Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2015 and 2016 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 11919-11945 [2015-05041]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
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 directed fishing closure of
Pacific cod for vessels using jig gear in
the Central Regulatory Area 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 February 27,
2015.
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 2, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–05063 Filed 3–2–15; 04:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 141021887–5172–02]
RIN 0648–XD587
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands; 2015 and 2016
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; closures.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces final 2015
and 2016 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 2015 and 2016 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
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), March 5, 2015,
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2016.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the
Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS), Record of
Decision (ROD), Supplementary
Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and
the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA) prepared for this action are
available from https://alaska
fisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2014 Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation
(SAFE) report for the groundfish
resources of the BSAI, dated November
2014, as well as the SAFE reports for
previous years, are available from the
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) at 605 West 4th
Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK,
99510–2252, (phone) 907–271–2809, or
from the Council’s Web site at https://
www.npfmc.org/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal
regulations at 50 CFR part 679
implement the FMP and govern the
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS
approved it under the MagnusonStevens Act. General regulations
governing U.S. fisheries also appear at
50 CFR part 600.
The FMP and its implementing
regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to
specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species category. The
sum TAC for all groundfish species
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)).
This final rule specifies the TAC at 2.0
million mt for both 2015 and 2016.
NMFS also must specify
apportionments of TAC, 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 22 of this action satisfy these
requirements.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00063
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
11919
specifications in the Federal Register.
The proposed 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications and PSC allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were
published in the Federal Register on
December 8, 2014 (79 FR 72571).
Comments were invited and accepted
through January 7, 2015. NMFS received
five letters with 13 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
2015 and 2016 harvest specifications
during the December 2014 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 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications as recommended by the
Council.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
TAC Harvest Specifications
The final ABC levels for Alaska
groundfish 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 1
represents the highest level of
information quality available while Tier
6 represents the lowest.
In December 2014, the Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory
Panel (AP), and Council reviewed
current biological and harvest
information about the condition of the
BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council’s
Plan Team compiled and presented this
information in the final 2014 SAFE
report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries,
dated November 2014 (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 BSAI ecosystem and the
economic condition of groundfish
fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the
public and asked for review of the SAFE
report in the notice of proposed harvest
specifications. From these data and
analyses, the Plan Team recommended
an OFL and ABC for each species or
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11920
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
species category at the November 2014
Plan Team meeting.
In December 2014, the SSC, AP, and
Council reviewed the Plan Team’s
recommendations. The final TAC
recommendations were based on the
ABCs as adjusted for other biological
and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the sum of the
TACs within the required OY range of
1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As
required by annual catch limit rules for
all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16,
2009), none of the Council’s
recommended TACs for 2015 or 2016
exceeds the final 2015 or 2016 ABCs for
any species category. The Secretary of
Commerce approves the final 2015 and
2016 harvest specifications as
recommended by the Council. NMFS
finds that the Council’s recommended
OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent
with the preferred harvest strategy and
the biological condition of groundfish
stocks as described in the 2014 SAFE
report that was approved by the
Council.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the
2015 and 2016 Harvest Specifications
A final rule implementing Steller sea
lion protection measures in the BSAI
became effective on December 26, 2014
(79 FR 70286, November 25, 2014).
These regulations insure that the
western distinct population segment of
Steller sea lions’ continued existence is
not jeopardized or its critical habitat is
not destroyed or adversely modified.
These regulations alter areas open for
directed fishing in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI. They also alter the
harvest limitation in these harvest
specifications for pollock, Atka
mackerel, and Pacific cod primarily in
the Aleutian Islands subarea of the
BSAI. The proposed harvest
specifications notified the public of
possible changes to the harvest
specification limits. Changes to the
pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod
harvest specifications that are required
by the rule implementing the protection
measures are described in the section
for each of these target species.
For 2015, the Board of Fisheries (BOF)
for the State of Alaska (State)
established a Pacific cod guideline
harvest level (GHL) in State waters
between 164 and 167 degrees west
longitude in the Bering Sea (BS)
subarea. The Pacific cod GHL in this
area is equal to 3 percent of the sum of
the Pacific cod ABCs for the Aleutian
Islands (AI) and the BS. To account for
the State GHL fishery in 2015 and 2016,
the Council reduced the final BS
subarea TAC by 3 percent of the
combined BS and AI subarea ABCs. The
combined BS subarea TAC and GHL
(248,178 mt) are less than the final BS
subarea ABC.
For 2015, the BOF for the State
established a Pacific cod GHL in State
waters in the AI subarea. The Pacific
cod GHL in this area is equal to 3
percent of the sum of the Pacific cod
ABCs for the AI and the BS. To account
for the State GHL fishery in 2015 and
2016, the Council reduced the final AI
subarea TAC by 3 percent of the
combined BS and AI subarea ABCs. The
combined AI TAC and GHL (17,600 mt)
equal the final AI subarea ABC.
Changes From the Proposed 2015 and
2016 Harvest Specifications for the
BSAI
In October 2014, the Council
proposed its recommendations for the
2015 and 2016 harvest specifications
(which were proposed by NMFS, 79 FR
72571, December 8, 2014), based largely
on information contained in the 2013
SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish
fisheries. Through the proposed harvest
specifications, NMFS notified the public
that these harvest specifications could
change, as the Council would consider
information contained in the final 2014
SAFE report, recommendations from the
Plan Team, SSC, and AP committees,
and public testimony when making its
recommendations for final harvest
specifications at the December Council
meeting. NMFS further notified the
public that, as required by the FMP and
its implementing regulations, the sum of
the TACs must be within the OY range
of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt.
Information contained in the 2014
SAFE reports indicates biomass changes
for several groundfish species from the
2013 SAFE reports. At the December
2014 Council meeting, the SSC
recommended the 2015 and 2016 ABCs
for many species based on the best and
most recent information contained in
the 2014 SAFE reports. This
recommendation resulted in an ABC
sum total for all BSAI groundfish
species in excess of 2 million mt for
both 2015 and 2016. Based on the SSC
ABC recommendations and the 2014
SAFE reports, the Council recommends
increasing Bering Sea pollock by 52,000
mt. In terms of percentage, the largest
increases in TACs were for Central
Aleutian district (CAI) Atka mackerel
and Western Aleutian district (WAI)
Atka mackerel, octopuses, and Aleutian
Island Pacific cod. The Atka mackerel
fisheries are valuable and likely to be
harvested to the full TAC available. The
Council increased these TACs due to
changes in Steller sea lion conservation
measures. The octopuses increase was
due to anticipated higher catches in
2015 and 2016, and the increase in
Aleutian Islands Pacific cod was due to
larger biomass estimates. Conversely,
the largest decrease in TAC in terms of
tonnage is 38,000 mt for yellowfin sole
and 15,750 for rock sole. In terms of
percentage change from the proposed
TACs, Aleutian Island Greenland turbot
and shortraker rockfish had the largest
decreases in TAC. The Council
decreased TACs for these species
because they were not fully harvested in
2014. The changes to TAC between the
proposed and final harvest
specifications are based on the most
recent scientific and economic
information and are consistent with the
FMP, regulatory obligations, and harvest
strategy as described in the proposed
harvest specifications. These changes
are compared in Table 1A. Table 1 lists
the Council’s recommended final 2015
OFL, ABC, TAC, initial TAC (ITAC),
and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI
groundfish; and Table 2 lists the
Council’s recommended final 2016 OFL,
ABC, TAC, initial TAC, and CDQ
reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish.
NMFS concurs in these
recommendations. The final 2015 and
2016 TAC recommendations for the
BSAI are within the OY range
established for the BSAI and do not
exceed the ABC for any species or
species group. The apportionment of
TAC amounts among fisheries and
seasons is discussed below.
TABLE 1—FINAL 2015 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015
Species
Area
OFL
Pollock 4 ..............................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
BS .......................................
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00064
ABC
TAC
ITAC 2
3,330,000
1,637,000
1,310,000
1,179,000
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
CDQ 3
131,000
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11921
TABLE 1—FINAL 2015 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015
Species
Area
OFL
ABC
ITAC 2
TAC
Skates .................................
Sculpins ...............................
Sharks .................................
Squids .................................
Octopuses ...........................
AI ........................................
Bogoslof .............................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
EAI ......................................
CAI .....................................
WAI .....................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS/EAI ................................
CAI/WAI ..............................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BS/EAI ................................
CAI .....................................
WAI .....................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
36,005
21,200
346,000
23,400
1,575
2,128
266,400
3,903
n/a
n/a
93,856
10,500
187,600
79,419
54,000
17,700
42,558
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
15,337
560
n/a
n/a
690
1,667
n/a
n/a
125,297
n/a
n/a
n/a
49,575
52,365
1,363
2,624
3,452
29,659
15,900
255,000
17,600
1,333
1,802
248,800
3,172
2,448
724
80,547
9,000
181,700
66,130
44,900
13,250
34,988
8,771
8,312
7,723
10,182
12,488
453
149
304
518
1,250
695
555
106,000
38,492
33,108
34,400
41,658
39,725
1,022
1,970
2,589
19,000
100
240,000
9,422
1,333
1,802
149,000
2,648
2,448
200
22,000
6,500
69,250
24,250
18,500
3,620
32,021
8,021
8,000
7,000
9,000
3,250
349
149
200
250
880
325
555
54,500
27,000
17,000
10,500
25,700
4,700
125
400
400
17,100
100
214,320
8,414
567
383
133,057
2,251
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
61,840
21,655
15,725
3,077
28,250
6,818
7,144
6,251
8,037
2,763
297
127
170
213
748
276
472
48,669
24,111
15,181
9,377
21,845
3,995
106
340
340
Total .............................
4,769,174 ...........................
2,848,454
2,000,000
1,789,278
197,038
Pacific cod 5 ........................
Sablefish .............................
Yellowfin sole ......................
Greenland turbot .................
Arrowtooth flounder .............
Kamchatka flounder ............
Rock sole ............................
Flathead sole 6 ....................
Alaska plaice .......................
Other flatfish 7 .....................
Pacific ocean perch ............
Northern rockfish .................
Rougheye rockfish 8 ............
Shortraker rockfish ..............
Other rockfish 9 ...................
Atka mackerel .....................
1 These
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
CDQ 3
1,900
0
25,680
1,008
183
304
15,943
n/a
262
0
2,354
0
7,410
2,595
0
0
n/a
0
856
749
963
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5,832
2,889
1,819
1,124
0
0
0
0
0
amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of
these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
2 Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each
TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and
Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish
TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands
Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore—50
percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
5 The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline harvest
level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for
the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI=Eastern Aleutian district, CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district.)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11922
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2015 AND 2016 WITH PROPOSED 2015 AND 2016 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE
BSAI
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area 1
Pollock .........................
Skates .........................
Sculpins .......................
Sharks .........................
Squid ...........................
Octopuses ...................
Total .....................
Yellowfin sole ..............
Greenland turbot .........
Arrowtooth flounder .....
Kamchatka flounder ....
Rock sole ....................
Flathead sole ...............
Alaska plaice ...............
Other flatfish ................
Pacific ocean perch .....
Northern rockfish .........
Rougheye rockfish ......
Shortraker rockfish ......
Other rockfish ..............
Atka mackerel .............
1,258,000
19,000
75
251,712
6,487
1,210
1,636
187,000
2,478
695
25,000
7,300
85,000
25,129
25,000
3,000
7,340
8,833
6,299
9,169
3,000
201
277
370
400
473
21,769
9,722
1,000
26,000
5,750
125
325
225
52,000
0
25
¥11,712
2,935
123
166
¥38,000
¥30
¥495
¥3,000
¥800
¥15,750
¥879
¥6,500
620
681
¥833
701
¥169
250
¥52
¥77
¥120
¥75
82
5,231
7,278
9,500
¥300
¥1,050
0
75
175
2,000,000
BSAI ...............
Sablefish ......................
2015
Difference
from proposed
1,310,000
19,000
100
240,000
9,422
1,333
1,802
149,000
2,448
200
22,000
6,500
69,250
24,250
18,500
3,620
8,021
8,000
7,000
9,000
3,250
149
200
250
325
555
27,000
17,000
10,500
25,700
4,700
125
400
400
BS ...................
AI ....................
Bogoslof .........
BS ...................
AI ....................
BS ...................
AI ....................
BSAI ...............
BS ...................
AI ....................
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BS ...................
EAI ..................
CAI .................
WAI .................
BSAI ...............
BS/EAI ............
CAI/WAI ..........
BSAI ...............
BS ...................
AI ....................
EAI/BS ............
CAI .................
WAI .................
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
BSAI ...............
Pacific cod ...................
2015
Proposed TAC
2,000,000
0
2015 Final
TAC
2016
Proposed TAC
2016
Difference
from proposed
1,310,000
19,000
100
240,000
9,422
1,211
1,637
149,000
2,448
200
22,000
6,500
69,250
24,250
18,500
3,620
8,021
7,970
7,000
9,000
3,250
149
200
250
325
555
27,317
17,000
10,500
25,700
4,700
125
400
400
1,258,000
19,000
75
251,712
6,487
1,210
1,636
187,000
2,478
695
25,000
7,300
85,000
25,129
25,000
3,000
7,340
8,833
6,299
9,169
3,000
201
277
370
400
473
21,769
9,722
1,000
26,000
5,750
125
325
225
52,000
0
25
¥11,712
2,935
1
1
¥38,000
¥30
¥495
¥3,000
¥800
¥15,750
¥879
¥6,500
620
681
¥863
701
¥169
250
¥52
¥77
¥120
¥75
82
5,548
7,278
9,500
¥300
¥1,050
0
75
175
2,000,000
2,000,000
0
2016 Final
TAC
1 Bering
Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District
(EAI), Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI).
TABLE 2—FINAL 2016 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016
Species
Area
OFL
Pollock 4 ..............................
Pacific cod 5 ........................
Sablefish .............................
Yellowfin sole ......................
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Greenland turbot .................
Arrowtooth flounder .............
Kamchatka flounder ............
Rock sole ............................
Flathead sole 6 ....................
Alaska plaice .......................
Other flatfish 7 .....................
Pacific ocean perch ............
VerDate Sep<11>2014
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
Bogoslof .............................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
EAI ......................................
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00066
ABC
TAC
ITAC 2
3,490,000
38,699
21,200
389,000
23,400
1,431
1,934
262,900
6,453
n/a
n/a
91,663
11,000
170,100
76,504
51,600
17,700
40,809
n/a
n/a
1,554,000
31,900
15,900
255,000
17,600
1,211
1,637
245,500
5,248
4,050
1,198
78,661
9,500
164,800
63,711
42,900
13,250
33,550
8,411
7,970
1,310,000
19,000
100
240,000
9,422
1,211
1,637
149,000
2,648
2,448
200
22,000
6,500
69,250
24,250
18,500
3,620
31,991
8,021
7,970
1,179,000
17,100
100
214,320
8,414
515
348
133,057
2,251
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
61,840
21,655
15,725
3,077
28,223
6,818
7,117
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
CDQ 3
131,000
1,900
0
25,680
1,008
45
31
15,943
n/a
262
0
2,354
0
7,410
2,595
0
0
n/a
0
853
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11923
TABLE 2—FINAL 2016 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016
Species
Area
OFL
ABC
ITAC 2
TAC
CDQ 3
Skates .................................
Sculpins ...............................
Sharks .................................
Squids .................................
Octopuses ...........................
CAI .....................................
WAI .....................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
EBS/EAI .............................
CAI/WAI ..............................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
EAI/BS ................................
CAI .....................................
WAI .....................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
n/a
n/a
15,100
688
n/a
n/a
690
1,667
n/a
n/a
115,908
n/a
n/a
n/a
47,035
52,365
1,363
2,624
3,452
7,406
9,763
12,295
555
178
377
518
1,250
695
555
98,137
35,637
30,652
31,848
39,468
39,725
1,022
1,970
2,589
7,000
9,000
3,250
349
149
200
250
880
325
555
54,817
27,317
17,000
10,500
25,700
4,700
125
400
400
6,251
8,037
2,763
297
127
170
213
748
276
472
48,952
24,394
15,181
9,377
21,845
3,995
106
340
340
749
963
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5,865
2,923
1,819
1,124
0
0
0
0
0
Total .............................
.............................................
4,935,285
2,731,897
2,000,000
1,789,447
196,658
Northern rockfish .................
Rougheye rockfish 8 ............
Shortraker rockfish ..............
Other rockfish 9 ...................
Atka mackerel .....................
1 These
amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of
these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
2 Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each
TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and
Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish
TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands
Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: Inshore—50
percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
5 The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline harvest
level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for
the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI=Eastern Aleutian district, CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district.)
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental
Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock,
Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock
Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and Aleutian
Islands Pacific Ocean Perch
Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS
to reserve 15 percent of the TAC for
each target species, except for pollock,
hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of
sablefish, and Amendment 80 species,
in a non-specified reserve. Section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS
allocate 20 percent of the hook-and-line
and pot gear allocation of sablefish for
the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve.
Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that
NMFS allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7
percent of the Bering Sea Greenland
turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to
the respective CDQ reserves. Section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that NMFS
allocate 10.7 percent of the TAC for
Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific
ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole,
flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the
CDQ reserves. Sections
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also
require that 10 percent of the BSAI
pollock TACs be allocated to the pollock
CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA).
The entire Bogoslof District pollock
TAC is allocated as an ICA (see
§ 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of
PO 00000
Frm 00067
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish
CDQ reserve, the regulations do not
further apportion the CDQ allocations
by gear.
Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1),
NMFS allocates a pollock ICA of 4.0
percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC
after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ
reserve. This allowance is based on
NMFS’ examination of the pollock
incidental catch, including the
incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in
target fisheries other than pollock from
2000 through 2014. During this 15-year
period, the pollock incidental catch
ranged from a low of 2.4 percent in 2006
to a high of 4.8 percent in 2014, with a
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11924
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
5,000 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of WAI
Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of CAI
Pacific ocean perch, 100 mt of EAI
Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of WAI Atka
mackerel, 75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel,
and 1,000 mt of EAI and BS subarea
Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the
10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICA
allowances are based on NMFS’
examination of the incidental catch in
other target fisheries from 2003 through
2014.
The regulations do not designate the
remainder of the non-specified reserve
by species or species group. Any
amount of the reserve may be
apportioned to a target species category
that contributed to the non-specified
15-year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant
to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii),
NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of
2,400 mt of the AI subarea TAC after
subtracting the 10-percent CDQ DFA.
This allowance is based on NMFS’
examination of the pollock incidental
catch, including the incidental catch by
CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other
than pollock from 2003 through 2014.
During this 12-year period, the
incidental catch of pollock ranged from
a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of
17 percent in 2014, with an 11-year
average of 8 percent.
Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8) and (10),
NMFS allocates ICAs of 5,000 mt of
flathead sole, 8,000 mt of rock sole,
reserves during the year, provided that
such apportionments do not result in
overfishing (see § 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The
Regional Administrator has determined
that the ITACs specified for the species
listed in Table 1 need to be
supplemented from the non-specified
reserve because U.S. fishing vessels
have demonstrated the capacity to catch
the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is
apportioning the amounts shown in
Table 3 from the non-specified reserve
to increase the ITAC for shortraker
rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ sharks, and octopuses by 15
percent of the TAC in 2015 and 2016.
TABLE 3—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 APPORTIONMENT OF RESERVES TO ITAC CATEGORIES
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species-area or subarea
2015 ITAC
2015 reserve
amount
2015 final
ITAC
2016 ITAC
2016 reserve
amount
2016 final
ITAC
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI .........................
Rougheye rockfish-BS/EAI ......................
Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI ....................
Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea .........
Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea ..
Sharks ......................................................
Octopuses ................................................
213
127
170
276
472
106
340
37
22
30
49
83
19
60
250
149
200
325
555
125
400
213
127
170
276
472
106
340
37
22
30
49
83
19
60
250
149
200
325
555
125
400
Total ..................................................
1,704
300
2,004
1,704
300
2,004
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the
American Fisheries Act (AFA)
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that
the BS subarea pollock TAC be
apportioned, after subtracting 10
percent for the CDQ program and 4.0
percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows:
50 percent to the inshore sector, 40
percent to the catcher/processor (C/P)
sector, and 10 percent to the mothership
sector. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of
the DFA is allocated to the A season
(January 20–June 10), and 60 percent of
the DFA is allocated to the B season
(June 10–November 1)
(§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed
pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut
Corporation is the amount of pollock
remaining in the AI subarea after
subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA
(10 percent) and 2,400 mt for the ICA
(§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI
subarea, the total A season
apportionment of the TAC is less than
or equal to 40 percent of the ABC and
the remainder of the TAC is allocated to
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
the B season. Tables 4 and 5 list these
2015 and 2016 amounts.
The Steller sea lion protection
measure final rule (79 FR 70286,
November 25, 2014), sets harvest limits
for pollock in the A season (January 20
to June 10) in Areas 543, 542, and 541,
see § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6). In Area 543,
the A season pollock harvest limit is no
more than 5 percent of the Aleutian
Islands pollock ABC. In Area 542, the A
season pollock harvest limit is no more
than 15 percent of the Aleutian Islands
ABC. In Area 541, the A season pollock
harvest limit is no more than 30 percent
of the Aleutian Islands ABC.
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also
includes several specific requirements
regarding BS subarea pollock
allocations. First, it requires that 8.5
percent of the pollock allocated to the
C/P sector be available for harvest by
AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P
sector endorsements, unless the
Regional Administrator receives a
cooperative contract that allows the
distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps
and AFA CVs in a manner agreed to by
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not
listed in the AFA are limited to
harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of
the pollock allocated to the C/P sector.
Tables 4 and 5 list the 2015 and 2016
allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 21
through 26 list the AFA C/P and CV
harvesting sideboard limits. The tables
for the pollock allocations to the BS
subarea inshore pollock cooperatives
and open access sector will be posted on
the Alaska Region Web site at https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
Tables 4 and 5 also list seasonal
apportionments of pollock and harvest
limits within the Steller Sea Lion
Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest
within the SCA, as defined at
§ 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no more
than 28 percent of the annual DFA
before 12:00 noon, April 1, as provided
in § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season
pollock SCA harvest limit will be
apportioned to each sector in proportion
to each sector’s allocated percentage of
the DFA. Tables 4 and 5 list these 2015
and 2016 amounts by sector.
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11925
TABLE 4—FINAL 2015 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Area and sector
A season DFA
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 ..............................................................................
CDQ DFA .........................................................................................................
ICA 1 .................................................................................................................
AFA Inshore .....................................................................................................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 ...............................................................................
Catch by C/Ps ..........................................................................................
Catch by CVs 3 .........................................................................................
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ...................................................................................
AFA Motherships .............................................................................................
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ............................................................................
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ...........................................................................
Total Bering Sea DFA .....................................................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC .........................................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 .......................................................................
CDQ DFA .........................................................................................................
ICA ...................................................................................................................
Aleut Corporation .............................................................................................
Area harvest limit:
541 ............................................................................................................
542 ............................................................................................................
543 ............................................................................................................
Bogoslof District ICA 7 ......................................................................................
2015
B season 1
2015
A season 1
2015
Allocations
SCA harvest
limit 2
B season DFA
1,310,000
131,000
47,160
565,920
452,736
414,253
38,483
2,264
113,184
198,072
339,552
1,131,840
29,659
19,000
1,900
2,400
14,700
n/a
52,400
n/a
226,368
181,094
165,701
15,393
905
45,274
n/a
n/a
452,736
n/a
n/a
760
1,200
9,904
n/a
36,680
n/a
158,458
126,766
n/a
n/a
n/a
31,692
n/a
n/a
316,915
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
78,600
n/a
339,552
271,642
248,552
23,090
1,358
67,910
n/a
n/a
679,104
n/a
n/a
1,140
1,200
4,796
8,898
4,449
1,483
100
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated
as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS
subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20–June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June
10–November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
2 In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.
3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in
Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
8 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 5—FINAL 2016 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Area and sector
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
A season DFA
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 ..............................................................................
CDQ DFA .........................................................................................................
ICA 1 .................................................................................................................
AFA Inshore .....................................................................................................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 ...............................................................................
Catch by C/Ps ..........................................................................................
Catch by CVs 3 .........................................................................................
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ...................................................................................
AFA Motherships .............................................................................................
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ............................................................................
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ...........................................................................
