[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 41 (Monday, March 3, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9907-9924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4815]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 021212307-3037-3037-02; I.D. 110602C]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands; Final 2003 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final 2003 specifications for groundfish and associated
management measures; apportionment of reserves; request for comments;
closures.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2003 harvest specifications, prohibited
species catch (PSC) allowances, and associated management measures for
the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest
limits and associated management measures for groundfish during the
2003 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the
Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The intended effect of this
action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI.
DATES: The final 2003 harvest specifications and associated
apportionment of reserves are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), February 25, 2003 through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2003. Comments on the apportionment of reserves must be received by
March 18, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the apportionment of reserves may be sent to Sue
Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668,
Attn: Lori Durall. Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to
907-586-7557. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or
Internet. Courier or hand delivery of comments may be
[[Page 9908]]
made to NMFS in the Federal Building, Room 453, 709 West 9th Street,
Juneau, AK 99801.
Copies of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action and the
Final 2002 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report, dated
November 2002, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council, West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252 (907-271-
2809).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228 or e-mail
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background for the 2003 Final Harvest Specifications
Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 that implement the FMP
govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared the
FMP and NMFS approved it under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management 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 annually the total allowable
catch (TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species''
category, the sum of which must be within the optimum yield range of
1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (Sec. 679.20(a)(1)(i)).
Also specified are apportionments of TACs, and Community Development
Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts, prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves,
and PSC allowances. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(3) further require
NMFS to consider public comment on the proposed annual TACs and
apportionments thereof and the proposed PSC allowances, and to publish
final specifications in the Federal Register. The final specifications
set forth in Tables 1 through 17 of this action satisfy these
requirements. For 2003, the sum of TACs is 2 million mt.
The proposed BSAI groundfish specifications and PSC allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in the Federal
Register on December 12, 2002 (67 FR 76362). Comments were invited and
accepted through January 13, 2003. NMFS received one comment on the
proposed specifications. This comment is summarized and responded to in
the Response to Comments section. Public consultation with the Council
occurred during the December 2002 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 2003 groundfish specifications as recommended by
the Council.
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) establish the interim amounts
of each proposed initial TAC (ITAC) and allocations thereof, of each
CDQ reserve established by Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii), and of the proposed
PSQ reserves and PSC allowances established by Sec. 679.21 that become
available at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, and remain available until
superseded by the final specifications. NMFS published the interim 2003
groundfish harvest specifications in the Federal Register on December
26, 2002 (67 FR 78739). Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not
provide for an interim specification for either the hook-and-line and
pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve or for sablefish managed under the
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) management plan. The final 2003
groundfish harvest specifications, PSQ reserves and PSC allowances
contained in this action supersede the interim 2003 groundfish harvest
specifications.
Implementation of Steller Sea Lion Conservation Measures
In accordance with a biological opinion issued by NMFS on October
19, 2001, NMFS implemented a final rule for the start of the 2003 BSAI
groundfish fisheries (68 FR 204, January 2, 2003), that contains
measures that were deemed necessary to avoid the likelihood that the
pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel fisheries off Alaska would
jeopardize the continued existence of the western population of Steller
sea lions or adversely modify its critical habitat. The final rule
implements three types of management measures for the pollock, Pacific
cod and Atka mackerel fisheries of the BSAI: (1) Measures to temporally
disperse fishing effort, (2) measures to spatially disperse fishing
effort, and (3) measures to provide sufficient protection from
competition with pollock fisheries for prey in waters immediately
adjacent to rookeries and important haulouts.
The final rule establishes a Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area
(SCA) to regulate total removals of pollock in an area considered to be
critical to the recovery of the endangered western population of
Steller sea lions. The final rule restricts pollock harvests within the
SCA to a percentage of each sector's seasonal allocation as recommended
by the Council.
On December 18, 2002, the United States District Court for the
Western District of Washington entered an Order remanding the October
19, 2001, biological opinion prepared for the groundfish fisheries.
Greenpeace, et al. v. National Marine Fisheries Service, No. C98-492Z
(W.D. Wash.). The Court held that the biological opinion's findings of
no jeopardy to the continued existence of endangered Steller sea lions
and no adverse modification of their critical habitat were arbitrary
and capricious. NMFS reached an agreement with the Plaintiffs that the
2003 groundfish fisheries will commence pursuant to the Steller sea
lion protection measures examined in the biological opinion pending
completion of the remand. The Court issued an order on December 30,
2002, that supported the agreement and extended the effective date of
the 2001 Steller sea lion protection measures biological opinion until
June 30, 2003.
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications
The final ABC levels are based on the best available scientific
information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed
distribution of stock biomass, and revised technical methods used to
calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the formulas, or tiers, to
be used in computing ABCs and overfishing levels (OFLs). The formulas
applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are determined by the
level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. This
information is categorized into a successive series of six tiers.
At its December 2002 meeting, the Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC), Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current
biological information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the
BSAI. This information was compiled by the Council's Plan Team and is
presented in the final 2002 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish
fisheries, dated November 2002. 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. From these data and analyses, the Plan
Team estimates an ABC for each species or species category.
In December 2002, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's
recommendations. Except for Bogoslof pollock, sablefish, northern
rockfish, Atka mackerel and the ``other species'' category, the SSC,
AP, and Council endorsed the Plan Team's ABC recommendations. Based on
the best
[[Page 9909]]
available information, the SSC recommended slightly higher ABCs for
sablefish and Atka mackerel and slightly lower ABCs for Bogoslof
pollock and the ``other species'' category than the Plan Team
recommended. For sablefish, the SSC increased the ABC from the Plan
Team's recommendation based on the projected 5-year average of catches
under the Council's F40[percnt] policy. For Atka
mackerel, the SSC recommended a higher, yet still conservative, ABC
compared to the Plan Team. The SSC's recommendation was based on an ABC
option presented by the stock assessment author that should maintain
stock biomass at or near B40[percnt]. For
Bogoslof pollock, the SSC recommended using a procedure that reduces
the ABC proportionately to the ratio of current stock biomass to target
stock biomass. For ``other species'', the SSC recommended for the 5th
year, a procedure that moves gradually to a higher ABC over a 10-year
period instead of a large increase in one year. For all species, the AP
endorsed the ABCs recommended by the SSC, and the Council adopted them.
The final ABCs, as adopted by the Council, are listed in Table 1. For
northern rockfish, the SSC concluded that a reliable Bering Sea biomass
estimate was not available and therefore used a more conservative
procedure than the Plan Team for calculating OFLs and ABCs. This
resulted in establishing separate OFLs and ABCs for the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands subareas. At the Council meeting in January 2003, the
SSC and Council received additional reports on northern rockfish
biomass estimates and concluded that although variability in the
estimates is high, the estimates are considered to be conservative.
Thus both the SSC and Council recommended that NMFS consider following
the historical approach of BSAI-wide northern rockfish OFL and ABC
amounts. This was the approach proposed by NMFS (68 FR 76362, December
12, 2002) and is determined to be appropriate for this stock.
The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including
maintaining the total TAC within the required optimum yield (OY) range
of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. The Council adopted the AP's TAC
recommendations. None of the Council's recommended TACs for 2003 exceed
the final ABC for any species category. NMFS finds that the recommended
ABCs and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of
groundfish stocks as described in the 2002 SAFE document that was
approved by the Council.
Table 1 lists the 2003 OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC and CDQ reserve amounts
of groundfish in the BSAI. The apportionment of TAC amounts among
fisheries and seasons is discussed below.
Table 1.--2003 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial
TAC (ITAC), and Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserve Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI \1\
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ
Species Area OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ reserve
\3\
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Pollock \4\..................... Bering Sea (BS)... 3,530,000 2,330,000 1,491,760 1,342,584 149,176
Aleutian Islands 52,600 39,400 1,000 1,000 ..........
(AI).
Bogoslof District. 45,300 4,070 50 50 ..........
