[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8958-8979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3581]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 041126333-5040-02; I.D. 112204C]


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

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

ACTION: Final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications for groundfish and 
associated management measures; closures.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications, 
reserves and apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species 
catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures 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 and to 
accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 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: The final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications and associated 
management measures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time 
(A.l.t.), February 24, 2005, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Final 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are 
available from Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, 
Attn: Lori Durall or from the Alaska Region Web site at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 2004 Stock Assessment and 
Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the 
GOA, dated November 2004, are available from the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council), West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 
99510-2252 (907-271-2809) or from its Web site at http://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 (EEZ) of the GOA under the 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 
(BSAI) were 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 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.

[[Page 8959]]

    Based on the approval of Amendments 48/48, the Council recommended 
2005 and 2006 proposed specifications for GOA groundfish. These 
proposed specifications were based on the 2003 SAFE report. The 2004 
SAFE report, dated November 2004, was used to develop the final 2005 
and 2006 groundfish acceptable biological catch (ABC) and overfishing 
level (OFL) amounts. 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 rockfish, 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 currently updated every 
two years and harvest amounts are fairly stable from year to year, the 
harvest specification process for these species is anticipated every 
two 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 
allows harvest specifications to be established for up to two fishing 
years, and the administrative process to establish these biennial 
harvest specifications will 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 
specification process recognizes the time period of projections that 
must be used for establishing harvest specifications that will allow 
for rulemaking in the following year and provides the Council and NMFS 
the flexibility to conduct either an annual or biennial specification 
process in response to potential changes in the frequency of stock 
assessment surveys or in 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 
continue to be limited to one year to ensure that those fisheries are 
conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery and are based on the 
most recent survey information (69 FR 44634, July 27, 2004). Having the 
sablefish IFQ fisheries concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery will 
reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in these 
fisheries. Because of the high value of this fishery, the Council 
recommended the setting of TAC be based on the most recent survey 
information. Under the current IFQ fishery season start date, sablefish 
stock assessments based on the most recent survey are available before 
the beginning of the fishery to allow for rulemaking each year. The 
sablefish IFQ fisheries 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 will 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 final specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 16 
of this document satisfy these requirements. For 2005, the sum of the 
TAC amounts is 291,298 mt. For 2006, the sum of the TAC amounts is 
284,023 mt.
    The proposed GOA groundfish specifications and Pacific halibut PSC 
allowances for 2005 and 2006 were published in the Federal Register on 
December 7, 2004 (69 FR 70605). Comments were invited and accepted 
through January 6, 2005. NMFS received two letters of comment on the 
proposed specifications. These letters of comment are summarized in the 
``Response to Comments'' section of this action. NMFS consulted with 
the Council during the December 2004 Council meeting in Anchorage, AK. 
After considering public comments received, as well as biological and 
economic data that were available at the Council's December 2004 
meeting, NMFS is implementing the final 2005 and 2006 groundfish 
specifications as recommended by the Council.
    Regulations at Sec.  679.20(c)(2)(i) establish interim amounts of 
each proposed TAC and allocations, and proposed PSC allowances 
established under Sec.  679.21 that become available at 0001 hrs, 
A.l.t., January 1, and remain available until superceded by the final 
specifications. NMFS published the interim 2005 harvest specifications 
in the Federal Register on December 17, 2004 (69 FR 74455). With the 
implementation of Amendment 48 to the GOA FMP, the publication of 
interim specifications will not be necessary beyond 2005. The final 
2005 groundfish specifications, apportionments, and halibut PSC 
allowances contained in this action supercede the interim 2005 
groundfish harvest specifications.

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 part of 
the economic burden on coastal communities while maintaining protection 
for Steller sea lions and their critical habitat. NMFS published a 
final rule to implement these revisions on December 20, 2004 (69 FR 
75865) with the effective date of January 19, 2005. These revisions 
adjust pollock and Pacific cod fishing closures near four Steller sea 
lion haulouts and revise seasonal management of pollock harvest. 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.
    The final rule extends the pollock A season dates from January 20 
through February 25 to January 20 through March 10 (Sec.  
679.23(d)(2)(i)) and extends the pollock C season dates from August 25 
through September 15 to August 25 through October 1 (Sec.  
679.23(d)(2)(iii)) in

[[Page 8960]]

the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. The final action 
also changes regulatory provisions for the rollover of a statistical 
area's unharvested pollock apportionment into the subsequent season. 
The rollover amount is limited to 20 percent of the seasonal 
apportionment for the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above 
the 20 percent limit could be further distributed to the other 
statistical areas, in proportion to the estimated biomass in the 
subsequent season in those statistical areas (Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications

    The final ABC levels are based on the best available biological and 
socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends, 
information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised 
methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the 
formulas, or tiers, to be used in computing ABCs and OFLs. The formulas 
applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are determined by the 
level of reliable information available to fisheries scientists. This 
information is categorized into a successive series of six tiers with 
tier one representing the highest level of information and tier six the 
lowest level of information.
    The Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) reviewed current biological and harvest 
information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the GOA in 
December 2004. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan 
Team and was presented in the final 2004 SAFE report for the GOA 
groundfish fisheries, dated November 2004.
    The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses 
and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological parameters, 
as well as summaries of the available information on the GOA ecosystem 
and the economic condition of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From 
these data and analyses, the Plan Team estimates an ABC for each 
species or species category.
    The SSC, AP, and Council adopted the Plan Team's ABC 
recommendations for all groundfish species categories. The final ABCs, 
as adopted by the Council for the 2005 and 2006 fishing years, are 
listed in Tables 1 and 2.
    As in 2004, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of 
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2005 and 2006 
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 ensure 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 (see Sec.  679.20(a)(4)(i)).
    The AP 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, 
AP, 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 
fisheries that occur in State waters 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 will establish for 2005 and 2006 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 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).
    The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted 
for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including 
maintaining the total TAC within the required OY range of 116,000 to 
800,000 mt. The Council adopted the AP's TAC recommendations. None of 
the Council's recommended TACs for 2005 and 2006 exceeds the final ABC 
for any species or species category. NMFS finds that the recommended 
ABCs and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of the 
groundfish stocks as described in the 2004 SAFE report and approved by 
the Council.
    Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2005 and 2006 OFL, ABC, TAC, and area 
apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sum of 2005 and of 2006 
ABCs for all assessed groundfish are 539,263 and 542,456 mt 
respectively, which are higher than the 2004 ABC total of 507,092 mt 
(69 FR 26320, May 12, 2004). The apportionment of TAC amounts among 
gear types, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.

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 rockfish, rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, 
pelagic shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 
big skate, longnose skate, other skates, 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 
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, as well as 
equally among each of the following four seasons: the A season (January 
20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C 
season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1 
through November 1) (see Sec. Sec.  693.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and 
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
    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, AP, and 
Council recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water Pacific 
cod removals not exceed the ABC. Accordingly, the Council recommended 
the 2005 and 2006 Pacific cod TACs be reduced from ABC levels to 
account for State GHLs in each regulatory area of the GOA. Therefore, 
the 2005 TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 407 
mt; (2) Central GOA, 8,031 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 5,229 mt. 
Similarly, the 2006 TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern 
GOA, 358 mt; (2) Central

[[Page 8961]]

GOA, 7,063 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 4,599 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. The percentages of ABC used to calculate the GHLs 
for the State managed Pacific cod fisheries are unchanged from 2004.
    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 and jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl 
gear from January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC 
is apportioned to the B season for hook-and-line, pot and jig gear from 
September 1 through December 31, and for trawl gear from September 1 
through November 1 (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 TAC 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 13,871 mt, 
and the 2006 TAC is 13,525 mt, which is 5 percent of the sum of the 
combined TAC amounts (277,427 mt for 2005 and 270,498 mt for 2006) for 
the target species. The sum of the TACs for all GOA groundfish is 
291,298 mt for 2005 and 284,023 mt for 2006, which is within the OY 
range specified by the FMP. The sums of the 2005 and 2006 TACs are 
higher than the 2004 TAC sum of 271,776 mt (69 FR 26320, May 12, 2004).
    NMFS finds that the Council's recommendations for 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. NMFS has reviewed the Council's 
recommended TAC specifications and apportionments and hereby approves 
these specifications under Sec.  679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final 2005 and 
2006 ABCs, TACs, and OFLs are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

