[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10870-10894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1994]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 060216044-6044-01; I.D. 112805A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of 
Alaska; Final 2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

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

ACTION: Final rule; closures.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications and associated 
management measures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time 
(A.l.t.), March 3, 2006, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007.

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: Records Officer or from the Alaska Region Web site at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the 2005 Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the GOA, dated 
November 2005, 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: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in 
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The 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, 679, and 680.
    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 harvest specifications in Tables 1 through 18 of 
this document satisfy these requirements. For 2006, the sum of the TAC 
amounts is 291,950 mt. For 2007, the sum of the TAC amounts is 257,772 
mt.
    The proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications and Pacific 
halibut PSC allowances for the GOA were published in the Federal 
Register on December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74739). Comments were invited and 
accepted through January 17, 2006. NMFS received 1 letter with several 
comments on the proposed harvest specifications. These comments are 
summarized and responded to in the Response to Comments section. In 
December 2005, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding the 2006 and 
2007 harvest specifications. After considering public comments 
received, as well as biological and economic data that were available 
at the Council's December 2005 meeting, NMFS is implementing the final 
2006 and 2007 harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council, 
with the exception of pollock as described below.

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Specifications

    In December 2005, 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. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Plan Team and 
was presented in the 2005 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, 
dated November 2005 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a review 
of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species' 
biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the 
available information on the 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 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 overfishing levels 
(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 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. The 
Council recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007 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, and other skates. The Council recommended TACs 
that

[[Page 10871]]

are less than the ABCs for Pacific cod, flathead sole, shallow-water 
flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, other rockfish, and Atka mackerel. None 
of the Council's recommended TACs for 2006 and 2007 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 2005 SAFE report and 
approved by the Council. The apportionment of TAC amounts among gear 
types, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
    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. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended TAC specifications 
and apportionments and approves these specifications under Sec.  
679.20(c)(3)(ii).
    Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2006 and 2007 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and 
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sum of 2006 and of 
2007 groundfish ABCs are 500,626 and 472,260 mt respectively, which are 
lower than the 2005 ABC total of 539,263 mt (70 FR 8958, February 24, 
2005).

Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts

    As in 2005, the SSC and Council recommended that the method of 
apportioning the sablefish ABC among management areas in 2006 and 2007 
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 
Regulatory Area and makes available 5 percent of the combined Eastern 
Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other 
directed groundfish fisheries in the West Yakutat District (Sec.  
679.20(a)(4)(i)).
    Since the inception of a State managed pollock fishery in Prince 
William Sound (PWS) the GOA Plan Team has recommended that the 
guideline harvest level (GHL) for the pollock fishery in PWS be 
deducted from the ABC for the western stock of pollock in the GOA in 
the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK) Area. The Plan Team based 
its pollock ABC recommendation for the W/C/WYK Area on a pollock GHL 
for the PWS of 910 mt. Following the Council's December 2005 meeting 
the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) completed a new 
assessment of the pollock biomass in PWS. In a news release dated 
December 28, 2005, ADF&G announced a GHL of 3.64 million pounds (1,650 
mt) for the 2006 PWS pollock fishery, a difference of 740 mt for the 
GHL already considered. NMFS is reducing the 2006 and 2007 ABCs for the 
pollock fishery in the W/C/WYK Area by 740 mt from the Council's 
recommendation to be consistent with the conservation and management 
policies for pollock in the W/C/WYK. The Council recommended that the 
TAC for pollock in the W/C/WYK Area be set equal to the ABC, therefore, 
NMFS is reducing the 2006 and 2007 TACs for pollock in the W/C/WYK Area 
by 740 mt.
    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) (Sec. Sec.  673.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv) and 
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)).
    The SSC, AP, and Council adopted the Plan Team's ABC 
recommendations for all groundfish species categories, except for 
Pacific cod in 2006. The SSC disagreed with the Plan Team's maximum 
permissible ABC recommendation of 79,618 mt based on conservation 
concerns. In particular, the SSC did not feel comfortable with the 
large implied increase in fishing mortality because of concerns over 
the new maturity schedule, a series of low recruitments between 2001 
and 2004, and limited experience with the new model used for the 
Pacific cod assessment. For these reasons, the SSC recommended a stair-
step approach to the maximum permissible ABC in 2006 resulting in an 
ABC recommendation of 68,859 mt. The final 2006 and 2007 ABCs, 
recommended by the Council and amended by NMFS, are listed in Tables 1 
and 2.
    The AP, SSC, and Council recommended that the ABC for Pacific cod 
in the GOA be apportioned among regulatory areas based on the three 
most recent NMFS' summer trawl surveys. As in previous years, the Plan 
Team, AP, SSC, and Council recommended that total removals of Pacific 
cod from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. Accordingly, the 
Council recommended that the 2006 and 2007 TACs be adjusted downward 
from the ABCs by amounts equal to the 2006 GHLs 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 GHLs on the Pacific cod 
TAC is discussed in greater detail below. As in 2005, NMFS will 
establish for 2006 and 2007 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 (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 2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs are affected by the State's 
developing fishery for Pacific cod in State waters in the Central and 
Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in 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 
2006 and 2007 Pacific cod TACs be reduced from ABC levels to account 
for State GHLs in each regulatory area of the GOA. Therefore, the 2006 
TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 413 mt; (2) 
Central GOA, 9,468 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 6,714 mt. Similarly, the 
2007 TACs are reduced from ABCs as follows: (1) Eastern GOA, 297 mt; 
(2) Central GOA, 6,801 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 4,823 mt. These amounts 
reflect the sum of the State's 2006 GHLs in these areas, which are 10 
percent, 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 2005.
    NMFS also is establishing seasonal apportionments of the annual 
Pacific cod TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty 
percent of the

[[Page 10872]]

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 (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 2006 GOA-wide ``other species'' TAC is 13,856 mt, 
and the 2007 TAC is 12,229 mt, which is 5 percent of the sum of the 
combined TAC amounts (278,094 mt for 2006 and 245,543 mt for 2007) for 
the target species. The sum of the TACs for all GOA groundfish is 
291,950 mt for 2006 and 257,772 mt for 2007, which is within the OY 
range specified by the FMP. The sums of the 2006 and 2007 TACs are 
higher in 2006 and lower in 2007 than the 2005 TAC sum of 291,298 mt 
(70 FR 8958, February 24, 2005).
    In June 2005, the Council selected its preferred alternative for 
Amendment 69 to the GOA FMP to revise the manner in which the ``other 
species'' complex TAC is annually established. If approved, Amendment 
69 would allow the Council, as part of its annual harvest specification 
process, to recommend a TAC amount for the ``other species'' less than 
or equal to 5 percent of the sum of the combined TAC amounts for target 
species. The intent of Amendment 69 is to better conserve and manage 
the species which comprise the ``other species'' complex. NMFS 
published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for Amendment 69 in the 
Federal Register on November 16, 2005 (70 FR 69505) and a proposed rule 
to implement Amendment 69 in the Federal Register on November 29, 2005 
(70 FR 71450). Comments on the NOA were invited through January 17, 
2006, and comments on the proposed rule were invited through January 
13, 2006. Copies of Amendment 69, the EA/RIR/IRFA prepared for the 
amendment, and the proposed rule may be obtained from NMFS, Alaska 
Region or from its Web site (see ADDRESSES). In December 2005, the 
Council recommended that if Amendment 69 receives Secretarial approval, 
then the TAC for the ``other species'' complex should be amended to 
4,500 mt in 2006 and 2007. This amount would meet the incidental catch 
needs in the other directed groundfish and halibut fisheries while 
allowing for a limited directed fishery of approximately 500 mt.
    At its June 2005 meeting, the Council selected a preferred pilot 
program alternative to rationalize the Central GOA rockfish fishery. 
The program was developed by the Council under the authority of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004. If approved by the Secretary, 
the Central GOA Rockfish Pilot Program would allocate rockfish, 
associated groundfish, halibut PSC limits, and groundfish sideboard 
limits to a specific group of eligible harvesters in 2007. These 
amounts are expected to be identified in September 2006 and would 
modify the harvest specifications for 2007.

Changes From the Proposed 2006 and 2007 Harvest Specifications for the 
GOA

    In October 2005, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 
2006 and 2007 harvest specifications (70 FR 74739, December 16, 2005) 
were based largely on information contained in the 2004 SAFE report for 
the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2004. The Council 
recommended that the 2006 and 2007 OFLs and ABCs for stocks in tiers 1 
through 3 be based on biomass projections as set forth in the 2004 SAFE 
report and estimates of groundfish harvests through the 2006 and 2007 
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 2005 until the 2005 SAFE report could be completed.
    The 2005 SAFE report (dated November 2005), which was not available 
when the Council made its recommendations in October 2005, contains the 
best and most recent scientific information on the condition of the 
groundfish stocks. This report was considered in December 2005 by the 
Council when it made its recommendations for the final 2006 and 2007 
harvest specifications. Based on the 2005 SAFE report, the sum of the 
2006 recommended final TACs for the GOA (291,950 mt) is 9,354 mt less 
than the proposed sum of TACs (301,304 mt). The largest 2006 increases 
occurred for Pacific cod, from 42,128 mt to 52,264 mt (24 percent 
increase); deep water flatfish, from 6,820 mt to 8,665 mt (27 percent 
increase), other rockfish, from 670 mt to 1,480 mt (121 percent 
increase), pelagic shelf rockfish, from 4,415 mt to 5,436 mt (23 
percent increase) and for Atka mackerel, from 600 mt to 1,500 mt (150 
percent increase). The largest decreases occurred for pollock, from 
105,220 mt to 85,807 mt (18 percent decrease) and for rex sole, from 
12,650 mt to 9,200 mt (27 percent decrease). Other increases or 
decreases in both 2006 and 2007 are within these ranges.
    Compared to the proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications, the 
Council's final 2006 and 2007 TAC recommendations increase fishing 
opportunities for species for which the Council had sufficient 
information to raise TAC levels. These include, Pacific cod, deep water 
flatfish, other rockfish, northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, 
shortraker rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, longnose and other skates, 
and Atka mackerel. Conversely, the Council reduced TAC levels to 
provide greater protection for several species; these include pollock, 
rex sole, flathead sole, shallow water flatfish, sablefish, rougheye 
rockfish, and big skates. The changes recommended by the Council for 
the 2006 and 2007 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 
apprised and could have made meaningful comments based on the proposed 
harvest specifications.