Pacific cod..................... BSAI.............. 324,000 223,000 207,500 176,375 15,563
Sablefish \5\................... BS................ 4,290 2,900 2,900 1,233 399
AI................ 4,590 3,100 3,100 659 523
Atka mackerel................... Total............. 99,700 63,000 60,000 51,000 4,500
Western AI........ .......... 22,990 19,990 16,992 1,499
Central AI........ .......... 29,360 29,360 24,956 2,202
Eastern AI/BS..... .......... 10,650 10,650 9,053 799
Yellowfin sole.................. BSAI.............. 136,000 114,000 83,750 71,188 6,281
Rock sole....................... BSAI.............. 132,000 110,000 44,000 37,400 3,300
Greenland turbot................ Total............. 17,800 5,880 4,000 3,400 300
BS................ .......... 3,920 2,680 2,278 201
AI................ .......... 1,960 1,320 1,122 99
Arrowtooth flounder............. BSAI.............. 139,000 112,000 12,000 10,200 900
Flathead sole................... BSAI.............. 81,000 66,000 20,000 17,000 1,500
Other flatfish \6\.............. BSAI.............. 21,400 16,000 3,000 2,550 225
Alaska plaice................... BSAI.............. 165,000 137,000 10,000 8,500 750
Pacific ocean perch............. BSAI.............. 18,000 .......... .......... .......... ..........
BS................ .......... 2,410 1,410 1,199 106
AI Total.......... .......... 12,690 12,690 10,787 952
Western AI........ .......... 5,850 5,850 4,973 439
Central AI........ .......... 3,340 3,340 2,839 251
Eastern AI........ .......... 3,500 3,500 2,975 263
Northern rockfish............... BSAI.............. 9,468 7,101 .......... .......... ..........
BS................ .......... .......... 121 103 9
AI................ .......... .......... 5,879 4,997 441
Shortraker/rougheye............. BSAI.............. 1,289 967 .......... .......... ..........
BS................ .......... .......... 137 116 10
AI................ .......... .......... 830 706 62
Other rockfish \7\.............. BS................ 1,280 960 960 816 72
AI................ 846 634 634 539 48
Squid........................... BSAI.............. 2,620 1,970 1,970 1,675 ..........
Other species \8\............... BSAI.............. 81,100 43,300 32,309 27,463 2,423
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[[Page 9910]]
Total....................... .................. 4,867,308 3,296,382 2,000,000 1,771,540 187,540
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\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of
pollock, and for the purpose of these specifications, the Bering Sea subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock and the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, 15 percent
of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for each species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction
of these reserves.
\3\ Except for pollock and the hook-and-line or pot gear allocation of sablefish, one half of the amount of the
TACs placed in reserve, or 7.5 percent of the TACs, is designated as a CDQ reserve for use by CDQ participants
(see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii) and 679.31).
\4\ The American Fisheries Act (AFA) requires that 10 percent of the annual Bering Sea pollock TAC be allocated
as a CDQ reserve and the entire Aleutian Islands and Bogoslof District pollock ITAC be allocated as an
incidental catch allowance. NMFS then subtracts 3.5 percent of the remaining Bering Sea pollock as an
incidental catch allowance, which is not apportioned by season or area. The remainder of the ITAC is further
allocated by sector as directed fishing allocations as follows: inshore, 50 percent; catcher/processor, 40
percent; and motherships, 10 percent.
\5\ The ITAC for sablefish reflected in Table 1 is for trawl gear only. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1) do
not provide for the establishment of an ITAC for the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation for sablefish.
Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear and 7.5 percent of the
sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii)).
\6\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for Pacific halibut (a prohibited species),
flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder and Alaska plaice.
\7\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern,
shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
\8\ ``Other species'' includes sculpins, sharks, skates and octopus. Forage fish, as defined at Sec. 679.2,
are not included in the ``other species'' category.
Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i) require that 15 percent of the
TAC for each target species or species group, except for the hook-and-
line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, be placed in a non-specified
reserve. The AFA supersedes this provision for pollock by requiring
that the TAC for this species be fully allocated among the CDQ program,
the ICA, and the inshore, catcher/processor, and mothership directed
fishery allocations.
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii) require that one-half of
each TAC amount placed in the non-specified reserve be allocated to the
groundfish CDQ reserve and that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot
gear allocation of sablefish be allocated to the fixed gear sablefish
CDQ reserve. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) also require that
10 percent of the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC be allocated to the
pollock CDQ reserve. The entire Aleutian Islands subarea and Bogoslof
District pollock TAC is allocated as an ICA (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1)). With the exception of the hook-and-line and pot
gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not further apportion
the CDQ reserves by gear. Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i) also
require that 7.5 percent of each PSC limit, with the exception of
herring, be withheld as a PSQ reserve for the CDQ fisheries.
Regulations governing the management of the CDQ and PSQ reserves are
set forth at Sec. Sec. 679.30 and 679.31.
Under regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates
3.5 percent of the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC as an ICA after
subtraction of the 10-percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on
an examination of the incidental catch of pollock in non-pollock target
fisheries from 1998 through 2002. During this 5-year period, the
incidental catch of pollock ranged from a low of 3 percent in 1998,
2001 and 2002 to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a 5-year average of
3 percent.
The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified
reserve by species or species group, and any amount of the reserve may
be apportioned to a target species or to the ``other species'' category
during the year, providing that such apportionments do not result in
overfishing. The Administrator of the Alaska Region for NMFS (Regional
Administrator), has determined that the ITACs specified for the species
listed in Table 2 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 2 from
the nonspecified reserve to increase the ITAC to an amount that is
equal to TAC minus the CDQ reserve.
Table 2.--Apportionment of Reserves to ITAC Categories
[Amounts are in mt]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species--area or subarea Reserve amount Final ITAC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel--Western Aleutian district 1,499 18,491
Atka mackerel--Central Aleutian district 2,202 27,158
Atka mackerel--Eastern Aleutian district 799 9,851
and Bering Sea subarea.................
Other flatfish--BSAI.................... 225 2,775
Alaska plaice--BSAI..................... 750 9,250
Pacific ocean perch--Western Aleutian 439 5,411
district...............................
Pacific ocean perch--Central Aleutian 251 3,090
district...............................
Pacific ocean perch--Eastern Aleutian 263 3,238
district...............................
Pacific cod--BSAI....................... 15,563 191,938
Shortraker/rougheye rockfish--Bering Sea 10 126
subarea................................
Shortraker/rougheye rockfish--Aleutian 62 768
Islands subarea........................
Northern rockfish--Bering Sea subarea... 9 112
[[Page 9911]]
Northern rockfish--Aleutian Islands 441 5,438
subarea................................
Other rockfish--Bering Sea subarea...... 72 888
Other species--BSAI..................... 2,423 29,886
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Total............................... 25,008 308,420
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Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the AFA
Section 206(a) of the AFA requires the allocation of 10 percent of
the BSAI pollock TAC as a CDQ reserve (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The
remainder of the BSAI pollock TAC, after the subtraction of an
allowance for the incidental catch of pollock by vessels (3.5 percent),
including CDQ vessels, harvesting other groundfish species, is
allocated as directed fishing allocations (DFA) as follows: 50 percent
to catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the inshore
component, 40 percent to catcher/processors and catcher vessels
harvesting pollock for processing by catcher/processors in the offshore
component, and 10 percent to catcher vessels harvesting pollock for
processing by motherships in the offshore component (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)). These amounts are listed in Table 3.
The AFA also contains several specific requirements concerning
pollock and pollock allocations. First, at Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(i) and (ii), NMFS will allocate 91.5 percent of
the catcher/processor sector allocation to AFA catcher/processors
engaged in directed fishing for pollock and 8.5 percent of the catcher/
processor sector allocation to AFA catcher vessels delivering to
catcher/processors unless changed by the cooperative contracts. Second,
unlisted AFA catcher/processors (Sec. 679.4(k)(1)(2)(ii)) are limited
to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processor sector
allocation of pollock (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii)).
Table 3 also lists seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest
limits within the SCA. Regulations implementing Steller sea lion
protection measures at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)(A)(1) apportion the
pollock directed fishing allowances allocated to each component into
two seasonal allowances. The first allowance, 40 percent of the DFA, is
made available for directed fishing from January 20 to June 10 (``A''
season), and the second seasonal allowance, 60 percent of the DFA, is
made available from June 10 to November 1 (``B'' season)(Table 3). The
harvest within the SCA, as defined at Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is
limited to 28 percent of the annual DFA until April 1. The remaining 12
percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken
outside of the SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If
28 percent of the annual DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April
1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
The A season pollock SCA harvest limit will be apportioned to each
industry sector in proportion to each sector's allocated percentage of
the DFA as set forth in the AFA.
Table 3.--2003 Allocations of the Pollock TAC and Directed Fishing Allowance (DFA) to the Inshore, Catcher/
Processor, Mothership, and CDQ Components \1\
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Season \1\ B Season\1\
2003 -------------------------------------------------------------
Area and sector allocations A season DFA (40% SCA harvest limit B season DFA (60%
of Annual DFA) \2\ of Annual DFA)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea.................. 1,491,760 ................... .................. ...................