Total Bering Sea DFA .....................................................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC .........................................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 .......................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
1,310,000
131,000
47,160
565,920
452,736
414,253
38,483
2,264
113,184
198,072
339,552
1,131,840
31,900
19,000
2016
B season 1
2016
A season 1
2016
Allocations
n/a
52,400
n/a
226,368
181,094
165,701
15,393
905
45,274
n/a
n/a
452,736
n/a
n/a
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
SCA harvest
limit 2
n/a
36,680
n/a
158,458
126,766
n/a
n/a
n/a
31,692
n/a
n/a
316,915
n/a
n/a
B season DFA
n/a
78,600
n/a
339,552
271,642
248,552
23,090
1,358
67,910
n/a
n/a
679,104
n/a
n/a
11926
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 5—FINAL 2016 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Area and sector
A season DFA
CDQ DFA .........................................................................................................
ICA ...................................................................................................................
Aleut Corporation .............................................................................................
Area harvest limit: 7
541 ............................................................................................................
542 ............................................................................................................
543 ............................................................................................................
Bogoslof District ICA 8 ......................................................................................
2016
B season 1
2016
A season 1
2016
Allocations
SCA harvest
limit 2
B season DFA
1,900
2,400
14,700
760
1,200
10,800
n/a
n/a
n/a
1,140
1,200
3,900
9,570
4,785
1,595
100
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated
as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS
subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June
10–November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
2 In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in
Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
8 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs
Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka
mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80
and BSAI trawl limited access sectors,
after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig
gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI
trawl limited access sector and nontrawl gear sector (Tables 6 and 7). The
percentage of the ITAC for Atka
mackerel allocated to the Amendment
80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors
is listed in Table 33 to part 679 and in
§ 679.91. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8)(i),
up to 2 percent of the EAI and the BS
subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be
allocated to vessels using jig gear. The
percent of this allocation is
recommended annually by the Council
based on several criteria, including the
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig
gear fleet. The Council recommended,
and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent
allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in
the EAI and BS subarea to the jig gear
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
sector in 2015 and 2016. This
percentage is applied to the Atka
mackerel TAC after subtracting the CDQ
reserve and the ICA.
Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions
the Atka mackerel TAC into two equal
seasonal allowances. Section
679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal
allowance for directed fishing with
trawl gear from January 20 through June
10 (A season), and the second seasonal
allowance from June 10 through
December 31 (B season). Section
679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel
seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing.
The ICA and jig gear allocations are not
apportioned by season.
Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and
(ii) limits Atka mackerel catch within
waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller sea lion
sites listed in Table 6 to this part and
located west of 178° W longitude to no
more than 60 percent of the annual
TACs in Areas 542 and 543; and equally
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
divides the annual TAC between the A
and B seasons as defined at
§ 679.23(e)(3). Section
679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the annual
TAC in Area 543 will be no more than
65 percent of the ABC in Area 543.
Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(D) requires that
any unharvested Atka mackerel A
season allowance that is added to the B
season be prohibited from being
harvested within waters 0 nm to 20 nm
of Steller sea lion sites listed in Table
6 to this part and located in Areas 541,
542, and 543.
Tables 6 and 7 list these 2015 and
2016 Atka mackerel seasons, area
allowances, and the sector allocations.
The 2016 allocations for Atka mackerel
between Amendment 80 cooperatives
and the Amendment 80 limited access
sector will not be known until eligible
participants apply for participation in
the program by November 1, 2015.
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11927
TABLE 6—FINAL 2015 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015 allocation by area
Eastern
Aleutian
District/
Bering Sea
Sector 1
Season 2 3 4
TAC .........................................................................................
CDQ reserve ...........................................................................
n/a ..........................................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
Total .......................................
Total .......................................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
B .............................................
Total 6 .....................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
Total 6 .....................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
ICA ...........................................................................................
Jig 6 ..........................................................................................
BSAI trawl limited access ........................................................
Amendment 80 sectors ...........................................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ..............................................
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ...................................................
27,000
2,889
1,445
n/a
1,445
n/a
1,000
116
2,300
1,150
n/a
1,150
n/a
20,696
10,348
10,348
11,616
5,808
n/a
5,808
n/a
9,080
4,540
n/a
4,540
n/a
Central
Aleutian
District 5
17,000
1,819
910
546
910
546
75
0
1,511
755
453
755
453
13,595
6,798
6,798
8,116
4,058
2,435
4,058
2,435
5,479
2,740
1,644
2,740
1,644
Western
Aleutian
District
10,500
1,124
562
337
562
337
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
9,337
4,668
4,668
5,742
2,871
1,723
2,871
1,723
3,594
1,797
1,078
1,797
1,078
1 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see
§§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
2 Regulations at §§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
3 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
4 Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B
season from June 10 to December 31.
5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the
TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC.
6 Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear
after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 7—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATION OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 allocation by area
Eastern
Aleutian
District/
Bering Sea 5
Season 2 3 4
TAC .........................................................................................
CDQ reserve ...........................................................................
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Sector 1
n/a ..........................................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
Total .......................................
Total .......................................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
B .............................................
Critical Habitat .......................
ICA ...........................................................................................
Jig 6 ..........................................................................................
BSAI trawl limited access ........................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
27,317
2,923
1,461
n/a
1,461
n/a
1,000
117
2,328
1,164
n/a
1,164
n/a
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Central
Aleutian
District 5
17,000
1,819
910
546
910
546
75
0
1,511
755
453
755
453
Western
Aleutian
District 5
10,500
1,124
562
337
562
337
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
11928
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 7—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATION OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 allocation by area
Eastern
Aleutian
District/
Bering Sea 5
Sector 1
Season 2 3 4
Amendment 80 sectors ...........................................................
Total .......................................
A .............................................
B .............................................
Central
Aleutian
District 5
20,949
10,475
10,475
Western
Aleutian
District 5
13,595
6,798
6,798
9,337
4,668
4,668
1 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see
§§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
2 Regulations at §§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
3 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
4 Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B
season from June 10 to December 31.
5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the
TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC.
6 Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear
after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
7 The 2016 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known
until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2015. NMFS will post 2016 Amendment 80 allocations when they
become available in December 2015.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC
The Council separated BS and AI
subarea OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for
Pacific cod. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)
allocates 10.7 percent of the BS TAC
and AI TAC to the CDQ program. After
CDQ allocations have been deducted
from the respective BS and AI Pacific
cod TACs, the remaining BS and AI
Pacific cod TACs are combined for
calculating further BSAI Pacific cod
sector allocations. However, if the nonCDQ Pacific cod TAC is or will be
reached in either the BS or AI subareas,
NMFS will prohibit non-CDQ directed
fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea as
provided in § 679.20(d)(1)(iii).
Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii)
allocate the Pacific cod TAC in the
combined BSAI TAC, after subtracting
10.7 percent for the CDQ program, as
follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig
gear; 2.0 percent to hook-and-line and
pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length
overall (LOA); 0.2 percent to hook-andline CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft
(18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-andline C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater
than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5
percent to pot C/Ps; 2.3 percent to AFA
trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA
trawl C/Ps; and 22.1 percent to trawl
CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and
pot sectors will be deducted from the
aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot
sectors. For 2015 and 2016, the Regional
Administrator establishes an ICA of 500
mt based on anticipated incidental catch
by these sectors in other fisheries.
The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to
the Amendment 80 sector is established
in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91.
The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80
species between Amendment 80
cooperatives and the Amendment 80
limited access sector will not be known
until eligible participants apply for
participation in the program by
November 1, 2015.
The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned
into seasonal allowances to disperse the
Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing
year (see §§ 679.20(a)(7) and
679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with
§ 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused
portion of a seasonal Pacific cod
allowance will become available at the
beginning of the next seasonal
allowance.
Section 679.20(a)(7)(vii) requires the
Regional Administrator to establish an
Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit based
on Pacific cod abundance in Area 543.
Based on the 2014 stock assessment, the
Regional Administrator determined the
Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit to be
26.3 percent of the AI Pacific cod TAC
for 2015 and 2016. NMFS will first
subtract the State GHL Pacific cod
amount from the AI Pacific cod ABC.
Then NMFS will determine the harvest
limit in Area 543 by multiplying the
percentage of Pacific cod estimated in
Area 543 by the remaining ABC for AI
Pacific cod. Based on these calculations,
the Area 543 harvest limit is 2,478 mt.
The CDQ and non-CDQ season
allowances by gear based on the 2015
and 2016 Pacific cod TACs are listed in
Tables 8 and 9, and are based on the
sector allocation percentages of Pacific
cod set forth at §§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and
679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A) and the seasonal
allowances of Pacific cod set forth at
§ 679.23(e)(5).
TABLE 8—FINAL 2015 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Gear sector
BS TAC .................................................................
BS CDQ ................................................................
BS non-CDQ TAC ................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
2015 Share of
gear sector
total
Percent
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
2015 Share of
sector total
240,000
25,680
214,320
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Frm 00072
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
2015 Seasonal apportionment
Seasons
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)
n/a .................................
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Amount
n/a
n/a
n/a
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11929
TABLE 8—FINAL 2015 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015 Share of
gear sector
total
2015 Share of
sector total
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
100
60.8
n/a
n/a
48.7
........................
0.2
........................
1.5
........................
8.4
........................
2
9,422
1,008
8,414
2,478
222,734
135,422
500
134,922
n/a
........................
n/a
........................
n/a
........................
n/a
........................
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
108,071
........................
444
........................
3,329
........................
18,641
........................
4,438
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B)
n/a .................................
Jan 1-Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Sept 1–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Sept 1–Dec 31 .............
n/a .................................
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
55,116
52,955
226
217
1,698
1,631
9,507
9,134
n/a
22.1
........................
........................
2.3
........................
........................
13.4
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
1.4
........................
........................
49,224
........................
........................
5,123
........................
........................
29,846
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
3,118
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
4,711
........................
........................
25,135
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Apr 30 ................
Apr 30–Aug 31 .............
Aug 31–Dec 31 ............
36,426
5,415
7,384
3,842
1,281
0
22,385
7,462
0
3,533
1,178
0
18,851
6,284
0
1,871
624
624
Gear sector
Percent
AI TAC ..................................................................
AI CDQ .................................................................
AI non-CDQ TAC ..................................................
Western Aleutian Island Limit ...............................
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 ..................................
Total hook-and-line/pot gear .................................
Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 ........................................
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ...................................
Hook-and-line catcher/processor ..........................
Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ...........
Pot catcher/processor ...........................................
Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ............................
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line
or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel .............................................
AFA trawl catcher/processor ................................
Amendment 80 .....................................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ............................
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ................................
Jig .........................................................................
2015 Seasonal apportionment
Seasons
Amount
1 The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
2 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line
and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2015 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 9—FINAL 2016 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Gear sector
BS TAC .................................................................
BS CDQ ................................................................
BS non-CDQ TAC ................................................
AI TAC ..................................................................
AI CDQ .................................................................
AI non-CDQ TAC ..................................................
Western Aleutian Island Limit ...............................
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 ..................................
Total hook-and-line/pot gear .................................
Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 ........................................
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ...................................
Hook-and-line catcher/processor ..........................
Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ...........
Pot catcher/processor ...........................................
Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ............................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
2016 Share of
gear sector
total
Percent
Jkt 235001
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
60.8
n/a
n/a
48.7
........................
0.2
........................
1.5
........................
8.4
PO 00000
Frm 00073
2016 Share of
sector total
240,000
25,680
214,320
9,422
1,008
8,414
2,478
222,734
135,422
500
134,922
n/a
........................
n/a
........................
n/a
........................
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
108,071
........................
444
........................
3,329
........................
18,641
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
2016 Seasonal apportionment
Seasons
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
n/a .................................
see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B)
n/a .................................
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
Sept 1–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Jun 10 ................
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Amount
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
55,116
52,955
226
217
1,698
1,631
9,507
11930
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 9—FINAL 2016 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Share of
gear sector
total
2016 Share of
sector total
........................
2
........................
n/a
........................
4,438
Sept 1–Dec 31 .............
n/a .................................
9,134
n/a
22.1
........................
........................
2.3
........................
........................
13.4
........................
........................
1.4
........................
........................
49,224
........................
........................
5,123
........................
........................
29,846
........................
........................
3,118
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
n/a
........................
........................
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Nov 1 ...............
Jan 20–Apr 1 ................
Apr 1–Jun 10 ................
Jun 10–Dec 31 .............
Jan 1–Apr 30 ................
Apr 30–Aug 31 .............
Aug 31–Dec 31 ............
36,426
5,415
7,384
3,842
1,281
0
22,385
7,462
0
1,871
624
624
Gear sector
Percent
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line
or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel .............................................
AFA trawl catcher/processor ................................
Amendment 80 .....................................................
Jig .........................................................................
2016 Seasonal apportionment
Seasons
Amount
1 The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
2 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line
and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2016 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Sablefish Gear Allocation
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv)
require allocation of the sablefish TAC
for the BS and AI subareas between
trawl and hook-and-line or pot gear
sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for
the BS subarea are 50 percent for trawl
gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or
pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs
for the AI subarea are 25 percent for
trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-andline or pot gear. Section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to
apportion 20 percent of the hook-andline and pot gear allocation of sablefish
to the CDQ reserve. Additionally,
§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) requires that 7.5
percent of the trawl gear allocation of
sablefish from the non-specified
reserves, established under
§ 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ
reserve. The Council recommended that
only trawl sablefish TAC be established
biennially. The harvest specifications
for the hook-and-line gear and pot gear
sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)
fisheries will be limited to the 2015
fishing year to ensure those fisheries are
conducted concurrently with the halibut
IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish and
halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the
potential for discards of halibut and
sablefish in those fisheries. The
sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain
closed at the beginning of each fishing
year until the final harvest
specifications for the sablefish IFQ
fisheries are in effect. Table 10 lists the
2015 and 2016 gear allocations of the
sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve
amounts.
TABLE 10—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 GEAR SHARES AND CDQ RESERVE OF BSAI SABLEFISH TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Percent
of TAC
Subarea and gear
Bering Sea:
Trawl 1 ...........................................................................
Hook-and-line/pot gear 2 ...............................................
2015
Share of
TAC
2015
ITAC
2015
CDQ
Reserve
2016
Share of
TAC
2016
ITAC
2016
CDQ
Reserve
50
50
667
667
567
533
50
133
606
n/a
515
n/a
45
Total .......................................................................
Aleutian Islands:
Trawl 1 ...........................................................................
Hook-and-line/pot gear 2 ...............................................
100
1,333
1,100
183
606
515
45
25
75
451
1,351
383
1,081
34
270
410
n/a
349
n/a
31
n/a
Total .......................................................................
100
1,802
1,464
304
410
349
31
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
1 Except
for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of
the TAC after the subtracting these reserves.
2 For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use
by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean
Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock
Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii)
require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific
ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole,
rock sole, and yellowfin sole TAC
between the Amendment 80 sector and
BSAI trawl limited access sector, after
11931
The 2016 allocations for Amendment
80 species between Amendment 80
cooperatives and the Amendment 80
limited access sector will not be known
until eligible participants apply for
participation in the program by
November 1, 2015. Tables 11 and 12 list
the 2015 and 2016 allocations of the AI
Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead
sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs.
subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ
reserve and an ICA for the BSAI trawl
limited access sector and vessels using
non-trawl gear. The allocation of the
ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and
BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and
yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80
sector is established in accordance with
Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and
§ 679.91.
TABLE 11—FINAL 2015 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND
AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK
SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Pacific ocean perch
Sector
Eastern
Aleutian
District
TAC ..................................................................................
CDQ .................................................................................
ICA ...................................................................................
BSAI trawl limited access ................................................
Amendment 80 .................................................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative .......................................
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ...........................................
Central
Aleutian
District
8,000
856
100
704
6,340
3,362
2,978
Flathead
sole
Western
Aleutian
District
7,000
749
75
618
5,558
2,947
2,611
9,000
963
10
161
7,866
4,171
3,695
Rock sole
Yellowfin
sole
BSAI
BSAI
BSAI
24,250
2,595
5,000
0
16,655
1,708
14,947
69,250
7,410
8,000
0
53,840
13,318
40,522
149,000
15,943
5,000
16,165
111,892
44,455
67,437
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 12—FINAL 2016 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND
AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK
SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Pacific ocean perch
Sector
Eastern
Aleutian
District
TAC ..................................................................................
CDQ .................................................................................
ICA ...................................................................................
BSAI trawl limited access ................................................
Amendment 80 1 ..............................................................
7,970
853
100
702
6,315
Central
Aleutian
District
Flathead
sole
Western
Aleutian
District
7,000
749
75
618
5,558
9,000
963
10
161
7,866
Rock sole
Yellowfin
sole
BSAI
BSAI
BSAI
24,250
2,595
5,000
0
16,655
69,250
7,410
8,000
0
53,840
149,000
15,943
5,000
16,165
111,892
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
1 The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not
be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2015. NMFS will publish 2016 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2015.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Section 679.2 defines the ABC surplus
for flathead sole, rock sole, and
yellowfin sole as the difference between
the annual ABC and TAC for each
species. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii)
establishes ABC reserves for flathead
sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The
ABC surpluses and the ABC reserves are
necessary to mitigate the operational
variability, environmental conditions,
and economic factors that may constrain
the CDQ groups and the Amendment 80
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
cooperatives from achieving, on a
continuing basis, the optimum yield in
the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS,
after consultation with the Council, may
set the ABC reserve at or below the ABC
surplus for each species thus
maintaining the TAC below ABC limits.
An amount equal to 10.7 percent of the
ABC reserves will be allocated as CDQ
reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and
yellowfin sole. The Amendment 80 ABC
reserves shall be the ABC reserves
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
minus the CDQ ABC reserves. Section
679.91(i)(2) establishes each
Amendment 80 cooperative ABC reserve
to be the ratio of each cooperatives’
quota share (QS) units and the total
Amendment 80 QS units, multiplied by
the Amendment 80 ABC reserve for
each respective species. Table 13 lists
the 2015 and 2016 ABC surplus and
ABC reserves for BSAI flathead sole,
rock sole, and yellowfin sole.
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11932
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 13—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 ABC SURPLUS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) ABC RESERVES, AND
AMENDMENT 80 ABC RESERVES IN THE BSAI FOR FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015 Flathead sole
Sector
ABC ..................................................................................
TAC ..................................................................................
ABC surplus .....................................................................
ABC reserve .....................................................................
CDQ ABC reserve ...........................................................
Amendment 80 ABC reserve ...........................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2015 1 ......................
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2015 1 ..........................
66,130
24,250
41,880
41,880
4,481
37,399
3,836
33,563
2015 Rock
sole
181,700
69,250
112,450
112,450
12,032
100,418
24,840
75,578
2015 Yellowfin sole
2016 Flathead sole
248,800
149,000
99,800
99,800
10,679
89,121
35,408
53,713
63,711
24,250
39,461
39,461
4,222
35,239
n/a
n/a
2016 Rock
sole
164,800
69,250
95,550
95,550
10,224
85,326
n/a
n/a
2016 Yellowfin sole
245,500
149,000
96,500
96,500
10,326
86,175
n/a
n/a
1 The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not
be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2015.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab,
and Herring
Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI
PSC limits. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv)
and (e)(2), the 2015 and 2016 BSAI
halibut mortality limits are 3,675 mt for
trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the nontrawl fisheries. Sections
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and
679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocate 326 mt of the
trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5
percent, or 67 mt, of the non-trawl
halibut mortality limit as the PSQ
reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ
program.
Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes
apportioning the non-trawl halibut PSC
limit into PSC bycatch allowances
among six fishery categories. Tables 15
and 16 list the fishery bycatch
allowances for the trawl fisheries, and
Table 17 lists the fishery bycatch
allowances for the non-trawl fisheries.
Pursuant to Section 3.6 of the FMP,
the Council recommends, and NMFS
agrees, that certain specified non-trawl
fisheries be exempt from the halibut
PSC limit. As in past years, after
consulting with the Council, NMFS
exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the
sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery
categories from halibut bycatch
restrictions for the following reasons: (1)
The pot gear fisheries have low halibut
bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates
halibut mortality for the jig gear fleet to
be negligible because of the small size
of the fishery and the selectivity of the
gear; and (3) the IFQ program requires
legal-size halibut to be retained by
vessels using hook-and-line gear if a
halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired
master is aboard and is holding unused
halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part
679). In 2014, total groundfish catch for
the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was
approximately 43,225 mt, with an
associated halibut bycatch mortality of
about 4 mt.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
The 2014 jig gear fishery harvested
about 3 mt of groundfish. Most vessels
in the jig gear fleet are exempt from
observer coverage requirements. As a
result, observer data are not available on
halibut bycatch in the jig gear fishery.
However, as mentioned above, NMFS
estimates the jig gear sector will have a
negligible amount of halibut bycatch
mortality because of the selective nature
of jig gear and the low mortality rate of
halibut caught with jig gear and
released.
Section 679.21(f)(2) annually allocates
portions of either 47,591 or 60,000
Chinook salmon PSC limits among the
AFA sectors, depending on past catch
performance and on whether Chinook
salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreements are formed. If an AFA sector
participates in an approved Chinook
salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreement, then NMFS will allocate a
portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that
sector as specified in
§ 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook
salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreement is approved, or if the sector
has exceeded its performance standard
under § 679.21(f)(6), then NMFS will
allocate a portion of the 47,591 Chinook
salmon PSC limit to that sector, as
specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In
2015, the Chinook salmon PSC limit is
60,000 and the AFA sector Chinook
salmon allocations are seasonally
allocated with 70 percent of the
allocation for the A season pollock
fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation
for the B season pollock fishery as stated
in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for
these PSC limits is described in detail
in the final rule implementing
management measures for Amendment
91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010).
NMFS publishes the approved Chinook
salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreements, 2014 allocations, and
reports at: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/
default.htm.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700
fish as the 2015 and 2016 Chinook
salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea
pollock fishery. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i) allocates 7.5
percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, to the AI
subarea PSQ for the CDQ program, and
allocates the remaining 647 Chinook
salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies
42,000 fish as the 2015 and 2016 nonChinook salmon PSC limit in the
Catcher Vessel Operational Area
(CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii)
allocates 10.7 percent, or 4,494 nonChinook salmon in the CVOA as the
PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates
the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook
salmon in the CVOA as the PSC limit for
the non-CDQ fisheries.
PSC limits for crab and herring are
specified annually based on abundance
and spawning biomass. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1) allocates 10.7
percent from each trawl gear PSC limit
specified for crab as a PSQ reserve for
use by the groundfish CDQ program.
Based on the 2014 survey data, the
red king crab mature female abundance
is estimated to be at 38.6 million red
king crabs, which is above the threshold
of 8.4 million red king crabs, and the
effective spawning biomass is estimated
at 51.3 million lb (23,362 mt). Based on
the criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(i),
the 2015 and 2016 PSC limit of red king
crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000
animals. This limit derives from the
mature female abundance of more than
8.4 million king crab and the effective
spawning biomass estimate of less than
55 million lb (24,948 mt).
Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)
establishes criteria under which NMFS
must specify an annual red king crab
bycatch limit for the Red King Crab
Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The
regulations limit the RKCSS red king
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the
red king crab PSC limit, based on the
need to optimize the groundfish harvest
relative to red king crab bycatch. In
December 2014, the Council
recommended and NMFS concurs that
the red king crab bycatch limit be equal
to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC
limit within the RKCSS (Table 15).
Based on 2014 survey data, Tanner
crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) abundance is
estimated at 758 million animals.
Pursuant to criteria set out at
§ 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2015
and 2016 C. bairdi crab PSC limit for
trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1
and 2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These
limits derive from the C. bairdi crab
abundance estimate being in excess of
the 400 million animals for both the
Zone 1 and Zone 2 allocations.
Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC
limit for snow crab (C. opilio) is based
on total abundance as indicated by the
NMFS annual bottom trawl survey. The
C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133
percent of the BS abundance index
minus 150,000 crab. Based on the 2014
survey estimate of 9.852 billion animals,
the calculated C. opilio crab PSC limit
is 11,011,976 animals.
Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC
limit of Pacific herring caught while
conducting any trawl operation for BSAI
groundfish is 1 percent of the annual
eastern BS herring biomass. The best
estimate of 2015 and 2016 herring
biomass is 274,236 mt. This amount was
developed by the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game based on spawning
location estimates. Therefore, the
herring PSC limit for 2015 and 2016 is
2,742 mt for all trawl gear as listed in
Tables 14 and 15.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A) requires
PSQ reserves to be subtracted from the
total trawl PSC limits. The 2014 PSC
limits assigned to the Amendment 80
and BSAI trawl limited access sectors
are specified in Table 35 to part 679.
The resulting allocations of PSC limit to
CDQ PSQ, the Amendment 80 sector,
and the BSAI trawl limited access
fisheries are listed in Table 10. Pursuant
to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and § 679.91(d)
through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC
limits assigned to the Amendment 80
sector are then further allocated to
Amendment 80 cooperatives as PSC
cooperative quota as listed in Table 18.
PSC cooperative quota assigned to
Amendment 80 cooperatives is not
allocated to specific fishery categories.
In 2015, there are no vessels in the
Amendment 80 limited access sector.
The 2016 PSC allocations between
Amendment 80 cooperatives and the
Amendment 80 limited access sector
will not be known until eligible
11933
participants apply for participation in
the program by November 1, 2015.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(B) requires
NMFS to apportion each trawl PSC limit
not assigned to Amendment 80
cooperatives into PSC bycatch
allowances for seven specified fishery
categories.
Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes
NMFS, after consulting with the
Council, to establish seasonal
apportionments of PSC amounts for the
BSAI trawl limited access and
Amendment 80 limited access sectors in
order to maximize the ability of the fleet
to harvest the available groundfish TAC
and to minimize bycatch. The factors to
be considered are (1) seasonal
distribution of prohibited species; (2)
seasonal distribution of target
groundfish species; (3) PSC bycatch
needs on a seasonal basis relevant to
prohibited species biomass; (4) expected
variations in bycatch rates throughout
the year; (5) expected start of fishing
effort; and (6) economic effects of
seasonal PSC apportionments on
industry sectors. The Council
recommended and NMFS approves the
seasonal PSC apportionments in Tables
15 and 16 to maximize harvest among
gear types, fisheries, and seasons while
minimizing bycatch of PSC based on the
above criteria.
TABLE 14—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 APPORTIONMENT OF PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCES TO NON-TRAWL GEAR,
THE CDQ PROGRAM, AMENDMENT 80, AND THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS SECTORS
PSC Species and
Total nontrawl PSC
area 1
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI ......................
Herring (mt) BSAI ....................................
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 ..............
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ .......................
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 ...............
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2 ...............
Non-trawl
PSC
remaining
after CDQ
PSQ 2
900
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
832
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Total trawl
PSC
3,675
2,742
97,000
11,011,976
980,000
2,970,000
Trawl PSC
remaining
after CDQ
PSQ 2
CDQ PSQ
Reserve 2
3,349
n/a
86,621
9,833,695
875,140
2,652,210
393
n/a
10,379
1,178,281
104,860
317,790
Amendment
80 sector 3
BSAI Trawl
limited
access fishery
2,325
n/a
43,293
4,833,261
368,521
627,778
875
n/a
26,489
3,160,549
411,228
1,241,500
1 Refer
to § 679.2 for definitions of zones.
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and § 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the
non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of
each crab PSC limit.
3 The Amendment 80 program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits by 150 mt for halibut mortality and 20 percent for crab. These reductions are not apportioned to other gear types or sectors.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
2 Section
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
TABLE 15—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 HERRING AND RED KING CRAB SAVINGS SUBAREA PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH
ALLOWANCES FOR ALL TRAWL SECTORS
Herring (mt)
BSAI
Fishery categories
Yellowfin sole ...........................................................................................................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 1 ....................................................................................................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 2 ...................................................................................................................................
Rockfish ...................................................................................................................................................................
Pacific cod ...............................................................................................................................................................
Midwater trawl pollock .............................................................................................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00077
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
187
30
20
14
42
2,242
Red king crab
(animals)
Zone 1
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
11934
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 15—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 HERRING AND RED KING CRAB SAVINGS SUBAREA PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH
ALLOWANCES FOR ALL TRAWL SECTORS—Continued
Herring (mt)
BSAI
Fishery categories
Red king crab
(animals)
Zone 1
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 3 4 ..................................................................................................................
Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic trawl gear 5 ........................................................................................
207
n/a
n/a
24,250
Total trawl PSC ................................................................................................................................................
2,742
97,000
1 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole,
Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin sole.
2 ‘‘Arrowtooth flounder’’ for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
3 Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ fishery category.
4 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
5 In December 2014 the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be limited
to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance (see § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)).
Note: Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 16—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED
ACCESS SECTOR
Prohibited species and area 1
BSAI Trawl limited access fisheries
Halibut mortality (mt)
BSAI
Red king crab
(animals) Zone
1
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ
C. bairdi (animals)
Zone 1
Zone 2
Yellowfin sole .......................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 2 .................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 3 ...............................................
Rockfish April 15–December 31 ..........................................
Pacific cod ............................................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 4 .................................
167
0
0
5
453
250
23,338
0
0
0
2,954
197
2,979,410
0
0
4,922
126,994
49,223
346,228
0
0
0
60,000
5,000
1,185,500
0
0
1,000
50,000
5,000
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC ...........................
875
26,489
3,160,549
411,228
1,241,500
1 Refer
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
2 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock
sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 Arrowtooth flounder for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
4 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 17—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR NON-TRAWL FISHERIES
Non-trawl fisheries
Catcher/
Processor
Pacific cod—Total: .....................................................................................................................................................
January 1–June 10 .............................................................................................................................................
June 10–August 15 .............................................................................................................................................
August 15–December 31 ....................................................................................................................................
Other non-trawl—Total: ..............................................................................................................................................
May 1–December 31 ..........................................................................................................................................
Groundfish pot and jig ................................................................................................................................................
Sablefish hook-and-line ..............................................................................................................................................
Total non-trawl PSC ....................................................................................................................................
760
455
190
115
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
Catcher
vessel
15.
10.
3.
2.
58.
58.
Exempt.
Exempt.
833.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 18—FINAL 2015 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCE FOR THE BSAI AMENDMENT 80 COOPERATIVES
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Prohibited species and zones 1
Cooperative
Halibut mortality (mt)
BSAI
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ...............................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ...........................................
Red king crab
(animals) Zone
1
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ
30,834
12,459
3,311,730
1,521,531
1,693
632
1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of zones.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:48 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00078
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
C. bairdi (animals)
Zone 1
271,542
96,980
Zone 2
465,879
161,899
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR)
To monitor halibut bycatch mortality
allowances and apportionments, the
Regional Administrator uses observed
halibut bycatch rates, DMRs, and
estimates of groundfish catch to project
when a fishery’s halibut bycatch
mortality allowance or seasonal
apportionment is reached. The DMRs
are based on the best information
available, including information
contained in the annual SAFE report.
NMFS approves the halibut DMRs
developed and recommended by the
International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) and the Council for
the 2015 and 2016 BSAI groundfish
fisheries for use in monitoring the 2015
and 2016 halibut bycatch allowances
(see Tables 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18). The
11935
IPHC developed these DMRs for the
2015 and 2016 BSAI fisheries using the
10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries.
The IPHC will analyze observer data
annually and recommend changes to the
DMRs when a fishery DMR shows large
variation from the mean. A discussion
of the DMRs is available from the
Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 19
lists the 2015 and 2016 DMRs.
TABLE 19—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI
Halibut discard
mortality rate
(percent)
Gear
Fishery
Non-CDQ hook-and-line .............................................................
Greenland turbot ........................................................................
Other species 1 ...........................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Rockfish ......................................................................................
Alaska plaice ..............................................................................
Arrowtooth flounder 2 ..................................................................
Atka mackerel .............................................................................
Flathead sole ..............................................................................
Greenland turbot ........................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock ....................................................................
Pelagic pollock ............................................................................
Other flatfish 3 .............................................................................
Other species 1 ...........................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Rockfish ......................................................................................
Rock sole ....................................................................................
Sablefish .....................................................................................
Yellowfin sole .............................................................................
Other species 1 ...........................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Atka mackerel .............................................................................
Greenland turbot ........................................................................
Flathead sole ..............................................................................
Non-pelagic pollock ....................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Pelagic pollock ............................................................................
Rockfish ......................................................................................
Rock sole ....................................................................................
Yellowfin sole .............................................................................
Greenland turbot ........................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Pacific cod ..................................................................................
Sablefish .....................................................................................
Non-CDQ trawl ...........................................................................
Non-CDQ Pot .............................................................................
CDQ trawl ...................................................................................
CDQ hook-and-line .....................................................................
CDQ pot ......................................................................................
13
9
9
4
71
76
77
73
64
77
88
71
71
71
79
85
75
83
8
8
86
89
79
83
90
90
80
88
86
4
10
8
34
1 ‘‘Other
species’’ includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
flounder includes Kamchatka flounder.
flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole,
yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
2 Arrowtooth
3 ‘‘Other
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Directed Fishing Closures
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator may
establish a DFA for a species or species
group if the Regional Administrator
determines that any allocation or
apportionment of a target species has
been or will be reached. 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
subarea or district (see
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:48 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
§ 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant
to § 679.21(e), if the Regional
Administrator determines that a fishery
category’s bycatch allowance of halibut,
red king crab, C. bairdi crab, or C. opilio
crab for a specified area has been
reached, the Regional Administrator
will prohibit directed fishing for each
species in that category in the specified
area.
Based on historic catch patterns and
anticipated fishing activity, the Regional
Administrator has determined that the
groundfish allocation amounts in Table
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
20 will be necessary as incidental catch
to support other anticipated groundfish
fisheries for the 2015 and 2016 fishing
years. Consequently, in accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator establishes the DFA for
the species and species groups in Table
20 as zero. Therefore, in accordance
with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for these
sectors and species in the specified
areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11936
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
5, 2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2016. Also, for the BSAI
trawl limited access sector, bycatch
allowances of halibut, red king crab, C.
bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in
Table 20 are insufficient to support
directed fisheries. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for these
sectors and fishery categories in the
specified areas effective at 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., March 5, 2015, through 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., December 31, 2016.
TABLE 20—2015 AND 2016 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals]
2015 Incidental catch
allowance
2016 Incidental catch
allowance
Area
Sector
Species
Bogoslof District ..............................
Aleutian Islands subarea ................
All ...................................................
All ...................................................
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering
Sea.
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering
Sea.
Eastern Aleutian District .................
Non-amendment 80 and BSAI
trawl limited access.
All ...................................................
Pollock ............................................
ICA pollock .....................................
‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ...........................
ICA Atka mackerel .........................
100
2,400
555
1,000
100
2,400
555
1,000
Rougheye rockfish .........................
177
201
BSAI
ICA Pacific ocean perch ................
100
100
BSAI
ICA Atka mackerel .........................
75
75
Non-amendment 80 and BSAI
trawl limited access.
All ...................................................
ICA Pacific ocean perch ................
ICA Atka mackerel .........................
ICA Pacific ocean perch ................
Rougheye rockfish .........................
75
40
10
239
75
40
10
277
Pacific ocean perch .......................
‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ...........................
ICA pollock .....................................
Northern rockfish ............................
Shortraker rockfish .........................
Skates ............................................
Sculpins ..........................................
Sharks ............................................
Squids ............................................
Octopuses ......................................
ICA Pacific cod ..............................
ICA flathead sole ...........................
ICA rock sole .................................
ICA yellowfin sole ..........................
6,818
325
47,160
2,763
250
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
500
5,000
8,000
5,000
6,818
325
47,160
2,763
250
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
500
5,000
8,000
5,000
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish—halibut mortality, red king
crab Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ,
C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish—halibut mortality, red king crab
Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ, C.
bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Rockfish—red king crab Zone 1 ....
0
0
0
0
0
0
Central Aleutian District ..................
Western Aleutian District ................
Central and Western Aleutian Districts.
Bering Sea subarea ........................
Non-amendment 80 and
trawl limited access.
Non-amendment 80 and
trawl limited access.
All ...................................................
All ...................................................
Hook-and-line and pot gear ...........
Non-amendment 80 .......................
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands ....
Non-amendment 80 and BSAI
trawl limited access.
BSAI trawl limited access ..............
1 Maximum
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
2 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Closures implemented under the final
2014 and 2015 BSAI harvest
specifications for groundfish (79 FR
12108, March 4, 2014) remain effective
under authority of these final 2015 and
2016 harvest specifications, and are
posted at the following Web sites:
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/cm/
info_bulletins/ and https://alaska
fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries_reports/
reports/. 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
closures and prohibitions found in
regulations at 50 CFR part 679.
Listed AFA Catcher/Processor
Sideboard Limits
Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional
Administrator is responsible for
restricting the ability of listed AFA C/
Ps to engage in directed fishing for
groundfish species other than pollock to
protect participants in other groundfish
fisheries from adverse effects resulting
from the AFA and from fishery
cooperatives in the pollock directed
fishery. These restrictions are set out as
PO 00000
Frm 00080
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
‘‘sideboard’’ limits on catch. The basis
for these sideboard limits is described in
detail in the final rules implementing
the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR
79692, December 30, 2002) and
Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668,
September 14, 2007). Table 21 lists the
2015 and 2016 C/P sideboard limits.
All harvest of groundfish sideboard
species by listed AFA C/Ps, whether as
targeted catch or incidental catch, will
be deducted from the sideboard limits
in Table 21. However, groundfish
sideboard species that are delivered to
listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
11937
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
deducted from the 2015 and 2016
sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps.
TABLE 21—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH
SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
1995–1997
Retained
catch
Target species
Area/Season
Sablefish trawl .......................
BS .........................................
AI ...........................................
Central AI A season 2 ............
Central AI B season 2 ............
Western AI A season 2 ..........
Western AI B season 2 ..........
BSAI ......................................
BS .........................................
AI ...........................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BS .........................................
Eastern AI .............................
Central AI ..............................
Western AI ............................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
EBS/EAI ................................
CAI/WAI ................................
BS .........................................
AI ...........................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
BSAI ......................................
Atka mackerel ........................
Rock sole ...............................
Greenland turbot ...................
Arrowtooth flounder ...............
Kamchatka flounder ..............
Flathead sole .........................
Alaska plaice .........................
Other flatfish ..........................
Pacific ocean perch ...............
Northern rockfish ...................
Shortraker rockfish ................
Rougheye rockfish .................
Other rockfish ........................
Skates ....................................
Sculpins .................................
Sharks ...................................
Squids ....................................
Octopuses .............................
Total catch
Ratio of retained catch
to total
catch
2015 ITAC
Available to
trawl C/Ps1
497
145
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
169,362
17,305
4,987
33,987
33,987
52,755
9,438
52,298
4,879
6,179
5,698
13,598
13,040
2,811
2,811
2,811
621
806
68,672
68,672
68,672
3,328
68,672
0.016
0
0.115
0.115
0.2
0.2
0.037
0.007
0.005
0.002
0.002
0.036
0.001
0.058
0.002
0.02
0.001
0.004
0.007
0.018
0.018
0.018
0.029
0.027
0.008
0.008
0.008
0.022
0.008
567
383
7,591
7,591
4,689
4,689
61,840
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
21,655
15,725
3,077
6,818
7,144
6,251
8,037
2,763
250
149
200
325
555
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
8
0
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
6,317
121
23
76
76
1,925
14
3,058
12
125
3
54
91
50
50
50
18
22
553
553
553
73
553
2015 AFA
C/P Sideboard limit
9
0
873
873
938
938
2,288
15
1
37
11
780
16
178
14
143
6
32
19
5
3
4
9
15
175
32
1
7
3
2016 ITAC
Available to
trawl C/Ps1
515
348
7,591
7,591
4,689
4,689
61,840
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
21,655
15,725
3,077
6,818
7,117
6,251
8,037
2,763
250
149
200
325
555
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
2016 AFA
C/P Sideboard limit
8
0
873
873
938
938
2,288
15
1
37
11
780
16
178
14
142
6
32
19
5
3
4
9
15
175
32
1
7
3
1 Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC after the
subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
2 The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Western
Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.
Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40
and 41 of part 679 establish a formula
for calculating PSC sideboard limits for
listed AFA C/Ps. The basis for these
sideboard limits is described in detail in
the final rules implementing the major
provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692,
December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80
(72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007).
PSC species listed in Table 22 that are
caught by listed AFA C/Ps participating
in any groundfish fishery other than
pollock will accrue against the 2015 and
2016 PSC sideboard limits for the listed
AFA C/Ps. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v)
authorizes NMFS to close directed
fishing for groundfish other than
pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2015
or 2016 PSC sideboard limit listed in
Table 22 is reached.
Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed
AFA C/Ps while fishing for pollock will
accrue against the bycatch allowances
annually specified for either the
midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka
mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery
categories under regulations at
§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 22—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES SIDEBOARD LIMITS
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
PSC Species and
Ratio of PSC
catch to total
PSC
area 1
Halibut mortality BSAI ..................................................................................................................
Red king crab zone 1 ..................................................................................................................
C. opilio (COBLZ) ........................................................................................................................
C. bairdi Zone 1 ...........................................................................................................................
C. bairdi Zone 2 ...........................................................................................................................
1 Refer
n/a
0.007
0.153
0.14
0.05
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
2 Halibut
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00081
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
2015 and
2016 PSC
available to
trawl vessels
after subtraction of PSQ 2
n/a
86,621
9,833,695
875,140
2,652,210
2015 and
2016 catcher/
processor
sideboard
limit 2
286
606
1,504,555
122,520
132,611
11938
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits
Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional
Administrator is responsible for
restricting the ability of AFA CVs to
engage in directed fishing for groundfish
species other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish
fisheries from adverse effects resulting
from the AFA and from fishery
cooperatives in the pollock directed
fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a
formula for setting AFA CV groundfish
and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI.
The basis for these sideboard limits is
described in detail in the final rules
implementing the major provisions of
the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30,
2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668,
September 14, 2007). Tables 23 and 24
list the 2015 and 2016 AFA CV
sideboard limits.
All catch of groundfish sideboard
species made by non-exempt AFA CVs,
whether as targeted catch or incidental
catch, will be deducted from the 2015
and 2016 sideboard limits listed in
Table 23.
TABLE 23—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL BSAI GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Ratio of 1995–
1997 AFA CV
catch to 1995–
1997 TAC
2015 Initial
TAC 1
2015 AFA
Catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
2016 Initial
TAC 1
2016 AFA
catcher vessel
sideboard
limits
Species/Gear
Fishery by area/season
Pacific cod/Jig gear .............
Pacific cod/Hook-and-line
CV ≥60 feet LOA.
BSAI ...................................
BSAI Jan 1–Jun 10 ............
0
0.0006
n/a
226
0
0
n/a
226
0
0
Pacific cod pot gear CV ......
BSAI
BSAI
BSAI
BSAI
Jun 10–Dec 31 .........
Jan 1–Jun 10 ............
Sept 1–Dec 31 ..........
...................................
0.0006
0.0006
0.0006
0.0006
217
9,507
9,134
4,438
0
6
5
3
217
9,507
9,134
4,438
0
6
5
3
BSAI Jan 20–Apr 1 ............
BSAI Apr 1–Jun 10 ............
BSAI Jun 10–Nov 1 ...........
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
Eastern AI/BS Jan 1–Jun
10.
Eastern AI/BS Jun 10–Nov
1.
Central AI Jan 1–Jun 10 ....
Central AI Jun 10–Nov 1 ....
Western AI Jan 1–Jun 10 ..
Western AI Jun 10–Nov 1 ..
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BS .......................................
BS .......................................
Eastern AI ..........................
Central AI ...........................
Western AI .........................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
EBS/EAI .............................
CAI/WAI ..............................
BS .......................................
AI ........................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
BSAI ...................................
0.8609
0.8609
0.8609
0.0906
0.0645
0.0032
36,426
5,415
7,384
567
383
12,056
31,359
4,662
6,357
51
25
39
36,426
5,415
7,384
515
348
12,197
31,359
4,662
6,357
47
22
39
0.0032
12,056
39
12,197
39
0.0001
0.0001
0
0
0.0341
0.0645
0.0205
0.069
0.069
0.0441
0.0441
0.0505
0.1
0.0077
0.0025
0
0.0084
0.0037
0.0037
0.0037
0.0048
0.0095
0.0541
0.0541
0.0541
0.3827
0.0541
7,590
7,590
4689
4689
61,840
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
15,725
3,077
21,655
6,818
7,144
6,251
8,037
2,763
250
149
200
325
555
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
1
1
0
0
2,109
134
3
1,290
381
693
136
1,094
682
55
16
0
23
1
1
1
2
5
1,182
216
7
130
22
7,591
7,591
4689
4689
61,840
2,081
170
18,700
5,525
15,725
3,077
21,655
6,818
7,117
6,251
8,037
2,763
250
149
200
325
555
21,845
3,995
125
340
400
1
1
0
0
2,109
134
3
1,290
381
693
136
1,094
682
55
16
0
23
1
1
1
2
5
1,182
216
7
130
22
Pacific cod CV ≤60 feet
LOA using hook-and-line
or pot gear.
Pacific cod trawl gear CV ...
Sablefish trawl gear ............
Atka mackerel .....................
Rock sole ............................
Greenland turbot .................
Arrowtooth flounder .............
Kamchatka flounder ............
Alaska plaice .......................
Other flatfish ........................
Flathead sole ......................
Pacific ocean perch ............
Northern rockfish .................
Shortraker rockfish ..............
Rougheye rockfish ..............
Other rockfish ......................
Skates .................................
Sculpins ...............................
Sharks .................................
Squids .................................
Octopuses ...........................
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
1 Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of
that species after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in
Table 24 that are caught by AFA CVs
participating in any groundfish fishery
for groundfish other than pollock will
accrue against the 2015 and 2016 PSC
sideboard limits for the AFA CVs.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
Sections 679.21(d)(7) and 679.21(e)(3)(v)
authorize NMFS to close directed
fishing for groundfish other than
pollock for AFA CVs once a 2015 or
2016 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table
24 is reached. The PSC that is caught by
PO 00000
Frm 00082
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in
the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch
allowances annually specified for either
the midwater pollock or the pollock/
Atka mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
11939
categories under regulations at
§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 24—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD
LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1
AFA Catcher
vessel PSC
sideboard limit
ratio
PSC Species and area 1
Target fishery category 2
Halibut .....................................
2015 and
2016 PSC limit
after
subtraction of
PSQ
reserves 3
2015 and
2016 AFA
catcher vessel
PSC
sideboard
limit 3
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
0.299
0.168
0.33
0.186
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
86,621
9,833,695
875,140
2,652,210
887
2
101
228
0
2
5
25,900
1,652,061
288,796
493,311
Pacific cod trawl .....................................................................
Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot ............................................
Yellowfin sole total .................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 4 ...................................
Greenland turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 5 .................................
Rockfish ..................................................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 6 ...................................
n/a ...........................................................................................
n/a ...........................................................................................
n/a ...........................................................................................
n/a ...........................................................................................
Red king crab Zone 1 .............
C. opilio COBLZ ......................
C. bairdi Zone 1 ......................
C. bairdi Zone 2 ......................
1 Refer
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
fishery categories are defined in regulation at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
3 Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
4 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock
sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
5 Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
6 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
2 Target
AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher
Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures
Based on historical catch patterns, the
Regional Administrator has determined
that many of the AFA C/P and CV
sideboard limits listed in Tables 25 and
26 are necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish
fisheries for the 2015 and 2016 fishing
years. In accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional
Administrator establishes the sideboard
limits listed in Tables 25 and 26 as
DFAs. Because many of these DFAs will
be reached before the end of 2015, the
Regional Administrator has determined,
in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
that NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing by listed AFA C/Ps for the
species in the specified areas set out in
Table 25, and directed fishing by nonexempt AFA CVs for the species in the
specified areas set out in Table 26.
TABLE 25—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED
FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area
Sablefish trawl .................................................
BS ...................................................................
AI ....................................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BS ...................................................................
AI ....................................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BS ...................................................................
Eastern AI ......................................................
Central AI .......................................................
Western AI .....................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
EBS/EAI .........................................................
CAI/WAI ..........................................................
BS ...................................................................
AI ....................................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
Rock sole ........................................................
Greenland turbot .............................................
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Arrowtooth flounder .........................................
Kamchatka flounder ........................................
