
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
3,849
2,806
611
6,200
10,558
Grand Total ............................................
...............................................................................
564,126
279,264
701,446
ABC
TAC
1 Regulatory
areas and districts are defined at § 679.2.
is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is
based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 30%, 48%, and 22% in Statistical Areas 610, 620,
and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30%, 59%, and 12% in
Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock
biomass at 53%, 15%, and 32% in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 pollock seasonal
apportionments. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
3 The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60% to the A season and 40% to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of
the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90% for processing by the inshore component and 10% for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists
the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
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.
2 Pollock
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6 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2009 and to trawl gear in 2010. Tables 2 and 3 list the proposed 2009 and 2010
sablefish TACs.
7 Sebastes alutus.
8 Sebastes borealis.
9 Sebastes aleutianus.
10 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf
rockfish. The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
11 ‘‘Slope rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri
(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S.
zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion),
and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern GOA only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinous.
12 Sebastes polyspinous.
13 Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 Raja binoculata.
15 Raja rhina.
16 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.
Proposed Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires that 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 2008, NMFS
apportioned all of the reserves in the
final harvest specifications. For 2009
and 2010, NMFS proposes
apportionment of all of the reserves for
pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and ‘‘other
species.’’ Table 1 reflects the
apportionment of reserve amounts for
these species and species groups.
Proposed Allocations of the Sablefish
TAC Amounts to Vessels Using Hookand-Line and Trawl Gear
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii)
require allocation of sablefish TACs for
each of the regulatory areas and districts
to hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
80 percent of each TAC is allocated to
hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of
each TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In
the Eastern GOA, 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 GOA
may only be used to support incidental
catch of sablefish in directed fisheries
for other target species
(§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). In recognition of the
trawl ban in the SEO District of the
Eastern GOA, the Council recommended
and NMFS proposes that the allocation
of 5 percent of the combined Eastern
Regulatory Area sablefish TAC be
available 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 proposes to allocate 100 percent
of the sablefish TAC in the SEO District
to vessels using hook-and-line gear. This
recommendation results in a proposed
2009 allocation of 244 mt to trawl gear
and 1,693 mt to hook-and-line gear.
Table 2 lists the allocations of the
proposed 2009 sablefish TACs to hookand-line and trawl gear. Table 3 lists the
allocations of the proposed 2010
sablefish TACs to trawl gear. The
Council recommended that only a trawl
sablefish TAC be established for two
years so that incidental catch of
sablefish by trawl gear could commence
in January in the second year of the
harvest specifications. However, since
there is an annual assessment for
sablefish and the final annual
specifications are expected to be
published before the IFQ season begins,
the industry and Council recommended
that the sablefish TAC for the IFQ
season be set on an annual basis so that
the best and most recent scientific
information could be considered in
recommending the ABCs and TACs.
Since sablefish is on bycatch status for
trawl gear from January 1, it is not likely
that the sablefish allocation to trawl gear
would be reached prior to the effective
date of the final harvest specifications.
TABLE 2—PROPOSED 2009 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS 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
allocation
TAC
Trawl
allocation
Western ........................................................................................................................................
Central .........................................................................................................................................
West Yakutat 1 .............................................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .......................................................................................................................
1,727
5,026
1,937
2,943
1,382
4,021
1,693
2,943
345
1,005
244
0
Total ......................................................................................................................................
11,633
10,039
1,594
1 Represents
an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
TABLE 3—PROPOSED 2010 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR 1
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Western ........................................................................................................................................
Central .........................................................................................................................................
West Yakutat 2 .............................................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .......................................................................................................................
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allocation
TAC
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1,727
5,026
1,937
2,943
02DEP1
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n/a
n/a
n/a
Trawl
allocation
345
1,005
244
0
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TABLE 3—PROPOSED 2010 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR 1—
Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
allocation
TAC
Total ......................................................................................................................................
11,633
Trawl
allocation
0
1,594
1 The
Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries be limited to 1
year.
2 Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
Proposed 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 divided
between inshore and offshore
processing 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 through
March 10, March 10 through May 31,
August 25 through October 1, and
October 1 through 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 2009 and 2010, the
Council recommended 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 as indicated by the historic
performance of the fishery during the A
season. 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. The
rollover amount is limited to 20 percent
of the unharvested seasonal
apportionment for the statistical area.
Any unharvested pollock above the 20percent 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 proposed pollock TACs in the WYK
of 2,042 mt and SEO District of 8,240 mt
for 2009 and 2010 are not allocated by
season.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the
allocation of 100 percent of the pollock
TAC in all regulatory areas and all
seasonal allowances to vessels catching
pollock for processing by the inshore
component after subtraction of amounts
that are projected by the Regional
Administrator to be caught by, or
delivered to, the offshore component
incidental to directed fishing for other
groundfish species. The amount of
pollock available for 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 under
§ 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these
incidental catch amounts are unknown
and will be determined during the
fishing year.
Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 seasonal biomass distribution of
pollock in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas, area apportionments,
and seasonal allowances. The amounts
of pollock for processing by the inshore
and offshore components are not shown.
TABLE 4—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 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)
Seasons
A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ...............................................
B (Mar 10–May 31) ..............................................
C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ................................................
D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ..................................................
4,472
4,472
7,378
7,378
Annual Total .................................................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
1 The
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
Total 1
16,972
16,972
16,972
16,972
18,367
25,821
(24.35%)
(13.56%)
(35.15%)
(35.15%)
67,888
WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.
Proposed 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
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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
subtraction of incidental catch, 60
percent and 40 percent of the annual
TAC will be available for harvest during
the A and B seasons, respectively, and
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will be apportioned between the inshore
and offshore processing components, as
provided in § 679.20(a)(6)(ii). Between
the A and the B seasons, directed
fishing for Pacific cod is closed, and
fishermen participating in other
directed fisheries must retain Pacific
cod up to the maximum retainable
amounts allowed under § 679.20(e) and
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
(f). 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 the
allocation of the Pacific cod TAC
apportionment in all regulatory areas
between vessels catching Pacific cod for
processing by the inshore and offshore
components. Ninety percent of the
Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area
is allocated to vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent
of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by
the offshore component. Table 5 lists
the proposed 2009 and 2010 seasonal
apportionments and allocations of the
Pacific cod TAC amounts.
TABLE 5—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATIONS OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS
IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Regulatory area
Season
Western .................................................................
Eastern ..................................................................
Annual ..................................................................
A season (60%) ....................................................
B season (40%) ....................................................
Annual ..................................................................
A season (60%) ....................................................
B season (40%) ....................................................
Annual ..................................................................
19,449
11,669
7,780
28,426
17,056
11,370
2,394
17,504
10,502
7,002
25,583
15,350
10,233
2,155
1,945
1,167
778
2,843
1,706
1,137
239
Total ...............................................................
...............................................................................
50,269
45,243
5,027
Central ..................................................................
Proposed Apportionments to the
Central GOA Rockfish Program
Section 679.81(a)(1) and (2) require
the allocation of the primary rockfish
species TACs in the Central Regulatory
Area, after deducting incidental catch
needs in other directed groundfish
fisheries, to participants in the Central
Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program
(Rockfish Program). Five percent (2.5
percent to trawl gear and 2.5 percent to
fixed gear) of the proposed 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 proposes 2009 and
2010 incidental catch amounts of 100
mt for northern rockfish, 100 mt for
TAC
pelagic shelf rockfish, and 200 mt for
Pacific ocean perch for other directed
groundfish fisheries in the Central
Regulatory Area. These proposed
amounts are based on the 2003 through
2007 average incidental catch in the
Central Regulatory Area by other
groundfish fisheries.
Section 679.83(a)(1)(i) requires that
allocations to the trawl entry level
fishery must be made first from the
allocation of Pacific ocean perch
available to the rockfish entry level
fishery. If the amount of Pacific ocean
perch available for allocation is less
than the total allocation allowable for
trawl catcher vessels in the rockfish
entry level fishery, then northern
rockfish and pelagic shelf rockfish must
be allocated to trawl catcher vessels.