CDQ............................. 149,176 59,670 41,769 89,506
ICA \3\......................... 46,990 ................... .................. ...................
AFA Inshore..................... 647,797 259,119 181,383 388,678
AFA Catcher/Processors \4\...... 518,237 207,295 145,106 310,942
Catch by C/Ps \4\........... 474,187 189,675 .................. 284,512
Catch by CVs \4\............ 44,050 17,620 .................. 26,430
Restricted C/P cap \5\.. 2,591 1,036 .................. 1,555
AFA Motherships................. 129,559 51,824 36,277 77,736
Excessive harvesting share \6\.. 226,729 ................... .................. ...................
Aleutian Islands ICA \7\............ 1,000 ................... .................. ...................
Bogoslof District ICA \7\........... 50 ................... .................. ...................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ After subtraction for the CDQ reserve (10 percent) and the ICA (3.5 percent), the pollock TAC is allocated
as a DFA: inshore component--50 percent, catcher/processor component--40 percent, and mothership component--10
percent. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the CDQ reserve for pollock is 10 percent. The A season, January 20--
June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June 10--November 1, is allocated 60 percent of
the DFA.
\2\ No more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining
12 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside
the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent of the annual DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the
remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ The pollock ICA for the BS subarea is 3.5 percent of the TAC after subtraction of the CDQ reserve.
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(i) and (ii), NMFS will allocate 91.5 percent of the catcher/processor
sector allocation to AFA catcher/processors engaged in directed fishing for pollock and 8.5 percent of the
catcher/processor sector allocation to AFA catcher vessels delivering to catcher/processors unless changed by
the cooperative contracts.
\5\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), unlisted AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more
than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processor sector allocation of pollock.
[[Page 9912]]
\6\ Under 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 directed fishing allowances established under paragraphs (a)(5)(i) and (a)(5)(ii) of
this section.
\7\ The Aleutian Islands subarea and the Bogoslof District are closed to directed fishing for pollock. The
amounts specified are for incidental catch amounts only, and are not apportioned by season or sector.
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TAC
Regulations implementing Steller sea lion protection measures at
Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii) apportion the Atka mackerel ITAC into two equal
seasonal allowances. After subtraction of the jig gear allocation, the
first allowance is made available for directed fishing from January 1
(January 20 for trawl gear) to April 15 (``A'' season), and the second
seasonal allowance is made available from September 1 to November 1
(``B'' season)(Table 4). Under Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1), the
Regional Administrator will establish a harvest limit area (HLA) limit
of no more than 60 percent of the seasonal TAC for the Western and
Central Aleutian districts.
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the Eastern
Aleutian district and the Bering Sea subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be
allocated to the jig gear fleet. The amount of this allocation is
determined annually by the Council based on several criteria, including
the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council
recommended, and NMFS approved, a 1-percent allocation of the Atka
mackerel ITAC in the Eastern Aleutian district and the Bering Sea
subarea to the jig gear fleet in 2003. Based on an ITAC and a reserve
apportionment which together total 9,851 mt, the jig gear allocation is
99 mt.
A lottery system is used for the HLA Atka mackerel directed
fisheries to reduce the amount of daily catch in the HLA by about half
and to disperse the fishery over two areas (Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(iii)).
Table 4.--2003 Seasonal and Spatial Apportionments, Gear Shares, and CDQ Reserve of the BSAI Atka Mackerel TAC
\1\
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seasonal apportionment \2\
-----------------------------------------------
CDQ A Season \3\ B Season \4\
Subarea & Component TAC reserve ITAC -----------------------------------------------
HLA Limit HLA Limit
Total \5\ Total \5\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Aleutian district......... 19,990 1,499 18,491 9,245 5,547 9,245 5,547
Central Aleutian district......... 29,360 2,202 27,158 13,579 8,147 13,579 8,147
Eastern AI/BS subarea \6\......... 10,650 799 9,851 .......... .......... .......... ..........
Jig (1%) \7\.................. ........ ........ 99 .......... .......... .......... ..........
Other gear (99%).............. ........ ........ 9,753 4,876 .......... 4,876 ..........
-----------
Total..................... 60,000 4,500 55,500 27,701 .......... 27,701 ..........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii) and 679.22(a)(8) establish temporal and spatial limitations for
the Atka mackerel fishery.
\2\ The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\3\ The A season is January 1 through April 15, however trawl gear is prohibited until January 20.
\4\ The B season is September 1 through November 1.
\5\ HLA limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (Sec.
679.2). In 2003, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the
Western and Central Aleutian districts.
\6\ Eastern Aleutian district and the Bering Sea subarea.
\7\ Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian district and the
Bering Sea subarea ITAC be allocated to the jig gear fleet. The amount of this allocation is 1 percent. The
jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(A), 2 percent of the Pacific cod ITAC
is allocated to vessels using jig gear, 51 percent to vessels using
hook-and-line or pot gear, and 47 percent to vessels using trawl gear.
Under regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B), the portion of the
Pacific cod TAC allocated to trawl gear is further allocated 50 percent
to catcher vessels and 50 percent to catcher/processors. Under
regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(C)(1), a portion of the Pacific
cod allocated to hook-and-line or pot gear is set aside as an ICA of
Pacific cod in directed fisheries for groundfish using these gear
types. Based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries, the
Regional Administrator specifies an ICA of 500 mt. The remainder of
Pacific cod is further allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot
gear as the following directed fishing allowances: 80 percent to hook-
and-line catcher/processors, 0.3 percent to hook-and-line catcher
vessels, 18.3 percent to pot gear vessels, and 1.4 percent to catcher
vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line
or pot gear.
Due to concerns about the potential impact of the Pacific cod
fishery on Steller sea lions and their critical habitat, the Pacific
cod fisheries are temporally dispersed by the apportionment of the ITAC
into two seasonal allowances (Sec. Sec. 679.23(e)(5) and
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A)). For most non-trawl gear the first allowance of
60 percent of the ITAC is made available for directed fishing from
January 1 to June 10, and the second seasonal allowance of 40 percent
of the ITAC is made available from June 10 to December 31. No seasonal
harvest constraints are imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear.
For trawl gear, the first season is January 20 to April 1 and is
allocated 60 percent of the ITAC. The second season, April 1 to June
10, and the third season, June 10 to November 1, are each allocated 20
percent of the ITAC. The trawl catcher vessel allocation is further
allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second
season and 20 percent in the third season. The trawl catcher/processor
allocation is allocated 50 percent in the first season, 30 percent in
the second season, and 20 percent in the third season. Table 5 lists
the 2003 allocations and seasonal apportionments of the Pacific cod
ITAC. In accordance with Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(D) and
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod
allowance will become available at the
[[Page 9913]]
beginning of the next seasonal allowance.
Table 5.--2003 Gear Shares and Seasonal Apportionments of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
[Amounts are in mt]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Seasonal apportionment \1\
Share of percentages Share of ------------------------------------------------------
Gear sector Percent gear sector for gear gear sector
total (mt) sectors total (mt) Date Amount (mt)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of 51 97,888 ........... ........... ........................................ ...........
Pacific cod TAC.
Incidental Catch Allowance.................. ....... ............ ........... 500 ........................................ ...........
Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel sub- ....... 97,388 ........... ........... ........................................ ...........
total.
Hook-and-line............................... ....... ............ 80 77,911 Jan 1-Jun 10............................ 46,747
Catcher/Processors.......................... ....... ............ ........... ........... Jun 10-Dec 31........................... 31,164
Hook-and-line............................... ....... ............ 0.3 292 Jan 1-Jun 10............................ 175
Catcher Vessels............................. ....... ............ ........... ........... Jun 10-Dec 31........................... 117
Pot Gear Vessels............................ ....... ............ 18.3 17,822 Jan 1-Jun 10............................ 10,693
....... ............ ........... ........... Sept 1-Dec 31........................... 7,129
Catcher Vessels < 60 feet LOA using hook-and- ....... ............ 1.4 1,363 ........................................ ...........
line or pot gear.
Trawl gear total................................ 47 90,211 ........... ........... ........................................ ...........