Alaska plaice ...................................................
Other flatfish 2 .................................................
Flathead sole ..................................................
Pacific ocean perch ........................................
Northern rockfish .............................................
Shortraker rockfish ..........................................
Rougheye rockfish ..........................................
Other rockfish 3 ...............................................
Skates .............................................................
Sculpins ...........................................................
Sharks .............................................................
Squids .............................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:48 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
PO 00000
Frm 00083
Fmt 4700
Gear types
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
2015
Sideboard limit
2016
Sideboard limit
9
0
2,288
15
1
37
11
16
178
780
14
143
6
32
19
5
3
4
9
15
175
32
1
7
8
0
2,288
15
1
37
11
16
178
780
14
142
6
32
19
5
3
4
9
15
175
32
1
7
trawl
trawl
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
all
05MRR1
11940
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 25—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED
FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Species
Area
Gear types
Octopuses .......................................................
BSAI ...............................................................
2015
Sideboard limit
2016
Sideboard limit
3
3
all
1 Maximum
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
2 ‘‘Other
TABLE 26—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING
CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015
Sideboard limit
Species
Area
Gear types
Pacific cod ......................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
2016
Sideboard limit
0
11
3
0
11
3
0
51
25
78
2
0
134
3
1,290
381
693
136
1,094
2,109
682
55
16
0
23
1
1
1
2
5
1,182
216
7
130
22
0
47
22
78
2
0
134
3
1,290
381
693
136
1,094
2,109
682
55
16
0
23
1
1
1
2
5
1,182
216
7
130
22
hook-and-line CV ≥60 feet LOA ....
pot CV ≥60 feet LOA .....................
hook-and-line or pot CV ≤60 feet
LOA.
jig ....................................................
trawl ................................................
trawl ................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
all ....................................................
Sablefish .........................................
Atka mackerel .................................
Greenland turbot .............................
Arrowtooth flounder ........................
Kamchatka flounder ........................
Alaska plaice ..................................
Other flatfish 2 .................................
Flathead sole ..................................
Rock sole ........................................
Pacific ocean perch ........................
Northern rockfish ............................
Shortraker rockfish .........................
Rougheye rockfish ..........................
Other rockfish 3 ...............................
Skates .............................................
Sculpins ..........................................
Sharks .............................................
Squids .............................................
Octopuses .......................................
BSAI ...............................................
BS ..................................................
AI ....................................................
Eastern AI/BS ................................
Central AI .......................................
Western AI .....................................
BS ..................................................
AI ....................................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BS ..................................................
Eastern AI ......................................
Central AI .......................................
Western AI .....................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BS/EAI ............................................
CAI/WAI .........................................
BS ..................................................
AI ....................................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
BSAI ...............................................
1 Maximum
retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
2 ‘‘Other
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Response to Comments
NMFS received five letters with 13
comments.
Comment 1: The Pacific halibut
population is in steep decline yet NMFS
is proposing to authorize the removal of
millions of pounds of halibut bycatch in
the Bering Sea groundfish fishery.
Response: The final 2015 and 2016
harvest specifications for the BSAI
publishes regulatory halibut PSC limits
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
that are imposed on the federal
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
halibut PSC limits for the BSAI
groundfish fisheries are described in the
FMP for Groundfish of the BSAI
management area and the regulations at
50 CFR 679.21(e) implement the BSAI
PSC limits. The Council and NMFS
establish halibut PSC limits to constrain
the amount of bycatch taken in the
groundfish fisheries. The halibut PSC
PO 00000
Frm 00084
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
limits are not allowances for halibut
bycatch in the groundfish fishery;
rather, halibut PSC limits impose
maximum limits on the amount of
halibut bycatch mortality that may be
taken by the groundfish fisheries. When
a halibut PSC limit is reached, further
groundfish fishing with specific types of
gear and modes of operation is
prohibited in that area. The Council and
NMFS have initiated a separate action to
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI
to minimize halibut bycatch in the
groundfish fishery to the extent
practicable. See response to Comment 2.
Comment 2: The Magnuson-Stevens
Act requires that NMFS, to the extent
practicable: (A) Minimize bycatch; and
(B), minimize the mortality of bycatch
which cannot be avoided. Before
finalizing the 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications for the BSAI, NMFS must
minimize bycatch of halibut in the
groundfish fisheries consistent with its
statutory obligations.
Response: The Council and NMFS are
committed to minimizing halibut
bycatch in the BSAI to the extent
practicable. Section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP
states that annual BSAI-wide Pacific
halibut bycatch mortality limits for
trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries will
be established in regulations and may be
amended by regulatory amendment.
Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv), (e)(3), and
(e)(2), the 2015 and 2016 BSAI halibut
PSC limits are 3,525 mt for trawl
fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl
fisheries. The Council has initiated
action to consider revising regulations
to reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI
groundfish fisheries consistent with
Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations to
minimize bycatch to the extent
practicable and to achieve, on a
continuing basis, optimum yield from
the groundfish fisheries. Pursuant to
section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP, the
Secretary, after consultation with the
Council, will consider the following
information when evaluating measures
to minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI
fisheries:
1. Estimated change in halibut
biomass and stock condition;
2. potential impacts on halibut stocks
and fisheries;
3. potential impacts on groundfish
fisheries;
4. estimated bycatch mortality during
prior years;
5. expected halibut bycatch mortality;
6. methods available to reduce halibut
bycatch mortality;
7. the cost of reducing halibut bycatch
mortality; and
8. other biological and socioeconomic
factors that affect the appropriateness of
a specific bycatch mortality limit in
terms of FMP objectives.
The Council is scheduled to consider
final action to reduce halibut PSC limits
later in 2015.
Comment 3: In the BSAI, millions of
pounds of Pacific halibut are killed and
are not utilized.
Response: Consistent with National
Standards 1 and 9, the Council and
NMFS use halibut PSC mortality limits
to minimize halibut bycatch in the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
groundfish fisheries to the extent
practicable, while achieving, on a
continuing basis, the optimum yield
from the fisheries. The Council has
designated Pacific halibut as
‘‘prohibited species’’ in the groundfish
fisheries, which fishermen are required
by regulation to discard.
NMFS acknowledges that recent
declines in the exploitable biomass of
halibut and recent decreases in the
Pacific halibut catch limits set by the
IPHC for the directed BSAI halibut
fisheries have raised concerns about the
levels of halibut PSC by the commercial
groundfish trawl and hook-and-line
sectors. The Council has initiated action
to consider revising halibut PSC limits
in the BSAI groundfish fisheries
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens
Act obligations to minimize bycatch to
the extent practicable while achieving,
on a continuing basis, optimum yield
from the groundfish fisheries. The
Council will review a draft
Environmental Assessment and
Regulatory Impact Review at its
February 2015 meeting and is scheduled
to take final action on halibut PSC limit
reductions later in 2015.
Comment 4: The catch limits of
Pacific halibut in the North Pacific
Ocean and the BSAI have been reduced
in recent years by the IPHC due to low
stock abundance. The IPHC 2015
preliminary directed halibut fishery
catch limits are much less than the
anticipated 2015 halibut PSC in the
BSAI. Bycatch mortality will almost
entirely preclude all directed fisheries
in some areas.
Response: During the 2015 annual
IPHC meeting, the IPHC adopted catch
limits in area 4A that are increased from
the 2014 catch limits in that area. The
IPHC adopted catch limits in areas 4B,
4C, 4D, and 4E that are unchanged from
2014. Consistent with National
Standards 1 and 9 of the MagnusonStevens Act, NMFS established halibut
PSC limits in regulation to minimize
halibut bycatch to the extent practicable
while also permitting optimum yield
from the groundfish fisheries. As
described in response to Comments 2
and 3, the Council has initiated action
to consider revising regulations to
reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI
groundfish fisheries consistent with
Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations to
minimize bycatch to the extent
practicable and to achieve, on a
continuing basis, optimum yield from
the groundfish fisheries.
Comment 5: Under the MagnusonStevens Act, NMFS must conserve and
manage the Pacific halibut stock and
prevent the overfishing of Pacific
halibut. This must be addressed in the
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
11941
FMP and in the final groundfish harvest
specifications.
Response: NMFS and the Council
manage Pacific halibut under the
Halibut Act. Under the MagnusonStevens Act, NMFS and the Council
manage the groundfish fisheries to
minimize halibut bycatch to the extent
practicable using the PSC limits
established in Federal regulations.
Pacific halibut are classified as a
prohibited species in the FMP and not
as a ‘‘stock in the fishery.’’ Therefore,
Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act does not apply to Pacific halibut.
Comment 6: NMFS has not provided
NEPA documents to address the
environmental impacts of halibut
bycatch on the marine environment or
the environmental impact of reduced
Pacific halibut stocks. NEPA compels
Federal agencies to evaluate
prospectively the environmental
impacts of proposed actions that they
carry out, fund, or authorize. NMFS has
relied on an EIS it prepared in 2007.
Since that time, the halibut stock has
lost 50 percent of its spawning biomass
and the commercial harvest of halibut
has declined more than 60 percent.
NMFS did not contemplate such
circumstances in the 2007 EIS.
Response: NMFS agrees that there
have been changes in halibut abundance
and the halibut fisheries, as well as
advancements in scientific
understanding since the Harvest
Specifications EIS. NMFS has provided
NEPA documents to address the impacts
of halibut bycatch on the marine
environment. As explained in this
preamble, section 679.21(e) sets forth
the BSAI halibut PSC limits. NMFS set
this halibut PSC limit under a separate
action with a supporting Environmental
Assessments that analyzed the impacts
of halibut bycatch on halibut stocks and
the human environment. The Council
has initiated action to consider revising
regulations to reduce halibut PSC limits
in the BSAI for groundfish fisheries. The
Council will review a draft
Environmental Assessment and
Regulatory Impact Review at its
February 2015 meeting and is scheduled
to take final action on halibut PSC
reductions later in 2015. This EA will
analyze the impacts of the halibut
bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fishery
on Pacific halibut stocks.
NMFS prepared a supplementary
information report to evaluate the need
to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for
the 2015/2016 groundfish harvest
specifications. An SEIS should be
prepared if—
1. the agency makes substantial
changes in the proposed action that are
relevant to environmental concerns, or
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
11942
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
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)).
The 2007 Harvest Specifications EIS
concluded that halibut mortality in the
groundfish fisheries is taken into
account when the IPHC sets commercial
halibut quotas to prevent adverse
impacts on the halibut stock. The 2015
supplementary information report
further explains that the IPHC
comprehensively assesses the impacts of
fishing mortality on stock abundance on
an annual basis in its stock assessment
process. Each year, the IPHC assesses
the status of the halibut stocks and sets
the constant exploitation yield (CEY),
which is the amount of halibut harvest
that is determined to be sustainable in
a year. The total CEY is calculated by
multiplying a target harvest rate by the
total exploitable biomass and represents
the sum of all halibut removals. After
deducting non-directed fishery removals
(e.g., halibut PSC in the groundfish
fisheries, wastage in halibut fisheries,
recreational harvest, and subsistence
use), the remainder is allocated to the
directed commercial hook-and-line
fishery. The CEY therefore takes into
account the change in halibut
abundance. Therefore, the impacts of
halibut PSC in the BSAI groundfish
fisheries are unlikely to have effects on
the halibut resource in a manner not
previously considered in the 2007
Harvest Specifications EIS.
After reviewing the information in the
supplementary information report (see
ADDRESSES) and presented in the SAFE
reports (see ADDRESSES; SAFE reports,
and the information they contain that is
used in the harvest specifications, is
explained above in this preamble under
the heading ‘‘Acceptable Biological
Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest
Specifications’’), NMFS determined that
(1) the 2015/2016 harvest specifications,
which were set according to the
preferred harvest strategy described in
the 2007 EIS, do not constitute a change
in the action; and (2) the information
presented does not indicate that there
are significant new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental
concerns and bearing on the proposed
action or its impacts. Additionally, the
2015/2016 harvest specifications will
result in environmental impacts within
the scope of those analyzed and
disclosed in the EIS. Therefore,
supplemental NEPA documentation is
not necessary to implement the 2015/
2016 harvest specifications.
Comment 7: The BSAI halibut PSC
limit has remained almost the same
since the late 1980s.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
Response: With the implementation of
Amendment 57 (65 FR 31105, May 16,
2000) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668,
September 14, 2007), the Pacific halibut
PSC limit was reduced by 250 mt from
the halibut PSC limits set in regulations.
However, NMFS agrees that the Pacific
halibut PSC limits have largely been
unchanged in recent decades. The
halibut PSC limits are for bycatch in
groundfish fisheries, which have largely
remained stable in recent decades. As
described in response to Comment 2,
the halibut PSC limits are established in
regulation and may be changed through
regulatory amendment. The Council has
initiated action to consider revising
halibut PSC limits in the BSAI,
consistent with the National Standard 9
obligations to minimize bycatch to the
extent practicable.
Comment 8: The 2015 groundfish
harvest specifications do not address
cultural, fisheries, ecological, and
subsistence impacts of discarded halibut
PSC.
Response: These harvest
specifications specify halibut PSC limits
among fisheries and by season.
However, as described in response to
Comment 2, the halibut PSC limits are
established in regulation and may be
changed through regulatory amendment.
The Council has initiated action to
consider revising halibut PSC limits in
the BSAI, consistent with the National
Standard 9 obligations to minimize
bycatch to the extent practicable. NMFS
expects the Council will address
cultural, fisheries, ecological, and
subsistence impacts through that action.
Comment 9: NMFS and fishery
participants must work more diligently
to reduce bycatch, prevent waste of fish,
and protect fish stocks.
Response: As noted in response to
Comment 2, NMFS and the Council are
committed to minimizing halibut
bycatch in the BSAI to the extent
practicable. Current halibut PSC limits
are established in regulation and may be
changed by a regulatory amendment.
The Council has initiated action to
consider revising halibut PSC limits in
the BSAI, consistent with the National
Standard 9 obligation to minimize
bycatch to the extent practicable.
Comment 10: NMFS has allowed
almost every groundfish species in the
BSAI to be overfished.
Response: NMFS disagrees. In the
most recent fishing year, no species or
species complex of groundfish in the
BSAI reached an OFL, and no species or
species complex of groundfish is in
overfishing status; see SAFE reports.
Comment 11: Temporary closures
should be put in place to prevent sea
lions from being shot by commercial
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
fishermen. A one million dollar fine
should be imposed for every sea lion
shot by commercial fishermen.
Response: Fishery closures and fines
to protect sea lions are outside the scope
of this action. NOAA has a Penalty
Policy and Summary Settlement
Schedules for the assessment of civil
administrative penalties and permit
sanctions under the statutes and
regulations enforced by NOAA,
including violations of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act and the
Endangered Species Act. See https://
www.gc.noaa.gov/enforce-office3.html.
Comment 12: The BOF must produce
downward quota adjustments for
fisheries.
Response: The State and the BOF has
jurisdiction to manage fisheries within
Alaska state waters. In recommending
harvest limits for the Federal
commercial groundfish fisheries, the
Council considers state GHL harvest
limits when distribution and range of
federally fished groundfish stocks
extend between Federal and state
waters. The Council recommends
federal TACs for such stocks so that the
sum of state and Federal harvest limits
does not exceed ABC limits for such
stocks. However, management measures
implemented by the BOF in state waters
are not within the jurisdiction of the
Council.
Comment 13: The ICAs for several
species should be reduced to prevent
overfishing. Specifically, the Bering Sea
pollock ICA should be reduced to
23,288 mt, the flathead sole ICA to 1,000
mt, the Pacific ocean perch ICA to ten
mt, and the yellowfin sole ICA to one
mt.
Response: NMFS disagrees. The
Regional Administrator establishes
incidental catch allowances to account
for projected incidental catch of species
and species complexes by vessels
engaged in directed fishing in other
groundfish fisheries. Sufficient ICAs are
needed to prevent exceeding TACs,
ABCs, and OFLs of groundfish species
and species complexes. Reducing the
ICAs would leave these stocks more
vulnerable to overfishing.
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 Orders 12866 and
13563.
NMFS prepared an EIS that covers
this action (see ADDRESSES) and made it
available to the public on January 12,
2007 (72 FR 1512). On February 13,
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
2007, NMFS issued the Record of
Decision (ROD) for the EIS. In January
2015, 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 EIS
found no significant environmental
consequences of this action and its
alternatives. The SIR evaluates the need
to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for
the 2015 and 2016 groundfish harvest
specifications.
An SEIS should be prepared if (1) the
agency makes substantial changes in the
proposed action that are relevant to
environmental concerns; or (2)
significant new circumstances or
information exist relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on
the proposed action or its impacts (40
CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the
information contained in the SIR and
SAFE reports, the Regional
Administrator has determined that (1)
approval of the 2015 and 2016 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 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope
of those analyzed and disclosed in the
EIS. Therefore, supplemental NEPA
documentation is not necessary to
implement the 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications.
Pursuant to section 604 of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5
U.S.C. 601, et seq., a FRFA was
prepared for this action. The FRFA
incorporates the Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and
includes a summary of the significant
issues raised by public comments in
response to the IRFA, as well as NMFS’
responses to those comments. A
summary of the analyses completed to
support the action is also included in
the FRFA.
A copy of the FRFA prepared for this
final rule is available from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES). A description of this
action, its purpose, and its legal basis
are contained at the beginning of the
preamble to this final rule and are not
repeated here.
NMFS published the proposed rule on
December 8, 2014 (79 FR 72571). The
rule was accompanied by an IRFA,
which was summarized in the proposed
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
rule. The comment period closed on
January 7, 2015. No comments were
received on the IRFA.
The entities directly regulated by this
action are those that receive allocations
of groundfish in the exclusive economic
zone of the BSAI, and in parallel
fisheries within State of Alaska waters,
during the annual harvest specifications
process. These directly regulated
entities include the groundfish CVs and
C/Ps active in these areas. Direct
allocations of groundfish are also made
to certain organizations, including the
CDQ groups, AFA C/P and inshore CV
sectors, Aleut Corporation, and
Amendment 80 cooperatives. These
entities are, therefore, also considered
directly regulated.
On June 12, 2014, the Small Business
Administration issued an interim final
rule revising the small business size
standards for several industries effective
July 14, 2014 (79 FR 33647, June 12,
2014). The rule increased the size
standard for Finfish Fishing from $19.0
million to $20.5 million, Shellfish
Fishing from $5.0 million to $5.5
million, and Other Marine Fishing from
$7.0 million to $7.5 million. Fishing
vessels are considered small entities if
their total annual gross receipts, from all
their activities combined, are less than
$25.0 million. In 2013, there were 353
individual C/Vs with total gross
revenues less than or equal to $20.5
million. Some of these vessels are
members of AFA inshore pollock
cooperatives, GOA rockfish
cooperatives, or crab rationalization
cooperatives, and, since under the RFA
it is the aggregate gross receipts of all
participating members of the
cooperative that must meet the ‘‘under
$20.5 million’’ threshold, they are
considered to be large entities within
the meaning of the RFA. Thus, the
estimate of 353 C/Vs may be an
overstatement of the number of small
entities. Average gross revenues were
$320,000 for small hook-and-line
vessels, $1.25 million for small pot
vessels, and $3.56 million for small
trawl vessels. Revenue data for catcher/
processors is confidential; however, in
2013, NMFS estimates that there were
four catcher/processor small entities
with gross receipts less than $20.5.
Through the CDQ program, the
Council and NMFS allocate a portion of
the BSAI groundfish TACs, and halibut
and crab PSC limits to 65 eligible
Western Alaska communities. These
communities work through six nonprofit CDQ groups, and are required to
use the proceeds from the CDQ
allocations to start or support activities
that will result in ongoing, regionally
based, commercial fishery or related
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
11943
businesses. The CDQ groups receive
allocations through the harvest
specifications process, and are directly
regulated by this action, but the 65
communities are not directly regulated.
Because they are nonprofit entities that
are independently owned and operated,
and are not dominant in their field, the
CDQ groups are considered small
entities for RFA purposes.
The AFA and Amendment 80
fisheries cooperatives are directly
regulated because they receive
allocations of TAC through the harvest
specifications process. However, the
Freezer Longliner Conservation
Cooperative (FLCC), a voluntary private
cooperative that became fully effective
in 2010, is not considered to be directly
regulated. The FLCC manages a catch
share program among its members, but
it does not receive an allocation under
the harvest specifications. NMFS
allocates TAC to the freezer longline
sector, and the cooperative members
voluntarily allocate this TAC among
themselves via the FLCC. The AFA and
Amendment 80 cooperatives are large
entities, since they are affiliated with
firms with joint revenues of more than
$25 million.
The Aleut Corporation is an Alaska
Native Corporation that receives an
allocation of pollock in the Aleutian
Islands. The Aleut Corporation is a
holding company and evaluated
according to the Small Business
Administration criteria for Office or
Other Holding Companies, at 13 CFR
121.201, which uses a threshold of $7.5
million gross annual receipts threshold
for small entities. The Aleut Corporation
revenues exceed this threshold, and the
Aleut Corporation is considered to be a
large entity. This determination follows
the analysis in the RFA certification for
BSAI FMP.
This action does not modify
recordkeeping or reporting
requirements.
The significant alternatives were
those considered as alternative harvest
strategies when the Council selected its
preferred harvest strategy (Alternative 2)
in December 2006. These included the
following:
• Alternative 1: Set TAC to produce
fishing mortality rates, F, that are equal
to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TAC
is constrained by the OY established in
the FMPs. This is equivalent to setting
TAC to produce harvest levels equal to
the maximum permissible ABC, as
constrained by OY. The term
‘‘maxFABC’’ refers to the maximum
permissible value of FABC under
Amendment 56 to the groundfish FMPs.
Historically, the TAC has been set at or
below the ABC; therefore, this
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
11944
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
alternative represents a likely upper
limit for setting the TAC within the OY
and ABC limits.
• Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1,
2, and 3, set TAC to produce F equal to
the most recent 5-year average actual F.
For species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC
equal to the most recent 5-year average
actual catch. For stocks with a high
level of scientific information, TAC
would be set to produce harvest levels
equal to the most recent 5-year average
actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks
with insufficient scientific information,
TAC would be set equal to the most
recent 5-year average actual catch. This
alternative recognizes that for some
stocks, catches may fall well below
ABC, and recent average F may provide
a better indicator of actual F than FABC
does.
• Alternative 4: (1) Set TAC for
rockfish species in Tier 3 at F75%. Set
TAC for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F
= 0.5M. Set spatially explicit TAC for
shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the
BSAI. (2) Taking the rockfish TAC as
calculated above, reduce all other TAC
by a proportion that does not vary
across species, so that the sum of all
TAC, including rockfish TAC, is equal
to the lower bound of the area OY
(1,400,000 mt in the BSAI). This
alternative sets conservative and
spatially explicit TAC for rockfish
species that are long-lived and late to
mature, and sets conservative TAC for
the other groundfish species.
• Alternative 5: Set TAC at zero.
Alternative 2 is the preferred
alternative chosen by the Council: Set
TAC that fall within the range of ABC
recommended through the Council
harvest specifications process and TACs
recommended by the Council. Under
this scenario, F is set equal to a constant
fraction of maxFABC. The
recommended fractions of maxFABC
may vary among species or stocks, based
on other considerations unique to each.
This is the method for determining TAC
that has been used in the past.
Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet
the objectives of this action, although
they have a smaller adverse economic
impact on small entities than the
preferred alternative. The Council
rejected these alternatives as harvest
strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of
Commerce did so in 2007. Alternative 1
would lead to TAC limits whose sum
exceeds the fishery OY, which is set out
in statute and the FMP. As shown in
Table 1 and Table 2, the sum of ABCs
in 2015 and 2016 would be 2,848,454
and 2,731,897 million mt, respectively.
Both of these are substantially in excess
of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
result would be inconsistent with the
objectives of this action, in that it would
violate the Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108–199, Sec.
803(c), and the FMP for the BSAI
groundfish fishery, which both set a 2
million mt maximum harvest for BSAI
groundfish.
Alternative 3 selects harvest rates
based on the most recent 5 years’ worth
of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1
through 3) or for the most recent 5 years’
worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4
through 6). This alternative is also
inconsistent with the objectives of this
action, because it does not take into
account the most recent biological
information for this fishery.