Allocations of Pacific ocean perch,
northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf
Inshore
(90%)
Offshore
(10%)
rockfish to longline gear vessels must be
made after the allocations to trawl gear.
Table 6 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 allocations of rockfish in the
Central GOA to trawl and longline gear
in the entry level rockfish fishery.
Allocations of primary rockfish species
TACs among participants in the
Rockfish Program are not included in
the proposed harvest specifications
because applications for catcher
processor and catcher vessel
cooperatives are due to NMFS on March
1 of each calendar year, thereby
preventing NMFS from calculating
proposed 2009 allocations. NMFS will
post these allocations on the Alaska
Region Web site at https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm
when they become available in March
2009.
TABLE 6—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO TRAWL AND
LONGLINE GEAR 1 IN THE ENTRY LEVEL ROCKFISH FISHERY
[Values are rounded to the nearest mt]
Proposed
TAC
Species
Incidental
catch
allowance
TAC minus
ICA
5% TAC
2.5% TAC
Entry level
trawl
allocation
Entry level
longline
allocation
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
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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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
Proposed Halibut Prohibited Species
Catch (PSC) Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes annual
halibut PSC limit apportionments to
trawl and hook-and-line gear and
permits the establishment of
apportionments for pot gear. In October
2008, the Council recommended that
NMFS maintain the 2008 halibut PSC
limits of 2,000 mt for the trawl fisheries
and 300 mt for the hook-and-line
fisheries for 2009 and 2010. Ten mt of
the hook-and-line limit is further
allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish
(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) making
them 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 short duration of the fishery.
Also, the DSR fishery occurs in the
winter when less overlap occurs in the
distribution of DSR and halibut. Finally,
much of the DSR TAC is not available
to the commercial DSR fishery. The
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
sets the quota for the commercial DSR
fishery after estimates of incidental
catch in all fisheries (including halibut)
and anticipated recreational harvest
have been deducted from the DSR TAC.
Of the 382 mt TAC for DSR in 2008, 87
were available for the commercial
fishery.
Section 679.21(d)(4) authorizes the
exemption of specified non-trawl
fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. As
in past years, NMFS, after consultation
with the Council, proposes to exempt
pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ
(Individual Fishing Quota) hook-andline gear fishery categories from the
non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2009
and 2010. The Council and NMFS
recommend these exemptions because
(1) the pot gear fisheries have low
halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 19
mt annually from 2001 through 2007
and 20 mt through October 11, 2008); (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 low amount of groundfish harvested
by jig gear (averaging 284 mt annually
from 2001 through 2007, and 83 mt
through October 11, 2008), the selective
nature of jig gear, and the likelihood of
high survival rates of halibut caught and
released by jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) provided NMFS
the authority to seasonally apportion the
halibut PSC limits after consultation
with the Council. The FMP and
regulations require that the Council and
NMFS consider the following
information in seasonally apportioning
halibut PSC limits: (1) Seasonal
distribution of halibut, (2) seasonal
distribution of target groundfish species
relative to halibut distribution, (3)
expected halibut bycatch needs on a
seasonal basis relative to changes in
halibut biomass and expected catch of
target groundfish species, (4) expected
bycatch rates on a seasonal basis, (5)
expected changes in directed groundfish
fishing seasons, (6) expected actual start
of fishing effort, and (7) economic
effects of establishing seasonal halibut
allocations on segments of the target
groundfish industry.
The final 2008 and 2009 harvest
specifications (73 FR 10562, February
27, 2008) summarized the Council’s and
NMFS’s findings with respect to each of
these FMP considerations. The
Council’s and NMFS’s findings for 2009
and 2010 are unchanged from 2008.
Table 7 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 Pacific halibut PSC limits,
allowances, and apportionments.
Section 679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv),
respectively, specify that any underages
or overages of a seasonal apportionment
of a PSC limit will be added to or
removed from the next respective
seasonal apportionment within the
fishing year.
TABLE 7—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS
[Values are in metric tons]
Hook-and-line gear 1
Trawl gear
Other than DSR
Season
January 20–April 1 ..............
April 1–July 1 ......................
July 1–September 1 ............
September 1–October 1 .....
October 1–December 31 ....
Total .............................
Amount
Season
550 (27.5%)
400 (20%)
600 (30%)
150 (7.5%)
300 (15%)
2,000 (100%)
DSR
Amount
January 1–June 10 .............
June 10–September 1 ........
September 1–December 31
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
250 (86%)
5 (2%)
35 (12%)
n/a
n/a
290 (100%)
Season
January 1–December 31 ....
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
n/a .......................................
Amount
10 (100%)
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
10 (100%)
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
1 The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR.
The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes
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 a
fishing year and optimization of the
total amount of groundfish harvest
under the halibut PSC limit. The fishery
categories for the trawl halibut PSC
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limits are (1) a deep-water species
category, comprised of sablefish,
rockfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole,
and arrowtooth flounder; and (2) a
shallow-water species category,
comprised of pollock, Pacific cod,
shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole,
Atka mackerel, skates, and ‘‘other
species’’ (§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 8
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010
seasonal apportionments of Pacific
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halibut PSC trawl limits for the deepwater and shallow-water species fishery
categories. Based on public comment
and information contained in the final
2008 SAFE report, the Council may
recommend or NMFS may make
changes in the seasonal, gear-type, or
fishery category apportionments of
halibut PSC limits for the final 2009 and
2010 harvest specifications.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 8—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN
THE TRAWL GEAR SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES AND THE DEEP-WATER SPECIES CATEGORIES
[Values are in metric tons]
Shallowwater
Season
Deepwater 1
Total
January 20–April 1 ...................................................................................................................................
April 1–July 1 ...........................................................................................................................................
July 1–September 1 .................................................................................................................................
September 1–October 1 ..........................................................................................................................
Subtotal January 20–October 1 ...............................................................................................................
October 1–December 31 2 .......................................................................................................................
450
100
200
150
900
n/a
100
300
400
(3)
800
n/a
550
400
600
150
1,700
300
Total ..................................................................................................................................................
n/a
n/a
2,000
1 Vessels
participating in cooperatives in the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program will receive a portion of the third season (July 1–
September 1) deep-water category halibut PSC apportionment. At this time, this amount is not known but will be posted later on the Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when it becomes available.
2 There is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water trawl fishery categories during the fifth season (October 1 through December 31).
3 Any remainder.
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior
Years
The best available information on
estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2008. The
calculated halibut bycatch mortality by
trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gears
through November 1, 2008, is 1,836 mt,
407 mt, and 22 mt, respectively, for a
total halibut mortality of 2,265 mt.
Halibut bycatch restrictions
seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2008 fishing year.
The trawl fishery during the second
season was closed for the deep-water
species category on April 21 (73 FR
22062, April 24, 2008), and during the
fourth season on September 11 (73 FR
53159, September 15, 2008). The trawl
fishery during the first season was
closed for the shallow-water species
category on March 10 (73 FR 13464,
March 13, 2008) and opened on March
21 through May 21 (73 FR 15942, March
26, 2008, and 73 FR 30318, May 27,
2008). To prevent exceeding the fourth
season halibut PSC limit for the
shallow-water species category, directed
fishing using trawl gear was limited to
one 48-hour open period beginning
September 1 (73 FR 51601, September 4,
2008), and to one 36-hour period
beginning September 10 (73 FR 52930,
September 12, 2008). The trawl fishery
for all groundfish targets (with the
exception of vessels participating in the
Rockfish Program in the Central GOA)
closed for the fifth season on November
6, 2008 (73 FR 66561, November 10,
2008) and reopened on November 16,
2008 (73 FR 69586, November 19, 2008).
Directed fishing for groundfish using
hook-and-line gear closed for the year
on October 16 (73 FR 62212, October 20,
2008). The amount of groundfish that
trawl gear might have harvested if
halibut PSC limits had not restricted the
2008 season is unknown.