Changes From the Proposed 2005 and 2006 Harvest Specifications in the 
GOA

    In October 2004, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 
2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (69 FR 70605, December 7, 2004) 
were based largely upon information contained in the final 2003 SAFE 
report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2003. The 
Council recommended that 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 estimates of groundfish harvests through the 2004 
and 2005 fishing years. For stocks in tiers 4 through 6, for which 
projections could not be made, the Council recommended that OFL and ABC 
levels be unchanged from 2004 until the final 2004 SAFE report could be 
completed.
    The final 2004 SAFE report (dated November 2004), which was not 
available when the Council made its recommendations in October 2004, 
contains the best and most recent scientific information on the 
condition of the groundfish stocks and was considered in December by 
the Council in making its recommendations for the final 2005 and 2006 
harvest specifications. Based on the final 2004 SAFE report, the sum of 
the 2005 recommended final TACs for the GOA (291,298 mt) is 27,033 mt 
more than the proposed sum of TACs (264,265 mt), representing a 10-
percent increase overall. The largest increases occurred for pollock, 
from 71,260 mt to 91,710 mt (29 percent increase); for sablefish, from 
13,392 mt to 15,940 mt (19 percent increase); and for deep-water 
flatfish, from 6,070 mt to 6,820 mt (12 percent increase). The largest 
decrease occurred for demersal shelf rockfish, from 450 mt to 410 mt (9 
percent decrease). Other increases or decreases in both 2005 and 2006 
are within these ranges.
    The 2005 and 2006 final TAC recommendations for the GOA are within 
the OY range established for the GOA and do not exceed ABCs for any 
single species or complex. Compared to the proposed 2005 and 2006 
harvest specifications, the Council's final 2005 and 2006 TAC 
recommendations increase fishing opportunities for species for which 
the Council had sufficient information to raise TAC levels. These 
include, pollock, sablefish, and deep-water flatfish. Conversely, the 
Council reduced TAC levels to provide greater protection for several 
species; these include Pacific cod, shortraker rockfish, rougheye 
rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and skates. The Council also further 
divided the TACs of two species categories among individual species 
(shortraker and rougheye rockfish and big and longnose skates). The 
intent of this action is to provide greater protection for those 
individual species that are most sought after within their species 
categories, most notably shortraker rockfish and big skates. The 
changes recommended by the Council for the 2005 and 2006 fishing years 
were based on the best scientific information available, consistent 
with National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and within a 
reasonable range of variation from the proposed TAC recommendations so 
that the affected public was fairly apprized and could have made 
meaningful comments.

 Table 1.--Final 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\1\
                                                     [Values are Rounded to the Nearest Metric Ton.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                            Overfishing
                  Totals                                Species                        Area \1\                 ABC             TAC            level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Pollock \2\.....................  Shumagin (610).............          30,380          30,380  ..............
                                                                             Chirikof (620).............          34,404          34,404  ..............
                                                                             Kodiak (630)...............          18,718          18,718  ..............
                                                                             WYK (640)..................           1,688           1,688  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  W/C/WYK....................          85,190          85,190         144,340
                                                                             SEO (650)..................           6,520           6,520           8,690
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          91,710          91,710         153,030
==========================================
                                           Pacific cod \3\.................  W..........................          20,916          15,687  ..............
                                                                             C..........................          33,117          25,086

[[Page 8962]]

 
                                                                             E..........................           4,067           3,660  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          58,100          44,433          86,200
==========================================
                                           Flatfish \4\ (deep-water).......  W..........................             330             330  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           3,340           3,340  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,120           2,120  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,030           1,030  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           6,820           6,820           8,490
==========================================
                                           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..........................          11,690           2,000  ..............
                                                                             C..........................          30,020           5,000  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           3,000           3,000  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................             390             390  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          45,100          10,390          56,500
==========================================
                                           Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water)....  W..........................          21,580           4,500  ..............
                                                                             C..........................          27,250          13,000  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,030           2,030  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,210           1,210  ..............
                                          -----------------------------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          52,070          20,740          63,840
==========================================
                                           Arrowtooth flounder.............  W..........................          26,250           8,000  ..............
                                                                             C..........................         168,950          25,000  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................          11,790           2,500  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           9,910           2,500  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................         216,900          38,000         253,900
==========================================
                                           Sablefish \6\...................  W..........................           2,540           2,540  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           7,250           7,250  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,580           2,580  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           3,570           3,570  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  E..........................           6,150           6,150  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          15,940          15,940          19,280
==========================================
                                           Pacific ocean perch \7\.........  W..........................           2,567           2,567           3,076
                                                                             C..........................           8,535           8,535          10,226
                                                                             WYK........................             841             841  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,632           1,632  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  E..........................  ..............  ..............           2,964
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          13,575          13,575          16,266
==========================================
                                           Shortraker rockfish \8\.........  W..........................             155             155  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             324             324  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             274             274  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................             753             753             982
==========================================
                                           Rougheye rockfish \9\...........  W..........................             188             188  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             557             557  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             262             262  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------

[[Page 8963]]

 
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           1,007           1,007           1,531
==========================================
                                           Other rockfish 10, 11...........  W..........................              40              40  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             300             300  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................             130             130  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           3,430             200  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           3,900             670           5,150
==========================================
                                           Northern rockfish 10, 11, 12....  W..........................             808             808  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           4,283           4,283  ..............
                                                                             E..........................               0               0  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           5,091           5,091           6,050
==========================================
                                           Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\.....  W..........................             377             377  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           3,067           3,067  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................             211             211  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................             898             898  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           4,553           4,553           5,680
==========================================
                                           Thornyhead rockfish.............  W..........................             410             410  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           1,010           1,010  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             520             520  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           1,940           1,940           2,590
==========================================
                                           Big skates \14\.................  W..........................             727             727  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           2,463           2,463  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             809             809  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           3,999           3,999           5,332
==========================================
                                           Longnose skates \15\............  W..........................              66              66  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           1,972           1,972  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             780             780  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           2,818           2,818           3,757
==========================================
                                           Other skates \16\...............  GW.........................           1,327           1,327           1,769
                                           Demersal shelf rockfish \18\....  SEO........................             410             410             640
                                           Atka mackerel...................  GW.........................             600             600           6,200
                                           Other species 17, 19............  GW.........................             N/A          13,871             N/A
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total \20\...........................  ................................  ...........................         539,263         291,298        713,667
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec.   679.2.
\2\ Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is based on an
  adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 24 percent, 56 percent, and 20 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 24 percent, 66 percent,
  and 10 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 49 percent, 21 percent, and 30 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal
  apportionments for 2005 and 2006 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. 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 for 2005 and 2006 are shown in Tables 7 and 8.
\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 for 2005 and 2006 and these amounts are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\9\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus.
\10\ ``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.
\11\ ``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. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.

[[Page 8964]]

 
\13\ ``Pelagic shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes ciliatus (dark), S. variabilis (dusky), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail).
\14\ Big skate means Raja binoculata.
\15\ Longnose skate means Raja rhina.
\16\ Other skates means Bathyraja spp.
\17\ N/A means not applicable.
\18\ ``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).
\19\ ``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.
\20\ The total ABC and OFL is the sum of the ABCs and OFLs for assessed target species.

    These footnotes also apply to Table 2.

 Table 2.--Final 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\1\
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                            Overfishing
                  Total                                 Species                        Area \1\                 ABC             TAC            level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Pollock \2\.....................  Shumagin (610).............          30,452          30,452  ..............
                                                                             Chirikof (620).............          34,485          34,485  ..............
                                                                             Kodiak (630)...............          18,762          18,762  ..............
                                                                             WYK (640)..................           1,691           1,691  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  W/C/WYK....................          85,390          85,390         103,250
                                                                             SEO (650)..................           6,520           6,520           8,690
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          91,910          91,910         111,940
==========================================
                                           Pacific cod \3\.................  W..........................          18,396          13,797  ..............
                                                                             C..........................          29,127          22,064  ..............
                                                                             E..........................           3,557           3,219  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          51,100          39,080          65,800
==========================================
                                           Flatfish \4\ (deep-water).......  W..........................             330             330  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           3,340           3,340  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,120           2,120  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,030           1,030  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           6,820           6,820           8,490
==========================================
                                           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          53,800
==========================================
                                           Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water)....  W..........................          21,580           4,500  ..............
                                                                             C..........................          27,250          13,000  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,030           2,030  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,210           1,210  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          52,070          20,740          63,840
==========================================
                                           Arrowtooth flounder.............  W..........................          27,924           8,000  ..............
                                                                             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..........................           2,407           2,407  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           6,870           6,870  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................           2,445           2,445  ..............