 Table 1.--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
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                            Overfishing
                 Totals                               Species                         Area \1\                  ABC             TAC            level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Pollock \2\......................  Shumagin (610)..............          28,918          28,918             n/a
                                                                            Chirikof (620)..............          30,492          30,492             n/a

[[Page 10873]]

 
                                                                            Kodiak (630)................          18,448          18,448             n/a
                                                                            WYK (640)...................           1,792           1,792             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  W/C/WYK.....................          79,650          79,650         110,100
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
                                                                            SEO (650)...................           6,157           6,157           8,209
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          86,807          86,807         118,309
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pacific cod \3\..................  W...........................          26,855          20,141             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          37,873          28,405             n/a
                                                                            E...........................           4,131           3,718             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          68,859          52,264          95,500
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)........  W...........................             420             420             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           4,139           4,139             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,661           2,661             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,445           1,445             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           8,665           8,665          11,008
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Rex sole.........................  W...........................           1,159           1,159             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           5,506           5,506             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           1,049           1,049             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,486           1,486             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           9,200           9,200          12,000
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flathead sole....................  W...........................          10,548           2,000             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          25,195           5,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,022           2,022             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................              55              55             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          37,820           9,077          47,003
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).....  W...........................          24,720           4,500             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          24,258          13,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             628             628             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,844           1,844             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          51,450          19,972          62,418
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Arrowtooth flounder..............  W...........................          20,154           8,000             n/a
                                                                            C...........................         134,906          25,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................          15,954           2,500             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           6,830           2,500             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................         177,844          38,000         207,678
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Sablefish \6\....................  W...........................           2,670           2,670             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           6,370           6,370             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,280           2,280             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           3,520           3,520             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  E...........................           5,800           5,800             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          14,840          14,840          17,880
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pacific ocean perch \7\..........  W...........................           4,155           4,155           4,931
                                                                            C...........................           7,418           7,418           8,806
                                                                            WYK.........................           1,101           1,101             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,587           1,587             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  E...........................           2,688           2,688           3,190
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          14,261          14,261          16,927
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Shortraker rockfish \8\..........  W...........................             153             153             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             353             353             n/a

[[Page 10874]]

 
                                                                            E...........................             337             337             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................             843             843           1,124
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Rougheye rockfish \9\............  W...........................             136             136             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             608             608             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             239             239             n/a
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................             983             983           1,180
                                         Other rockfish \10\ \11\.........  W...........................             577             577             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             386             386             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             317             317             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           2,872             200             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           4,152           1,480           5,394
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Northern rockfish \11\ \12\......  W...........................           1,483           1,483             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           3,608           3,608             n/a
                                                                            E...........................               0               0             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           5,091           5,091           7,673
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\......  W...........................           1,438           1,438             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           3,262           3,262             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             301             301             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................             435             435             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           5,436           5,436           6,662
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Thornyhead rockfish..............  W...........................             513             513             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             989             989             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             707             707             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           2,209           2,209           2,945
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Big skates \14\..................  W...........................             695             695             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           2,250           2,250             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             599             599             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           3,544           3,544           4,726
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Longnose skates \15\.............  W...........................              65              65             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           1,969           1,969             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             861             861             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           2,895           2,895           3,860
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Other skates \16\................  GW..........................           1,617           1,617           2,156
                                         Demersal shelf rockfish \18\.....  SEO.........................             410             410             650
                                         Atka mackerel....................  GW..........................           4,700           1,500           6,200
                                         Other GW species \17\ \19\.......  GW..........................             n/a          13,856             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    TOTAL \20\.........................  .................................  ............................         500,626         291,950        631,293
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 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 22 percent, 69 percent,
  and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
  distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal
  apportionments for 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 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.

[[Page 10875]]

 
\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 Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.
\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.


 Table 2.--Final 2007 ABCs, TACs, and Overfishing Levels of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat (W/C/WYK), Western (W), Central (C) Eastern
             (E) Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat (WYK), Southeast Outside (SEO), and Gulfwide (GW) Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                            Overfishing
                 Total                                Species                          Area\1\                  ABC             TAC            level
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Pollock \2\......................  Shumagin (610)..............          23,022          23,022             n/a
                                                                            Chirikof (620)..............          24,275          24,275             n/a
                                                                            Kodiak (630)................          14,687          14,687             n/a
                                                                            WYK (640)...................           1,426           1,426             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  W/C/WYK.....................          63,410          63,410          89,500
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
                                                                            SEO (650)...................           6,157           6,157           8,209
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          69,567          69,567          97,709
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pacific cod \3\..................  W...........................          19,292          14,469             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          27,206          20,405             n/a
                                                                            E...........................           2,968           2,671             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          49,466          37,545          59,100
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flatfish \4\ (deep-water)........  W...........................             421             421             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           4,145           4,145             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,665           2,665             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,446           1,446             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           8,677           8,677          11,022
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Rex sole.........................  W...........................           1,096           1,096             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           5,207           5,207             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             992             992             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,405           1,405             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           8,700           8,700          11,400
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flathead sole....................  W...........................          10,932           2,000             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          26,111           5,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,096           2,096             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................              57              57             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          39,196           9,153          48,763
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Flatfish \5\ (shallow-water).....  W...........................          24,720           4,500             n/a
                                                                            C...........................          27,258          13,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             628             628             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,844           1,844             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          51,450          19,972          62,418
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Arrowtooth flounder..............  W...........................          21,011           8,000             n/a
                                                                            C...........................         140,640          25,000             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................          16,632           2,500             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           7,120           2,500             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................         185,403          38,000         216,500
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Sablefish \6\....................  W...........................           2,360           2,360             n/a

[[Page 10876]]

 
                                                                            C...........................           5,630           5,630             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................           2,014           2,014             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           3,116           3,116             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  E...........................           5,130            5130             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          13,120          13,120          15,800
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pacific ocean perch \7\..........  W...........................           4,290           4,290           4,997
                                                                            C...........................           7,660           7,660           8,923
                                                                            WYK.........................           1,137           1,137             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           1,639           1,639             n/a
Subtotal...............................  .................................  E...........................  ..............  ..............           3,232
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................          14,726          14,726          17,152
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Shortraker rockfish \8\..........  W...........................             153             153             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             353             353             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             337             337             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................             843             843           1,124
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Rougheye rockfish \9\............  W...........................             133             133             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             596             596             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             235             235             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................             964             964           1,161
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Other rockfish \10\ \11\.........  W...........................             577             577             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             386             386             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             317             317             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................           2,872             200             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           4,152           1,480           5,394
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Northern rockfish \11\ \12\......  W...........................           1,483           1,483             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           3,608           3,608             n/a
                                                                            E...........................               0               0             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           5,091           5,091           7,618
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Pelagic shelf rockfish \13\......  W...........................           1,463           1,463             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           3,318           3,318             n/a
                                                                            WYK.........................             306             306             n/a
                                                                            SEO.........................             443             443             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           5,530           5,530           6,779
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Thornyhead rockfish..............  W...........................             513             513             n/a
                                                                            C...........................             989             989             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             707             707             n/a
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           2,209           2,209           2,945
                                         Big skates \14\..................  W...........................             695             695             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           2,250           2,250             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             599             599             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           3,544           3,544           4,726
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Longnose skates \15\.............  W...........................              65              65             n/a
                                                                            C...........................           1,969           1,969             n/a
                                                                            E...........................             861             861             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
    Total..............................  .................................  ............................           2,895           2,895           3,860
                                                                                                         ===============================================
                                         Other skates \16\................  GW..........................           1,617           1,617           2,156
                                         Demersal shelf rockfish \18\.....  SEO.........................             410             410             650
                                         Atka mackerel....................  GW..........................           4,700           1,500           6,200
                                         Other species \17\ \19\..........  GW..........................             n/a          12,229             n/a
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------

[[Page 10877]]

 
    Total\20\..........................  .................................  ............................         472,260         257,772        582,477
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 22 percent, 57 percent, and 21 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 22 percent, 69 percent,
  and 9 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is based on the relative
  distribution of pollock biomass at 53 percent, 15 percent, and 32 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. These seasonal
  apportionments for 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and to trawl gear in 2007 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 Regulatory Area only, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\12\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis.
\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.

