Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited Species Donation Program, 31701-31703 [2023-10570]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 2023 / Notices
be authorized under section 101(a)(5)(A)
and (D) of the MMPA for specified
activities other than military readiness
activities. The MMPA does not define
small numbers and so, in practice,
where estimated numbers are available,
NMFS compares the number of
individuals taken to the most
appropriate estimation of abundance of
the relevant species or stock in our
determination of whether an
authorization is limited to small
numbers of marine mammals. When the
predicted number of individuals to be
taken is fewer than one-third of the
species or stock abundance, the take is
considered to be of small numbers.
Additionally, other qualitative factors
may be considered in the analysis, such
as the temporal or spatial scale of the
activities.
With the exception of Pacific harbor
seals, the amount of take NMFS
proposes to authorize is well below onethird of any stock’s best population
estimate (see Table 4), which NMFS
considers to be small relative to stock
abundance. In fact, the annual take by
Level B harassment is less than 1
percent of stock abundance for both
otariid species that may be encountered
in the project area (i.e., California sea
lion and Steller sea lion), and less than
4 percent of the northern elephant seal
stock’s best population estimate. While
the estimated take of Pacific harbor seal
equates to over 33 percent of the Pacific
harbor seal stock, these takes represent
instances of take, not necessarily the
number of individual seals that may be
taken. As such, in all cases, including
Pacific harbor seal, these take estimates
are considered conservative because
NMFS assumes all takes are of different
individual animals which is likely not
the case. Researchers from HSU have
used tags and dye stamps to identify
individual elephant seals and have
verified the same individuals are
hauling out at PGL. While harbor seals
are not marked or otherwise clearly
identifiable, HSU researchers
hypothesize that the harbor seal colony
at PGL is made up of the same
individuals that move between Punta
Gorda and other nearby haulouts. This
is based on the fact that this species
typically shows hauling site fidelity
(Herder 1986, Yochem et al., 1987, Dietz
et al., 2012, Waring et al., 2016).
Therefore, many individuals that may
be taken by Level B harassment are
likely to be the same across consecutive
days, despite PSOs counting them as
separate takes throughout the duration
of the project.
Based on the analysis contained
herein of the authorized activity
(including mitigation and monitoring
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measures) and the anticipated take of
marine mammals, NMFS finds that
small numbers of marine mammals will
be taken relative to the population size
of the affected species or stocks.
Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis
and Determination
There are no relevant subsistence uses
of the affected marine mammal stocks or
species implicated by this action.
Therefore, NMFS has determined that
the total taking of affected species or
stocks will not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on the availability of
such species or stocks for taking for
subsistence purposes.
31701
Authorization
NMFS has issued an IHA to BLM for
the potential harassment of small
numbers of four marine mammal
species incidental to the Phase 2 of the
PGL Stabilization Project repair in
Humboldt County, California from June
1 through September 30, 2023, that
includes the previously explained
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
requirements.
Dated: May 10, 2023.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10640 Filed 5–17–23; 8:45 am]
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Endangered Species Act
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.) requires that each Federal agency
insure that any action it authorizes,
funds, or carries out is not likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of
any endangered or threatened species or
result in the destruction or adverse
modification of designated critical
habitat. To ensure ESA compliance for
the issuance of IHAs, NMFS consults
internally whenever we propose to
authorize take for endangered or
threatened species, in this case with the
West Coast Regional Office.
No incidental take of ESA-listed
species is authorized or expected to
result from this activity. Therefore,
NMFS has determined that formal
consultation under section 7 of the ESA
is not required for this action.
National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
216–6A, NMFS must review our
proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an
IHA) with respect to potential impacts
on the human environment.
This action is consistent with
categories of activities identified in
Categorical Exclusion B4 (IHAs with no
anticipated serious injury or mortality)
of the Companion Manual for NOAA
Administrative Order 216–6A, which do
not individually or cumulatively have
the potential for significant impacts on
the quality of the human environment
and for which we have not identified
any extraordinary circumstances that
will preclude this categorical exclusion.
Accordingly, NMFS has determined that
the issuance of the IHA qualifies to be
categorically excluded from further
NEPA review.