[[Page 8965]]

 
                                                                             SEO........................           3,383           3,383  ..............
                                          -----------------------------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  E..........................           5,828           5,828  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          15,105          15,105          17,530
==========================================
                                           Pacific ocean perch \7\.........  W..........................           2,525           2,525           3,019
                                                                             C..........................           8,375           8,375          10,008
                                                                             WYK........................             813             813  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           1,579           1,579  ..............
                                          -----------------------------------
    Subtotal.............................  ................................  E..........................  ..............  ..............           2,860
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................          13,292          13,292          15,887
==========================================
                                           Shortraker rockfish \8\.........  W..........................             155             155  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             324             324  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             274             274  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................             753             753             982
==========================================
                                           Rougheye rockfish \9\...........  W..........................             188             188  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             557             557  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             262             262  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           1,007           1,007           1,531
==========================================
                                           Other rockfish 10 11............  W..........................              40              40  ..............
                                                                             C..........................             300             300  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................             130             130  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................           3,430             200  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           3,900             670           5,150
==========================================
                                           Northern rockfish 11 12.........  W..........................             755             755  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           3,995           3,995  ..............
                                                                             E..........................               0               0  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           4,750           4,750           5,640
==========================================
                                           Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\.....  W..........................             366             366  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           2,973           2,973  ..............
                                                                             WYK........................             205             205  ..............
                                                                             SEO........................             871             871  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           4,415           4,415           5,510
==========================================
                                           Thornyhead rockfish.............  W..........................             410             410  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           1,010           1,010  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             520  ..............             520
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           1,940           1,940           2,590
==========================================
                                           Big skates \14\.................  W..........................             727             727  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           2,463           2,463  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             809             809  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           3,999           3,999           5,332
==========================================
                                           Longnose skates \15\............  W..........................              66              66  ..............
                                                                             C..........................           1,972           1,972  ..............
                                                                             E..........................             780             780  ..............
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total................................  ................................  ...........................           2,818           2,818           3,757
==========================================
                                           Other skates \16\...............  GW.........................           1,327           1,327           1,769
                                           Demersal shelf rockfish \18\....  SEO........................             410             410             640
                                           Atka mackerel...................  GW.........................             600             600           6,200

[[Page 8966]]

 
                                           Other species 17 19.............  GW.........................             N/A          13,525             N/A
                                                                                                         -----------------
    Total \20\...........................  ................................  ...........................         542,456         284,023         622,918
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The footnotes in Table 2 are identical to those presented in Table 
1.

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. NMFS proposed reapportionment of all the reserves for 
2005 and 2006 in the proposed GOA groundfish specifications published 
in the Federal Register on December 7, 2004 (69 FR 70605). NMFS 
received no public comments on the proposed reapportionments. For the 
final 2005 and 2006 GOA harvest specifications, NMFS has reapportioned 
all of the reserves 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.

Allocations 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 307 mt to trawl gear 
and 2,273 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District and 3,570 mt to 
hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in 2005, and 291 mt to trawl 
gear in the WYK District in 2006. Tables 3 and 4 show the allocations 
of the final 2005 and 2006 sablefish TACs between hook-and-line and 
trawl gear.

Table 3.--Final 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...................................................             2,540             2,032               508
Central...................................................             7,250             5,800             1,450
West Yakutat..............................................             2,580             2,273               307
Southeast Outside.........................................             3,570             3,570                 0
                                                           -------------------
    Total.................................................            15,940            13,675             2,265
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Table 4.--Final 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
                       Area/District                               TAC          apportionment         Trawl
                                                                                     \1\          apportionment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western...................................................             2,407  ................               481
Central...................................................             6,870  ................             1,374
West Yakutat..............................................             2,445  ................               291
Southeast Outside.........................................             3,383  ................                 0
                                                           -------------------
    Total.................................................            15,105  ................            2,146
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to
  1 year.


[[Page 8967]]

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 March 10, from 
March 10 through May 31, from August 25 through October 1, and from 
October 1 through November 1, respectively.
    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 any rollover amount of unharvested pollock 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 (Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)). 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 in effect for the 2004 Western and Central pollock 
fisheries. The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs of 1,688 mt and 6,520 
mt in 2005 and 1,691 mt and 6,520 mt in 2006, respectively, are not 
allocated by season.
    Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires that 100 percent of the pollock 
TAC in all regulatory areas and 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 regulations 
at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch 
amounts are unknown and will be determined during the fishing year.
    The seasonal biomass distribution of pollock in the Western and 
Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal 
apportionments for the A, B, C, and D seasons for 2005 and 2006 are 
summarized in Tables 5 and 6, except that amounts of pollock for 
processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown.

 Table 5.--Final 2005 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.)
                      [Area Apportionments Resulting From Seasonal Distribution of Biomass]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Shumagin  (Area     Chirikof  (Area
             Season                      610)                620)          Kodiak (Area 630)         Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A...............................      5,035 (24.12%)     11,692 (56.01%)      4,148 (19.87%)       20,875 (100%)
B...............................      5,035 (24.12%)      13,820 (66.2%)       2,021 (9.68%)       20,876 (100%)
C...............................     10,155 (48.64%)       4,446 (21.3%)      6,274 (30.06%)       20,875 (100%)
D...............................     10,155 (48.64%)       4,446 (21.3%)      6,275 (30.06%)       20,876 (100%)
                                 ---------------------
    Annual Total................              30,380              34,404              18,718              83,502
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 Table 6.--Final 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.)
                      [Area Apportionments Resulting From Seasonal Distribution of Biomass]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Shumagin  (Area     Chirikof  (Area
             Season                      610)                620)          Kodiak (Area 630)         Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A...............................      5,047 (24.12%)     11,719 (56.01%)      4,159 (19.87%)       20,925 (100%)
B...............................      5,047 (24.12%)      13,852 (66.2%)       2,026 (9.68%)       20,925 (100%)
C...............................     10,179 (48.64%)       4,457 (21.3%)      6,289 (30.06%)       20,925 (100%)
D...............................     10,179 (48.64%)       4,457 (21.3%)      6,288 (30.06%)       20,924 (100%)
                                 ---------------------
    Annual Total................              30,452              34,485              18,762              83,699
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 8968]]

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 begins on January 1 and ends on June 10, and the B 
season begins on September 1 and ends on December 31. For trawl gear, 
the A season begins on January 20 and ends on June 10, and the B season 
begins on September 1 and ends on November 1 (Sec.  679.23(d)(3)). 
After subtraction of incidental catch needs by the inshore and offshore 
components in other directed fisheries through the A season ending June 
10, 60 percent of the annual TAC will be available as a directed 
fishing allowance during the A season for the inshore and offshore 
components. The remaining 40 percent of the annual TAC will be 
available for harvest during the B season and will be apportioned 
between the inshore and offshore components, as provided in Sec.  
679.20(a)(6)(ii). Any amount of the A season apportionment of Pacific 
cod TAC under or over harvested will be added to or subtracted from the 
B season apportionment of Pacific cod TAC (see Sec.  
679.20(a)(11)(ii)). For purposes of clarification, NMFS points out that 
the dates for the A season and the B season Pacific cod fishery differ 
from those of the A, B, C, and D seasons for the pollock fisheries.
    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 2005 and 2006 Pacific 
cod TACs are shown in Tables 7 and 8, respectively.