Trawl Catcher Vessel........................ ....... ............ 50 45,105 Jan 20-Apr 1............................ 31,574
....... ............ ........... ........... Apr 1-Jun 10............................ 4,510
....... ............ ........... ........... Jun 10-Nov 1............................ 9,021
Trawl Catcher/Processor..................... ....... ............ 50 45,105 Jan 20-Apr 1............................ 22,553
....... ............ ........... ........... Apr 1-Jun 10............................ 13,531
....... ............ ........... ........... Jun 10-Nov 1............................ 9,021
Jig............................................. 2 3,839 ........... ........... Jan 1-Jun 10............................ 2,303
....... ............ ........... ........... Jun 10-Dec 31........................... 1,536
----------
Total....................................... 100 191,938 ........... ........... ........................................ ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For non-trawl gear the first season is allocated 60 percent of the TAC and the second season is allocated 40 percent of the TAC. No seasonal harvest
constraints are imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. For trawl gear,
the first season is allocated 60 percent of the TAC and the second and third seasons are each allocated 20 percent of the TAC. The trawl catcher
vessels' allocation is further allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. The
trawl catcher/processors' allocation is allocated 50 percent in the first season, 30 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season.
Any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod allowance will be reapportioned to the next seasonal allowance.
Allocation of the Shortraker and Rougheye Rockfish TAC
Under Sec. 679.20(a)(9), the ITAC of shortraker rockfish and
rougheye rockfish specified for the Aleutian Islands subarea is
allocated 30 percent to vessels using non-trawl gear and 70 percent to
vessels using trawl gear. Based on the 2003 ITAC and the reserve
apportionment which together total 768 mt, the trawl allocation is 538
mt and the non-trawl allocation is 230 mt.
Sablefish Gear Allocation
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require that
sablefish TACs for subareas of the BSAI be allocated between trawl and
hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of TACs for the Bering Sea
subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line/
pot gear and for the Aleutian Islands subarea are 25 percent for trawl
gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line/pot gear. Regulations at Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B) require that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and
pot gear allocation of sablefish be apportioned to the CDQ reserve.
Additionally, regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(A) require that
7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish (one half of the
reserve) be apportioned to the CDQ reserve. Gear allocations of the
sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts are specified in Table 6.
Table 6.--2003 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACS
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent of Share of ITAC (mt)
Subarea and gear TAC TAC (mt) \1\ CDQ reserve
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea:
Trawl \2\............................................... 50 1,450 1,233 109
Hook-and-line/pot gear \3\.............................. 50 1,450 N/A 290
--------------
Total............................................... 100 2,900 1,233 399
==============
Aleutian Islands subarea:
Trawl \2\............................................... 25 775 659 58
Hook-and-line/pot gear \3\.............................. 75 2,325 N/A 465
-------------------------------------------------------------==============
[[Page 9914]]
==============
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line and pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the
reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
\2\ The portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using trawl gear, one half of the reserve (7.5 percent
of the specified TAC) is reserved for the CDQ program.
\3\ 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. Regulations in Sec. 679.20(b)(1) do not provide for
the establishment of an ITAC for sablefish allocated to hook-and-line or pot gear.
Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring
PSC limits for halibut are set forth in regulations at Sec.
679.21(e). For the BSAI trawl fisheries, the limit is 3,675 mt of
halibut mortality and for non-trawl fisheries, the limit is 900 mt of
halibut mortality. For chinook salmon, regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(1)(vii) specify a scheduled reduction of the chinook salmon
PSC limit until the final limit is reached in 2004. For 2003, the
chinook salmon PSC limit for the pollock fishery is 33,000 fish. PSC
limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance
and spawning biomass.
The red king crab mature female abundance is estimated to be 18.6
million king crab and the effective spawning biomass is estimated to be
37.7 million pounds (17,100 mt) from the 2002 survey data. Based on the
criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the 2003 PSC limit of red
king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals as a result of the
mature female abundance above 8.4 million king crab and the effective
spawning biomass estimate greater than 14.5 (6,577 mt) but less than 55
million pounds (24,948 mt).
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B) establish 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
to up to 35 percent of the trawl bycatch allowance specified for the
rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category and must be
based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red
king crab bycatch. The Council recommended, and NMFS approves, a red
king crab bycatch limit equal to 35 percent of the trawl bycatch
allowance specified for the rock sole/flathead sole/''other flatfish''
fishery category within the RKCSS.
Based on 2002 survey data, the C. bairdi crab abundance is
estimated to be 464.9 million animals. Given the criteria set out at
Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the 2003 C. bairdi crab PSC limit for trawl
gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and 2,970,000 animals in Zone 2 as a
result of the C. bairdi crab abundance estimate of over 400 million
animals.
Under Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv), the PSC limit for C. opilio crab 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
Bering Sea abundance index. Based on the 2002 survey estimate of 1.49
billion animals, the calculated limit is 1,169,000 animals. Because
this limit is less than 4.5 million, under Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv)(B),
the 2003 C. opilio crab PSC limit is 4,350,000 animals.
Under Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(vi), the PSC limit of Pacific herring
caught while conducting any trawl operation for groundfish in the BSAI
is 1 percent of the annual eastern Bering Sea herring biomass. NMFS'
best estimate of 2003 herring biomass is 152,574 mt. This amount was
derived using 2001 survey data and an age-structured biomass projection
model developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Therefore,
the herring PSC limit for 2003 is 1,526 mt.
Under Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of each PSC limit
specified for halibut and crab is allocated as a PSQ reserve for use by
the groundfish CDQ program. Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(3) require
the apportionment of each trawl PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances
for seven specified fishery categories. Regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(4)(ii) authorize the apportionment of the non-trawl halibut
PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances among five fishery categories.
The fishery bycatch allowances for the trawl and non-trawl fisheries
are listed in Table 7.
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(4)(ii) authorize exemption of
specified non-trawl fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. As in past
years, NMFS, after consultation with the Council, is exempting pot
gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery
categories from halibut bycatch restrictions because these fisheries
use selective gear types that take few halibut compared to other gear
types such as nonpelagic trawl. In 2002, total groundfish catch for the
pot gear fishery in the BSAI was approximately 15,518 mt with an
associated halibut bycatch mortality of about 8 mt. The 2002 groundfish
jig gear fishery harvested about 172 mt of groundfish. Most vessels in
the jig gear fleet are less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and are exempt from
observer coverage requirements. As a result, observer data are not
available on halibut bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, a
negligible amount of halibut bycatch mortality is assumed because of
the selective nature of this gear type and the likelihood that halibut
caught with jig gear have a high survival rate when released.
As in past years, the Council recommended the sablefish IFQ fishery
be exempt from halibut bycatch restrictions because of the sablefish
and halibut IFQ program (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). The sablefish
IFQ program requires legal-sized halibut to be retained by vessels
using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder is aboard and
is holding unused halibut IFQ. NMFS is approving the Council's
recommendation. This action results in less halibut discard in the
sablefish fishery. In 1995, about 36 mt of halibut discard mortality
was estimated for the sablefish IFQ fishery. Estimates for 1996 through
2002 have not been calculated, however NMFS has no information
indicating that it would be significantly different.
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(5) authorize NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of
PSC amounts 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
[[Page 9915]]
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. In
December 2002, the Council's AP recommended seasonal PSC apportionments
in order to maximize harvest among gear types, fisheries, and seasons
while minimizing bycatch of PSC based upon the above criteria.
The Council adopted and NMFS approves the PSC apportionments
specified in Table 7.
Table 7.--Prohibited Species Catch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl and Non-Trawl Fisheries \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited Species and Zone
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut Red King C. bairdi (animals)
mortality Herring Crab C. opilio -----------------------
(mt) BSAI (mt) BSAI (animals) (animals)
\6\ Zone 1 COBLZ \2\ Zone 1 Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl Fisheries
Yellowfin sole.......................... 886 139 16,664 2,776,981 340,844 1,788,459
January 20--April 1................. 262 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
April 1--May 21..................... 195 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
May 21--June 29..................... 49 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
June 29--December 31................ 380 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish \3\. 779 20 59,782 969,130 365,320 596,154
January 20--April 1................. 448 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
April 1--June 29.................... 164 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
June 29--December 31................ 167 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
RKCSS \3\........................... .......... .......... 20,924 .......... .......... ..........
Turbot/sablefish/arrowtooth \4\......... .......... 9 .......... 40,238 .......... ..........
Rockfish (June 29--Dec. 31)............. 69 7 .......... 40,237 .......... 10,988
Pacific cod............................. 1,434 20 13,079 124,736 183,112 324,176
Pollock/Atka/other \5\.................. 232 146 200 72,428 17,224 27,473
Midwater trawl pollock.................. .......... 1,184 .......... .......... .......... ..........