Alternative 4 would lead to
significantly lower harvests of all
species to reduce TAC from the upper
end of the OY range in the BSAI, to its
lower end. This result would lead to
significant reductions in harvests of
species by small entities. While
reductions of this size could be
associated with offsetting price
increases, the size of these increases is
very uncertain, and NMFS has no
confidence that they would be sufficient
to offset the volume decreases and leave
revenues unchanged. Thus, this action
would have an adverse economic
impact on small entities, compared to
the preferred alternative.
Alternative 5, which sets all harvests
equal to zero, may also address
conservation issues, but would have a
significant adverse economic impact on
small entities.
Impacts on marine mammals resulting
from fishing activities conducted under
this rule are discussed in the EIS (see
ADDRESSES).
In December 2014, the Council
adopted separate Pacific cod harvest
specifications for the Aleutian Islands
and the Bering Sea in the 2015 and 2016
fishing years. While separate OFLs,
ABCs, and TACs, have been created for
the Aleutian Islands and for the Bering
Sea, the actual sector allocations (except
CDQ allocations) remain BSAI-wide
allocations. Sector allocations are
calculated as a percent of the summed
Aleutian Island and Bering Sea TACs,
after adjustments are made to account
for CDQ allocations. Because sector
allocations (except CDQ allocations)
continue to be defined BSAI-wide,
sectors remain free to redeploy between
the two areas. However, if the non-CDQ
portion of the TAC in either sub-area is
reached, NMFS will close directed
fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea.
Thus if the resources in one of the areas
is fully utilized, one sector will not be
able to increase its harvest, unless at the
expense of another sector’s harvest.
PO 00000
Frm 00088
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
It is possible that in some years an
Aleutian Island-specific Pacific cod
TAC, in combination with a deduction
from the ABC for a GHL fishery, and a
deduction for an ICA, may leave the
Aleutian Islands TAC too small to
permit a directed fishery. The ultimate
impact of the Pacific cod split will
depend on policy decisions made by the
Council and the Secretary of Commerce.
In the 10 years since the first year of the
baseline period for this analysis (2004),
the BSAI Pacific cod TAC was only set
equal to the ABC in 2 years. There may
be flexibility for the Council to offset
anticipated Aleutian Island production
limits by setting the Aleutian Islands
TAC less than the ABC, and the Bering
Sea TAC equal to the ABC. The 2
million metric ton groundfish optimum
yield is the sum of the BSAI TACs, so
a decrease in the Aleutian Islands TAC,
coupled with an equal increase in the
Bering sea TAC, would leave the
aggregate BSAI Pacific cod TAC
unchanged, and would not require
reductions in TACs for other species so
as to comply with the 2 million metric
ton optimum yield limit.
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, because delaying this rule is
contrary to the public interest. Plan
Team review occurred in November
2014, and Council consideration and
recommendations occurred in December
2014. Accordingly, NMFS’ review could
not begin until after the December 2014
Council meeting, and after the public
had time to comment on the proposed
action. If this rule’s effectiveness is
delayed, fisheries that might otherwise
remain open under these rules may
prematurely close based on the lower
TACs established in the final 2014 and
2015 harvest specifications (79 FR
12108, March 4, 2014). If implemented
immediately, this rule would allow
these fisheries to continue fishing
without worrying about a potential
closure because the new TAC limits are
higher than the ones under which they
are currently fishing. Certain fisheries,
such as those for pollock and Pacific
cod are intensive, fast-paced fisheries.
Other fisheries, such as those for
flatfish, rockfish, skates, sculpins,
sharks, and octopuses, 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 TAC limits in these fisheries
would cause confusion in the industry
and potential economic harm through
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
unnecessary discards. Determining
which fisheries may close is impossible
because these fisheries are affected by
several factors that cannot be predicted
in advance, including fishing effort,
weather, movement of fishery stocks,
and market price. Furthermore, the
closure of one fishery has a cascading
effect on other fisheries by freeing up
fishing vessels, allowing them to move
from closed fisheries to open ones,
increasing the fishing capacity in those
open fisheries and causing them to close
at an accelerated pace.
Additionally, in fisheries subject to
declining sideboards, delaying this
rule’s effectiveness could allow some
vessels to inadvertently reach or exceed
their new sideboard levels. Because
sideboards are intended to protect
traditional fisheries in other sectors,
allowing one sector to exceed its new
sideboards by delaying this rule’s
effectiveness would effectively reduce
the available catch for sectors without
sideboard limits. Moreover, the new
TAC and sideboard limits protect the
fisheries from being overfished. Thus,
the delay is contrary to the public
interest in protecting traditional
fisheries and fish stocks.
If the final harvest specifications are
not effective by March 14, 2015, which
is the start of the 2015 Pacific halibut
season as specified by the IPHC, the
hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Mar 04, 2015
Jkt 235001
begin concurrently with the Pacific
halibut IFQ season. Delayed
effectiveness of this action would result
in confusion for sablefish harvesters 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 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications will allow the sablefish
IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with
the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also,
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 that
have lower 2015 ABC and TAC limits
than those established in the 2014 and
2015 harvest specifications (79 FR
12108, March 4, 2014). 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
This final rule is a plain language
guide to assist small entities in
PO 00000
Frm 00089
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
11945
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 2015 and 2016
harvest specifications and prohibited
species bycatch allowances for the
groundfish fisheries of the BSAI. This
action is necessary to establish harvest
limits and associated management
measures for groundfish during the 2015
and 2016 fishing years and to
accomplish the goals and objectives of
the FMP. This action directly affects all
fishermen who participate in the BSAI
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); 16 U.S.C. 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: February 27, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–05041 Filed 3–4–15; 08:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\05MRR1.SGM
05MRR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11919-11945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05041]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XD587
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands; 2015 and 2016 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 2015 and 2016 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 2015
and 2016 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 5,
2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of
Decision (ROD), Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and
the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this
action are available from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final
2014 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the
groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated November 2014, as well as the
SAFE reports for previous years, are available from the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council (Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306,
Anchorage, AK, 99510-2252, (phone) 907-271-2809, or from the Council's
Web site at https://www.npfmc.org/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679
implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved it under the 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 category. The sum TAC for all groundfish
species must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to
2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see Sec. 679.20(a)(1)(i)). This final
rule specifies the TAC at 2.0 million mt for both 2015 and 2016. NMFS
also must specify apportionments of TAC, prohibited species catch (PSC)
allowances, and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by
Sec. 679.21; seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka
mackerel TAC; Amendment 80 allocations; and Community Development Quota
(CDQ) reserve amounts established by Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final
harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 22 of this action
satisfy these requirements.
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 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications and
PSC allowances for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in
the Federal Register on December 8, 2014 (79 FR 72571). Comments were
invited and accepted through January 7, 2015. NMFS received five
letters with 13 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 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications during the December 2014
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 2015 and
2016 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest Specifications
The final ABC levels for Alaska groundfish 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
1 represents the highest level of information quality available while
Tier 6 represents the lowest.
In December 2014, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC),
Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current biological and
harvest information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks.
The Council's Plan Team compiled and presented this information in the
final 2014 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated
November 2014 (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 BSAI ecosystem and the economic condition of
groundfish fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the public and asked for
review of the SAFE report in the notice of proposed harvest
specifications. From these data and analyses, the Plan Team recommended
an OFL and ABC for each species or
[[Page 11920]]
species category at the November 2014 Plan Team meeting.
In December 2014, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's
recommendations. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs
as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the sum of the TACs within the required OY range
of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As required by annual catch limit
rules for all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009), none of the
Council's recommended TACs for 2015 or 2016 exceeds the final 2015 or
2016 ABCs for any species category. The Secretary of Commerce approves
the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications as recommended by the
Council. NMFS finds that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs
are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy and the biological
condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2014 SAFE report
that was approved by the Council.
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2015 and 2016 Harvest
Specifications
A final rule implementing Steller sea lion protection measures in
the BSAI became effective on December 26, 2014 (79 FR 70286, November
25, 2014). These regulations insure that the western distinct
population segment of Steller sea lions' continued existence is not
jeopardized or its critical habitat is not destroyed or adversely
modified. These regulations alter areas open for directed fishing in
the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI. They also alter the harvest
limitation in these harvest specifications for pollock, Atka mackerel,
and Pacific cod primarily in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI.
The proposed harvest specifications notified the public of possible
changes to the harvest specification limits. Changes to the pollock,
Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod harvest specifications that are required
by the rule implementing the protection measures are described in the
section for each of these target species.
For 2015, the Board of Fisheries (BOF) for the State of Alaska
(State) established a Pacific cod guideline harvest level (GHL) in
State waters between 164 and 167 degrees west longitude in the Bering
Sea (BS) subarea. The Pacific cod GHL in this area is equal to 3
percent of the sum of the Pacific cod ABCs for the Aleutian Islands
(AI) and the BS. To account for the State GHL fishery in 2015 and 2016,
the Council reduced the final BS subarea TAC by 3 percent of the
combined BS and AI subarea ABCs. The combined BS subarea TAC and GHL
(248,178 mt) are less than the final BS subarea ABC.
For 2015, the BOF for the State established a Pacific cod GHL in
State waters in the AI subarea. The Pacific cod GHL in this area is
equal to 3 percent of the sum of the Pacific cod ABCs for the AI and
the BS. To account for the State GHL fishery in 2015 and 2016, the
Council reduced the final AI subarea TAC by 3 percent of the combined
BS and AI subarea ABCs. The combined AI TAC and GHL (17,600 mt) equal
the final AI subarea ABC.
Changes From the Proposed 2015 and 2016 Harvest Specifications for the
BSAI
In October 2014, the Council proposed its recommendations for the
2015 and 2016 harvest specifications (which were proposed by NMFS, 79
FR 72571, December 8, 2014), based largely on information contained in
the 2013 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries. Through the
proposed harvest specifications, NMFS notified the public that these
harvest specifications could change, as the Council would consider
information contained in the final 2014 SAFE report, recommendations
from the Plan Team, SSC, and AP committees, and public testimony when
making its recommendations for final harvest specifications at the
December Council meeting. NMFS further notified the public that, as
required by the FMP and its implementing regulations, the sum of the
TACs must be within the OY range of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt.
Information contained in the 2014 SAFE reports indicates biomass
changes for several groundfish species from the 2013 SAFE reports. At
the December 2014 Council meeting, the SSC recommended the 2015 and
2016 ABCs for many species based on the best and most recent
information contained in the 2014 SAFE reports. This recommendation
resulted in an ABC sum total for all BSAI groundfish species in excess
of 2 million mt for both 2015 and 2016. Based on the SSC ABC
recommendations and the 2014 SAFE reports, the Council recommends
increasing Bering Sea pollock by 52,000 mt. In terms of percentage, the
largest increases in TACs were for Central Aleutian district (CAI) Atka
mackerel and Western Aleutian district (WAI) Atka mackerel, octopuses,
and Aleutian Island Pacific cod. The Atka mackerel fisheries are
valuable and likely to be harvested to the full TAC available. The
Council increased these TACs due to changes in Steller sea lion
conservation measures. The octopuses increase was due to anticipated
higher catches in 2015 and 2016, and the increase in Aleutian Islands
Pacific cod was due to larger biomass estimates. Conversely, the
largest decrease in TAC in terms of tonnage is 38,000 mt for yellowfin
sole and 15,750 for rock sole. In terms of percentage change from the
proposed TACs, Aleutian Island Greenland turbot and shortraker rockfish
had the largest decreases in TAC. The Council decreased TACs for these
species because they were not fully harvested in 2014. The changes to
TAC between the proposed and final harvest specifications are based on
the most recent scientific and economic information and are consistent
with the FMP, regulatory obligations, and harvest strategy as described
in the proposed harvest specifications. These changes are compared in
Table 1A. Table 1 lists the Council's recommended final 2015 OFL, ABC,
TAC, initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI
groundfish; and Table 2 lists the Council's recommended final 2016 OFL,
ABC, TAC, initial TAC, and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish.
NMFS concurs in these recommendations. The final 2015 and 2016 TAC
recommendations for the BSAI are within the OY range established for
the BSAI and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group.
The apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is
discussed below.
Table 1--Final 2015 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial Tac (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve
Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015
Species Area -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \4\............................... BS.......................... 3,330,000 1,637,000 1,310,000 1,179,000 131,000
[[Page 11921]]
AI.......................... 36,005 29,659 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof.................... 21,200 15,900 100 100 0
Pacific cod \5\........................... BS.......................... 346,000 255,000 240,000 214,320 25,680
AI.......................... 23,400 17,600 9,422 8,414 1,008
Sablefish................................. BS.......................... 1,575 1,333 1,333 567 183
AI.......................... 2,128 1,802 1,802 383 304
Yellowfin sole............................ BSAI........................ 266,400 248,800 149,000 133,057 15,943
Greenland turbot.......................... BSAI........................ 3,903 3,172 2,648 2,251 n/a
BS.......................... n/a 2,448 2,448 2,081 262
AI.......................... n/a 724 200 170 0
Arrowtooth flounder....................... BSAI........................ 93,856 80,547 22,000 18,700 2,354
Kamchatka flounder........................ BSAI........................ 10,500 9,000 6,500 5,525 0
Rock sole................................. BSAI........................ 187,600 181,700 69,250 61,840 7,410
Flathead sole \6\......................... BSAI........................ 79,419 66,130 24,250 21,655 2,595
Alaska plaice............................. BSAI........................ 54,000 44,900 18,500 15,725 0
Other flatfish \7\........................ BSAI........................ 17,700 13,250 3,620 3,077 0
Pacific ocean perch....................... BSAI........................ 42,558 34,988 32,021 28,250 n/a
BS.......................... n/a 8,771 8,021 6,818 0
EAI......................... n/a 8,312 8,000 7,144 856
CAI......................... n/a 7,723 7,000 6,251 749
WAI......................... n/a 10,182 9,000 8,037 963
Northern rockfish......................... BSAI........................ 15,337 12,488 3,250 2,763 0
Rougheye rockfish \8\..................... BSAI........................ 560 453 349 297 0
BS/EAI...................... n/a 149 149 127 0
CAI/WAI..................... n/a 304 200 170 0
Shortraker rockfish....................... BSAI........................ 690 518 250 213 0
Other rockfish \9\........................ BSAI........................ 1,667 1,250 880 748 0
BS.......................... n/a 695 325 276 0
AI.......................... n/a 555 555 472 0
Atka mackerel............................. BSAI........................ 125,297 106,000 54,500 48,669 5,832
BS/EAI...................... n/a 38,492 27,000 24,111 2,889
CAI......................... n/a 33,108 17,000 15,181 1,819
WAI......................... n/a 34,400 10,500 9,377 1,124
Skates.................................... BSAI........................ 49,575 41,658 25,700 21,845 0
Sculpins.................................. BSAI........................ 52,365 39,725 4,700 3,995 0
Sharks.................................... BSAI........................ 1,363 1,022 125 106 0
Squids.................................... BSAI........................ 2,624 1,970 400 340 0
Octopuses................................. BSAI........................ 3,452 2,589 400 340 0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................. 4,769,174................... 2,848,454 2,000,000 1,789,278 197,038
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these
harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is
put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80
species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
\3\ For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7
percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC
allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea
Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland
turbot, ``other flatfish,'' Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other
rockfish,'' skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore--50
percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands
subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
\5\ The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in
State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State guideline
harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
\6\ ``Flathead sole'' includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
\7\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin
sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
\8\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\9\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2 (BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea,
EAI=Eastern Aleutian district, CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district.)
[[Page 11922]]
Table 1A--Comparison of Final 2015 and 2016 With Proposed 2015 and 2016 Total Allowable Catch in the BSAI
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 2016
Species Area \1\ 2015 Final TAC 2015 Proposed Difference 2016 Final TAC 2016 Proposed Difference
TAC from proposed TAC from proposed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock........................... BS.................. 1,310,000 1,258,000 52,000 1,310,000 1,258,000 52,000
AI.................. 19,000 19,000 0 19,000 19,000 0
Bogoslof............ 100 75 25 100 75 25
Pacific cod....................... BS.................. 240,000 251,712 -11,712 240,000 251,712 -11,712
AI.................. 9,422 6,487 2,935 9,422 6,487 2,935
Sablefish......................... BS.................. 1,333 1,210 123 1,211 1,210 1
AI.................. 1,802 1,636 166 1,637 1,636 1
Yellowfin sole.................... BSAI................ 149,000 187,000 -38,000 149,000 187,000 -38,000
Greenland turbot.................. BS.................. 2,448 2,478 -30 2,448 2,478 -30
AI.................. 200 695 -495 200 695 -495
Arrowtooth flounder............... BSAI................ 22,000 25,000 -3,000 22,000 25,000 -3,000
Kamchatka flounder................ BSAI................ 6,500 7,300 -800 6,500 7,300 -800
Rock sole......................... BSAI................ 69,250 85,000 -15,750 69,250 85,000 -15,750
Flathead sole..................... BSAI................ 24,250 25,129 -879 24,250 25,129 -879
Alaska plaice..................... BSAI................ 18,500 25,000 -6,500 18,500 25,000 -6,500
Other flatfish.................... BSAI................ 3,620 3,000 620 3,620 3,000 620
Pacific ocean perch............... BS.................. 8,021 7,340 681 8,021 7,340 681
EAI................. 8,000 8,833 -833 7,970 8,833 -863
CAI................. 7,000 6,299 701 7,000 6,299 701
WAI................. 9,000 9,169 -169 9,000 9,169 -169
Northern rockfish................. BSAI................ 3,250 3,000 250 3,250 3,000 250
Rougheye rockfish................. BS/EAI.............. 149 201 -52 149 201 -52
CAI/WAI............. 200 277 -77 200 277 -77
Shortraker rockfish............... BSAI................ 250 370 -120 250 370 -120
Other rockfish.................... BS.................. 325 400 -75 325 400 -75
AI.................. 555 473 82 555 473 82
Atka mackerel..................... EAI/BS.............. 27,000 21,769 5,231 27,317 21,769 5,548
CAI................. 17,000 9,722 7,278 17,000 9,722 7,278
WAI................. 10,500 1,000 9,500 10,500 1,000 9,500
Skates............................ BSAI................ 25,700 26,000 -300 25,700 26,000 -300
Sculpins.......................... BSAI................ 4,700 5,750 -1,050 4,700 5,750 -1,050
Sharks............................ BSAI................ 125 125 0 125 125 0
Squid............................. BSAI................ 400 325 75 400 325 75
Octopuses......................... BSAI................ 400 225 175 400 225 175
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total......................... BSAI................ 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 2,000,000 2,000,000 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI),
Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI).
Table 2--Final 2016 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial Tac (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve
Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016
Species Area -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \4\........................ BS................... 3,490,000 1,554,000 1,310,000 1,179,000 131,000
AI................... 38,699 31,900 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof............. 21,200 15,900 100 100 0
Pacific cod \5\.................... BS................... 389,000 255,000 240,000 214,320 25,680
AI................... 23,400 17,600 9,422 8,414 1,008
Sablefish.......................... BS................... 1,431 1,211 1,211 515 45
AI................... 1,934 1,637 1,637 348 31
Yellowfin sole..................... BSAI................. 262,900 245,500 149,000 133,057 15,943
BSAI................. 6,453 5,248 2,648 2,251 n/a
Greenland turbot................... BS................... n/a 4,050 2,448 2,081 262
AI................... n/a 1,198 200 170 0
Arrowtooth flounder................ BSAI................. 91,663 78,661 22,000 18,700 2,354
Kamchatka flounder................. BSAI................. 11,000 9,500 6,500 5,525 0
Rock sole.......................... BSAI................. 170,100 164,800 69,250 61,840 7,410
Flathead sole \6\.................. BSAI................. 76,504 63,711 24,250 21,655 2,595
Alaska plaice...................... BSAI................. 51,600 42,900 18,500 15,725 0
Other flatfish \7\................. BSAI................. 17,700 13,250 3,620 3,077 0
BSAI................. 40,809 33,550 31,991 28,223 n/a
BS................... n/a 8,411 8,021 6,818 0
Pacific ocean perch................ EAI.................. n/a 7,970 7,970 7,117 853
[[Page 11923]]
CAI.................. n/a 7,406 7,000 6,251 749
WAI.................. n/a 9,763 9,000 8,037 963
Northern rockfish.................. BSAI................. 15,100 12,295 3,250 2,763 0
BSAI................. 688 555 349 297 0
Rougheye rockfish \8\.............. EBS/EAI.............. n/a 178 149 127 0
CAI/WAI.............. n/a 377 200 170 0
Shortraker rockfish................ BSAI................. 690 518 250 213 0
BSAI................. 1,667 1,250 880 748 0
Other rockfish \9\................. BS................... n/a 695 325 276 0
AI................... n/a 555 555 472 0
BSAI................. 115,908 98,137 54,817 48,952 5,865
Atka mackerel...................... EAI/BS............... n/a 35,637 27,317 24,394 2,923
CAI.................. n/a 30,652 17,000 15,181 1,819
WAI.................. n/a 31,848 10,500 9,377 1,124
Skates............................. BSAI................. 47,035 39,468 25,700 21,845 0
Sculpins........................... BSAI................. 52,365 39,725 4,700 3,995 0
Sharks............................. BSAI................. 1,363 1,022 125 106 0
Squids............................. BSAI................. 2,624 1,970 400 340 0
Octopuses.......................... BSAI................. 3,452 2,589 400 340 0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... ..................... 4,935,285 2,731,897 2,000,000 1,789,447 196,658
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these
harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is
put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80
species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
\3\ For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7
percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC
allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea
Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland
turbot, ``other flatfish,'' Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other
rockfish,'' skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: Inshore--50
percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands
subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
\5\ The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in
State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State guideline
harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
\6\ ``Flathead sole'' includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
\7\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin
sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
\8\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\9\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2 (BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI=Eastern Aleutian district,
CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district.)
Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for
Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and
Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch
Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS to reserve 15 percent of the
TAC for each target species, except for pollock, hook-and-line and pot
gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, in a non-
specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS
allocate 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of
sablefish for the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that NMFS allocate 7.5 percent of the
trawl gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7 percent of the Bering Sea
Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to the respective CDQ
reserves. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that NMFS allocate 10.7
percent of the TAC for Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the
CDQ reserves. Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also require
that 10 percent of the BSAI pollock TACs be allocated to the pollock
CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). The entire Bogoslof District
pollock TAC is allocated as an ICA (see Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With
the exception of the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve,
the regulations do not further apportion the CDQ allocations by gear.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a pollock
ICA of 4.0 percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting the
10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of
the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ
vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2000 through 2014.
During this 15-year period, the pollock incidental catch ranged from a
low of 2.4 percent in 2006 to a high of 4.8 percent in 2014, with a
[[Page 11924]]
15-year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant to Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of
2,400 mt of the AI subarea TAC after subtracting the 10-percent CDQ
DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the pollock
incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in
target fisheries other than pollock from 2003 through 2014. During this
12-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from a low of 5
percent in 2006 to a high of 17 percent in 2014, with an 11-year
average of 8 percent.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS allocates ICAs of
5,000 mt of flathead sole, 8,000 mt of rock sole, 5,000 mt of yellowfin
sole, 10 mt of WAI Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of CAI Pacific ocean
perch, 100 mt of EAI Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of WAI Atka mackerel,
75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel, and 1,000 mt of EAI and BS subarea Atka
mackerel TAC after subtracting the 10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICA
allowances are based on NMFS' examination of the incidental catch in
other target fisheries from 2003 through 2014.
The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified
reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be
apportioned to a target species category that contributed to the non-
specified reserves during the year, provided that such apportionments
do not result in overfishing (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The Regional
Administrator has determined that the ITACs specified for the species
listed in Table 1 need to be supplemented from the non-specified
reserve because U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to
catch the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(b)(3), NMFS is apportioning the amounts shown in Table 3 from
the non-specified reserve to increase the ITAC for shortraker rockfish,
rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' sharks, and octopuses by 15
percent of the TAC in 2015 and 2016.