  Table 7.--Final 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.)
                      [Area Apportionments Resulting From Seasonal Distribution of Biomass]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Component allocation
                                                                                       -------------------------
                  Season                           Regulatory area             TAC        Inshore      Offshore
                                                                                           (90%)        (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Western......................       15,687       14,118        1,569
A season (60%)............................  .............................        9,412        8,471          941
B season (40%)............................  .............................        6,275        5,647          628
                                            Central......................       25,086       22,577        2,509
A season (60%)............................  .............................       15,052       13,547        1,505
B season (40%)............................  .............................       10,034        9,031        1,003
                                            Eastern......................        3,660        3,294          366
                                                                          --------------
    Total.................................  .............................       44,433       39,989        4,444
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Table 8.--Final 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
                                                                                       -------------------------
                  Season                           Regulatory area             TAC        Inshore      Offshore
                                                                                           (90%)        (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Western......................       13,797       12,417        1,380
A season (60%)............................  .............................        8,278        7,450          828
B season (40%)............................  .............................        5,519        4,967          552
                                            Central......................       22,064       19,858        2,206
A season (60%)............................  .............................       13,238       11,914        1,324
B season (40%)............................  .............................        8,826        7,944          882
                                            Eastern......................        3,219        2,897          322
                                                                          --------------
    Total.................................  .............................       39,080       35,172        3,908
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

    NMFS reminds all fishermen that full retention of all demersal 
shelf rockfish (DSR) by federally permitted catcher vessels using hook-
and-line or jig gear fishing for groundfish and Pacific halibut in the 
SEO District of the GOA is now required (see Sec.  679.20(j)). NMFS has 
published a final rule (69 FR 68095, November 23, 2004) implementing 
this regulation effective December 23, 2004.

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 December 2004, the Council 
recommended that NMFS maintain the 2004 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt 
for the trawl fisheries and of 300 mt for the hook-and-line fisheries, 
with 10 mt of the hook-and-line limit allocated to the DSR fishery in 
the SEO District and the remainder to the remaining hook-and-line 
fisheries for each of 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

[[Page 8969]]

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 
occurs in the winter when less overlap occurs in the distribution of 
DSR and halibut.
    Section 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A) 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 annual halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 11 
mt annually from 2001 through 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 annually by jig gear (averaging 318 mt 
annually from 2001 through 2004), 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's 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 opening date for the third seasonal allowance of the trawl 
halibut PSC limit and the start date for directed fishing for rockfish 
by trawl gear is July 5 in 2005 and 2006. This date will facilitate 
inseason management of the rockfish fisheries and reduce the effect of 
the rockfish fisheries on the annual NMFS sablefish survey which occurs 
later in July.
    NMFS concurs with the Council's recommendations described here and 
listed in Table 9. Section 679.21, paragraphs (d)(5)(iii) and (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. When 
establishing the halibut PSC limits, the following types of information 
were considered as presented in, or summarized from, the 2004 SAFE 
report, or as otherwise available from NMFS, Alaska Department of Fish 
and Game, the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) or public 
testimony.

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 December 31, 
2004, is 2,256 mt, 296 mt, and 24 mt, respectively, for a total halibut 
mortality of 2,576 mt.
    Halibut bycatch restrictions seasonally constrained trawl gear 
fisheries 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), 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 gear 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 and hook-and-line gear might 
have harvested if halibut PSC limitations had not restricted the season 
in 2004 is unknown.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks

    In December 2004, the Council adopted higher ABCs for pollock (2005 
and 2006), deep-water flatfish (2005 and 2006), arrowtooth flounder 
(2005 and 2006), Pacific ocean perch (2005), northern rockfish (2005), 
and pelagic shelf rockfish (2005) than those established for 2004. The 
Council adopted lower ABCs for Pacific cod (2005 and 2006), flathead 
sole (2005 and 2006), sablefish (2005 and 2006), Pacific ocean perch 
(2006), northern rockfish (2006), pelagic shelf rockfish (2006), and 
demersal shelf rockfish (2005 and 2006) than those established for 
2004. 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 2004) and in the Council 
and SSC December 2004 meeting minutes.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Catch

    The total TAC amounts for the GOA are 291,298 mt for 2005, and 
284,023 mt for 2006, an increase of about 10 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 in 2004 are 
Pacific cod (decreased to 44,433 mt in 2005 and 39,080 mt in 2006 from 
48,033 mt in 2004), flathead sole (decreased to 10,390 mt in 2005 and 
10,212 mt in 2006 from 10,880 mt in 2004), sablefish (decreased to 
15,940 mt in 2005 and 15,105 mt in 2006 from 16,550 mt in 2004), 
northern rockfish (decreased to 4,750 mt in 2006 from 4,870 mt in 
2004), pelagic shelf rockfish (decreased to 4,415 mt in 2006 from 4,470 
mt in 2004), and demersal shelf rockfish (decreased to 410 mt in 2005 
and 2006 from 450 mt in 2004). Those fisheries for which the 2005 or 
2006 TACs are higher than in 2004 are pollock (increased to 91,710 mt 
in 2005 and 91,910 mt in 2006 from 71,260 mt in 2004), deep-water 
flatfish (increased to 6,820 mt in 2005 and 2006 from 6,070 mt in 
2004), Pacific ocean perch (increased to 13,575 mt in 2005 and 
decreased to 13,292 mt in 2006 from 13,340 mt in 2004), northern 
rockfish (increased to 5,091 mt in 2005 from 4,870 mt in 2004), pelagic 
shelf rockfish (increased to 4,553 mt in 2005 from 4,470 mt in 2004), 
and ``other species'' (increased to 13,871 mt in 2005 and 13,525 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 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

[[Page 8970]]

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 the long-term potential yield for the entire halibut stock, 
which reflects the good condition of the Pacific halibut resource. In 
December 2004, IPHC staff made preliminary recommendations for 
commercial catch limits totaling 35,822 mt (round weight equivalents) 
for Alaska in 2005. Through December 31, 2004, commercial hook-and-line 
harvests of halibut in Alaska totaled 34,610 mt (round weight 
equivalents).
    In making catch limit recommendations for 2005, IPHC staff have 
considered the results of the analytic stock assessment, changes in the 
commercial and survey results used to monitor the stock, recruitment of 
incoming year classes, and an updated analysis of an appropriate 
harvest strategy. Changes in the relative abundance results from 
information obtained from IPHC surveys and the commercial fishery, and 
the choice of an appropriate harvest rate were the primary factors 
influencing the IPHC staff's preliminary recommendations.
    Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment and 
the Conditional Constant Catch harvest policy may be found in the 
IPHC's 2003 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December 2003), available 
from the IPHC and on its Web site at http://www.iphc.washington.edu. 
The IPHC will consider the 2004 Pacific halibut assessment at its 
January 2005 annual meeting when it sets the 2005 commercial halibut 
fishery quotas.

Other Factors

    The proposed 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (69 FR 70605, 
December 7, 2004) discuss potential impacts of expected fishing for 
groundfish on halibut stocks, as well as methods available for, and 
costs of, reducing halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries.

                                Table 9.--Final 2005 and 2006 Pacific Halibut PSC Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
                                                               [Values are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Trawl gear                                                             Hook-and-line gear \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            Other than DSR                                      DSR
                  Dates                        Amount      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Dates                  Amount                  Dates                  Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1......................       550 (27.5%)  January 1-June 10..........         250 (86%)  January 1-December 31......         10 (100%)
April 1-July 5..........................         400 (20%)  June 10-September 1........            5 (2%)                               ................
July 5-September 1......................         600 (30%)  September 1-December 31....          35 (12%)                               ................
September 1-October 1...................        150 (7.5%)                               ................                               ................
October 1-December 31...................         300 (15%)                               ................                               ................
                                         ------------------                             ------------------                             -----------------
    Total...............................      2,000 (100%)                                     290 (100%)                                     10 (100%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 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.

    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 the 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 final 2005 and 
2006 apportionment for these two fishery complexes is presented in 
Table 10.

   Table 10.--Final 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]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Shallow-
            Season                 water        Deep-water       Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1...........          450               100         550
April 1-July 5...............          100               300         400
July 5-September 1...........          200               400         600
September 1-October 1........          150     Any remainder         150
                              ------------------------------------------
    Subtotal.................
January 20-October 1.........          900               800       1,700
October 1-December 31 \1\....  ............  ................        300
                              ------------------------------------------
    Total....................  ............  ................     2,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ No apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water fishery
  complexes during the 5th season (October 1-December 31).


