[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70605-70624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26832]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 041126333-4333-01; I.D. 112204C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of 
Alaska; Proposed 2005 and 2006 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: 2005 and 2006 proposed harvest specifications for groundfish; 
apportionment of reserves; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications, reserves 
and apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) 
limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 
action is necessary to establish harvest limits and associated 
management measures for groundfish during the 2005 and 2006 fishing 
years. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the 
groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES: Comments must be received by January 6, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Lori Durall. Comments may be submitted by:
     Mail to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
     Hand Delivery to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK;
     E-mail to [email protected] and include 
in the subject line of the e-mail comments the document identifier: 
2005 Proposed Specifications (E-mail comments, with or without 
attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes);
     FAX to 907-586-7557; or
     Webform at the Federal eRulemaking Portal: 
www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
    Copies of the draft Environmental Assessment/Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (EA/IRFA) prepared for this action and the 2001 
Biological Opinion (BiOp) on the Steller sea lion

[[Page 70606]]

protection measures are available from NMFS at the address above or 
from the Alaska Region website www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 
2003 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports, dated 
November 2003, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, West 4\th\ Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK, 99510 or from its 
website at www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Pearson, Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, Alaska Region, 907-481-1780 or e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic 
zone off Alaska under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the 
Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and 
implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679.
    Amendments 48/48 to the FMP and to the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area were 
unanimously recommended by the Council in October 2003 and approved by 
NMFS on October 12, 2004. The final rule implementing Amendments 48/48 
was published November 8, 2004, (69 FR 64683). Amendments 48/48 revise 
the administrative process used to establish annual specifications for 
the groundfish fisheries of the GOA and the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands (BSAI). The goals of Amendments 48/48 in revising the 
specifications process are to (1) manage fisheries based on the best 
scientific information available, (2) provide for adequate prior public 
review and comment on Council recommendations, (3) provide for 
additional opportunity for Secretarial review, (4) minimize unnecessary 
public confusion and disruption to fisheries, and (5) promote 
administrative efficiency.
    Based on the approval of Amendments 48/48, the Council recommended 
2005 and 2006 proposed specifications for GOA groundfish. These 
proposed specifications are based on the 2003 SAFE report. In November 
2004, the 2004 SAFE report will be used to develop the final 2005 and 
2006 groundfish acceptable biological catch amounts (ABC). When 
possible, this proposed rule will identify any proposal that may be 
anticipated to change in the final specifications. The 2006 
specifications will be updated in early 2006 when final specifications 
for 2006 and new specifications for 2007 are implemented.
    In October 2004, the Council also recommended a biennial harvest 
specifications process for certain long-lived species and for species 
for which little new management information is available on other than 
a biennial basis. Based on current survey schedules, the GOA species 
for which biennial harvest specifications process would be used are 
deep water flatfish, rex sole, shallow water flatfish, flathead sole, 
arrowtooth flounder, slope rockfish, northern rockfish, Pacific ocean 
perch, shortraker/rougheye rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead 
rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, skates, and Atka mackerel. Stock 
assessment surveys are conducted biennially in the GOA for these 
species. Because new information is updated every two years and harvest 
amounts are fairly stable from year to year, the harvest specifications 
process for these species would be conducted every 2 years. If new 
management information becomes available for any of those species on a 
more frequent basis, an annual harvest specifications process could 
still be used. Amendment 48 to the GOA FMP would allow harvest 
specifications to be established for up to 2 fishing years, and the 
administrative process to establish these biennial harvest 
specifications would be done every other year, concurrent with the 
annual harvest specifications process used for other species.
    Allowing for up to two years of specifications during the 
specifications process would recognize the time period of projections 
that must be used for establishing harvest specifications that would 
allow for rulemaking in the following year and would provide the 
Council and NMFS the flexibility to conduct either an annual or 
biennial specifications process in response to potential changes in the 
frequency of stock assessment surveys or other data or administrative 
issues. Based on current survey schedules and available information, 
pollock, trawl sablefish, Pacific cod, and ``other species'' category 
fisheries in the GOA will be managed using an annual harvest 
specification process. However, this process will provide 
specifications for two years. The second year's specifications will be 
replaced by the new harvest specifications through rulemaking based on 
the annual harvest specification process. Any proposed changes from 
using either an annual process or a biennial process for a particular 
target species will be analyzed during the harvest specification 
process.
    The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line 
gear and pot gear sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) fisheries be 
limited to 1 year to ensure that those fisheries are conducted 
concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery. Having the sablefish IFQ 
fisheries concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery would reduce the 
potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in these fisheries. The 
sablefish IFQ fisheries would remain closed at the beginning of each 
fishing year until the final specifications for the sablefish IFQ 
fisheries are in effect. The trawl sablefish fishery would be managed 
using specifications for up to a 2-year period, similar to GOA pollock, 
Pacific cod and the ``other species'' category.
    The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after 
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch 
(TAC) for each target species and for the ``other species'' category, 
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000 
to 800,000 metric tons (mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS 
to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs, halibut 
PSC amounts, and seasonal allowances of pollock and inshore/offshore 
Pacific cod. The proposed specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 
13 of this document satisfy these requirements. For 2005, the sum of 
the proposed TAC amounts is 264,265 mt. For 2006, the sum of the 
proposed TAC amounts is 253,867 mt. Under Sec.  679.20(c)(3), NMFS will 
publish the final 2005 and 2006 specifications after (1) considering 
comments received within the comment period (see DATES), (2) consulting 
with the Council at its December 2004 meeting, and (3) considering new 
information presented in the EA and the final 2004 SAFE report prepared 
for the 2005 and 2006 fisheries.
    Section 679.20(c)(2)(i) provides that one-fourth of each proposed 
TAC and apportionment (not including the reserves and the first 
seasonal allowances of pollock and Pacific cod), one-fourth of the 
proposed halibut PSC amounts, and the proposed first seasonal 
allowances of pollock and Pacific cod will become effective 0001 hours, 
Alaska local time (A.l.t.) January 1, 2005, on an interim basis and 
remain in effect until superseded by the final harvest specifications, 
which will be published in the Federal Register. Without interim 
specifications in effect on January 1, the groundfish fisheries would 
not be able to open on that date. This would result in disruption to 
the

[[Page 70607]]

fishing industry. The 2005 interim harvest specifications will be 
published by NMFS in the Federal Register prior to January 1, 2005.

Proposed Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures Revisions

    In June 2004, the Council unanimously recommended revisions to the 
Steller sea lion protection measures in the GOA to alleviate some of 
the economic burden on coastal communities while maintaining protection 
for Steller sea lions and their critical habitat. These revisions would 
adjust pollock and Pacific cod fishing closures near four Steller sea 
lion haulouts and would revise seasonal management of pollock harvest. 
NMFS concluded in an Endangered Species Act, section 7, informal 
consultation dated August 26, 2004, that fishing under the proposed 
revisions is not likely to adversely affect Steller sea lions beyond 
those effects already considered in the 2001 Biological Opinion on the 
Steller sea lion protection measures and its June 19, 2003 supplement. 
NMFS published a proposed rule on September 21, 2004 (69 FR 56384) to 
implement these revisions, inviting comments through October 21, 2004. 
If adopted, NMFS anticipates that a final rule would be published 
before the beginning of the 2005 fishing year. The revised pollock 
harvest management measures would affect the annual specifications by 
extending the A and C season dates for pollock and provide 
clarification as to how the Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, 
NMFS, (Regional Administrator) would rollover unharvested amounts of 
pollock between seasons.
    If adopted, the proposed rule would extend the pollock A season 
dates from January 20 through February 25 to January 20 through March 
10 and extend the pollock C season dates from August 25 through 
September 15 to August 25 through October 1 in the Western and Central 
Regulatory Areas of the GOA. The proposed action also would change 
regulatory provisions for the rollover of a statistical area's 
unharvested pollock apportionment into the subsequent season. The 
rollover amount would be limited to 20 percent of the seasonal 
apportionment for the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above 
the 20 percent limit could be further distributed to the other 
statistical areas, in proportion to the estimated biomass in the 
subsequent season in those statistical areas.

