Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 11749-11778 [2010-5472]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.
97.022, ‘‘Flood Insurance.’’)
Dated: March 3, 2010.
Sandra K. Knight,
Deputy Federal Insurance and Mitigation
Administrator, Mitigation, Department of
Homeland Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010–5398 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–12–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910091344–9056–02]
Classification
RIN 0648–XV12
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical
Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska
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AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area
630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This
action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the B season allowance of the 2010 total
allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for
Statistical Area 630 in the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), March 10, 2010, through
1200 hrs, A.l.t., August 25, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The B season allowance of the 2010
TAC of pollock in Statistical Area 630
of the GOA is 2,891 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2009 and 2010
harvest specifications for groundfish of
the GOA (74 FR 7333, February 1, 2009)
and inseason adjustment (74 FR 68713,
December 29, 2009).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator has
determined that the B season allowance
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of the 2010 TAC of pollock in Statistical
Area 630 of the GOA will soon be
reached. Therefore, the Regional
Administrator is establishing a directed
fishing allowance of 2,841 mt, and is
setting aside the remaining 50 mt as
bycatch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries. In accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional
Administrator finds that this directed
fishing allowance has been reached.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for pollock in Statistical
Area 630 of the GOA.
After the effective date of this closure
the maximum retainable amounts at
§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the closure of pollock in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. NMFS
was unable to publish a notice
providing time for public comment
because the most recent, relevant data
only became available as of March 8,
2010.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30–day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 9, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–5456 Filed 3–9–10; 4:15 pm]
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11749
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131362–0087–02]
RIN 0648–XS43
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final
2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications
for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications,
apportionments, and Pacific halibut
prohibited species catch limits for the
groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to
establish harvest limits for groundfish
during the 2010 and 2011 fishing years
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the GOA.
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: Effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), March 12, 2010,
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2011.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the
Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), Record of Decision
(ROD), Supplementary Information
Report (SIR) to the EIS, and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)
prepared for this action are available
from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
The final 2009 Stock Assessment and
Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the GOA, dated
November 2009, is available from the
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council’s (the Council) Web site at
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom
Pearson, 907–481–1780, or Obren Davis,
907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the GOA groundfish fisheries
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S.
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fisheries and implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species and for the ‘‘other
species’’ category, the sum of which
must be within the optimum yield (OY)
range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons
(mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further
requires NMFS to publish and solicit
public comment on proposed annual
TACs, halibut prohibited species catch
(PSC) amounts, and seasonal allowances
of pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific
cod. Upon consideration of public
comment received under § 679.20(c)(1),
NMFS must publish notice of final
specifications for up to two fishing years
as annual target and ‘‘other species’’
TAC, per § 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final
specifications set forth in Tables 1
through 28 of this document reflect the
outcome of this process, as required at
679.20(c).
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the GOA
and Pacific halibut PSC allowances
were published in the Federal Register
on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62533).
Comments were invited and accepted
through December 30, 2009. NMFS
received three letters of comment on the
proposed specifications. The comments
are summarized in the Response to
Comments section of this action. In
December 2009, NMFS consulted with
the Council regarding the 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications. After considering
public comments received, as well as
biological and economic data that were
available at the Council’s December
2009 meeting, NMFS is implementing
the final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, as recommended by the
Council. For 2010, the sum of the TAC
amounts is 292,087 mt. For 2011, the
sum of the TAC amounts is 328,464 mt.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Specifications
In December 2009, the Council, its
Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific
and Statistical Committee (SSC),
reviewed current biological and harvest
information about the condition of
groundfish stocks in the GOA. This
information was compiled by the
Council’s GOA Plan Team and was
presented in the final 2009 SAFE report
for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2009 (see ADDRESSES). The
SAFE report contains a review of the
latest scientific analyses and estimates
of each species’ biomass and other
biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information
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on the GOA ecosystem and the
economic condition of the groundfish
fisheries off Alaska. From these data and
analyses, the Plan Team estimates an
ABC for each species or species
category.
The final ABCs and TACs are based
on the best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including
projected biomass trends, information
on assumed distribution of stock
biomass, and revised methods used to
calculate stock biomass. The FMP
specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be
used to compute ABCs and overfishing
levels (OFLs). The formulas applicable
to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable
information available to fisheries
scientists. This information is
categorized into a successive series of
six tiers to define OFL and ABC
amounts, with tier one representing the
highest level of information quality
available and tier six representing the
lowest level of information quality
available. The SSC adopted the final
2010 and 2011 OFLs and ABCs
recommended by the Plan Team for all
groundfish species.
The final TAC recommendations were
based on the ABCs as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic
considerations, including maintaining
the sum of all TACs within the required
OY range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt. The
Council adopted the SSC’s OFL and
ABC recommendations and the AP’s
TAC recommendations. The Council
recommended TACs for 2010 and 2011
that are equal to ABCs for pollock, deepwater flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific
ocean perch, shortraker rockfish,
rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish,
pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead
rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates.
The Council recommended TACs for
2010 and 2011 that are less than the
ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole,
shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth
flounder, other rockfish, Atka mackerel,
and ‘‘other species.’’ None of the
Council’s recommended TACs for 2010
and 2011 exceed the final ABC for any
species or species category. The 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications
approved by the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) are unchanged from those
recommended by the Council and are
consistent with the preferred harvest
strategy alternative in the EIS (see
ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the
Council’s recommended OFLs, ABCs,
and TACs are consistent with the
biological condition of the groundfish
stocks as described in the 2009 SAFE
report and approved by the Council.
NMFS also finds that the Council’s
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recommendations for OFLs, ABCs, and
TACs are consistent with the biological
condition of groundfish stocks as
adjusted for other biological and
socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the total TAC
within the OY range. NMFS reviewed
the Council’s recommended TAC
specifications and apportionments and
approves these specifications under 50
CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment
of TAC amounts among gear types,
processing sectors, and seasons is
discussed below.
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2010 and
2011 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area
apportionments of groundfish in the
GOA. The sums of the 2010 and 2011
ABCs are 565,499 mt and 605,086 mt,
respectively, which are higher in 2010
and 2011 than the 2009 ABC sum of
516,055 mt (74 FR 7333, February 17,
2009).
Specification and Apportionment of
TAC Amounts
As in prior years, the SSC and
Council recommended that the method
of apportioning the sablefish ABC
among management areas in 2010 and
2011 include commercial fishery and
survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe the use of unbiased
commercial fishery data reflecting
catch-per-unit-effort provides rational
input for stock distribution assessments.
NMFS annually evaluates the use of
commercial fishery data to ensure
unbiased information is included in
stock distribution models. The Council’s
recommendation for sablefish area
apportionments also takes into account
the prohibition on the use of trawl gear
in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District
of the Eastern Regulatory Area and
makes available five percent of the
combined Eastern Regulatory Area
ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental
catch in other directed groundfish
fisheries in the West Yakutat (WYK)
District (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State of
Alaska (State) managed pollock fishery
in Prince William Sound (PWS), the
GOA Plan Team has recommended the
guideline harvest level (GHL) for the
pollock fishery in PWS be deducted
from the ABC for the western stock of
pollock in the GOA in the Western/
Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area.
For the 2010 and 2011 pollock fisheries
in PWS, the State’s GHL is 1,650 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock
TAC among the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the
seasonal biomass distribution and is
discussed in greater detail below. The
annual pollock TAC in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
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apportioned among Statistical Areas
610, 620, and 630, as well as equally
among each of the following four
seasons: The A season (January 20
through March 10), the B season (March
10 through May 31), the C season
(August 25 through October 1), and the
D season (October 1 through November
1) (50 CFR 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv)
and 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A), (B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council
recommended apportionment of the
ABC for Pacific cod in the GOA among
regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys.
The 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod TACs are
affected by the State’s fishery for Pacific
cod in State waters in the Central and
Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in
PWS. The Plan Team, SSC, AP, and
Council recommended that the sum of
all State and Federal water Pacific cod
removals from the GOA not exceed ABC
recommendations. Accordingly, the
Council recommended reducing the
2010 and 2011 Pacific cod TACs from
the ABCs in the Central and Western
Regulatory Areas to account for State
GHLs. Therefore, the 2010 Pacific cod
TACs are less than the ABCs by the
following amounts: (1) Eastern GOA,
356 mt; (2) Central GOA, 12,260 mt; and
(3) Western GOA, 6,921 mt. The 2011
Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs
by the following amounts: (1) Eastern
GOA, 441 mt; (2) Central GOA, 15,174
mt; and (3) Western GOA, 8,566 mt.
These amounts reflect the sum of the
State’s 2010 and 2011 GHLs in these
areas, which are 15 percent, 25 percent,
and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central,
and Western GOA ABCs, respectively.
The percentage of the ABC used to
calculate the 2010 and 2011 GHL for the
State-managed Pacific cod fishery in
PWS fisheries has been increased from
10 percent in 2009 to 15 percent of the
Eastern GOA ABC in 2010 and 2011.
NMFS establishes seasonal
apportionments of the annual Pacific
cod TAC in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the A
season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear from January 1 through June 10,
and for trawl gear from January 20
through June 10. Forty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the B
season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig
gear from September 1 through
December 31, and for trawl gear from
September 1 through November 1
(§§ 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)).
NMFS establishes—for 2010 and
2011—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
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of Pacific cod in each management area
before June 10 (§ 679.20(d)(1)). The DFA
and incidental catch before June 10 will
be managed such that total harvest in
the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental
catch taken after June 10 will continue
to accrue against the B season TAC. This
action meets the intent of the Steller sea
lion protection measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod
removals and by reducing the likelihood
of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the
annual TAC in the A season.
Other Actions Affecting the 2010 and
2011 Harvest Specifications
The Council is developing an
amendment to the FMP to comply with
Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements
associated with annual catch limits and
accountability measures. That
amendment may result in revisions to
how total annual groundfish mortality is
estimated and accounted for in the
annual SAFE reports, which in turn may
affect the OFLs and ABCs for certain
groundfish species. NMFS will attempt
to identify additional sources of
mortality to groundfish stocks not
currently reported or considered by the
groundfish stock assessments in
recommending OFL, ABC, and TAC for
certain groundfish species. These
changes would not be in effect until
2011, and could affect the 2011 OFLs,
ABCs, and TACs contained in this
action.
In October 2008, the Council adopted
Amendment 34 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Bering Sea/
Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs.
Amendment 34 would amend the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab
Rationalization Program (Crab
Rationalization Program) to exempt
additional fishery participants from
harvest limits, called sideboards, which
apply to some vessels and license
limitation program (LLP) licenses that
are used to participate in GOA Pacific
cod and pollock fisheries. These
particular sideboards are discussed
under the subsequent section titled
‘‘Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish
Harvest Limitations.’’ Tables 19 and 20
specify the 2010 and 2011 sideboard
amounts. If the Secretary approves
Amendment 34, NMFS would revise the
sideboard amounts specified in Tables
19 and 20.
Changes From the Proposed 2010 and
2011 Harvest Specifications in the GOA
In October 2009, the Council’s
recommendations for the proposed 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications (74 FR
62533, November 30, 2009) were based
largely upon information contained in
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the final 2008 SAFE report for the GOA
groundfish fisheries, dated November
2008 (see ADDRESSES). The Council
proposed that the OFLs, ABCs, and
TACs established for the groundfish
fisheries in 2009 (74 FR 7333, February
17, 2009, see Table 2) be rolled over to
2010 and 2011, pending completion and
review of the 2009 SAFE report at its
December 2009 meeting.
The 2009 SAFE report, which was not
available when the Council made its
recommendations in October 2009,
contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition
of the groundfish stocks. The Council
considered this report in December 2009
when it made recommendations for the
final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications. The Council’s final 2010
and 2011 TAC recommendations
increase fishing opportunities for
species for which the Council had
sufficient information to raise TAC
levels. Conversely, the Council reduced
TAC levels to provide greater protection
for some species. Based on the final
2009 SAFE report, the sum of the 2010
final TACs for the GOA (292,087 mt) is
7,399 mt higher than the sum of the
proposed 2010 TACs (284,688 mt). The
largest 2010 increases occurred for
pollock, from 74,330 mt to 84,745 mt
(14 percent increase); for rex sole, from
8,827 mt to 9,729 mt (10 percent
increase); for Pacific ocean perch, from
15,098 mt to 17,584 mt (16 percent
increase); for northern rockfish, from
4,173 mt to 5,098 mt (22 percent
increase); and for pelagic shelf rockfish,
from 4,465 mt to 5,059 mt (13 percent
increase). The largest decreases
occurred for deep-water flatfish, from
9,793 mt to 6,190 mt (37 percent
decrease); for shallow-water flatfish,
from 22,256 mt to 20,062 mt (10 percent
decrease); for flathead sole, from 11,289
mt to 10,441 mt (8 percent decrease); for
other rockfish, from 1,730 mt to 1,192
mt (31 percent decrease); for thornyhead
rockfish, from 1,910 mt to 1,770 mt (7
percent decrease); and for demersal
shelf rockfish, from 362 mt to 295 mt
(18 percent decrease). The sum of the
final 2011 TACs for the GOA (328,464
mt) is 43,776 mt higher than the sum of
the proposed 2011 TACs (284,688 mt).
The largest 2011 increases occurred for
pollock, Pacific cod, rex sole, Pacific
ocean perch, northern rockfish, and
pelagic shelf rockfish. Concurrently,
decreases occurred for sablefish, deepwater flatfish, shallow-water flatfish,
flathead sole, other rockfish, demersal
shelf rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish.
Other increases or decreases in 2010
and 2011 are within 2 percent of the
proposed specifications.
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The changes in the final rule from the
proposed rule are based on the most
recent scientific information and
implement the harvest strategy
described in the proposed rule for the
harvest specifications. Tables 1 and 2
list the 2010 and 2011, respectively,
final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts for
GOA groundfish.
TABLE 1—FINAL 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
Area 1
Pollock 2 ..........................................................
Shumagin (610) ..............................................
Chirikof (620) ..................................................
Kodiak (630) ...................................................
WYK (640) ......................................................
26,256
28,095
19,118
2,031
26,256
28,095
19,118
2,031
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
W/C/WYK (subtotal) .......................................
SEO (650) ......................................................
75,500
9,245
75,500
9,245
103,210
12,326
Total ........................................................
84,745
84,745
115,536
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
27,685
49,042
2,373
20,764
36,782
2,017
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
79,100
59,563
94,100
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) .........................
1,660
4,510
1,620
2,580
4,200
1,660
4,510
1,620
2,580
4,200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
10,370
10,370
12,270
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
521
2,865
2,044
760
521
2,865
2,044
760
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
6,190
6,190
7,680
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
23,681
29,999
1,228
1,334
4,500
13,000
1,228
1,334
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
56,242
20,062
67,768
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,543
6,403
883
900
1,543
6,403
883
900
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
9,729
9,729
12,714
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
34,773
146,407
22,835
11,867
8,000
30,000
2,500
2,500
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
215,882
43,000
254,271
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
16,857
27,124
1,990
1,451
2,000
5,000
1,990
1,451
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
47,422
10,411
59,295
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) .........................