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks
and Catch
Proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for
pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish,
flathead sole, arrowtooth flounder,
Pacific ocean perch, and pelagic shelf
rockfish are higher than those
established for 2008, while the proposed
2009 and 2010 ABCs for rex sole and
sablefish are lower than those
established for 2008. For the remaining
target species, the Council
recommended that ABC levels remain
unchanged from 2008. More information
on these changes is included in the final
SAFE report (November 2007). This
document is available from the Council
(see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total proposed 2009
and 2010 TAC amounts are 279,264 mt,
an increase of six percent from the 2008
TAC total of 262,826 mt. Table 9
compares the final 2008 TACs to the
proposed 2009 and 2010 TACs.
TABLE 9—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2008 AND PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH AMOUNT (TACS) IN
THE GULF OF ALASKA
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Final 2008
TACs
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Species
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 ........................................................................................................................................................................
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E:\FR\FM\02DEP1.SGM
02DEP1
60,180
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
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
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
73231
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 9—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2008 AND PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH AMOUNT (TACS) IN
THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Final 2008
TACs
Species
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
2,887
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
2,887
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
Total ..........................................................................................................................................................................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Longnose skates ..............................................................................................................................................................
Other skates ....................................................................................................................................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...................................................................................................................................................
Atka mackerel ..................................................................................................................................................................
‘‘Other species’’ ...............................................................................................................................................................
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
163,719 mt, down from 187,755 mt
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
minium acceptable level, which
occurred in the 1970s.
The halibut resource is fully utilized.
The IPHC estimates that the long term,
potential yield for the entire halibut
stock is 26,980 mt round weight per
year. The average annual yield (catch) of
the commercial halibut fisheries in
Alaska has averaged 33,675 mt over the
14 year period from 1994 to 2007. This
is 25 percent higher than the potential
annual yield. The IPHC believes that
this reflects the good condition of the
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19:35 Dec 01, 2008
Jkt 217001
Pacific halibut resource, as the halibut
biomass presently is greater than that
which could be expected to sustain a
26,980 mt annual harvest. In January
2008, the IPHC approved Alaska
commercial catch limits totaling 30,349
mt round weight for 2008, a four percent
decrease from 31,661 mt round weight
in 2007.
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.
Through November 4, 2008, commercial
hook-and-line harvests of halibut off
Alaska totaled 28,036 mt, round weight.
The IPHC will consider the 2008 Pacific
halibut assessment for 2009 at its
January 2009 annual meeting when it
sets the 2009 commercial halibut fishery
quotas.
Other Factors
The allowable commercial catch of
halibut will be adjusted to account for
the overall halibut PSC mortality limit
established for groundfish fisheries. The
2009 and 2010 groundfish fisheries are
expected to use the entire proposed
annual halibut PSC limit of 2,300 mt.
The allowable directed commercial
catch is determined by first accounting
for recreational and subsistence catch,
waste, and bycatch mortality, and then
providing the remainder to the directed
fishery. Groundfish fishing is not
expected to affect adversely the halibut
stocks. Methods available for reducing
halibut bycatch include (1) publication
of individual vessel bycatch rates on the
NMFS Alaska Region Web site at https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov, (2)
modifications to gear, (3) changes in
groundfish fishing seasons, (4)
individual transferable quota programs,
and (5) time/area closures.
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Reductions in groundfish TAC
amounts provide no incentive for
fishermen to reduce bycatch rates. Costs
that would be imposed on fishermen as
a result of reducing TAC amounts
depend on the species and amounts of
groundfish forgone.
The definition of ‘‘Authorized fishing
gear’’ at § 679.2 specifies requirements
for biodegradable panels and tunnel
openings for groundfish pots to reduce
halibut bycatch. As a result, low bycatch
and mortality rates of halibut in pot
fisheries have justified exempting pot
gear from PSC limits.
The definitions at § 679.2 for
‘‘Authorized fishing gear,’’ defines
‘‘pelagic trawl gear’’ in a manner
intended to reduce bycatch of halibut by
displacing fishing effort off the bottom
of the sea floor when certain halibut
bycatch levels are reached during the
fishing year. The definition provides
standards for physical conformation and
performance of the trawl gear in terms
of crab bycatch (§ 679.7(a)(14)).
Furthermore, all hook-and-line vessel
operators are required to employ careful
release measures when handling halibut
bycatch (§ 679.7(a)(13)). These measures
are intended to reduce handling
mortality, thereby lowering overall
halibut bycatch mortality in the
groundfish fisheries, and to increase the
amount of groundfish harvested under
the available halibut mortality bycatch
limits.
NMFS and the Council will review
the methods available for reducing
halibut bycatch listed here to determine
their effectiveness and will initiate
changes, as necessary, in response to
this review or to public testimony and
comment.
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommended and
NMFS proposes that the halibut discard
mortality rates (DMRs) developed and
recommended by the IPHC for the 2009
and 2010 GOA groundfish fisheries be
used to monitor the proposed 2009 and
E:\FR\FM\02DEP1.SGM
02DEP1
73232
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
2010 GOA halibut bycatch mortality
limits. The IPHC recommended use of
long-term average DMRs for the 2009
and 2010 groundfish fisheries. The IPHC
will analyze observer data annually and
recommend changes to the DMRs where
a fishery 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. Long-term
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 each gear type
was recommended as the default rate.
Table 10 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 DMRs, which are unchanged from
the 2008 DMRs. The DMRs for hookand-line target 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. A copy of the document
justifying these DMRs is available from
the Council (see ADDRESSES) and is
discussed in Appendix A of the final
2007 SAFE report, dated November
2008.
TABLE 10—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF
ALASKA
[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead]
Mortality
rate (%)
Gear
Target fishery
Hook-and-line .............................................
Other species ..................................................................................................................
Skates .............................................................................................................................
Pacific cod .......................................................................................................................
Rockfish ..........................................................................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................................................................................
Atka mackerel .................................................................................................................
Deep-water flatfish ..........................................................................................................
Flathead sole ..................................................................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock .........................................................................................................
Other species ..................................................................................................................
Skates .............................................................................................................................
Pacific cod .......................................................................................................................
Pelagic pollock ................................................................................................................
Rex sole ..........................................................................................................................
Rockfish ..........................................................................................................................
Sablefish .........................................................................................................................
Shallow-water flatfish ......................................................................................................
Other species ..................................................................................................................
Skates .............................................................................................................................
Pacific cod .......................................................................................................................
Trawl ...........................................................
Pot ..............................................................
American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher
Processor and Catcher Vessel
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Section 679.64 establishes groundfish
harvesting and processing sideboard
limits on AFA catcher processors and
catcher vessels in the GOA. These
sideboard limits are necessary to protect
the interests of fishermen and
processors who do not directly benefit
from the AFA from expansion in their
fisheries by those fishermen and
processors who receive exclusive
harvesting and processing privileges
under the AFA. Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii)
prohibits listed AFA catcher processors
from harvesting any species of fish in
the GOA. Additionally, § 679.7(k)(1)(iv)
prohibits listed AFA catcher processors
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:35 Dec 01, 2008
Jkt 217001
from processing any pollock 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 GOA
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 operating in the GOA are
based on their traditional harvest levels
in groundfish fisheries covered by the
GOA FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii)
establishes the GOA groundfish
sideboard limits based on the retained
catch of non-exempt AFA catcher
vessels of each sideboard species from
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4702
14
14
14
10
69
60
53
61
59
63
63
63
76
63
67
65
71
16
16
16
1995 through 1997 divided by the TAC
for that species over the same period.
Table 11 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 groundfish sideboard limits for
non-exempt AFA catcher vessels. All
targeted or incidental catch of sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels will be deducted from
the sideboard limits in Table 11. NMFS
slightly adjusted the ratios used to
calculate these sideboard limits as a
result of two vessels changing status
from non-exempt to exempt, based on
NMFS administrative review of these
vessels’ applications for non-exempt
status. This results in slight decreases to
the catch-to-TAC ratios used to establish
the non-exempt AFA CV sideboard
limits.