Apportionment of Reserves

    Section 679.20(b)(2) requires 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 2005, NMFS 
reapportioned all the reserves in the final harvest specifications. For 
2006 and 2007, NMFS proposed apportionment of all the reserves in the 
proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications published in the Federal 
Register on December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74739). NMFS received no public 
comments on the proposed reapportionments. For the final 2006 and 2007 
harvest specifications, NMFS apportioned all 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

    Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocation of sablefish 
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts 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 
the allocation of 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area 
sablefish TAC 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 the trawl sablefish TAC be established 
biennially. This recommendation results in an allocation of 290 mt to 
trawl gear and 1,990 mt to hook-and-line gear in the WYK District and 
3,520 mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO District in 2006, and 257 mt 
to trawl gear in the WYK District in 2007. Table 3 shows the 
allocations of the final 2006 sablefish TACs between hook-and-line and 
trawl gear. Table 4 shows the allocations of the final 2007 allocation 
of sablefish TACs to trawl gear.

[[Page 10878]]



Table 3.--Final 2006 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................................................              2,670              2,136                534
Central................................................              6,370              5,096              1,274
West Yakutat...........................................              2,280              1,990                290
Southeast Outside......................................              3,520              3,520                  0
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................             14,840             12,742              2,098
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Table 4.--Final 2007 Sablefish TAC Specifications in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation Thereof to Trawl Gear
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              Hook-and-line          Trawl
                     Area/district                              TAC         apportionment \1\    apportionment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western................................................              2,360                n/a                472
Central................................................              5,630                n/a              1,126
West Yakutat...........................................              2,014                n/a                257
Southeast Outside......................................              3,116                n/a                  0
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................             13,120                n/a             1,855
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be
  limited to 1 year.

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. 
Pursuant to 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 based 
on a composite of NMFS winter surveys and in the C and D seasons in 
proportion to the distribution of pollock biomass based on the four 
most recent NMFS summer surveys. As in 2005, the Council recommended 
averaging the winter and summer distribution of pollock in the Central 
Regulatory Area for the A season to better reflect the distribution of 
pollock and the performance of the fishery in the area during the A 
season for the 2006 and 2007 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. The rollover amount of 
unharvested pollock 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)). The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs of 1,792 
mt and 6,157 mt in 2006 and 1,426 mt and 6,157 mt in 2007, 
respectively, are not allocated by season.
    Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the allocation of 100 percent of 
the pollock TAC in all regulatory areas and all seasonal allowances 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 by Sec.  
679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch amounts are 
unknown and will be determined during the fishing year.
    The 2006 and 2007 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 are summarized in Tables 
5 and 6, except that amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore 
and offshore components are not shown.

[[Page 10879]]



   Table 5.--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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Season                                Shumagin (area 610)   Chirikof (area 620)    Kodiak (area 630)           Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A...............................................................        4,210 (21.63%)       11,192 (57.50%)        4,062 (20.87%)         19,464 (100%)
B...............................................................        4,210 (21.63%)       13,394 (68.81%)         1,861 (9.56%)         19,465 (100%)
C...............................................................       10,249 (52.65%)        2,953 (15.17%)        6,263 (32.17%)         19,465 (100%)
D...............................................................       10,249 (52.65%)        2,953 (15.17%)        6,262 (32.17%)         19,464 (100%)
                                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual Total................................................                28,918                30,492                18,448                77,858
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Table 6.--Final 2007 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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Season                                Shumagin (area 610)   Chirikof (area 620)    Kodiak (area 630)           Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A...............................................................        3,352 (21.63%)        8,910 (57.50%)        3,234 (20.87%)         15,496 (100%)
B...............................................................        3,352 (21.63%)       10,663 (68.81%)         1,481 (9.56%)         15,496 (100%)
C...............................................................        8,159 (52.65%)        2,351 (15.17%)        4,986 (32.17%)         15,496 (100%)
D...............................................................        8,159 (52.65%)        2,351 (15.17%)        4,986 (32.17%)         15,496 (100%)
                                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual Total................................................                23,022                24,275                14,687                62,984
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 (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 (Sec.  679.20(a)(11)(ii)). For 
purposes of clarification, NMFS points out that the dates for the A 
season and the B season for the 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 the allocation of the Pacific cod 
TAC apportionment in all regulatory areas between 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 2006 and 2007 Pacific 
cod TACs are shown in Tables 7 and 8, respectively.

  Table 7.--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 (90%)    Offshore (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Western..............            20,141            18,127             2,014
A season (60%).....................  .....................            12,085            10,876             1,208
B season (40%).....................  .....................             8,056             7,251               806
                                     Central..............            28,405            25,565             2,840
A season (60%).....................  .....................            17,043            15,339             1,704
B season (40%).....................  .....................            11,362            10,226             1,136
                                     Eastern..............             3,718             3,346               372
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total..........................  .....................            52,264            47,038             5,226
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 10880]]


  Table 8.--Final 2007 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 (90%)    Offshore (10%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Western..............            14,469            13,022             1,447
A season (60%).....................  .....................             8,681             7,813               868
B season (40%).....................  .....................             5,788             5,209               579
                                     Central..............            20,405            18,365             2,040
A season (60%).....................  .....................            12,243            11,019             1,224
B season (40%).....................  .....................             8,162             7,346               816
                                     Eastern..............             2,671             2,404               267
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total..........................  .....................            37,545            33,791             3,754
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demersal Shelf Rockfish

    In a commercial fisheries news release dated December 9, 2005, the 
ADF&G announced the closure to directed fishing for demersal shelf 
rockfish (DSR) in the SEO District for 2006. The ADF&G estimates that 
the incidental catch mortality in the commercial halibut fishery 
combined with the estimated DSR catch in the charter and sport 
fisheries will exceed the TAC; therefore, a directed fishery in the SEO 
District cannot be prosecuted (5 AAC 28.160 (c)(copyright))). NMFS 
reminds all fishermen that full retention of all 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 
required (Sec.  679.20(j)).

Halibut PSC Limits

    Section 679.21(d) establishes the annual halibut PSC limit 
apportionments to trawl and hook-and-line gear and may establish 
apportionments for pot gear. In December 2005, the Council recommended 
that NMFS maintain the 2005 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt for the 
trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the hook-and-line fisheries. Ten mt of 
the hook-and-line limit is further allocated to the DSR fishery in the 
SEO District. The DSR fishery is defined at Sec.  679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A). 
This fishery has been apportioned 10 mt in recognition of its small 
scale harvests. Most vessels in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft 
(18.3 m) length overall (LOA) and are exempt from observer coverage. 
Therefore, observer data are not available to verify actual bycatch 
amounts. NMFS assumes the halibut bycatch in the DSR fishery is 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 2006 and 2007. The 
Council recommended these exemptions because: (1) The pot gear 
fisheries experience low annual halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 18 
mt annually from 2001 through 2005); (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. NMFS assumes halibut mortality is very low, given the small 
amount of groundfish harvested annually by jig gear (averaging 298 mt 
annually from 2001 through 2005), and the survival rates of any halibut 
incidentally caught by jig gear and released are high.
    Section 679.21(d)(5) requires NMFS to seasonally apportion 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 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (70 FR 8958, 
February 24, 2005) summarized the Council's and NMFS' findings with 
respect to each of these FMP considerations. The Council's and NMFS' 
findings for 2006 and 2007 are unchanged from 2005. 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 1 in 
2006 and 2007. This date will facilitate inseason management of the 
rockfish fisheries and reduce the effect of the rockfish fisheries on 
the annual NMFS sablefish survey that occurs later in July.
    NMFS concurs with the Council's recommendations described here and 
listed in Table 9. Section 679.21(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 2006 and 2007 fishing years. The information to establish 
the halibut PSC limits was obtained from the 2005 SAFE report, NMFS, 
ADF&G, the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), and public 
testimony.

Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior Years

    The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch is data 
collected by observers during 2005. The calculated halibut bycatch 
mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and pot gear through December 31, 
2005, is 2,012 mt, 194 mt, and 45 mt, respectively, for a total halibut 
mortality of 2,251 mt.
    Halibut bycatch restrictions seasonally constrained trawl gear 
fisheries during the 2005 fishing year. Trawling during the first 
season closed for the deep-water complex on March 23 (70 FR 15600, 
March 28, 2005) and during the second season on April 8 (70 FR 19339, 
April 13, 2005). The April 8

[[Page 10881]]

closure was modified to open trawling for the deep-water fishery 
complex from April 24 through May 3 (70 FR 21678, April 27, 2005 and 70 
FR 23940, May 6, 2005). Trawling during the third season closed for the 
deep-water complex on July 24 (70 FR 43327, July 27, 2005) and during 
the fourth season on September 4 (70 FR 52326, September 2, 2005). 
Trawling during the third season closed for the shallow-water complex 
on August 19 (70 FR 49507, August 24, 2005) and during the fourth 
season on September 4 (70 FR 52325, September 2, 2005). Trawling for 
all groundfish targets (with the exception of pollock by vessels using 
pelagic trawl gear) closed for the fifth season on October 1 (70 FR 
57803, October 4, 2005). The use of hook-and-line gear targeting 
groundfish remained open throughout the fishing year in 2005 because 
the first seasonal allowance of halibut PSC was not reached.
    The amount of groundfish that trawl gear might have harvested if 
halibut catch limitations had not restricted the 2005 season is 
unknown.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Stocks

    In December 2005, the Council adopted higher ABCs for Pacific cod 
(in 2006), deep-water flatfish (2006 and 2007), other rockfish (2006 
and 2007), Pacific ocean perch (2006 and 2007), shortraker rockfish 
(2006 and 2007), pelagic shelf rockfish (2006 and 2007), thornyhead 
rockfish (2006 and 2007), Atka mackerel (2006 and 2007), and longnose 
and other skates (2006 and 2007), than those established for 2005. The 
Council adopted lower ABCs for pollock (2006 and 2007), Pacific cod (in 
2007), sablefish (2006 and 2007), rex sole (2006 and 2007), shallow 
water flatfish (2006 and 2007), flathead sole (2006 and 2007), 
sablefish (2006 and 2007), arrowtooth flounder (2006 and 2007), 
rougheye rockfish (2006 and 2007), and big skate (2006 and 2007), than 
those established for 2005. For northern rockfish, the Council 
recommended that ABC levels remain unchanged from 2005. More 
information on these changes is included in the 2005 SAFE report 
(November 2005) and in the Council and SSC December 2005 meeting 
minutes.