2,895
10,737
2,004
1,948
3,952
2,895
10,737
2,004
1,948
3,952
3,332
12,361
n/a
n/a
4,550
Pacific cod 3 ....................................................
Sablefish 4 .......................................................
Deep-water flatfish 5 ........................................
Shallow-water
flatfish 6
....................................
Rex sole ..........................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................
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Flathead sole ..................................................
Pacific ocean perch 7 ......................................
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TABLE 1—FINAL 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 (GOA)—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
Total ........................................................
17,584
17,584
20,243
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
2,703
2,395
0
2,703
2,395
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
5,098
5,098
6,070
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
80
862
360
80
862
360
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
1,302
1,302
1,568
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
134
325
455
134
325
455
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
914
914
1,219
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
212
507
273
2,757
212
507
273
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
3,749
1,192
4,881
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
650
3,249
434
726
650
3,249
434
726
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
5,059
5,059
6,142
SEO ................................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
295
425
637
708
295
425
637
708
472
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
1,770
1,770
2,360
GW .................................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
4,700
598
2,049
681
2,000
598
2,049
681
6,200
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
3,328
3,328
4,438
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
81
2,009
762
81
2,009
762
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
2,852
2,852
3,803
Other skates 17 ................................................
Other species 18 ..............................................
GW .................................................................
GW .................................................................
2,093
7,075
2,093
4,500
2,791
9,432
Total .........................................................
.........................................................................
565,499
292,087
693,253
Northern rockfish 8 9 ........................................
Rougheye rockfish 10 .......................................
Shortraker
rockfish 11
......................................
Other rockfish 9 12 ............................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 ..................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 14 ...............................
Thornyhead rockfish .......................................
Atka mackerel .................................................
Big skate 15 ......................................................
Longnose skate 16 ...........................................
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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30
percent, 54 percent, and 16 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is
based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011 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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 7 and 8 list the proposed 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
2 Pollock
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
4 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
sablefish TACs.
5 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
6 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to the Eastern GOA has been
included in the slope rockfish complex.
9 ‘‘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.
10 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
11 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
12 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish.
The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 ‘‘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).
15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata.
16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina.
17 ‘‘Other skates’’ means Bathyraja spp.
18 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
TABLE 2—FINAL 2011 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
Area 1
Pollock 2 ..........................................................
Shumagin (610) ..............................................
Chirikof (620) ..................................................
Kodiak (630) ...................................................
WYK (640) ......................................................
34,728
37,159
25,287
2,686
34,728
37,159
25,287
2,686
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
W/C/WYK (subtotal) .......................................
SEO (650) ......................................................
99,860
9,245
99,860
9,245
135,010
12,326
Total ........................................................
109,105
109,105
147,336
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
34,265
60,698
2,937
25,699
45,524
2,496
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
97,900
73,719
116,700
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,488
4,042
1,450
2,320
1,488
4,042
1,450
2,320
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) .........................
3,770
3,770
n/a
Total ........................................................
9,300
9,300
11,008
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
530
2,928
2,089
778
530
2,928
2,089
778
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
6,325
6,325
7,847
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
23,681
29,999
1,228
1,334
4,500
13,000
1,228
1,334
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
56,242
20,062
67,768
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
1,521
6,312
871
888
1,521
6,312
871
888
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
9,592
9,592
12,534
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
34,263
144,262
8,000
30,000
n/a
n/a
Pacific cod 3 ....................................................
Sablefish 4 .......................................................
Deep-water flatfish 5 ........................................
Shallow-water flatfish 6 ....................................
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Rex sole ..........................................................
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
11755
TABLE 2—FINAL 2011 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 (GOA)—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
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10,576
61,601
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
2,797
10,377
1,937
1,882
2,797
10,377
1,937
1,882
3,220
11,944
n/a
n/a
3,819
3,819
4,396
16,993
16,993
19,560
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
2,549
2,259
0
2,549
2,259
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
4,808
4,808
5,730
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
81
869
363
81
869
363
n/a
n/a
n/a
1,313
1,313
1,581
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
134
325
455
134
325
455
n/a
n/a
n/a
914
914
1,219
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
212
507
273
2,757
212
507
273
200
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
3,749
1,192
4,881
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
607
3,035
405
680
607
3,035
405
680
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
4,727
4,727
5,739
SEO ................................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
295
425
637
708
295
425
637
708
472
n/a
n/a
n/a
1,770
1,770
2,360
GW .................................................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
E .....................................................................
4,700
598
2,049
681
2,000
598
2,049
681
6,200
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
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49,286
Total ........................................................
Longnose skate 16 ...........................................
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
Atka mackerel .................................................
Big skate 15 ......................................................
2,000
5,000
2,068
1,508
Total ........................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish 14 ...............................
Thornyhead rockfish .......................................
17,520
28,190
2,068
1,508
Total ........................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 ..................................
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
WYK ...............................................................
SEO ................................................................
Total ........................................................
Other rockfish 9 12 ...........................................
250,559
Total ........................................................
Shortraker rockfish 11 ......................................
43,000
Total ........................................................
Rougheye rockfish 10 .......................................
212,719
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) .........................
Northern rockfish 8 9 ........................................
n/a
n/a
Total ........................................................
Pacific ocean perch 7 ......................................
2,500
2,500
Total ........................................................
Flathead sole ..................................................
22,501
11,693
3,328
3,328
4,438
W ....................................................................
C .....................................................................
81
2,009
81
2,009
n/a
n/a
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 2—FINAL 2011 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 (GOA)—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area 1
Species
ABC
TAC
OFL
E .....................................................................
762
762
n/a
Total ........................................................
2,852
2,852
3,803
Other skates 17 ................................................
Other species 18 ..............................................
GW .................................................................
GW .................................................................
2,093
7,075
2,093
4,500
2,791
9,432
Total .........................................................
.........................................................................
605,086
328,464
743,559
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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30
percent, 54 percent, and 16 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is
based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011 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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Tables 7 and 8 list the proposed 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
4 Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
sablefish TACs.
5 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
6 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder.
7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus.
8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to the Eastern GOA has been
included in the slope rockfish complex.
9 ‘‘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.
10 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
11 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis.
12 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish.
The category ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
14 ‘‘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).
15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata.
16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina.
17 ‘‘Other skates’’ means Bathyraja spp.
18 ‘‘Other species’’ means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
2 Pollock
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 20
percent of each TAC for pollock, Pacific
cod, flatfish, and the ‘‘other species’’
category be set aside in reserves for
possible apportionment at a later date
during the fishing year. In 2009, NMFS
reapportioned all the reserves in the
final harvest specifications. For 2010
and 2011, NMFS proposed
reapportionment of all the reserves in
the proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications published in the Federal
Register on November 30, 2009 (74 FR
62533). NMFS received no public
comments on the proposed
reapportionments. For the final 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications, NMFS
reapportioned, as proposed, all the
reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish,
and ‘‘other species.’’ Specifications of
TAC shown in Tables 1 and 2 reflect
reapportionment of reserve amounts for
these species and species groups.
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Allocations of the Sablefish TAC
Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-andLine and Trawl Gear
Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require
allocations of sablefish TACs for each of
the regulatory areas and districts to
hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas,
80 percent of each TAC is allocated to
hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of
each TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In
the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent
of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line
gear, and five percent is allocated to
trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in
the Eastern Regulatory Area may only be
used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other
target species (§ 679.20(a)(1)). In
recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO
District of the Eastern Regulatory Area,
the Council recommended (and NMFS
concurs with) the allocation of five
percent of the combined Eastern
Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl
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gear in the WYK District and the
remainder of the WYK sablefish TAC be
available to vessels using hook-and-line
gear. As a result, NMFS allocates 100
percent of the sablefish TAC in the SEO
District to vessels using hook-and-line
gear. This recommendation results in an
allocation of 210 mt to trawl gear and
1,410 mt to hook-and-line gear in the
WYK District in 2010, an allocation of
2,580 mt to hook-and-line gear in the
SEO District in 2010, and 189 mt to
trawl gear in the WYK District in 2011.
Table 3 lists the allocations of the 2010
sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and
trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations
of the 2011 sablefish TACs to trawl gear.
The Council recommended that the
hook-and-line sablefish TAC be
established annually to ensure that the
Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) fishery
is conducted concurrent with the
halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the
most recent survey information. The
Council also recommended that only a
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trawl sablefish TAC be established for
two years so that retention of incidental
catch of sablefish by trawl gear could
commence in January in the second year
of the groundfish harvest specifications.
However, since there is an annual
assessment for sablefish and the final
harvest specifications are expected to be
published before the IFQ season begins
(typically, early March), the industry
and Council recommended that the
sablefish TAC 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 during the entire
fishing year, and given that fishing for
groundfish is prohibited prior to January
20, it is not likely that the sablefish
allocation to trawl gear would be
reached before the effective date of the
final harvest specifications.
TABLE 3—FINAL 2010 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA 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 .......................................................................................................................
1,660
4,510
1,620
2,580
1,328
3,608
1,410
2,580
332
902
210
0
Total ......................................................................................................................................
10,370
8,926
1,444
1 Represents
an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
TABLE 4—FINAL 2011 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR 1
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area/district
Hook-and-line
allocation
TAC
Trawl
allocation
Western ........................................................................................................................................
Central .........................................................................................................................................
West Yakutat 2 .............................................................................................................................
Southeast Outside .......................................................................................................................
1,488
4,042
1,450
2,320
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
298
808
189
0
Total ......................................................................................................................................
9,300
n/a
1,295
1 The
Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries be limited to one
year.
2 Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among
Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and
Allocations for Processing by Inshore
and Offshore Components
In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by
season and area, and is further allocated
for processing by inshore and offshore
components. Pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock
TAC specified for the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
apportioned into four equal seasonal
allowances of 25 percent. As established
by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A,
B, C, and D season allowances are
available from January 20 to March 10,
March 10 to May 31, August 25 to
October 1, and October 1 to November
1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are
apportioned among Statistical Areas
610, 620, and 630, pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). 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
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seasons, the apportionments are in
proportion to the distribution of pollock
biomass based on the four most recent
NMFS summer surveys. For 2010 and
2011, the Council recommends, and
NMFS approves, averaging the winter
and summer distribution of pollock in
the Central Regulatory Area for the A
season. The average is intended to
reflect the distribution of pollock and
the performance of the fishery in the
area during the A season for the 2010
and 2011 fishing years. Within any
fishing year, the amount by which a
seasonal allowance is under- or
overharvested may be added to, or
subtracted from, subsequent seasonal
allowances in a manner to be
determined by the Regional
Administrator (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
The rollover amount of unharvested
pollock is limited to 20 percent of the
seasonal apportionment for the
statistical area. Any unharvested
pollock above the 20-percent limit could
be further distributed to the other
statistical areas, in proportion to the
estimated biomass in the subsequent
season in those statistical areas
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(§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The pollock TACs
in the WYK and SEO District of 2,031
mt and 9,245 mt, respectively, in 2010,
and 2,686 mt and 9,245 mt, respectively,
in 2011, 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
projected by the Regional Administrator
to be caught by, or delivered to, the
offshore component incidental to
directed fishing for other groundfish
species. Thus, the amount of pollock
available for harvest by vessels
harvesting pollock for processing by the
offshore component is that amount that
will be taken as incidental catch during
directed fishing for groundfish species
other than pollock, up to the maximum
retainable amounts allowed by
§ 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these
incidental catch amounts of pollock are
unknown and will be determined
during the fishing year.
Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal
biomass distribution of pollock in the
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
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 5—FINAL 2010 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA;
SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Season 1
Shumagin
(Area 610)
Chirikof
(Area 620)
Total 2
Kodiak
(Area 630)
A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ...................................
B (Mar 10–May 31) ..................................
C (Aug 25–Oct 1) .....................................
D (Oct 1–Nov 1) .......................................
5,551
5,551
7,577
7,577
(30.22%)
(30.22%)
(41.25%)
(41.25%)
8,414
9,925
4,878
4,878
(45.81%)
(54.04%)
(26.55%)
(26.55%)
4,403
2,891
5,912
5,912
(23.97%)
(15.74%)
(32.19%)
(32.19%)
18,368
18,367
18,367
18,367
Annual Total ......................................
26,256
....................
28,095
....................
19,118
....................
73,469
1 As
established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10
to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table.
2 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.
TABLE 6—FINAL 2011 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA;
SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Season 1
Shumagin
(Area 610)
Chirikof
(Area 620)
Total 2
Kodiak
(Area 630)
A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ...................................
B (Mar 10–May 31) ..................................
C (Aug 25–Oct 1) .....................................
D (Oct 1–Nov 1) .......................................
7,342
7,342
10,022
10,022
(30.22%)
(30.22%)
(41.25%)
(41.25%)
11,129
13,128
6,451
6,451
(45.81%)
(54.04%)
(26.55%)
(26.55%)
5,823
3,824
7,820
7,820
(23.97%)
(15.74%)
(32.19%)
(32.19%)
24,294
24,294
24,293
24,293
Annual Total ......................................
34,728
....................
37,159
....................
25,287
....................
97,174
1 As
established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10
to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table.
2 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.
Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific
Cod TAC and Allocations for
Processing of Pacific Cod TAC Between
Inshore and Offshore Components
Pacific cod fishing is divided into two
seasons in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas of the GOA. For hookand-line, pot, and jig gear, the A season
is January 1 through June 10, and the B
season is September 1 through
December 31. For trawl gear, the A
season is January 20 through June 10,
and the B season is September 1 through
November 1 (§ 679.23(d)(3)(i)). After
subtraction of incidental catch from the
A season, 60 percent of the annual TAC
will be available as a DFA during the A
season for the inshore and offshore
components. The remaining 40 percent
of the annual TAC will be available for
harvest during the B season. Under
§ 679.20(a)(12)(ii), any overage or
underage of the Pacific cod allowance
from the A season may be subtracted
from or added to the subsequent B
season allowance.
Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires
allocation of the TAC apportionments of
Pacific cod in all regulatory areas to
vessels catching Pacific cod for
processing by the inshore and offshore
components. Ninety percent of the
Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area
is allocated to vessels catching Pacific
cod for processing by the inshore
component. The remaining 10 percent
of the TAC is allocated to vessels
catching Pacific cod for processing by
the offshore component. Tables 7 and 8
list the seasonal apportionments and
allocations of the final 2010 and 2011
Pacific cod TACs, respectively.
TABLE 7—FINAL 2010 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GOA;
ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Regulatory area
Season
TAC
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Inshore (90%)
Western ....................................................
Central ......................................................
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Annual .......................................................
A season (60%) ........................................
B season (40%) ........................................
Annual .......................................................