Proposed ABC and TAC Specifications

    The proposed ABC and TAC for each species or species group are 
based on the best available biological and socioeconomic information, 
including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution 
of stock biomass, and revised methods used to calculate stock biomass. 
The Council and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) reviewed 
current biological and harvest information about the condition of 
groundfish stocks in the GOA in October 2004. Because of time 
constraints, the Advisory Panel (AP) did not make any recommendations 
to the Council regarding the proposed harvest specifications at its 
October meeting. Most of the information available to the SSC and to 
the Council was initially compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and 
was presented in the final 2003 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish 
fisheries, dated November 2003 (see ADDRESSES). The Plan Team annually 
produces such a document as the first step in the process of specifying 
TACs. The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific 
analyses and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological 
parameters and summaries of the available information on the GOA 
ecosystem and the economic condition of the groundfish fisheries off 
Alaska. From these data and analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC 
for each species category. The 2003 SAFE report will be updated to 
include new information collected during 2004. Revised stock 
assessments made available by the Plan Team in November 2004 and 
included in the final 2004 SAFE report, will be available in December 
2004. The final harvest specifications may be adjusted from the 
proposed harvest specifications based on the 2004 SAFE report.
    Based on the recommendations from the SSC for overfishing levels 
(OFLs) and ABCs, the Council recommended the OFLs and ABCs for stocks 
in tiers 1 through 3, except for pollock, be based on biomass 
projections as set forth in the 2003 SAFE report and on estimates of 
groundfish harvests through the 2004 and 2005 fishing years. The 
Council recommended that OFL and ABC levels for those stocks in tiers 4 
through 6, for which projections cannot be made, remain unchanged from 
2004 levels for 2005 and 2006.
    The SSC adopted the OFL and ABC recommendations from the Plan Team 
for all groundfish species. In the 2003 SAFE report, the 2005 and 2006 
ABC projections are 72,100 mt and 70,642 mt, respectively, for the 
combined Western, Central, and West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) GOA stock of 
pollock. The Plan Team did not endorse the ABC projections because the 
NMFS 2004 winter Shelikof survey estimates indicate that the biomass 
level is lower than projected and because it represents an increase 
from the 2004 ABC. The Plan Team recommended that the 2004 ABC of 
64,740 mt for the W/C/WYK pollock stock be rolled over in the proposed 
specifications for 2005 and 2006 given the apparently similar 2003 and 
2004 survey results from the NMFS' winter surveys in the GOA. The SSC 
concurred with the pollock assessment recommendation that OFL and ABC 
levels be unchanged from 2004 levels until a formal stock assessment 
can be completed in November 2004.
    As in 2004, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of 
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas include 
commercial fishery and survey data. NMFS stock assessment scientists 
believe that the use of unbiased commercial fishery data reflecting 
catch-per-unit effort provides a desirable input for stock distribution 
assessments. The use of commercial fishery data is evaluated annually 
to assure that unbiased information is included in stock distribution 
models. The Council's recommendation for sablefish area apportionments 
also takes into account the prohibition on the use of trawl gear in the 
Southeast Outside (SEO) District of the Eastern GOA and makes available 
5 percent of the combined Eastern GOA ABCs to trawl gear for use as 
incidental catch in other directed groundfish fisheries in the West 
Yakutat District.
    The SSC and Council recommended that the ABC for Pacific cod in the 
GOA be apportioned among regulatory areas based on the three most 
recent NMFS' summer trawl surveys. As in previous years, the Plan Team, 
SSC, and Council recommended that total removals of Pacific cod from 
the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. Accordingly, the Council 
recommended that the 2005 and 2006 TACs be adjusted downward from the 
ABCs by amounts equal to the 2005 guideline harvest levels (GHL) 
established for Pacific cod by the State of Alaska (State) for the 
state managed fisheries in the GOA. The effect of the State's GHL on 
the Pacific cod TAC is discussed in greater detail below. As in 2004, 
NMFS proposes for 2005 and 2006 to establish an A season directed 
fishing allowance (DFA) for the Pacific cod fisheries in the GOA based 
on the management area TACs less the recent average A season incidental 
catch of Pacific cod in each management area before June 10 (see Sec.  
679.20(d)(1)). The DFA and incidental catch before June 10 will be 
managed such that total harvest in the A season will be no more than 60 
percent of the annual TAC. Incidental catch taken after June 10 will 
continue

[[Page 70608]]

to be taken from the B season TAC. This action meets the intent of the 
Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures by achieving temporal dispersion 
of the Pacific cod removals and by reducing the likelihood of harvest 
exceeding 60 percent of the annual TAC in the A season (January 1 
through June 10).
    For 2005 and 2006, the Council recommends and NMFS proposes the 
ABCs listed in Tables 1 and 2. These amounts reflect harvest amounts 
that are less than the specified overfishing amounts. The sum of the 
ABCs for all assessed groundfish is 514,864 mt for 2005 and 515,240 mt 
for 2006, which is higher than the 2004 ABC of 507,092 mt (69 FR 26320, 
May 12, 2004).

Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts

    The Council recommended TACs for 2005 and 2006 that are equal to 
ABCs for pollock, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, sablefish, Pacific 
ocean perch, shortraker and rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, 
pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 
and Atka mackerel. The Council recommended TACs that are less than the 
ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth 
flounder, and other rockfish.
    The apportionment of annual pollock TAC among the Western and 
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the seasonal biomass 
distribution and is discussed in greater detail below. The annual 
pollock TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 
divided into four equal seasonal apportionments. Twenty-five percent of 
the annual TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 
is apportioned to the A season (January 20 through February 25), the B 
season (March 10 through May 31), the C season (August 25 through 
September 15), and the D season (October 1 through November 1) in 
Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630 of the GOA (see Sec.  
679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)). As 
discussed above, revised seasonal dates for the A and C season pollock 
fisheries would be effective with the implementation of the final rule 
for revising Steller sea lion protection measures (69 FR 56384, 
September 21, 2004).
    The 2005 and 2006 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's 
developing fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in the Central and 
Western GOA, as well as in Prince William Sound (PWS). The SSC and 
Council recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water Pacific 
cod removals not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the Council recommended 
that in 2005 the Pacific cod TAC be reduced from ABC levels to account 
for State GHLs in each regulatory area of the GOA. Therefore, 
respective TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 412 
mt; (2) Central GOA, 8,141 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 5,301 mt. For 2006, 
the Council recommended that the Pacific cod TAC be reduced from ABC 
levels to account for State GHLs in each regulatory area of the GOA. 
Therefore, the respective TACs are, therefore, reduced from ABCs as 
follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 338 mt; (2) Central GOA, 6,683 mt; and (3) 
Western GOA, 4,352 mt. These amounts reflect the sum of the State's 
2005 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 percent, 24.25 percent, and 25 
percent of the Eastern, Central, and Western GOA ABCs, respectively.
    NMFS also is establishing seasonal apportionments of the annual 
Pacific cod TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty 
percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-
line, pot or jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl 
gear from January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC 
is apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot or jig gear from 
September 1 through December 31, and for trawl gear from September 1 
through November 1 (see Sec. Sec.  679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(11)). 
These seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod TAC are 
discussed in greater detail below.
    The FMP specifies that the amount for the ``other species'' 
category is calculated as 5 percent of the combined TAC amounts for 
target species. The 2005 GOA-wide ``other species'' TAC is 12,584 mt 
and the 2006 TAC is 12,089 mt, which is 5 percent of the sum of the 
combined TAC amounts (251,681 mt for 2005 and 241,778 mt for 2006) for 
the assessed target species. The sum of the TACs for all GOA groundfish 
is 264,265 mt for 2005 and 253,867 mt for 2006, which is within the OY 
range specified by the FMP. The sum of the 2005 TACs and the sum of the 
2006 TACs are lower than the 2004 TAC sum of 271,776 mt.
    NMFS finds that the Council's recommendations for proposed OFL, 
ABC, and TAC amounts are consistent with the biological condition of 
groundfish stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic 
considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the required 
OY range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt. The proposed 2005 and 2006 ABCs, 
TACs, and OFLs are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1--Proposed 2005 ABCs, TACs, and Overfishing Levels of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/
C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside
                            (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska.
                                 (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Overfishing
              Totals                   Species        Area\1\          ABC            TAC             level
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pollock\2\     Shumagin       22,930         22,930         ................
                                                    (610)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  Chirikof       26,490         26,490         ................
                                                    (620)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  Kodiak (630)   14,040         14,040         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK (640)      1,280          1,280          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                            .............  W/C/WYK        64,740         64,740         91,060
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO (650)      6,520          6,520          8,690
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  71,260         71,260         99,750
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific        W              21,204         15,903         ................
                                     cod\3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70609]]