Expected Changes in Groundfish Catch

    The total TAC amounts for the GOA are 291,950 mt for 2006, and 
257,772 mt for 2007, an increase of less than 1 percent in 2006 and a 
decrease of about 12 percent in 2007 from the 2005 TAC total of 291,298 
mt. Those fisheries for which the 2006 and 2007 TACs are lower than in 
2005 are pollock (decreased to 85,807 mt in 2006 and 69,567 mt in 2007, 
from 91,710 mt in 2005), Pacific cod (decreased to 37,545 mt in 2007, 
from 44,433 mt in 2005), rex sole (decreased to 9,200 mt in 2006 and 
8,700 mt in 2007, from 12,650 mt in 2005), shallow water flatfish 
(decreased to 19,972 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 20,740 mt in 2005), 
flathead sole (decreased to 9,077 mt in 2006 and 9,153 mt in 2007, from 
10,390 mt in 2005), sablefish (decreased to 14,840 in 2006 and 13,120 
mt in 2007, from 15,940 mt in 2005), rougheye rockfish (decreased to 
983 mt in 2006 and 964 mt in 2007, from 1,007 mt in 2005), big skate 
(decreased to 3,544 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 3,999 mt in 2005), and 
``other species'' (decreased to 13,856 in 2006 and to 12,314 mt in 
2007, from 13,871 mt in 2005).
    Those fisheries for which the 2006 or 2007 TACs are higher than in 
2005 are Pacific cod (increased to 52,264 mt in 2006, from 44,433 mt in 
2005), deep-water flatfish (increased to 8,665 mt in 2006 and 8,677 mt 
in 2007, from 6,820 mt in 2005), other rockfish (increased to 1,480 mt 
in 2006 and 2007, from 670 mt in 2005), Pacific ocean perch (increased 
to 14,261 mt in 2006 and 14,726 mt in 2007, from 13,575 mt in 2005), 
shortraker rockfish (increased to 843 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 753 mt 
in 2005), pelagic shelf rockfish (increased to 5,436 mt in 2006 and 
5,530 mt in 2007, from 4,553 mt in 2005), thornyhead rockfish 
(increased to 2,209 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 1,940 mt in 2005), Atka 
mackerel (increased to 1,500 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 600 mt in 2005), 
longnose skate (increased to 2,895 mt in 2006 and 2007, from 2,818 mt 
in 2005), and other skates (increased to 1,617 mt in 2006 and 2007, 
from 1,327 mt in 2005). species (increased to 13,942 mt in 2006, from 
13,871 mt in 2005).

Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition

    The most recent halibut stock assessment was conducted by the 
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) in December 2005 for 
the 2006 commercial fishery. The 2005 assessment methods are unchanged 
from the previous year. The current exploitable halibut biomass in 
Alaska for 2006 was estimated to be 189,543 mt, down from 192,023 mt in 
2005. The female spawning biomass remains far above the minimum 
spawning biomass that occurred in the 1970s.
    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 is 
estimated at 118,000 mt. Long-term average yield was estimated at 
26,980 mt. The species is fully utilized. Recent average catches (1994-
2004) in the commercial halibut fisheries in Alaska have averaged 
34,241 mt. Catch in Alaska is 27 percent higher than long-term 
potential yield for the entire halibut stock reflecting the good 
condition of the Pacific halibut resource. In December 2005, IPHC staff 
recommended Alaska commercial catch limits totaling 33,421 mt in 2006, 
down from 34,459 mt in 2005. Through December 31, 2005, commercial 
hook- and line harvests of halibut in Alaska totaled 33,381 mt.
    In 2004, IPHC staff identified a 25 percent harvest rate as a 
candidate target rate for use with the new population assessment, 
pending its evaluation using the sex-specific population model. This 
updated evaluation indicated that a harvest rate less than 25 percent 
would result in a 50 percent lower probability that the stock biomass 
would reach a level requiring reductions in harvest rate. For 2006, the 
IPHC staff recommended a harvest rate of 22.5 percent for Areas 2C and 
3A, 20 percent in Areas 3B and 4A, and 15 percent in Areas 4B and 4CDE. 
These are the same rates as used in 2005 except in Areas 4B and 4CDE, 
where the rate has been reduced from 20 percent to 15 percent. For Area 
4B, the continued decline in biomass relative to the estimated 
historical minimum, the lack of recruitment, and a new analysis of 
productivity, prompted the IPHC staff to recommend the lower harvest 
rate of 15 percent. Similarly for Area 4CDE, the sharp decline in 
survey and commercial catch rates resulted in the IPHC staff's 
recommendation of a 15 percent harvest rate.
    Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment may 
be found in the IPHC's 2005 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December 
2005), available from the IPHC and on its Web site at http://www.iphc.washington.edu. At its annual meeting in January 2006 the IPHC 
adopted staff recommendations for the commercial catch limits described 
above for 2006 and set a season opening date of March 5.

Other Factors

    The proposed 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications (70 FR 74739, 
December 16, 2005) discuss potential impacts of expected fishing for 
groundfish on halibut stocks and methods and costs of reducing halibut 
bycatch in the groundfish fisheries.

[[Page 10882]]



            Table 9.--Final 2006 and 2007 Pacific Halibut PSC Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Trawl gear                                         Hook-and-line gear \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Other than DRS                         DSR
            Dates                  Amount     ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Dates           Amount           Dates           Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1...........     550 (27.5%)  January 1-June         250 (86%)  January 1-            10 (100%)
                                                10.                               December 31.
April 1--July 1..............       400 (20%)  June 10-                  5 (2%)  ...............  ..............
                                                September 1.
July 1-September 1...........       600 (30%)  September 1-            35 (12%)  ...............  ..............
                                                December 31.
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 the further apportionment of 
the trawl halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery categories. The annual 
apportionments are based on each category's proportional share of the 
anticipated halibut bycatch mortality and optimization of 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'' (Sec.  
679.21(d)(3)(iii)). The final seasonal 2006 and 2007 apportionments for 
the two fishery complexes are presented in Table 10.

  Table 10.--Final 2006 and 2007 Apportionment of Pacific Halibut PSC Trawl Limits Between the Trawl Gear Deep-
                           Water Species Complex and the Shallow-Water Species Complex
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Season                            Shallow-water        Deep-water           Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1.....................................                450                100                550
April 1-July 1.........................................                100                300                400
July 1-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\..............................                n/a                n/a                300
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................                n/a                n/a               n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water fishery complexes during the 5th season
  (October 1-December 31).

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 2005 GOA groundfish fisheries be used to monitor the 2006 
and 2007 GOA halibut bycatch mortality limits. 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, so 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 each gear type was 
recommended as a default rate. The GOA DMRs for 2006 and 2007 are 
unchanged from those used in 2005. 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 2006 and 2007 are listed 
in Table 11. The justification for these DMRs is discussed in Appendix 
A of the 2004 SAFE report dated November 2004. In December 2006, the 
IPHC will recommend DMRs for the 2007-2009 groundfish fisheries.

   Table 11.--Final 2006 and 2007 Halibut Discard Mortality Rates for
                  Vessels Fishing in the Gulf of Alaska
  [Listed values are percentages of halibut bycatch assumed to be dead]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Mortality
               Gear                          Target              rate
                                                               (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line....................  Other species............          13
                                   Skates...................          13
                                   Pacific cod..............          13

[[Page 10883]]

 
                                   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 do not directly benefit from 
the AFA from fishermen and processors who received exclusive harvesting 
and processing privileges under the AFA. In the GOA, listed AFA 
catcher/processors are prohibited from harvesting any species of fish 
(Sec.  679.7(k)(1)(ii)). These listed AFA catcher/processors also are 
prohibited from processing any pollock in the GOA and any groundfish 
harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA (Sec.  679.7(k)(1)(iv)). 
Section 679.64(b)(2)(ii) exempts from sideboard limitations 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 2006 and in 
Table 13 for 2007. All targeted or incidental catch of sideboard 
species made by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels will be deducted from 
the sideboard limits in Tables 12 and 13.