-------------
Total Trawl PSC..................... 3,400 1,526 89,725 4,023,750 906,500 2,747,250
=============
Non-Trawl Fisheries
Pacific cod--Total...................... 775 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
January 1--June 10.................. 320 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
June 10--August 15.................. 0 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
August 15--December 31.............. 455 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
Other non-trawl--Total.................. 58 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
May 1--December 31.................. 58 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
Groundfish pot & jig.................... Exempt .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
Sablefish hook-&-line................... Exempt .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
------------
Total Non-Trawl..................... 833 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
============
PSQ RESERVE \7\......................... 342 .......... 7,275 326,250 73,500 222,750
-------------
GRAND TOTAL......................... 4,575 1,526 97,000 4,350,000 980,000 2,970,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone. Boundaries are defined at 50 CFR part 679, Figure 13.
\3\ The Council at its December 2002 meeting recommended that red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within
the RKCSS be limited to 35 percent of the total allocation to the rock sole, flathead sole, and other flatfish
fishery category (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)). ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish
species, except for Pacific halibut (a prohibited species), greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole and
arrowtooth flounder.
\4\ Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish fishery category.
\5\ Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ``other species'' fishery category.
\6\ With the exception of the non-trawl Pacific cod directed fishery, any unused halibut PSC apportionment may
be added to the following season's apportionment. Any unused halibut PSC apportioned to the non-trawl Pacific
cod directed fishery during the January 1 through June 10 time period will not be available until August 15.
\7\ With the exception of herring, 7.5 percent of each PSC limit is allocated to the CDQ program as PSQ reserve.
The PSQ reserve is not allocated by fishery, gear or season.
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments,
the Regional Administrator will use observed halibut bycatch rates,
assumed mortality rates, and estimates of groundfish catch to project
when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal
apportionment is reached. The assumed mortality rates are based on the
best information available, including information contained in the
annual SAFE report.
The Council recommended, and NMFS concurs, that the assumed halibut
discard mortality rates (DMRs) developed by the International Pacific
Halibut Commission (IPHC) for the 2002 BSAI groundfish fisheries be
adopted for purposes of monitoring halibut bycatch allowances
established for 2003 (Table 8). In 2001, the IPHC recommended, and the
Council and NMFS concurred, to use the 10-year average DMRs for the
2001 through 2003 BSAI non-CDQ groundfish fisheries. Plots of annual
DMRs against the 10-year average indicated little change since 1990 for
some fisheries, particularly the major trawl fisheries. DMRs were more
variable for the smaller fisheries which typically take minor amounts
of halibut bycatch. The IPHC also will continue to conduct annual
analyses of observer data and recommend changes to the Preseason
Assumed DMR where a fishery DMR shows large variation from the average.
Results from analysis of halibut release condition data for 2002 showed
continued stability in halibut DMRs for many fisheries. The IPHC
annually examines the CDQ fisheries and provides recommendations for
any appropriate DMR revisions for those fisheries. The IPHC has been
calculating the CDQ fisheries DMRs since 1998 and a 10-year average is
not available. The Council recommended, and NMFS concurs, with the DMRs
recommended by the IPHC for 2003 CDQ fisheries. The
[[Page 9916]]
justification for these DMRs is discussed in Appendix A of the final
SAFE report dated November 2002.
Table 8.--2003 Assumed Pacific Halibut Mortality Rates For the BSAI
Fisheries
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preseason assumed mortality
Fishery (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line gear fisheries:
Greenland turbot..................... 18
Other species........................ 12
Pacific cod.......................... 12
Rockfish............................. 25
Sablefish............................ 22
Trawl gear fisheries:
Atka mackerel........................ 75
Flathead sole........................ 67
Greenland turbot..................... 70
Midwater pollock..................... 84
Nonpelagic pollock................... 76
Other flatfish....................... 71
Other species........................ 67
Pacific cod.......................... 67
Rockfish............................. 69
Rock sole............................ 76
Sablefish............................ 50
Yellowfin sole....................... 81
Pot gear fisheries:
Other species........................ 8
Pacific cod.......................... 8
CDQ trawl fisheries:
Atka mackerel........................ 80
Flathead sole........................ 90
Midwater pollock..................... 89
Nonpelagic pollock................... 90
Rockfish............................. 90
Yellowfin sole....................... 83
CDQ hook-and-line fisheries:
Greenland turbot..................... 4
Pacific cod.......................... 11
CDQ pot fisheries:
Pacific cod.......................... 2
Sablefish............................ 46
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directed Fishing Closures
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the Regional
Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment of a
target species or ``other species'' category has been or will be
reached, the Regional Administrator may establish a directed fishing
allowance for that species or species group. If the Regional
Administrator establishes a directed fishing allowance, 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 (Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)).
Similarly, under 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.
The Regional Administrator has determined that the following
remaining allocation amounts will be necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2003 fishing
year:
Table 9.--Directed Fishing Closures \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental
Area/species Gear types catch amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District:
Pollock................................................ All................................ 50
Aleutian Islands subarea:
Pollock................................................ All................................ 1,000
Northern rockfish...................................... All................................ 5,438
Shortraker/Rougheye rockfish, trawl.................... All................................ 538
Shortraker/Rougheye rockfish, non-trawl................ All................................ 230
Other rockfish......................................... All................................ 539
Bering Sea subarea:
Northern rockfish...................................... All................................ 112
``Other rockfish''..................................... All................................ 888
[[Page 9917]]
Pacific ocean perch.................................... All................................ 1,199
Shortraker/rougheye rockfish........................... All................................ 126
Bering Sea Aleutian Islands:
Other species.......................................... All................................ 29,886
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Regional Administrator has determined that the incidental catch amounts will be necessary to support
other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2003 fishing year (Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(ii)(B)).
Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the
Regional Administrator establishes the directed fishing allowances for
the above species or species groups as zero.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for these species in the specified areas
and these closures are effective immediately through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2003.
In addition, the BSAI Zone 1 annual red king crab allowance
specified for the trawl rockfish fishery (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(D)) is
0 mt and the BSAI first seasonal halibut bycatch allowance specified
for the trawl rockfish fishery is 0 mt. The BSAI annual halibut bycatch
allowance specified for the trawl Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/
sablefish fishery categories is 0 mt (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C)).
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(ii) and (v), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for rockfish by vessels using trawl gear
in Zone 1 of the BSAI and directed fishing for Greenland turbot/
arrowtooth flounder/sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI
effective immediately through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2003. NMFS
is also prohibiting directed fishing for rockfish outside Zone 1 in the
BSAI through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., June 29, 2003.
Under authority of the interim 2003 harvest specifications (67 FR
78739, December 26, 2002), NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Atka
mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of
the BSAI effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 22, 2003, through 1200
hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2003 (68 FR 2920, January 22, 2003). NMFS
opened the first directed fisheries in the HLA in area 542 and area 543
effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 24, 2003. The first HLA fishery in
area 542 remained open through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 29, 2003. The
first HLA fishery in area 543 remained open through 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
January 28, 2003. The second directed fisheries in the HLA in area 542
and area 543 opened effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 31, 2003. The
second HLA fishery in area 542 remained open through 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
February 5, 2003. The second HLA fishery in area 543 remained open
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 4, 2003. NMFS prohibited directed
fishing for CDQ reserve amounts of shortraker/rougheye rockfish and
northern rockfish in the Bering Sea subarea effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,
January 22, 2003, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2003 (68 FR
3823, January 23, 2003). Fishing with non-pelagic trawl gear in the red
king crab savings subarea of the BSAI closed February 12, 2003, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2003 (68 FR 8153, February 20, 2003).
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for rock sole, flathead sole, and
``other flatfish'' by vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI effective
1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 18, 2003, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., April 1,
2003 (68 FR 8726, February 25, 2003).
These closures remain effective under authority of the final 2003
harvest specifications.
These closures supersede the closures announced in the 2003 interim
specifications (67 FR 78739, December 26, 2002). 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 Sec. 679. In the BSAI, ``other rockfish'' includes
Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch,
shortraker, rougheye, and northern rockfish.
Bering Sea Subarea Inshore Pollock Allocations
Regulations at Sec. 679.4(l), set forth procedures for AFA inshore
catcher vessel pollock cooperatives to apply for and receive
cooperative fishing permits and inshore pollock allocations. NMFS
received applications from seven inshore catcher vessel cooperatives.
