[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 241 (Friday, December 15, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 75460-75474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21447]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 061130318-6318-01; I.D. 112706A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands; 2007 and 2008 Proposed Harvest Specifications for 
Groundfish

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2007 and 2008 harvest specifications and 
prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of 
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action 
is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2007 
and 2008 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of 
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The intended effect of this 
action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI 
in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (MSA).

DATES: Comments must be received by January 16, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Walsh. Comments may be submitted by:
     Mail to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
     Hand delivery to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK;
     E-mail to [email protected] and include in the subject 
line the document identifier: 2007 Proposed Specifications (E-mail 
comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes);
     Fax to 907-586-7557; or
     Webform at the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
    Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and the 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) prepared for this action 
are available from NMFS at the mailing addresses above or from the 
Alaska Region website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Copies of the final 
2005 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 
groundfish resources of the BSAI, 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 
website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228, or e-mail 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 
implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The 
Council prepared the FMP and NMFS approved it under the MSA. General 
regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600.
    The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after 
consultation with the Council, to specify annually the total allowable 
catch (TAC) for each target species and the ``other species'' category, 
the sum of which must be within the optimum yield range of 1.4 million 
to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see Sec.  679.20(a)(1)(i)). 
Regulations at Sec.  679.20(c)(1) further require NMFS to publish 
proposed harvest specifications in the Federal Register and solicit 
public comment on proposed annual TACs and apportionments thereof, PSC 
allowances and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by 
Sec.  679.21, seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka 
mackerel TAC, and Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts 
established by Sec.  679.20(b)(1)(iii). The proposed harvest 
specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 11 of this action satisfy 
these requirements.
    Under Sec.  679.20(c)(3), NMFS will publish the final harvest 
specifications for 2007 and 2008 after (1) considering comments 
received within the comment period (see DATES), (2) consulting with the 
Council at its December 2006 meeting, and (3) considering new 
information presented in the DEIS and the final 2006 SAFE reports 
prepared for the 2007 and 2008 groundfish fisheries.

Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2007 and 2008 Harvest 
Specifications

    The following paragraphs identify actions that are currently under 
consideration by the Council and that, if submitted to and approved by 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), could change the 2007 and 2008 
final harvest specifications. The existing 2007 harvest specifications 
will be updated in early 2007 when final harvest specifications for 
2007 and new harvest specifications for 2008 are implemented.
    In April 2006, the Council adopted Amendment 85 to the FMP. 
Amendment 85 would revise the BSAI Pacific cod sector allocations. If 
approved by the Secretary, final regulations implementing Amendment 85 
are anticipated to be effective for the 2008 fishing year. In June 
2006, the Council adopted Amendment 80 to the FMP. Amendment 80 would 
provide specific groundfish allocations to the non-American Fisheries 
Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processor sector and allow the formation of 
cooperatives. If approved by the Secretary, final regulations 
implementing Amendment 80 also are anticipated to be effective for the 
2008 fishing year. The Council also adopted Amendment 84 that would 
modify current regulations for managing incidental catch of Chinook and 
chum salmon and may change the PSC limits. The Council also is 
considering two proposals. One would allocate the Pacific cod TAC by 
Bering Sea subarea and Aleutian Islands (AI) subarea instead of a 
combined BSAI TAC. The other would separate some species from the 
``other rockfish'' or ``other species'' categories so individual 
overfishing levels (OFLs), acceptable biological catch (ABCs), and TACs 
may be established.

[[Page 75461]]

Proposed ABC and TAC Harvest Specifications

    The proposed ABC levels are based on the best available biological 
information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed 
distribution of stock biomass, and revised technical methods used to 
calculate stock biomass. In general, the development of ABCs and OFLs 
involves sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations and is 
based on a successive series of six levels, or tiers, of reliable 
information available to fishery scientists. Tier one represents the 
highest level of data quality available while tier six represents the 
lowest level of data quality available.
    Appendix A to the final SAFE report for the 2005 BSAI groundfish 
fisheries dated November 2005 (see ADDRESSES) sets forth the best 
information currently available. Information on the status of stocks 
will be updated, including the 2006 survey results, and considered by 
the Plan Team in November 2006 for the 2006 SAFE report. The 2007 and 
2008 final harvest specifications will be based on the 2006 SAFE 
report.
    In October 2006, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), 
Advisory Panel, and the Council reviewed the Plan Team's preliminary 
projections as the basis for the 2007 and 2008 proposed ABC, OFL, and 
TAC amounts. The SSC concurred with the Plan Team's recommendations. 
For stocks in tiers 1-3, the Plan Team used 2006 estimated fishing 
mortality rates in stock projection models to estimate OFLs and ABCs 
for 2007. For Bering Sea pollock, the projection model used a tier 3 
model, but the projection used in December 2005 (as recommended by the 
SSC) used a tier 1 model. The SSC recommended that in the future 
projections should use the same approach that is approved by the 
Council in December of the previous year. The public should be aware 
that a tier 1 projection model may be used in December 2006 for Bering 
Sea pollock for ABC and OFL amounts. The Plan Team estimated 2007 TACs 
based on ABC constraints and past Council actions. The Plan Team 
estimated 2007 TACs were treated as the projected 2007 fishing 
mortality rates to derive estimates of OFLs and ABCs for 2008. For 
stocks in tiers 4-6, for which there are no population projection 
models, the Plan Team used the OFL and ABC amounts from 2006 for 2007 
and 2008.
    The Council adopted the OFL and ABC amounts recommended by the SSC 
(Table 1). The Council recommended that all the 2007 proposed TAC 
amounts be set equal to the ABC amounts except for reduced TAC amounts 
for AI subarea and Bogoslof pollock, Pacific cod, Alaska plaice, 
arrowtooth flounder, rock sole, flathead sole, ``other flatfish,'' 
northern rockfish, Atka mackerel, squid, and ``other species.'' The 
Council recommended that all the 2008 proposed TAC amounts be set equal 
to the ABC amounts except for TAC decreases for AI subarea and Bogoslof 
pollock, Pacific cod, sablefish, Alaska plaice, northern rockfish, and 
``other species.'' As in previous years, the Plan Team, Advisory Panel, 
SSC, and Council recommended that total removals of Pacific cod from 
the BSAI not exceed ABC recommendations. Accordingly, the Council 
recommended that the 2007 and 2008 Pacific cod TACs be adjusted 
downward from the ABCs by amounts equal to 3 percent of the ABC. This 
adjustment is necessary to account for the guideline harvest level 
(GHL) established for Pacific cod by the State of Alaska (State) for a 
State-managed fishery that occurs in State waters in the AI subarea. 
Finally, the Council recommended using the 2006 and 2007 PSC allowances 
for the 2007 and 2008 proposed PSC allowances. The Council will 
reconsider the OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC amounts in December 2006 after 
the Plan Team incorporates new status of groundfish stocks information 
into a final 2006 SAFE report for the 2007 and 2008 BSAI groundfish 
fishery. None of the Council's recommended proposed TACs for 2007 or 
2008 exceeds the recommended 2007 or 2008 proposed ABC for any species 
category. NMFS finds the Council's recommended 2007 and 2008 proposed 
OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts consistent with the best available 
information on the biological condition of the groundfish stocks.
    On July 11, 2006, the President signed the Coast Guard and Maritime 
Transportation Act of 2006 (Coast Guard Act). Section 416(a) of the 
Coast Guard Act revises section 305(i)(1) of the MSA (16 U.S.C. 
1855(i)(1)) by replacing all of the existing language in this section 
with new language. New section 305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the MSA addresses 
allocations to the CDQ Program. It requires that ``the annual 
percentage of the total allowable catch, guideline harvest level, or 
other annual catch limit allocated to the program in each directed 
fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands shall be the percentage 
approved by the Secretary, or established by Federal law, as of March 
1, 2006, for the program.''
    Prior to these amendments, section 305(i)(1)(A) of the MSA stated 
that ``a percentage of the total allowable catch of any Bering Sea 
fishery is allocated to the program.'' Since 1998, NMFS has allocated 
to the CDQ Program a percentage of each groundfish TAC category, except 
squid. The allocation of squid to the CDQ Program was discontinued in 
2001 under Amendment 66 to the FMP (45 FR 13672, March 7, 2001).
    As a result of the changes to section 305(i)(1), the MSA requires 
apportionments to the CDQ reserves of those directed fishery TAC 
categories for which a percentage was approved by the Secretary or 
established by Federal law as of March 1, 2006. In 2006, the only TAC 
category for which a percentage was not approved or established for the 
CDQ Program was squid. Therefore, squid would continue to not be 
allocated to the CDQ Program. For the TAC categories other than squid, 
those that did not have a directed fishery in the BSAI in 2006 were 
Bogoslof pollock, trawl sablefish, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, 
northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other 
rockfish,'' and ``other species.'' Therefore, based on NMFS' 
interpretation of the MSA, apportionments from these TAC categories to 
the CDQ Program will no longer be made. Catch in the CDQ fisheries of 
species in TAC categories that are not allocated to the CDQ Program 
will be managed under the regulations and fishery status that applies 
to the TAC category in the non-CDQ groundfish fisheries. Retention of 
species closed to directed fishing would either be limited to maximum 
retainable amounts or all catch of the species would be required to be 
discarded. Notices of closures to directed fishing and retention 
requirements for these species would apply to the CDQ and non-CDQ 
sectors. The catch of these species in the CDQ fisheries would not 
constrain the catch of other CDQ species unless catch by all sectors 
approached an OFL.
    Table 1 lists the 2007 and 2008 proposed OFL, ABC, TAC, initial TAC 
(ITAC), and CDQ amounts for groundfish in the BSAI. The proposed 
apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed 
below.