[[Page 8971]]

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 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 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 final DMRs for 2005 and 2006 are listed in Table 11. The 
justification for these DMRs is discussed in Appendix A of the final 
SAFE report dated November 2004.

   Table 11.--Final 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]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Mortality
               Gear                         Target               rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line....................  Other species...........           13
                                   Skates..................           13
                                   Pacific cod.............           13
                                   Rockfish................            8
Trawl............................  Arrowtooth flounder.....           69
                                   Atka mackerel...........           60
                                   Deep-water flatfish.....           57
                                   Flathead sole...........           62
                                   Non-pelagic 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 Sideboard Limitations

    Section 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 benefitted 
from the AFA from fishermen and processors who have received exclusive 
harvesting and processing privileges under the AFA. In the GOA, listed 
AFA catcher/processors are prohibited from harvesting any species of 
fish (see Sec.  679.7(k)(1)(ii)) and from processing any pollock in the 
GOA and any groundfish harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA 
(see Sec.  679.7(k)(1)(iv)). Section 679.64(b)(2)(ii) exempts from 
sideboard limitation those 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.
    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. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii) 
establishes the groundfish sideboard limitations in the GOA based on 
the retained catch of non-exempt AFA catcher vessels of each sideboard 
species from 1995 through 1997 divided by the TAC for that species over 
the same period. These amounts are listed in Table 12 for 2005 and in 
Table 13 for 2006. All harvests of sideboard species made by non-exempt 
AFA catcher vessels, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, 
will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Tables 12 and 13.

[[Page 8972]]



  Table 12.--Final 2005 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard
                                                   Limitations
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Ratio of
                                                                            1995-1997                 2005 non-
                                                                            non-exempt                exempt AFA
              Species                  Apportionments and allocations by      AFA CV      2005 TAC     catcher
                                          area/season/processor/gear         catch to                   vessel
                                                                            1995-1997                 sideboard
                                                                               TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock............................  A Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     January 20-February 25..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112        5,035        3,077
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427       11,692        1,668
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        4,148        1,011
                                     B Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     March 10-May 31.....................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112        5,035        3,077
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427       13,820        1,972
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        2,021          493
                                     C Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     August 25-September 15..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112       10,155        6,207
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427        4,446          634
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        6,274        1,530
                                     D Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     October 1-November 1................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112       10,155        6,207
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427        4,446          634
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        6,275        1,530
                                     Annual..............................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     WYK (640)...........................       0.3499        1,688          591
                                     SEO (650)...........................       0.3499        6,520        2,281
Pacific cod........................  A Season \1\........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     January 1-June 10...................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     W inshore...........................       0.1423        8,471        1,205
                                     W offshore..........................       0.1026          941           97
                                     C inshore...........................       0.0722       13,547          978
                                     C offshore..........................       0.0721        1,505          109
                                     B Season \2\........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     September 1-December 31.............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     W inshore...........................       0.1423        5,647          804
                                     W offshore..........................       0.1026          628           64
                                     C inshore...........................       0.0722        9,031          652
                                     C offshore..........................       0.0721        1,003           72
                                     Annual..............................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     E inshore...........................       0.0079        3,294           26
                                     E offshore..........................       0.0078          366            3
Flatfish deep-water................  W...................................       0.0000          330            0
                                     C...................................       0.0670        3,340          224
                                     E...................................       0.0171        3,150           54
Rex sole...........................  W...................................       0.0010        1,680            2
                                     C...................................       0.0402        7,340          295
                                     E...................................       0.0153        3,630           56
Flathead sole......................  W...................................       0.0036        2,000            7
                                     C...................................       0.0261        5,000          131
                                     E...................................       0.0048        3,390           16
Flatfish shallow-water.............  W...................................       0.0156        4,500           70
                                     C...................................       0.0598       13,000          777
                                     E...................................       0.0126        3,240           41
Arrowtooth flounder................  W...................................       0.0021        8,000           17
                                     C...................................       0.0309       25,000          773
                                     E...................................       0.0020        5,000           10
Sablefish..........................  W trawl gear........................       0.0000          508            0
                                     C trawl gear........................       0.0720        1,450          104
                                     E trawl gear........................       0.0488          307           15
Pacific ocean perch................  W...................................       0.0623        2,567          160
                                     C...................................       0.0866        8,535          739
                                     E...................................       0.0466        2,473          115
Shortraker rockfish................  W...................................       0.0000          155            0
                                     C...................................       0.0237          324            8
                                     E...................................       0.0124          274            3
Rougheye rockfish..................  W...................................       0.0000          188            0
                                     C...................................       0.0237          557           13

[[Page 8973]]

 
                                     E...................................       0.0124          282            3
Other rockfish.....................  W...................................       0.0034           40            0
                                     C...................................       0.2065          300           62
                                     E...................................       0.0000          330            0
Northern rockfish..................  W...................................       0.0003          808            0
                                     C...................................       0.0336        4,283          144
Pelagic shelf rockfish.............  W...................................       0.0001          377            0
                                     C...................................       0.0000        3,067            0
                                     E...................................       0.0067        1,109            7
Thornyhead rockfish................  W...................................       0.0308          410           13
                                     C...................................       0.0308        1,010           31
                                     E...................................       0.0308          520           16
Big skates.........................  W...................................       0.0090          727            7
                                     C...................................       0.0090        2,463           22
                                     E...................................       0.0090          809            7
Longnose skates....................  W...................................       0.0090           66            1
                                     C...................................       0.0090        1,972           18
                                     E...................................       0.0090          780            7
Other skates.......................  GW..................................       0.0090        1,327           12
Demersal shelf rockfish............  SEO.................................       0.0020          410            1
Atka mackerel......................  Gulfwide............................       0.0309          600           19
Other species......................  Gulfwide............................       0.0090       13,871         125
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 13.--Final 2006 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard
                                                   Limitations
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Ratio of
                                                                            1995-1997                 2006 non-
                                                                            non-exempt                exempt AFA
              Species                  Apportionments and allocations by      AFA CV      2006 TAC     catcher
                                          area/season/processor/gear         catch to                   vessel
                                                                            1995-1997                 sideboard
                                                                               TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock............................  A Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     January 20-February 25..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112        5,047        3,085
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427       11,719        1,672
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        4,159        1,014
                                     B Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     March 10-May 31.....................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112        5,047        3,085
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427       13,852        1,977
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        2,026          494
                                     C Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     August 25-September 15..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112       10,179        6,221
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427        4,457          636
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        6,289        1,533
                                     D Season (W/C areas only)...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     October 1-November 1................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     Shumagin (610)......................       0.6112       10,179        6,221
                                     Chirikof (620)......................       0.1427        4,457          636
                                     Kodiak (630)........................       0.2438        6,288        1,533
                                     Annual..............................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     WYK (640)...........................       0.3499        1,691          592
                                     SEO (650)...........................       0.3499        6,520        2,281
Pacific cod........................  A Season \1\........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     January 1-June 10...................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     W inshore...........................       0.1423        7,450        1,060

[[Page 8974]]