A season (60%) ........................................
B season (40%) ........................................
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20,764
12,458
8,306
36,782
22,069
14,713
E:\FR\FM\12MRR1.SGM
18,687
11,212
7,475
33,104
19,862
13,242
12MRR1
Offshore (10%)
2,077
1,246
831
3,678
2,207
1,471
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
11759
TABLE 7—FINAL 2010 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GOA;
ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS—Continued
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Regulatory area
Season
TAC
Inshore (90%)
Offshore (10%)
Eastern .....................................................
Annual .......................................................
2,017
1,816
201
Total ...................................................
...................................................................
59,563
53,607
5,956
TABLE 8—FINAL 2011 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GOA;
ALLOCATIONS FOR PROCESSING BY THE INSHORE AND OFFSHORE COMPONENTS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Component allocation
Regulatory area
Season
TAC
Inshore (90%)
Western ....................................................
Offshore (10%)
Eastern .....................................................
Annual .......................................................
A season (60%) ........................................
B season (40%) ........................................
Annual .......................................................
A season (60%) ........................................
B season (40%) ........................................
Annual .......................................................
25,699
15,419
10,280
45,524
27,314
18,210
2,496
23,129
13,877
9,252
40,972
24,583
16,389
2,246
2,570
1,542
1,028
4,552
2,731
1,821
250
Total ...................................................
...................................................................
73,719
66,347
7,372
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Central ......................................................
Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR)
The recommended 2010 and 2011
DSR TAC is 295 mt. In 2006, the Alaska
Board of Fish (BOF) allocated the SEO
District DSR TAC between the
commercial fishery (84 percent) and the
sportfish fishery (16 percent). This
results in 2010 and 2011 allocations of
248 mt to the commercial fishery and 47
mt to the sportfish fishery. Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
deducts estimates of incidental catch of
DSR in the commercial halibut fishery
from the DSR commercial fishery
allocation. In 2009, this resulted in 115
mt being available for the directed
commercial DSR fishery apportioned
between four outer coast areas. Only
two of these areas had GHLs large
enough to support directed fisheries,
totaling 78 mt. Of this amount, 76 mt
were harvested in directed fisheries.
DSR harvest in the halibut fishery is
linked to the halibut quota; therefore the
ADF&G cannot estimate potential DSR
incidental catch in that fishery until
those quotas are established. Federally
permitted catcher vessels using hookand-line or jig gear fishing for
groundfish and Pacific halibut in the
SEO District of the GOA are required
Full retention of all DSR (§ 679.20(j)).
The ADF&G announced the opening of
directed fishing for DSR in January
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16:01 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
following the International Pacific
Halibut Commission’s (IPHC) annual
January meeting.
Apportionments to the Central GOA
Rockfish Pilot 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 Rockfish
Program. Five percent (2.5 percent to
trawl gear and 2.5 percent to fixed gear)
of the final TACs for Pacific ocean
perch, northern rockfish, and pelagic
shelf rockfish in the Central Regulatory
Area are allocated to the entry-level
rockfish fishery; the remaining 95
percent are allocated to those vessels
eligible to participate in the Rockfish
Program. NMFS is setting aside—in
2010 and 2011—incidental catch
amounts (ICAs) of 500 mt of Pacific
ocean perch, 100 mt of northern
rockfish, and 100 mt of pelagic shelf
rockfish for other directed fisheries in
the Central Regulatory Area. These
amounts are based on recent average
incidental catch in the Central
Regulatory Area by these other
groundfish fisheries.
Section 679.83(a)(1)(i) requires that
allocations to the trawl entry-level
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Sfmt 4700
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.
Tables 9 and 10 list the final 2010 and
2011 allocations of rockfish in the
Central GOA to trawl and longline gear
in the entry-level rockfish fishery,
respectively. Allocations of primary
rockfish species TACs among
participants in the Rockfish Program are
not included in the final 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 final
2010 allocations. NMFS will post these
allocations on the Alaska Region Web
site (https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm)
when they become available in March
2010.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 9—FINAL 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 metric ton]
Species
TAC
Incidental
catch
allowance
TAC minus
ICA
5% TAC
2.5% TAC
Entry-level
trawl allocation
Entry-level
longline
allocation
Pacific ocean perch .....
Northern rockfish ..........
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...
10,737
2,395
3,249
500
100
100
10,237
2,295
3,149
512
115
157
256
57
79
392
0
0
120
115
157
Total .............................
16,381
700
15,681
784
392
392
392
1 Longline
gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
TABLE 10—FINAL 2011 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO TRAWL AND LONGLINE GEAR 1 IN THE
ENTRY-LEVEL ROCKFISH FISHERY
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Species
TAC
Incidental
catch
allowance
TAC minus
ICA
5% TAC
2.5% TAC
Entry-level
trawl allocation
Entry-level
longline
allocation
Pacific ocean perch .....
Northern rockfish ..........
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...
10,377
2,259
3,035
500
100
100
9,877
2,159
2,935
494
108
147
247
54
74
375
0
0
119
108
147
Total ......................
15,671
700
14,971
749
375
375
374
1 Longline
gear includes jig and hook-and-line gear.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Halibut PSC Limits
Section 679.21(d) establishes the
annual halibut PSC limit
apportionments to trawl and hook-andline gear and permits the establishment
of apportionments for pot gear. In
December 2009, the Council
recommended that NMFS maintain the
2009 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt for
the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the
hook-and-line fisheries. Ten mt of the
hook-and-line limit is further allocated
to the DSR fishery in the SEO District.
The DSR fishery is defined at
§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A). This fishery has
been apportioned 10 mt in recognition
of its small-scale harvests. Most vessels
in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft
(18.3 m) length overall (LOA) and are
exempt from observer coverage.
Therefore, observer data are not
available to verify actual bycatch
amounts. NMFS assumes the halibut
bycatch in the DSR fishery is low
because of the short soak times for the
gear and duration of the DSR fishery.
Also, the DSR fishery occurs in the
winter when less overlap occurs in the
distribution of DSR and halibut. Finally,
much of the DSR TAC is not available
to the directed DSR commercial fishery.
ADF&G sets the GHLs after estimates of
incidental catch in all fisheries
(including halibut and subsistence) and
allocation to the sportfish fishery have
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:01 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
been deducted. Of the 362 mt TAC for
DSR in 2009, 115 mt was available for
the commercial fishery, of which 76 mt
were harvested.
The FMP authorizes the Council to
exempt specific gear from the halibut
PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation
with the Council, exempts pot gear, jig
gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-andline gear fishery from the non-trawl
halibut limit for 2010 and 2011. The
Council recommended these
exemptions because (1) the pot gear
fisheries have low annual halibut
bycatch mortality (averaging 18 mt
annually from 2001 through 2009); (2)
IFQ program regulations prohibit
discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ
permit holder on board a catcher vessel
holds unused halibut IFQ
(§ 679.7(f)(11)). Sablefish IFQ fishermen
typically also hold halibut IFQ permits,
so are required to retain the halibut they
catch while fishing sablefish IFQ; and
(3) halibut mortality for the jig gear
fisheries is assumed to be negligible.
Halibut mortality is assumed to be
negligible in the jig gear fisheries given
the small amount of groundfish
harvested by jig gear (averaging 258 mt
annually from 2001 through 2009), the
selective nature of jig gear, and the high
survival rates of halibut caught and
released with jig gear.
Section 679.21(d)(5) authorizes NMFS
to seasonally apportion the halibut PSC
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Sfmt 4700
limits after consultation with the
Council. The FMP and regulations
require the Council and NMFS to
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 information to
establish the halibut PSC limits was
obtained from the 2009 SAFE report,
NMFS, ADF&G, the IPHC, and public
testimony.
NMFS concurs in the Council’s
recommendations listed in Table 11,
which shows the final 2010 and 2011
Pacific halibut PSC limits, allowances,
and apportionments. Sections
679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv) specify that any
underages or overages of a seasonal
apportionment of a PSC limit will be
deducted from or added to the next
respective seasonal apportionment
within the fishing year.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
11761
TABLE 11—FINAL 2010 AND 2011 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS
[Values are in metric tons]
Hook-and-line gear 1
Trawl gear
Other than DSR
Season
Percent
DSR
Amount
Season
January 20–April 1 ..........
April 1–July 1 ..................
July 1–September 1 ........
27.5
20
30
550
400
600
September 1–October 1 ..
October 1–December 31
7.5
15
..................
2,000
Amount
Season
Amount
150
300
Total .........................
Percent
January 1–June 10 .........
June 10–September 1 ....
September 1–December
31.
86
2
12
250
5
35
January 1–December 31
10
.........................................
................
290
.........................................
10
1 The
Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the DSR fishery and fisheries other than DSR. The hook-and-line sablefish
fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits.
Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes
further apportionment of the trawl
halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery
categories. The annual apportionments
are based on each category’s
proportional share of the anticipated
halibut bycatch mortality during the
fishing year and optimization of the
total amount of groundfish harvest
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’’ (§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 12
lists the final 2010 and 2011
apportionments of Pacific halibut PSC
trawl limits between the trawl gear
deep-water and the shallow-water
species categories.
TABLE 12—FINAL 2010 AND 2011 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL GEAR
DEEP-WATER SPECIES COMPLEX AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES COMPLEX
[Values are in metric tons]
Season
Deep-water 1
Shallow-water
Total
January 20–April 1 .............................................................................................................
April 1–July 1 ......................................................................................................................
July 1–September 1 ...........................................................................................................
September 1–October 1 .....................................................................................................
450
100
200
150
100
300
400
Any
..................
..................
..................
remainder
550
400
600
150
Subtotal January 20–October 1 ..................................................................................
900
800 ..................
1,700
October 1–December 31 2 ..................................................................................................
............................
.........................
300
Total .............................................................................................................................
............................
.........................
2,000
1 Vessels
participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive a portion of the third season (July 1–September 1)
deep-water category halibut PSC apportionment. This amount is not currently known but will be posted later on the Alaska Region Web site
(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–December 31).
Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior
Years
The best available information on
estimated halibut bycatch is data
collected by observers during 2009. The
calculated halibut bycatch mortality by
trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gears
through December 31, 2009, is 1,817 mt,
277 mt, and 7 mt, respectively, for a
total halibut mortality of 2,101 mt. This
mortality was calculated using
groundfish and halibut catch data from
the NMFS, Alaska Region’s catch
accounting system. This system
contains historical and recent catch
information compiled from each Alaska
groundfish fishery.
Halibut bycatch restrictions
seasonally constrained trawl gear
fisheries during the 2009 fishing year.
Table 13 displays the closure dates for
fisheries that resulted from the
attainment of seasonal or annual halibut
PSC limits. NMFS does not know
amount of groundfish that trawl gear
might have harvested if halibut PSC
limits had not restricted some 2009
GOA groundfish fisheries.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
TABLE 13—FISHERY CLOSURES DUE TO ATTAINMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS
Fishery category
Opening date
Closure date
Trawl Deep-water, season 1 ........................................
Trawl Deep-water, season 2 ........................................
Trawl Shallow-water, season 4 ....................................
January 20, 2009 .............
April 1, 2009 .....................
Sept 1, 2009 .....................
March 3, 2009 ..................
April 23, 2009 ...................
Sept. 2, 2009 ....................
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E:\FR\FM\12MRR1.SGM
Federal Register Citation
12MRR1
74 FR 9964, March 9, 2009.
74 FR 19459, April 29, 2009.
74 FR 45378, Sept. 2, 2009.
11762
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks
and Catch
The final 2010 and 2011 ABCs for
pollock, Pacific cod, rex sole, flathead
sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, rougheye rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and ‘‘other species’’ are higher
than those established for 2009, while
the final 2010 and 2011 ABCs for
sablefish, deep-water flatfish, shallowwater flatfish, arrowtooth flounder,
included in the final 2009 SAFE report.
This document is available from the
Council (see ADDRESSES).
In the GOA, the total final 2010 TAC
amount is 292,087 mt, an increase of
three percent from the total proposed
2010 TAC limit of 284,688 mt. The total
final 2011 TAC amount is 328,464 mt,
an increase of 15 percent from the total
proposed 2011 TAC limit of 284,688 mt.
Table 14 compares the proposed 2010
TACs to the final 2010 and 2011 TACs.
other rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish,
thornyhead rockfish, big skate, longnose
skate, and ‘‘other skates’’ are lower than
those established for 2009. The final
ABCs for pelagic shelf rockfish are,
respectively, higher in 2010 and lower
in 2011 than the 2009 ABCs. For the
remaining target species, the Council
recommended and the Secretary
approved ABC levels in 2010 and 2011
that remain unchanged from 2009. More
information on these changes is
TABLE 14—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2010 AND 2011 GOA TACS
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
2010 final TAC
2010 proposed
TAC
2010
difference from
proposed
2011 final TAC
2011 proposed
TAC
2011
difference from
proposed
Pollock ......................................................
Pacific cod ................................................
Sablefish ..................................................
Deep-water flatfish ...................................
Shallow-water flatfish ...............................
Rex sole ...................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ..................................
Flathead sole ...........................................
Pacific ocean perch .................................
Northern rockfish ......................................
Rougheye rockfish ...................................
Shortraker rockfish ...................................
Other rockfish ...........................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...............................
Demersal shelf rockfish ...........................
Thornyhead rockfish ................................
Atka mackerel ..........................................
Big skate ..................................................
Longnose skates ......................................
Other skates .............................................
Other species ...........................................
84,745
59,563
10,370
6,190
20,062
9,729
43,000
10,441
17,584
5,098
1,302
914
1,192
5,059
295
1,770
2,000
3,328
2,852
2,093
4,500
74,330
60,102
10,337
9,793
22,256
8,827
43,000
11,289
15,098
4,173
1,297
898
1,730
4,465
362
1,910
2,000
3,330
2,887
2,104
4,500
10,415
¥539
33
¥3,603
¥2,194
902
0
¥848
2,486
925
5
16
¥538
594
¥67
¥140
0
¥2
¥35
¥11
0
109,105
73,719
9,300
6,325
20,062
9,592
43,000
10,576
16,993
4,808
1,313
914
1,192
4,727
295
1,770
2,000
3,328
2,852
2,093
4,500
74,330
60,102
10,337
9,793
22,256
8,827
43,000
11,289
15,098
4,173
1,297
898
1,730
4,465
362
1,910
2,000
3,330
2,887
2,104
4,500
34,775
13,617
¥1,037
¥3,468
¥2,194
765
0
¥713
1,895
635
16
16
¥538
262
¥67
¥140
0
¥2
¥35
¥11
0
Total ..................................................