 
                                    .............  C              33,573         25,432         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              4,123          3,711          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  58,900         45,046         78,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flatfish\4\    W              310            310            ................
                                     (deep-water)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              2,970          2,970          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            1,880          1,880          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            910            910            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  6,070          6,070          8,010
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rex sole       W              1,680          1,680          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              7,340          7,340          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            1,340          1,340          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            2,290          2,290          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  12,650         12,650         16,480
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flathead sole  W              11,694         2,000          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              30,024         5,000          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            2,992          2,992          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            390            390            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  45,100         10,382         56,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flatfish\5\    W              21,580         4,500          ................
                                     (shallow-
                                     water)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              27,250         13,000         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            2,030          2,030          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            1,210          1,210          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  52,070         20,740         63,840
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Arrowtooth     W              26,249         8,000          ................
                                     flounder
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              168,953        25,000         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            11,787         2,500          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            9,911          2,500          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  216,900        38,000         253,900
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Sablefish\6\   W              2,411          2,411          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              5,892          5,892          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            2,036          2,036          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            3,053          3,053          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                            .............  E              5,089          5,089          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  13,392         13,392         19,008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70610]]

 
                                    Pacific ocean  W              2,489          2,489          2,964
                                     perch\7\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              8,253          8,253          9,828
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            802            802            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            1,556          1,556          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                            .............  E              .............  2,358          2,808
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  13,100         13,100         15,600
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Shortraker/    W              254            254            ................
                                     rougheye\8\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              656            656            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              408            408            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  1,318          1,318          2,510
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          W              40             40             ................
                                     rockfish\9,1
                                     0\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              300            300            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            130            130            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            3,430          200            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  3,900          670            5,150
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Northern       W              730            730            ................
                                     rockfish\10,
                                     11,15\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              3,870          3,870          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              N/A            N/A            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  4,600          4,600          5,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pelagic shelf  W              370            370            ................
                                     rockfish\12\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              3,010          3,010          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            210            210            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            880            880            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  4,470          4,470          5,570
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Thornyhead     W              410            410            ................
                                     rockfish
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              1,010          1,010          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              520            520            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  1,940          1,940          2,590
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Big/           C              4,435          3,284          ................
                                     longnose\13\
                                     skates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          GW             3,709          3,709          ................
                                     skates\14\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  8,144          6,993          10,859
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Demersal       SEO            450            450            690
                                     shelf
                                     rockfish\16\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70611]]

 
                                    Atka mackerel  GW             600            600            6,200
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          GW             N/A            12,584         N/A
                                     species\17\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL\18\                           .............  .............  514,864        264,265        650,457
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec.   679.2.
2. Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the
  Aseason, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass at
  25 percent, 56 percent, and 19 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B
  season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 25 percent, 66 percent,
  and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the
  apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 47 percent, 23 percent, and 30
  percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal apportionments are shown in Table
  5. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided
  into seasonal allowances.
3.The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the
  Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
  inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Seasonal apportionments and
  component allocations of TAC are shown in Tables 6 and 7.
4. ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5. ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
  arrowtooth flounder.
6. Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears (Tables 3 and 4).
7. ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
8. ``Shortraker/rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis (shortraker) and S. aleutianus (rougheye).
9. ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope
  rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means Slope
  rockfish.
10. ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
  S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
  wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
  (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
  (vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern GOA only, slope rockfish also includes northern
  rockfish, S. polyspinous.
11. ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.
12. ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus
  (yellowtail).
13. Big skate means Raja binoculata and longnose skate means Raja rhina.
14. Other skates means big and long nose skates in the E and W GOA and Bathyraja spp. Gulfwide.
15. N/A means not applicable.
16. ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S.
  maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
17. ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species'',
  the TAC for ``other species'' equals 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
18. The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.


Table 2--Proposed 2006 ABCs, TACs, and Overfishing Levels of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/
C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C), Eastern (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside
                            (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska.
                                 (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Overfishing
               Total                   Species        Area\1\          ABC            TAC             level
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pollock\2\     Shumagin       22,930         22,930         ................
                                                    (610)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  Chirikof       26,490         26,490         ................
                                                    (620)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  Kodiak (630)   14,040         14,040         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK (640)      1,280          1,280          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                            .............  W/C/WYK        64,740         64,740         91,060
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO (650)      6,520          6,520          8,690
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  71,260         71,260         99,750
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific        W              17,406         13,054         ................
                                     cod\3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              27,560         20,877         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              3,384          3,046          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  48,350         36,977         63,950
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flatfish\4\    W              310            310            ................
                                     (deep-water)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70612]]

 
                                    .............  C              2,970          2,970          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            1,880          1,880          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            910            910            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  6,070          6,070          8,010
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rex sole       W              1,680          1,680          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              7,340          7,340          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            1,340          1,340          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            2,290          2,290          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  12,650         12,650         16,480
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flathead sole  W              11,111         2,000          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              28,527         5,000          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            2,842          2,842          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            370            370            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  42,850         10,212         53,850
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flatfish\5\    W              21,580         4,500          ................
                                     (shallow-
                                     water)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              27,250         13,000         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            2,030          2,030          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            1,210          1,210          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  52,070         20,740         63,840
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Arrowtooth     W              27,924         8,000          ................
                                     flounder
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              179,734        25,000         ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            12,539         2,500          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            10,543         2,500          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  230,740        38,000         270,050
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Sablefish\6\   W              2,237          2,237          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              5,468          5,468          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            1,889          1,889          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            2,834          2,834          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                            .............  E              4,723          4,723          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  12,428         12,428         17,633
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific ocean  W              2,419          2,419          2,872
                                     perch\7\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              8,020          8,020          9,526
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            779            779            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            1,512          1,512          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70613]]

 
Subtotal                            .............  E              .............  2,291          2,722
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  12,730         12,730         15,120
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Shortraker/    W              254            254            ................
                                     rougheye\8\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              656            656            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              408            408            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  1,318          1,318          2,510
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          W              40             40             ................
                                     rockfish\9,1
                                     0\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              300            300            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            130            130            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            3,430          200            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  3,900          670            5,150
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Northern       W              678            678            ................
                                     rockfish\10,
                                     11,15\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              3,592          3,592          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              N/A            N/A            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  4,270          4,270          5,070
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pelagic shelf  W              370            370            ................
                                     rockfish\12\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              3,010          3,010          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  WYK            210            210            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  SEO            880            880            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  4,470          4,470          5,570
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Thornyhead     W              410            410            ................
                                     rockfish
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  C              1,010          1,010          ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    .............  E              520            520            ................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  1,940          1,940          2,590
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Big/           C              4,435          3,284          ................
                                     longnose\13\
                                     skates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          GW             3,709          3,709          ................
                                     skates\14\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                               .............  .............  8,144          6,993          10,859
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Demersal       SEO            450            450            690
                                     shelf
                                     rockfish\16\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Atka mackerel  GW             600            600            6,200
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other          GW             N/A            12,089         N/A
                                     species\17\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL\18\                           .............  .............  514,240        253,867        647,272
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec.   679.2.