E:\FR\FM\02DEP1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
73233
TABLE 11—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV)
GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
Proposed
2009 and
2010 nonexempt
AFA CV
sideboard
limit
Species
Apportionments by season/gear
Area/component
Pollock .......................................
A Season—January 20–March
10.
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.6047
4,472
2,704
B Season—March 10–May 31
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.1167
0.2028
0.6047
0.1167
0.2028
0.6047
8,367
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
976
838
2,704
1,190
467
4,461
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.1167
0.2028
0.6047
3,628
5,966
7,378
423
1,210
4,461
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
WYK (640) ................................
SEO (650) .................................
W inshore .................................
0.1167
0.2028
0.3495
0.3495
0.1365
3,628
5,966
1,694
6,157
10,502
423
1,210
592
2,152
1,434
W offshore ................................
C inshore ..................................
C offshore .................................
W inshore .................................
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
0.1365
1,167
15,350
1,706
7,002
120
1,058
123
956
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 ...............................................
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
0.0079
0.0078
0.0000
0.0647
0.0128
0.0007
0.0384
0.0029
0.0036
0.0213
0.0009
0.0156
0.0587
0.0126
0.0021
0.0280
0.0002
0.0000
0.0642
0.0433
0.0023
0.0748
0.0466
0.0000
0.0218
0.0110
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
0.0034
0.1699
0.0000
0.0003
0.0277
0.0001
0.0000
0.0067
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
80
705
82
17
2
0
448
20
1
240
4
7
107
4
70
763
60
17
840
1
0
65
11
9
615
146
0
7
5
0
20
4
1
97
0
1
64
0
0
4
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 .....................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Flatfish, deep-water ...................
Annual .......................................
Other rockfish ............................
Annual .......................................
Northern rockfish .......................
Annual .......................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ................
Annual .......................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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E:\FR\FM\02DEP1.SGM
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73234
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 11—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV)
GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV
catch to
1995–1997
TAC
Species
Apportionments by season/gear
Area/component
Thornyhead rockfish ..................
Annual .......................................
Big skates ..................................
Annual .......................................
Longnose skates .......................
Annual .......................................
Other skates ..............................
Demersal shelf rockfish .............
Atka mackerel ............................
Other species ............................
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
0.0280
0.0280
0.0280
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
0.0020
0.0309
0.0063
267
860
783
632
2,065
633
78
2,041
768
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
Gulfwide ....................................
SEO ..........................................
Gulfwide ....................................
Gulfwide ....................................
1 The
2 The
.......................................
.......................................
.......................................
.......................................
Proposed
2009 and
2010 nonexempt
AFA CV
sideboard
limit
7
24
22
4
13
4
0
13
5
13
1
46
28
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The halibut PSC sideboard limits for
non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the
GOA are based on the aggregate retained
groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels in each PSC target
category from 1995 through 1997
divided by the retained catch of all
vessels in that fishery from 1995
through 1997 (§ 679.64(b)(4)). Table 12
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010
catcher vessel halibut PSC limits for
non-exempt AFA vessels using trawl
gear in the GOA.
TABLE 12—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 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
Seasons
Season dates
Target fishery
1 ...............
January 20–April 1 ....................................
2 ...............
April 1–July 1 ............................................
3 ...............
July 1–September 1 ..................................
4 ...............
September 1–October 1 ............................
5 ...............
October 1–December 31 ...........................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
all targets ...................................................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish
Sideboard Limits
Section 680.22 establishes groundfish
catch limits for vessels with a history of
participation in the Bering Sea snow
crab fishery to prevent these vessels
from using the increased flexibility
provided by the Crab Rationalization
Program to expand their level of
participation in the GOA groundfish
fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these
vessels’ catch to their collective
historical landings in all GOA
groundfish fisheries (except the fixed-
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:48 Dec 01, 2008
Jkt 217001
gear sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits
also apply to landings made using an
LLP license derived from the history of
a restricted vessel, even if that LLP is
used on another vessel.
Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab
vessels operating 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 limits in
the GOA on the retained catch by nonAFA crab vessels of each sideboard
species from 1996 through 2000 divided
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Sfmt 4702
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.340
0.070
0.205
Proposed
2009 and
2010 PSC
limit
450
100
100
300
200
400
150
0
300
Proposed
2009 and
2010 nonexempt AFA
CV PSC
limit
153
7
34
21
68
28
51
0
61
by the total retained harvest of that
species over the same period. Table 13
lists these proposed 2009 and 2010
groundfish sideboard limits for nonAFA crab vessels. All targeted or
incidental catch of sideboard species
made by non-AFA crab vessels will be
deducted from the sideboard limits in
Table 13.
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
E:\FR\FM\02DEP1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
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
73235
fishing history of a vessel meeting the
criteria in § 680.22(a)(3).
TABLE 13—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1996–2000
non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to
1996–2000
total harvest
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
Proposed
2009 and
2010 nonAFA crab
vessel
sideboard
limit
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
Pollock .......................................
A Season—January 20–March
10.
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.0098
4,472
44
B Season—March 10–May 31
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
8,367
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
26
1
44
32
0
72
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.0031
0.0002
0.0098
3,628
5,966
7,378
11
1
72
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
WYK (640) ................................
SEO (650) .................................
W inshore .................................
0.0031
0.0002
0.0000
0.0000
0.0902
3,628
5,966
1,694
6,157
11,278
11
1
0
0
1,017
W offshore ................................
C inshore ..................................
C offshore .................................
W inshore .................................
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
0.0902
1,253
15,905
1,767
7,519
256
609
366
678
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 ...............................................
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
835
10,603
1,178
3,470
386
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
171
406
244
38
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
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 ....................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Flatfish deep-water ....................
Annual .......................................
Rougheye rockfish .....................
Annual .......................................
Other rockfish ............................
Annual .......................................
Northern rockfish .......................
Annual .......................................
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73236
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 13—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST
SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1996–2000
non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to
1996–2000
total harvest
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
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
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
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
986
3,566
588
267
860
783
632
2,065
633
78
2,041
768
2,104
382
1,500
4,500
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
W ..............................................
C ...............................................
E ...............................................
Gulfwide ....................................
SEO ..........................................
Gulfwide ....................................
Gulfwide ....................................
1 The
2 The
.......................................
.......................................
.......................................
.......................................
Proposed
2009 and
2010 nonAFA crab
vessel
sideboard
limit
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
proposed sideboards for 2009 and 2010
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 rules (71
FR 67210, November 20, 2006, and 72
FR 37678, July 11, 2007) for the
Rockfish Program. Table 14 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Rockfish
Program harvest limits in the WYK
District and the Western GOA. Table 15
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010
Rockfish Program halibut mortality
limits for catcher processors and catcher
vessels.
TABLE 14—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT
AND WESTERN GOA BY THE CATCHER PROCESSOR (CP) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
CP sector
(% of TAC)
Area
Fishery
West Yakutat District ....................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................
Pacific ocean perch ......................
Northern rockfish ..........................
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Western GOA ...............................
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CV sector
(% of TAC)
Proposed
2009 and
2010 TACs
72.4
76.0
63.3
61.1
78.9
1.7
2.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
247
1,105
986
3,704
2,047
Sfmt 4702
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02DEP1
Proposed
2009 and
2010 CP
limit
179
840
624
2,263
1,615
Proposed
2009 and
2010 CV
limit
4
32
0
0
0
73237
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 15—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER PROCESSOR
AND CATCHER VESSEL SECTORS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Shallowwater complex halibut
PSC
sideboard
ratio
Sector
Catcher processor ....................................................................................
Catcher vessel .........................................................................................
Gulf of Alaska Amendment 80 Vessel
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Amendment 80 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area, hereinafter referred
to as the ‘‘Amendment 80 program,’’
established a limited access privilege
program for the non-AFA trawl catcher
processor sector. In order to limit the
ability of participants eligible for the
Amendment 80 program to expand their
harvest efforts in the GOA, the
Amendment 80 program established
groundfish and halibut PSC limits for
Amendment 80 program participants in
the GOA.