Table 3--Final 2015 and 2016 Apportionment of Reserves to ITAC Categories
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 reserve 2015 final 2016 reserve 2016 final
Species-area or subarea 2015 ITAC amount ITAC 2016 ITAC amount ITAC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI................................ 213 37 250 213 37 250
Rougheye rockfish-BS/EAI................................ 127 22 149 127 22 149
Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI............................... 170 30 200 170 30 200
Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea....................... 276 49 325 276 49 325
Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea................. 472 83 555 472 83 555
Sharks.................................................. 106 19 125 106 19 125
Octopuses............................................... 340 60 400 340 60 400
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... 1,704 300 2,004 1,704 300 2,004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the American Fisheries Act (AFA)
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the BS subarea pollock TAC
be apportioned, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and
4.0 percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows: 50 percent to the inshore
sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor (C/P) sector, and 10
percent to the mothership sector. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the
DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10), and 60 percent
of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1) (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed pollock fishery allocation to the
Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining in the AI subarea
after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and 2,400 mt
for the ICA (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI subarea, the
total A season apportionment of the TAC is less than or equal to 40
percent of the ABC and the remainder of the TAC is allocated to the B
season. Tables 4 and 5 list these 2015 and 2016 amounts.
The Steller sea lion protection measure final rule (79 FR 70286,
November 25, 2014), sets harvest limits for pollock in the A season
(January 20 to June 10) in Areas 543, 542, and 541, see Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6). In Area 543, the A season pollock harvest
limit is no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. In
Area 542, the A season pollock harvest limit is no more than 15 percent
of the Aleutian Islands ABC. In Area 541, the A season pollock harvest
limit is no more than 30 percent of the Aleutian Islands ABC.
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific
requirements regarding BS subarea pollock allocations. First, it
requires that 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector be
available for harvest by AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P sector
endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative
contract that allows the distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps and AFA
CVs in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not listed
in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the
pollock allocated to the C/P sector. Tables 4 and 5 list the 2015 and
2016 allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 21 through 26 list the AFA C/P
and CV harvesting sideboard limits. The tables for the pollock
allocations to the BS subarea inshore pollock cooperatives and open
access sector will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
Tables 4 and 5 also list seasonal apportionments of pollock and
harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The
harvest within the SCA, as defined at Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is
limited to no more than 28 percent of the annual DFA before 12:00 noon,
April 1, as provided in Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season pollock
SCA harvest limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to
each sector's allocated percentage of the DFA. Tables 4 and 5 list
these 2015 and 2016 amounts by sector.
[[Page 11925]]
Table 4--Final 2015 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed
Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 A season \1\ 2015 B season
2015 -------------------------------- \1\
Area and sector Allocations SCA harvest ---------------
A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\...................... 1,310,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 131,000 52,400 36,680 78,600
ICA \1\......................................... 47,160 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore..................................... 565,920 226,368 158,458 339,552
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................... 452,736 181,094 126,766 271,642
Catch by C/Ps............................... 414,253 165,701 n/a 248,552
Catch by CVs \3\............................ 38,483 15,393 n/a 23,090
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\...................... 2,264 905 n/a 1,358
AFA Motherships................................. 113,184 45,274 31,692 67,910
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................. 198,072 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................. 339,552 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA............................ 1,131,840 452,736 316,915 679,104
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC.................... 29,659 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................ 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140
ICA............................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation............................... 14,700 9,904 n/a 4,796
Area harvest limit:
541......................................... 8,898 n/a n/a n/a
542......................................... 4,449 n/a n/a n/a
543......................................... 1,483 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \7\....................... 100 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent)
and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor
sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is
allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-
November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after
subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is
allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is
allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
\2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before
April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/
processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/
processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting
not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent
of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
\8\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The
amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 5--Final 2016 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed
Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 A season \1\ 2016 B season
2016 -------------------------------- \1\
Area and sector Allocations SCA harvest ---------------
A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\...................... 1,310,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 131,000 52,400 36,680 78,600
ICA \1\......................................... 47,160 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore..................................... 565,920 226,368 158,458 339,552
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................... 452,736 181,094 126,766 271,642
Catch by C/Ps............................... 414,253 165,701 n/a 248,552
Catch by CVs \3\............................ 38,483 15,393 n/a 23,090
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\...................... 2,264 905 n/a 1,358
AFA Motherships................................. 113,184 45,274 31,692 67,910
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................. 198,072 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................. 339,552 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA............................ 1,131,840 452,736 316,915 679,104
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC.................... 31,900 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................ 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
[[Page 11926]]
CDQ DFA......................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140
ICA............................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation............................... 14,700 10,800 n/a 3,900
Area harvest limit: \7\
541......................................... 9,570 n/a n/a n/a
542......................................... 4,785 n/a n/a n/a
543......................................... 1,595 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \8\....................... 100 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent)
and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor
sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is
allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-
November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after
subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is
allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is
allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
\2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before
April 1.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting
not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent
of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
\8\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The
amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs
Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the
Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting
the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI trawl
limited access sector and non-trawl gear sector (Tables 6 and 7). The
percentage of the ITAC for Atka mackerel allocated to the Amendment 80
and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is listed in Table 33 to part 679
and in Sec. 679.91. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent
of the EAI and the BS subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be allocated to
vessels using jig gear. The percent of this allocation is recommended
annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council
recommended, and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent allocation of the Atka
mackerel ITAC in the EAI and BS subarea to the jig gear sector in 2015
and 2016. This percentage is applied to the Atka mackerel TAC after
subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA.
Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC into
two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first
seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20
through June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June
10 through December 31 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies
Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. The ICA and jig
gear allocations are not apportioned by season.
Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and (ii) limits Atka mackerel
catch within waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller sea lion sites listed in
Table 6 to this part and located west of 178[deg] W longitude to no
more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543; and
equally divides the annual TAC between the A and B seasons as defined
at Sec. 679.23(e)(3). Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the
annual TAC in Area 543 will be no more than 65 percent of the ABC in
Area 543. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(D) requires that any unharvested
Atka mackerel A season allowance that is added to the B season be
prohibited from being harvested within waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller
sea lion sites listed in Table 6 to this part and located in Areas 541,
542, and 543.
Tables 6 and 7 list these 2015 and 2016 Atka mackerel seasons, area
allowances, and the sector allocations. The 2016 allocations for Atka
mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited
access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for
participation in the program by November 1, 2015.
[[Page 11927]]
Table 6--Final 2015 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and
Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 allocation by area
-----------------------------------------------
Eastern
Sector \1\ Season 2 3 4 Aleutian Central Western
District/ Aleutian Aleutian
Bering Sea District \5\ District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC................................... n/a..................... 27,000 17,000 10,500
CDQ reserve........................... Total................... 2,889 1,819 1,124
A....................... 1,445 910 562
Critical Habitat........ n/a 546 337
B....................... 1,445 910 562
Critical Habitat........ n/a 546 337
ICA................................... Total................... 1,000 75 40
Jig \6\............................... Total................... 116 0 0
BSAI trawl limited access............. Total................... 2,300 1,511 0
A....................... 1,150 755 0
Critical Habitat........ n/a 453 0
B....................... 1,150 755 0
Critical Habitat........ n/a 453 0
Amendment 80 sectors.................. Total................... 20,696 13,595 9,337
A....................... 10,348 6,798 4,668
B....................... 10,348 6,798 4,668
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative......... Total \6\............... 11,616 8,116 5,742
A....................... 5,808 4,058 2,871
Critical Habitat........ n/a 2,435 1,723
B....................... 5,808 4,058 2,871
Critical Habitat........ n/a 2,435 1,723
Alaska Seafood Cooperative............ Total \6\............... 9,080 5,479 3,594
A....................... 4,540 2,740 1,797
Critical Habitat........ n/a 1,644 1,078
B....................... 4,540 2,740 1,797
Critical Habitat........ n/a 1,644 1,078
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear
allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for
Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679
and Sec. 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
\2\ Regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for
the Atka mackerel fishery.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from
January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31.
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to
be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B
seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more
than 65 percent of ABC.
\6\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea
subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation
is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 7--Final 2016 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and
Amendment 80 Allocation of the BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 allocation by area
-----------------------------------------------
Eastern
Sector \1\ Season 2 3 4 Aleutian Central Western
District/ Aleutian Aleutian
Bering Sea \5\ District \5\ District \5\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC................................... n/a..................... 27,317 17,000 10,500
CDQ reserve........................... Total................... 2,923 1,819 1,124
A....................... 1,461 910 562
Critical Habitat........ n/a 546 337
B....................... 1,461 910 562
Critical Habitat........ n/a 546 337
ICA................................... Total................... 1,000 75 40
Jig \6\............................... Total................... 117 0 0
BSAI trawl limited access............. Total................... 2,328 1,511 0
A....................... 1,164 755 0
Critical Habitat........ n/a 453 0
B....................... 1,164 755 0
Critical Habitat........ n/a 453 0
[[Page 11928]]
Amendment 80 sectors.................. Total................... 20,949 13,595 9,337
A....................... 10,475 6,798 4,668
B....................... 10,475 6,798 4,668
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear
allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for
Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679
and Sec. 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
\2\ Regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for
the Atka mackerel fishery.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from
January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31.
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to
be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B
seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more
than 65 percent of ABC.
\6\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea
subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation
is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
\7\ The 2016 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access
sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1,
2015. NMFS will post 2016 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2015.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC
The Council separated BS and AI subarea OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for
Pacific cod. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) allocates 10.7 percent of the
BS TAC and AI TAC to the CDQ program. After CDQ allocations have been
deducted from the respective BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, the remaining
BS and AI Pacific cod TACs are combined for calculating further BSAI
Pacific cod sector allocations. However, if the non-CDQ Pacific cod TAC
is or will be reached in either the BS or AI subareas, NMFS will
prohibit non-CDQ directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea as
provided in Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii).
Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) allocate the Pacific cod TAC in
the combined BSAI TAC, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ
program, as follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear; 2.0 percent
to hook-and-line and pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall
(LOA); 0.2 percent to hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft
(18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and-line C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs
greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 percent to pot C/Ps;
2.3 percent to AFA trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA trawl C/Ps; and
22.1 percent to trawl CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot
sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2015 and 2016, the
Regional Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 mt based on
anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in other fisheries.
The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is
established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The 2016
allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives
and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
eligible participants apply for participation in the program by
November 1, 2015.
The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to
disperse the Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see
Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7) and 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific
cod allowance will become available at the beginning of the next
seasonal allowance.
Section 679.20(a)(7)(vii) requires the Regional Administrator to
establish an Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit based on Pacific cod
abundance in Area 543. Based on the 2014 stock assessment, the Regional
Administrator determined the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit to be
26.3 percent of the AI Pacific cod TAC for 2015 and 2016. NMFS will
first subtract the State GHL Pacific cod amount from the AI Pacific cod
ABC. Then NMFS will determine the harvest limit in Area 543 by
multiplying the percentage of Pacific cod estimated in Area 543 by the
remaining ABC for AI Pacific cod. Based on these calculations, the Area
543 harvest limit is 2,478 mt.
The CDQ and non-CDQ season allowances by gear based on the 2015 and
2016 Pacific cod TACs are listed in Tables 8 and 9, and are based on
the sector allocation percentages of Pacific cod set forth at
Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A) and the seasonal
allowances of Pacific cod set forth at Sec. 679.23(e)(5).
Table 8--Final 2015 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 Share of 2015 Seasonal apportionment
Gear sector Percent gear sector 2015 Share of ---------------------------------
total sector total Seasons Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BS TAC........................ n/a 240,000 n/a n/a............. n/a
BS CDQ........................ n/a 25,680 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)
(B).
BS non-CDQ TAC................ n/a 214,320 n/a n/a............. n/a
[[Page 11929]]
AI TAC........................ n/a 9,422 n/a n/a............. n/a
AI CDQ........................ n/a 1,008 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)
(B).
AI non-CDQ TAC................ n/a 8,414 n/a n/a............. n/a
Western Aleutian Island Limit. n/a 2,478 n/a n/a............. n/a
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC \1\.... 100 222,734 n/a n/a............. n/a
Total hook-and-line/pot gear.. 60.8 135,422 n/a n/a............. n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA \2\..... n/a 500 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(ii
)(B).
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total... n/a 134,922 n/a n/a............. n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/ 48.7 n/a 108,071 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 55,116
processor.
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 52,955
Hook-and-line catcher vessel 0.2 n/a 444 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 226
>= 60 ft LOA.
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 217
Pot catcher/processor......... 1.5 n/a 3,329 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 1,698
.............. .............. .............. Sept 1-Dec 31... 1,631
Pot catcher vessel >= 60 ft 8.4 n/a 18,641 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 9,507
LOA.
.............. .............. .............. Sept 1-Dec 31... 9,134
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA 2 n/a 4,438 n/a............. n/a
using hook-and-line or pot
gear.
Trawl catcher vessel.......... 22.1 49,224 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 36,426
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 5,415
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Nov 1.... 7,384
AFA trawl catcher/processor... 2.3 5,123 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 3,842
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 1,281
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Nov 1.... 0
Amendment 80.................. 13.4 29,846 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 22,385
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 7,462
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Nov 1.... 0
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative. n/a n/a 4,711 Jan 20-Apr 1.... 3,533
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 1,178
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 0
Alaska Seafood Cooperative.... n/a n/a 25,135 Jan 20-Apr 1.... 18,851
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 6,284
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 0
Jig........................... 1.4 3,118 n/a Jan 1-Apr 30.... 1,871
.............. .............. .............. Apr 30-Aug 31... 624
.............. .............. .............. Aug 31-Dec 31... 624
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI
Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached,
then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
\2\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2015
based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 9--Final 2016 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 Share of 2016 Seasonal apportionment
Gear sector Percent gear sector 2016 Share of ---------------------------------
total sector total Seasons Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BS TAC........................ n/a 240,000 n/a n/a............. n/a
BS CDQ........................ n/a 25,680 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)
(B).
BS non-CDQ TAC................ n/a 214,320 n/a n/a............. n/a
AI TAC........................ n/a 9,422 n/a n/a............. n/a
AI CDQ........................ n/a 1,008 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)
(B).
AI non-CDQ TAC................ n/a 8,414 n/a n/a............. n/a
Western Aleutian Island Limit. n/a 2,478 n/a n/a............. n/a
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC \1\.... n/a 222,734 n/a n/a............. n/a
Total hook-and-line/pot gear.. 60.8 135,422 n/a n/a............. n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA \2\..... n/a 500 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(ii
)(B).
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total... n/a 134,922 n/a n/a............. n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/ 48.7 n/a 108,071 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 55,116
processor.
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 52,955
Hook-and-line catcher vessel 0.2 n/a 444 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 226
>= 60 ft LOA.
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 217
Pot catcher/processor......... 1.5 n/a 3,329 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 1,698
.............. .............. .............. Sept 1-Dec 31... 1,631
Pot catcher vessel >= 60 ft 8.4 n/a 18,641 Jan 1-Jun 10.... 9,507
LOA.
[[Page 11930]]
.............. .............. .............. Sept 1-Dec 31... 9,134
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA 2 n/a 4,438 n/a............. n/a
using hook-and-line or pot
gear.
Trawl catcher vessel.......... 22.1 49,224 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 36,426
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 5,415
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Nov 1.... 7,384
AFA trawl catcher/processor... 2.3 5,123 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 3,842
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 1,281
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Nov 1.... 0
Amendment 80.................. 13.4 29,846 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.... 22,385
.............. .............. .............. Apr 1-Jun 10.... 7,462
.............. .............. .............. Jun 10-Dec 31... 0
Jig........................... 1.4 3,118 n/a Jan 1-Apr 30.... 1,871
.............. .............. .............. Apr 30-Aug 31... 624
.............. .............. .............. Aug 31-Dec 31... 624
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI
Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached,
then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
\2\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2016
based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Sablefish Gear Allocation
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require allocation of the
sablefish TAC for the BS and AI subareas between trawl and hook-and-
line or pot gear sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for the BS
subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line
or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for the AI subarea are 25
percent for trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear.
Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to apportion 20 percent of
the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish to the CDQ
reserve. Additionally, Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) requires that 7.5
percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish from the non-
specified reserves, established under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i), be
assigned to the CDQ reserve. The Council recommended that only trawl
sablefish TAC be established biennially. The harvest specifications for
the hook-and-line gear and pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota
(IFQ) fisheries will be limited to the 2015 fishing year to ensure
those fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ
fishery. Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the
potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The
sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain closed at the beginning of each
fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish
IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 10 lists the 2015 and 2016 gear
allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts.
Table 10--Final 2015 and 2016 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 2016
Subarea and gear Percent Share of 2015 ITAC 2015 CDQ Share of 2016 ITAC 2016 CDQ
of TAC TAC Reserve TAC Reserve
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea:
Trawl \1\...................... 50 667 567 50 606 515 45
Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\..... 50 667 533 133 n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... 100 1,333 1,100 183 606 515 45
Aleutian Islands:
Trawl \1\...................... 25 451 383 34 410 349 31
Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\..... 75 1,351 1,081 270 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... 100 1,802 1,464 304 410 349 31
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the
reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC after the subtracting these reserves.
\2\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the
allocated TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the
hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
[[Page 11931]]
Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock
Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI
Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin
sole TAC between the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access
sector, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve and an ICA
for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl
gear. The allocation of the ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI
flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector
is established in accordance with Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and
Sec. 679.91.
The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80
cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be
known until eligible participants apply for participation in the
program by November 1, 2015. Tables 11 and 12 list the 2015 and 2016
allocations of the AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock
sole, and yellowfin sole TACs.
Table 11--Final 2015 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment
80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin
Sole TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock sole Yellowfin
--------------------------------------- sole ------------- sole
Sector Eastern Central Western ------------- ------------
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI
District District District BSAI BSAI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC............................... 8,000 7,000 9,000 24,250 69,250 149,000
CDQ............................... 856 749 963 2,595 7,410 15,943
ICA............................... 100 75 10 5,000 8,000 5,000
BSAI trawl limited access......... 704 618 161 0 0 16,165
Amendment 80...................... 6,340 5,558 7,866 16,655 53,840 111,892
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative..... 3,362 2,947 4,171 1,708 13,318 44,455
Alaska Seafood Cooperative........ 2,978 2,611 3,695 14,947 40,522 67,437
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 12--Final 2016 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment
80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin
Sole TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock sole Yellowfin
--------------------------------------- sole ------------- sole
Sector Eastern Central Western ------------- ------------
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI
District District District BSAI BSAI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC............................... 7,970 7,000 9,000 24,250 69,250 149,000
CDQ............................... 853 749 963 2,595 7,410 15,943
ICA............................... 100 75 10 5,000 8,000 5,000
BSAI trawl limited access......... 702 618 161 0 0 16,165
Amendment 80 \1\.................. 6,315 5,558 7,866 16,655 53,840 111,892
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited
access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November
1, 2015. NMFS will publish 2016 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2015.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Section 679.2 defines the ABC surplus for flathead sole, rock sole,
and yellowfin sole as the difference between the annual ABC and TAC for
each species. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii) establishes ABC reserves for
flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The ABC surpluses and the
ABC reserves are necessary to mitigate the operational variability,
environmental conditions, and economic factors that may constrain the
CDQ groups and the Amendment 80 cooperatives from achieving, on a
continuing basis, the optimum yield in the BSAI groundfish fisheries.
NMFS, after consultation with the Council, may set the ABC reserve at
or below the ABC surplus for each species thus maintaining the TAC
below ABC limits. An amount equal to 10.7 percent of the ABC reserves
will be allocated as CDQ reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and
yellowfin sole. The Amendment 80 ABC reserves shall be the ABC reserves
minus the CDQ ABC reserves. Section 679.91(i)(2) establishes each
Amendment 80 cooperative ABC reserve to be the ratio of each
cooperatives' quota share (QS) units and the total Amendment 80 QS
units, multiplied by the Amendment 80 ABC reserve for each respective
species. Table 13 lists the 2015 and 2016 ABC surplus and ABC reserves
for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole.
[[Page 11932]]
Table 13--Final 2015 and 2016 ABC Surplus, Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC
Reserves in the BSAI for Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 2015 2016 2016
Sector Flathead 2015 Rock Yellowfin Flathead 2016 Rock Yellowfin
sole sole sole sole sole sole
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC............................... 66,130 181,700 248,800 63,711 164,800 245,500
TAC............................... 24,250 69,250 149,000 24,250 69,250 149,000
ABC surplus....................... 41,880 112,450 99,800 39,461 95,550 96,500
ABC reserve....................... 41,880 112,450 99,800 39,461 95,550 96,500
CDQ ABC reserve................... 4,481 12,032 10,679 4,222 10,224 10,326
Amendment 80 ABC reserve.......... 37,399 100,418 89,121 35,239 85,326 86,175
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 3,836 24,840 35,408 n/a n/a n/a
2015 \1\.........................
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 33,563 75,578 53,713 n/a n/a n/a
2015 \1\.........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited
access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November
1, 2015.
PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring
Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Pursuant to Sec.
679.21(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(2), the 2015 and 2016 BSAI halibut mortality
limits are 3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl
fisheries. Sections 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A)
allocate 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5 percent,
or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve
for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes apportioning the non-trawl
halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances among six fishery
categories. Tables 15 and 16 list the fishery bycatch allowances for
the trawl fisheries, and Table 17 lists the fishery bycatch allowances
for the non-trawl fisheries.
Pursuant to Section 3.6 of the FMP, the Council recommends, and
NMFS agrees, that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from
the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, after consulting with the
Council, NMFS exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-
and-line gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for
the following reasons: (1) The pot gear fisheries have low halibut
bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig
gear fleet to be negligible because of the small size of the fishery
and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the IFQ program requires
legal-size halibut to be retained by vessels using hook-and-line gear
if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is
holding unused halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). In 2014,
total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was
approximately 43,225 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality
of about 4 mt.
The 2014 jig gear fishery harvested about 3 mt of groundfish. Most
vessels in the jig gear fleet are exempt from observer coverage
requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut
bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, as mentioned above, NMFS
estimates the jig gear sector will have a negligible amount of halibut
bycatch mortality because of the selective nature of jig gear and the
low mortality rate of halibut caught with jig gear and released.
Section 679.21(f)(2) annually allocates portions of either 47,591
or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limits among the AFA sectors, depending on
past catch performance and on whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive
plan agreements are formed. If an AFA sector participates in an
approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement, then NMFS
will allocate a portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that sector as
specified in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook salmon bycatch
incentive plan agreement is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its
performance standard under Sec. 679.21(f)(6), then NMFS will allocate
a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector, as
specified in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2015, the Chinook salmon
PSC limit is 60,000 and the AFA sector Chinook salmon allocations are
seasonally allocated with 70 percent of the allocation for the A season
pollock fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation for the B season
pollock fishery as stated in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for
these PSC limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing
management measures for Amendment 91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010).
NMFS publishes the approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreements, 2014 allocations, and reports at: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700 fish as the 2015 and 2016
Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i) allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon,
to the AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining
647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2015 and
2016 non-Chinook salmon PSC limit in the Catcher Vessel Operational
Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent,
or 4,494 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSQ for the CDQ program,
and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as
the PSC limit for the non-CDQ fisheries.
PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on
abundance and spawning biomass. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1) allocates
10.7 percent from each trawl gear PSC limit specified for crab as a PSQ
reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
Based on the 2014 survey data, the red king crab mature female
abundance is estimated to be at 38.6 million red king crabs, which is
above the threshold of 8.4 million red king crabs, and the effective
spawning biomass is estimated at 51.3 million lb (23,362 mt). Based on
the criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i), the 2015 and 2016 PSC
limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals. This
limit derives from the mature female abundance of more than 8.4 million
king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate of less than 55
million lb (24,948 mt).
Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2) establishes criteria under which
NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red
King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS red
king
[[Page 11933]]
crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit, based
on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red king
crab bycatch. In December 2014, the Council recommended and NMFS
concurs that the red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of
the red king crab PSC limit within the RKCSS (Table 15).