[[Page 75462]]



  TABLE 1 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE
                                                                                             BSAI\1\
                                                                                  [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                                                 2007                                                                      2008
           Species                  Area     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   OFL            ABC            TAC          ITAC\2\         CDQ\3\          OFL            ABC            TAC          ITAC\2\       CDQ\3\
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Pollock\4\                     BS\2\          1,707,000      1,419,800       1,419,800     1,277,820      141,980        1,418,100      1,168,700      1,168,700      1,051,830     116,870
                               AI\2\          39,100         29,400         19,000         17,100         1,900          39,100         29,400         19,000         17,100        1,900
                               Bogoslof       50,600         5,500          10             10             0              50,600         5,500          10             10            0
Pacific cod                    BSAI           176,100        148,500        144,045        122,438        10,803         144,900        121,700        118,049        100,342       8,854
Sablefish\5\                   BS             3,080          2,580          2,580          1,097          258            2,680          2,240          2,240          952           n/a
                               AI             3,120          2,620          2,620          557            393            2,720          2,260          2,260          480           n/a
Atka mackerel                  BSAI           107,300        90,900         63,000         53,550         4,725          75,200         65,100         65,100         55,335        4,883
                               WAI            n/a            34,182         16,782         14,265         1,259          n/a            24,481         24,481         20,809        1,836
                               CAI            n/a            38,718         38,718         32,910         2,904          n/a            27,728         27,728         23,569        2,080
                               EAI/BS         n/a            18,000         7,500          6,375          563            n/a            12,891         12,891         10,957        967
Yellowfin sole                 BSAI           138,900        117,100        117,100        99,535         8,783          126,200        106,400        106,400        90,440        7,980
Rock sole                      BSAI           146,000        122,500        85,736         72,876         6,430          133,100        111,600        111,600        94,860        8,370
Greenland turbot               BSAI           18,300         2,630          2,630          2,236          197            17,500         2,630          2,630          2,236         197
                               BS             n/a            1,815          1,815          1,543          136            n/a            1,815          1,815          1,543         136
                               AI             n/a            815            815            693            61             n/a            815            815            693           61
Arrowtooth flounder            BSAI           172,200        140,500        20,000         17,000         1,500          177,400        144,800        144,800        123,080       10,860
Flathead sole                  BSAI           67,100         55,900         22,000         18,700         1,650          62,700         52,200         52,200         44,370        3,915
Other flatfish\6\              BSAI           24,200         18,100         5,000          4,250          375            24,200         18,100         18,100         15,385        1,358
Alaska plaice                  BSAI           227,100        180,200        32,000         27,200         2,400          218,400        173,200        129,637        110,191       9,723
Pacific ocean perch            BSAI           17,900         15,100         15,100         12,835         n/a            17,900         15,100         15,100         12,835        n/a
                               BS             n/a            3,020          3,020          2,567          0              n/a            3,020          3,020          2,567         0
                               WAI            n/a            5,481          5,481          4,659          411            n/a            5,481          5,481          4,659         411
                               CAI            n/a            3,277          3,277          2,785          246            n/a            3,277          3,277          2,785         246
                               EAI            n/a            3,322          3,322          2,824          249            n/a            3,322          3,322          2,824         249
Northern rockfish              BSAI           10,100         8,500          5,000          4,250          0              10,000         8,500          5,000          4,250         0
Shortraker rockfish            BSAI           774            580            580            493            0              774            580            580            493           0
Rougheye rockfish              BSAI           299            224            224            190            0              299            224            224            190           0
Other rockfish\7\              BS             1,122          810            810            689            0              1,122          810            810            689           0
                               AI             748            590            590            502            0              748            590            590            502           0
Squid                          BSAI           2,620          1,970          1,275          1,084          0              2,620          1,970          1,970          1,675         0
Other species\8\               BSAI           89,404         62,950         40,900         34,765         0              89,404         62,950         35,000         29,750        0
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TOTAL                                         3,003,067      2,426,954      2,000,000      1,769,177      182,301        2,615,667      2,094,554      2,000,000      1,756,995     175,816
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\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS)
  subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock and the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear, 15 percent of each TAC is placed in a reserve. The ITAC for each species is the remainder of the
  TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
\3\ Except for Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ''other rockfish,'' squid, ''other species,'' and the trawl gear allocation of
  sablefish one half of the amount of the TACs placed in reserve, or 7.5 percent of the TACs, is designated as a CDQ reserve for use by CDQ participants (see Sec.  Sec.   679.20(b)(1)(iii) and
  679.31).
\4\ Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC after subtraction for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and the incidental catch allowance (3.35
  percent), is further allocated by sector for a directed pollock fishery as follows: inshore - 50 percent; catcher/processor - 40 percent; and motherships - 10 percent. Under Sec.
  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the
  incidental catch allowance (1,600 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery.
\5\ The ITAC for sablefish reflected in Table 1 is for trawl gear only. Regulations at Sec.   679.20(b)(1) do not provide for the establishment of an ITAC for the hook-and-line and pot gear
  allocation for sablefish. Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec.   679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B)).
\6\ ''Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, and Alaska
  plaice.
\7\ ''Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern, shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
\8\ ''Other species'' includes sculpins, sharks, skates and octopus. Forage fish, as defined at Sec.   679.2, are not included in the ''other species''category.