292,087
284,688
7,399
328,464
284,688
43,776
Species
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass
and Stock Condition
The most recent halibut stock
assessment was developed by the IPHC
staff in December 2009 for the 2010
commercial fishery; this assessment was
considered by the IPHC at its annual
January 2010 meeting. Since 2006, the
IPHC stock assessment has been fitted to
a coastwide data set (including the
United States and Canada) to estimate
total exploitable biomass. Coastwide
exploitable biomass at the beginning of
2010 is estimated to be 334 million
pounds. The assessment revised last
year’s estimate of 325 million pounds at
the start of 2009 downwards to 291
million pounds and projects an increase
of 14 percent over that value to arrive
at the 2010 value of 334 million pounds.
At least part, if not most, of the
downward revision for 2009 is believed
to be caused by the ongoing decline in
size at age, which continues for all ages
in all areas. Projections based on the
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currently estimated age compositions
suggest that the exploitable and female
spawning biomasses will continue to
increase over the next several years as
a sequence of strong year classes recruit
to the legal-sized component of the
population. The coastwide exploitable
biomass was apportioned among
regulatory areas in accordance with
survey estimates of relative abundance
and other considerations. The
assessment recommends a coastwide
harvest rate of 20 percent of the
exploitable biomass overall, but a lower
harvest rate of 15 percent for Areas 4A,
4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, and 3B.
The halibut resource is fully utilized.
Recent catches, over the last 16 years
(1994–2009) in the commercial halibut
fisheries in Alaska have averaged 32,850
mt round weight. In December 2009,
IPHC staff recommended Alaska
commercial catch limits totaling 25,008
mt round weight for 2010, a 5 percent
decrease from 26,338 mt in 2009.
Through December 31, 2009,
PO 00000
Frm 00030
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
commercial hook-and-line harvests of
halibut off Alaska totaled 25,536 mt
round weight.
Additional information on the Pacific
halibut stock assessment may be found
in the IPHC’s 2009 Pacific halibut stock
assessment (December 2009), available
on the IPHC Web site at https://
www.iphc.washington.edu. The IPHC
considered the 2009 Pacific halibut
assessment for 2010 at its January 2010
annual meeting when it set the 2010
commercial halibut fishery catch limits.
Other Factors
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications (74 FR 62533, November
30, 2009) discuss potential impacts of
expected fishing for groundfish on
halibut stocks, as well as methods
available for, and costs of, reducing
halibut bycatch in the groundfish
fisheries.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
The Council recommended and
NMFS concurs that the halibut discard
mortality rates (DMRs) developed and
recommended by the IPHC for the 2010
through 2012 GOA groundfish fisheries
be used to monitor the 2010 and 2011
GOA halibut bycatch mortality
allowances. The IPHC will analyze
observer data annually and recommend
changes to the DMRs when a DMR
shows large variation from the mean.
Most of the IPHC’s assumed DMRs were
based on an average of mortality rates
determined from NMFS observer data
collected between 1999 and 2008. Longterm average DMRs were not available
for some fisheries (for example, the
deepwater flatfish fishery has not been
prosecuted in recent years), so the IPHC
used the average rates from the available
years between 1999 and 2008. For other
fisheries targets (which include Atka
mackerel, ‘‘other species,’’ and skates for
all gear types; and for the hook-and-line
sablefish targets), where no data
11763
mortality was available, the IPHC
recommended the mortality rate of
halibut caught in the Pacific cod fishery
for that gear type as a default rate. Table
15 compares the final GOA halibut
DMRs for 2010 and 2011 with the DMRs
published in the proposed 2010 and
2011 harvest specifications (74 FR
62533, November 30, 2009). A
discussion of the DMRs and their
justification is presented in Appendix 2
to the 2009 SAFE report (see
ADDRESSES).
TABLE 15—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2010 AND 2011 HALIBUT DMRS FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GOA
[Values are percent of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
Proposed
2010 and
2011 mortality
rate (%)
Final 2010 and
2011 mortality
rate (%)
Other fisheries 1 ............................................................
14
12
Pacific cod ....................................................................
14
12
Rockfish ........................................................................
10
9
Arrowtooth flounder ......................................................
69
72
Deep-water flatfish ........................................................
53
48
Flathead sole ................................................................
61
65
Non-pelagic pollock ......................................................
59
59
Other fisheries 1 ............................................................
63
62
Pacific cod ....................................................................
63
62
Pelagic pollock ..............................................................
76
76
Rex sole ........................................................................
63
64
Rockfish ........................................................................
67
67
Sablefish .......................................................................
65
65
Shallow-water flatfish ....................................................
71
71
Other fisheries 1 ............................................................
16
17
Pacific cod ....................................................................
16
17
Gear
Target fishery
Hook-and-line ...............................................................
Trawl .............................................................................
Pot ................................................................................
1 Other
fisheries include all gear types for Atka mackerel, ‘‘other species,’’ and skates; and hook-and-line sablefish.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/
Processor and Catcher Vessel (CV)
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits
Section 679.64 establishes groundfish
harvesting and processing sideboard
limitations on AFA catcher/processors
and CVs in the GOA. These sideboard
limits are necessary to protect the
interests of fishermen and processors,
who have not directly benefitted from
the AFA, from fishermen and processors
who have received exclusive harvesting
and processing privileges under the
AFA. Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii) prohibits
listed AFA catcher/processors from
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harvesting any species of fish in the
GOA. Additionally, § 679.7(k)(1)(iv)
prohibits listed AFA catcher/processors
from processing any pollock harvested
in a directed pollock fishery in the GOA
and any groundfish harvested in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.
AFA CVs that are less than 125 ft
(38.1 m) LOA, have annual landings of
pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands less than 5,100 mt, and have
made at least 40 groundfish landings
from 1995 through 1997 are exempt
from GOA sideboard limits under
§ 679.64(b)(2)(ii). Sideboard limits for
non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4700
based on their traditional harvest levels
of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered
by the FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii)
establishes the groundfish sideboard
limitations in the GOA based on the
retained catch of non-exempt AFA CVs
of each sideboard species from 1995
through 1997 divided by the TAC for
that species over the same period.
Tables 16 and 17 list the final 2010 and
2011 non-exempt AFA CV groundfish
sideboard limits. NMFS will deduct all
targeted or incidental catch of sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA CVs
from the sideboard limits specified in
Tables 16 and 17.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 16—FINAL 2010 GOA NON-EXEMPT AFA CV GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV catch
to 1995–1997
TAC
2010
non-exempt
AFA CV
sideboard limit
Species
Apportionments by
season/gear
Area/component
Pollock ...........................................
A Season—January 20–
March 10.
Shumagin (610) .................
0.6047
5,551
3,357
Chirikof (620) .....................
Kodiak (630) .......................
0.1167
0.2028
8,414
4,403
982
893
Shumagin (610) .................
0.6047
5,551
3,357
Chirikof (620) .....................
Kodiak (630) .......................
0.1167
0.2028
9,925
2,891
1,158
586
Shumagin (610) .................
0.6047
7,577
4,582
Chirikof (620) .....................
Kodiak (630) .......................
0.1167
0.2028
4,878
5,912
569
1,199
Shumagin (610) .................
0.6047
7,577
4,582
Chirikof (620) .....................
Kodiak (630) .......................
0.1167
0.2028
4,878
5,912
569
1,199
Annual .............................
WYK (640) .........................
SEO (650) ..........................
0.3495
0.3495
2,031
9,245
710
3,231
A Season 1—January 1–
June 10.
W inshore ...........................
0.1365
11,212
1,530
W offshore ..........................
C inshore ............................
C offshore ..........................
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
1,246
19,862
2,207
128
1,368
159
W inshore ...........................
0.1365
7,475
1,020
W offshore ..........................
C inshore ............................
C offshore ..........................
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
831
13,242
1,471
85
912
106
Annual .............................
E inshore ............................
E offshore ...........................
0.0079
0.0078
1,815
202
14
2
Sablefish ........................................
Annual, trawl gear ...........
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0000
0.0642
0.0433
332
902
210
0
58
9
Flatfish, deep-water .......................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0000
0.0647
0.0128
521
2,865
2,804
0
185
36
Flatfish, shallow-water ...................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0156
0.0587
0.0126
4,500
13,000
2,562
70
763
32
Rex sole ........................................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0007
0.0384
0.0029
1,543
6,403
1,783
1
246
5
Arrowtooth Flounder ......................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0021
0.0280
0.0002
8,000
30,000
5,000
17
840
1
Flathead sole .................................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0036
0.0213
0.0009
2,000
5,000
3,441
7
107
3
Pacific ocean Perch .......................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0023
0.0748
0.0466
2,895
10,737
3,952
7
803
184
Northern Rockfish ..........................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
0.0003
2,703
1
B Season—March 10–
May 31.
C Season—August 25–
October 1.
D Season—October 1–
November 1.
Pacific cod .....................................
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
B Season 2—September
1–December 31.
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11765
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 16—FINAL 2010 GOA NON-EXEMPT AFA CV GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Apportionments by
season/gear
Species
Area/component
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV catch
to 1995–1997
TAC
2010 TAC
2010
non-exempt
AFA CV
sideboard limit
C .........................................
0.0277
2,395
66
Rougheye Rockfish .......................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
80
862
360
0
20
4
Shortraker Rockfish .......................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0000
0.0218
0.0110
134
325
455
0
7
5
Other Rockfish ...............................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0034
0.1699
0.0000
212
507
473
1
86
0
Pelagic shelf Rockfish ...................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0001
0.0000
0.0067
650
3,249
1,160
0
0
8
Demersal shelf rockfish .................
Annual .............................
SEO ....................................
0.0020
295
1
Thornyhead Rockfish .....................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0280
0.0280
0.0280
425
637
708
12
18
20
Atka mackerel ................................
Annual .............................
Gulfwide .............................
0.0309
2,000
62
Big skates ......................................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
598
2,049
681
4
13
4
Longnose Skates ...........................
Annual .............................
W ........................................
C .........................................
E .........................................
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
81
2,009
762
0
13
5
Other skates ..................................
Annual .............................
Gulfwide .............................
0.0063
2,093
13
Other species ................................
Annual .............................
Gulfwide .............................
0.0063
4,500
28
1 The
2 The
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 17—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-EXEMPT AFA CV GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV catch
to 1995–1997
TAC
2011
non-exempt
AFA CV
sideboard limit
Apportionments by
season/gear
Area/component
Pollock ............................
A Season—January 20–March 10 .....
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.6047
0.1167
0.2028
7,342
11,129
5,823
4,440
1,299
1,181
B Season—March 10—May 31 .........
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.6047
0.1167
0.2028
7,342
13,128
3,824
4,440
1,532
776
C Season—August 25–October 1 .....
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Species
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.6047
0.1167
0.2028
10,022
6,451
7,820
6,060
753
1,586
D Season—October 1–November 1 ..
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.6047
0.1167
0.2028
10,022
6,451
7,820
6,060
753
1,586
Annual ................................................
WYK (640) .....................
0.3495
2,686
939
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11766
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 17—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-EXEMPT AFA CV GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Apportionments by
season/gear
Species
Area/component
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV catch
to 1995–1997
TAC
2011 TAC
2011
non-exempt
AFA CV
sideboard limit
SEO (650) ......................
0.3495
9,245
3,231
January 1–June 10 .........
W inshore .......................
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.1365
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
13,877
1,542
24,583
2,731
1,894
158
1,694
197
B Season 2 September 1–December
31.
W inshore .......................
0.1365
9,252
1,263
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.1026
0.0689
0.0721
1,028
16,389
1,821
105
1,129
131
Annual ................................................
E inshore ........................
E offshore ......................
0.0079
0.0078
2,246
250
18
2
Sablefish .........................
Annual, trawl gear ..............................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0642
0.0433
298
808
189
0
52
8
Flatfish, deep-water ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0647
0.0128
530
2,928
2,867
0
189
37
Flatfish, shallow-water ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0156
0.0587
0.0126
4,500
13,000
2,562
70
763
32
Rex sole ..........................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0007
0.0384
0.0029
1,521
6,312
1,759
1
242
5
Arrowtooth Flounder .......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0021
0.0280
0.0002
8,000
30,000
5,000
17
840
1
Flathead sole ..................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0036
0.0213
0.0009
2,000
5,000
3,576
7
107
3
Pacific ocean Perch ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0023
0.0748
0.0466
2,797
10,377
3,819
6
776
178
Northern Rockfish ...........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
0.0003
0.0277
2,549
2,259
1
63
Rougheye Rockfish .........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0237
0.0124
81
869
363
0
21
5
Shortraker Rockfish ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0218
0.0110
134
325
455
0
7
5
Other Rockfish ................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0034
0.1699
0.0000
212
507
473
1
86
0
Pelagic shelf Rockfish ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0001
0.0000
0.0067
607
3,035
1,085
0
0
7
Demersal shelf rockfish ..
Annual ................................................
SEO ...............................
0.0020
295
1
Thornyhead Rockfish ......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
0.0280
0.0280
425
637
12
18
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Pacific cod ......................
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A
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11767
TABLE 17—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-EXEMPT AFA CV GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITATIONS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Apportionments by
season/gear
Species
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV catch
to 1995–1997
TAC
Area/component
2011 TAC
2011
non-exempt
AFA CV
sideboard limit
E .....................................
0.0280
708
20
Atka mackerel .................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0309
2,000
62
Big skates .......................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
598
2,049
681
4
13
4
Longnose Skates ............
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0063
0.0063
0.0063
81
2,009
762
0
13
5
Other skates ...................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0063
2,093
13
Other species ..................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0063
4,500
28
1 The
2 The
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 CVs in the GOA are
based on the aggregate retained
groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA
CVs 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 18 lists the final
2010 and 2011 non-exempt AFA CV
halibut PSC limits for vessels using
trawl gear in the GOA.
TABLE 18—FINAL 2010 AND 2011 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR
VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1995–1997
non-exempt
AFA CV retained catch to
total
retained catch
2010 and
2011 PSC limit
2010 and
2011 nonexempt AFA
CV PSC limit
Season
Season dates
Target fishery
1 .............................................
January 20–April 1 ...............
shallow-water ........................
deep-water ............................
0.340
0.070
450
100
153
7
2 .............................................
April 1–July 1 ........................
shallow-water ........................
deep-water ............................
0.340
0.070
100
300
34
21
3 .............................................
July 1–September 1 .............
shallow-water ........................
deep-water ............................
0.340
0.070
200
400
68
28
4 .............................................
September 1–October 1 .......
shallow-water ........................
deep-water ............................
0.340
0.070
150
0
51
0
5 .............................................
October 1–December 31 ......
all targets ..............................
0.205
300
62
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish
Harvest Limitations
Section 680.22 establishes groundfish
catch limits for vessels with a history of
participation in the Bering Sea snow
crab fishery 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 the
vessels’ catch to their collective
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historical landings in each GOA
groundfish fishery (except the fixed-gear
sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also
apply to catch made using an LLP
license derived from the history of a
restricted vessel, even if that LLP
license is used on another vessel.
Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab
vessels in the GOA are based on their
traditional harvest levels of TAC in
groundfish fisheries covered by the
FMP. Sections 680.22(d) and (e) base the
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groundfish sideboard limitations in the
GOA on the retained catch by non-AFA
crab vessels of each sideboard species
from 1996 through 2000 divided by the
total retained harvest of that species
over the same period. Tables 19 and 20
list the final 2010 and 2011 GOA
groundfish sideboard limits for nonAFA crab vessels. All targeted or
incidental catch of sideboard species
made by non-AFA crab vessels will be
E:\FR\FM\12MRR1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
deducted from the sideboard limits
specified in Tables 19 and 20.
Vessels exempt from Pacific cod
sideboards are those that landed less
than 45,359 kilograms of Bering Sea
snow crab and more than 500 mt of
groundfish (in round weight
equivalents) from the GOA between
January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2000,
and any vessel named on an LLP that
was generated in whole or in part by the
fishing history of a vessel meeting the
criteria in § 680.22(a)(3).
TABLE 19—FINAL 2010 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
1996–2000
non-AFA crab
vessel catch to
1996–2000
total
harvest
Season/gear
Area/component
Pollock ............................
A Season—January 20–March 10 .....
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
5,551
8,414
4,403
54
26
1
B Season—March 10–May 31 ...........
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
5,551
9,925
2,891
54
31
1
C Season—August 25–October 1 .....
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
7,577
4,878
5,912
74
15
1
D Season—October 1–November 1 ..
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
7,577
4,878
5,912
74
15
1
Annual ................................................
WYK (640) .....................
SEO (650) ......................
0.0000
0.0000
2,031
9,245
0
0
A Season 1—January 1–June 10 .......
W inshore .......................
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
11,212
1,246
19,862
2,207
1,011
255
761
458
B Season 2—September 1–December
31.
W inshore .......................
0.0902
7,475
674
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
831
13,242
1,471
170
507
305
Annual ................................................
E inshore ........................
E offshore ......................
0.0110
0.0000
1,815
202
20
0
Sablefish .........................
Annual, trawl gear ..............................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
332
902
210
0
0
0
Flatfish, deep-water ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0035
0.0000
0.0000
521
2,865
2,804
2
0
0
Flatfish, shallow-water ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0059
0.0001
0.0000
4,500
13,000
2,562
27
1
0
Rex sole ..........................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
1,543
6,403
1,783
0
0
0
Arrowtooth Flounder .......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0004
0.0001
0.0000
8,000
30,000
5,000
3
3
0
Flathead Sole ..................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0002
0.0004
0.0000
2,000
5,000
3,441
0
2
0
Pacific ocean Perch ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
0.0000
0.0000
2,895
10,737
0
0
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Pacific cod ......................
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2010 TAC
2010 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
Species
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
11769
TABLE 19—FINAL 2010 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
Ratio of
1996–2000
non-AFA crab
vessel catch to
1996–2000
total
harvest
2010 TAC
2010 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
E .....................................
0.0000
3,952
0
Northern Rockfish ...........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
0.0005
0.0000
2,703
2,395
1
0
Rougheye Rockfish .........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0067
0.0047
0.0008
80
862
360
1
4
0
Shortraker Rockfish ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0013
0.0012
0.0009
134
325
455
0
0
0
Other Rockfish ................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0035
0.0033
0.0000
212
507
473
1
2
0
Pelagic shelf Rockfish ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0017
0.0000
0.0000
650
3,249
1,160
1
0
0
Demersal shelf Rockfish
Annual ................................................
SEO ...............................
0.0000
295
0
Thornyhead Rockfish ......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0047
0.0066
0.0045
425
637
708
2
4
3
Atka mackerel .................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0000
2,000
0
Big skate .........................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
598
2,049
681
23
33
0
Longnose Skate ..............
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
81
2,009
762
3
32
0
Other skates ...................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0176
2,093
37
Other species ..................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0176
4,500
79
1 The
2 The
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 20—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
Area/component
Pollock ............................
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Season/gear
A Season—January 20–March 10 .....
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
7,342
11,129
5,823
72
34
1
B Season—March 10–May 31 ...........
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
7,342
13,128
3,824
72
41
1
C Season—August 25–October 1 .....
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
0.0098
0.0031
10,022
6,451
98
20
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2011 TAC
2011 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
Species
11770
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 20—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
2011 TAC
2011 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0002
7,820
2
D Season—October 1–November 1 ..
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
0.0098
0.0031
0.0002
10,022
6,451
7,820
98
20
2
Annual ................................................
WYK (640) .....................
SEO (650) ......................
0.0000
0.0000
2,686
9,245
0
0
A Season 1 January 1–June 10 .........
W inshore .......................
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.0902
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
13,877
1,542
24,583
2,731
1,252
315
942
566
B Season 2 September 1–December
31.
W inshore .......................
0.0902
9,252
835
W offshore .....................
C inshore .......................
C offshore ......................
0.2046
0.0383
0.2074
1,028
16,389
1,821
210
628
378
Annual ................................................
E inshore ........................
E offshore ......................
0.0110
0.0000
2,246
250
25
0
Sablefish .........................
Annual, trawl gear ..............................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
298
808
188
0
0
0
Flatfish, deep-water ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0035
0.0000
0.0000
530
2,928
2,867
2
0
0
Flatfish, shallow-water ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0059
0.0001
0.0000
4,500
13,000
2,562
27
1
0
Rex sole ..........................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
1,541
6,312
1,759
0
0
0
Arrowtooth Flounder .......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0004
0.0001
0.0000
8,000
30,000
5,000
3
3
0
Flathead Sole ..................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0002
0.0004
0.0000
2,000
5,000
3,576
0
2
0
Pacific ocean Perch ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
2,797
10,377
3,819
0
0
0
Northern Rockfish ...........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
0.0005
0.0000
2,549
2,259
1
0
Rougheye Rockfish .........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0067
0.0047
0.0008
81
869
363
1
4
0
Shortraker Rockfish ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0013
0.0012
0.0009
134
325
455
0
0
0
Other Rockfish ................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0035
0.0033
0.0000
212
507
473
1
2
0
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Pacific cod ......................
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11771
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 20—FINAL 2011 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of 1996–
2000 non-AFA
crab vessel
catch to 1996–
2000 total
harvest
2011 non-AFA
crab vessel
sideboard limit
Species
Season/gear
Area/component
2011 TAC
Pelagic shelf Rockfish ....
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0017
0.0000
0.0000
607
3,035
1,085
1
0
0
Demersal shelf ................
Rockfish ..........................
Annual ................................................
SEO ...............................
0.0000
295
0
Thornyhead Rockfish ......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0047
0.0066
0.0045
425
637
708
2
4
3
Atka mackerel .................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0000
2,000
0
Big skate .........................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
598
2,049
681
23
33
Longnose Skate ..............
Annual ................................................
Other skates ...................
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
C ....................................
E .....................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0392
0.0159
0.0000
0.0176
81
2,009
762
2,093
3
32
0
37
Other species ..................
Annual ................................................
Gulfwide .........................
0.0176
4,500
79
1 The
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
2 The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
Rockfish Program Groundfish
Sideboard Limitations and Halibut
Mortality Limitations
Section 679.82(d) 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, who
could use this economic advantage to
increase their participation in other
fisheries, thus possibly adversely
affecting participants in other fisheries.
The final sideboards for 2010 and 2011
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. Tables 21
and 22 list the final 2010 and 2011
Rockfish Program harvest limits in the
WYK District and the Western GOA.
Table 23 lists the final 2010 and 2011
Rockfish Program halibut mortality
limits for catcher/processors and CVs.
TABLE 21—FINAL 2010 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WYK DISTRICT AND WESTERN
REGULATORY AREA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR (C/P) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
C/P
sector
(% of TAC)
CV
sector
(% of TAC)
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...................
72.4
1.7
434
314
7
Pacific ocean perch ......................
76.0
2.9
2,004
1,523
58
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...................
63.3
0
650
411
0
Pacific ocean perch ......................
61.1
0
2,895
1,769
0
Northern rockfish ..........................
78.9
0
2,703
2,133
0
Area
Fishery
West Yakutat District ....................
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Western GOA ................................
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2010 TAC
E:\FR\FM\12MRR1.SGM
12MRR1
2010 C/P
limit
2010 CV
limit
11772
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 22—FINAL 2011 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WYK DISTRICT AND WESTERN
REGULATORY AREA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR (C/P) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
C/P
sector
(% of TAC)
CV
sector
(% of TAC)
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...................
72.4
1.7
405
293
7
Pacific ocean perch ......................
76.0
2.9
1,937
1,472
56
Pelagic shelf rockfish ...................
63.3
0
607
384
0
Pacific ocean perch ......................
61.1
0
2,797
1,709
0
Northern rockfish ..........................
78.9
0
2,549
2,011
0
Area
Fishery
West Yakutat District ....................
Western GOA ................................
2011 TAC
2011 C/P
limit
2011 CV
limit
TABLE 23—FINAL 2010 AND 2011 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR
(C/P) AND CATCHER VESSEL (CV) SECTORS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Shallow-water
complex halibut
PSC sideboard
ratio
(percent)
Sector
C/P ...................................................................
CV ....................................................................
GOA 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 catch limits
for Amendment 80 program
participants.
Section 679.92 establishes groundfish
harvesting sideboard limits on all
Deep-water complex halibut PSC
sideboard ratio
(percent)
0.54
6.32
Annual shallowwater complex
halibut PSC
sideboard limit
(mt)
Annual halibut
mortality limit
(mt)
3.99
1.08
Amendment 80 program vessels, other
than the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE, to
amounts no greater than the limits
shown in Table 37 to part 679.
Sideboard limits in the GOA are for
pollock in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas and in the WYK
District, for Pacific cod gulfwide, for
Pacific ocean perch and pelagic shelf
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area
and WYK District, and for northern
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area.
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
2,000
2,000
Annual deepwater complex
halibut PSC
sideboard limit
(mt)
11
126
80
22
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.
Groundfish sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 program vessels
operating in the GOA are based on their
average aggregate harvests from 1998 to
2004. Tables 24 and 25 list the final
2010 and 2011 sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 program vessels,
respectively. All targeted or incidental
catch of sideboard species made by
Amendment 80 program vessels will be
deducted from the sideboard limits in
Tables 24 and 25.
TABLE 24—FINAL 2010 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels
1998–2004
catch to TAC
Area
Pollock ............................
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
Species
Apportionments and
allocations by season
A Season—January 20–February 25
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
B Season—March 10–May 31 ...........
C Season—August 25–September 15
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2010 TAC (mt)
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
12MRR1
5,551
8,414
4,403
5,551
9,925
2,891
7,577
4,878
5,912
2010
Amendment
80 vessel
sideboards
(mt)
17
17
9
17
20
6
23
10
12
11773
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 24—FINAL 2010 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS—Continued
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels
1998–2004
catch to TAC
2010
Amendment
80 vessel
sideboards
(mt)
Apportionments and
allocations by season
Area
D Season—October 1–November 1 ..
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
WYK (640) .....................
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.002
7,577
4,878
5,912
2,031
23
10
12
5
W ....................................
C ....................................
W ....................................
0.020
0.044
0.020
12,458
22,069
8,306
249
971
166
Annual ................................................
C ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.044
0.034
14,713
2,017
647
69
Pacific ocean perch ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.994
0.961
2,895
2,004
2,878
1,926
Northern rockfish ............
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
1.000
2,703
2,703
Pelagic shelf rockfish ......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.764
0.896
650
434
497
389
Species
Annual ................................................
Pacific cod ......................
A Season 1—January 1–June 10 .......
B Season 2—September 1–December
31.
1 The
2 The
2010 TAC (mt)
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
TABLE 25—FINAL 2011 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Ratio of
Amendment
80 sector
vessels
1998–2004
catch to TAC
2011
Amendment
80 vessel
sideboards
(mt)
Species
Apportionments and
allocations by season
Area
Pollock ............................
A Season—January 20–February 25
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
Shumagin (610) .............
Chirikof (620) .................
Kodiak (630) ..................
WYK (640) .....................
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.003
0.002
0.002
0.002
7,342
11,129
5,823
7,342
13,128
3,824
10,022
6,451
7,820
10,022
6,451
7,820
2,686
22
22
12
22
26
8
30
13
16
30
13
16
5
W ....................................
C ....................................
W ....................................
0.020
0.044
0.020
15,419
27,314
10,280
308
1,202
206
Annual ................................................
C ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.044
0.034
18,210
2,496
801
85
Pacific ocean perch ........
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.994
0.961
2,797
1,937
2,780
1,861
Northern rockfish ............
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
1.000
2,549
2,549
Pelagic shelf rockfish ......
Annual ................................................
W ....................................
WYK ...............................
0.764
0.896
607
405
464
363
B Season—March 10–May 31 ...........
C Season—August 25–September 15
D Season—October 1–November 1 ..
Annual ................................................
Pacific cod ......................
A Season1—January 1–June 10 .......
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B Season2—September 1–December
31.
1 The
2 The
2011 TAC (mt)
Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
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The PSC sideboard limits for
Amendment 80 program vessels in the
GOA are based on the historic use of
halibut PSC by Amendment 80 program
vessels in each PSC target category from
1998 through 2004. These values are
slightly lower than the average historic
use to accommodate two factors:
Allocation of halibut PSC Cooperative
Quotas (CQs) under the Central GOA
Rockfish Program and the exemption of
the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE from this
restriction (§ 679.92(b)(2)). Table 26 lists
the final 2010 and 2011 halibut PSC
limits for Amendment 80 program
vessels, as proscribed at Table 38 to 50
CFR part 679.
TABLE 26—FINAL 2010 AND 2011 HALIBUT PSC LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE GOA
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Historic
Amendment
80 use of the
annual halibut
PSC limit
catch (ratio)
Season
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 ................
2010 and
2011 annual
PSC limit (mt)
2010 and
2011 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 ......................................
Directed Fishing Closures
Pursuant to § 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the
Regional Administrator determines (1)
that any allocation or apportionment of
a target species or ‘‘other species’’
category allocated or apportioned to a
fishery will be reached; or (2) with
respect to pollock and Pacific cod, that
an allocation or apportionment to an
inshore or offshore component
allocation will be reached, the Regional
Administrator may establish a DFA for
that species or species group. If the
Regional Administrator establishes a
DFA and that allowance is or will be
reached before the end of the fishing
year, NMFS will prohibit directed
fishing for that species or species group
in the specified GOA regulatory area or
district (§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
The Regional Administrator has
determined that the following TAC
amounts in Table 27 are necessary as
incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the
2010 and 2011 fishing years:
TABLE 27—2010 AND 2011 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA
[Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
Target
Area/component/gear
Atka mackerel ................................................................
Thornyhead rockfish .......................................................
Shortraker rockfish .........................................................
Rougheye rockfish .........................................................
Other rockfish .................................................................
Sablefish .........................................................................
Big skate ........................................................................
Longnose skate ..............................................................
Other skates ...................................................................
Pollock ............................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all/trawl ..........................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all ...................................................................................
all/offshore .....................................................................