  Table 12.--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     AFA CV      2006 TAC     catcher
                                           by 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        4,210        2,573
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427       11,192        1,597
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        4,062          990
                                          B Season (W/C areas only) March  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           10-May 31
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112        4,210        2,573
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427       13,394        1,911
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        1,861          454
                                          C Season (W/C areas only)        ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           August 25-September 15
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112       10,249        6,264
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427        2,953          421
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        6,263        1,527
                                          D Season (W/C areas only)
                                           October 1-November 1
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112       10,249        6,264

[[Page 10884]]

 
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427        2,953          421
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        6,262        1,527
                                          Annual                           ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          WYK (640)......................       0.3499        1,792          627
                                          SEO (650)......................       0.3499        6,157        2,154
Pacific cod.............................  A Season \1\ January 1-June 10   ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          W inshore......................       0.1423       10,876        1,548
                                          W offshore.....................       0.1026        1,208          124
                                          C inshore......................       0.0722       15,339        1,107
                                          C offshore.....................       0.0721        1,704          123
                                          B Season \2\ September 1-        ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           December 31
                                          W inshore......................       0.1423        7,251        1,032
                                          W offshore.....................       0.1026          806           83
                                          C inshore......................       0.0722       10,226          738
                                          C offshore.....................       0.0721        1,136           82
                                          Annual                           ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          E inshore......................       0.0079        3,346           26
                                          E offshore.....................       0.0078          372            3
Flatfish deep-water.....................  W..............................       0.0000          420            0
                                          C..............................       0.0670        4,139          277
                                          E..............................       0.0171        4,106           70
Rex sole................................  W..............................       0.0010        1,159            1
                                          C..............................       0.0402        5,506          221
                                          E..............................       0.0153        2,535           39
Flathead sole...........................  W..............................       0.0036        2,000            7
                                          C..............................       0.0261        5,000          131
                                          E..............................       0.0048        2,077           10
Flatfish shallow-water..................  W..............................       0.0156        4,500           70
                                          C..............................       0.0598       13,000          777
                                          E..............................       0.0126        2,472           31
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          534            0
                                          C trawl gear...................       0.0720        1,294           93
                                          E trawl gear...................       0.0488          290           14
Pacific ocean perch.....................  W..............................       0.0623        4,155          259
                                          C..............................       0.0866        7,418          642
                                          E..............................       0.0466        2,688          125
Shortraker rockfish.....................  W..............................       0.0000          153            0
                                          C..............................       0.0237          353            8
                                          E..............................       0.0124          337            4
Rougheye rockfish.......................  W..............................       0.0000          136            0
                                          C..............................       0.0237          608           14
                                          E..............................       0.0124          239            3
Other rockfish..........................  W..............................       0.0034          557            2
                                          C..............................       0.2065          386           80
                                          E..............................       0.0000          517            0
Northern rockfish.......................  W..............................       0.0003        1,483            0
                                          C..............................       0.0336        3,608          121
Pelagic shelf rockfish..................  W..............................       0.0001        1,438            0
                                          C..............................       0.0000        3,262            0
                                          E..............................       0.0067          736            5
Thornyhead rockfish.....................  W..............................       0.0308          513           16
                                          C..............................       0.0308          989           30
                                          E..............................       0.0308          707           22
Big skates..............................  W..............................       0.0090          695            6
                                          C..............................       0.0090        2,250           20
                                          E..............................       0.0090          599            5
Longnose skates.........................  W..............................       0.0090           65            1
                                          C..............................       0.0090        1,969           18
                                          E..............................       0.0090          861            8
Other skates............................  GW.............................       0.0090        1,617           15
Demersal shelf rockfish.................  SEO............................       0.0020          410            1

[[Page 10885]]

 
Atka mackerel...........................  Gulfwide.......................       0.0309        1,500           46
Other species...........................  Gulfwide.......................       0.0090       13,856         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 2007 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard
                                                   Limitations
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Ratio of
                                                                            1995-1997                 2007 non-
                                                                            non-exempt                exempt AFA
                 Species                   Apportionments and allocations     AFA CA      2007 TAC     catcher
                                           by 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        3,352        2,049
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427        8,910        1,271
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        3,234          788
                                          B Season (W/C areas only) March  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           10-May 31
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112        3,352        2,049
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427       10,663        1,522
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        1,481          361
                                          C Season (W/C areas only)        ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           August 25-September 15
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112        8,159        4,987
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427        2,351          335
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        4,986        1,216
                                          D Season (W/C areas only)        ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           October 1-November 1
                                          Shumagin (610).................       0.6112        8,159        4,987
                                          Chirikof (620).................       0.1427        2,351          335
                                          Kodiak (630)...................       0.2438        4,986        1,216
                                          Annual                           ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          WYK (640)......................       0.3499        1,426          499
                                          SEO (650)......................       0.3499        6,157        2,154
Pacific cod.............................  A Season \1\ January 1-June 10   ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          W inshore......................       0.1423        7,813        1,112
                                          W offshore.....................       0.1026          868           89
                                          C inshore......................       0.0722       11,019          796
                                          C offshore.....................       0.0721        1,224           88
                                          B Season \2\ September 1-        ...........  ...........  ...........
                                           December 31
                                          W inshore......................       0.1423        5,209          741
                                          W offshore.....................       0.1026          579           59
                                          C inshore......................       0.0722        7,346          530
                                          C offshore.....................       0.0721          816           59
                                          Annual.........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                          E inshore......................       0.0079        2,404           19
                                          E offshore.....................       0.0078          267            2
Flatfish deep-water.....................  W..............................       0.0000          421            0
                                          C..............................       0.0670        4,145          278
                                          E..............................       0.0171        4,111           70
Rex sole................................  W..............................       0.0010        1,096            1
                                          C..............................       0.0402        5,207          209
                                          E..............................       0.0153        2,397           37
Flathead sole...........................  W..............................       0.0036        2,000            7
                                          C..............................       0.0261        5,000          131
                                          E..............................       0.0048        2,644           13
Flatfish shallow-water..................  W..............................       0.0156        4,500           70
                                          C..............................       0.0598       13,000          777

[[Page 10886]]

 
                                          E..............................       0.0126        2,472           31
Arrowtooth flounder.....................  W..............................       0.0021        8,000           17
                                          C..............................       0.0309       25,000          773
                                          E..............................       0.0020        5,000           10
Sablefish trawl gear....................  W trawl gear...................       0.0000          472            0
                                          C trawl gear...................       0.0720        1,126           81
                                          E trawl gear...................       0.0488          257           13
Pacific ocean perch.....................  W..............................       0.0623        4,290          267
                                          C..............................       0.0866        7,660          663
                                          E..............................       0.0466        2,776          129
Shortraker rockfish.....................  W..............................       0.0000          153            0
                                          C..............................       0.0237          353            8
                                          E..............................       0.0124          337            4
Shortraker rockfish.....................  W..............................       0.0000          133            0
                                          C..............................       0.0237          596           14
                                          E..............................       0.0124          235            3
Other rockfish..........................  W..............................       0.0034          577            2
                                          C..............................       0.2065          386           80
                                          E..............................       0.0000          517            0
Northern rockfish.......................  W..............................       0.0003        1,483            0
                                          C..............................       0.0336        3,608          121
Pelagic shelf rockfish..................  W..............................       0.0001        1,463            0
                                          C..............................       0.0000        3,318            0
                                          E..............................       0.0067          749            5
Thornyhead rockfish.....................  W..............................       0.0308          513           16
                                          C..............................       0.0308          989           30
                                          E..............................       0.0308          707           22
Big skates..............................  W..............................       0.0090          695            6
                                          C..............................       0.0090        2,250           20
                                          E..............................       0.0090          599            5
Big and Longnose skates.................  W..............................       0.0090           65            1
                                          C..............................       0.0090        1,969           18
                                          E..............................       0.0090          861            8
Other skates............................  GW.............................       0.0090        1,617           15
Demersal shelf rockfish.................  SEO............................       0.0020          410            1
Atka mackerel...........................  Gulfwide.......................       0.0309        1,500           46
Other species...........................  Gulfwide.......................       0.0090       12,229         110
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.

    The PSC sideboard limitations for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in 
the GOA are based on the aggregate retained groundfish catch by non-
exempt AFA catcher vessels in each PSC target category from 1995 
through 1997 divided by the retained catch of all vessels in that 
fishery from 1995 through 1997 (Sec.  679.64(b)(4)). These amounts are 
shown in Table 14.