Section 679.92 establishes groundfish
harvesting sideboard limits on all
Amendment 80 program vessels, other
Deep-water
complex
halibut PSC
sideboard
ratio
Annual halibut mortality limit
(mt)
Annual shallow-water
complex
halibut PSC
sideboard
limit
(mt)
Annual
deep-water
complex
halibut PSC
sideboard
limit
(mt)
0.54
6.32
3.99
1.08
2,000
2,000
11
126
80
22
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
proposed for pollock in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas and in the
WYK District, for Pacific cod gulfwide,
for Pacific ocean perch and pelagic shelf
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area
and WYK District, and for northern
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area.
The harvest of Pacific ocean perch,
pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern
rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area
of the GOA is subject to regulation
under the Central GOA Rockfish
Program. Amendment 80 program
vessels not qualified under the Rockfish
Program are excluded from directed
fishing for these rockfish species in the
Central GOA. Under regulations, the F/
V GOLDEN FLEECE is prohibited from
directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod,
Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf
rockfish, and northern rockfish in the
GOA. These sideboard limits are
necessary to restrict the ability of
participants eligible for the Amendment
80 program to expand their harvest
efforts in the GOA.
Groundfish sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 vessels operating in the
GOA are based on their average
aggregate harvests from 1998 to 2004.
Table 16 lists the proposed 2009 and
2010 sideboard limits for Amendment
80 vessels. All targeted or incidental
catch of sideboard species made by
Amendment 80 vessels will be deducted
from the sideboard limits in Table 16.
TABLE 16—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 VESSELS
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels
1998–2004
catch to
TAC
2009 and
2010 TAC
(mt)
2009 and
2010
Amendment
80 vessel
sideboards
(mt)
Species
Apportionments and allocations
by season
Area
Pollock .......................................
A Season—January 20–February 25.
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.003
4,472
13
B Season—March 10–May 31
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
8,367
4,133
4,472
10,198
2,302
7,378
17
8
13
20
5
22
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
Shumagin (610) ........................
0.002
0.002
0.003
3,628
5,966
7,378
7
12
22
Chirikof (620) ............................
Kodiak (630) .............................
WYK (640) ................................
W ..............................................
0.002
0.002
0.002
0.020
3,628
5,966
2,042
11,669
7
12
4
233
C ...............................................
W ..............................................
0.044
0.020
17,056
7,780
750
156
C ...............................................
WYK ..........................................
W ..............................................
WYK ..........................................
W ..............................................
0.044
0.034
0.994
0.961
1.000
11,370
2,394
3,704
1,105
2,047
500
81
3,682
1,062
2,047
C
Season—August
tember 15.
25–Sep-
D Season—October 1–November 1.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
Pacific cod .................................
Annual .......................................
A Season 1—January 1–June
10.
B Season 2—September 1–December 31.
Pacific ocean perch ...................
Annual .......................................
Annual .......................................
Northern rockfish .......................
Annual .......................................
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73238
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 16—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 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
Pelagic shelf rockfish ................
Annual .......................................
W ..............................................
WYK ..........................................
1 The
2 The
0.764
0.896
2009 and
2010 TAC
(mt)
2009 and
2010
Amendment
80 vessel
sideboards
(mt)
986
247
753
221
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
The halibut 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 quota under the Central
GOA Rockfish Program and the
exemption of the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE
from this restriction. Table 17 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 halibut PSC
limits for Amendment 80 vessels.
TABLE 17—PROPOSED 2009 AND 2010 HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80
VESSELS IN THE GOA
Historic
Amendment
80 use of
the annual
halibut PSC
limit catch
(ratio)
Season
Season dates
Target fishery
1 ...............
2 ...............
January 20–April 1 ....................................
....................................................................
April 1–July 1 ............................................
3 ...............
July 1–September 1 ..................................
4 ...............
September 1–October 1 ............................
5 ...............
October 1–December 31 ...........................
2009 and
2010
Amendment
80 vessel
PSC limit
(mt)
0.0048
0.0115
0.0189
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
2,000
2,000
2,000
10
23
38
214
29
104
15
3
45
74
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
shallow-water ............................................
deep-water ................................................
Classification
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
2009 and
2010 annual
PSC limit
(mt)
NMFS has determined that the
proposed harvest specifications are
consistent with the FMP and
preliminarily determined that the
proposed harvest specifications are
consistent 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 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. Copies of the Final EIS and ROD for
this action are available from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES). The Final EIS analyzes the
environmental consequences of the
proposed action and its alternatives on
resources in the action area. The Final
EIS found no significant environmental
consequences from the proposed action
or its alternatives.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:35 Dec 01, 2008
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NMFS also prepared an Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA)
as required by Section 603 of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act. The IRFA
evaluated the impacts on small entities
of alternative harvest strategies for the
groundfish fisheries in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) off of Alaska.
While the specification numbers may
change from year to year, the harvest
strategy for establishing those numbers
remains the same. NMFS therefore is
using the same IRFA prepared in
connection with the EIS. NMFS
published a notice of the availability of
the IRFA and its summary in the
classification section of the proposed
harvest specifications for the groundfish
fisheries in the GOA in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2006 (71 FR
75460). The comment period on the
GOA proposed harvest specifications
and IRFA ended on January 16, 2007.
NMFS did not receive any comments on
the IRFA.
A description of the proposed action,
why it is being considered, and the legal
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basis for this proposed action are
contained in the preamble above. This
IRFA 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). A copy of this
analysis is available from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA
follows.
The action under consideration is a
harvest strategy to govern the catch 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 specification 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 exclusive
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Proposed Rules
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
economic zone 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 and were used 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 were
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
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19:35 Dec 01, 2008
Jkt 217001
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. Much of the larger revenue is
due to increases in flatfish TACs that
were much greater 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
PO 00000
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73239
with Alternative 1 are unlikely to occur.
Also, Alternative 2 TACs are
constrained by the ABCs that 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 the maximum
permissible ABCs of Alternative 1.
Therefore higher TACs under
Alternative 1 may not be consistent with
prudent biological management of the
resource. For these reasons, Alternative
2 is the preferred alternative.
This action does not modify
recordkeeping or reporting
requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or
conflict with any Federal rules.
Adverse impacts on marine mammals
resulting from fishing activities
conducted under this rule are discussed
in the Final EIS (see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
3631 et seq.; Public Law 105–277; Public Law
106–31; Public Law 106–554; Public Law
108–199; Public Law 108–447; Public Law
109–241; Public Law 109–479.
Dated: November 25, 2008.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Operations, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. E8–28617 Filed 12–1–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 2, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73222-73239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28617]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0810091344-81346-01]
RIN 0648-XL23
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Proposed 2009 and 2010 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications, reserves
and apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch for
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2009
and 2010 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The
intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish
resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: Comments must be received by January 2, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS,
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-
XL23, by any one of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at https://
www.regulations.gov.
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
Fax: (907) 586-7557.
Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted to https://www.regulations.gov without change. All
Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or
Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only.
Copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications
Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) and the Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) prepared for this action are available from
NMFS at the addresses above or from the Alaska Region Web site at
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2007 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), dated November 2007, are
available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)
at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510 or from the
Council's Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, 907-481-1780, or e-mail at
tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and
implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.
These proposed specifications are based in large part on the 2007
SAFE reports. In December 2008, the Council will consider a 2008 SAFE
report to develop its recommendations for the final 2009 and 2010
acceptable biological catch (ABC) amounts. Anticipated changes in the
final specifications from the proposed specifications are identified in
this notice for public review.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch
(TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category,
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000
to 800,000 metric tons (mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS
to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut
prohibited species catch (PSC) amounts, and seasonal allowances of
pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific cod. The proposed specifications
in Tables 1 through 17 of this document satisfy these requirements. For
2009 and 2010, the sum of the proposed TAC amounts is 279,264 mt. Under
Sec. 679.20(c)(3), NMFS will publish the final 2009 and 2010
specifications after (1) considering comments received within the
comment period (see DATES), (2) consulting with the Council at its
December 2008 meeting, and (3) considering information presented in the
Final EIS and the final 2008 SAFE report prepared for the 2009 and 2010
groundfish fisheries.