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XC814]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited Species
Donation Program
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; selection of an
authorized distributor.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces the renewal
of two prohibited species donation
(PSD) permits to SeaShare, a non-profit
and tax exempt organization,
authorizing this organization to
distribute Pacific salmon and Pacific
halibut to hunger relief agencies, food
bank networks, or food bank distributors
under the PSD program. Salmon and
halibut are caught incidentally during
directed fishing for groundfish with
trawl gear off Alaska. This action is
necessary to comply with provisions of
the PSD program and is intended to
promote the goals and objectives of the
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council.
SUMMARY:
The permits are effective from
May 18, 2023 through May 25, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the PSD
permits for salmon and halibut prepared
for this action may be obtained from the
Alaska Region website at https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Megan Mackey, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Background
Fishing for groundfish by United
States vessels in the exclusive economic
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zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands management area (BSAI) and
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is managed by
NMFS in accordance with the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (BSAI FMP) and the
Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA
FMP). These fishery management plans
(FMPs) were prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Regulations
governing the Alaska groundfish
fisheries and implementing the FMPs
appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679.
Fishing for halibut in waters in and off
Alaska is governed by the Convention
between the U.S. and Canada for the
Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of
the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
(Convention). The International Pacific
Halibut Commission (IPHC)
promulgates regulations pursuant to the
Convention. The IPHC’s regulations are
subject to approval by the Secretary of
State with concurrence from the
Secretary of Commerce. After approval
by the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Commerce, the IPHC
regulations are published in the Federal
Register as annual management
measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
Retention of incidentally caught
prohibited species is prohibited in the
groundfish fisheries except for salmon
and halibut for the purposes of the PSD
program. Amendments 26 and 29 to the
BSAI and GOA FMPs, respectively,
authorize a salmon donation program
and were approved by NMFS on July 10,
1996; a final rule implementing this
program was published in the Federal
Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38358).
The salmon donation program was
expanded to include halibut as part of
the PSD program under Amendments 50
and 50 to the FMPs that were approved
by NMFS on May 6, 1998. A final rule
implementing Amendments 50 and 50
was published in the Federal Register
on June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32144).
Although that final rule contained a
sunset provision for the halibut PSD
program of December 31, 2000, the
halibut PSD program was permanently
extended under a final rule published in
the Federal Register on December 14,
2000 (65 FR 78119). A full description
of, and background information on, the
PSD program may be found in the
preambles to the proposed rules for
Amendments 26 and 29, and
Amendments 50 and 50 (61 FR 24750,
May 16, 1996, and 63 FR 10583, March
4, 1998, respectively).
Section 679.26 authorizes the
voluntary distribution of salmon and
halibut taken incidentally in the
groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska to
hunger relief agencies, food bank
networks, or food bank distributors by
tax-exempt organizations through an
authorized distributor. The
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), may select
one or more tax-exempt organizations to
be authorized distributors, as defined by
§ 679.2, based on the information
submitted by applicants under § 679.26.
After review of qualified applicants,
NMFS must announce the selection of
each authorized distributor in the
Federal Register and issue one or more
PSD permits to each selected
distributor.
Renewal of Permits to SeaShare
Currently, SeaShare, a tax-exempt
organization founded to help the
seafood industry donate to U.S. hunger
relief efforts, is the sole authorized
distributor of salmon and halibut taken
incidentally in the groundfish trawl
fisheries off Alaska. SeaShare’s current
salmon and halibut PSD permits became
effective June 2, 2020, and authorize
SeaShare to participate in the PSD
program through May 28, 2023 (85 FR
33633, June 2, 2020).
On April 12, 2023, the Regional
Administrator received applications
from SeaShare to renew its salmon and
halibut PSD permits. The Regional
Administrator reviewed the applications
(one for salmon and one for halibut) and
determined that both applications are
complete and that SeaShare continues
to meet the requirements for an
authorized distributor of salmon and
halibut under the PSD program. As
required by § 679.26(b)(2), the Regional
Administrator based his selection on the
following criteria:
1. The number and qualifications of
applicants for PSD permits. SeaShare is
the only applicant for PSD permits at
this time. NMFS, under the Regional
Administrator, has previously approved
applications submitted by SeaShare. As
of the date of this notice, no other
applications have been approved by
NMFS. SeaShare has been coordinating
the distribution of salmon taken
incidentally in trawl fisheries since
1993, and of halibut taken incidentally
in trawl fisheries since 1998, under
exempted fishing permits from 1993 to
1996 and under the PSD program since
1996. SeaShare employs independent
seafood quality control experts to ensure
product quality is maintained by cold
storage facilities and common carriers
servicing the areas where salmon and
halibut donations would take place.