[[Page 75463]]

Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock

    Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) of the CFR requires placement of 15 percent 
of the TAC for each target species or species group, except for pollock 
and the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, in a non-
specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(A) of the CFR and section 
305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the MSA further requires the allocation of one half 
of each TAC amount that is placed in the non-specified reserve (7.5 
percent) be allocated to the groundfish CDQ reserve, with the exception 
of Bogoslof pollock, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, 
shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' squid, 
``other species,'' and the trawl gear allocation of sablefish, as 
explained above. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B) requires 20 percent of 
the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish be allocated to 
the fixed gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), 
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i), and 679.31(a) also require the allocation 
of 10 percent of the BSAI pollock TACs to the pollock CDQ directed 
fishing allowance. The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is 
allocated as an ICA (see Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of 
the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations 
do not further apportion the CDQ reserves by gear. Section 
679.21(e)(1)(i) requires withholding of 7.5 percent of each PSC limit, 
with the exception of herring, as a PSQ reserve for the CDQ fisheries. 
Sections 679.30 and 679.31 set forth the regulations governing the 
management of the CDQ and PSQ reserves.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS proposes a pollock 
ICA of 3.35 percent of the Bering Sea pollock TAC after subtraction of 
the 10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS' 
examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental 
catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 1999 
through 2005. During this 7-year period, the incidental catch of 
pollock ranged from a low of 2.7 percent in 2003 to a high of 5 percent 
in 1999, with a 7-year average of 3.5 percent. Because these incidental 
percentages are contingent on the relative amounts of other groundfish 
TACs, NMFS will be better able to assess the ICA amount when the 
Council makes final ABC and TAC amount recommendations in December. 
Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS proposes a 
pollock ICA of 1,600 mt for the AI subarea pollock after subtraction of 
the 10 percent CDQ directed fishing allowance. This allowance is based 
on NMFS' examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the 
incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock 
from 2003 through 2005. During this 3-year period, the incidental catch 
of pollock ranged from a low of 8 percent in 2005 to a high of 10 
percent in 2003, with a 3-year average of 8 percent.
    The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified 
reserve by species or species group, and any amount of the reserve may 
be reapportioned to a target species or the ``other species'' category 
during the year, providing that such reapportionments do not result in 
overfishing (see Sec.  679.20(b)(1)(ii)).

Allocations of Pollock TAC Under the AFA

    Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the pollock TAC 
apportioned to the Bering Sea subarea, after subtraction of 10 percent 
for the CDQ program and 3.35 percent for the ICA, be allocated as a 
directed fishing allowance (DFA) as follows: 50 percent to the inshore 
sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor sector, and 10 percent to 
the mothership sector. In the Bering Sea subarea, 40 percent of the DFA 
is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the 
DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). In October 2006, 
the State's Board of Fish adopted a proposal for a 3,000 mt pollock 
fishery in State waters of the AI subarea. However, this action by the 
State does not require a downward adjustment of the federal AI subarea 
pollock TAC because the combined TAC and GHL (22,000 mt) are less than 
the proposed ABC of 29,400 mt. The AI directed pollock fishery 
allocation to the Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining 
in the AI subarea after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 
percent) and 1,600 mt for the ICA. In the AI subarea, 40 percent of the 
ABC is allocated to the A season and the remainder of the directed 
pollock fishery is allocated to the B season. Table 2 lists these 2007 
and 2008 proposed amounts.
    Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific 
requirements regarding pollock allocations. First, 8.5 percent of the 
pollock allocated to the catcher/processor sector will be available for 
harvest by AFA catcher vessels with catcher/processor sector 
endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative 
contract that provides for the distribution of harvest among AFA 
catcher/processors and AFA catcher vessels in a manner agreed to by all 
members. Second, AFA catcher/processors not listed in the AFA are 
limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the pollock 
allocated to the catcher/processor sector. Table 2 lists the 2007 and 
2008 proposed allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 8 through 11 list the 
AFA catcher/processor and catcher vessel harvesting sideboard limits. 
In past years, the proposed harvest specifications included text and 
tables describing pollock allocations to the Bering Sea subarea inshore 
pollock cooperatives and open access sector. These allocations are 
based on the submission of AFA inshore cooperative applications due to 
NMFS on December 1 of each calendar year. Because AFA inshore 
cooperative applications for 2007 have not been submitted to NMFS, 
thereby preventing NMFS from calculating 2007 allocations, NMFS has not 
included inshore cooperative text and tables in these proposed harvest 
specifications. NMFS will post AFA inshore cooperative allocations on 
the Alaska Region website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov when they become 
available in December 2006.
    Table 2 also lists proposed seasonal apportionments of pollock and 
harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The 
harvest of pollock within the SCA, as defined at Sec.  
679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to 28 percent of the DFA until April 1. 
The remaining 12 percent of the 40 percent of the annual DFA allocated 
to the A season may be taken outside the SCA before April 1 or inside 
the SCA after April 1. If less than 28 percent of the annual DFA is 
taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder will be available to 
be taken inside the SCA after April 1. The A season pollock SCA harvest 
limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's 
allocated percentage of the DFA. Table 2 lists by sector these 2007 and 
2008 proposed amounts.