Table 10 lists the pollock allocations to the seven inshore catcher
vessel pollock cooperatives based on 2003 cooperative allocations that
have been approved and permitted by NMFS for the 2003 fishing year.
Allocations for cooperatives and vessels not participating in
cooperatives are not made for the AI subarea because the AI subarea has
been closed to directed fishing for pollock.
Table 10.--2003 Bering Sea Subarea Inshore Cooperative Allocations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum of
member Percentage
vessel's of inshore Annual co-
Cooperative name and member official sector op
vessels catch allocation allocation
histories (percent) (mt)
\1\ (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association 245,527 28.085 181,932
ALDEBARAN, ARCTIC EXPLORER,
ARCTURUS, BLUE FOX, CAPE
KIWANDA, COLUMBIA, DOMINATOR,
EXODUS, FLYING CLOUD, GOLDEN
DAWN, GOLDEN PISCES, HAZEL
LORRAINE, INTREPID EXPLORER,
LESLIE LEE, LISA MELINDA,
MAJESTY, MARCY J, MARGARET LYN,
NORDIC EXPLORER, NORTHERN
PATRIOT, NORTHWEST EXPLORER,
PACIFIC RAM, PACIFIC VIKING,
PEGASUS, PEGGY JO, PERSEVERANCE,
PREDATOR, RAVEN, ROYAL AMERICAN,
SEEKER, SOVEREIGNTY, TRAVELER,
VIKING EXPLORER
Arctic Enterprise Association.... 36,807 4.210 27,273
BRISTOL EXPLORER, OCEAN EXPLORER,
PACIFIC EXPLORER
[[Page 9918]]
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative 73,656 8.425 54,578
ANITA J, COLLIER BROTHERS,
COMMODORE, EXCALIBUR II,
GOLDRUSH, HALF MOON BAY, MISS
BERDIE, NORDIC FURY, PACIFIC
FURY, POSEIDON, ROYAL ATLANTIC,
SUNSET BAY, STORM PETREL
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative...... 18,693 2.138 13,851
AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY,
ELIZABETH F, MORNING STAR, OCEAN
LEADER, OCEANIC, PROVIDIAN,
TOPAZ, WALTER N
Unalaska Cooperative............. 106,737 12.209 79,091
ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE,
DESTINATION, GREAT PACIFIC,
MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY,
PROGRESS, SEA WOLF, VANGUARD,
WESTERN DAWN
UniSea Fleet Cooperative......... 201,566 23.056 149,357
ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY,
AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER, GUN-
MAR, NORDIC STAR, PACIFIC
MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH,
STARLITE
Westward Fleet Cooperative....... 189,942 21.727 140,744
A.J., ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA,
ARCTIC WIND, CAITLIN ANN,
CHELSEA K, DONA MARTITA, FIERCE
ALLEGIANCE, HICKORY WIND, OCEAN
HOPE 3, PACIFIC CHALLENGER,
PACIFIC KNIGHT, PACIFIC PRINCE,
STARWARD, VIKING, WESTWARD I
Open access AFA vessels.......... 1,309 0.150 970
--------------
Total inshore allocation..... 874,238 100 647,797
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ According to regulations that will be effective with the final rule
to implement major provisions of the AFA at 679.62(e)(1) the
individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel's best
2 of 3 years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and
includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels that made 500 or
more mt of landings to catcher/processors from 1995 through 1997.
According to regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(3), NMFS must
subdivide the inshore allocation into allocations for cooperatives and
vessels not fishing in a cooperative (i.e., the open access sector). In
addition, under Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), NMFS must establish harvest
limits inside the SCA and provide a set-aside so that catcher vessels
less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA have the opportunity to
operate entirely within the SCA during the A season. Accordingly, Table
11 lists the apportionment of the Bering Sea subarea inshore pollock
allocation into allocations for vessels fishing in a cooperative and
allocations for vessels not participating in a cooperative and
establishes a cooperative-sector SCA set-aside for AFA catcher vessels
less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA. The SCA set-aside for sector
catcher vessels less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA that are not
participating in a cooperative will be established inseason based on
actual participation levels and is not included in Table 11. These
allocations may be revised based on any corrections to AFA vessels'
catch history.
Table 11.--2003 Bering Sea Subarea Pollock Allocations To The Cooperative and Open Access Sectors of the Inshore
Pollock Fishery
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCA harvest
A season TAC limit 1,2 B season TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooperative sector:
Vessels 99 ft.............................. n/a 155,616 n/a
Vessels <=99 ft....................................... n/a 25,495 n/a
-------------------
Total............................................. 258,731 181,111 388,096
===================
Open access sector........................................ 388 272 582
-------------------
Total inshore......................................... 259,119 181,383 388,678
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Steller sea lion conservation area established at Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii).
\2\ The SCA harvest limits for vessels less than or equal to 99 ft LOA that are not participating in a
cooperative will be established on an inseason basis in accordance with Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii)(C)(2) which
specifies that ``the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for pollock by vessels catching
pollock for processing by the inshore component greater than 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA before reaching the inshore
SCA harvest limit during the A season to accommodate fishing by vessels less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m)
inside the SCA for the duration of the inshore seasonal opening.''
[[Page 9919]]
Listed AFA Catcher/processor Sideboard Limits
In 2003, the formula for setting AFA catcher/processor sideboard
limits for non-pollock groundfish changed from calculations made for
the sideboard limits in 2000 through 2002. The Council made a
distinction between retained and total catch for the purpose of
calculating sideboard limits and determined that AFA vessels should not
receive sideboard credit for groundfish that were discarded and not
utilized. Under regulations at Sec. 679.64(a), the listed catcher/
processor sideboard limits for BSAI groundfish (except Atka mackerel,
Pacific cod, and some Pacific ocean perch) will be based on the 1995
through 1997 retained catch of such groundfish species by the 20 AFA
catcher/processors listed in paragraphs 208(e)(1) through (20) of the
AFA and the nine ineligible catcher/processors listed in section 209 of
the AFA. For Pacific cod, the sideboard limit will be based on 1997
retained catch only and for Pacific ocean perch in the Aleutian Islands
subarea, the sideboard limits will be based on 1996 and 1997 retained
catch only. The AFA catcher/processor sideboard limit for Atka mackerel
is zero percent of the Bering Sea subarea and Eastern Aleutians annual
TAC, 11.5 percent of the Central Aleutian districts annual TAC, and 20
percent of the Western Aleutian districts annual TAC.
The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the
final rule implementing major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692,
December 30, 2002). The 2003 catcher/processor sideboard limits are set
out in Table 12.
All non-pollock groundfish that is harvested by listed AFA catcher/
processors, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be
deducted from the sideboard limits in Table 12. However, non-pollock
groundfish that are delivered to listed catcher/processors by catcher
vessels will not be deducted from the 2003 sideboard limits for the
listed catcher/processors.
Table 12.--2003 Listed BSAI AFA Catcher/Processor Groundfish Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995--1997 2003 ITAC
------------------------------------ available 2003 C/P
Target species Area Retained Available to trawl sideboard
catch TAC Ratio C/Ps limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod trawl............... BSAI.............. 12,424 51,450 0.241 45,105 10,870
Sablefish trawl................. BS................ 8 1,736 0.005 1,233 6
AI................ 0 1,135 0.000 659 0
Atka mackerel................... Western AI........ .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
A season\1\..... n/a n/a 0.200 9,245 1,849
HLA limit \2\.. .......... .......... .......... .......... 1,109
B season\1\..... n/a n/a 0.200 9,245 1,849
HLA limit \2\.. .......... .......... .......... .......... 1,109
Central AI........ .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
A season\1\..... n/a n/a 0.115 13,579 1,562
HLA limit \2\.. .......... .......... .......... .......... 937
B season\1\..... n/a n/a 0.115 13,579 1,562
HLA limit\2\... .......... .......... .......... .......... 937
Yellowfin sole.................. BSAI.............. 100,192 527,000 0.190 71,188 13,526
Rock sole....................... BSAI.............. 6,317 202,107 0.031 37,400 1,159
Greenland turbot................ BS................ 121 16,911 0.007 2,278 16
AI................ 23 6,839 0.003 1,122 3
Arrowtooth flounder............. BSAI.............. 76 36,873 0.002 10,200 20
Flathead sole................... BSAI.............. 1,925 87,975 0.022 17,000 374
Alaska plaice................... BSAI.............. 3,243 .......... 0.035 9,250 324
Other flatfish.................. BSAI.............. 3,243 92,428 0.035 2,775 97
Pacific ocean perch............. BS................ 12 5,760 0.002 1,199 2
Western AI........ 54 12,440 0.004 5,411 22
Central AI........ 3 6,195 0.000 3,090 0
Eastern AI........ 125 6,265 0.020 3,238 65
Northern rockfish............... BS................ 8 .......... 0.008 112 1
AI................ 83 13,254 0.006 5,438 33
Shortraker/rougheye............. BS................ 8 .......... 0.008 126 1
AI................ 42 2,827 0.015 538 8
Other rockfish.................. BS................ 18 1,026 0.018 888 16
AI................ 22 1,924 0.011 539 6
Squid........................... BSAI.............. 73 3,670 0.020 1,675 34
Other species................... BSAI.............. 553 65,925 0.008 29,886 239
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 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. Unrestricted AFA catcher/processors are limited to incidental catch amounts in the
Eastern Aleutian district and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the available TAC in the Western Aleutian
district, and 11.5 percent of the available TAC in the Central Aleutian district.