[[Page 70614]]

 
2. Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A
  season, the apportionment is based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass at
  25 percent, 56 percent, and 19 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B
  season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 25 percent, 66 percent,
  and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the
  apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 47 percent, 23 percent, and 30
  percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal apportionments are shown in Table
  5. In the WestYakutat and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal
  allowances.
3. The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to an A season and 40 percent to a B season in the
  Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod is allocated 90 percent for processing by the
  inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Seasonal apportionments and
  component allocations of TAC are shown in Tables 6 and 7.
4. ``Deep water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, and deepsea sole.
5. ``Shallow water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
  arrowtooth flounder.
6. Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gears (Tables 3 and 4).
7. ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
8. ``Shortraker/rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis (shortraker) and S. aleutianus (rougheye).
9. ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope
  rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The category ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District means Slope
  rockfish.
10. ``Slope rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
  S.goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
  wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
  (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
  (vermilion), and S. reedi (yellowmouth). In the Eastern GOA only, slope rockfish also includes northern
  rockfish, S. polyspinous.
11. ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.
12. ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus
  (yellowtail).
13. Big skate means Raja binoculata and longnose skate means Raja rhina.
14. Other skates means big and long nose skates in the E and W GOA and Bathyraja spp. Gulfwide.
15. N/A means not applicable.
16. ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S.
  maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
17. ``Other species'' means sculpins, sharks, squid, and octopus. There is no OFL or ABC for ``other species'',
  the TAC for ``other species'' equals 5 percent of the TACs for assessed target species.
18. The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.

Proposed Apportionment of Reserves

    Regulations at Sec.  679.20(b)(2) require 20 percent of each TAC 
for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and the ``other species'' category 
be set aside in reserves for possible apportionment at a later date. In 
2004, NMFS reapportioned all of the reserves in the final harvest 
specifications. For 2005 and 2006, NMFS proposes apportionment of all 
of the reserve for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, and ``other 
species.'' Specifications of TAC shown in Tables 1 and 2 reflect 
apportionment of reserve amounts for these species and species groups.

Proposed Apportionments of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using 
Hook-and-Line and Trawl Gear

    Under Sec.  679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii), sablefish TACs for each of 
the regulatory areas and districts are allocated to hook-and-line and 
trawl gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent of 
each TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of each TAC 
is allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent 
of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line gear, and 5 percent is 
allocated to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation in the Eastern 
Regulatory Area may only be used to support incidental catch of 
sablefish in directed fisheries for other target species (see Sec.  
679.20(a)(1)). In recognition of the trawl ban in the SEO District of 
the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council recommended and NMFS concurs 
that 5 percent of the combined Eastern GOA sablefish TAC be allocated 
to trawl gear in the WYK District and the remainder to vessels using 
hook-and-line gear. In the SEO District, 100 percent of the sablefish 
TAC is allocated to vessels using hook-and-line gear. The Council 
recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be established biennially. 
This recommendation results in an allocation of 254 mt to trawl gear 
and 1,782 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District, of 3,053 mt to 
hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in 2005, and of 236 mt to trawl 
gear in the WYK District in 2006. Tables 3 and 4 shows the allocations 
of the proposed 2005 and 2006 sablefish TACs between hook-and-line and 
trawl gear.

   Table 3--Proposed 2005 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of
     Alaska and Allocations Thereof to Hook-and-Line and Trawl Gear.
             (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Hook-and-line         Trawl
  Area/District           TAC           apportionment     apportionment
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western            2,411              1,929             482
Central            5,892              4,714             1,178
West Yakutat       2,036              1,782             254
Southeast Outside  3,053              3,053             0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total              13,392             11,478            1,914
------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Table 4--Proposed 2006 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of
              Alaska and Allocations Thereof to Trawl Gear.
             (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Hook-and-line          Trawl
  Area/District          TAC          apportionment\1\    apportionment
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western           2,237             n/a                  447

[[Page 70615]]

 
Central           5,468             n/a                  1,094
West Yakutat      1,889             n/a                  236
Southeast         2,834             n/a                  0
 Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             12,428            n/a                  1,777
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line
  gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to 1 year to ensure that those
  fisheries are conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery.

Proposed Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among Seasons and Regulatory 
Areas, and Allocations for Processing by Inshore and Offshore 
Components

    In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by season and area, and is 
further allocated for processing by inshore and offshore components. 
Under regulations at Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B), the annual pollock TAC 
specified for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 
apportioned into four equal seasonal allowances of 25 percent. As 
established by Sec.  679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D 
season allowances are available from January 20 through February 25, 
March 10 through May 31, August 25 through September 15, and October 1 
through November 1, respectively. As discussed previously, if the 
proposed revision of Steller sea lion protection measures (69 FR 56384, 
September 21, 2004) is approved, the A season dates would be changed to 
January 20 through March 10 and the C season dates would be changed to 
August 25 through October 1.
    Pollock TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 
in the A and B seasons are apportioned among statistical areas 610, 
620, and 630 in proportion to the distribution of pollock biomass as 
determined by a composite of NMFS winter surveys and in the C and D 
seasons in proportion to the distribution of pollock biomass as 
determined by the four most recent NMFS summer surveys. As in 2004, the 
Council recommended that during the A season, the winter and summer 
distribution of pollock be averaged in the Central Regulatory Area to 
better reflect the distribution of pollock and the performance of the 
fishery in the area during the A season for the 2005 and 2006 fishing 
years. Within any fishing year, the underage or overage of a seasonal 
allowance may be added to or subtracted from subsequent seasonal 
allowances in a manner to be determined by the Regional Administrator, 
provided that the sum of the revised seasonal allowances does not 
exceed 30 percent of the annual TAC apportionment for the Central and 
Western Regulatory Areas in the GOA (Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)). For 
2005 and 2006, 30 percent of the proposed annual TAC for the Central 
and Western Regulatory Areas is 19,308 mt. As discussed previously, 
approval of the proposed revision to Steller sea lion protection 
measures would alter the way NMFS handles rollovers. The rollover 
amount would be limited to 20 percent of the seasonal apportionment for 
the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above the 20 percent 
limit could be further distributed to the other statistical areas, in 
proportion to the estimated biomass in the subsequent season in those 
statistical areas. Because the harvest of pollock is apportioned among 
four seasons, the 20 percent seasonal apportionment rollover limit 
would be equivalent annually to the 30-percent annual rollover limit 
currently in the regulations. The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs of 
1,280 mt and 6,520 mt, respectively, are not allocated seasonally.
    Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires that 100 percent of the pollock 
TAC in all regulatory areas and of all seasonal allowances be allocated 
to vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component 
after subtraction of amounts that are projected by the Regional 
Administrator to be caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component 
incidental to directed fishing for other groundfish species. The amount 
of pollock available for harvest by vessels harvesting pollock for 
processing by the offshore component is that amount actually taken as 
incidental catch during directed fishing for groundfish species other 
than pollock, up to the maximum retainable amounts allowed under Sec.  
679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch amounts are 
unknown and will be determined during the fishing year.
    The proposed seasonal biomass distribution of pollock in the 
Western and Central GOA, area apportionments, and seasonal 
apportionments for the A, B, C, and D seasons are summarized in Table 
5.

 Table 5--Proposed 2005 and 2006 Distribution of Pollock in the Central
  and Western Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska; Seasonal Biomass
  Distribution, Area Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual
                                  TAC.
             (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Biomass Distribution
              ----------------------------------------------------------
    Season        Shumagin       Chirikof     Kodiak (Area
                 (Area 610)     (Area 620)        630)          Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A              3,747          9,027 (56.9%)  3,091          15,865
                (23.63%)                      (19.48%)       (100%)
B              3,748          10,704         1,413 (8.91%)  15,865
                (23.63%)       (67.47%)                      (100%)
C              7,717          3,380 (21.3%)  4,768          15,865
                (48.64%)                      (30.06%)       (100%)
D              7,718          3,379          4,768          15,865
                (48.64%)       (21.33%)       (30.06%)       (100%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Total   22,930         26,490         14,040         63,460
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 70616]]

Proposed Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific Cod TAC and Allocations for 
Processing of Pacific Cod TAC Between Inshore and Offshore Components

    Pacific cod fishing is divided into two seasons in the Western and 
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. For hook-and-line, pot and jig 
gear, the A season is January 1 through June 10, and the B season is 
September 1 through December 31. For trawl gear, the A season is 
January 20 through June 10, and the B season is September 1 through 
November 1, (Sec.  679.23(d)(3)). After subtraction of incidental 
catch, 60 percent and 40 percent of the annual TAC will be available 
for harvest during the A and B seasons, respectively, and will be 
apportioned between the inshore and offshore processing components as 
provided in Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii). Between the A and the B seasons, 
directed fishing for Pacific cod is closed, and fishermen participating 
in other directed fisheries may retain Pacific cod up to the maximum 
retainable amounts allowed under Sec.  679.20(e) and (f). For purposes 
of clarification, NMFS points out that the dates for the A season and 
the B season Pacific cod fisheries differ from those of the A, B, C, 
and D seasons for the pollock fisheries. In accordance with Sec.  
679.20(a)(11)(ii), any overage or underage of Pacific cod allowance 
from the A season may be subtracted from or added to the subsequent B 
season allowance.
    Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires that the TAC apportionment of 
Pacific cod in all regulatory areas be allocated to vessels catching 
Pacific cod for processing by the inshore and offshore components. 
Ninety percent of the Pacific cod TAC in each regulatory area is 
allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore 
component. The remaining 10 percent of the TAC is allocated to vessels 
catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. These 
seasonal apportionments and allocations of the proposed 2005 and 2006 
Pacific cod TACs are shown in Tables 6 and 7, respectively.