2. The number of harvesters and the
quantity of fish that applicants can
effectively administer. Current
participants in the PSD program
administered by SeaShare include 12
shoreside processors and 136 catcher
vessels delivering to shoreside
processors, 34 catcher processors, and 3
motherships. Two secondary processing
plants that generate steaked salmon and
halibut participate in the PSD program.
SeaShare has the capacity to receive and
distribute salmon and halibut from up
to 60 processors and the associated
catcher vessels. Therefore, it is
anticipated that SeaShare has more than
adequate capacity for any foreseeable
expansion of donations.
Table 1 shows the total pounds of
headed-and-gutted and steaked salmon
and halibut donated to food bank
organizations from 2019 through early
April of 2023. NMFS does not have
information to convert accurately the
net weights of salmon and halibut to
numbers of salmon and numbers of
halibut.
TABLE 1—HEADED-AND-GUTTED (H&G) AND STEAKED SALMON AND HALIBUT DONATED TO FOOD BANK ORGANIZATIONS
[Pounds]
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2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Total
Salmon H&G ............................................
Salmon steaked .......................................
Halibut H&G .............................................
Halibut steaked ........................................
3,293
368,650
35,895
14,313
2,150
234,520
19,693
11,336
0.00
136,700
4,100
9,852
292
181,682
3,643
12,1678
0.00
47,051
0.00
1,200
5,735
968,603
63,331
49,379
Total Inventory ..................................
422,151
267.699
150,652
198,295
48,251
1,087,048
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 2023 / Notices
3. The anticipated level of salmon
and halibut incidental catch based on
salmon and halibut incidental catch
from previous years. The incidental
catch of salmon and incidental catch
mortality of halibut in the GOA and
BSAI trawl fisheries are shown in Table
2.
TABLE 2—INCIDENTAL CATCH OF SALMON AND INCIDENTAL CATCH MORTALITY OF HALIBUT IN THE GOA AND BSAI TRAWL
FISHERIES
[In number of fish or metric tons (mt)]
Area fishery
2019
2020
2021
2022
BSAI Trawl Chinook Salmon Incidental Catch 1.
BSAI Trawl Other Salmon Incidental
Catch 2.
GOA Trawl Chinook Salmon Incidental Catch 3.
GOA Trawl Other Salmon Incidental
Catch 4.
BSAI Trawl Halibut Mortality 5 ...........
GOA Trawl Halibut Mortality 6 ...........
31,467 fish ....................
34,955 fish ....................
15,880 fish ....................
8,336 fish
358,804 fish ..................
346,245 fish ..................
550,645 fish ..................
245,160 fish
23,903 fish ....................
11,753 fish ....................
17,180 fish ....................
14,565 fish
6,413 fish ......................
3,232 Fish .....................
3,566 Fish .....................
5,241 Fish
2,270 mt ........................
1,099 mt ........................
1,577 mt ........................
788 mt ...........................
1,426 mt ........................
367 mt ...........................
2,057 mt
353 mt
1 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chinook_salmon_mortality2023.html.
2 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2023.html.
3 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/goasalmonmort2023.html.
4 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2023.html.
5 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/fisheries-catch-and-landings-reports#bsai-prohibited-species.
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6 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/fisheries-catch-and-landings-reports#goa-prohibited-species.
Halibut incidental catch amounts are
constrained by an annual prohibited
species catch (PSC) limit in the BSAI
and GOA. Future halibut incidental
catch levels likely will be similar to
those experienced from 2019 through
2022.