 
                                     W offshore..........................       0.1026          828           85
                                     C inshore...........................       0.0722       11,914          860
                                     C offshore..........................       0.0721        1,324           95
                                     B Season \2\........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     September 1-December 31.............  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     W inshore...........................       0.1423        4,967          707
                                     W offshore..........................       0.1026          552           51
                                     C inshore...........................       0.0722        7,944          574
                                     C offshore..........................       0.0721          882           64
                                     Annual..............................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                     E inshore...........................       0.0079        2,897           23
                                     E offshore..........................       0.0078          322            3
Flatfish deep-water................  W...................................       0.0000          330            0
                                     C...................................       0.0670        3,340          224
                                     E...................................       0.0171        3,150           54
Rex sole...........................  W...................................       0.0010        1,680            2
                                     C...................................       0.0402        7,340          295
                                     E...................................       0.0153        3,630           56
Flathead sole......................  W...................................       0.0036        2,000            7
                                     C...................................       0.0261        5,000          131
                                     E...................................       0.0048        3,212           15
Flatfish shallow-water.............  W...................................       0.0156        4,500           70
                                     C...................................       0.0598       13,000          777
                                     E...................................       0.0126        3,240           41
Arrowtooth flounder................  W...................................       0.0021        8,000           17
                                     C...................................       0.0309       25,000          773
                                     E...................................       0.0020        5,000           10
Sablefish..........................  W trawl gear........................       0.0000          481            0
                                     C trawl gear........................       0.0720        1,374           99
                                     E trawl gear........................       0.0488          291           14
Pacific ocean perch................  W...................................       0.0623        2,525          157
                                     C...................................       0.0866        8,375          725
                                     E...................................       0.0466        2,392          111
Shortraker rockfish................  W...................................       0.0000          155            0
                                     C...................................       0.0237          324            8
                                     E...................................       0.0124          274            3
Shortraker rockfish................  W...................................       0.0000          188            0
                                     C...................................       0.0237          557           13
                                     E...................................       0.0124          282            3
Other rockfish.....................  W...................................       0.0034           40            0
                                     C...................................       0.2065          300           62
                                     E...................................       0.0000          330            0
Northern rockfish..................  W...................................       0.0003          755            0
                                     C...................................       0.0336        3,995          134
Pelagic shelf rockfish.............  W...................................       0.0001          366            0
                                     C...................................       0.0000        2,973            0
                                     E...................................       0.0067        1,076            7
Thornyhead rockfish................  W...................................       0.0308          410           13
                                     C...................................       0.0308        1,010           31
                                     E...................................       0.0308          520           16
Big skates.........................  W...................................       0.0090          727            7
                                     C...................................       0.0090        2,463           22
                                     E...................................       0.0090          809            7
Big and Longnose skates............  W...................................       0.0090           66            1
                                     C...................................       0.0090        1,972           18
                                     E...................................       0.0090          780            7
Other skates.......................  GW..................................       0.0090        1,327           12
Demersal shelf rockfish............  SEO.................................       0.0020          410            1
Atka mackerel......................  Gulfwide............................       0.0309          600           19
Other species......................  Gulfwide............................       0.0090       13,525         122
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.


[[Page 8975]]

    In accordance with Sec.  679.64(b)(4), 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. 
These amounts are shown in Table 14.

 Table 14.--Final 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-exempt                 2005 and
                                                                              AFA CV      2005 and    2006 non-
          PSC species                   Season            Target fishery     retained     2006 PSC    exempt AFA
                                                                             catch to      limit       catcher
                                                                              total                   vessel PSC
                                                                             retained                   limit
                                                                              catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut (mortality in mt).....  Trawl 1st seasonal      shallow-water....        0.340          450          153
                                 allowance, January 20- deep-water.......        0.070          100            7
                                 April 1.
                                Trawl 2nd seasonal      shallow-water....        0.340          100           34
                                 allowance, April 1-    deep-water.......        0.070          300           21
                                 July 1.
                                Trawl 3rd seasonal      shallow-water....        0.340          200           68
                                 allowance, July 1-     deep-water.......        0.070          400           28
                                 September 1.
                                Trawl 4th seasonal      shallow-water....        0.340          150           51
                                 allowance, September   deep-water.......        0.070            0            0
                                 1-October 1.
                                Trawl 5th seasonal      all targets......        0.205          300           61
                                 allowance, October 1-
                                 December 31.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directed Fishing Closures

    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), if the Regional 
Administrator determines: (1) That any allocation or apportionment of a 
target species or ``other species'' category apportioned to a fishery 
will be reached or, (2) with respect to pollock and Pacific cod, an 
allocation or apportionment to an inshore or offshore component 
allocation will be reached, the Regional Administrator may establish a 
directed fishing allowance for that species or species group. If the 
Regional Administrator establishes a directed fishing allowance and 
that allowance is or will be reached before the end of the fishing 
year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species or species 
group in the specified GOA regulatory area or district (Sec.  
679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the following TAC 
amounts in Table 15 are necessary as incidental catch to support other 
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2005 and 2006 fishing years.

                          Table 15.--Directed Fishing Closures in the GOA 2005 and 2006
                  [Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in mt.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Target                        Regulatory area             Gear/component             Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel..........................  entire GOA................  all.......................              600
Thornyhead rockfish....................  entire GOA................  all.......................            1,940
Shortraker rockfish....................  entire GOA................  all.......................              753
Rougheye rockfish......................  entire GOA................  all.......................            1,007
Other rockfish.........................  entire GOA................  all.......................              670
Sablefish..............................  entire GOA................  trawl.....................     2,265 (2005)
                                                                                                    2,146 (2006)
Longnose skates........................  W GOA.....................  all.......................               66
Other skates...........................  entire GOA................  all.......................            1,327
Pollock................................  entire GOA................  all/offshore..............     unknown \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pollock is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore component under Sec.   679.20(a)(6)(i).

    Consequently, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), the 
Regional Administrator establishes the directed fishing allowances for 
the above species or species groups as zero. Therefore, in accordance 
with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 
those species, regulatory areas, gear types, and components listed in 
Table 15. These closures will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, 
A.l.t., December 31, 2006.
    Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for management of AFA catcher vessel 
groundfish harvest limits and PSC bycatch limits using directed fishing 
closures and PSC closures according to procedures set out at Sec. Sec.  
679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(8), and 679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional 
Administrator has determined that, in addition to the closures listed 
above, many of the non-exempt AFA catcher vessel sideboard limits 
listed in Tables 12 and 13 are necessary as incidental catch to support 
other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2005 and 2006 fishing 
years. In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional 
Administrator establishes the directed fishing allowances for the 
species and species groups in Table 16 as zero. Therefore, in 
accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the GOA for the species 
and specified areas set out in Table 16. These closures will remain in

[[Page 8976]]

effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2006.

      Table 16.--2005 and 2006 Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures in the GOA
              [Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Regulatory area/
             Species                    district               Gear                        Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.....................  Eastern GOA........  all................  26 (inshore).
                                                                            3 (offshore).
Deep-water flatfish.............  Western GOA........  all................  0.
Rex sole........................  Western GOA........  all................  2.
Flathead sole...................  Eastern and Western  all................  7 and 16 (15 in 2006).
                                   GOA.
Shallow-water flatfish..........  Eastern GOA........  all................  41.
Arrowtooth flounder.............  Eastern and Western  all................  17 and 10.
                                   GOA.
Northern rockfish...............  Western GOA........  all................  0.
Pelagic shelf rockfish..........  entire GOA.........  all................  0 (W), 0(C), 7(E).
Big skates......................  entire GOA.........  all................  7(W), 22(C), 7(E).
Longnose skates.................  Central and Eastern  all................  18(C), 7(E).
                                   GOA.
Demersal shelf rockfish.........  SEO District.......  all................  1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under authority of the interim 2005 specifications (69 FR 74455, 
December 14, 2004), pollock fishing opened on January 20, 2005, for 
amounts specified in that notice. NMFS has since closed Statistical 
Area 610 to directed fishing for pollock effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., 
January 23, 2005, through March 10, 2005 (70 FR 3896, January 27, 
2005). NMFS closed Statistical Area 630 to directed fishing for pollock 
effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 29 , 2005 (70 FR 5062, February 1, 
2005) until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 6, 2005 (70 FR 6781, February 9, 
2005) and 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 14, 2005, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., 
March 10, 2005 (70 FR 7901, February 16, 2005). NMFS prohibited 
directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for 
processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area GOA, 
effective 12 noon, A.l.t., January 26, 2005 (70 FR 4039, January 28, 
2005).
    These closures supercede the closures announced under the authority 
of the interim 2005 harvest specifications (69 FR 74455, December 14, 
2004). While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable 
amounts at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing 
trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures 
and prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR 679. NMFS may implement 
other closures during the 2005 and 2006 fishing years as necessary for 
effective conservation and management.