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2009 and 2010 Harvest
Specifications
NMFS published a proposed rule to implement Amendment 77 to the GOA
FMP in the Federal Register on September 24, 2008 (73 FR 55010), with
comments invited through November 17, 2008. If approved, Amendment 77
would remove dark rockfish from the pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR)
complex in the GOA FMP in order for the State of Alaska (State) to
assume management of dark rockfish. This action is necessary to allow
the State to implement more responsive, regionally based management
measures than are currently possible under the FMP. The effect on the
proposed 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications for PSR, if Amendment 77
is approved, would be to reduce the overfishing limit (OFL), ABC, and
TAC amounts listed in Table 1. The OFL for PSR would be reduced from
6,294 mt to 5,695 mt. The ABCs and TACs for PSR would be reduced from
986 mt to 804 mt in the Western Regulatory Area; from 3,566 mt to 3,339
mt in the Central Regulatory Area; from 247 mt to 230 mt in the West
Yakutat District; and from 5,140 mt to 4,690 mt
[[Page 73223]]
in the Southeast Outside District. The 2008 SAFE report will take into
account the removal of dark rockfish from the PSR complex.
Amendment 79 to the GOA FMP was approved by the Secretary of
Commerce on August 20, 2008 (73 FR 49963, August 25, 2008). Amendment
79 requires that the ``other species'' category undergo the identical
harvest level specifications procedure to which other groundfish
species or species groups are subject. Specifically, Amendment 79
requires that aggregate OFL, ABC, and TAC levels for the ``other
species'' category be established as part of the annual groundfish
harvest specification process. Previously only an annual TAC was
established. NMFS is proposing an OFL of 10,558 mt and an ABC of 7,943
mt for 2009 and 2010 (see Table 1). A stock assessment for the ``other
species'' complex will be included in 2008 SAFE report.
Proposed ABC and TAC Specifications
The proposed ABCs and TACs are based on the best available
biological and socioeconomic data, 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 OFLs. The formulas
applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are determined by the
level of reliable information available to fisheries scientists. Tier
one represents the highest level of information quality available and
tier six represents the lowest level of information quality available.
In October 2008, the Council, the Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC), and the Advisory Panel (AP), reviewed current
biological and harvest information about the condition of GOA
groundfish stocks, most of which was initially compiled by the GOA
Groundfish Plan Team (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, 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 analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for
each species category. The Plan Team will update the 2007 SAFE report
to include new information collected during 2008. The Plan Team will
provide revised stock assessments in November 2008 in the final 2008
SAFE report. The Council will review the 2008 SAFE report in December
2008. The final 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications may be adjusted
from the proposed harvest specifications based on the 2008 SAFE report.
The SSC adopted the proposed 2009 and 2010 OFL and ABC
recommendations from the Plan Team for all groundfish species. These
amounts are unchanged from the final 2009 harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2008 (73 FR 10562),
with the exception of sablefish and ``other species.'' The AP and the
Council recommendations for the proposed 2009 and 2010 OFL, ABC, and
TAC amounts are also based on the final 2009 harvest specifications
published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2008 (73 FR 10562),
with the exception of sablefish and ``other species.'' For 2009 and
2010, the Council recommended and NMFS proposes the OFLs and ABCs
listed in Table 1. The proposed ABCs reflect harvest amounts that are
less than the specified overfishing amounts. The sum of the proposed
2009 and 2010 ABCs for all assessed groundfish is 564,126 mt, which is
higher than the final 2008 ABC total of 536,201 mt (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008) for the reasons described in the February 27, 2008
harvest specifications and because of the addition of a 7,943 mt ABC
for ``other species'' under Amendment 79 to the FMP.
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
The Council recommended proposed TACs for 2009 and 2010 that are
equal to proposed 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, and skates. The Council recommended proposed
TACs for 2009 and 2010 that are less than the proposed ABCs for Pacific
cod, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other
rockfish, Atka mackerel, and the ``other species'' category.
The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as
equally among each of the following four seasons: The A season (January
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1
through November 1) (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
As in 2008, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2009 and 2010
include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe that unbiased commercial fishery catch-per-unit-
effort data are useful for stock distribution assessments. NMFS
evaluates annually the use of commercial fishery data to assure that
unbiased information is included in stock distribution models. The
Council's recommendation for sablefish area apportionments also takes
into account the prohibition on the use of trawl gear in the Southeast
Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern Regulatory Area and makes
available 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area TACs to
trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat District (WYK) (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
The AP, SSC, and Council recommended apportioning the ABC for
Pacific cod in the GOA among regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. As in previous years, the Plan Team,
SSC, and Council recommended that the sum of all State and Federal
water Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations.
The proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's
fishery for Pacific cod in its waters in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas, as well as in Prince William Sound (PWS).
Accordingly, the Council recommended the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific
cod TACs be reduced from proposed ABC amounts to account for guideline
harvest levels (GHL) established for Pacific cod by the State for
fisheries that occur in State waters of the GOA. Therefore, the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod TACs are less than the proposed 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 2009 and 2010 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 percent,
25 percent, and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA
proposed ABCs, respectively.
NMFS also is proposing seasonal apportionments of the annual
Pacific cod TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty
percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-
line, pot, or jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl
gear from January 20 through June
[[Page 73224]]
10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the B season for
hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear from September 1 through December 31,
and for trawl gear from September 1 through November 1 (Sec. Sec.
679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(11)).
As in 2008, NMFS proposes to establish for 2009 and 2010 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 catch in the A season will be no
more than 60 percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after
June 10 will continue to be taken from the B season TAC. This action
meets the intent of the Steller sea lion protection measures by
achieving temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod removals and reducing
the likelihood of catch exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A
season (January 1 through June 10).
The sum of the proposed TACs for all GOA groundfish is 279,264 mt
for 2009 and 2010, which is within the OY range specified by the FMP.
The sums of the proposed 2009 and 2010 TACs are higher than the sum of
the 2008 TACs of 262,826 mt, but are unchanged from the 2009 TACs
currently specified for the GOA groundfish fisheries (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008).
NMFS finds that the Council's recommendations for proposed OFL,
ABC, and TAC amounts are consistent with the biological condition of
groundfish stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the required
OY range. Table 1 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs
of groundfish.
Table 1--Proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/
WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside
(SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area\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
W/C/WYK (subtotal)........... 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
Deep-water flatfish \4\................... 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
Shallow-water flatfish \5\................ 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 8,000 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.......................... 1,937 1,937 n/a
SEO.......................... 2,943 2,943 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal)... 4,880 4,880 n/a
--------------------------------------
[[Page 73225]]
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
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal)... 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 skate \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 skate \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........................... 7,943 4,500 10,558
--------------------------------------
Grand Total....................... ............................. 564,126 279,264 701,446
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2.
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A
season, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of
approximately 30%, 48%, and 22% in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the
apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30%, 59%, and 12% in Statistical
Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
distribution of pollock biomass at 53%, 15%, and 32% in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 pollock seasonal apportionments. In the West Yakutat and Southeast
Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60% to the A season and 40% to the B season in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90% for processing by the inshore component and
10% for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific cod seasonal
apportionments.
\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.
[[Page 73226]]
\6\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2009 and to trawl gear in 2010. Tables 2 and 3
list the proposed 2009 and 2010 sablefish TACs.
\7\ Sebastes alutus.
\8\ Sebastes borealis.
\9\ Sebastes aleutianus.
\10\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope
rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope
rockfish.
\11\ ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern GOA only, slope rockfish also includes northern
rockfish, S. polyspinous.
\12\ Sebastes polyspinous.
\13\ Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Raja binoculata.
\15\ Raja rhina.
\16\ 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.
Proposed Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires that 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 2008, NMFS apportioned all of the reserves in the
final harvest specifications. For 2009 and 2010, NMFS proposes
apportionment of all of the reserves for pollock, Pacific cod,
flatfish, and ``other species.'' Table 1 reflects the apportionment of
reserve amounts for these species and species groups.