Table 6--Proposed 2005 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific
Cod TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska; Allocations for Processing by the
                    Inshore and Offshore Components.
             (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Component allocation
                 Regulatory                 ----------------------------
    Season          area           TAC                        Offshore
                                             Inshore (90%)      (10%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Western        15,903         14,313         1,590
A season       .............  9,542          8,588          954
 (60%)
B season       .............  6,361          5,726          635
 (40%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Central        25,432         22,889         2,543
A season       .............  15,259         13,733         1,526
 (60%)
B season       .............  10,173         9,156          1,017
 (40%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Eastern        3,711          3,340          371
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                         45,046         40,542         4,504
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table 7--Proposed 2006 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific
Cod TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska; Allocations for Processing by the
                    Inshore and Offshore Components.
             (Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Component allocation
                 Regulatory                 ----------------------------
    Season          area           TAC                        Offshore
                                             Inshore (90%)      (10%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Western        13,054         11,749         1,305
A season       .............  7,832          7,049          783
 (60%)
B season       .............  5,222          4,700          522
 (40%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Central        20,877         18,789         2,088
A season       .............  12,526         11,273         1,253
 (60%)
B season       .............  8,351          7,516          835
 (40%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Eastern        3,046          2,741          305
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                         36,977         33,279         3,698
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposed Halibut PSC Limits

    In accordance with regulations at Sec.  679.21(d), annual halibut 
PSC limits are established and apportioned to trawl and hook-and-line 
gear and may be established for pot gear. In October 2004, the Council 
recommended that NMFS maintain the 2004 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt 
for the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the hook-and-line fisheries, 
with 10 mt of the hook-and-line limit allocated to the demersal shelf 
rockfish (DSR) fishery in the SEO District and the remainder to the 
remaining hook-and-line fisheries for the 2005 and 2006 groundfish 
fisheries. Historically, the DSR fishery, defined at Sec.  
679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A), has been apportioned this amount in recognition 
of its small scale harvests. Although observer data are not available 
to verify actual bycatch amounts, given most vessels in the DSR fishery 
are less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) and thus are exempt 
from observer coverage, halibut bycatch in the DSR fishery is assumed 
to be low because of the short soak times for the gear and duration of 
the DSR fishery. Also, the DSR fishery

[[Page 70617]]

occurs in the winter when less overlap occurs in the distribution of 
DSR and halibut.
    Section 679.21(d)(4) authorizes the exemption of specified non-
trawl fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. The Council recommended 
that pot gear, jig gear, and the hook-and-line sablefish fishery be 
exempted from the non-trawl halibut limit for 2005 and 2006. The 
Council recommended these exemptions because (1) the pot gear fisheries 
experience low halibut bycatch mortality (4 mt in 2001, 2 mt in 2002, 
14 mt in 2003, and 23 mt through October 9, 2004); (2) the Individual 
Fishing Quota (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; and (3) halibut mortality for 
the jig gear fleet cannot be estimated because these vessels do not 
carry observers. Halibut mortality is assumed to be very low, given the 
small amount of groundfish harvested by jig gear (336 mt in 2001, 277 
mt in 2002, and 294 mt in 2003), and survival rates of any halibut 
incidentally caught by jig gear and released are assumed to be high.
    Under Sec.  679.21(d)(5), NMFS seasonally apportions the halibut 
PSC limits based on recommendations from the Council. The FMP and 
regulations require that the Council and NMFS consider the following 
information in seasonally apportioning halibut PSC limits: (1) seasonal 
distribution of halibut, (2) seasonal distribution of target groundfish 
species relative to halibut distribution, (3) expected halibut bycatch 
needs on a seasonal basis relative to changes in halibut biomass and 
expected catch of target groundfish species, (4) expected bycatch rates 
on a seasonal basis, (5) expected changes in directed groundfish 
fishing seasons, (6) expected actual start of fishing effort, and (7) 
economic effects of establishing seasonal halibut allocations on 
segments of the target groundfish industry.
    The final 2004 groundfish and PSC specifications (69 FR 9261, 
February 27, 2004) summarized the Council and NMFS findings with 
respect to each of the FMP considerations set forth here. At this time, 
the Council's and NMFS' findings are unchanged from those set forth in 
2004. The proposed Pacific halibut PSC limits and apportionments for 
2005 and 2006 are presented in Table 8. Section 679.21, paragraphs 
(d)(5)(iii) and (d)(5)(iv) specify that any underages or overages in a 
seasonal apportionment of a PSC limit will be deducted from or added to 
the next respective seasonal apportionment within the 2005 and 2006 
fishing years.

 Table 8--Proposed 2005 and 2006 Pacific halibut PSC limits, allowances,
and apportionments. The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear
 is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries
   other than DSR. The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from
                           halibut PSC limits.
                       (Values are in metric tons)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Trawl gear                       Hook-and-line gear
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Other than DSR                DSR
    Dates       Amount  ------------------------------------------------
                              Dates        Amount      Date       Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20 -   550       January 1 -      250      January 1 -   10
 April 1        (27.5%)   June 10          (86%)    December 31   (100%)
April 1 -      400       June 10 -        5 (2%)   ............  .......
 July 1         (20%)     September 1
July 1 -       600       September 1 -    35       ............  .......
 September 1    (30%)     December 31      (12%)
September 1 -  150       ...............  .......  ............  .......
 October 1      (7.5%)
October 1 -    300       ...............  .......  ............  .......
 December 31    (15%)
Total:         2,000     ...............  290      ............  10
                (100%)                     (100%)                 (100%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes apportionments of the trawl 
halibut PSC limit to be further apportioned to trawl fishery 
categories, based on each category's proportional share of the 
anticipated halibut bycatch mortality during a fishing year and the 
need to optimize the total amount of groundfish harvest under the 
halibut PSC limit. The fishery categories for the trawl halibut PSC 
limits are (1) a deep-water species complex, comprised of sablefish, 
rockfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole and arrowtooth flounder; and 
(2) a shallow-water species complex, comprised of pollock, Pacific cod, 
shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel, skates, and 
``other species'' (see Sec.  679.21(d)(3)(iii)). The proposed 2005 and 
2006 apportionment for these two fishery complexes is presented in 
Table 9.

  Table 9--Proposed 2005 and 2006 apportionment of Pacific halibut PSC
 trawl limits between the trawl gear deep-water species complex and the
                     shallow-water species complex.
                       (Values are in metric tons)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Season         Shallow-water       Deep-water           Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20 -       450                100               550
 April 1
April 1 - July 1   100                300               400
July 1 -           200                400               600
 September 1
September 1 -      150                Any remainder     150
 October 1
Subtotal           .................  ................  ................
January 20 -       900                800               1,700
 October 1
                  -------------------------------------
October 1 -                    - - - - - -              300
 December 31
                  -------------------------------------
Total              - - -              - - -             2,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water fishery complexes
  during the 5th season (October 1 - December 31).


[[Page 70618]]

    Based on public comment and information contained in the final 2004 
SAFE report, which will be available in December 2004, the Council may 
recommend, or NMFS may make, changes in the seasonal, gear-type, or 
fishing-complex apportionments of halibut PSC limits for the final 2005 
and 2006 harvest specifications. NMFS will consider the following types 
of information in setting final halibut PSC limits.

Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior Years

    The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch is data 
collected by observers during 2004. The calculated halibut bycatch 
mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gear through October 9, 
2004, is 2,271 mt, 295 mt, and 23 mt, respectively, for a total halibut 
mortality of 2,589 mt.
    Halibut bycatch restrictions constrained trawl gear fisheries 
seasonally during the 2004 fishing year. Trawling closed during the 
fourth season for the shallow-water complex on September 10 (69 FR 
55783, September 16, 2004, 2003); trawling closed during the first 
season for the deep-water fishery complex on March 19 (69 FR 12980, 
March 19, 2004), during the second season on April 26 (69 FR 23450, 
April 29, 2004), during the third and fourth seasons on July 25 (69 FR 
44973, July 28, 2004), and during the fifth season for all trawling for 
the remainder of the year on October 1 (69 FR 57655, September 27, 
2004). The use of hook-and-line for groundfish, other than DSR and 
sablefish, closed during the third season for the remainder of the year 
on October 2 (69 FR 59835, October 6, 2004).
    The amount of groundfish that trawl gear might have harvested if 
halibut catch limitations had not restricted the season in 2004 is 
unknown.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks

    Proposed 2005 and 2006 ABCs for arrowtooth flounder are higher than 
those established for 2004. The Council adopted lower 2005 and 2006 
ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole, sablefish, northern rockfish, and 
Pacific ocean perch. For the remaining targets the Council recommended 
that ABC levels remain unchanged from 2004. More information on these 
changes is included in the final SAFE report (November 2003) and in the 
Council and SSC October 2004 meeting minutes.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Catch

    The total TAC amounts for the GOA are 264,265 mt for 2005, and 
253,867 mt for 2006, a decrease of about 3 percent in 2005 and about 7 
percent in 2006 from the 2004 TAC total of 271,776 mt. Those fisheries 
for which the 2005 and 2006 TACs are lower than those in 2004 are 
Pacific cod (decreased to 45,046 mt in 2005 and 36,977 mt in 2006 from 
48,003 mt in 2004), flathead sole (decreased to 10,382 mt in 2005 and 
10,212 mt in 2006 from 10,880 mt in 2004), sablefish (decreased to 
13,392 mt in 2005 and 12,428 mt in 2006 from 16,550 mt in 2004), 
northern rockfish (decreased to 4,600 mt in 2005 and 4,270 mt in 2006 
from 4,870 mt in 2004), Pacific ocean perch (decreased to 13,100 mt in 
2005 and 12,730 mt in 2006 from 13,340 mt in 2004), and ``other 
species'' (decreased to 12,584 mt in 2005 and 12,089 mt in 2006 from 
12,942 mt in 2004).

Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition

    The most recent halibut stock assessment was conducted by the 
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) in December 2003. The 
halibut resource is considered to be healthy, with total catch near 
record levels. The current exploitable halibut biomass in Alaska for 
2004 was estimated to be 215,912 mt.
    The exploitable biomass of the Pacific halibut stock apparently 
peaked at 326,520 mt in 1988. According to the IPHC, the long-term 
average reproductive biomass for the Pacific halibut resource was 
estimated at 118,000 mt. Long-term average yield was estimated at 
26,980 mt, round weight. The species is fully utilized. Recent average 
catches (1994-2003) in the commercial halibut fisheries in Alaska have 
averaged 34,100 mt, round weight. This catch in Alaska is 26 percent 
higher than long-term potential yield for the entire halibut stock, 
which reflects the good condition of the Pacific halibut resource. In 
January 2004, the IPHC recommended commercial catch limits totaling 
37,029 mt (round weight equivalents) for Alaska in 2004. Through 
December 31, 2003, commercial hook-and line harvests of halibut in 
Alaska totaled 37,723 mt (round weight equivalents).
    The December 2003 assessment of the halibut stock contains a number 
of major changes including the adoption of length-specific in place of 
age-specific selectivities, separate accounting of females and males, 
allowance for the bias and variance of age readings, and, for the first 
time, analytical rather than survey-based estimates of abundance in 
Areas 3B, 4A, and 4B. Estimates of average recruitment (1974-2004) in 
Areas 2C and 3A are higher than those last year by 20 to 50 percent, 
but estimates of exploitable biomass in those areas are lower because 
they are computed with an updated set of length-specific commercial 
selectivities that accurately represent the lower size at age and the 
presence of a large number of small males. While the trajectory of the 
halibut stock biomass is downward, the biomass is still above the long-
term average level and is expected to remain above this level for the 
next several years.
    The 2004 catch limits are based on the Commission's existing 
Constant Exploitation Yield harvest policy. Over the coming year, IPHC 
staff will continue to investigate a new harvest policy, the 
Conditional Constant Catch (CCC) policy, which may result in greater 
stability in the yield from the fishery and insulate the process of 
setting catch limits from technological changes in the assessment.
    Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment and 
the CCC harvest policy may be found in the IPHC's 2003 Pacific halibut 
stock assessment (December 2003), available from the IPHC and on its 
website at www.iphc.washington.edu. The IPHC will consider the 2004 
Pacific halibut assessment for 2005 at its January 2005 annual meeting 
when it sets the 2005 commercial halibut fishery quotas.

Other Factors

    The allowable commercial catch of halibut will be adjusted to 
account for the overall halibut PSC mortality limit established for 
groundfish fisheries. The 2005 and 2006 groundfish fisheries are 
expected to use the entire proposed annual halibut PSC limit of 2,300 
mt. The allowable directed commercial catch is determined by accounting 
for the recreational and subsistence catch, waste, and bycatch 
mortality and then providing the remainder to the directed fishery. 
Groundfish fishing is not expected to adversely affect the halibut 
stocks. Methods available for reducing halibut bycatch include (1) 
publication of individual vessel bycatch rates on the NMFS Alaska 
Region website at www.fakr.noaa.gov; (2) modifications to gear, (3) 
changes in groundfish fishing seasons, (4) individual transferable 
quota programs, and (5) time/area closures.
    Reductions in groundfish TAC amounts provide no incentive for 
fishermen to reduce bycatch rates. Costs that would be imposed on 
fishermen as a result of reducing TAC amounts depend on the species and 
amounts of groundfish foregone.
    In Sec.  679.2, the definition of Authorized fishing gear, 
paragraph 12, specifies requirements for biodegradable

[[Page 70619]]

panels and tunnel openings for groundfish pots to reduce halibut 
bycatch. As a result, low bycatch and mortality rates of halibut in pot 
fisheries have justified exempting pot gear from PSC limits.
    The regulations also define ``Pelagic trawl gear'' in a manner 
intended to reduce bycatch of halibut by displacing fishing effort off 
the bottom of the sea floor when certain halibut bycatch levels are 
reached during the fishing year. The definition provides standards for 
physical conformation (Sec.  679.2, see ``Authorized fishing gear,'' 
paragraph 11) and performance of the trawl gear in terms of crab 
bycatch (Sec.  679.7(a)(14)). Furthermore, all hook-and-line vessel 
operators are required to employ careful release measures when handling 
halibut bycatch (Sec.  679.7(a)(13)). These measures are intended to 
reduce handling mortality, thereby lowering overall halibut bycatch 
mortality in the groundfish fisheries, and to increase the amount of 
groundfish harvested under the available halibut mortality bycatch 
limits.
    NMFS and the Council will review the methods available for reducing 
halibut bycatch listed here to determine their effectiveness and will 
initiate changes, as necessary, in response to this review or to public 
testimony and comment.

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates

    The Council recommends and NMFS concurs that the recommended 
halibut discard mortality rates (DMRs) developed by the staff of the 
IPHC for the 2004 GOA groundfish fisheries be used to monitor halibut 
bycatch mortality limits established for the 2005 and 2006 GOA 
groundfish fisheries. The IPHC recommended the use of long-term average 
DMRs for the 2004-2006 groundfish fisheries. The IPHC recommendation 
also includes a provision that DMRs could be revised should analysis 
indicate that a fishery's annual DMR deviates substantially (up or 
down) from the long-term average. Most of the IPHC's analysis assumed 
DMRs were based on an average of mortality rates determined from NMFS 
observer data collected between 1993 and 2002. DMRs were lacking for 
some fisheries; in those instances rates from the most recent years 
were used. For the ``other species'' and skate fisheries, where 
insufficient mortality data are available, the mortality rate of 
halibut caught in the Pacific cod fishery for that gear type was 
recommended as a default rate. The DMRs proposed for 2005 and 2006 are 
unchanged from those used in 2004 in the GOA. The DMRs for hook-and-
line targeted fisheries range from 8 to 13 percent. The DMRs for trawl 
targeted fisheries range from 57 to 75 percent. The DMRs for all pot 
targeted fisheries are 17 percent. The proposed DMRs for 2005 and 2006 
are listed in Table 10. The justification for these DMRs is discussed 
in Appendix B to the final SAFE report dated November 2003.