[[Page 75464]]



   TABLE 2 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)\1\
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        2007 A season\1\           2007 B                            2008 A season\1\          2008 B
                                        2007      ----------------------------   season\1\                     ----------------------------    season
         Area and sector            allocations                   SCA harvest --------------- 2008 allocations                 SCA harvest -------------
                                                   A season DFA    limit\2\     B season DFA                    A season DFA    limit\2\    B season DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea                 1,419,800       n/a           n/a           n/a            1,168,700         n/a           n/a           n/a
  CDQ DFA                         141,980          56,792        39,754        85,188         116,870           46,748        32,724        70,122
  ICA\1\                          44,724           n/a           n/a           n/a            36,814            n/a           n/a           n/a
  AFA Inshore                     616,548          246,619       172,633       369,929        507,508           203,003       142,102       304,505
  AFA Catcher/Processors\3\       493,239          197,295       138,107       295,943        406,006           162,403       113,682       243,604
  Catch by C/Ps                   451,313          180,525       n/a           270,788        371,496           148,598       n/a           222,898
  Catch by CVs\3\                 41,925           16,770        n/a           25,155         34,511            13,804        n/a           20,706
   Unlisted C/P Limit\4\          2,466            986           n/a           1,480          2,030             812           n/a           1,218
  AFA Motherships                 123,310          49,324        34,527        73,986         101,502           40,601        28,420        60,901
Excessive Harvesting Limit\5\     215,792          n/a           n/a           n/a            177,628           n/a           n/a           n/a
Excessive Processing Limit\6\     369,929          n/a           n/a           n/a            304,505           n/a           n/a           n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA              1,419,800        550,031       385,021       825,046        1,168,700         452,754       316,928       679,132
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands subarea\1\       19,000           n/a           n/a           n/a            19,000            n/a           n/a           n/a
  CDQ DFA                         1,900            760           n/a           1,140          1,900             760           n/a           1,140
  ICA                             1,600            800           n/a           800            1,600             800           n/a           800
  Aleut Corporation               15,500           10,200        n/a           5,300          15,300            10,500        n/a           5,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District ICA\7\          10               n/a           n/a           n/a            11                n/a           n/a           n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the annual Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (3.35
  percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component - 50 percent, catcher/processor component - 40 percent, and mothership component - 10
  percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20 June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to
  the B season (June 10 November 1). Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the
  CDQ DFA (10 percent) and second the ICA (1,600 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
  season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of
  the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of the SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent of the annual
  DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
  only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the
  catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs
  not including CDQ.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs
  not including CDQ.
\7\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the proposed harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for incidental
  catch only, and are not apportioned by season or sector.

Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TAC

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the Eastern 
Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be 
allocated to jig gear. The amount of this allocation is determined 
annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the 
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council 
recommended and NMFS proposes that 1 percent of the Atka mackerel ITAC 
in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea be 
allocated to jig gear in 2007 and 2008. Based on the proposed 2007 ITAC 
of 6,375 mt, the jig gear allocation would be 64 mt for 2007. Based on 
the proposed 2008 ITAC of 10,975 mt, the jig gear allocation would be 
110 mt for 2008.
    Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel ITAC into 
two equal seasonal allowances. After subtraction of the jig gear 
allocation, the first allowance is made available for directed fishing 
from January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to April 15 (A season), and 
the second seasonal allowance is made available from September 1 to 
November 1 (B season; Table 3).
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1), the Regional 
Administrator proposes a harvest limit area (HLA) limit of no more than 
60 percent of the seasonal TAC for the Western and Central Aleutian 
Districts. A lottery system is used for the HLA Atka mackerel directed 
fisheries to reduce the amount of daily catch in the HLA by about half 
and to disperse the fishery over two districts (see Sec.  
679.20(a)(8)(iii)).

[[Page 75465]]



 TABLE 3 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, AND CDQ RESERVE OF THE BSAI ATKA
                                                 MACKEREL TAC\1\
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              2007 Seasonal allowances\2\
                                                  2007 CDQ           -------------------------------------------
                                        2007 CDQ   reserve    2007          A season\3\           B season\3\
    Subarea and component     2007 TAC   reserve     HLA      ITAC   -------------------------------------------
                                                  limit\4\                             HLA                 HLA
                                                                          Total     limit\4\    Total   limit\4\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Aleutian District     16,782    1,259     755       14,265    7,132         4,279     7,132     4,279
Central Aleutian District     38,718    2,904     1,742     32,910    16,455        9,873     16,455    9,873
EAI/BS subarea\5\             7,500     563       n/a       6,375     n/a           n/a       n/a       n/a
Jig (1%)\6\                   n/a       n/a       n/a       64        n/a           n/a       n/a       n/a
Other gear (99%)              n/a       n/a       n/a       6,311     3,156         n/a       3,156     n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                         63,000    4,726     n/a       53,550    26,743        n/a       26,743    n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              2008 Seasonal allowances\2\
                                                  2008 CDQ           -------------------------------------------
                                        2008 CDQ   reserve    2008          A season\3\           B season\3\
    Subarea and component     2008 TAC   reserve     HLA      ITAC   -------------------------------------------
                                                  limit\4\                             HLA                 HLA
                                                                          Total     limit\4\    Total   limit\4\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Aleutian District     24,481    1,836     1,102     20,809    10,404        6,243     10,404    6,243
Central Aleutian District     27,728    2,080     1,248     23,569    11,784        7,071     11,784    7,071
EAI/BS subarea\5\             12,891    967       n/a       10,957    n/a           n/a       n/a       n/a
Jig (1%)\6\                   n/a       n/a       n/a       110       n/a           n/a       n/a       n/a
Other gear (99%)              n/a       n/a       n/a       10,848    5,424         n/a       5,424     n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                         65,100    4,883     n/a       55,335    27,612        n/a       27,612    n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulations at Sec.  Sec.   679.20(a)(8)(ii) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for
  the Atka mackerel fishery.
\2\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\3\ The A season is January 1 (January 20 for trawl gear) to April 15 and the B season is September 1 to
  November 1.
\4\ Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing
  inside the HLA (see Sec.   679.2). In 2007 and 2008, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for
  fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.
\5\ Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea.
\6\ Regulations at Sec.   679.20(a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the
  Bering Sea subarea ITAC be allocated to jig gear. The proposed amount of this allocation is 1 percent. The jig
  gear allocation is not apportioned by season.

Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(i)(A), 2 percent of the Pacific cod 
ITAC is allocated to vessels using jig gear, 51 percent to vessels 
using hook-and-line or pot gear, and 47 percent to vessels using trawl 
gear. Section 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) further allocates the portion of the 
Pacific cod ITAC allocated to trawl gear as 50 percent to catcher 
vessels and 50 percent to catcher/processors. Section 
679.20(a)(7)(i)(C)(1) sets aside a portion of the Pacific cod ITAC 
allocated to hook-and-line or pot gear as an ICA of Pacific cod in 
directed fisheries for groundfish using these gear types. The Regional 
Administrator proposes an ICA of 500 mt for 2007 and 2008 based on 
anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. The remainder of the 
Pacific cod ITAC is further allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or 
pot gear as the following DFAs: 80 percent to hook-and-line catcher/
processors, 0.3 percent to hook-and-line catcher vessels, 3.3 percent 
to pot catcher/processors, 15 percent to pot catcher vessels, and 1.4 
percent to catcher vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) 
using hook-and-line or pot gear.
    Due to concerns about the potential impact of the Pacific cod 
fishery on Steller sea lions and their critical habitat, the Pacific 
cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to disperse the 
Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see Sec. Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A) and 679.23(e)(5)). For pot and most hook-and-line 
gear, the first seasonal allowance of 60 percent of the ITAC is made 
available for directed fishing from January 1 to June 10, and the 
second seasonal allowance of 40 percent of the ITAC is made available 
from June 10 (September 1 for pot gear) to December 31. No seasonal 
harvest constraints are imposed on the Pacific cod fishery by catcher 
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. 
For trawl gear, the first season is January 20 to April 1 and is 
allocated 60 percent of the ITAC. The second season, April 1 to June 
10, and the third season, June 10 to November 1, are each allocated 20 
percent of the ITAC. The trawl catcher vessel allocation is further 
allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second 
season, and 20 percent in the third season. The trawl catcher/processor 
allocation is allocated 50 percent in the first season, 30 percent in 
the second season, and 20 percent in the third season. For jig gear, 
the first and third seasonal allowances are each allocated 40 percent 
of the ITAC and the second seasonal allowance is allocated 20 percent 
of the ITAC. Table 4 lists the 2007 and 2008 proposed allocations and 
seasonal apportionments of the Pacific cod ITAC. In accordance with 
Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(ii)(D) and (a)(7)(iii)(B), any unused portion of a 
seasonal Pacific cod allowance will become available at the beginning 
of the next seasonal allowance.