Chinook salmon PSC limits (which
are in number of fish) are established for
the Bering Sea and central and western
GOA pollock fisheries that, when
attained, result in the closure of pollock
fishing. The Chinook salmon PSC limits
for the Bering Sea pollock fisheries were
originally established by Amendment 91
to the BSAI FMP (75 FR 53026, August
30, 2010) and established for the central
and western GOA pollock fisheries by
Amendment 93 to the GOA FMP (77 FR
42629, July 20, 2012). In 2016,
Amendment 110 to the BSAI FMP was
implemented to improve the
management of Chinook and chum
salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea
pollock fishery by creating a
comprehensive salmon bycatch
avoidance program (81 FR 37534, June
10, 2016). In 2015, Amendment 97 to
the GOA FMP established annual
Chinook salmon PSC limits for the
groundfish trawl fisheries, except for
pollock trawl fisheries, in the Western
and Central GOA (79 FR 71350,
December 2, 2014). While salmon
incidental catch amounts tend to vary
between years, making it difficult to
accurately predict future incidental take
amounts, the total, or maximum,
amount of annual Chinook salmon
incidental catch in the Bering Sea and
GOA pollock fisheries is constrained by
the PSC limits.
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4. The number of vessels and
processors participating in the PSD
program. For the 2023 permit renewal,
there will be 12 shoreside processors.
Catcher processors will decrease from
34 to 31 under the 2023 permit renewal.
Motherships will increase from three to
four. Catcher vessels delivering to
shoreside processors as well as
motherships will decrease slightly from
151 to 140. Secondary processors will
increase from two to three.
NMFS issues PSD permits to SeaShare
for a 3-year period unless the permits
are suspended or revoked under
§ 679.26. The permits may not be
transferred; however, they may be
renewed following the application
procedures in § 679.26. If the authorized
distributor modifies the list of
participants in the PSD program or
delivery locations, the authorized
distributor must submit a modified list
of participants or a modified list of
delivery locations to the Regional
Administrator within 30 days of the list
modification.
These permits may be suspended,
modified, or revoked under 15 CFR part
904 for violation of § 679.26 or other
regulations in 50 CFR part 679.
This action is taken under § 679.26.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801
et seq.; 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 108–447;
Pub. L. 111–281.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Dated: May 12, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2023–10570 Filed 5–17–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XC916]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to the Chevron
Long Wharf Maintenance and
Efficiency Project in San Francisco
Bay, California
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of incidental
harassment authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
regulations implementing the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as
amended, notification is hereby given
the NMFS has issued an incidental
harassment authorization (IHA) to
Chevron Products Company (Chevron)
to incidentally harass, by Level B
harassment only, marine mammals
during construction activities associated
with the Long Wharf Maintenance and
Efficiency Project (LWMEP) in San
Francisco Bay, California.
DATES: This authorization is effective
from June 1, 2023 through May 31,
2024.
SUMMARY:
Jessica Taylor, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
Electronic copies of the application and
supporting documents, as well as a list
of the references cited in this document,
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31701-31703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10570]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC814]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Prohibited
Species Donation Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; selection of an authorized distributor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces the renewal of two prohibited species donation
(PSD) permits to SeaShare, a non-profit and tax exempt organization,
authorizing this organization to distribute Pacific salmon and Pacific
halibut to hunger relief agencies, food bank networks, or food bank
distributors under the PSD program. Salmon and halibut are caught
incidentally during directed fishing for groundfish with trawl gear off
Alaska. This action is necessary to comply with provisions of the PSD
program and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the
North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
DATES: The permits are effective from May 18, 2023 through May 25,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the PSD permits for salmon and halibut
prepared for this action may be obtained from the Alaska Region website
at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Megan Mackey, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Fishing for groundfish by United States vessels in the exclusive
economic
[[Page 31702]]
zone of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is managed by NMFS in accordance with the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (BSAI FMP) and the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). These fishery management
plans (FMPs) were prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Regulations governing the Alaska
groundfish fisheries and implementing the FMPs appear at 50 CFR parts
600 and 679. Fishing for halibut in waters in and off Alaska is
governed by the Convention between the U.S. and Canada for the
Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and
Bering Sea (Convention). The International Pacific Halibut Commission
(IPHC) promulgates regulations pursuant to the Convention. The IPHC's
regulations are subject to approval by the Secretary of State with
concurrence from the Secretary of Commerce. After approval by the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, the IPHC regulations
are published in the Federal Register as annual management measures
pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
Retention of incidentally caught prohibited species is prohibited
in the groundfish fisheries except for salmon and halibut for the
purposes of the PSD program. Amendments 26 and 29 to the BSAI and GOA
FMPs, respectively, authorize a salmon donation program and were
approved by NMFS on July 10, 1996; a final rule implementing this
program was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR
38358). The salmon donation program was expanded to include halibut as
part of the PSD program under Amendments 50 and 50 to the FMPs that
were approved by NMFS on May 6, 1998. A final rule implementing
Amendments 50 and 50 was published in the Federal Register on June 12,
1998 (63 FR 32144). Although that final rule contained a sunset
provision for the halibut PSD program of December 31, 2000, the halibut
PSD program was permanently extended under a final rule published in
the Federal Register on December 14, 2000 (65 FR 78119). A full
description of, and background information on, the PSD program may be
found in the preambles to the proposed rules for Amendments 26 and 29,
and Amendments 50 and 50 (61 FR 24750, May 16, 1996, and 63 FR 10583,
March 4, 1998, respectively).