            Table 14.--Final 2006 and 2007 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-                     2006 and 2007
                                                                                                           exempt AFA CV   2006 and 2007  non-exempt AFA
             PSC species                          Season                        Target fishery            retained catch     PSC limit    catcher vessel
                                                                                                             to total                        PSC limit
                                                                                                          retained catch
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality...................  Trawl 1st seasonal allowance..  shallow-water.....................           0.340             450             153
                                      January 20-April 1............  deep-water........................           0.070             100               7
                                      Trawl 2nd seasonal allowance..  shallow-water.....................           0.340             100              34
                                      April 1-July 1................  deep-water........................           0.070             300              21
                                      Trawl 3rd seasonal allowance..  shallow-water.....................           0.340             200              68

[[Page 10887]]

 
                                      July 1-September 1............  deep-water........................           0.070             400              28
                                      Trawl 4th seasonal allowance..  shallow-water.....................           0.340             150              51
                                      September 1-October 1.........  deep-water........................           0.070               0               0
                                      Trawl 5th seasonal allowance..  all targets.......................           0.205             300              61
                                      October 1-December 31.........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Limitations

    Section 680.22 establishes groundfish catch limitations for vessels 
with a history of participation in the Bering Sea snow crab fishery to 
prevent these vessels from using the increased flexibility provided by 
the Crab Rationalization Program to expand their level of participation 
in the GOA groundfish fisheries. Restrictions on participation in other 
fisheries, also called sideboards, restrict a vessel's harvests to its 
historical landings in all GOA groundfish fisheries (except the fixed-
gear sablefish fishery). Restrictions also apply to landings made using 
a License Limitation Program (LLP) license derived from the history of 
a restricted vessel, even if that LLP is used on another vessel.
    For non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA, sideboard limitations are 
based on their traditional harvest levels of TAC in groundfish 
fisheries covered by the GOA FMP. Sections 680.22(d) and (e) base the 
groundfish sideboard limitations in the GOA on the retained catch by 
non-AFA crab vessels of each sideboard species from 1996 through 2000 
divided by the total retained harvest of that species over the same 
period. These amounts are listed in Table 15 for 2006 and in Table 16 
for 2007. All targeted or incidental catch of sideboard species made by 
non-AFA crab vessels will be deducted from the sideboard limits in 
Tables 15 and 16. Vessels exempt from Pacific cod sideboards are those 
that landed less than 45,359 kg of Bering Sea snow crab and more than 
500 mt of groundfish (in round weight equivalents) from the GOA between 
January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2000, and any vessel named on an LLP 
that was generated in whole or in part by the fishing history of a 
vessel meeting the criteria in Sec.  680.22(a)(3).

 Table 15.--Final 2006 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Ratio of 1996-
                                      Apportionments and     2000 non-AFA CV                      2006 non-AFA
              Species                allocations by area/    catch to 1996-       2006 TAC         crab vessel
                                     season/processor/gear     2000 total                           sideboard
                                                                 harvest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...........................  A Season (W/C areas
                                     only) January 20--
                                     March 10
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             4,210                41
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031            11,192                35
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             4,062                 1
                                    B Season (W/C areas
                                     only) March 10-May 31
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             4,210                41
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031            13,394                42
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             1,861                 0
                                    C Season (W/C areas
                                     only) August 25-
                                     October 1
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098            10,249               100
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031             2,953                 9
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             6,263                 1
                                    D Season (W/C areas
                                     only) October 1-
                                     November 1
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098            10,249               100
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031             2,953                 9
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             6,262                 1
                                    Annual
                                    WYK (640).............            0.0000             1,792                 0
                                    SEO (650).............            0.0000             6,157                 0
Pacific cod.......................  A Season \1\ January 1-
                                     June 10
                                    W inshore.............            0.0902            10,876               981
                                    W offshore............            0.2046             1,208               247
                                    C inshore.............            0.0383            15,339               587
                                    C offshore............            0.2074             1,704               353
                                    B Season \2\ September
                                     1--December 31
                                    W inshore.............            0.0902             7,251               654

[[Page 10888]]

 
                                    W offshore............            0.2046               806               165
                                    C inshore.............            0.0383            10,226               392
                                    C offshore............            0.2074             1,136               236
                                    Annual
                                    E inshore.............            0.0110             3,346                37
                                    E offshore............            0.0000               372                 0
Flatfish deep-water...............  W.....................            0.0035               420                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0000             4,139                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             4,106                 0
Rex sole..........................  W.....................            0.0000             1,159                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0000             5,506                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,535                 0
Flathead sole.....................  W.....................            0.0002             2,000                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0004             5,000                 2
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,077                 0
Flatfish shallow-water............  W.....................            0.0059             4,500                27
                                    C.....................            0.0001            13,000                 1
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,472                 0
Arrowtooth flounder...............  W.....................            0.0004             8,000                 3
                                    C.....................            0.0001            25,000                 3
                                    E.....................            0.0000             5,000                 0
Sablefish.........................  W trawl gear..........            0.0000               534                 0
                                    C trawl gear..........            0.0000             1,274                 0
                                    E trawl gear..........            0.0000               290                 0
Pacific ocean perch...............  W.....................            0.0000             4,155                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0000             7,418                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,688                 0
Shortraker rockfish...............  W.....................            0.0013               153                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0012               353                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0009               337                 0
Rougheye rockfish.................  W.....................            0.0067               136                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0047               608                 3
                                    E.....................            0.0008               239                 0
Other rockfish....................  W.....................            0.0035               577                 2
                                    C.....................            0.0033               386                 1
                                    E.....................            0.0000               517                 0
Northern rockfish.................  W.....................            0.0005             1,483                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0000             3,608                 0
Pelagic shelf rockfish............  W.....................            0.0017             1,438                 2
                                    C.....................            0.0000             3,262                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000               736                 0
Thornyhead rockfish...............  W.....................            0.0047               513                 2
                                    C.....................            0.0066               989                 7
                                    E.....................            0.0045               707                 3
Big skate.........................  W.....................            0.0392               695                27
                                    C.....................            0.0159             2,250                36
                                    E.....................            0.0000               599                 0
Longnose skate....................  W.....................            0.0392                65                 3
                                    C.....................            0.0159             1,969                31
                                    E.....................            0.0000               861                 0
Other skates......................  GW....................            0.0176             1,617                28
Demersal shelf rockfish...........  SEO...................            0.0000               410                 0
Atka mackerel.....................  Gulfwide..............            0.0000             1,500                 0
Other species.....................  Gulfwide..............            0.0176            13,856              244
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 10889]]


 Table 16.--Final 2007 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Ratio of 1996-
                                      Apportionments and     2000 non-AFA CV                      2007 non-AFA
              Species                allocations by area/    catch to 1996-       2007 TAC         crab vessel
                                     season/processor/gear     2000 total                           sideboard
                                                                 harvest
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock...........................  A Season (W/C areas
                                     only) January 20-
                                     March 10
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             3,352                33
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031             8,910                28
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             3,234                 1
                                    B Season (W/C areas
                                     only) March 10-May 31
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             3,352                33
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031            10,633                33
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             1,481                 0
                                    C Season (W/C areas
                                     only) August 25-
                                     October 1
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             8,159                80
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031             2,351                 7
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             4,986                 1
                                    D Season (W/C areas
                                     only) October 1-
                                     November 1
                                    Shumagin (610)........            0.0098             8,159                80
                                    Chirikof (620)........            0.0031             2,351                 7
                                    Kodiak (630)..........            0.0002             4,986                 1
                                    Annual
                                    WYK (640).............            0.0000             1,426                 0
                                    SEO (650).............            0.0000             6,157                 0
Pacific cod.......................  A Season \1\ January 1-
                                     June 10
                                    W inshore.............            0.0902             7,813               705
                                    W offshore............            0.2046               868               178
                                    C inshore.............            0.0383            11,019               422
                                    C offshore............            0.2074             1,224               254
                                    B Season \2\ September
                                     1-December 31
                                    W inshore.............            0.0902             5,209               470
                                    W offshore............            0.2046               579               118
                                    C inshore.............            0.0383             7,346               281
                                    C offshore............            0.2074               816               169
                                    Annual
                                    E inshore.............            0.0110             2,404                26
                                    E offshore............            0.0000               267                 0
Flatfish deep-water...............  W.....................            0.0035               421                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0000             4,145                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             4,111                 0
Rex sole..........................  W.....................            0.0000             1,096                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0000             5,207                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,397                 0
Flathead sole.....................  W.....................            0.0002             2,000                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0004             5,000                 2
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,664                 0
Flatfish shallow-water............  W.....................            0.0059             4,500                27
                                    C.....................            0.0001            13,000                 1
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,472                 0
Arrowtooth flounder...............  W.....................            0.0004             8,000                 3
                                    C.....................            0.0001            25,000                 3
                                    E.....................            0.0000             5,000                 0
Sablefish.........................  W trawl gear..........            0.0000               472                 0
                                    C trawl gear..........            0.0000             1,126                 0
                                    E trawl gear..........            0.0000               257                 0
Pacific ocean perch...............  W.....................            0.0000             4,290                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0000             7,660                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000             2,776                 0
Shortraker rockfish...............  W.....................            0.0013               153                 0
                                    C.....................            0.0012               353                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0009               337                 0
Rougheye rockfish.................  W.....................            0.0067               133                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0047               596                 3
                                    E.....................            0.0008               235                 0
Other rockfish....................  W.....................            0.0035               577                 2
                                    C.....................            0.0033               386                 1
                                    E.....................            0.0000               517                 0
Northern rockfish.................  W.....................            0.0005             1,483                 1
                                    C.....................            0.0000             3,608                 0
Pelagic shelf rockfish............  W.....................            0.0017             1,463                 2

[[Page 10890]]

 
                                    C.....................            0.0000             3,318                 0
                                    E.....................            0.0000               749                 0
Thornyhead rockfish...............  W.....................            0.0047               513                 2
                                    C.....................            0.0066               989                 7
                                    E.....................            0.0045               707                 3
Big skate.........................  W.....................            0.0392               695                27
                                    C.....................            0.0159             2,250                36
                                    E.....................            0.0000               599                 0
Longnose skate....................  W.....................            0.0392                65                 3
                                    C.....................            0.0159             2,250                36
                                    E.....................            0.0000               599                 0
Other skates......................  GW....................            0.0176             1,617                28
Demersal shelf rockfish...........  SEO...................            0.0000               410                 0
Atka mackerel.....................  Gulfwide..............            0.0000             1,500                 0
Other species.....................  Gulfwide..............            0.0176            12,229              215
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.