Based on 2014 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi)
abundance is estimated at 758 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set
out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2015 and 2016 C. bairdi
crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and
2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These limits derive from the C. bairdi
crab abundance estimate being in excess of the 400 million animals for
both the Zone 1 and Zone 2 allocations.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for snow crab
(C. opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual
bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133
percent of the BS abundance index minus 150,000 crab. Based on the 2014
survey estimate of 9.852 billion animals, the calculated C. opilio crab
PSC limit is 11,011,976 animals.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring
caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1
percent of the annual eastern BS herring biomass. The best estimate of
2015 and 2016 herring biomass is 274,236 mt. This amount was developed
by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game based on spawning location
estimates. Therefore, the herring PSC limit for 2015 and 2016 is 2,742
mt for all trawl gear as listed in Tables 14 and 15.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A) requires PSQ reserves to be subtracted
from the total trawl PSC limits. The 2014 PSC limits assigned to the
Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are specified in
Table 35 to part 679. The resulting allocations of PSC limit to CDQ
PSQ, the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access
fisheries are listed in Table 10. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv)
and Sec. 679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC limits
assigned to the Amendment 80 sector are then further allocated to
Amendment 80 cooperatives as PSC cooperative quota as listed in Table
18. PSC cooperative quota assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives is not
allocated to specific fishery categories. In 2015, there are no vessels
in the Amendment 80 limited access sector. The 2016 PSC allocations
between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access
sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for
participation in the program by November 1, 2015. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(B) requires NMFS to apportion each trawl PSC limit not
assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives into PSC bycatch allowances for
seven specified fishery categories.
Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consulting with the
Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts for the
BSAI trawl limited access and Amendment 80 limited access sectors in
order to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available
groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered
are (1) seasonal distribution of prohibited species; (2) seasonal
distribution of target groundfish species; (3) PSC bycatch needs on a
seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass; (4) expected
variations in bycatch rates throughout the year; (5) expected start of
fishing effort; and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments
on industry sectors. The Council recommended and NMFS approves the
seasonal PSC apportionments in Tables 15 and 16 to maximize harvest
among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of
PSC based on the above criteria.
Table 14--Final 2015 and 2016 apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl
Limited Access Sectors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl
PSC Trawl PSC Amendment BSAI Trawl
PSC Species and area \1\ Total non- remaining Total trawl remaining CDQ PSQ 80 sector limited
trawl PSC after CDQ PSC after CDQ Reserve \2\ \3\ access
PSQ \2\ PSQ \2\ fishery
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI.................................. 900 832 3,675 3,349 393 2,325 875
Herring (mt) BSAI............................................ n/a n/a 2,742 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1............................... n/a n/a 97,000 86,621 10,379 43,293 26,489
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ.................................... n/a n/a 11,011,976 9,833,695 1,178,281 4,833,261 3,160,549
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1.............................. n/a n/a 980,000 875,140 104,860 368,521 411,228
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2.............................. n/a n/a 2,970,000 2,652,210 317,790 627,778 1,241,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
\2\ Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and Sec. 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt,
of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of
each crab PSC limit.
\3\ The Amendment 80 program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits by 150 mt for halibut mortality and 20 percent for crab. These reductions are
not apportioned to other gear types or sectors.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 15--Final 2015 and 2016 Herring and Red King Crab Savings Subarea
Prohibited Species Catch Allowances for all Trawl Sectors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red king crab
Fishery categories Herring (mt) (animals)
BSAI Zone 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole.......................... 187 n/a
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 30 n/a
\1\....................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \2\......... 20 n/a
Rockfish................................ 14 n/a
Pacific cod............................. 42 n/a
Midwater trawl pollock.................. 2,242 n/a
[[Page 11934]]
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species \3\ 207 n/a
\4\....................................
Red king crab savings subarea non- n/a 24,250
pelagic trawl gear \5\.................
-------------------------------
Total trawl PSC..................... 2,742 97,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species,
except for halibut (a prohibited species), arrowtooth flounder,
flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and
yellowfin sole.
\2\ ``Arrowtooth flounder'' for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka
flounder.
\3\ Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ``other
species'' fishery category.
\4\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins,
sharks, squids, and octopuses.
\5\ In December 2014 the Council recommended that the red king crab
bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be
limited to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance (see Sec.
679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)).
Note: Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 16--Final 2015 And 2016 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sector
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and area \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BSAI Trawl limited access Halibut Red king crab C. opilio C. bairdi (animals)
fisheries mortality (mt) (animals) Zone (animals) -------------------------------
BSAI 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole.................. 167 23,338 2,979,410 346,228 1,185,500
Rock sole/flathead sole/other 0 0 0 0 0
flatfish \2\...................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \3\. 0 0 0 0 0
Rockfish April 15-December 31... 5 0 4,922 0 1,000
Pacific cod..................... 453 2,954 126,994 60,000 50,000
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other 250 197 49,223 5,000 5,000
species \4\....................
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total BSAI trawl limited 875 26,489 3,160,549 411,228 1,241,500
access PSC.................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited
species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth
flounder.
\3\ Arrowtooth flounder for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
\4\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 17--Final 2015 and 2016 Halibut Prohibited Species Bycatch
Allowances for Non-Trawl Fisheries
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catcher/
Non-trawl fisheries Processor Catcher vessel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod--Total:.............. 760 15.
January 1-June 10............ 455 10.
June 10-August 15............ 190 3.
August 15-December 31........ 115 2.
Other non-trawl--Total:.......... .............. 58.
May 1-December 31............ .............. 58.
Groundfish pot and jig........... .............. Exempt.
Sablefish hook-and-line.......... .............. Exempt.
Total non-trawl PSC...... .............. 833.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to
rounding.
Table 18--Final 2015 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowance for the BSAI Amendment 80 Cooperatives
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and zones \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooperative Halibut Red king crab C. opilio C. bairdi (animals)
mortality (mt) (animals) Zone (animals) -------------------------------
BSAI 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Seafood Cooperative...... 1,693 30,834 3,311,730 271,542 465,879
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative... 632 12,459 1,521,531 96,980 161,899
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
[[Page 11935]]
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR)
To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments,
the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, DMRs,
and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut
bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. The
DMRs are based on the best information available, including information
contained in the annual SAFE report.
NMFS approves the halibut DMRs developed and recommended by the
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the Council for the
2015 and 2016 BSAI groundfish fisheries for use in monitoring the 2015
and 2016 halibut bycatch allowances (see Tables 14, 15, 16, 17, and
18). The IPHC developed these DMRs for the 2015 and 2016 BSAI fisheries
using the 10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries. The IPHC will analyze
observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a fishery
DMR shows large variation from the mean. A discussion of the DMRs is
available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 19 lists the 2015 and
2016 DMRs.
Table 19--Final 2015 And 2016 Pacific Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
for the BSAI
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut
discard
Gear Fishery mortality rate
(percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-CDQ hook-and-line............. Greenland turbot.... 13
Other species \1\... 9
Pacific cod......... 9
Rockfish............ 4
Non-CDQ trawl..................... Alaska plaice....... 71
Arrowtooth flounder 76
\2\.
Atka mackerel....... 77
Flathead sole....... 73
Greenland turbot.... 64
Non-pelagic pollock. 77
Pelagic pollock..... 88
Other flatfish \3\.. 71
Other species \1\... 71
Pacific cod......... 71
Rockfish............ 79
Rock sole........... 85
Sablefish........... 75
Yellowfin sole...... 83
Non-CDQ Pot....................... Other species \1\... 8
Pacific cod......... 8
CDQ trawl......................... Atka mackerel....... 86
Greenland turbot.... 89
Flathead sole....... 79
Non-pelagic pollock. 83
Pacific cod......... 90
Pelagic pollock..... 90
Rockfish............ 80
Rock sole........... 88
Yellowfin sole...... 86
CDQ hook-and-line................. Greenland turbot.... 4
Pacific cod......... 10
CDQ pot........................... Pacific cod......... 8
Sablefish........... 34
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Other species'' includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and
octopuses.
\2\ Arrowtooth flounder includes Kamchatka flounder.
\3\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut
(a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland
turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth
flounder.
Directed Fishing Closures
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator may establish a DFA for a species or species group if the
Regional Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment
of a target species has been or will be reached. 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 subarea or
district (see Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant to Sec.
679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator determines that a fishery
category's bycatch allowance of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab,
or C. opilio crab for a specified area has been reached, the Regional
Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for each species in that
category in the specified area.
Based on historic catch patterns and anticipated fishing activity,
the Regional Administrator has determined that the groundfish
allocation amounts in Table 20 will be necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2015 and 2016
fishing years. Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species and
species groups in Table 20 as zero. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these
sectors and species in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., March
[[Page 11936]]
5, 2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016. Also, for the
BSAI trawl limited access sector, bycatch allowances of halibut, red
king crab, C. bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in Table 20 are
insufficient to support directed fisheries. Therefore, in accordance
with Sec. 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these
sectors and fishery categories in the specified areas effective at 1200
hrs, A.l.t., March 5, 2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2016.
Table 20--2015 and 2016 Directed Fishing Closures \1\
[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 2016
Incidental Incidental
Area Sector Species catch catch
allowance allowance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District.............. All.................... Pollock............... 100 100
Aleutian Islands subarea....... All.................... ICA pollock........... 2,400 2,400
``Other rockfish'' \2\ 555 555
Eastern Aleutian District/ Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel..... 1,000 1,000
Bering Sea. BSAI trawl limited
access.
Eastern Aleutian District/ All.................... Rougheye rockfish..... 177 201
Bering Sea.
Eastern Aleutian District...... Non-amendment 80 and ICA Pacific ocean 100 100
BSAI trawl limited perch.
access.
Central Aleutian District...... Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel..... 75 75
BSAI trawl limited
access.
ICA Pacific ocean 75 75
perch.
Western Aleutian District...... Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel..... 40 40
BSAI trawl limited ICA Pacific ocean 10 10
access. perch.
Central and Western Aleutian All.................... Rougheye rockfish..... 239 277
Districts.
Bering Sea subarea............. All.................... Pacific ocean perch... 6,818 6,818
``Other rockfish'' \2\ 325 325
ICA pollock........... 47,160 47,160
Northern rockfish..... 2,763 2,763
Shortraker rockfish... 250 250
Skates................ 21,845 21,845
All.................... Sculpins.............. 3,995 3,995
Sharks................ 125 125
Squids................ 340 340
Octopuses............. 400 400
Hook-and-line and pot ICA Pacific cod....... 500 500
gear.
Non-amendment 80....... ICA flathead sole..... 5,000 5,000
ICA rock sole......... 8,000 8,000
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non-amendment 80 and ICA yellowfin sole.... 5,000 5,000
BSAI trawl limited
access.
BSAI trawl limited Rock sole/flathead 0 0
access. sole/other flatfish--
halibut mortality,
red king crab Zone 1,
C. opilio COBLZ, C.
bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Turbot/arrowtooth/ 0 0
sablefish--halibut
mortality, red king
crab Zone 1, C.
opilio COBLZ, C.
bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Rockfish--red king 0 0
crab Zone 1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Closures implemented under the final 2014 and 2015 BSAI harvest
specifications for groundfish (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) remain
effective under authority of these final 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications, and are posted at the following Web sites: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/cm/info_bulletins/ and https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries_reports/reports/. While these
closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at Sec.
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.
Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits
Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is
responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA C/Ps to engage in
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the pollock
directed fishery. These restrictions are set out as ``sideboard''
limits on catch. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in
detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA
(67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668,
September 14, 2007). Table 21 lists the 2015 and 2016 C/P sideboard
limits.
All harvest of groundfish sideboard species by listed AFA C/Ps,
whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from
the sideboard limits in Table 21. However, groundfish sideboard species
that are delivered to listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be
[[Page 11937]]
deducted from the 2015 and 2016 sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/
Ps.
Table 21--Final 2015 and 2016 Listed BSAI American Fisheries Act Catcher/Processor Groundfish Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995-1997
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 2015 ITAC 2016 ITAC
Retained retained Available 2015 AFA C/ Available 2016 AFA C/
Target species Area/Season catch Total catch catch to to trawl C/ P Side- to trawl C/ P Side-
total catch Ps\1\ board limit Ps\1\ board limit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish trawl..................... BS..................... 8 497 0.016 567 9 515 8
AI..................... 0 145 0 383 0 348 0
Atka mackerel....................... Central AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 7,591 873 7,591 873
Central AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 7,591 873 7,591 873
Western AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 4,689 938 4,689 938
Western AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 4,689 938 4,689 938
Rock sole........................... BSAI................... 6,317 169,362 0.037 61,840 2,288 61,840 2,288
Greenland turbot.................... BS..................... 121 17,305 0.007 2,081 15 2,081 15
AI..................... 23 4,987 0.005 170 1 170 1
Arrowtooth flounder................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 18,700 37 18,700 37
Kamchatka flounder.................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 5,525 11 5,525 11
Flathead sole....................... BSAI................... 1,925 52,755 0.036 21,655 780 21,655 780
Alaska plaice....................... BSAI................... 14 9,438 0.001 15,725 16 15,725 16
Other flatfish...................... BSAI................... 3,058 52,298 0.058 3,077 178 3,077 178
Pacific ocean perch................. BS..................... 12 4,879 0.002 6,818 14 6,818 14
Eastern AI............. 125 6,179 0.02 7,144 143 7,117 142
Central AI............. 3 5,698 0.001 6,251 6 6,251 6
Western AI............. 54 13,598 0.004 8,037 32 8,037 32
Northern rockfish................... BSAI................... 91 13,040 0.007 2,763 19 2,763 19
Shortraker rockfish................. BSAI................... 50 2,811 0.018 250 5 250 5
Rougheye rockfish................... EBS/EAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 149 3 149 3
CAI/WAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 200 4 200 4
Other rockfish...................... BS..................... 18 621 0.029 325 9 325 9
AI..................... 22 806 0.027 555 15 555 15
Skates.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 21,845 175 21,845 175
Sculpins............................ BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 3,995 32 3,995 32
Sharks.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 125 1 125 1
Squids.............................. BSAI................... 73 3,328 0.022 340 7 340 7
Octopuses........................... BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 400 3 400 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of the
TAC after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
\2\ The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA
catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC
specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.
Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 and 41 of part 679 establish a
formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for listed AFA C/Ps. The
basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final
rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692,
December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007).
PSC species listed in Table 22 that are caught by listed AFA C/Ps
participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue
against the 2015 and 2016 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for
groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2015 or 2016
PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 22 is reached.
Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA C/Ps while fishing for
pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified
for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other
species'' fishery categories under regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(3)(iv).
Table 22--Final 2015 and 2016 BSAI AFA Listed Catcher/Processor Prohibited Species Sideboard Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 and 2016
PSC available 2015 and 2016
Ratio of PSC to trawl catcher/
PSC Species and area \1\ catch to total vessels after processor
PSC subtraction of sideboard
PSQ \2\ limit \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality BSAI.......................................... n/a n/a 286
Red king crab zone 1............................................ 0.007 86,621 606
C. opilio (COBLZ)............................................... 0.153 9,833,695 1,504,555
C. bairdi Zone 1................................................ 0.14 875,140 122,520
C. bairdi Zone 2................................................ 0.05 2,652,210 132,611
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
[[Page 11938]]
AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits
Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is
responsible for restricting the ability of AFA CVs to engage in
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the pollock
directed fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a formula for setting
AFA CV groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for
these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules
implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30,
2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Tables 23 and
24 list the 2015 and 2016 AFA CV sideboard limits.
All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA
CVs, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted
from the 2015 and 2016 sideboard limits listed in Table 23.
Table 23--Final 2015 and 2016 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel BSAI Groundfish Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995- 2015 AFA 2016 AFA
1997 AFA CV 2015 Initial Catcher vessel 2016 Initial catcher vessel
Species/Gear Fishery by area/season catch to 1995- TAC \1\ sideboard TAC \1\ sideboard
1997 TAC limits limits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod/Jig gear................... BSAI........................... 0 n/a 0 n/a 0
Pacific cod/Hook-and-line CV >=60 feet BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10.............. 0.0006 226 0 226 0
LOA.
BSAI Jun 10-Dec 31............. 0.0006 217 0 217 0
Pacific cod pot gear CV................ BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10.............. 0.0006 9,507 6 9,507 6
BSAI Sept 1-Dec 31............. 0.0006 9,134 5 9,134 5
Pacific cod CV <=60 feet LOA using hook- BSAI........................... 0.0006 4,438 3 4,438 3
and-line or pot gear.
Pacific cod trawl gear CV.............. BSAI Jan 20-Apr 1.............. 0.8609 36,426 31,359 36,426 31,359
BSAI Apr 1-Jun 10.............. 0.8609 5,415 4,662 5,415 4,662
BSAI Jun 10-Nov 1.............. 0.8609 7,384 6,357 7,384 6,357
Sablefish trawl gear................... BS............................. 0.0906 567 51 515 47
AI............................. 0.0645 383 25 348 22
Atka mackerel.......................... Eastern AI/BS Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0.0032 12,056 39 12,197 39
Eastern AI/BS Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0.0032 12,056 39 12,197 39
Central AI Jan 1-Jun 10........ 0.0001 7,590 1 7,591 1
Central AI Jun 10-Nov 1........ 0.0001 7,590 1 7,591 1
Western AI Jan 1-Jun 10........ 0 4689 0 4689 0
Western AI Jun 10-Nov 1........ 0 4689 0 4689 0
Rock sole.............................. BSAI........................... 0.0341 61,840 2,109 61,840 2,109
Greenland turbot....................... BS............................. 0.0645 2,081 134 2,081 134
AI............................. 0.0205 170 3 170 3
Arrowtooth flounder.................... BSAI........................... 0.069 18,700 1,290 18,700 1,290
Kamchatka flounder..................... BSAI........................... 0.069 5,525 381 5,525 381
Alaska plaice.......................... BSAI........................... 0.0441 15,725 693 15,725 693
Other flatfish......................... BSAI........................... 0.0441 3,077 136 3,077 136
Flathead sole.......................... BS............................. 0.0505 21,655 1,094 21,655 1,094
Pacific ocean perch.................... BS............................. 0.1 6,818 682 6,818 682
Eastern AI..................... 0.0077 7,144 55 7,117 55
Central AI..................... 0.0025 6,251 16 6,251 16
Western AI..................... 0 8,037 0 8,037 0
Northern rockfish...................... BSAI........................... 0.0084 2,763 23 2,763 23
Shortraker rockfish.................... BSAI........................... 0.0037 250 1 250 1
Rougheye rockfish...................... EBS/EAI........................ 0.0037 149 1 149 1
CAI/WAI........................ 0.0037 200 1 200 1
Other rockfish......................... BS............................. 0.0048 325 2 325 2
AI............................. 0.0095 555 5 555 5
Skates................................. BSAI........................... 0.0541 21,845 1,182 21,845 1,182
Sculpins............................... BSAI........................... 0.0541 3,995 216 3,995 216
Sharks................................. BSAI........................... 0.0541 125 7 125 7
Squids................................. BSAI........................... 0.3827 340 130 340 130
Octopuses.............................. BSAI........................... 0.0541 400 22 400 22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of that
species after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Table 24 that are caught by
AFA CVs participating in any groundfish fishery for groundfish other
than pollock will accrue against the 2015 and 2016 PSC sideboard limits
for the AFA CVs. Sections 679.21(d)(7) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize
NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for
AFA CVs once a 2015 or 2016 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 24 is
reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in
the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified
for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other
species'' fishery
[[Page 11939]]
categories under regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
Table 24--Final 2015 and 2016 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits
for the BSAI \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 and 2016
AFA Catcher PSC limit 2015 and 2016
vessel PSC after AFA catcher
PSC Species and area \1\ Target fishery category \2\ sideboard subtraction of vessel PSC
limit ratio PSQ reserves sideboard
\3\ limit \3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut............................ Pacific cod trawl.......... n/a n/a 887
Pacific cod hook-and-line n/a n/a 2
or pot.
Yellowfin sole total....... n/a n/a 101
Rock sole/flathead sole/ n/a n/a 228
other flatfish \4\.
Greenland turbot/arrowtooth/ n/a n/a 0
sablefish \5\.
Rockfish................... n/a n/a 2
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other n/a n/a 5
species \6\.
Red king crab Zone 1............... n/a........................ 0.299 86,621 25,900
C. opilio COBLZ.................... n/a........................ 0.168 9,833,695 1,652,061
C. bairdi Zone 1................... n/a........................ 0.33 875,140 288,796
C. bairdi Zone 2................... n/a........................ 0.186 2,652,210 493,311
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ Target fishery categories are defined in regulation at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
\3\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
\4\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited
species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth
flounder.
\5\ Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
\6\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures
Based on historical catch patterns, the Regional Administrator has
determined that many of the AFA C/P and CV sideboard limits listed in
Tables 25 and 26 are necessary as incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2015 and 2016 fishing years.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator
establishes the sideboard limits listed in Tables 25 and 26 as DFAs.
Because many of these DFAs will be reached before the end of 2015, the
Regional Administrator has determined, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iii), that NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by listed
AFA C/Ps for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 25,
and directed fishing by non-exempt AFA CVs for the species in the
specified areas set out in Table 26.
Table 25--Final 2015 and 2016 American Fisheries Act Listed Catcher/Processor Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 Sideboard 2016 Sideboard
Species Area Gear types limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish trawl....................... BS...................... trawl 9 8
AI...................... trawl 0 0
Rock sole............................. BSAI.................... all 2,288 2,288
Greenland turbot...................... BS...................... all 15 15
AI...................... all 1 1
Arrowtooth flounder................... BSAI.................... all 37 37
Kamchatka flounder.................... BSAI.................... all 11 11
Alaska plaice......................... BSAI.................... all 16 16
Other flatfish \2\.................... BSAI.................... all 178 178
Flathead sole......................... BSAI.................... all 780 780
Pacific ocean perch................... BS...................... all 14 14
Eastern AI.............. all 143 142
Central AI.............. all 6 6
Western AI.............. all 32 32
Northern rockfish..................... BSAI.................... all 19 19
Shortraker rockfish................... BSAI.................... all 5 5
Rougheye rockfish..................... EBS/EAI................. all 3 3
CAI/WAI................. all 4 4
Other rockfish \3\.................... BS...................... all 9 9
AI...................... all 15 15
Skates................................ BSAI.................... all 175 175
Sculpins.............................. BSAI.................... all 32 32
Sharks................................ BSAI.................... all 1 1
Squids................................ BSAI.................... all 7 7
[[Page 11940]]
Octopuses............................. BSAI.................... all 3 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole,
Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Table 26--Final 2015 and 2016 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 Sideboard 2016 Sideboard
Species Area Gear types limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod....................... BSAI................. hook-and-line CV >=60 0 0
feet LOA.
BSAI................. pot CV >=60 feet LOA. 11 11
BSAI................. hook-and-line or pot 3 3
CV <=60 feet LOA.
BSAI................. jig.................. 0 0
Sablefish......................... BS................... trawl................ 51 47
AI................... trawl................ 25 22
Atka mackerel..................... Eastern AI/BS........ all.................. 78 78
Central AI........... all.................. 2 2
Western AI........... all.................. 0 0
Greenland turbot.................. BS................... all.................. 134 134
AI................... all.................. 3 3
Arrowtooth flounder............... BSAI................. all.................. 1,290 1,290
Kamchatka flounder................ BSAI................. all.................. 381 381
Alaska plaice..................... BSAI................. all.................. 693 693
Other flatfish \2\................ BSAI................. all.................. 136 136
Flathead sole..................... BSAI................. all.................. 1,094 1,094
Rock sole......................... BSAI................. all.................. 2,109 2,109
Pacific ocean perch............... BS................... all.................. 682 682
Eastern AI........... all.................. 55 55
Central AI........... all.................. 16 16
Western AI........... all.................. 0 0
Northern rockfish................. BSAI................. all.................. 23 23
Shortraker rockfish............... BSAI................. all.................. 1 1
Rougheye rockfish................. BS/EAI............... all.................. 1 1
CAI/WAI.............. all.................. 1 1
Other rockfish \3\................ BS................... all.................. 2 2
AI................... all.................. 5 5
Skates............................ BSAI................. all.................. 1,182 1,182
Sculpins.......................... BSAI................. all.................. 216 216
Sharks............................ BSAI................. all.................. 7 7
Squids............................ BSAI................. all.................. 130 130
Octopuses......................... BSAI................. all.................. 22 22
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole,
Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Response to Comments
NMFS received five letters with 13 comments.
Comment 1: The Pacific halibut population is in steep decline yet
NMFS is proposing to authorize the removal of millions of pounds of
halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea groundfish fishery.