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1Pollock
Incidental catch amount
2,000.
1,770.
914.
1,302 (2010); 1,313 (2011).
1,192.
1,444 (2010); 1,295 (2011).
3,328.
2,852.
2,093.
unknown1.
is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore component under § 679.20(a)(6)(i).
Consequently, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator establishes the DFA for
the species or species groups listed in
Table 27 as zero. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for
those species, areas, gear types, and
components in the GOA listed in Table
27. These closures will remain in effect
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2011.
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Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for
management of AFA CV groundfish
harvest limits and PSC bycatch limits
using directed fishing closures and PSC
closures according to procedures set out
at §§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(8), and
679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional
Administrator has determined that, in
addition to the closures listed above,
many of the non-exempt AFA CV
sideboard limits listed in Tables 16 and
17 are necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish
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fisheries for the 2010 and 2011 fishing
years. In accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional
Administrator sets the DFAs for the
species and species groups in Table 28
at zero. Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing by non-exempt AFA
CVs in the GOA for the species and
specified areas listed in Table 28. These
closures will remain in effect through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
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11775
TABLE 28—2010 AND 2011 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR ALL GEAR TYPES IN
THE GOA
[Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
Regulatory area/district
Pacific cod ..........................................................
Eastern .............................................................
Deep-water flatfish .............................................
Rex sole .............................................................
Flathead sole ......................................................
Arrowtooth flounder ............................................
Pacific ocean perch ............................................
Western ............................................................
Eastern and Western .......................................
Eastern and Western .......................................
Eastern and Western .......................................
Western ............................................................
Northern rockfish ................................................
Pelagic shelf rockfish .........................................
Western ............................................................
Entire GOA .......................................................
Demersal shelf rockfish ......................................
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Species
SEO District .....................................................
Section 680.22 provides for the
management of non-AFA crab vessel
GHLs using directed fishing closures in
accordance with § 680.22(e)(2) and (3).
The Regional Administrator has
determined that the non-AFA crab
vessel sideboards listed in Tables 19
and 20 are insufficient to support a
directed fishery and set the sideboard
DFA at zero, with the exception of
Pacific cod in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas. Therefore, NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing by non-AFA
crab vessels in the GOA for all species
and species groups listed in Tables 19
and 20, with the exception of Pacific
cod in the Western and Central
Regulatory Areas.
Section 679.82 provides for the
management of Rockfish Program
sideboard limits using directed fishing
closures in accordance with
§ 679.82(d)(7)(i) and (ii). The Regional
Administrator has determined that the
CV sideboards listed in Tables 21 and
22 are insufficient to support a directed
fishery and set the sideboard DFA at
zero. Therefore, NMFS is closing
directed fishing for pelagic shelf
rockfish and Pacific ocean perch in the
WYK District and the Western
Regulatory Area and for northern
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area
by CVs participating in the Central GOA
Rockfish Program during the month of
July in 2010 and 2011. These closures
will remain in effect through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
Closures implemented under the 2009
and 2010 Gulf of Alaska harvest
specifications for groundfish (74 FR
7333, February 17, 2009) remain
effective under authority of these final
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications,
and are posted at the following Web
sites: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
index/infobulletins/
infobulletins.asp?Yr=2010, and https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2010/
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status.htm. While these closures are in
effect, the maximum retainable amounts
at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a fishing trip. These closures to
directed fishing are in addition to
closures and prohibitions found in
regulations at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS
may implement other closures during
the 2010 and 2011 fishing years as
necessary for effective conservation and
management.
Response to Comments
NMFS received three letters of
comment, which included six distinct
comments, in response to the proposed
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications (74
FR 62533, November 30, 2009). These
letters were from an individual, an
environmental organization, and a
company involved in the guided Pacific
halibut sport fishery in Alaska,
respectively. These comments are
summarized and responded to below.
Comment 1: The commenter raises
general concerns about NMFS’s
management of fisheries, asserting that
fishery policies have not benefited
American citizens. The commenter also
asserts that NMFS does not enforce
fisheries regulations and should not be
allowed to manage commercial
fisheries.
Response: This comment is not
specifically related to the proposed rule.
The comment recommends broad
changes to fisheries management and
provides opinions of the Federal
Government’s general management of
marine resources that are outside the
scope of this action. The comment did
not raise new relevant issues or
concerns that have not been explained
in the preamble to the proposed rule or
addressed in the SAFE reports and other
analyses prepared to support the GOA
groundfish harvest specifications.
Comment 2: The comment asserts that
the groundfish quotas are too high.
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Incidental catch amount
16 (inshore) and 2 (offshore) in 2010.
18 (inshore) and 2 (offshore) in 2011.
0.
5 and 1.
3 and 7.
1 and 17.
7 in 2010.
6 in 2011.
1.
0 (W), 0 (C), 8 (E) in 2010.
0 (W), 0 (C), 7 (E) in 2011.
1
Response: The harvest specifications
process is intended to foster
conservation and management of marine
resources. This process incorporates the
best available scientific information
from the most recent stock assessment
and fisheries evaluation reports
prepared by multi-disciplinary teams of
scientists. Such reports contain the most
recent scientific information on the
condition of various groundfish stocks,
as well as the condition of other
ecosystem components and economic
data about Alaska groundfish fisheries.
This suite of information allows the
Council to make scientifically-based
recommendations for annual catch
limits that do not exceed, on a speciesby-species basis, the OFLs and ABCs
established for each GOA target species
managed under the FMP.
Comment 3: Overfishing is having a
detrimental effect on the health of
oceans and coastal communities.
Response: This comment does not
specially address the proposed 2010 and
2011 harvest specifications for the GOA.
None of the species encompassed by
these harvest specifications are
overfished or subject to overfishing.
Comment 4: The decline of pollock
stocks is having a detrimental impact on
marine mammals.
Response: The most recent GOA
pollock stock surveys indicate that
pollock stocks in this management area
are increasing. Furthermore, the EIS (see
ADDRESSES) prepared for the Alaska
groundfish fisheries specifications
process identified a preferred harvest
strategy for groundfish and concluded
that the preferred harvest strategy,
under existing regulations, would have
no lasting adverse impacts on marine
mammals and other marine life.
Additionally, pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act, NMFS
consults to ensure that Federal actions,
including this one, do not jeopardize the
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continued existence of any endangered
or threatened marine mammal species.
Comment 5: Federal agencies are
obligated to renew an EIS when
conditions prevalent at the time of the
EIS’s development have substantially
changed. Recent reductions in the
amount of halibut allocated to the
halibut IFQ fisheries, as well as
implementation of a one-halibut daily
bag limit for the guided sport fishery in
2009, constitute a substantial change in
environmental conditions. NMFS
should update the EIS and adopt
reductions in the halibut PSC limits to
address the disparity between relatively
constant halibut PSC limits and
decreasing IFQ halibut and sport halibut
allocations.
Response: The EIS examines the
environmental impacts of alternative
harvest strategies for the federally
managed groundfish fisheries in the
GOA and the BSAI management areas.
The EIS concludes that for all of the
components of the environment
analyzed, the effects of the harvest
specifications, including PSC limits, are
insignificant based on the available
scientific information. That information
is annually updated and incorporated
into the harvest specifications process.
The EIS explains how PSC limits
constrain bycatch in the groundfish
fisheries, as well as how halibut bycatch
is accounted for by the IPHC. The IPHC
is responsible for analyzing the status of
halibut stocks and setting the constant
exploitation yield (CEY). The CEY is
adjusted to account for a variety of
removals that occur outside of the
commercial hook-and-line fisheries,
including incidental catch of halibut in
the groundfish fisheries.
NMFS annually prepares a SIR (see
ADDRESSES) to evaluate the need to
prepare a Supplemental EIS. A
Supplemental EIS should be prepared if
the agency makes substantial changes in
a proposed action that are relevant to
environmental concerns, or if significant
new circumstances or information exist
relevant to environmental concerns
associated with the action. The 2010 SIR
analyzes the information contained in
the Council’s SAFE reports and other
new, relevant information associated
with the management of Alaska
groundfish fisheries. The SIR concluded
that (1) new changes to the preferred
harvest strategy (the action) have not
occurred and (2) the new information
evaluated in the SIR does not indicate
that there are significant new
circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts. The
harvest specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope
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16:01 Mar 11, 2010
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of those analyzed and disclosed in the
EIS.
Comment 6: Businesses engaged in
the guided sport fishing sector in IPHC
Area 2C have suffered economic and
social impacts due to the 2009
implementation of a one-halibut daily
bag limit for guided sport fishermen.
These impacts could be mitigated to
some extent by managing the halibut
PSC limit apportioned to the GOA trawl
fisheries to mirror the fluctuations in
the directed fishery catch limits set by
the IPHC.
Response: The commercial halibut
setline and groundfish trawl fisheries
currently are subject to binding halibut
PSC limits set by the IPHC and Council,
respectively, as a part of their efforts to
maintain sustainable groundfish stocks.
These commercial fisheries are required
to stop fishing when their halibut limits
(either IFQ or PSC) are taken.
Commercial groundfish fisheries are
often closed due to the attainment of
halibut PSC limits before target species
TACs have been fully harvested.
Participants in these fisheries incur
significant costs to stay within their
halibut catch limits. The issue regarding
changes to commercial catch limits was
considered during the development of
the one-halibut daily bag limit (74 FR
21194, May 6, 2009). In the context of
seeking economic parity between
halibut resource user groups,
implementing additional restrictions on
the incidental catch of halibut by the
commercial fishing sector is outside the
scope of this action.
Classification
NMFS has determined that these final
harvest specifications are consistent
with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens 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 an EIS for this action
(see ADDRESSES) 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 EIS. In January 2010, NMFS
prepared a Supplemental Information
Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of
the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are
available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
The EIS analyzes the environmental
consequences of the groundfish harvest
specifications and alternative harvest
strategies on resources in the action
area. The SIR evaluates the need to
prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for
the 2010 and 2011 groundfish harvest
specifications.
A SEIS should be prepared if (1) the
agency makes substantial changes in the
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Sfmt 4700
proposed action that are relevant to
environmental concerns, or (2)
significant new circumstances or
information exist relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts (40
CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the
information contained in the SIR and
SAFE reports, the Regional
Administrator has determined that (1)
approval of the 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, which were set according
to the preferred harvest strategy in the
EIS, do not constitute a change in the
action; and (2) there are no significant
new circumstances or information
relevant to environmental concerns and
bearing on the action or its impacts.
Additionally, the 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope
of those analyzed and disclosed in the
EIS. Therefore, supplemental National
Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)
documentation is not necessary to
implement the 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications.
The proposed harvest specifications
were published in the Federal Register
on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62533).
An Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (IRFA) was prepared to
evaluate the impacts on small entities of
alternative harvest strategies for the
groundfish fisheries in the EEZ off
Alaska. The public comment period
ended on December 30, 2009. No
comments were received regarding the
IRFA or the economic impacts of this
action. A FRFA was prepared pursuant
to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of
1980, as amended by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996 (5 U.S.C. 601–612). Copies of the
IRFA and FRFA prepared for this action
are available from NMFS, Alaska Region
(see ADDRESSES).
Each year, NMFS promulgates a rule
establishing the harvest specifications
pursuant to the adopted harvest
strategy. While the harvest specification
numbers may change from year to year,
the harvest strategy for establishing
those numbers does not change.
Therefore, NMFS is using the same
IRFA and FRFA prepared in connection
with the EIS in association with this
action. NMFS considers the annual
rulemakings establishing the harvest
specification numbers to be a series of
closely-related rules stemming from the
harvest strategy and representing one
rule for purposes of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 605(c)). A
summary of the FRFA follows.
The action analyzed in the FRFA is
the adoption of a harvest strategy to
govern the catch of groundfish in the
GOA. The preferred alternative is the
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status quo harvest strategy in which
TACs fall within the range of ABCs
recommended by the Council’s harvest
specifications process and TACs
recommended by the Council. This
action is taken in accordance with the
FMP prepared by the Council pursuant
to the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The directly regulated small entities
include approximately 747 small CVs
and fewer than 20 small catcher/
processors. The entities directly
regulated by this action harvest
groundfish in the EEZ of the GOA, and
in parallel fisheries within State of
Alaska waters. These include entities
operating CVs and catcher/processor
vessels within the action area, and
entities receiving direct allocations of
groundfish. CVs and catcher/processors
were considered to be small entities if
they had annual gross receipts of $4
million per year or less from all
economic activities, including the
revenue of their affiliated operations.
Data from 2005 were the most recent
available to determine the number of
small entities.
Estimates of first wholesale gross
revenues for the GOA were used as
indices of the potential impacts of the
alternative harvest strategies on small
entities. An index of revenues was
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 four
percent between 2007 and 2008, and by
less than one percent between 2007 and
2009.
The preferred alternative (Alternative
2) was compared to four other
alternatives. These included Alternative
1, which would have set TACs to
generate fishing rates equal to the
maximum permissible ABC (if the full
TAC were harvested), unless the sum of
TACs exceeded the GOA OY, in which
case harvests would be limited to the
OY. Alternative 3 would have set TACs
to produce fishing rates equal to the
most recent five-year average fishing
rate. Alternative 4 would have set TACs
to equal the lower limit of the GOA OY
range. Alternative 5—the ‘‘no action’’
alternative—would have set TACs equal
to zero.
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 first wholesale revenue
indices than Alternative 2. Thus,
Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 had greater
adverse impacts on small entities.
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Alternative 1 appeared to generate
higher values of the gross revenue index
for fishing operations in the GOA than
Alternative 2. A large part of the
Alternative 1 GOA revenue appears to
be due to the assumption that the full
Alternative 1 TAC would be harvested.
This increased revenue is due to
increases in flatfish TACs that were
much higher for Alternative 1 than for
Alternative 2. In recent years, halibut
bycatch constraints in these fisheries
have kept actual flatfish catches from
reaching Alternative 1 levels. Therefore,
a large part of the revenues associated
with Alternative 1 are unlikely to occur.
Also, Alternative 2 TACs are
constrained by the ABCs the Plan Teams
and SSC are likely to recommend to the
Council on the basis of a full
consideration of biological issues. These
ABCs are often less than Alternative 1’s
maximum permissible ABCs; therefore
higher TACs under Alternative 1 may
not be consistent with prudent
biological management of the resource.
For these reasons, Alternative 2 is the
preferred alternative.
This action does not modify
recordkeeping or reporting
requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or
conflict with any Federal rules.
Adverse impacts on marine mammals
resulting from fishing activities
conducted under this rule are discussed
in the EIS (see ADDRESSES).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in effectiveness for this
rule. Plan Team review occurred in
November 2009, and Council
consideration and recommendations
occurred in December 2009.