\2\ HLA limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (Sec.
679.2). In 2003, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the
Western and Central Aleutian districts. Pacific cod harvest by trawl gear in the Aleutian Islands HLA, west of
178 degrees W. long. is prohibited during the Atka mackerel HLA directed fisheries.
Regulations at Sec. 679.64(a)(5) establish a formula for PSC
sideboard limits for listed AFA catcher/processors. These amounts are
equivalent to the percentage of the PSC amounts taken in the non-
pollock groundfish fisheries by the AFA catcher/processors listed in
subsection 208(e) and section 209 of the AFA from 1995 through 1997.
PSC amounts taken by listed catcher/processors in BSAI non-pollock
groundfish fisheries from 1995 through 1997 are shown in Table 13.
These data were used to calculate the relative amount of PSC limits by
pollock
[[Page 9920]]
catcher/processors, that were then used to determine the PSC sideboard
limits for listed AFA catcher/processors in the 2003 non-pollock
groundfish fisheries.
PSC that is caught by listed AFA catcher/processors participating
in any non-pollock groundfish fishery listed in Table 13 would accrue
against the 2003 PSC limits for the listed AFA catcher/processors.
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize NMFS to close directed
fishing for non-pollock groundfish for listed AFA catcher/processors
once a 2003 PSC limit listed in Table 13 is reached.
Crab or halibut PSC that is caught by listed AFA catcher/processors
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).
Table 13.--2003 Listed BSAI AFA Catcher/Processor Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995-1997 2003 PSC 2003 C/P PSC
PSC species ------------------------------------------------ available to sideboard
PSC catch Total PSC Ratio trawl vessels limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality............... 955 11,325 0.084 3,400 286
Red king crab................... 3,098 473,750 0.007 89,725 628
C. opilio....................... 2,323,731 15,139,178 0.153 4,023,750 615,634
C. bairdi
Zone 1...................... 385,978 2,750,000 0.140 906,500 126,910
Zone 2...................... 406,860 8,100,000 0.050 2,747,250 137,363
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits
Regulations at Sec. 679.64(b) establish formulas for setting AFA
catcher vessel groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The
basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final
rule implementing major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December
30, 2002). The 2003 AFA catcher vessel sideboard limits are shown in
Tables 14 and 15.
All harvests of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA
catcher vessels, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be
deducted from the sideboard limits listed in Table 14.
Table 14.--2003 BSAI AFA Catcher Vessel (CV) Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in mt]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995-
Fishery by area/ 1997 AFA CV catch 2003 catcher
Species season/processor/ to 1995-1997 TAC 2003 Initial TAC vessel sideboard
gear limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod...................... BSAI
jig gear.......... 0.0000 3,839 0
hook-and-line CV
Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0.0006 175 0
....................
Jun 10-Dec 31.... 0.0006 117 0
pot gear
Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0.0006 10,693 6
Sept 1-Dec 31.... 0.0006 7,129 4
CV < 60 feet LOA.. 0.0006 1,363 0
using hook-and-line
or pot gear
trawl gear
catcher vessel
Jan 20-Apr 1..... 0.8609 31,574 27,182
Apr 1-Jun 10..... 0.8609 4,510 3,883
Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0.8609 9,021 7,766
Sablefish........................ BS trawl gear....... 0.0906 1,233 112
AI trawl gear....... 0.0645 659 43
Atka mackerel.................... Eastern AI/BS
jig gear.......... 0.0031 99 0
other gear
Jan 1-Apr 15..... 0.0032 4,876 16
Sept 1-Nov 1..... 0.0032 4,876 16
Central AI
Jan 1-Apr 15..... 0.0001 13,579 1
HLA limit....... 0.0001 8,147 1
Sept 1-Nov 1..... 0.0001 13,579 1
HLA limit....... 0.0001 8,147 1
Western Al
Jan 1-Apr 15..... 0.0000 9,245 0
HLA limit....... 0.0000 5,547 0
Sept 1-Nov 1..... 0.0000 9,245 0
HLA limit....... 0.0000 5,547 0
Yellowfin sole................... BSAI................ 0.0647 71,188 4,606
Rock sole........................ BSAI................ 0.0341 37,400 1,275
[[Page 9921]]
Greenland turbot................. BS.................. 0.0645 2,278 147
Al.................. 0.0205 1,122 23
Arrowtooth flounder.............. BSAI................ 0.0690 10,200 704
Aalaska plaice................... BSAI................ 0.0441 9,250 408
Other flatfish................... BSAI................ 0.0441 2,775 122
Pacific ocean perch.............. BS.................. 0.1000 1,199 120
Eastern AI.......... 0.0077 3,238 25
Central AI.......... 0.0025 3,090 8
Western AI.......... 0.0000 5,411 0
Northern rockfish................ BS.................. 0.0280 112 3
AI.................. 0.0089 5,438 48
Shortraker/Rougheye.............. BS.................. 0.0048 126 1
AI.................. 0.0035 768 3
Other rockfish................... BS.................. 0.0048 888 4
AI.................. 0.0095 539 5
Squid............................ BSAI................ 0.3827 1,675 641
Other species.................... BSAI................ 0.0541 29,886 1,617
Flathead sole.................... BS trawl gear....... 0.0505 17,000 859
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The AFA catcher vessel PSC limit for halibut and each crab species
in the BSAI for which a trawl bycatch limit has been established, will
be a portion of the PSC limit equal to the ratio of aggregate retained
groundfish catch by AFA catcher vessels in each PSC target category
from 1995 through 1997 relative to the retained catch of all vessels in
that fishery from 1995 through 1997. For the BSAI, the PSC sideboard
limits are listed in Table 15.
Halibut and crab PSC that are caught by AFA catcher vessels
participating in any non-pollock groundfish fishery listed in Table 15
will accrue against the 2003 PSC limits for the AFA catcher vessels.
Regulations at Sec. 679.21(d)(8) and (e)(3)(v) provide authority to
close directed fishing for non-pollock groundfish for AFA catcher
vessels once a 2003 PSC limit listed in Table 15 for the BSAI is
reached. PSC that is caught by AFA catcher vessels 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 categories under regulations at Sec. 679.21(e).
Table 15.--2003 AFA Catcher Vessel Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits for the BSAI \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995-
1997 AFA CV 2003 AFA catcher
PSC species Target fishery category retained catch 2003 PSC limit vessel PSC
\2\ to total sideboard limit
retained catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut....................... Pacific cod trawl......... 0.6183 1,434 887
Pacific cod hook-and-line 0.0022 775 2
or pot.
Yellowfin sole
January 20--April 1..... 0.1144 262 30
April 1--May 21......... 0.1144 195 22
May 21--June 29......... 0.1144 49 6
June 29--December 31.... 0.1144 380 43
Rock sole/flathead sole/
other flatfish \5\
January 20--April 1..... 0.2841 448 127
April 1--June 29........ 0.2841 164 47
June 29--December 31.... 0.2841 167 47
Turbot/Arrowtooth/ 0.2327 0 0
sablefish.
Rockfish.................. 0.0245 69 2
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ 0.0227 232 5
Other species.
Red King Crab................. Pacific cod............... 0.6183 13,079 8,087
Zone 1 \4\.................... Yellowfin sole............ 0.1144 16,664 1,906
Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841 59,782 16,984
other flatfish \5\.