[[Page 75466]]



                                                TABLE 4 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD ITAC
                                                                                  [Amounts are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  2007 Seasonal                            2008                            2008 Seasonal
                                              2007 Share of  2007 Subtotal   2007 Share          apportionment\1\         2008 Share     Subtotal     2008 Share          apportionment\1\
         Gear sector              Percent      gear sector    percentages      of gear   -------------------------------    of gear     percentages     of gear   ------------------------------
                                                  total         for gear    sector total                                 sector total    for gear    sector total
                                                                sectors                         Date          Amount                      sectors                        Date          Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total hook-and-line/pot gear   51             73,463         n/a            n/a           n/a              n/a           60,205        n/a           n/a           n/a              n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line/pot ICA          n/a            n/a            n/a            500           n/a              n/a           n/a           n/a           500           n/a              n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total    n/a            72,963         n/a            n/a           n/a              n/a           59,705        n/a           n/a           n/a              n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line C/P              n/a            n/a            80             58,370        Jan 1-Jun 10     35,022        n/a           80            47,764        Jan 1-Jun 10     28,658
                                                                                          Jun 10-Dec 31    23,348                                                  Jun 10-Dec 31    19,106
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line CV               n/a            n/a            0.3            219           Jan 1-Jun 10     131           n/a           0.3           179           Jan 1-Jun 10     107
                                                                                          Jun 10-Dec 31    88                                                      Jun 10-Dec 31    72
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pot C/P                        n/a            n/a            3.3            2,408         Jan 1-Jun 10     1,445         n/a           3.3           1,970         Jan 1-Jun 10     1,182
                                                                                          Sept 1-Dec 31    963                                                     Sept 1-Dec 31    788
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pot CV                         n/a            n/a            15             10,944        Jan 1-Jun 10     6,567         n/a           15            8,956         Jan 1-Jun 10     5,373
                                                                                          Sept 1-Dec 31    4,377                                                   Sept 1-Dec 31    3,582
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CV < 60 feet LOA using Hook-   n/a            n/a            1.4            1,021         n/a              n/a           n/a           1.4           836           n/a              n/a
 and-line or Pot gear
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Trawl Gear               47             67,701         n/a            n/a           n/a              n/a           55,483        n/a           n/a           n/a              n/a
   Trawl CV                    .............  .............  50             33,851        Jan 20-Apr 1     23,695        ............  50            27,742        Jan 20-Apr       19,419
                                                                                          Apr 1-Jun 10     3,385                                                   1Apr 1-Jun 10    2,774
                                                                                          Jun 10-Nov 1     6,771                                                   Jun 10-Nov 1     5,549
   Trawl CP                    .............  .............  50             33,851        Jan 20-Apr 1     16,925        ............  50            27,742        Jan 20-Apr 1     13,871
                                                                                          Apr 1- Jun 10    10,155                                                  Apr 1- Jun 10    8,322
                                                                                          Jun 10-Nov 1     6,771                                                   Jun 10-Nov 1     5,549
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jig                            2              2,881          n/a            n/a           Jan 1-Apr 30     1,153         2,361         n/a           n/a           Jan 1-Apr 30     945
                                                                                          Apr 30-Aug 31    576                                                     Apr 30-Aug 31    472
                                                                                          Aug 31-Dec 31    1,152                                                   Aug 31-Dec 31    944
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                          100            144,045        n/a            n/a           n/a              n/a           118,049       n/a           n/a           n/a              n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For most non-trawl gear the first season is allocated 60 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 40 percent of the ITAC. For jig gear, the first and third seasons are each
  allocated 40 percent of the ITAC and the second season is allocated 20 percent of the ITAC. No seasonal harvest constraints are imposed for the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels less
  than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. For trawl gear, the first season is allocated 60 percent of the ITAC and the second and third seasons are each allocated 20 percent
  of the ITAC. The trawl catcher vessels' allocation is further allocated as 70 percent in the first season, 10 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. The trawl
  catcher/processors' allocation is allocated 50 percent in the first season, 30 percent in the second season and 20 percent in the third season. Any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod
  allowance will be reapportioned to the next seasonal allowance.


[[Page 75467]]

Sablefish Gear Allocation

     Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require the allocation of 
sablefish TACs for the Bering Sea and AI subareas between trawl gear 
and hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for the 
Bering Sea subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for 
hook-and-line or pot gear and for the AI subarea are 25 percent for 
trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Section 
679.20(b)(1)(iii)(B) requires apportionment of 20 percent of the hook-
and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish to the CDQ reserve. The 
Council recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be established 
biennially. The harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear and 
pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fisheries will be 
limited to the 2007 fishing year to ensure those fisheries are 
conducted concurrent with the halibut IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish 
and halibut IFQ fisheries would reduce the potential for discards of 
halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The sablefish IFQ fisheries 
would remain closed at the beginning of each fishing year until the 
final harvest specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries are in 
effect. Table 5 lists the 2007 and 2008 proposed gear allocations of 
the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts.

               TABLE 5 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED GEAR SHARES AND CDQ RESERVE OF BSAI SABLEFISH TACS
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Percent of  2007 Share     2007      2007 CDQ   2008 Share              2008 CDQ
       Subarea and gear             TAC       of TAC      ITAC\1\     reserve     of TAC    2008 ITAC   reserve
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea                      ..........  ..........  ..........  ..........  ..........  .........  .........
Trawl                           50          1,290       1,097       0           1,120       952        0
Hook-and-line/pot gear\2\       50          1,290       n/a         258         n/a         n/a        n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                           100         2,580       1,097       258         2,240       952        0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands                ..........  ..........  ..........  ..........  ..........  .........  .........
Trawl                           25          655         557         0           565         480        0
Hook-and-line/pot gear\2\       75          1,965       n/a         393         n/a         n/a        n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                           100         2,620       557         393         2,260       480        0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the
  reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves.
\2\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the
  allocated TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants. Regulations in Sec.   679.20(b)(1) do not provide for
  the establishment of an ITAC for sablefish allocated to hook-and-line or pot gear.

Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Crab, Salmon, and Herring

    Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Pursuant to Sec.  
679.21(e)(1)(v) and (e)(2)(i) the BSAI halibut mortality limits are 
3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl fisheries. 
Section 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocates 7.5 percent of these halibut 
mortality limits as the proposed PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish 
CDQ program. Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 29,000 fish as the 
2007 and 2008 proposed Chinook salmon PSC limit for the Bering Sea 
subarea pollock fishery. Section 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocates 7.5 percent, 
or 2,175 Chinook salmon, as the proposed PSQ for the CDQ program and 
allocates the remaining 26,825 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. 
Section 679.21(e)(1)(ix) specifies 700 fish as the 2007 and 2008 
proposed Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. 
Section 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, as 
the proposed AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program and allocates the 
remaining 647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. Section 
679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2007 and 2008 proposed 
non-Chinook salmon PSC limit. Section 679.21(e)(1)(i) allocates 7.5 
percent, or 3,150 non-Chinook salmon, as the proposed PSQ for the CDQ 
program and allocates the remaining 38,850 non-Chinook salmon to the 
non-CDQ fisheries.
    PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on 
abundance and spawning biomass. Due to the lack of new information in 
October 2006 regarding PSC limits and apportionments, the Council 
recommended and NMFS proposes using the crab and herring 2006 and 2007 
PSC limits and apportionments for the proposed 2007 and 2008 limits and 
apportionments. The Council will reconsider these amounts in December 
2006, based on recommendations by the Plan Team and the SSC.
    The red king crab mature female abundance is estimated from the 
2004 survey data at 35.4 million crabs and the effective spawning 
biomass is estimated at 61.9 million pounds (28,077 mt). Based on the 
criteria set out at Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(ii), the 2007 and 2008 proposed 
PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 197,000 animals. 
This limit results from the mature female abundance being above 8.4 
million king crabs and of the effective spawning biomass estimate being 
greater than 55 million pounds (24,948 mt).
    Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B) establishes criteria under which NMFS 
must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red King 
Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS to up to 
35 percent of the trawl bycatch allowance specified for the rock sole/
flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category based on the need to 
optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red king crab bycatch. The 
Council recommended, and NMFS proposes, a red king crab bycatch limit 
equal to 35 percent of the trawl bycatch allowance specified for the 
rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category within the 
RKCSS.
    Based on 2004 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) 
abundance is estimated at 437.41 million crabs. Given the criteria set 
out at Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(iii), the 2007 and 2008 proposed C. bairdi 
crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and 
2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These limits result from the C. bairdi 
crab abundance estimate of over 400 million crabs.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(iv), the PSC limit for snow crab (C. 
opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual 
bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133 
percent of the Bering Sea abundance index. Based on the 2004 survey

[[Page 75468]]

estimate of 4.421 billion crabs, the calculated limit is 5,008,993 
animals. Pursuant to Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(iv)(A), the 2007 and 2008 
proposed C. opilio crab PSC limit is 4,858,993 animals (5,008,993 
animals minus 150,000 animals).
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of each PSC limit 
specified for crab is allocated as a PSQ reserve for use by the 
groundfish CDQ program.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.21(e)(1)(vi), the proposed PSC limit of 
Pacific herring caught while conducting any trawl operation for 
groundfish in the BSAI is 1 percent of the annual eastern Bering Sea 
herring biomass. The best estimate of 2006 and 2007 herring biomass is 
201,180 mt. This amount was derived using 2005 survey data and an age-
structured biomass projection model developed by the Alaska Department 
of Fish and Game. Therefore, the proposed herring PSC limit for 2007 
and 2008 is 2,012 mt.
    Section 679.21(e)(3) requires the apportionment of each trawl PSC 
limit into PSC bycatch allowances for seven specified fishery 
categories. Section 679.21(e)(4)(ii) authorizes the apportionment of 
the non-trawl halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances for five 
fishery categories. Table 6 lists the proposed fishery bycatch 
allowances for the trawl and non-trawl fisheries.
    Section 679.21(e)(4)(ii) authorizes the exemption of specified non-
trawl fisheries from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, NMFS, 
after consultation with the Council, proposes to exempt pot gear, jig 
gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery categories from 
halibut bycatch restrictions because (1) the pot gear fisheries have 
low halibut bycatch mortality, (2) halibut mortality for the jig gear 
fleet is assumed to be negligible although it cannot be estimated 
because these vessels do not carry observers, and (3) the sablefish and 
halibut IFQ fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality because the 
IFQ program (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679) requires legal-sized halibut 
to be retained by vessels using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ 
permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is holding unused halibut 
IFQ. In 2006, total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the 
BSAI was approximately 19,721 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch 
mortality of about 5 mt. The 2006 groundfish jig gear fishery harvested 
about 84 mt of groundfish. Most vessels in the jig gear fleet are less 
than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and are exempt from observer coverage 
requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut 
bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, a negligible amount of 
halibut bycatch mortality is assumed because of the selective nature of 
jig gear and the likelihood that halibut caught with jig gear have a 
high survival rate when released.
    Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consultation with the 
Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts in order 
to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available 
groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered 
are: (1) seasonal distribution of prohibited species, (2) seasonal 
distribution of target groundfish species, (3) PSC bycatch needs on a 
seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass, (4) expected 
variations in bycatch rates throughout the year, (5) expected start of 
fishing effort, and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments 
on industry sectors. The final 2006 and 2007 harvest specifications (71 
FR 10894, March 3, 2006) summarized the Council and NMFS' findings with 
respect to each of these FMP considerations. The Council and NMFS' 
findings for 2007 and 2008 are unchanged from 2006. NMFS proposes the 
Council's recommendations listed in Table 6.

     TABLE 6 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL AND NON-TRAWL
                                                    FISHERIES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Prohibited species and zone
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Red King                     C. bairdi (animals)
        Trawl fisheries             Halibut      Herring        Crab        C. opilio  -------------------------
                                   mortality    (mt) BSAI     (animals)     (animals)
                                   (mt) BSAI                  Zone 1\1\     COBLZ\1\     Zone 1\1\    Zone 2\1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole                   886           183          33,843        3,101,915     340,844      1,788,459
  January 20 - April 1           262           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  April 1 - May 21               195           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  May 21 - July 1                49            .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  July 1 - December 31           380           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
Rock sole/other flat/flathead    779           27           121,413       1,082,528     365,320      596,154
 sole\2,6\
  January 20 - April 1           448           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  April 1 - July 1               164           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  July 1 - December 31           167           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish\3\   .......       12           .......       44,946        .......      .......
Rockfish                         .......       .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  July 1 - December 31           69            10           .......       44,945        .......      10,988
Pacific cod                      1,434         27           26,563        139,331       183,112      324,176
Midwater trawl pollock           .......       1,562        .......       .......       .......      .......
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other\4\   232           192          406           80,903        17,224       27,473
Red King Crab Savings            .......       .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
 Subarea\6\
   (non-pelagic trawl)           .......       .......      42,495        .......       .......      .......
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total trawl PSC                  3,400         2,012        182,225       4,494,569     906,500      2,747,250
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl fisheries
--------------------------------
Pacific cod - Total              775           ...........  ............  ............  ...........  ...........
  January 1 - June 10            320           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  June 10 - August 15            0             .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
  August 15 - December 31        455           .......      .......       .......       .......      .......
Other non-trawl - Total          58            ...........  ............  ............  ...........  ...........
  May 1 - December 31            58            .......      .......       .......       .......      .......