Accordingly, NMFS review could not
begin until January 2010. For all
fisheries not currently closed because
the TACs established under the final
2009 and 2010 harvest specifications (74
FR 7333, February 17, 2009) were not
reached, the possibility exists that they
would be closed prior to the expiration
of a 30-day delayed effectiveness period,
if implemented, because their TACs
could be reached. Certain fisheries, such
as those for pollock and Pacific cod are
intensive, fast-paced fisheries. Other
fisheries, such as those for flatfish,
rockfish, and ‘‘other species,’’ are critical
as directed fisheries and as incidental
catch in other fisheries. U.S. fishing
vessels have demonstrated the capacity
to catch the TAC allocations in these
fisheries. Any delay in allocating the
final TACs in these fisheries would
cause confusion to the industry and
potential economic harm through
unnecessary discards. Determining
which fisheries may close is impossible
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
11777
because these fisheries are affected by
several factors that cannot be predicted
in advance, including fishing effort,
weather, movement of fishery stocks,
and market price. Furthermore, the
closure of one fishery has a cascading
effect on other fisheries by freeing-up
fishing vessels, allowing them to move
from closed fisheries to open ones,
increasing the fishing capacity in those
open fisheries and causing them to close
at an accelerated pace.
In fisheries subject to declining
sideboards, a failure to implement the
updated sideboards before initial
season’s end could preclude the
intended economic protection to the
non-sideboarded sectors. Conversely, in
fisheries with increasing sideboards,
economic benefit could be precluded to
the sideboarded sectors.
If the final harvest specifications are
not effective by March 6, 2010, which is
the start of the 2010 Pacific halibut
season as specified by the IPHC, the
hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not
begin concurrently with the Pacific
halibut IFQ season. This would result in
confusion for the industry and
economic harm from unnecessary
discard of sablefish that are caught
along with Pacific halibut, as both hookand-line sablefish and Pacific halibut
are managed under the same IFQ
program. Immediate effectiveness of the
final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications will allow the sablefish
IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with
the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also, the
immediate effectiveness of this action is
required to provide consistent
management and conservation of fishery
resources based on the best available
scientific information. This is
particularly true of those species which
have lower 2010 ABCs and TACs than
those established in the 2009–2010
harvest specifications. Immediate
effectiveness also would give the fishing
industry the earliest possible
opportunity to plan and conduct its
fishing operations with respect to new
information about TAC limits.
Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Small Entity Compliance Guide
The following information is a plain
language guide to assist small entities in
complying with this final rule as
required by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996. This final rule’s primary purpose
is to announce the final 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications and prohibited
species bycatch allowances for the
groundfish fisheries of the GOA. This
action is necessary to establish harvest
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
limits and associated management
measures for groundfish during the 2010
and 2011 fishing years and to
accomplish the goals and objectives of
the FMP. This action affects all
fishermen who participate in the GOA
fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL,
ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in
tables to assist the reader. NMFS will
announce closures of directed fishing in
the Federal Register and information
bulletins released by the Alaska Region.
Affected fishermen should keep
themselves informed of such closures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
1540 (f), 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.;
Pub. L. 105–277; Pub. L. 106–31; Pub. L.
106–554; Pub. L. 108–199; Pub. L. 108–447;
Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L 109–479.
Dated: March 9, 2010.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–5472 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131363–0087–02]
RIN 0648–XS44
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands; Final 2010 and 2011
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with RULES
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2010
and 2011 harvest specifications and
prohibited species catch allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to
establish harvest limits for groundfish
during the 2010 and 2011 fishing years,
and to accomplish the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI (FMP).
The intended effect of this action is to
conserve and manage the groundfish
resources in the BSAI in accordance
with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), March 12, 2010,
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:01 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2011.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the
Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), Record of Decision
(ROD), Supplementary Information
Report (SIR) to the EIS, and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)
for this action may be obtained from
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The
2009 Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the BSAI dated
November 2009, including discard
mortality rates (DMR) for halibut, is
available from the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s Web site at
https://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal
regulations at 50 CFR part 679
implement the FMP and govern the
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) prepared the FMP,
and NMFS approved it under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. General
regulations governing U.S. fisheries also
appear at 50 CFR part 600.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species and for the ‘‘other
species’’ category; the sum must be
within the optimum yield (OY) range of
1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons
(mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)). NMFS also
must specify apportionments of TACs,
prohibited species catch (PSC)
allowances, and prohibited species
quota (PSQ) reserves established by
§ 679.21, seasonal allowances of
pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel
TAC; Amendment 80 allocations, and
Community Development Quota (CDQ)
reserve amounts established by
§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final harvest
specifications set forth in Tables 1
through 16 of this action satisfy these
requirements. The sum of TACs is
1,677,154 mt for 2010 and is 1,996,558
mt for 2011.
Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires
NMFS to consider public comment on
the proposed annual TACs (and
apportionments thereof) and PSC
allowances, and to publish final harvest
specifications in the Federal Register.
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications and PSC allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were
published in the Federal Register on
December 2, 2009 (74 FR 63100).
Comments were invited and accepted
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
through January 4, 2010. NMFS received
two letters with four comments on the
proposed harvest specifications. These
comments are summarized and
responded to in the ‘‘Response to
Comments’’ section of this rule. NMFS
consulted with the Council on the final
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications
during the December 2009 Council
meeting in Anchorage, AK. After
considering public comments, as well as
biological and economic data that were
available at the Council’s December
meeting, NMFS is implementing the
final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications as recommended by the
Council.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Harvest Specifications
The final ABC levels are based on the
best available biological and
socioeconomic information, including
projected biomass trends, information
on assumed distribution of stock
biomass, and revised technical methods
used to calculate stock biomass. In
general, the development of ABCs and
overfishing levels (OFLs) involves
sophisticated statistical analyses of fish
populations. The FMP specifies a series
of six tiers to define OFL and ABC
amounts based on the level of reliable
information available to fishery
scientists. Tier one represents the
highest level of information quality
available while tier six represents the
lowest.
In December 2009, the Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory
Panel (AP), and Council reviewed
current biological information about the
condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks.
The Council’s Plan Team compiled and
presented this information in the 2009
SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish
fisheries, dated November 2009. The
SAFE report contains a review of the
latest scientific analyses and estimates
of each species’ biomass and other
biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information
on the BSAI ecosystem and the
economic condition of groundfish
fisheries off Alaska. The SAFE report is
available for public review (see
ADDRESSES). From these data and
analyses, the Plan Team estimates an
OFL and ABC for each species or
species category.
In December 2009, the SSC, AP, and
Council reviewed the Plan Team’s
recommendations. The SSC concurred
with the Plan Team’s recommendations,
and the Council adopted the OFL and
ABC amounts recommended by the SSC
(Table 1). The final TAC
recommendations were based on the
ABCs as adjusted for other biological
E:\FR\FM\12MRR1.SGM
12MRR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11749-11778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5472]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131362-0087-02]
RIN 0648-XS43
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Final 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications,
apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2010
and 2011 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the GOA. 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: Effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 12,
2010, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision
(ROD), Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are
available from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2009 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the GOA, dated November 2009, is available from the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council's (the Council) Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, 907-481-1780, or Obren
Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The Council
prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S.
[[Page 11750]]
fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and
680.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch
(TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category,
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000
to 800,000 metric tons (mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS
to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut
prohibited species catch (PSC) amounts, and seasonal allowances of
pollock and inshore/offshore Pacific cod. Upon consideration of public
comment received under Sec. 679.20(c)(1), NMFS must publish notice of
final specifications for up to two fishing years as annual target and
``other species'' TAC, per Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final
specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 28 of this document
reflect the outcome of this process, as required at 679.20(c).
The proposed 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications for groundfish of
the GOA and Pacific halibut PSC allowances were published in the
Federal Register on November 30, 2009 (74 FR 62533). Comments were
invited and accepted through December 30, 2009. NMFS received three
letters of comment on the proposed specifications. The comments are
summarized in the Response to Comments section of this action. In
December 2009, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding the 2010 and
2011 harvest specifications. After considering public comments
received, as well as biological and economic data that were available
at the Council's December 2009 meeting, NMFS is implementing the final
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council.
For 2010, the sum of the TAC amounts is 292,087 mt. For 2011, the sum
of the TAC amounts is 328,464 mt.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications
In December 2009, the Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), reviewed current biological
and harvest information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the
GOA. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and
was presented in the final 2009 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish
fisheries, dated November 2009 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report
contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of
each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as well as
summaries of the available information on the GOA ecosystem and the
economic condition of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From these
data and analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for each species or
species category.
The final ABCs and TACs are based on the best available biological
and socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends,
information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised
methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the
formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute ABCs and overfishing levels
(OFLs). The formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex
are determined by the level of reliable information available to
fisheries scientists. This information is categorized into a successive
series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts, with tier one
representing the highest level of information quality available and
tier six representing the lowest level of information quality
available. The SSC adopted the final 2010 and 2011 OFLs and ABCs
recommended by the Plan Team for all groundfish species.
The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including
maintaining the sum of all TACs within the required OY range of 116,000
to 800,000 mt. The Council adopted the SSC's OFL and ABC
recommendations and the AP's TAC recommendations. The Council
recommended TACs for 2010 and 2011 that are equal to ABCs for pollock,
deep-water flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, pelagic
shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, big
skate, longnose skate, and other skates. The Council recommended TACs
for 2010 and 2011 that are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead
sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, Atka
mackerel, and ``other species.'' None of the Council's recommended TACs
for 2010 and 2011 exceed the final ABC for any species or species
category. The 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications approved by the
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) are unchanged from those recommended
by the Council and are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy
alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the Council's
recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the biological
condition of the groundfish stocks as described in the 2009 SAFE report
and approved by the Council. NMFS also finds that the Council's
recommendations for OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the
biological condition of groundfish stocks as adjusted for other
biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the
total TAC within the OY range. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended
TAC specifications and apportionments and approves these specifications
under 50 CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment of TAC amounts among
gear types, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2010 and 2011 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sums of the 2010 and
2011 ABCs are 565,499 mt and 605,086 mt, respectively, which are higher
in 2010 and 2011 than the 2009 ABC sum of 516,055 mt (74 FR 7333,
February 17, 2009).
Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts
As in prior years, the SSC and Council recommended that the method
of apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2010 and
2011 include commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment
scientists believe the use of unbiased commercial fishery data
reflecting catch-per-unit-effort provides rational input for stock
distribution assessments. NMFS annually evaluates the use of commercial
fishery data to ensure unbiased information is included in stock
distribution models. The Council's recommendation for sablefish area
apportionments also takes into account the prohibition on the use of
trawl gear in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern
Regulatory Area and makes available five percent of the combined
Eastern Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental catch
in other directed groundfish fisheries in the West Yakutat (WYK)
District (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)).
Since the inception of a State of Alaska (State) managed pollock
fishery in Prince William Sound (PWS), the GOA Plan Team has
recommended the guideline harvest level (GHL) for the pollock fishery
in PWS be deducted from the ABC for the western stock of pollock in the
GOA in the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area. For the 2010
and 2011 pollock fisheries in PWS, the State's GHL is 1,650 mt.
The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
[[Page 11751]]
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as
equally among each of the following four seasons: The A season (January
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1
through November 1) (50 CFR 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A), (B)).
The SSC, AP, and Council recommended apportionment of the ABC for
Pacific cod in the GOA among regulatory areas based on the three most
recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. The 2010 and 2011 Pacific cod TACs
are affected by the State's fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in
the Central and Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in PWS. The Plan
Team, SSC, AP, and Council recommended that the sum of all State and
Federal water Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC
recommendations. Accordingly, the Council recommended reducing the 2010
and 2011 Pacific cod TACs from the ABCs in the Central and Western
Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 2010 Pacific
cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following amounts: (1) Eastern
GOA, 356 mt; (2) Central GOA, 12,260 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,921 mt.
The 2011 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following
amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 441 mt; (2) Central GOA, 15,174 mt; and (3)
Western GOA, 8,566 mt. These amounts reflect the sum of the State's
2010 and 2011 GHLs in these areas, which are 15 percent, 25 percent,
and 25 percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA ABCs,
respectively. The percentage of the ABC used to calculate the 2010 and
2011 GHL for the State-managed Pacific cod fishery in PWS fisheries has
been increased from 10 percent in 2009 to 15 percent of the Eastern GOA
ABC in 2010 and 2011.
NMFS establishes seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod
TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the
annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-line, pot, and
jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl gear from
January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is
apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear from
September 1 through December 31, and for trawl gear from September 1
through November 1 (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)).
NMFS establishes--for 2010 and 2011--an A season directed fishing
allowance (DFA) for the Pacific cod fisheries in the GOA based on the
management area TACs minus the recent average A season incidental catch
of Pacific cod in each management area before June 10 (Sec.
679.20(d)(1)). The DFA and incidental catch before June 10 will be
managed such that total harvest in the A season will be no more than 60
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after June 10 will
continue to accrue against the B season TAC. This action meets the
intent of the Steller sea lion protection measures by achieving
temporal dispersion of the Pacific cod removals and by reducing the
likelihood of harvest exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A
season.
Other Actions Affecting the 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications
The Council is developing an amendment to the FMP to comply with
Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements associated with annual catch limits
and accountability measures. That amendment may result in revisions to
how total annual groundfish mortality is estimated and accounted for in
the annual SAFE reports, which in turn may affect the OFLs and ABCs for
certain groundfish species. NMFS will attempt to identify additional
sources of mortality to groundfish stocks not currently reported or
considered by the groundfish stock assessments in recommending OFL,
ABC, and TAC for certain groundfish species. These changes would not be
in effect until 2011, and could affect the 2011 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs
contained in this action.
In October 2008, the Council adopted Amendment 34 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs.
Amendment 34 would amend the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab
Rationalization Program (Crab Rationalization Program) to exempt
additional fishery participants from harvest limits, called sideboards,
which apply to some vessels and license limitation program (LLP)
licenses that are used to participate in GOA Pacific cod and pollock
fisheries. These particular sideboards are discussed under the
subsequent section titled ``Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest
Limitations.'' Tables 19 and 20 specify the 2010 and 2011 sideboard
amounts. If the Secretary approves Amendment 34, NMFS would revise the
sideboard amounts specified in Tables 19 and 20.
Changes From the Proposed 2010 and 2011 Harvest Specifications in the
GOA
In October 2009, the Council's recommendations for the proposed
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications (74 FR 62533, November 30, 2009)
were based largely upon information contained in the final 2008 SAFE
report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2008 (see
ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs
established for the groundfish fisheries in 2009 (74 FR 7333, February
17, 2009, see Table 2) be rolled over to 2010 and 2011, pending
completion and review of the 2009 SAFE report at its December 2009
meeting.