  Table 10--Proposed 2005 and 2006 Halibut Discard Mortality Rates for
                 Vessels Fishing in the Gulf of Alaska.
   (Listed values are percent of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Gear                 Target                    Mortality Rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-     Other species                13
 line
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Skates                       13
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Pacific cod                  13
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Rockfish                     8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl         Arrowtooth flounder          69
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Atka mackerel                60
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Deep-water flatfish          57
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Flathead sole                62
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Nonpelagic pollock           59
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Other species                61
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Skates                       61
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Pacific cod                  61
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Pelagic pollock              75
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Rex sole                     62
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Rockfish                     67
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Sablefish                    62
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Shallow-water flatfish       68
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pot           Other species                17
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Skates                       17
             -----------------------------------------------------------
              Pacific cod                  17
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-exempt American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher Vessel Groundfish 
Harvest and PSC Limitations

    Regulations at Sec.  679.64 established groundfish harvesting and 
processing sideboard limitations on AFA catcher/processors and catcher 
vessels in the GOA. These sideboard limitations are necessary to 
protect the interests of fishermen and processors who have not directly 
benefited from the AFA from fishermen and processors who have received 
exclusive harvesting and processing privileges under the AFA. Under the 
AFA regulations at Sec.  679.4 (l)(2)(i), listed AFA catcher/processors 
are prohibited from fishing for any species of fish (see Sec.  
679.7(k)(1)(ii)) and from processing any groundfish harvested in 
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA (see Sec.  679.7(k)(1)(iv)). The 
Council recommended that certain AFA catcher vessels in the GOA be 
exempt from groundfish harvest limitations. The AFA regulations exempt 
AFA catcher vessels in the GOA less than 125 ft (38.1 m) LOA whose 
annual BSAI pollock landings totaled less than 5,100 mt and that made 
40 or more GOA groundfish landings from 1995 through 1997 (see Sec.  
679.64(b)(2)(ii)).
    For non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the GOA, sideboards 
limitations are based on their traditional harvest levels of TAC in 
groundfish fisheries covered by the GOA FMP. The AFA regulations base 
the groundfish sideboard limitations in the GOA on the retained catch 
by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels of each sideboard species from 1995 
through 1997 divided by the TAC for that species over the same period 
(Sec.  679.64(b)(3)(iii)). These amounts are listed in Table 11 for 
2005 and in Table 12 for 2006. All harvests of sideboard species made 
by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels, whether as targeted catch or as 
incidental catch, will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Tables 
11 and 12.

[[Page 70620]]



  Table 11--Proposed 2005 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher
          Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations.
                       (Values are in metric tons)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Ratio of 1995-             2005 non-
              Apportionments and    1997 non-                exempt AFA
  Species    allocations by area/ exempt AFA CV  2005 TAC     catcher
              season/processor/   catch to 1995-               vessel
                     gear            1997 TAC                sideboard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock      A Season (W/C areas  .............  ........  .............
              only)
             January 20 -
              February 25
             Shumagin (610)       0.6112         3,747     2,290
             Chirikof (620)       0.1427         9,027     1,288
             Kodiak (630)         0.2438         3,091     754
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             B Season (W/C areas  .............  ........  .............
              only)
             March 10 - May 31
             Shumagin (610)       0.6112         3,748     2,291
             Chirikof (620)       0.1427         10,704    1,527
             Kodiak (630)         0.2438         1,413     344
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             C Season (W/C areas  .............  ........  .............
              only)
             August 25 -
              September 15
             Shumagin (610)       0.6112         7,717     4,717
             Chirikof (620)       0.1427         3,380     482
             Kodiak (630)         0.2438         4,768     1,162
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             D Season (W/C areas  .............  ........  .............
              only)
             October 1 -
              November 1
             Shumagin (610)       0.6112         7,717     3,362
             Chirikof (620)       0.1427         3,379     383
             Kodiak (630)         0.2438         4,768     1,162
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             Annual               .............  ........  .............
             WYK (640)            0.3499         1,280     448
             SEO (650)            0.3499         6,520     2,281
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod  A Season\1\          .............  ........  .............
             January 1 - June 10
             W inshore            0.1423         8,588     1,222
             W offshore           0.1026         954       98
             C inshore            0.0722         13,733    992
             C offshore           0.0721         1,526     110
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             B Season\2\          .............  ........  .............
             September 1 -
              December 31
             W inshore            0.1423         5,726     815
             W offshore           0.1026         636       65
             C inshore            0.0722         9,156     661
             C offshore           0.0721         1,071     77
             ...................  .............  ........  .............
             Annual               .............  ........  .............
             E inshore            0.0079         3,340     26
             E offshore           0.0078         371       3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish     W                    0.0000         310       0
 deep-water
             C                    0.0670         2,970     199
             E                    0.0171         2,790     48
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole     W                    0.0010         1,680     2
             C                    0.0402         7,340     295
             E                    0.0153         3,630     56
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead     W                    0.0036         2,000     7
 sole
             C                    0.0261         5,000     131
             E                    0.0048         3,382     16
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish     W                    0.0156         4,500     70
 shallow-
 water
             C                    0.0598         13,000    777
             E                    0.0126         3,240     41
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth   W                    0.0021         8,000     17
 flounder
             C                    0.0309         25,000    773

[[Page 70621]]

 
             E                    0.0020         5,000     10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish    W trawl gear         0.0000         482       0
             C trawl gear         0.0720         1,178     85
             E trawl gear         0.0488         254       12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific      W                    0.0623         2,489     155
 ocean
 perch
             C                    0.0866         8,253     715
             E                    0.0466         2,358     110
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker/  W                    0.0000         254       0
 Rougheye
             C                    0.0237         656       16
             E                    0.0124         408       5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        W                    0.0034         40        0
 rockfish
             C                    0.2065         300       62
             E                    0.0000         330       0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern     W                    0.0003         730       0
 rockfish
             C                    0.0336         3,870     130
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic      W                    0.0001         370       0
 shelf
 rockfish
             C                    0.0000         3,010     0
             E                    0.0067         1,090     7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead   W                    0.0308         410       13
 rockfish
             C                    0.0308         1,010     31
             E                    0.0308         520       16
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big and      C                    0.0090         3,284     30
 Longnose
 skates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        GW                   0.0090         3,709     33
 skates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal     SEO                  0.0020         450       1
 shelf
 rockfish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka         Gulfwide             0.0309         600       19
 mackerel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        Gulfwide             0.0090         12,584    113
 species
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January
  20.
2 The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.


  Table 12--Proposed 2006 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher
          Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations.
                       (Values are in metric tons)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Ratio of 1995-              2006 non-
             Apportionments and    1997 non-                 exempt AFA
  Species      allocations by    exempt AFA CV   2006 TAC     catcher
                area/season/     catch to 1995-                vessel
               processor/gear       1997 TAC                 sideboard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock      A Season (W/C       .............  .........  .............
              areas only)
             January 20 -
              February 25
             Shumagin (610)      0.6112         3,747      2,290
             Chirikof (620)      0.1427         9,027      1,288
             Kodiak (630)        0.2438         3,091      754
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             B Season (W/C       .............  .........  .............
              areas only)
             March 10 - May 31
             Shumagin (610)      0.6112         3,748      2,291
             Chirikof (620)      0.1427         10,704     1,527

[[Page 70622]]