Directed Fishing Closures

    Pursuant to 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 has 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 17 are necessary as incidental catch to support other 
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2006 and 2007 fishing years.

                          Table 17.--Directed Fishing Closures in the GOA 2006 and 2007
                  [Amounts needed for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in mt.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Target                     Regulatory Area                Gear/Component          Incidental catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atka mackerel..................  entire GOA...................  all.........................               1,500
Thornyhead rockfish............  entire GOA...................  all.........................               2,209
Shortraker rockfish............  entire GOA...................  all.........................                 843
Rougheye rockfish..............  entire GOA...................  all.........................          983 (2006)
                                                                                                      964 (2007)
Other rockfish.................  entire GOA...................  all.........................               1,480
Sablefish......................  entire GOA...................  trawl.......................        2,098 (2006)
                                                                                                    1,885 (2007)
Big skates.....................  entire GOA...................  all.........................               3,544
Longnose skates................  entire GOA...................  all.........................               2,895
Other skates...................  entire GOA...................  all.........................               1,617
Pollock........................  entire GOA...................  all/offshore................        \1\ unknown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 species or species groups listed in Table 17 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 17. These closures will remain in effect through 2400 
hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007. In a commercial fisheries news release 
dated December 7, 2005, ADF&G, in accordance with 5 AAC 28.160(c) 
((copyright)), has closed directed fishing for demersal shelf rockfish 
in the SEO District during the 2006 fishing year.
    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 in accordance with 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 2006 and 2007 fishing 
years. In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional 
Administrator establishes the directed fishing allowances for the 
species and

[[Page 10891]]

species groups in Table 18 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 18. These closures will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, 
A.l.t., December 31, 2007.

      Table 18.--2006 and 2007 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]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Species             Regulatory area/district              Gear                  Incidental catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.................  Eastern GOA...............  all.......................  26 (inshore 2006)
                                                                                      19 (inshore 2007)
                                                                                      3 (offshore 2006)
                                                                                      2 (offshore 2007)
Deep-water flatfish.........  Western GOA...............  all.......................  0
Rex sole....................  Western GOA...............  all.......................  1
Flathead sole...............  Eastern and Western GOA...  all.......................  10 and 7 (2006)
                                                                                      13 and 7 (2007)
Shallow-water flatfish......  Eastern GOA...............  all.......................  31
Arrowtooth flounder.........  Eastern and Western GOA...  all.......................  10 and 17
Northern rockfish...........  Western GOA...............  all.......................  0
Pelagic shelf rockfish......  entire GOA................  all.......................  0 (W), 0 ((copyright)),
                                                                                       5(E)
Demersal shelf rockfish.....  SEO District..............  all.......................  1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 680.22 provides for management of non-AFA crab vessel 
groundfish harvest limits using directed fishing closures in accordance 
with Sec.  680.22(e)(2) and (3). The Regional Administrator has 
determined that, in addition to the closures listed above in Table 17, 
many of the non-AFA crab vessel sideboard limits listed in Tables 15 
and 16 are necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated 
groundfish fisheries for the 2006 and 2007 fishing years. Pursuant to 
Sec.  680.22(e)(2), the Regional Administrator establishes the directed 
fishing allowances for all species and species groups in Tables 15 and 
16 as zero, with the exception of Pacific cod in the Western and 
Central GOA. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  680.22(e)(3), NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing by non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA for all 
species and specified areas set out in Tables 15 and 16, with the 
exception of Pacific cod in the Western and Central GOA. These closures 
will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007.
    Under authority of the final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications 
(70 FR 8958, February 24, 2005), pollock fishing opened on January 20, 
2006, 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 22, 2006 (71 FR 4311, January 26, 2006) and 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., January 26, 2006, through January 27, 2006 (71 FR 5014, 
January 31, 2006). Also, NMFS has closed Statistical Area 630 to 
directed fishing for pollock effective 1200 hours, A.l.t, February 15, 
2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2006 (71 FR 8993, February 
22, 2006). NMFS has prohibited directed fishing for Pacific cod by 
vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component 
of the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., 
February 19, 2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2006, (71 FR 
9476, February 24, 2006). NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Pacific 
cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore 
component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOS, effective 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., February 19, 2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 
2006 (71 FR 9477, February 24, 2006). NMFS prohibited directed fishing 
for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by vessels 
using trawl gear in the GOA, effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 23, 
2006, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 1, 2006 (published in the Federal 
Register of February 28, 2006). NMFS opened directed fishing for 
shallow water species by vessels using trawl gear in the GOA, effective 
1200 hrs, A.l.t., February 27, 2006 (published in the Federal Register 
of March 2, 2006).
    These closures supersede the closures announced under the authority 
of the final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (70 FR 8958, February 
24, 2005). While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable 
amounts at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing 
trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures 
and prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS may 
implement other closures during the 2006 and 2007 fishing years as 
necessary for effective conservation and management.

Response to Comments

    NMFS received one letter of comment in response to the proposed 
2006 and 2007 harvest specifications. This letter contained 7 separate 
comments that are summarized and responded to below.
    Comment 1: The action is a major federal action that has 
significant effects on the quality of the human environment and 
requires an Environmental Impact Statement.
    Response: NMFS prepared an EA for the 2006 and 2007 harvest 
specifications. The analysis in the EA supports a finding of no 
significant impact on the human environment as a result of the harvest 
specifications. Therefore, an environmental impact statement is not 
required under section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act or its implementing regulations.
    Comment 2: The ``Ecosystem Considerations'' report is not 
explicitly integrated into the process of setting ABC and TAC. NMFS 
should also integrate directly ecosystem needs into harvest 
specifications through development and implementation of Ecologically 
Sustainable Yield (ESY).
    Response: ESY is defined as ``the yield an ecosystem can sustain 
without shifting to an undesirable state'' (Zabel et al. 2003). This is 
a qualitative concept because judging an ``undesirable state'' may vary 
widely. ESY requires simultaneously considering the impacts of all 
harvested species on an ecosystem and quantifying important qualities 
such as community stability or

[[Page 10892]]