Section 679.26 authorizes the voluntary distribution of salmon and
halibut taken incidentally in the groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska
to hunger relief agencies, food bank networks, or food bank
distributors by tax-exempt organizations through an authorized
distributor. The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator), may select one or more tax-exempt organizations to be
authorized distributors, as defined by Sec. 679.2, based on the
information submitted by applicants under Sec. 679.26. After review of
qualified applicants, NMFS must announce the selection of each
authorized distributor in the Federal Register and issue one or more
PSD permits to each selected distributor.
Renewal of Permits to SeaShare
Currently, SeaShare, a tax-exempt organization founded to help the
seafood industry donate to U.S. hunger relief efforts, is the sole
authorized distributor of salmon and halibut taken incidentally in the
groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska. SeaShare's current salmon and
halibut PSD permits became effective June 2, 2020, and authorize
SeaShare to participate in the PSD program through May 28, 2023 (85 FR
33633, June 2, 2020).
On April 12, 2023, the Regional Administrator received applications
from SeaShare to renew its salmon and halibut PSD permits. The Regional
Administrator reviewed the applications (one for salmon and one for
halibut) and determined that both applications are complete and that
SeaShare continues to meet the requirements for an authorized
distributor of salmon and halibut under the PSD program. As required by
Sec. 679.26(b)(2), the Regional Administrator based his selection on
the following criteria:
1. The number and qualifications of applicants for PSD permits.
SeaShare is the only applicant for PSD permits at this time. NMFS,
under the Regional Administrator, has previously approved applications
submitted by SeaShare. As of the date of this notice, no other
applications have been approved by NMFS. SeaShare has been coordinating
the distribution of salmon taken incidentally in trawl fisheries since
1993, and of halibut taken incidentally in trawl fisheries since 1998,
under exempted fishing permits from 1993 to 1996 and under the PSD
program since 1996. SeaShare employs independent seafood quality
control experts to ensure product quality is maintained by cold storage
facilities and common carriers servicing the areas where salmon and
halibut donations would take place.
2. The number of harvesters and the quantity of fish that
applicants can effectively administer. Current participants in the PSD
program administered by SeaShare include 12 shoreside processors and
136 catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors, 34 catcher
processors, and 3 motherships. Two secondary processing plants that
generate steaked salmon and halibut participate in the PSD program.
SeaShare has the capacity to receive and distribute salmon and halibut
from up to 60 processors and the associated catcher vessels. Therefore,
it is anticipated that SeaShare has more than adequate capacity for any
foreseeable expansion of donations.
Table 1 shows the total pounds of headed-and-gutted and steaked
salmon and halibut donated to food bank organizations from 2019 through
early April of 2023. NMFS does not have information to convert
accurately the net weights of salmon and halibut to numbers of salmon
and numbers of halibut.
Table 1--Headed-and-Gutted (H&G) and Steaked Salmon and Halibut Donated to Food Bank Organizations
[Pounds]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salmon H&G.............................................. 3,293 2,150 0.00 292 0.00 5,735
Salmon steaked.......................................... 368,650 234,520 136,700 181,682 47,051 968,603
Halibut H&G............................................. 35,895 19,693 4,100 3,643 0.00 63,331
Halibut steaked......................................... 14,313 11,336 9,852 12,1678 1,200 49,379
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Inventory..................................... 422,151 267.699 150,652 198,295 48,251 1,087,048
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 31703]]
3. The anticipated level of salmon and halibut incidental catch
based on salmon and halibut incidental catch from previous years. The
incidental catch of salmon and incidental catch mortality of halibut in
the GOA and BSAI trawl fisheries are shown in Table 2.