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ 0.0227 200 5
Other species.
C. opilio..................... Pacific cod............... 0.6183 124,736 77,124
COBLZ \3\..................... Yellowfin sole............ 0.1144 2,776,981 317,687
Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841 969,130 275,330
other flatfish \5\.
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ 0.0227 72,428 1,644
Other species.
Rockfish.................. 0.0245 40,237 986
Turbot/Arrowtooth/ 0.2327 40,238 9,363
sablefish.
C. bairdi..................... Pacific cod............... 0.6183 183,112 113,218
Zone 1........................ Yellowfin sole............ 0.1144 340,844 38,993
Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841 365,320 103,787
other flatfish \5\.
[[Page 9922]]
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ 0.0227 17,224 391
Other species.
C. bairdi..................... Pacific cod............... 0.6183 324,176 200,438
Zone 2........................ Yellowfin sole............ 0.1144 1,788,459 204,600
Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841 596,154 169,367
other flatfish \5\.
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ 0.0227 27,473 624
Other species.
Rockfish.................. 0.0245 10,988 269
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
\2\ Target fishery categories are defined in regulation at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
\3\ C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone. Boundaries are defined at Figure 13 of 50 CFR part 679.
\4\ The Council at its December 2002 meeting recommended that red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within
the RKCSS be limited to 35 percent of the total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/'other flatfish''
fishery category (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)).
\5\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for Pacific halibut (a
prohibited species), Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, and arrowtooth flounder.
Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures
AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel Sideboard Closures
The Regional Administrator has determined that many of the AFA
catcher/processor and catcher vessel sideboard limits listed in Tables
12 and 14 are necessary as incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2003 fishing year. In
accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator
establishes the sideboard limits listed in Tables 12 and 14 as directed
fishing allowances. The Regional Administrator finds that many of these
directed fishing allowances will be reached before the end of the year.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing by listed AFA catcher/processors for the
species in the specified areas set out in Table 16 and directed fishing
by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels for the species in the specified
areas set out in Table 17.
Table 16.--AFA Listed Catcher/Processor Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental catch
Species Area Gear types amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish trawl.................. BS............................ Trawl.................... 6
AI............................ Trawl.................... 0
Rock sole........................ BSAI.......................... all...................... 1,159
Greenland turbot................. BS............................ all...................... 16
AI............................ all...................... 3
Arrowtooth flounder.............. BSAI.......................... all...................... 20
Pacific ocean perch.............. BS............................ all...................... 2
Western AI.................... all...................... 22
Central AI.................... all...................... 0
Eastern AI.................... all...................... 65
Northern rockfish................ BS............................ all...................... 1
AI............................ all...................... 33
Shortraker/Rougheye rockfish..... BS............................ all...................... 1
AI............................ all...................... 8
Other rockfish................... BS............................ all...................... 16
AI............................ all...................... 6
Squid............................ BSAI.......................... all...................... 34
Other species.................... BSAI.......................... all...................... 239
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable percentages may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
Table 17.--AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidental catch
Species Area Gear amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod...................... BSAI.......................... hook-and-line............ 0
BSAI.......................... pot...................... 10
BSAI.......................... jig...................... 0
Sablefish........................ BS............................ trawl.................... 112
AI............................ trawl.................... 43
Atka mackerel.................... Eastern AI/BS................. jig...................... 0
Eastern AI/BS................. other.................... 32
Central AI.................... all...................... 2
Western AI.................... all...................... 0
Greenland Turbot................. BS............................ all...................... 147
AI............................ all...................... 23
Arrowtooth flounder.............. BSAI.......................... all...................... 704
[[Page 9923]]
Pacific ocean perch.............. BS............................ all...................... 120
Western AI.................... all...................... 0
Central AI.................... all...................... 8
Eastern AI.................... all...................... 25
Northern rockfish................ BS............................ all...................... 3
AI............................ all...................... 48
Shortraker/Rougheye rockfish..... BS............................ all...................... 1
AI............................ all...................... 3
Other rockfish................... BS............................ all...................... 4
AI............................ all...................... 5
Squid............................ BSAI.......................... all...................... 641
Other species.................... BSAI.......................... all...................... 1,617
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable percentages may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
Response to Comments
NMFS received one letter of comment in response to the proposed
2003 harvest specifications (67 FR 76362, December 12, 2002.)
Comment 1. A request for an extension of time in which to comment
on the document.
Response. Regulations at 50 CFR 679.20(c)(1)(i)(B) provide for a
30-day comment period on the proposed specifications. NMFS has
determined that an extension of the 30-day comment period on the
proposed harvest specifications would pose unacceptable management
implications for the 2003 groundfish fisheries. Without proposed and
interim specifications in effect on January 1, the groundfish fisheries
would not be able to open on that date, which would result in
unnecessary closures and disruption within the fishery industry.
Therefore, NMFS declines to extend the comment period on the proposed
specifications.
Small Entity Compliance Guide
The following information is a plain language guide to assist small
entities in complying with this final rule as required by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's
primary management measures are to announce final 2003 harvest
specifications and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the
groundfish fishery of the BSAI. This action is necessary to establish
harvest limits and associated management measures for groundfish during
the 2003 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the
Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Area. This action affects all fishermen who
participate in the BSAI fishery. NMFS will announce closures of
directed fishing in the Federal Register and in information bulletins
released by the Alaska Region. Affected fishermen should keep
themselves informed of such closures.
Classification
This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
NMFS prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA)
that describes the impact the 2003 harvest specifications may have on
small entities, in accordance with the provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 603(b)). Notice of the
availability of the IRFA, and a summary, were published in the
classification section of the proposed harvest specifications for the
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI in the Federal Register on December
12, 2002 (67 FR 76362). The comment period on the proposed BSAI harvest
specifications and IRFA ended on January 13, 2003. NMFS did not receive
any comments on the IRFA. NMFS has prepared a FRFA for this action and
a copy is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
The small entities affected by this action are those that harvest
fish under the terms of the specifications in the BSAI. The FRFA
identified 193 small catcher vessels, 31 small catcher/processors, and
six small CDQ groups.
No projected additional reporting, recordkeeping or other
compliance requirements were identified in connection with the final
notice of specifications.
Four alternatives were evaluated, in addition to the preferred
alternative. Alternatives were defined by the use of different harvest
rates (F values). Impacts of the alternatives were estimated on the
basis of their associated overall fleet gross revenue levels. Three
alternatives (set F equal to 50% of max FABC, set F equal to
the most recent five year average actual F, and set F equal to zero)
all appeared to have greater adverse impacts on small entities than the
preferred alternative. Alternative 1 (set F equal to max
FABC) had impacts on small entities that appeared to be
similar to those of the preferred alternative. However, this
alternative was not chosen because it used 2002 TACs, which do not take
into consideration biological survey information collected and analyzed
in 2002, and evaluated by the Council and its SSC and AP committees at
the end of 2002. The preferred alternative was chosen, rather than
Alternative 1, because the TACs in the preferred alternative take into
account the best and most recent information available regarding the
status of the groundfish stocks, public testimony, and socio-economic
concerns.
The apportionment of a portion of the nonspecified reserve (see
Table 2) is necessary to provide increased ITAC to provide for more
efficient operation of intensive fast-paced fisheries for Pacific cod,
Atka mackerel and Pacific ocean perch, and to allow for the orderly
conduct of the flatfish and rockfish fisheries. Also, U.S. fishing
vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC
allocations. Therefore, a delay for prior notice and public procedure
is contrary to the public interest. Accordingly, the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds there is good cause to
waive the requirement for prior notice under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3). In
accordance with 50 CFR 679(b)(3), comments on the apportionment of
reserves are invited by March 18, 2003.
In some cases, the interim specifications currently in effect are
not sufficient to allow directed fisheries to continue, resulting in
unnecessary closures and disruption within the fishing industry. This
action establishes the harvest specifications for the 2003
[[Page 9924]]
fisheries in the BSAI. Hence, the action must be effective immediately
to provide consistent, uninterrupted management and conservation of
fishery resources and to allow the fishing industry to plan its fishing
operations. Accordingly, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, finds there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the
30-day delay in the effective date.
This action must be effective immediately to provide consistent
management and conservation of fishery resources and to give the
fishing industry the earliest possible opportunity to plan its fishing
operations. Accordingly, the AA finds there is good cause under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay of the effective date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq. 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., and
3631 et seq.
Dated: February 24, 2003.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-4815 Filed 2-25-03; 3:57 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P