Response to Comments

    NMFS received 2 letters of comment in response to the 2005 and 2006 
proposed harvest specifications. These letters contained 13 separate 
comments that are summarized and responded to below.
    Comment 1: The Council has yet to take any action on the review of 
the ``Scientific Review of the Harvest Strategy Currently Used in the 
BSAI and GOA Groundfish Fishery Management Plans.'' The Council's 
current approach to setting catch rates results in rates that are too 
high for rockfish.
    Response: The report referred to in the comment is: Goodman, 
Daniel, Marc Mangel, Graeme Parkes, Terry Quinn, Victor Restrepo, Tony 
Smith, Kevin Stokes. 2002. ``Scientific Review of the harvest Strategy 
Currently Used in the BSAI and GOA Groundfish Fishery Management 
Plans.'' Prepared for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. 
November 21, 2002.
    Evaluation of fishery management strategies has been an ongoing 
research activity of the NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) 
for years. Most recently, the Programmatic Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (PSEIS) for the BSAI and GOA Groundfish FMPs devoted 
thousands of pages to evaluate both current and alternative fishery 
management strategies. A working group (WG) has been established to 
ensure the fisheries are managed based on the best available science, 
and tasked with continuing and expanding the AFSC's research in the 
area of management strategy evaluation (MSE). MSE research is ongoing 
and the WG is expected to make significant advancements in this area 
over the next few years. The GOA SAFE report (page 387) evaluated the 
harvest strategy used in the rockfish assessments with particular 
attention given to the consideration of the harvest rates for rockfish 
because of their ``low productivity'' (Goodman et al., 2002). The 
evaluation indicated that the harvest strategy is sufficiently 
conservative. The stock assessments are updated annually and 
adjustments will be made if new data indicates a downturn in the 
fishery populations. Also, the rockfish section of the SSC's minutes 
from the December 2004 Council meeting states, ``The SSC appreciates 
the attention given by the SAFE authors and the Plan Teams to the 
recommendations that the SSC made last year regarding the ``F40 
report'' by Goodman et al., the contributions to stock productivity of 
older female rockfish, local depletion, and the effects of 
disaggregation of the ABCs.'' At the February 2005 Council meeting, a 
discussion paper on rockfish management will be presented by Council 
staff. Also, the Council includes ecosystem research information in an 
ecosystem considerations appendix to the SAFE reports.
    Comment 2: The EA fails to provide the public with a full and fair 
analysis of the consequence of implementing the FMPs; and there is no 
FMP level environmental impact statement (EIS) that evaluates the 
effects of authorizing fishing pursuant to the FMPs.
    Response: Pursuant to NEPA, NMFS prepared an EA for this action. 
The EA comprehensively analyzes the potential impacts of the 2005 and 
2006 harvest specifications and provides the evidence to decide whether 
an agency must prepare and EIS. The analysis in the EA supports a 
finding of no significant impact on the human environment as a result 
of the 2005 and 2006 final harvest specifications. Therefore, an EIS is 
not required.
    Comment 3: The commentor is concerned about the serious limitations

[[Page 8977]]

and disappointed about the insufficient action taken regarding the 
Improved Retention/Improved Utilization (IR/IU) program.
    Response: This action does not address IR/IU. In 1998, Groundfish 
FMP Amendments 49/49 were implemented, requiring 100 percent retention 
of all pollock and Pacific cod in all fisheries, regardless of gear 
type. This provided incentives for fishermen to avoid catching these 
species if they were not targeted, and also required that they be 
retained for processing if they were caught. An overall minimum 
groundfish retention standard was approved by the Council in June 2003, 
with increasing retention standards being phased in starting in 2005. 
NMFS is preparing a proposed rule based on the Council recommendations. 
Concurrently, the Council is developing a program that allows sectors 
targeting flatfish species in the BSAI to form fishery cooperatives. 
This program is intended to program these sectors with the operational 
tools necessary to adhere to the increased retention standards.
    Comment 4: The Council and NMFS have taken no action to ensure that 
adverse impacts on essential fish habitat (EFH) will not occur during 
the EIS process and that the choice of reasonable alternatives will not 
be limited.
    Response: NMFS prepared a draft EIS for EFH dated January 2004, 
which included a broad range of alternatives for minimizing the effects 
of fishing on EFH. Further information on the draft EIS may be found at 
the NMFS Alaska Region website at www.fakr.noaa.gov. NMFS is revising 
the EIS to include two additional alternatives based on public 
comments. The final EFH EIS is scheduled for publication by June 1, 
2005. Fishing in accordance with this action in the context of the 
fishery as a whole could have led to adverse impacts on EFH. Therefore, 
NMFS prepared an EFH Assessment that incorporates all of the 
information required in 50 CFR 600.920(e)(3), and initiated EFH 
consultation pursuant to 50 CFR 600.920(i). The EFH Assessment is 
contained in the EA prepared for this action. The consultation found 
that this action continues to minimize to the extent practicable 
adverse effects on EFH.
    Comment 5: Fishing, as allowed under the current specifications, is 
overfishing and starves all other marine life of food.
    Response: None of the groundfish species managed in Alaska are 
known to be experiencing overfishing or are overfished as defined by 
the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Ecosystem considerations are part of the 
harvest specification process to ensure fish harvests impacts on the 
ecosystem are minimized as much as possible and that all organisms 
dependent on the marine ecosystem are adequately protected.
    Comment 6: All quotas should be cut by 50 percent starting in 2005 
and 10 percent each year thereafter. Also, marine sanctuaries should be 
established.
    Response: The commentor provided no reason for the quotas to be 
reduced. The decisions on the amount of harvest are based on the best 
available science and socioeconomic considerations. NMFS finds that the 
ABCs and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of the 
groundfish stocks as described in the 2004 SAFE report and approved by 
the Council. Additionally, this action does not address the creation of 
marine sanctuaries. The concept of establishing marine reserves is 
explored in the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
essential fish habitat (EFH), dated January 2004. Further information 
on the draft EIS may be found at the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at 
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov.
    Comment 7: A commentor incorporated the Pew Foundation reports on 
overfishing and the United Nations report on overfishing into their 
comment.
    Response: The specific concerns and relationship of these reports 
to this action are not presented by the commentor. Because no further 
details are provided by the commentor, NMFS is unable to respond 
further to this comment.
    Comment 8: The number of vessels that are allowed to catch fish are 
far too great.
    Response: On January 1, 2000, the NMFS implemented the License 
Limitation Program (LLP), which limits the number, size, and specific 
operation of vessels that may be deployed in the groundfish fisheries 
in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska. By limiting the number of 
vessels that are eligible to participate in the affected fisheries, the 
LLP places an upper limit on the amount of capitalization that may 
occur in those fisheries. This upper limit will prevent future 
overcapitalization in those fisheries at levels that could occur if 
such a constraint was not present. The number of vessels participating 
in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska has decreased approximately 16 
percent from 1,228 vessels in 2000 to 1,037 vessels in 2003.
    Comment 9: Steller sea lions and other seal populations are being 
decimated by the commercial fisheries.
    Response: Several species of groundfish, notably pollock, Pacific 
cod, and Atka mackerel, are important prey species for Steller sea 
lions and are also targeted by the groundfish fisheries. The pollock, 
Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel fisheries may compete with Steller sea 
lions by reducing the availability of prey for foraging sea lions. 
However, this potential competition between commercial fishers and 
Steller sea lions for pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel is 
addressed by regulations that limit the total amount of catch and 
impose temporal and spatial controls on harvest. These Steller sea lion 
protection measures are designed to preserve prey abundance and 
availability for foraging sea lions. These protection measures ensure 
the groundfish fisheries are unlikely to cause jeopardy of extinction 
or adverse modification or destruction of critical habitat for the 
Western distinct population segment of Steller sea lions.
    Comment 10: NMFS does not use the ``best'' information. It uses 
manipulated information submitted by commercial fisheries. NMFS does 
zero law enforcement to catch illegal raping of the sea.
    Response: NMFS used data from sources other than the fishing 
industry reported data. NMFS uses data from fisheries observers who are 
biologists working independently to collect biological information 
aboard commercial fishing vessels and at shoreside processing plants in 
Alaska. Observers are deployed by private, federally permitted observer 
providers. The NMFS, AFSC, Resource Assessment and Conservation 
Engineering Division conducts fishery surveys to measure the 
distribution and abundance of commercially important fish stocks in the 
BSAI and GOA. This data is used to investigates biological processes 
and interactions with the environment to estimate growth, mortality, 
and recruitment to improve the precision and accuracy of forecasting 
stock dynamics. Data derived from groundfish surveys are documented in 
scientific reports and are incorporated into stock assessment advice to 
the Council, international fishery management organizations, the 
fishing industry, and the general public. See comment 12 regarding NMFS 
fishery enforcement.
    Comment 11: The time period for the public to comment on this 
proposed rule should be extended by 120 days.
    Response: The commentor provided no reason for the comment period 
extension request. Because no justification is known for extending the 
comment period, the comment period remains 30 days for the proposed 
rule.