Table 2--Incidental Catch of Salmon and Incidental Catch Mortality of Halibut in the GOA and BSAI Trawl
Fisheries
[In number of fish or metric tons (mt)]
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Area fishery 2019 2020 2021 2022
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BSAI Trawl Chinook Salmon 31,467 fish....... 34,955 fish....... 15,880 fish....... 8,336 fish
Incidental Catch \1\.
BSAI Trawl Other Salmon 358,804 fish...... 346,245 fish...... 550,645 fish...... 245,160 fish
Incidental Catch \2\.
GOA Trawl Chinook Salmon 23,903 fish....... 11,753 fish....... 17,180 fish....... 14,565 fish
Incidental Catch \3\.
GOA Trawl Other Salmon 6,413 fish........ 3,232 Fish........ 3,566 Fish........ 5,241 Fish
Incidental Catch \4\.
BSAI Trawl Halibut Mortality \5\ 2,270 mt.......... 1,577 mt.......... 1,426 mt.......... 2,057 mt
GOA Trawl Halibut Mortality \6\. 1,099 mt.......... 788 mt............ 367 mt............ 353 mt
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\1\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chinook_salmon_mortality2023.html.
\2\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2023.html.
\3\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/goasalmonmort2023.html.
\4\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chum_salmon_mortality2023.html.
\5\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/fisheries-catch-and-landings-reports#bsai-prohibited-species.
\6\ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/fisheries-catch-and-landings-reports#goa-prohibited-species species.
Halibut incidental catch amounts are constrained by an annual
prohibited species catch (PSC) limit in the BSAI and GOA. Future
halibut incidental catch levels likely will be similar to those
experienced from 2019 through 2022.
Chinook salmon PSC limits (which are in number of fish) are
established for the Bering Sea and central and western GOA pollock
fisheries that, when attained, result in the closure of pollock
fishing. The Chinook salmon PSC limits for the Bering Sea pollock
fisheries were originally established by Amendment 91 to the BSAI FMP
(75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010) and established for the central and
western GOA pollock fisheries by Amendment 93 to the GOA FMP (77 FR
42629, July 20, 2012). In 2016, Amendment 110 to the BSAI FMP was
implemented to improve the management of Chinook and chum salmon
bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery by creating a comprehensive
salmon bycatch avoidance program (81 FR 37534, June 10, 2016). In 2015,
Amendment 97 to the GOA FMP established annual Chinook salmon PSC
limits for the groundfish trawl fisheries, except for pollock trawl
fisheries, in the Western and Central GOA (79 FR 71350, December 2,
2014). While salmon incidental catch amounts tend to vary between
years, making it difficult to accurately predict future incidental take
amounts, the total, or maximum, amount of annual Chinook salmon
incidental catch in the Bering Sea and GOA pollock fisheries is
constrained by the PSC limits.
4. The number of vessels and processors participating in the PSD
program. For the 2023 permit renewal, there will be 12 shoreside
processors. Catcher processors will decrease from 34 to 31 under the
2023 permit renewal. Motherships will increase from three to four.
Catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors as well as
motherships will decrease slightly from 151 to 140. Secondary
processors will increase from two to three.
NMFS issues PSD permits to SeaShare for a 3-year period unless the
permits are suspended or revoked under Sec. 679.26. The permits may
not be transferred; however, they may be renewed following the
application procedures in Sec. 679.26. If the authorized distributor
modifies the list of participants in the PSD program or delivery
locations, the authorized distributor must submit a modified list of
participants or a modified list of delivery locations to the Regional
Administrator within 30 days of the list modification.
These permits may be suspended, modified, or revoked under 15 CFR
part 904 for violation of Sec. 679.26 or other regulations in 50 CFR
part 679.
This action is taken under Sec. 679.26.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; Pub.
L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.
Dated: May 12, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-10570 Filed 5-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