The 2009 SAFE report, which was not available when the Council made
its recommendations in October 2009, contains the best and most recent
scientific information on the condition of the groundfish stocks. The
Council considered this report in December 2009 when it made
recommendations for the final 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications. The
Council's final 2010 and 2011 TAC recommendations increase fishing
opportunities for species for which the Council had sufficient
information to raise TAC levels. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC
levels to provide greater protection for some species. Based on the
final 2009 SAFE report, the sum of the 2010 final TACs for the GOA
(292,087 mt) is 7,399 mt higher than the sum of the proposed 2010 TACs
(284,688 mt). The largest 2010 increases occurred for pollock, from
74,330 mt to 84,745 mt (14 percent increase); for rex sole, from 8,827
mt to 9,729 mt (10 percent increase); for Pacific ocean perch, from
15,098 mt to 17,584 mt (16 percent increase); for northern rockfish,
from 4,173 mt to 5,098 mt (22 percent increase); and for pelagic shelf
rockfish, from 4,465 mt to 5,059 mt (13 percent increase). The largest
decreases occurred for deep-water flatfish, from 9,793 mt to 6,190 mt
(37 percent decrease); for shallow-water flatfish, from 22,256 mt to
20,062 mt (10 percent decrease); for flathead sole, from 11,289 mt to
10,441 mt (8 percent decrease); for other rockfish, from 1,730 mt to
1,192 mt (31 percent decrease); for thornyhead rockfish, from 1,910 mt
to 1,770 mt (7 percent decrease); and for demersal shelf rockfish, from
362 mt to 295 mt (18 percent decrease). The sum of the final 2011 TACs
for the GOA (328,464 mt) is 43,776 mt higher than the sum of the
proposed 2011 TACs (284,688 mt). The largest 2011 increases occurred
for pollock, Pacific cod, rex sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish. Concurrently, decreases occurred
for sablefish, deep-water flatfish, shallow-water flatfish, flathead
sole, other rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish.
Other increases or decreases in 2010 and 2011 are within 2 percent of
the proposed specifications.
[[Page 11752]]
The changes in the final rule from the proposed rule are based on
the most recent scientific information and implement the harvest
strategy described in the proposed rule for the harvest specifications.
Tables 1 and 2 list the 2010 and 2011, respectively, final OFL, ABC,
and TAC amounts for GOA groundfish.
Table 1--Final 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 26,256 26,256 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 28,095 28,095 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 19,118 19,118 n/a
WYK (640)............... 2,031 2,031 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
W/C/WYK (subtotal)...... 75,500 75,500 103,210
SEO (650)............... 9,245 9,245 12,326
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 84,745 84,745 115,536
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 27,685 20,764 n/a
C....................... 49,042 36,782 n/a
E....................... 2,373 2,017 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 79,100 59,563 94,100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \4\......................... W....................... 1,660 1,660 n/a
C....................... 4,510 4,510 n/a
WYK..................... 1,620 1,620 n/a
SEO..................... 2,580 2,580 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) 4,200 4,200 n/a
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 10,370 10,370 12,270
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep-water flatfish \5\............... W....................... 521 521 n/a
C....................... 2,865 2,865 n/a
WYK..................... 2,044 2,044 n/a
SEO..................... 760 760 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 6,190 6,190 7,680
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow-water flatfish \6\............ W....................... 23,681 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,999 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,228 1,228 n/a
SEO..................... 1,334 1,334 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 56,242 20,062 67,768
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,543 1,543 n/a
C....................... 6,403 6,403 n/a
WYK..................... 883 883 n/a
SEO..................... 900 900 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,729 9,729 12,714
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 34,773 8,000 n/a
C....................... 146,407 30,000 n/a
WYK..................... 22,835 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 11,867 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 215,882 43,000 254,271
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 16,857 2,000 n/a
C....................... 27,124 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,990 1,990 n/a
SEO..................... 1,451 1,451 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 47,422 10,411 59,295
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 2,895 2,895 3,332
C....................... 10,737 10,737 12,361
WYK..................... 2,004 2,004 n/a
SEO..................... 1,948 1,948 n/a
E (WYK and SEO) 3,952 3,952 4,550
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
[[Page 11753]]
Total................ 17,584 17,584 20,243
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \8\ \9\............. W....................... 2,703 2,703 n/a
C....................... 2,395 2,395 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 5,098 5,098 6,070
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \10\................ W....................... 80 80 n/a
C....................... 862 862 n/a
E....................... 360 360 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,302 1,302 1,568
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \11\.............. W....................... 134 134 n/a
C....................... 325 325 n/a
E....................... 455 455 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 914 914 1,219
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \9\ \12\............... W....................... 212 212 n/a
C....................... 507 507 n/a
WYK..................... 273 273 n/a
SEO..................... 2,757 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,749 1,192 4,881
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 650 650 n/a
C....................... 3,249 3,249 n/a
WYK..................... 434 434 n/a
SEO..................... 726 726 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 5,059 5,059 6,142
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish \14\.......... SEO..................... 295 295 472
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 425 425 n/a
C....................... 637 637 n/a
E....................... 708 708 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,770 1,770 2,360
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 2,000 6,200
Big skate \15\........................ W....................... 598 598 n/a
C....................... 2,049 2,049 n/a
E....................... 681 681 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,328 3,328 4,438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skate \16\................... W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 2,009 2,009 n/a
E....................... 762 762 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 2,852 2,852 3,803
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \17\..................... GW...................... 2,093 2,093 2,791
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... 7,075 4,500 9,432
-----------------------------------------------
Total............................. ........................ 565,499 292,087 693,253
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30 percent,
54 percent, and 16 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons,
the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 7 and 8 list the proposed
2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
[[Page 11754]]
\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4
list the proposed 2010 and 2011 sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\6\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to
the Eastern GOA has been included in the slope rockfish complex.
\9\ ``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.
\10\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\11\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\12\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ ``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).
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja spp.
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
Table 2--Final 2011 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 (GOA)
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area \1\ ABC TAC OFL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\........................... Shumagin (610).......... 34,728 34,728 n/a
Chirikof (620).......... 37,159 37,159 n/a
Kodiak (630)............ 25,287 25,287 n/a
WYK (640)............... 2,686 2,686 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
W/C/WYK (subtotal)...... 99,860 99,860 135,010
SEO (650)............... 9,245 9,245 12,326
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 109,105 109,105 147,336
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod \3\....................... W....................... 34,265 25,699 n/a
C....................... 60,698 45,524 n/a
E....................... 2,937 2,496 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 97,900 73,719 116,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish \4\......................... W....................... 1,488 1,488 n/a
C....................... 4,042 4,042 n/a
WYK..................... 1,450 1,450 n/a
SEO..................... 2,320 2,320 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
E (WYK and SEO) 3,770 3,770 n/a
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,300 9,300 11,008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep-water flatfish \5\............... W....................... 530 530 n/a
C....................... 2,928 2,928 n/a
WYK..................... 2,089 2,089 n/a
SEO..................... 778 778 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 6,325 6,325 7,847
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shallow-water flatfish \6\............ W....................... 23,681 4,500 n/a
C....................... 29,999 13,000 n/a
WYK..................... 1,228 1,228 n/a
SEO..................... 1,334 1,334 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 56,242 20,062 67,768
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole.............................. W....................... 1,521 1,521 n/a
C....................... 6,312 6,312 n/a
WYK..................... 871 871 n/a
SEO..................... 888 888 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 9,592 9,592 12,534
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder................... W....................... 34,263 8,000 n/a
C....................... 144,262 30,000 n/a
[[Page 11755]]
WYK..................... 22,501 2,500 n/a
SEO..................... 11,693 2,500 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 212,719 43,000 250,559
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead sole......................... W....................... 17,520 2,000 n/a
C....................... 28,190 5,000 n/a
WYK..................... 2,068 2,068 n/a
SEO..................... 1,508 1,508 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 49,286 10,576 61,601
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch \7\............... W....................... 2,797 2,797 3,220
C....................... 10,377 10,377 11,944
WYK..................... 1,937 1,937 n/a
SEO..................... 1,882 1,882 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
E (WYK and SEO) 3,819 3,819 4,396
(subtotal).
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 16,993 16,993 19,560
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern rockfish \8\ \9\............. W....................... 2,549 2,549 n/a
C....................... 2,259 2,259 n/a
E....................... 0 0 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 4,808 4,808 5,730
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rougheye rockfish \10\................ W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 869 869 n/a
E....................... 363 363 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,313 1,313 1,581
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish \11\.............. W....................... 134 134 n/a
C....................... 325 325 n/a
E....................... 455 455 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 914 914 1,219
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other rockfish \\9 \12\............... W....................... 212 212 n/a
C....................... 507 507 n/a
WYK..................... 273 273 n/a
SEO..................... 2,757 200 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,749 1,192 4,881
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\........... W....................... 607 607 n/a
C....................... 3,035 3,035 n/a
WYK..................... 405 405 n/a
SEO..................... 680 680 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 4,727 4,727 5,739
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal shelf rockfish \14\.......... SEO..................... 295 295 472
Thornyhead rockfish................... W....................... 425 425 n/a
C....................... 637 637 n/a
E....................... 708 708 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 1,770 1,770 2,360
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel......................... GW...................... 4,700 2,000 6,200
Big skate \15\........................ W....................... 598 598 n/a
C....................... 2,049 2,049 n/a
E....................... 681 681 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 3,328 3,328 4,438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longnose skate \16\................... W....................... 81 81 n/a
C....................... 2,009 2,009 n/a
[[Page 11756]]
E....................... 762 762 n/a
-----------------------------------------------
Total................ 2,852 2,852 3,803
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other skates \17\..................... GW...................... 2,093 2,093 2,791
Other species \18\.................... GW...................... 7,075 4,500 9,432
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................. ........................ 605,086 328,464 743,559
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 percent, 46 percent, and 24 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively.
During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 30 percent,
54 percent, and 16 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons,
the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 41 percent, 27 percent, and 32
percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Tables 5 and 6 list the proposed 2010 and 2011
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 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Tables 7 and 8 list the proposed
2010 and 2011 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears for 2010 and to trawl gear in 2011. Tables 3 and 4
list the proposed 2010 and 2011 sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
\6\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to
the Eastern GOA has been included in the slope rockfish complex.
\9\ ``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.
\10\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\11\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\12\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the WYK District means slope rockfish
and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means slope rockfish.
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and
S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ ``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).
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja spp.
\18\ ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus.
Apportionment of Reserves
Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 20 percent of each TAC for pollock,
Pacific cod, flatfish, and the ``other species'' category be set aside
in reserves for possible apportionment at a later date during the
fishing year. In 2009, NMFS reapportioned all the reserves in the final
harvest specifications. For 2010 and 2011, NMFS proposed
reapportionment of all the reserves in the proposed 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications published in the Federal Register on November
30, 2009 (74 FR 62533). NMFS received no public comments on the
proposed reapportionments. For the final 2010 and 2011 harvest
specifications, NMFS reapportioned, as proposed, all the reserves for
pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and ``other species.'' Specifications
of TAC shown in Tables 1 and 2 reflect reapportionment of reserve
amounts for these species and species groups.
Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using Hook-and-Line
and Trawl Gear
Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocations of sablefish
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts to hook-and-line
and trawl gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent
of each TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of each
TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95
percent of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and five percent
is allocated to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in the Eastern
Regulatory Area may only be used to support incidental catch of
sablefish in directed fisheries for other target species (Sec.
679.20(a)(1)). In recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO District of
the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council recommended (and NMFS concurs
with) the allocation of five percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory
Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK District and the remainder
of the WYK sablefish TAC be available to vessels using hook-and-line
gear. As a result, NMFS allocates 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in
the SEO District to vessels using hook-and-line gear. This
recommendation results in an allocation of 210 mt to trawl gear and
1,410 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District in 2010, an
allocation of 2,580 mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in
2010, and 189 mt to trawl gear in the WYK District in 2011. Table 3
lists the allocations of the 2010 sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and
trawl gear. Table 4 lists the allocations of the 2011 sablefish TACs to
trawl gear.
The Council recommended that the hook-and-line sablefish TAC be
established annually to ensure that the Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ)
fishery is conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery and is
based on the most recent survey information. The Council also
recommended that only a
[[Page 11757]]
trawl sablefish TAC be established for two years so that retention of
incidental catch of sablefish by trawl gear could commence in January
in the second year of the groundfish harvest specifications. However,
since there is an annual assessment for sablefish and the final harvest
specifications are expected to be published before the IFQ season
begins (typically, early March), the industry and Council recommended
that the sablefish TAC 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
during the entire fishing year, and given that fishing for groundfish
is prohibited prior to January 20, it is not likely that the sablefish
allocation to trawl gear would be reached before the effective date of
the final harvest specifications.
Table 3--Final 2010 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the GOA 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......................................................... 1,660 1,328 332
Central......................................................... 4,510 3,608 902
West Yakutat \1\................................................ 1,620 1,410 210
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,580 2,580 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 10,370 8,926 1,444
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Table 4--Final 2011 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the GOA and Allocation to Trawl Gear \1\
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line Trawl
Area/district TAC allocation allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western......................................................... 1,488 n/a 298
Central......................................................... 4,042 n/a 808
West Yakutat \2\................................................ 1,450 n/a 189
Southeast Outside............................................... 2,320 n/a 0
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 9,300 n/a 1,295
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing
Quota fisheries be limited to one year.
\2\ Represents an allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl gear in
the WYK District.
Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and
Allocations for Processing by Inshore and Offshore Components
In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by season and area, and is
further allocated for processing by inshore and offshore components.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock TAC specified
for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is apportioned
into four equal seasonal allowances of 25 percent. As established by
Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season
allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to May
31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively.
Pollock TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA
are apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, pursuant to
Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). 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 2010 and 2011,
the Council recommends, and NMFS approves, averaging the winter and
summer distribution of pollock in the Central Regulatory Area for the A
season. The average is intended to reflect the distribution of pollock
and the performance of the fishery in the area during the A season for
the 2010 and 2011 fishing years. Within any fishing year, the amount by
which a seasonal allowance is under- or overharvested may be added to,
or subtracted from, subsequent seasonal allowances in a manner to be
determined by the Regional Administrator (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)).
The rollover amount of unharvested pollock is limited to 20 percent of
the seasonal apportionment for the statistical area. Any unharvested
pollock above the 20-percent limit could be further distributed to the
other statistical areas, in proportion to the estimated biomass in the
subsequent season in those statistical areas (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The pollock TACs in the WYK and SEO District of
2,031 mt and 9,245 mt, respectively, in 2010, and 2,686 mt and 9,245
mt, respectively, in 2011, 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 projected by the Regional Administrator to be
caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component incidental to
directed fishing for other groundfish species. Thus, the amount of
pollock available for harvest by vessels harvesting pollock for
processing by the offshore component is that amount that will be taken
as incidental catch during directed fishing for groundfish species
other than pollock, up to the maximum retainable amounts allowed by
Sec. 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch amounts
of pollock are unknown and will be determined during the fishing year.
Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal biomass distribution of pollock in
the
[[Page 11758]]
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 5--Final 2010 Distribution of Pollock in the C