 
             Kodiak (630)        0.2438         1,413      344
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             C Season (W/C       .............  .........  .............
              areas only)
             August 25 -
              September 15
             Shumagin (610)      0.6112         7,717      4,717
             Chirikof (620)      0.1427         3,380      482
             Kodiak (630)        0.2438         4,768      1,162
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             D Season (W/C       .............  .........  .............
              areas only)
             October 1 -
              November 1
             Shumagin (610)      0.6112         7,717      3,362
             Chirikof (620)      0.1427         3,379      383
             Kodiak (630)        0.2438         4,768      1,162
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             Annual              .............  .........  .............
             WYK (640)           0.3499         1,280      448
             SEO (650)           0.3499         6,520      2,281
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod  A Season\1\         .............  .........  .............
             January 1 - June
              10
             W inshore           0.1423         7,292      1,038
             W offshore          0.1026         810        83
             C inshore           0.0722         11,273     814
             C offshore          0.0721         1,253      90
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             B Season\2\         .............  .........  .............
             September 1 -
              December 31
             W inshore           0.1423         4,457      634
             W offshore          0.1026         495        51
             C inshore           0.0722         7,516      543
             C offshore          0.0721         835        60
             ..................  .............  .........  .............
             Annual              .............  .........  .............
             E inshore           0.0079         2,741      22
             E offshore          0.0078         305        2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish     W                   0.0000         310        0
 deep-water
             C                   0.0670         2,970      199
             E                   0.0171         2,790      48
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rex sole     W                   0.0010         1,680      2
             C                   0.0402         7,340      295
             E                   0.0153         3,630      56
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead     W                   0.0036         2,000      7
 sole
             C                   0.0261         5,000      131
             E                   0.0048         3,212      15
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flatfish     W                   0.0156         4,500      70
 shallow-
 water
             C                   0.0598         13,000     777
             E                   0.0126         3,240      41
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth   W                   0.0021         8,000      17
 flounder
             C                   0.0309         25,000     773
             E                   0.0020         5,000      10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish    W trawl gear        0.0000         447        0
             C trawl gear        0.0720         1,094      79
             E trawl gear        0.0488         236        12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific      W                   0.0623         2,419      151
 ocean
 perch
             C                   0.0866         8,020      695
             E                   0.0466         2,291      107
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70623]]

 
Shortraker/  W                   0.0000         254        0
 Rougheye
             C                   0.0237         656        16
             E                   0.0124         408        5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        W                   0.0034         40         0
 rockfish
             C                   0.2065         300        62
             E                   0.0000         330        0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern     W                   0.0003         678        0
 rockfish
             C                   0.0336         3,592      121
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic      W                   0.0001         370        0
 shelf
 rockfish
             C                   0.0000         3,010      0
             E                   0.0067         1,090      7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead   W                   0.0308         410        13
 rockfish
             C                   0.0308         1,010      31
             E                   0.0308         520        16
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big and      C                   0.0090         3,284      30
 Longnose
 skates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        GW                  0.0090         3,709      33
 skates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demersal     SEO                 0.0020         450        1
 shelf
 rockfish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka         Gulfwide            0.0309         600        19
 mackerel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other        Gulfwide            0.0090         12,089     109
 species
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January
  20.
\2\The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.

    PSC sideboard limitations for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the 
GOA are based on the ratio of aggregate retained groundfish catch by 
non-exempt 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 (see Sec.  679.64(b)(4)). These amounts 
are shown in Table 13.

Table 13--Proposed 2005 and 2006 Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Prohibited Species Catch (PSC)
                                               Limits for the GOA.
                                           (Values are in metric tons)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Ratio of 1995-
                                                                          1997 non-                2005 and 2006
                                                                        exempt AFA CV   2005 and     non-exempt
            PSC species                   Season       Target fishery  retained catch   2006 PSC    AFA catcher
                                                                          to total        limit      vessel PSC
                                                                       retained catch                  limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut (mortality in mt)           Trawl 1st          shallow water   0.340           450         153
                                     seasonal           targets        ..............  ..........  .............
                                     allowance         ..............  0.070           100         7
                                    January 20 -       deep water
                                     April 1            targets
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Trawl 2nd          shallow water   0.340           100         34
                                     seasonal           targets        ..............  ..........  .............
                                     allowance         ..............  0.070           300         21
                                    April 1 - July 1   deep water
                                                        targets
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Trawl 3rd          shallow water   0.340           200         68
                                     seasonal           targets        ..............  ..........  .............
                                     allowance         ..............  0.070           400         28
                                    July 1 -           deep water
                                     September 1        targets
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 70624]]

 
                                    Trawl 4th          shallow water   0.340           150         51
                                     seasonal           targets        ..............  ..........  .............
                                     allowance         ..............  0.070           0           0
                                    September 1 -      deep water
                                     October 1          targets
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Trawl 5th          all targets     0.205           300         61
                                     seasonal
                                     allowance
                                    October 1 -
                                     December 31
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classification

    NMFS has determined that the proposed specifications are consistent 
with the FMP and preliminarily determined that the proposed 
specifications are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 
applicable laws.
    An IRFA was prepared to evaluate the impacts of the 2005 and 2006 
proposed harvest specifications on directly regulated small entities. 
This IRFA is intended to meet the statutory requirements of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). A copy of the IRFA is available from 
NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The reason for the action, a statement of the 
objective of the action, and the legal basis are discussed in the 
preamble and are not repeated here.
    The 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications establish harvest limits 
for the groundfish species and species groups in the GOA. This action 
is necessary to allow fishing in 2005 and 2006. About 807 small catcher 
vessels and 23 small catcher/processors may be directly regulated by 
these specifications.
    The IRFA examined the impacts of the preferred alternative on small 
entities within fisheries defined by the harvest of species groups 
whose TACs might be affected by the specifications. The IRFA identified 
adverse impacts on small fishing operations harvesting sablefish, 
Pacific cod, northern rockfish, and Pacific ocean perch in the GOA.
    The largest adverse impacts were imposed on vessel harvesting 
sablefish and Pacific cod in the GOA. The sablefish impacts would 
affect 443 small catcher vessels and catcher-processors, with average 
gross revenues of $291,000, and decrease their gross revenues by a 
maximum of 10 percent. The Pacific cod impacts would affect 464 catcher 
vessels and catcher-processors, with average gross revenues of 
$273,000, and decrease their gross revenues by a maximum of 8 percent. 
Smaller impacts would be felt in other sectors. In the GOA, 31 northern 
rockfish catcher vessels and catcher-processors, with average gross 
revenues of $823,000, would have gross revenue reductions of a maximum 
of 2.4 percent, while 41 Pacific ocean perch catcher vessels and 
catcher-processors, with average gross revenues of $735,000, would have 
gross revenue reductions of a maximum of 2 percent.
    Please refer to the IRFA for a fuller explanation of impacts on 
small entities. A copy of the IRFA is available from NMFS (see 
ADDRESSES).
    This regulation does not impose new recordkeeping or reporting 
requirements on the regulated small entities. This analysis did not 
reveal any Federal rules that duplicate, overlap, or conflict with the 
proposed action.
    This analysis examined four alternatives to the preferred 
alternative. These included alternatives that set TACs to produce 
fishing rates equal to maxFABC,\1/2\ maxFABC, the 
recent 5 year average F, and zero. Only one of these alternatives, 
setting TACs to produce fishing rates of maxFABC, would 
potentially have a smaller adverse impact on small entities than the 
preferred alternative. This alternative is associated with larger gross 
revenues for the GOA fisheries. Many of the vessels identified above 
would share in these gross revenues. However, the maxFABC is 
to a fishing rate which may, and often does, exceed biologically 
recommended ABCs. For the pollock, deep-water, flatfish, rex sole, 
sablefish, Pacific Ocean perch, shortraker and rougheye rockfish, 
northern rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, 
demersal shelf rockfish, and Atka mackerel fisheries described above, 
the preferred alternative, which produces fishing rates less than 
maxFABC, sets TACs equal to projected annual ABCs. In 
addition, the preferred alternative TACs for Pacific cod, flathead 
sole, shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth founder, and other rockfish, 
when combined with the State of Alaska guideline harvest levels for 
these fisheries, also equals the ABC. The increases in TACs related to 
producing fishing rates of maxFABC would not be consistent 
with biologically prudent fishery management because they do not fall 
within scientifically determined ABC.
    This action is authorized under Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., and 3631 et 
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); Pub. L. 105 277, Title II of Division C; 
Pub L. 106 31, Sec. 3027; and Pub L. 106 554, Sec. 209.

    Dated: December 1, 2004.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-26832 Filed 12-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S