Proposed Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using
Hook-and-Line and Trawl Gear
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocation of sablefish
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts to hook-and-line
and trawl gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent
of each TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of each
TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern GOA, 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 GOA may only be
used to support incidental catch of sablefish in directed fisheries for
other target species (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)). In recognition of the
trawl ban in the SEO District of the Eastern GOA, the Council
recommended and NMFS proposes that the allocation of 5 percent of the
combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC be available 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
proposes to allocate 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in the SEO
District to vessels using hook-and-line gear. This recommendation
results in a proposed 2009 allocation of 244 mt to trawl gear and 1,693
mt to hook-and-line gear. Table 2 lists the allocations of the proposed
2009 sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and trawl gear. Table 3 lists the
allocations of the proposed 2010 sablefish TACs to trawl gear. The
Council recommended that only a trawl sablefish TAC be established for
two years so that incidental catch of sablefish by trawl gear could
commence in January in the second year of the harvest specifications.
However, since there is an annual assessment for sablefish and the
final annual specifications are expected to be published before the IFQ
season begins, the industry and Council recommended that the sablefish
TAC for the IFQ season be set on an annual basis so that the best and
most recent scientific information could be considered in recommending
the ABCs and TACs. Since sablefish is on bycatch status for trawl gear
from January 1, it is not likely that the sablefish allocation to trawl
gear would be reached prior to the effective date of the final harvest
specifications.
Table 2--Proposed 2009 Sablefish TAC Amounts 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 allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,727 1,382 345
Central......................................................... 5,026 4,021 1,005
West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,937 1,693 244
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,943 2,943 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 11,633 10,039 1,594
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Table 3--Proposed 2010 Sablefish TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation to Trawl Gear \1\
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,727 n/a 345
Central......................................................... 5,026 n/a 1,005
West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,937 n/a 244
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,943 n/a 0
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 73227]]
Total....................................................... 11,633 0 1,594
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing
Quota fisheries be limited to 1 year.
\2\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Proposed 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 divided between inshore and offshore processing components.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock TAC specified
for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is apportioned
into four equal seasonal allowances of 25 percent. As established by
Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season
allowances are available from January 20 through March 10, March 10
through May 31, August 25 through October 1, and October 1 through
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 2009 and 2010, the Council recommended 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 as indicated by the historic performance of the
fishery during the A season. 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. The
rollover amount is limited to 20 percent of the unharvested seasonal
apportionment for the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above
the 20-percent limit could be further distributed to the other
statistical areas, in proportion to the estimated biomass in the
subsequent season in those statistical areas (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The proposed pollock TACs in the WYK of 2,042 mt
and SEO District of 8,240 mt for 2009 and 2010 are not allocated by
season.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the allocation of 100 percent of
the pollock TAC in all regulatory areas and all seasonal allowances to
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component after
subtraction of amounts that are projected by the Regional Administrator
to be caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component incidental to
directed fishing for other groundfish species. The amount of pollock
available for 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 under Sec. 679.20(e) and (f). At
this time, these incidental catch amounts are unknown and will be
determined during the fishing year.
Table 4 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 seasonal biomass
distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
area apportionments, and seasonal allowances. The amounts of pollock
for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown.
Table 4--Proposed 2009 and 2010 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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seasons Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10)............................................... 4,472 (26.35%) 8,367 (49.30%) 4,133 (24.35%) 16,972
B (Mar 10-May 31)............................................... 4,472 (26.35%) 10,198 (60.09%) 2,302 (13.56%) 16,972
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)................................................ 7,378 (43.47%) 3,628 (21.38%) 5,966 (35.15%) 16,972
D (Oct 1-Nov 1)................................................. 7,378 (43.47%) 3,628 (21.38%) 5,966 (35.15%) 16,972
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Total................................................ 23,700 25,821 18,367 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.
Proposed Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific Cod TAC and Allocations for
Processing of Pacific Cod TAC Between Inshore and Offshore Components
Pacific cod fishing is divided into two seasons in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. For hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear, the A season is January 1 through June 10, and the B season is
September 1 through December 31. For trawl gear, the A season is
January 20 through June 10, and the B season is September 1 through
November 1 (Sec. 679.23(d)(3)). After subtraction of incidental catch,
60 percent and 40 percent of the annual TAC will be available for
harvest during the A and B seasons, respectively, and will be
apportioned between the inshore and offshore processing components, as
provided in Sec. 679.20(a)(6)(ii). Between the A and the B seasons,
directed fishing for Pacific cod is closed, and fishermen participating
in other directed fisheries must retain Pacific cod up to the maximum
retainable amounts allowed under Sec. 679.20(e) and
[[Page 73228]]
(f). Under Sec. 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 the allocation of the Pacific cod
TAC apportionment in all regulatory areas between vessels catching
Pacific cod for processing by the inshore and offshore components.
Ninety percent of the Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area is
allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 5
lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 seasonal apportionments and
allocations of the Pacific cod TAC amounts.
Table 5--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocations of Pacific Cod TAC Amounts in the Gulf
of Alaska and Allocations for Processing by the Inshore and Offshore Components
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Component allocation
-------------------------
Regulatory area Season TAC Inshore Offshore
(90%) (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western................................... Annual....................... 19,449 17,504 1,945
A season (60%)............... 11,669 10,502 1,167
B season (40%)............... 7,780 7,002 778
Central................................... Annual....................... 28,426 25,583 2,843
A season (60%)............... 17,056 15,350 1,706
B season (40%)............... 11,370 10,233 1,137
Eastern................................... Annual....................... 2,394 2,155 239
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................. ............................. 50,269 45,243 5,027
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Apportionments to the Central GOA Rockfish Program
Section 679.81(a)(1) and (2) require the allocation of the primary
rockfish species TACs in the Central Regulatory Area, after deducting
incidental catch needs in other directed groundfish fisheries, to
participants in the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program
(Rockfish Program). Five percent (2.5 percent to trawl gear and 2.5
percent to fixed gear) of the proposed 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 proposes 2009 and 2010 incidental catch amounts
of 100 mt for northern rockfish, 100 mt for pelagic shelf rockfish, and
200 mt for Pacific ocean perch for other directed groundfish fisheries
in the Central Regulatory Area. These proposed amounts are based on the
2003 through 2007 average incidental catch in the Central Regulatory
Area by other groundfish fisheries.
Section 679.83(a)(1)(i) requires that allocations to the trawl
entry level fishery must be made first from the allocation of Pacific
ocean perch available to the rockfish entry level fishery. If the
amount of Pacific ocean perch available for allocation is less than the
total allocation allowable for trawl catcher vessels in the rockfish
entry level fishery, then northern rockfish and pelagic shelf rockfish
must be allocated to trawl catcher vessels. Allocations of Pacific
ocean perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish to longline
gear vessels must be made after the allocations to trawl gear.
Table 6 lists the proposed 2009 and 2010 allocations of rockfish in
the Central GOA to trawl and longline gear in the entry level rockfish
fishery. Allocations of primary rockfish species TACs among
participants in the Rockfish Program are not included in the proposed
harvest specifications because applications for catcher processor and
catcher vessel cooperatives are due to NMFS on March 1 of each calendar
year, thereby preventing NMFS from calculating proposed 2009
allocations. NMFS will post these allocations on the Alaska Region Web
site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/goarat/
default.htm when they become available in March 2009.
Table 6--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Allocations of Rockfish in the Central Gulf of Alaska to Trawl and Longline Gear 1 in the Entry Level Rockfish Fishery
[Values are rounded to the nearest mt]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental Entry level Entry level
Species Proposed catch TAC minus 5% TAC 2.5% TAC trawl longline
TAC allowance ICA allocation allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.......................................... 8,225 200 8,025 401 201 342 59
Northern rockfish............................................ 2,302 100 2,202 110 55 0 110
Pelagic shelf rockfish....................................... 3,566 100 3,466 173 87 0 173
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................................................... 14,093 400 13,693 685 342 342 342
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
[[Page 73229]]
Proposed Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-and-line gear and permits the
establishment of apportionments for pot gear. In October 2008, the
Council recommended that NMFS maintain the 2008 halibut PSC limits of
2,000 mt for the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the hook-and-line
fisheries for 2009 and 2010. Ten mt of the hook-and-line limit is
further allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery in the
SEO District. The DSR fishery is defined at Sec. 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A).