[[Page 75469]]

 
Groundfish pot and jig           exempt        ...........  ............  ............  ...........  ...........
Sablefish hook-and-line          exempt        ...........  ............  ............  ...........  ...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Total non-trawl PSC           833           ...........  ............  ............  ...........  ...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   PSQ reserve\5\                342           .......      14,775        364,424       73,500       222,750
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   PSC grand total               4,575         2,012        197,000       4,858,993     980,000      2,970,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ ''Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except halibut (a prohibited species),
  Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish fishery category.
\4\ Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ''other species'' fishery category.
\5\ With the exception of herring, 7.5 percent of each PSC limit is allocated to the CDQ program as PSQ reserve.
  The PSQ reserve is not allocated by fishery, gear, or season.
\6\ In October 2006, the Council recommended that red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be
  limited to 35 percent of the total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/''other flatfish'' fishery
  category (see Sec.   679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)).

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates

    To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, 
the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, discard 
mortality rates (DMR), and estimates of groundfish catch to project 
when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal 
apportionment is reached. The DMRs are based on the best information 
available, including information contained in the annual SAFE report.
    The Council recommended and NMFS proposes that the halibut DMRs 
developed and recommended by staff of the International Pacific Halibut 
Commission (IPHC) for the 2007 and 2008 BSAI groundfish fisheries be 
used for monitoring the 2007 and 2008 proposed halibut bycatch 
allowances (see Table 7). The BSAI DMRs proposed for 2007 and 2008 are 
revised from those used in 2006. The IPHC developed these DMRs using 
the 10-year mean DMRs for the BSAI non-CDQ groundfish fisheries. The 
IPHC will analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the 
DMRs where a fishery DMR shows large variation from the mean. The IPHC 
has been calculating DMRs for the CDQ fisheries since 1998, and a 10-
year mean is not yet available. Until 10 years of data from CDQ fishing 
has been collected, recommendations will be based on averaging all 
available data. A copy of the document justifying these DMRs is 
available from the Council (see ADDRESSES) and will be discussed in 
Appendix A of the final 2006 SAFE report to be released November 2006.

    TABLE 7 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED ASSUMED PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD
                 MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI FISHERIES
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Halibut mortality
               Gear                      Fishery           (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hook-and-line                       Greenland turbot   13
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other species      11
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific cod        11
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rockfish           17
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl                               Atka mackerel      76
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flathead sole      70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Greenland turbot   70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Non-pelagic        74
                                     pollock
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pelagic pollock    88
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other flatfish     74
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Other species      70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific cod        70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rockfish           76
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rock sole          80
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Sablefish          75
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Yellowfin sole     80
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pot                                 Other species      7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific cod        7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ trawl                           Atka mackerel      86
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Flathead sole      70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Non-pelagic        85
                                     pollock
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pelagic pollock    90
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Rockfish           76
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Yellowfin sole     86
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ hook-and-line                   Greenland turbot   13
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Pacific cod        10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ pot                             Pacific cod        7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ pot                             Sablefish          34
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 75470]]

Amendment 68 Sideboards

    Section 802 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public 
Law 108-199; Section 802) grants NMFS specific statutory authority to 
manage the Central Gulf of Alaska rockfish fisheries. The Council 
adopted a Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program (Rockfish 
Program) to meet the requirements of Section 802 on June 6, 2005. The 
elements of the Rockfish Program are discussed in detail in the 
proposed and final rules to Amendment 68 to the FMP for Groundfish of 
the GOA (71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006 and 71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006). 
The Council submitted Amendment 68 to NMFS and the Secretary approved 
it on August 11, 2006. Based on the final rule for Amendment 68 (71 FR 
67210, November 20, 2006), the final harvest specifications also will 
establish sideboard measures including prohibitions on catcher vessels 
fishing specific groundfish fisheries in the BSAI and limitations on 
fishing Pacific cod in the BSAI during July. The basis for the fishing 
prohibitions and the BSAI catcher vessel Pacific cod sideboard limit is 
described in detail in the final rule for Amendment 68 (71 FR 67210, 
November 20, 2006). The BSAI catcher vessel Pacific cod sideboard limit 
would be 0.0 mt, and this would effectively close directed fishing for 
BSAI Pacific cod in July for catcher vessels under the Rockfish Program 
sideboard limitations.

Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits

    According to Sec.  679.64(a), the Regional Administrator will 
restrict the ability of listed AFA catcher/processors to engage in 
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect 
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects 
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed 
pollock fishery. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in 
detail in the final rule implementing major provisions of the AFA (67 
FR 79692, December 30, 2002). Table 8 lists the 2007 and 2008 proposed 
catcher/processor sideboard limits.
    All groundfish other than pollock that are caught by listed AFA 
catcher/processors, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will 
be deducted from the proposed sideboard limits in Table 8. However, 
groundfish other than pollock that are delivered to listed catcher/
processors by catcher vessels will not be deducted from the 2007 and 
2008 proposed sideboard limits for the listed catcher/processors.