[[Page 8978]]

    Comment 12: The fisherman are taking 3 times what they report.
    Response: NMFS disagrees with the commentor's assertion that 
groundfish fishers systematically under-report their catch. The 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements in these fisheries are 
comprehensive, and NMFS and United States Coast Guard law enforcement 
officers conduct numerous vessel boardings each year. Reporting 
violations do occur, but they are relatively rare compared to the 
participation in the overall fishery and are prosecuted pursuant to the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Comment 13: A commentor provided an article regarding the United 
Nations recommendations for banning of high seas bottom trawling.
    Response: The commentor did not provide the relationship of this 
action to the article. This action is limited to the EEZ off Alaska and 
does not address high seas commercial fishing activities. However, NMFS 
does work on issues concerning high seas commercial fishing activities. 
One example is the limitation of high seas drift net fishing for salmon 
in the north Pacific. As a result of this international treaty the 
United States is empowered to prohibit United States vessels from 
participating in this activity and enforce the terms of the treaty on 
the high seas. Also, NMFS, AFSC is conducting studies on the impacts of 
bottom trawls on the sea floor and the description of bottom types.

Small Entity Compliance Guide

    The following information is a plain language guide to assist small 
entities in complying with this final rule as required by the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's 
primary management measures are to announce 2005 and 2006 final harvest 
specifications and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the 
groundfish fishery of the GOA. This action is necessary to establish 
harvest limits and associated management measures for groundfish during 
the 2005 and 2006 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and 
objectives of the FMP. This action affects all fishermen who 
participate in the GOA fishery. The specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC 
and PSC amounts are provided in tabular form to assist the reader. NMFS 
will announce closures of directed fishing in the Federal Register and 
in information bulletins released by the Alaska Region. Affected 
fishermen should keep themselves informed of such closures.

Classification

    This action is authorized under Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    A Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) was prepared to 
evaluate the impacts of the 2005 and 2006 harvest level specifications 
on directly regulated small entities. This FRFA is intended to meet the 
statutory requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).
    The proposed rule for the GOA specifications was published in the 
Federal Register on December 7, 2004 (69 FR 70605). An Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was prepared for the proposed 
rule, and described in the classifications section of the preamble to 
the rule. Copies of the IRFA prepared for this action are available 
from Alaska, Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori 
Durall. The public comment period ended on January 6, 2005. No comments 
were received on the IRFA or regarding the economic impacts of this 
rule.
    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 758 small catcher 
vessels, 24 small catcher-processors, and six small private non-profit 
CDQ groups may be directly regulated by the GOA specifications.
    This regulation does not impose new recordkeeping or reporting 
requirements on the regulated small entities. This regulation does not 
duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any other Federal rules.
    The FRFA 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 FRFA identified 
the following adverse impacts from the preferred alternative on small 
fishing operations harvesting sablefish and Pacific cod in the GOA.
    The aggregate gross revenues for an estimated 382 small GOA 
sablefish entities were estimated to decline by about $5.7 million. A 
reduction in revenues of this magnitude would have accounted for about 
3.0% of total 2003 gross revenues from all sources for these small 
entities.
    The aggregate gross revenues for an estimated 207 small GOA Pacific 
cod entities were estimated to decline by about $3.9 million. A 
reduction in revenues of this magnitude would have accounted for about 
3.2% of total 2003 gross revenues from all sources for these small 
entities.
    Although the preferred alternative had adverse impacts on some 
classes of small entities, compared to the fishery in the preceding 
year, alternatives that had smaller adverse impacts were precluded by 
biological management concerns. Four alternatives were evaluated, in 
addition to the preferred alternative. Alternative 1 set TACs equal to 
the maxFABC fishing rate. Alternative 1 was 
associated with high TACs, high revenues, and TACs that exceeded the 
statutory BSAI OY. Alternative 2, the preferred alternative, set TACs 
to produce the fishing rates recommended by the Council on the basis of 
Plan Team and SSC recommendations. Alternative 3 set TACs to produce 
fishing rates equal to half the maxFABC, and 
Alternative 4 set TACs to produce fishing rates equal to the last five 
years' average fishing rate. Alternative 5 set TACs equal to zero.
    GOA Pacific cod fishermen would have had larger gross revenues 
under two other alternatives, Alternatives 1 and 4, than under the 
preferred alternative. GOA sablefish fishermen would not have had 
larger gross revenues under any alternative. The sablefish TACs are set 
equal to the recommended ABC. The ABCs are recommended by the Council 
on the basis of the biological recommendations made to it by its Plan 
Teams and its SSC. Higher TACs would not be consistent with prudent 
biological management of the fishery. The situation is very similar for 
Pacific cod. Although the Pacific cod TACs under the preferred 
alternative are lower than the ABC, these lower TACs reflect guideline 
harvest levels for Pacific cod set by the State of Alaska for its own 
waters. To protect the resource, the sum of the State's GHL and the 
Federal TAC are not allowed to exceed the ABC. Thus, this TAC also has 
been set as high as possible while still protecting the biological 
health of the stock. The Pacific cod Federal TACs and State GHLs under 
Alternatives 1 and 4 would have exceeded the ABCs. Alternative 2 was 
chosen because it provided Pacific cod fishermen with larger gross 
revenues than Alternatives 3 or 5, and sablefish fishermen larger gross 
revenues than Alternatives 3, 4, or 5.
    Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), an agency can waive a 
delay in the effective date of a substantive rule if it relieves a 
restriction. Unless this delay is waived, fisheries that are currently 
closed (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) because the interim TACs were 
reached would remain closed until the final harvest specifications 
became effective. Those closed fisheries are restrictions on the 
industry that can be

[[Page 8979]]

relieved by making the final harvest specifications effective on 
publication.
    Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), an agency can waive a 
delay in the effective date for good cause found and published with the 
rule. For all other fisheries not currently closed because the interim 
TACs were reached, the likely possibility exists for their closures 
prior to the expiration of a 30-day delayed effectiveness period 
because their interim TACs or PSC allowances could be reached. 
Determining which fisheries may close is impossible because these 
fisheries are affected by several factors that cannot be predicted in 
advance, including fishing effort, weather, movement of fishery stocks, 
and market price. Furthermore, the closure of one fishery has a 
cascading effect on other fisheries by freeing-up fishing vessels, 
allowing them to move from closed fisheries to open ones, increasing 
the fishing capacity in those open fisheries and causing them to close 
at an accelerated pace. The interim harvest specifications currently in 
effect are not sufficient to allow directed fisheries to continue 
predictably, resulting in unnecessary closures and disruption within 
the fishing industry and the potential for regulatory discards. The 
final harvest specifications establish increased TACs and PSC 
allowances to provide continued directed fishing for species that would 
otherwise be prohibited under the interim harvest specifications. These 
final harvest specifications were developed as quickly a possible, 
given Plan Team review in November 2004, Council consideration and 
recommendations in December 2004, and NOAA fisheris review and 
development in January-February 2005. Additionally, if the final 
harvest specifications are not effective by February 27, 2005, which is 
the start of the Pacific halibut season as specified by the IPHC, the 
longline sablefish fishery will not begin concurrently with the Pacific 
halibut season. This would cause sablefish that is caught with Pacific 
halibut to be discarded, as both longline sablefish and Pacific halibut 
are managed under the same IFQ program. These final harvest 
specifications were developed as quickly as possible, given plan team 
review in November 2004, Council consideration and recommendations in 
December 2004, and NMFS review and development in January through 
February 2005.

    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: February 17, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-3581 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P