This fishery has been apportioned 10 mt in recognition of its small
scale harvests. Most vessels in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft
(18.3 m) length overall (LOA) making them 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 short duration of
the fishery. Also, the DSR fishery occurs in the winter when less
overlap occurs in the distribution of DSR and halibut. Finally, much of
the DSR TAC is not available to the commercial DSR fishery. The Alaska
Department of Fish and Game sets the quota for the commercial DSR
fishery after estimates of incidental catch in all fisheries (including
halibut) and anticipated recreational harvest have been deducted from
the DSR TAC. Of the 382 mt TAC for DSR in 2008, 87 were available for
the commercial fishery.
Section 679.21(d)(4) authorizes the exemption of specified non-
trawl fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, NMFS,
after consultation with the Council, proposes to exempt pot gear, jig
gear, and the sablefish IFQ (Individual Fishing Quota) hook-and-line
gear fishery categories from the non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2009
and 2010. The Council and NMFS recommend these exemptions because (1)
the pot gear fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 19
mt annually from 2001 through 2007 and 20 mt through October 11, 2008);
(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 low amount of groundfish harvested by jig gear (averaging 284
mt annually from 2001 through 2007, and 83 mt through October 11,
2008), the selective nature of jig gear, and the likelihood of high
survival rates of halibut caught and released by jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) provided NMFS the authority to seasonally
apportion the halibut PSC limits after consultation with the Council.
The FMP and regulations require that the Council and NMFS consider the
following information in seasonally apportioning halibut PSC limits:
(1) Seasonal distribution of halibut, (2) seasonal distribution of
target groundfish species relative to halibut distribution, (3)
expected halibut bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relative to changes
in halibut biomass and expected catch of target groundfish species, (4)
expected bycatch rates on a seasonal basis, (5) expected changes in
directed groundfish fishing seasons, (6) expected actual start of
fishing effort, and (7) economic effects of establishing seasonal
halibut allocations on segments of the target groundfish industry.
The final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications (73 FR 10562,
February 27, 2008) summarized the Council's and NMFS's findings with
respect to each of these FMP considerations. The Council's and NMFS's
findings for 2009 and 2010 are unchanged from 2008. Table 7 lists the
proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific halibut PSC limits, allowances, and
apportionments. Section 679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv), respectively,
specify that any underages or overages of a seasonal apportionment of a
PSC limit will be added to or removed from the next respective seasonal
apportionment within the fishing year.
Table 7--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Pacific Halibut PSC Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
[Values are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other than DSR DSR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Amount Season Amount Season Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1....................... 550 (27.5%) January 1-June 10........... 250 (86%) January 1-December 31....... 10 (100%)
April 1-July 1........................... 400 (20%) June 10-September 1......... 5 (2%) n/a......................... n/a
July 1-September 1....................... 600 (30%) September 1-December 31..... 35 (12%) n/a......................... n/a
September 1-October 1.................... 150 (7.5%) n/a......................... n/a n/a......................... n/a
October 1-December 31.................... 300 (15%) n/a......................... n/a n/a......................... n/a
Total................................ 2,000 (100%) n/a......................... 290 (100%) n/a......................... 10 (100%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR. The
hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes 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 a fishing year and
optimization of the total amount of groundfish harvest under the
halibut PSC limit. The fishery categories for the trawl halibut PSC
limits are (1) a deep-water species category, comprised of sablefish,
rockfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and
(2) a shallow-water species category, comprised of pollock, Pacific
cod, shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel, skates, and
``other species'' (Sec. 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 8 lists the proposed
2009 and 2010 seasonal apportionments of Pacific halibut PSC trawl
limits for the deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories.
Based on public comment and information contained in the final 2008
SAFE report, the Council may recommend or NMFS may make changes in the
seasonal, gear-type, or fishery category apportionments of halibut PSC
limits for the final 2009 and 2010 harvest specifications.
[[Page 73230]]
Table 8--Proposed 2009 and 2010 Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific
Halibut PSC Trawl Limits Between the Trawl Gear Shallow-Water Species
and the Deep-Water Species Categories
[Values are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow- Deep-water
Season water \1\ Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1............... 450 100 550
April 1-July 1................... 100 300 400
July 1-September 1............... 200 400 600
September 1-October 1............ 150 (\3\) 150
Subtotal January 20-October 1.... 900 800 1,700
October 1-December 31 \2\........ n/a n/a 300
--------------------------------------
Total........................ n/a n/a 2,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central Gulf of Alaska
Rockfish Pilot Program will receive a portion of the third season
(July 1-September 1) deep-water category halibut PSC apportionment. At
this time, this amount is not known but will be posted later on the
Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov when it
becomes available.
\2\ There is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water trawl
fishery categories during the fifth season (October 1 through December
31).
\3\ Any remainder.
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior Years
The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2008. The calculated halibut bycatch
mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gears through November 1,
2008, is 1,836 mt, 407 mt, and 22 mt, respectively, for a total halibut
mortality of 2,265 mt.
Halibut bycatch restrictions seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2008 fishing year. The trawl fishery during the
second season was closed for the deep-water species category on April
21 (73 FR 22062, April 24, 2008), and during the fourth season on
September 11 (73 FR 53159, September 15, 2008). The trawl fishery
during the first season was closed for the shallow-water species
category on March 10 (73 FR 13464, March 13, 2008) and opened on March
21 through May 21 (73 FR 15942, March 26, 2008, and 73 FR 30318, May
27, 2008). To prevent exceeding the fourth season halibut PSC limit for
the shallow-water species category, directed fishing using trawl gear
was limited to one 48-hour open period beginning September 1 (73 FR
51601, September 4, 2008), and to one 36-hour period beginning
September 10 (73 FR 52930, September 12, 2008). The trawl fishery for
all groundfish targets (with the exception of vessels participating in
the Rockfish Program in the Central GOA) closed for the fifth season on
November 6, 2008 (73 FR 66561, November 10, 2008) and reopened on
November 16, 2008 (73 FR 69586, November 19, 2008). Directed fishing
for groundfish using hook-and-line gear closed for the year on October
16 (73 FR 62212, October 20, 2008). The amount of groundfish that trawl
gear might have harvested if halibut PSC limits had not restricted the
2008 season is unknown.
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks and Catch
Proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water
flatfish, flathead sole, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific ocean perch, and
pelagic shelf rockfish are higher than those established for 2008,
while the proposed 2009 and 2010 ABCs for rex sole and sablefish are
lower than those established for 2008. For the remaining target
species, the Council recommended that ABC levels remain unchanged from
2008. More information on these changes is included in the final SAFE
report (November 2007). This document is available from the Council
(see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total proposed 2009 and 2010 TAC amounts are
279,264 mt, an increase of six percent from the 2008 TAC total of
262,826 mt. Table 9 compares the final 2008 TACs to the proposed 2009
and 2010 TACs.
Table 9--Comparison of Final 2008 and Proposed 2009 and 2010 Total
Allowable Catch amount (TACs) in the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed
Species Final 2008 2009 and
TACs 2010 TACs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock....................................... 60,180 78,170
Pacific cod................................... 50,269 50,269
Deep-water flatfish........................... 8,903 9,172
Rex sole...................................... 9,132 8,468
Flathead sole................................. 11,054 11,215
Shallow water flatfish........................ 22,256 22,256
Arrowtooth flounder........................... 43,000 43,000
Sablefish..................................... 12,730 11,633
Pacific ocean perch........................... 14,999 15,072
Shortraker rockfish........................... 898 898
Rougheye rockfish............................. 1,286 1,279
Other rockfish................................ 1,730 1,730
Northern rock