resilience. This poses challenges due to uncertainty and indeterminacy 
inherent in ecological systems and the fact that ecosystems respond to 
natural processes in ways that are not well understood.
    The NMFS and the Council, in essence, fulfill determinations of the 
ESYs through the development and evaluation of the SAFE report (see 
ADDRESSES) and during implementation of inseason multispecies fisheries 
management practices. The SAFE report evaluates the status and trends 
of the entire ecosystem. Also, the SAFE report responds to the stated 
ecosystem-based management goals of the Council. These goals are: (1) 
Maintain biodiversity consistent with natural evolutionary and 
ecological processes, including dynamic change and variability; (2) 
Maintain and restore habitats essential for fish and their prey; (3) 
Maintain system sustainability and sustainable yields for human 
consumption and nonextractive uses; and (4) Maintain the concept that 
humans are components of the ecosystem.
    All groundfish species are currently managed for their impacts from 
a conservation and ecosystem perspective. As an example, the recent 
development of the GOA skate fishery led to prompt management action to 
provide appropriate protection of this species assemblage. Currently, 
there are ABC levels specified for the two main species of skates over 
three different areas. This effectively has prohibited the further 
development of a directed fishery for skates until more information is 
available to ensure appropriate conservation measures are taken. Zabel, 
R. W., C. J. Harvey, S. L. Katz, T. P. Good, and P. S. Levin. 2003. 
Ecologically stainable yield. American Scientist 91: 150-157.
    Comment 3: Catch levels for North Pacific rockfish are being set 
without sufficient precaution. They are based on inadequate and highly 
variable biomass estimates, without regard to stock structure and 
without proper consideration of life history characteristics such as 
rockfish longevity, late age at sexual maturity, and the increased 
reproductive success of older, more fecund female fish.
    Response: Multiple layers of precaution are built into catch levels 
for North Pacific rockfish with age-structured models (Tier 3). For 
example, GOA Pacific ocean perch are assigned an FABC at 
F40%. Bayesian spawner-recruit analysis showed that maximum 
sustainable yield (MSY) was attained at approximately F29%. 
While the target fishing mortality is already well below MSY, the 
Eastern GOA is closed to trawling, further reducing fishing mortality 
by 10 percent. Another precautionary layer is to employ a catchability 
coefficient near two. This means that the fishing mortality is applied 
to a biomass estimate that is about half of the biomass estimate that 
is derived from the trawl survey. The age-structured modeling approach 
integrates a variety of information to compensate for variable survey 
results.
    Catch levels for North Pacific rockfish with survey-biomass based 
models (Tier 5) are based on highly variable biomass estimates. This 
variability is stabilized by using a 3-survey moving average. The catch 
levels for these species are set by applying a fishing mortality of 75 
percent of the natural mortality to the average exploitable biomass. 
These fishing mortalities are precautionary in that they are 
theoretically at least 25 percent below MSY fishing mortality and are 
based on very low natural mortalities (e.g., 0.02-0.07).
    At this time, stock structure information has not been synthesized 
directly into the stock assessments because of the lack of definitive 
structure and sufficient data to model spatially explicit populations. 
However, life history characteristics are explicitly accounted for in 
both the fishing mortality estimates in age-structured models (Tier 3) 
and in survey-biomass based estimates (Tier 5). In age-structured 
models, age at maturity is defined specific to each species and 
longevity is incorporated in the natural mortality estimates and the 
age data. For survey biomass based models, this information is not as 
well known, but the low natural mortality estimates for rockfish 
species is based on their maximum age. Recent research of black 
rockfish off the West Coast shows evidence of older, mature fish being 
more fecund, or producing higher quality larvae, than younger mature 
fish. Research is in progress to attempt to answer this question for 
Alaskan rockfish.
    Comment 4: Signs of stress in North Pacific rockfish populations 
include age truncation, localized depletion, and potential overfishing.
    Response: Some age truncation will occur if a stock is fished. Only 
GOA Pacific ocean perch showed more age truncation than was expected at 
equilibrium. However, this population is not at equilibrium and has 
increased substantially in the last decade. Therefore, the observed age 
truncation may be from fishing, but it also may be from the recent 
strength of recruitment substantially increasing the proportion of 
younger fish.
    Three species of rockfish have shown localized depletion in some 
years and areas. Most of the significant depletions did not occur in 
the same place or in consecutive years. The densities were as high as 
they were in the previous year when fishing resumed, implying migration 
and replenishment when depletions did occur in the same place or in 
consecutive years.
    Recently, North Pacific rockfish species have not been subject to 
consistent overfishing.
    Comment 5: NMFS should support the proposal by Goodman et al. in 
the review of the North Pacific harvest strategy to shift to F50% 
to F60%-based harvest rates as one step in sustainable 
rockfish management.
    Response: There has been no evidence that Alaskan rockfish need to 
have a more conservative spawning output per recruit (SPR) rate than 
other species. Goodman et al. presented evidence based on less 
productive West Coast rockfish. The fishing mortality derived from an 
F40% strategy is much lower for rockfish with their 
sensitive life history characteristics than the fishing mortalities 
derived from the same harvest strategy for other species. This is due 
to the late maturity, slow growth, and low natural mortality of 
rockfish. For example, the fishing mortality rate for rougheye rockfish 
is about one tenth the fishing mortality rate for Pacific cod. Several 
analyses for Pacific ocean perch show F40% to be relatively 
conservative for rockfish.
    Comment 6: We are particularly concerned with recommendations to 
increase TAC for rockfish in the GOA. The slope rockfish TAC is 
recommended to increase 45 percent in 2006. This level of increase is 
not sufficiently precautionary given that we have no point of reference 
for the populations of many species within the management complexes.
    Response: The 2005 GOA survey showed large increases in rockfish 
abundance in the Western and Central GOA, particularly for harlequin 
rockfish, sharpchin rockfish, and redstripe rockfish. In the three-year 
moving average, a year of relatively low slope rockfish abundance 
(1999) was removed and replaced by a relatively high year of slope 
rockfish abundance. The overall slope rockfish ABC increased by only 10 
percent. The associated TAC increased more than 10 percent because of 
increases in the Western and Central GOA to a higher ABC, while the 
Eastern GOA TAC remained at 200 mt. However, the recommended TAC is 
still far below the GOA wide ABC recommended in the stock assessment. 
None of the species in the slope rockfish complex are directly targeted 
and it is unlikely that they will

[[Page 10893]]

be harvested disproportionately to their abundance. Yet, the regionally 
apportioned TACs have been exceeded in the past, which may be a 
conservation concern or it may be driven by poor survey biomass 
estimates. The stock assessment authors for slope rockfish are 
researching alternative survey weighting schemes to attempt to prevent 
large changes in ABCs and resultant TACs, because of highly variable 
survey estimates.
    Comment 7: The TAC for other rockfish in the Gulf including 
shortraker rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish 
are also recommended to increase. NMFS should proceed with caution if 
it authorizes any increase in rockfish harvest, given large 
uncertainties in biomass and population structure, and past over-
harvest of regionally apportioned TACs.
    Response: The 2005 GOA survey also showed substantial increases for 
species with age-structured models. Northern rockfish and dusky 
rockfish biomass estimates more than doubled from the previous survey, 
however, because the models use many data sources, these biennial 
variations in survey abundance are smoothed into modest changes in ABC.
    The stock assessment authors concur that there is a lack of 
knowledge about many of the slope rockfish species in terms of 
distribution and stock structure. Therefore, catches will be monitored 
closely to ensure that these regional TACs are not exceeded.

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 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 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 2006 and 2007 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 harvest specifications was published in 
the Federal Register on December 16, 2005 (70 FR 74739). An Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was prepared for the proposed 
rule and was described in the classifications section of the preamble 
to that rule. Copies of the IRFA prepared for this action are available 
from NMFS, Alaska Region (see ADDRESSES). The public comment period 
ended on January 17, 2006. No comments were received on the IRFA or 
regarding the economic impacts of this rule.
    The 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications establish harvest limits 
for the groundfish species and species groups in the GOA. This action 
is necessary to allow fishing in 2006 and 2007. About 946 small catcher 
vessels and 29 small catcher/processors fishing off of Alaska may be 
directly regulated by the harvest specifications. This regulation does 
not impose new recordkeeping or reporting requirements on the regulated 
small entities.
    The FRFA examined the impacts of the preferred alternative on small 
entities within fisheries that might be affected by the harvest 
specifications. The FRFA identified the potential for adverse impacts 
of the preferred alternative on small fishing operations harvesting 
pollock, Pacific cod, and sablefish in the GOA.
    There were an estimated 62 directly regulated small entities in the 
GOA pollock sector. These small operations were expected to see their 
revenues from all sources (including fishing on other groundfish and 
non-groundfish species off of Alaska) decline by about 1 percent in 
2006 and 5 percent in 2007, as compared to 2005. There were an 
estimated 488 directly regulated small entities in the GOA Pacific cod 
sector. These small operations were expected to see their revenues from 
all sources increase from 2005 to 2006, but to decline by about 3 
percent from 2005 to 2007. There were an estimated 392 directly 
regulated small entities in the GOA sablefish sector. These small 
operations were expected to see their revenues from all sources decline 
by about 3 percent between 2005 and 2006, and by about 9 percent 
between 2005 and 2007.
    Although the preferred alternative had adverse impacts on some 
classes of small entities, as 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 GOA OY. Alternative 2, the 
preferred alternative, set TACs to produce the fishing rates 
recommended by the Council on the basis of Plan Team, SSC, and AP 
recommendations and public comment. 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 and pollock fishermen would have had larger gross 
revenues under Alternative 1 than under the preferred alternative. GOA 
sablefish fishermen would not have had larger gross revenues under any 
alternative. However, for each species, the Council recommended the 
highest TAC levels it could, consistent with the ABC recommendations of 
the GOA Plan Team and the SSC. 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 Pacific cod TAC is actually 
less than the ABC, but only to accommodate State of Alaska (State) 
fisheries conducted for Pacific cod under its own guideline harvest 
levels. 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 
Alternative 1 would have exceeded the ABCs. TACs for all three species 
were higher under Alternative 2 than under Alternatives 3, 4, or 5.
    Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), an agency can waive a 
delay in the effective date of a substantive rule for good cause. The 
current allocation for GOA Pacific cod under the authority of the final 
2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (70 FR 8958, February 24, 2005) is 
lower (44,433 mt) than the allocation under the 2006 and 2007 final 
harvest specifications (52,264 mt),

[[Page 10894]]

which is based on the best scientific information available. Because 
the allocation is divided into seasonal amounts, the first season (A 
season) will close earlier than necessary unless the delay in the 
effective date is waived and the 2006 and 2007 final harvest 
specifications become effective upon publication. The GOA Pacific cod 
fishery is the second largest fishery in the GOA after pollock and all 
gear types fish in the Pacific cod fisheries. Early closures results in 
a disruption within the fishing industry and the potential for 
regulatory discards. The 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications 
establish increased Pacific cod TACs to provide continued directed 
fishing for species that would otherwise be prohibited under the 2005 
and 2006 harvest specifications. These final harvest specifications 
were developed as quickly as possible, given Council consideration and 
recommendations in December 2005.
    Also, the current allocation for GOA pollock under the authority of 
the final 2005 and 2006 harvest specifications (70 FR 8958, February 
24, 2005) is higher (91,910 mt) than the allocation under the 2006 and 
2007 final harvest specifications (86,547 mt). Unless this delay is 
waived, the A season pollock fisheries will overharvest allocations 
based on the best scientific information available that was based 
incorporated into the 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications.
    Additionally, if the final harvest specifications are not effective 
by March 5, 2006, which is the start of the Pacific halibut season as 
specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line 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.
    Finally, the 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications implements 
the groundfish sideboards and sideboard closures that restrict the 
owners of vessels with a history of participation in the Bering Sea 
snow crab fishery from using the increased flexibility provided by the 
Crab Rationalization Program to expand their level of participation in 
GOA groundfish fisheries. Until the 2006 and 2007 final harvest 
specifications are effective no sideboard restrictions or closures 
apply to these vessels.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1540(f); 1801 et seq., 1851 
note; and 3631 et seq.

    Dated: February 28, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-1994 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P