Response: The final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for the
BSAI publishes regulatory halibut PSC limits that are imposed on the
federal groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The halibut PSC limits for
the BSAI groundfish fisheries are described in the FMP for Groundfish
of the BSAI management area and the regulations at 50 CFR 679.21(e)
implement the BSAI PSC limits. The Council and NMFS establish halibut
PSC limits to constrain the amount of bycatch taken in the groundfish
fisheries. The halibut PSC limits are not allowances for halibut
bycatch in the groundfish fishery; rather, halibut PSC limits impose
maximum limits on the amount of halibut bycatch mortality that may be
taken by the groundfish fisheries. When a halibut PSC limit is reached,
further groundfish fishing with specific types of gear and modes of
operation is prohibited in that area. The Council and NMFS have
initiated a separate action to
[[Page 11941]]
reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI to minimize halibut bycatch in
the groundfish fishery to the extent practicable. See response to
Comment 2.
Comment 2: The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that NMFS, to the
extent practicable: (A) Minimize bycatch; and (B), minimize the
mortality of bycatch which cannot be avoided. Before finalizing the
2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for the BSAI, NMFS must minimize
bycatch of halibut in the groundfish fisheries consistent with its
statutory obligations.
Response: The Council and NMFS are committed to minimizing halibut
bycatch in the BSAI to the extent practicable. Section 3.6.2.1.4 of the
FMP states that annual BSAI-wide Pacific halibut bycatch mortality
limits for trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries will be established in
regulations and may be amended by regulatory amendment. Pursuant to
Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv), (e)(3), and (e)(2), the 2015 and 2016 BSAI
halibut PSC limits are 3,525 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the
non-trawl fisheries. The Council has initiated action to consider
revising regulations to reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI
groundfish fisheries consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations
to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable and to achieve, on a
continuing basis, optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. Pursuant
to section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP, the Secretary, after consultation with
the Council, will consider the following information when evaluating
measures to minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI fisheries:
1. Estimated change in halibut biomass and stock condition;
2. potential impacts on halibut stocks and fisheries;
3. potential impacts on groundfish fisheries;
4. estimated bycatch mortality during prior years;
5. expected halibut bycatch mortality;
6. methods available to reduce halibut bycatch mortality;
7. the cost of reducing halibut bycatch mortality; and
8. other biological and socioeconomic factors that affect the
appropriateness of a specific bycatch mortality limit in terms of FMP
objectives.
The Council is scheduled to consider final action to reduce halibut
PSC limits later in 2015.
Comment 3: In the BSAI, millions of pounds of Pacific halibut are
killed and are not utilized.
Response: Consistent with National Standards 1 and 9, the Council
and NMFS use halibut PSC mortality limits to minimize halibut bycatch
in the groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable, while achieving,
on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from the fisheries. The
Council has designated Pacific halibut as ``prohibited species'' in the
groundfish fisheries, which fishermen are required by regulation to
discard.
NMFS acknowledges that recent declines in the exploitable biomass
of halibut and recent decreases in the Pacific halibut catch limits set
by the IPHC for the directed BSAI halibut fisheries have raised
concerns about the levels of halibut PSC by the commercial groundfish
trawl and hook-and-line sectors. The Council has initiated action to
consider revising halibut PSC limits in the BSAI groundfish fisheries
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations to minimize
bycatch to the extent practicable while achieving, on a continuing
basis, optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. The Council will
review a draft Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review at
its February 2015 meeting and is scheduled to take final action on
halibut PSC limit reductions later in 2015.
Comment 4: The catch limits of Pacific halibut in the North Pacific
Ocean and the BSAI have been reduced in recent years by the IPHC due to
low stock abundance. The IPHC 2015 preliminary directed halibut fishery
catch limits are much less than the anticipated 2015 halibut PSC in the
BSAI. Bycatch mortality will almost entirely preclude all directed
fisheries in some areas.
Response: During the 2015 annual IPHC meeting, the IPHC adopted
catch limits in area 4A that are increased from the 2014 catch limits
in that area. The IPHC adopted catch limits in areas 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E
that are unchanged from 2014. Consistent with National Standards 1 and
9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS established halibut PSC limits in
regulation to minimize halibut bycatch to the extent practicable while
also permitting optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. As
described in response to Comments 2 and 3, the Council has initiated
action to consider revising regulations to reduce halibut PSC limits in
the BSAI groundfish fisheries consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act
obligations to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable and to
achieve, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from the groundfish
fisheries.
Comment 5: Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS must conserve and
manage the Pacific halibut stock and prevent the overfishing of Pacific
halibut. This must be addressed in the FMP and in the final groundfish
harvest specifications.
Response: NMFS and the Council manage Pacific halibut under the
Halibut Act. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS and the Council
manage the groundfish fisheries to minimize halibut bycatch to the
extent practicable using the PSC limits established in Federal
regulations. Pacific halibut are classified as a prohibited species in
the FMP and not as a ``stock in the fishery.'' Therefore, Section
303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act does not apply to Pacific halibut.
Comment 6: NMFS has not provided NEPA documents to address the
environmental impacts of halibut bycatch on the marine environment or
the environmental impact of reduced Pacific halibut stocks. NEPA
compels Federal agencies to evaluate prospectively the environmental
impacts of proposed actions that they carry out, fund, or authorize.
NMFS has relied on an EIS it prepared in 2007. Since that time, the
halibut stock has lost 50 percent of its spawning biomass and the
commercial harvest of halibut has declined more than 60 percent. NMFS
did not contemplate such circumstances in the 2007 EIS.
Response: NMFS agrees that there have been changes in halibut
abundance and the halibut fisheries, as well as advancements in
scientific understanding since the Harvest Specifications EIS. NMFS has
provided NEPA documents to address the impacts of halibut bycatch on
the marine environment. As explained in this preamble, section
679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI halibut PSC limits. NMFS set this halibut
PSC limit under a separate action with a supporting Environmental
Assessments that analyzed the impacts of halibut bycatch on halibut
stocks and the human environment. The Council has initiated action to
consider revising regulations to reduce halibut PSC limits in the BSAI
for groundfish fisheries. The Council will review a draft Environmental
Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review at its February 2015 meeting
and is scheduled to take final action on halibut PSC reductions later
in 2015. This EA will analyze the impacts of the halibut bycatch in the
BSAI groundfish fishery on Pacific halibut stocks.
NMFS prepared a supplementary information report to evaluate the
need to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2015/2016 groundfish
harvest specifications. An SEIS should be prepared if--
1. the agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that
are relevant to environmental concerns, or
[[Page 11942]]
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)).
The 2007 Harvest Specifications EIS concluded that halibut
mortality in the groundfish fisheries is taken into account when the
IPHC sets commercial halibut quotas to prevent adverse impacts on the
halibut stock. The 2015 supplementary information report further
explains that the IPHC comprehensively assesses the impacts of fishing
mortality on stock abundance on an annual basis in its stock assessment
process. Each year, the IPHC assesses the status of the halibut stocks
and sets the constant exploitation yield (CEY), which is the amount of
halibut harvest that is determined to be sustainable in a year. The
total CEY is calculated by multiplying a target harvest rate by the
total exploitable biomass and represents the sum of all halibut
removals. After deducting non-directed fishery removals (e.g., halibut
PSC in the groundfish fisheries, wastage in halibut fisheries,
recreational harvest, and subsistence use), the remainder is allocated
to the directed commercial hook-and-line fishery. The CEY therefore
takes into account the change in halibut abundance. Therefore, the
impacts of halibut PSC in the BSAI groundfish fisheries are unlikely to
have effects on the halibut resource in a manner not previously
considered in the 2007 Harvest Specifications EIS.
After reviewing the information in the supplementary information
report (see ADDRESSES) and presented in the SAFE reports (see
ADDRESSES; SAFE reports, and the information they contain that is used
in the harvest specifications, is explained above in this preamble
under the heading ``Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest
Specifications''), NMFS determined that (1) the 2015/2016 harvest
specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest
strategy described in the 2007 EIS, do not constitute a change in the
action; and (2) the information presented does not indicate that there
are significant new circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its
impacts. Additionally, the 2015/2016 harvest specifications will result
in environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and
disclosed in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental NEPA documentation is not
necessary to implement the 2015/2016 harvest specifications.
Comment 7: The BSAI halibut PSC limit has remained almost the same
since the late 1980s.
Response: With the implementation of Amendment 57 (65 FR 31105, May
16, 2000) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007), the
Pacific halibut PSC limit was reduced by 250 mt from the halibut PSC
limits set in regulations. However, NMFS agrees that the Pacific
halibut PSC limits have largely been unchanged in recent decades. The
halibut PSC limits are for bycatch in groundfish fisheries, which have
largely remained stable in recent decades. As described in response to
Comment 2, the halibut PSC limits are established in regulation and may
be changed through regulatory amendment. The Council has initiated
action to consider revising halibut PSC limits in the BSAI, consistent
with the National Standard 9 obligations to minimize bycatch to the
extent practicable.
Comment 8: The 2015 groundfish harvest specifications do not
address cultural, fisheries, ecological, and subsistence impacts of
discarded halibut PSC.
Response: These harvest specifications specify halibut PSC limits
among fisheries and by season. However, as described in response to
Comment 2, the halibut PSC limits are established in regulation and may
be changed through regulatory amendment. The Council has initiated
action to consider revising halibut PSC limits in the BSAI, consistent
with the National Standard 9 obligations to minimize bycatch to the
extent practicable. NMFS expects the Council will address cultural,
fisheries, ecological, and subsistence impacts through that action.
Comment 9: NMFS and fishery participants must work more diligently
to reduce bycatch, prevent waste of fish, and protect fish stocks.
Response: As noted in response to Comment 2, NMFS and the Council
are committed to minimizing halibut bycatch in the BSAI to the extent
practicable. Current halibut PSC limits are established in regulation
and may be changed by a regulatory amendment. The Council has initiated
action to consider revising halibut PSC limits in the BSAI, consistent
with the National Standard 9 obligation to minimize bycatch to the
extent practicable.
Comment 10: NMFS has allowed almost every groundfish species in the
BSAI to be overfished.
Response: NMFS disagrees. In the most recent fishing year, no
species or species complex of groundfish in the BSAI reached an OFL,
and no species or species complex of groundfish is in overfishing
status; see SAFE reports.
Comment 11: Temporary closures should be put in place to prevent
sea lions from being shot by commercial fishermen. A one million dollar
fine should be imposed for every sea lion shot by commercial fishermen.
Response: Fishery closures and fines to protect sea lions are
outside the scope of this action. NOAA has a Penalty Policy and Summary
Settlement Schedules for the assessment of civil administrative
penalties and permit sanctions under the statutes and regulations
enforced by NOAA, including violations of the Marine Mammal Protection
Act and the Endangered Species Act. See https://www.gc.noaa.gov/enforce-office3.html.
Comment 12: The BOF must produce downward quota adjustments for
fisheries.
Response: The State and the BOF has jurisdiction to manage
fisheries within Alaska state waters. In recommending harvest limits
for the Federal commercial groundfish fisheries, the Council considers
state GHL harvest limits when distribution and range of federally
fished groundfish stocks extend between Federal and state waters. The
Council recommends federal TACs for such stocks so that the sum of
state and Federal harvest limits does not exceed ABC limits for such
stocks. However, management measures implemented by the BOF in state
waters are not within the jurisdiction of the Council.
Comment 13: The ICAs for several species should be reduced to
prevent overfishing. Specifically, the Bering Sea pollock ICA should be
reduced to 23,288 mt, the flathead sole ICA to 1,000 mt, the Pacific
ocean perch ICA to ten mt, and the yellowfin sole ICA to one mt.
Response: NMFS disagrees. The Regional Administrator establishes
incidental catch allowances to account for projected incidental catch
of species and species complexes by vessels engaged in directed fishing
in other groundfish fisheries. Sufficient ICAs are needed to prevent
exceeding TACs, ABCs, and OFLs of groundfish species and species
complexes. Reducing the ICAs would leave these stocks more vulnerable
to overfishing.
Classification
NMFS has determined that these final harvest specifications are
consistent with the FMP and with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws.
This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from
review under Executive Orders 12866 and 13563.
NMFS prepared an EIS that covers this action (see ADDRESSES) and
made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On
February 13,
[[Page 11943]]
2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the EIS. In January
2015, 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 EIS found no
significant environmental consequences of this action and its
alternatives. The SIR evaluates the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS
(SEIS) for the 2015 and 2016 groundfish harvest specifications.
An SEIS should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial
changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental
concerns; or (2) significant new circumstances or information exist
relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action
or its impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information
contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has
determined that (1) approval of the 2015 and 2016 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 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed
in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental NEPA documentation is not necessary
to implement the 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications.
Pursuant to section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5
U.S.C. 601, et seq., a FRFA was prepared for this action. The FRFA
incorporates the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and
includes a summary of the significant issues raised by public comments
in response to the IRFA, as well as NMFS' responses to those comments.
A summary of the analyses completed to support the action is also
included in the FRFA.
A copy of the FRFA prepared for this final rule is available from
NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A description of this action, its purpose, and
its legal basis are contained at the beginning of the preamble to this
final rule and are not repeated here.
NMFS published the proposed rule on December 8, 2014 (79 FR 72571).
The rule was accompanied by an IRFA, which was summarized in the
proposed rule. The comment period closed on January 7, 2015. No
comments were received on the IRFA.
The entities directly regulated by this action are those that
receive allocations of groundfish in the exclusive economic zone of the
BSAI, and in parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters, during
the annual harvest specifications process. These directly regulated
entities include the groundfish CVs and C/Ps active in these areas.
Direct allocations of groundfish are also made to certain
organizations, including the CDQ groups, AFA C/P and inshore CV
sectors, Aleut Corporation, and Amendment 80 cooperatives. These
entities are, therefore, also considered directly regulated.
On June 12, 2014, the Small Business Administration issued an
interim final rule revising the small business size standards for
several industries effective July 14, 2014 (79 FR 33647, June 12,
2014). The rule increased the size standard for Finfish Fishing from
$19.0 million to $20.5 million, Shellfish Fishing from $5.0 million to
$5.5 million, and Other Marine Fishing from $7.0 million to $7.5
million. Fishing vessels are considered small entities if their total
annual gross receipts, from all their activities combined, are less
than $25.0 million. In 2013, there were 353 individual C/Vs with total
gross revenues less than or equal to $20.5 million. Some of these
vessels are members of AFA inshore pollock cooperatives, GOA rockfish
cooperatives, or crab rationalization cooperatives, and, since under
the RFA it is the aggregate gross receipts of all participating members
of the cooperative that must meet the ``under $20.5 million''
threshold, they are considered to be large entities within the meaning
of the RFA. Thus, the estimate of 353 C/Vs may be an overstatement of
the number of small entities. Average gross revenues were $320,000 for
small hook-and-line vessels, $1.25 million for small pot vessels, and
$3.56 million for small trawl vessels. Revenue data for catcher/
processors is confidential; however, in 2013, NMFS estimates that there
were four catcher/processor small entities with gross receipts less
than $20.5.
Through the CDQ program, the Council and NMFS allocate a portion of
the BSAI groundfish TACs, and halibut and crab PSC limits to 65
eligible Western Alaska communities. These communities work through six
non-profit CDQ groups, and are required to use the proceeds from the
CDQ allocations to start or support activities that will result in
ongoing, regionally based, commercial fishery or related businesses.
The CDQ groups receive allocations through the harvest specifications
process, and are directly regulated by this action, but the 65
communities are not directly regulated. Because they are nonprofit
entities that are independently owned and operated, and are not
dominant in their field, the CDQ groups are considered small entities
for RFA purposes.
The AFA and Amendment 80 fisheries cooperatives are directly
regulated because they receive allocations of TAC through the harvest
specifications process. However, the Freezer Longliner Conservation
Cooperative (FLCC), a voluntary private cooperative that became fully
effective in 2010, is not considered to be directly regulated. The FLCC
manages a catch share program among its members, but it does not
receive an allocation under the harvest specifications. NMFS allocates
TAC to the freezer longline sector, and the cooperative members
voluntarily allocate this TAC among themselves via the FLCC. The AFA
and Amendment 80 cooperatives are large entities, since they are
affiliated with firms with joint revenues of more than $25 million.
The Aleut Corporation is an Alaska Native Corporation that receives
an allocation of pollock in the Aleutian Islands. The Aleut Corporation
is a holding company and evaluated according to the Small Business
Administration criteria for Office or Other Holding Companies, at 13
CFR 121.201, which uses a threshold of $7.5 million gross annual
receipts threshold for small entities. The Aleut Corporation revenues
exceed this threshold, and the Aleut Corporation is considered to be a
large entity. This determination follows the analysis in the RFA
certification for BSAI FMP.
This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting
requirements.
The significant alternatives were those considered as alternative
harvest strategies when the Council selected its preferred harvest
strategy (Alternative 2) in December 2006. These included the
following:
Alternative 1: Set TAC to produce fishing mortality rates,
F, that are equal to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TAC is constrained
by the OY established in the FMPs. This is equivalent to setting TAC to
produce harvest levels equal to the maximum permissible ABC, as
constrained by OY. The term ``maxFABC'' refers to the maximum
permissible value of FABC under Amendment 56 to the groundfish FMPs.
Historically, the TAC has been set at or below the ABC; therefore, this
[[Page 11944]]
alternative represents a likely upper limit for setting the TAC within
the OY and ABC limits.
Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 2, and 3, set TAC
to produce F equal to the most recent 5-year average actual F. For
species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC equal to the most recent 5-year
average actual catch. For stocks with a high level of scientific
information, TAC would be set to produce harvest levels equal to the
most recent 5-year average actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks
with insufficient scientific information, TAC would be set equal to the
most recent 5-year average actual catch. This alternative recognizes
that for some stocks, catches may fall well below ABC, and recent
average F may provide a better indicator of actual F than FABC does.
Alternative 4: (1) Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 3
at F75%. Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F = 0.5M. Set
spatially explicit TAC for shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the
BSAI. (2) Taking the rockfish TAC as calculated above, reduce all other
TAC by a proportion that does not vary across species, so that the sum
of all TAC, including rockfish TAC, is equal to the lower bound of the
area OY (1,400,000 mt in the BSAI). This alternative sets conservative
and spatially explicit TAC for rockfish species that are long-lived and
late to mature, and sets conservative TAC for the other groundfish
species.
Alternative 5: Set TAC at zero.
Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative chosen by the Council:
Set TAC that fall within the range of ABC recommended through the
Council harvest specifications process and TACs recommended by the
Council. Under this scenario, F is set equal to a constant fraction of
maxFABC. The recommended fractions of maxFABC may vary among species or
stocks, based on other considerations unique to each. This is the
method for determining TAC that has been used in the past.
Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet the objectives of this
action, although they have a smaller adverse economic impact on small
entities than the preferred alternative. The Council rejected these
alternatives as harvest strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of
Commerce did so in 2007. Alternative 1 would lead to TAC limits whose
sum exceeds the fishery OY, which is set out in statute and the FMP. As
shown in Table 1 and Table 2, the sum of ABCs in 2015 and 2016 would be
2,848,454 and 2,731,897 million mt, respectively. Both of these are
substantially in excess of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This result
would be inconsistent with the objectives of this action, in that it
would violate the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-
199, Sec. 803(c), and the FMP for the BSAI groundfish fishery, which
both set a 2 million mt maximum harvest for BSAI groundfish.
Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5
years' worth of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or for
the most recent 5 years' worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4
through 6). This alternative is also inconsistent with the objectives
of this action, because it does not take into account the most recent
biological information for this fishery.
Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all
species to reduce TAC from the upper end of the OY range in the BSAI,
to its lower end. This result would lead to significant reductions in
harvests of species by small entities. While reductions of this size
could be associated with offsetting price increases, the size of these
increases is very uncertain, and NMFS has no confidence that they would
be sufficient to offset the volume decreases and leave revenues
unchanged. Thus, this action would have an adverse economic impact on
small entities, compared to the preferred alternative.
Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, may also
address conservation issues, but would have a significant adverse
economic impact on small entities.
Impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities
conducted under this rule are discussed in the EIS (see ADDRESSES).
In December 2014, the Council adopted separate Pacific cod harvest
specifications for the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea in the 2015
and 2016 fishing years. While separate OFLs, ABCs, and TACs, have been
created for the Aleutian Islands and for the Bering Sea, the actual
sector allocations (except CDQ allocations) remain BSAI-wide
allocations. Sector allocations are calculated as a percent of the
summed Aleutian Island and Bering Sea TACs, after adjustments are made
to account for CDQ allocations. Because sector allocations (except CDQ
allocations) continue to be defined BSAI-wide, sectors remain free to
redeploy between the two areas. However, if the non-CDQ portion of the
TAC in either sub-area is reached, NMFS will close directed fishing for
Pacific cod in that subarea. Thus if the resources in one of the areas
is fully utilized, one sector will not be able to increase its harvest,
unless at the expense of another sector's harvest.
It is possible that in some years an Aleutian Island-specific
Pacific cod TAC, in combination with a deduction from the ABC for a GHL
fishery, and a deduction for an ICA, may leave the Aleutian Islands TAC
too small to permit a directed fishery. The ultimate impact of the
Pacific cod split will depend on policy decisions made by the Council
and the Secretary of Commerce. In the 10 years since the first year of
the baseline period for this analysis (2004), the BSAI Pacific cod TAC
was only set equal to the ABC in 2 years. There may be flexibility for
the Council to offset anticipated Aleutian Island production limits by
setting the Aleutian Islands TAC less than the ABC, and the Bering Sea
TAC equal to the ABC. The 2 million metric ton groundfish optimum yield
is the sum of the BSAI TACs, so a decrease in the Aleutian Islands TAC,
coupled with an equal increase in the Bering sea TAC, would leave the
aggregate BSAI Pacific cod TAC unchanged, and would not require
reductions in TACs for other species so as to comply with the 2 million
metric ton optimum yield limit.
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, because delaying this rule is contrary to
the public interest. Plan Team review occurred in November 2014, and
Council consideration and recommendations occurred in December 2014.
Accordingly, NMFS' review could not begin until after the December 2014
Council meeting, and after the public had time to comment on the
proposed action. If this rule's effectiveness is delayed, fisheries
that might otherwise remain open under these rules may prematurely
close based on the lower TACs established in the final 2014 and 2015
harvest specifications (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). If implemented
immediately, this rule would allow these fisheries to continue fishing
without worrying about a potential closure because the new TAC limits
are higher than the ones under which they are currently fishing.
Certain fisheries, such as those for pollock and Pacific cod are
intensive, fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those for
flatfish, rockfish, skates, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses, 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 TAC limits in these fisheries would cause confusion in the
industry and potential economic harm through
[[Page 11945]]
unnecessary discards. Determining which fisheries may close is
impossible because these fisheries are affected by several factors that
cannot be predicted in advance, including fishing effort, weather,
movement of fishery stocks, and market price. Furthermore, the closure
of one fishery has a cascading effect on other fisheries by freeing up
fishing vessels, allowing them to move from closed fisheries to open
ones, increasing the fishing capacity in those open fisheries and
causing them to close at an accelerated pace.
Additionally, in fisheries subject to declining sideboards,
delaying this rule's effectiveness could allow some vessels to
inadvertently reach or exceed their new sideboard levels. Because
sideboards are intended to protect traditional fisheries in other
sectors, allowing one sector to exceed its new sideboards by delaying
this rule's effectiveness would effectively reduce the available catch
for sectors without sideboard limits. Moreover, the new TAC and
sideboard limits protect the fisheries from being overfished. Thus, the
delay is contrary to the public interest in protecting traditional
fisheries and fish stocks.
If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 14,
2015, which is the start of the 2015 Pacific halibut season as
specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not
begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Delayed
effectiveness of this action would result in confusion for sablefish
harvesters and economic harm from unnecessary discard of sablefish that
are caught along with Pacific halibut, as both hook-and-line sablefish
and Pacific halibut are managed under the same IFQ program. Immediate
effectiveness of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications will
allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with the Pacific
halibut IFQ season. Also, 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 that have lower 2015 ABC and TAC
limits than those established in the 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). 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
This final rule 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 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications
and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the groundfish fisheries
of the BSAI. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and
associated management measures for groundfish during the 2015 and 2016
fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FMP.
This action directly affects all fishermen who participate in the BSAI
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); 16 U.S.C.
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: February 27, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-05041 Filed 3-4-15; 08:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