                    TABLE 8 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       1995 - 1997                        2007                      2008
                                                    -------------------------------------------------   Proposed       2007       Proposed       2008
                                                                                                          ITAC     Proposed C/      ITAC     Proposed C/
         Target species                 Area                                             Ratio of      available   P sideboard   available   P sideboard
                                                      Retained catch    Total catch   retained catch  to trawl C/     limit     to trawl C/     limit
                                                                                      to total catch       Ps                        Ps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod trawl                BSAI                12,424           48,177          0.258           33,851       8,734        27,742       7,157
Sablefish trawl                  BS                  8                497             0.016           1,097        18           952          15
                                 AI                  0                145             0.000           557          0            480          0
Atka mackerel                    Western Aleutian    ...............  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                   A season\1\       n/a              n/a             0.200           7,132        1,426        10,404       2,081
                                    HLA limit\2\     n/a              n/a             n/a             4,279        856          6,242        1,248
                                   B season\1\       n/a              n/a             0.200           7,132        1,426        10,404       2,081
                                    HLA limit        n/a              n/a             n/a             4,279        856          6,242        1,248
                                 Central Aleutian    ...............  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
                                   A season\1\       n/a              n/a             0.115           16,455       1,892        11,784       1,355
                                    HLA limit        n/a              n/a             n/a             9,873        1,135        7,070        813
                                   B season          n/a              n/a             0.115           16,455       1,892        11,784       1,355
                                    HLA limit        n/a              n/a             n/a             9,873        1,135        7,070        813
Yellowfin sole                   BSAI                100,192          435,788         0.230           99,535       22,893       90,440       20,801
Rock sole                        BSAI                6,317            169,362         0.037           72,876       2,696        94,860       3,510
Greenland turbot                 BS                  121              17,305          0.007           1,543        11           1,543        11
                                 AI                  23               4,987           0.005           693          3            693          3
Arrowtooth flounder              BSAI                76               33,987          0.002           17,000       34           123,080      246
Flathead sole                    BSAI                1,925            52,755          0.036           18,700       673          44,370       1,597
Alaska plaice                    BSAI                14               9,438           0.001           27,200       27           110,191      110
Other flatfish                   BSAI                3,058            52,298          0.058           4,250        247          15,385       892
Pacific ocean perch              BS                  12               4,879           0.002           2,567        5            2,567        5
                                 Western Aleutian    54               13,598          0.004           4,659        19           4,659        19
                                 Central Aleutian    3                5,698           0.001           2,785        3            2,785        3
                                 Eastern Aleutian    125              6,179           0.020           2,824        56           2,824        56
Northern rockfish                BSAI                91               13,040          0.007           4,250        30           4,250        30
Shortraker rockfish              BSAI                50               2,811           0.018           493          9            493          9
Rougheye rockfish                BSAI                50               2,811           0.018           190          3            190          3
Other rockfish                   BS                  18               621             0.029           689          20           689          20
                                 AI                  22               806             0.027           502          14           502          14
Squid                            BSAI                73               3,328           0.022           1,084         24          1,675        37
Other species                    BSAI                553              68,672          0.008           34,765       278          29,750       238
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA
  catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual TAC
  specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual TAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.
\2\ Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (see Sec.   679.2). In
  2007 and 2008, 60 percent of each seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.


[[Page 75471]]

    Section 679.64(a)(5) establishes a formula for PSC sideboard limits 
for listed AFA catcher/processors. The basis for these sideboard limits 
is described in detail in the final rule implementing major provisions 
of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002).
    PSC species listed in Table 9 that are caught by listed AFA 
catcher/processors participating in any groundfish fishery other than 
pollock will accrue against the 2007 and 2008 proposed PSC sideboard 
limits for the listed AFA catcher/processors. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) 
authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than 
pollock for listed AFA catcher/processors once a 2006 or 2007 proposed 
PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 9 is reached.
    Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA catcher/processors while 
fishing for pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually 
specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/
``other species'' fishery categories according to regulations at Sec.  
679.21(e)(3)(iv).

               Table 9- 2007 and 2008 Proposed BSAI American Fisheries Act Listed catcher/Processor Prohibited Species Sideboard Limits\1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             1995 - 1997
                                 ------------------------------------------------------------------   2007 and 2008 Proposed   2007 and 2008 Proposed C/
           PSC Species                                                               Ratio of PSC     PSC available to trawl       P sideboard limit
                                            PSC                   Total PSC          to total PSC            vessels
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality                                     995                   11,325           0.084                      3,400                        286
Red king crab                                       3,098                  473,750           0.007                    182,225                      1,276
C. opilio                                       2,323,731               15,139,178           0.153                  4,494,569                    687,669
C. bairdi                         .......................  .......................  ..............  .........................  .........................
Zone 1\2\                                         385,978                2,750,000           0.140                    906,500                    126,910
Zone 2\2\                                         406,860                8,100,000           0.050                 2,747,2250                    137,363
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Halibut mortality amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
\2\Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of areas.

AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.64(b), the Regional Administrator restricts 
the ability of AFA catcher vessels to engage in directed fishing for 
groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other 
groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and 
from fishery cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. Section 
679.64(b) establishes formulas for setting AFA catcher vessel 
groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for these 
sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing 
major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002). Tables 10 
and 11 list the 2007 and 2008 proposed catcher vessel sideboard limits.
    All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA 
catcher vessels, whether as targeted catch or as incidental catch, will 
be deducted from the 2007 and 2008 proposed sideboard limits listed in 
Table 10.

                              TABLE 10 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD LIMITS
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Fishery by area/      Ratio of 1995-                        2007 Proposed                         2008 Proposed
              Species                 season/ processor/   1997 AFA CV catch    2007 Proposed      catcher vessel     2008 Proposed      catcher vessel
                                             gear           to 1995-1997 TAC     initial TAC      sideboard limits     initial TAC      sideboard limits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod                         BSAI                   .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                      Jig gear             0.0000             2,881              0                  2,361              0
                                      Hook-and-line CV     .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 1 - Jun 10      0.0006             131                0                  107                0
                                       Jun 10 - Dec 31     0.0006             88                 0                  72                 0
                                      Pot gear CV          .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 1 - Jun 10      0.0006             6,567              4                  5,373              3
                                       Sept 1 - Dec 31     0.0006             4,377              3                  3,582              2
                                      CV < 60 feet LOA     0.0006             1,021              1                  836                1
                                      using hook-and-line  .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                    or pot gear
                                      Trawl gear CV        .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 20 - Apr 1      0.8609             23,695             20,399             19,419             16,718
                                       Apr 1 - Jun 1       0.8609             3,385              2,914              2,774              2,388
                                       Jun 10 - Nov 1      0.8609             6,771              5,829              5,549               4,777
Sablefish                           BS trawl gear          0.0906             1,097              99                 952                86
                                    AI trawl gear          0.0645             557                36                 480                31
Atka mackerel                       Eastern Aleutian/BS    .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                      Jig gear             0.0031             64                 0                  110                0
                                      Other gear           .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 1 - Apr 15      0.0032             3,156              10                 5,424              17
                                       Sept 1 - Nov 1      0.0032             3,156              10                 5,424              17
                                    Central Aleutian       .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 1 - Apr 15      0.0001             16,455             2                  11,784             1

[[Page 75472]]

 
                                        HLA limit          0.0001             9,873              1                  7,071              1
                                       Sept 1 - Nov 1      0.0001             16,455             2                  11,784             1
                                        HLA limit          0.0001             9,873              1                  7,071              1
                                    Western Aleutian       .................  .................  .................  .................  .................
                                       Jan 1 - Apr 15      0.0000             7,132              0                  10,404             0
                                        3HLA limit         n/a                4,279              0                  6,243              0
                                       Sept 1 - Nov 1      0.0000             7,132              0                  10,404             0
                                        3HLA limit         n/a                4,279              0                  6,243              0
Yellowfin sole                      BSAI                   0.0647             99,535             6,440              90,440             5,851
Rock sole                           BSAI                   0.0341             72,876             2,485              94,860             3,235
Greenland Turbot                    BS                     0.0645             1,543              100                1,543              100
                                    AI                     0.0205             693                14                 693                14
Arrowtooth flounder                 BSAI                   0.0690             17,000             1,173              123,080            8,493
Alaska plaice                       BSAI                   0.0441             27,200             1,200              110,191            4,859
Other flatfish                      BSAI                   0.0441             4,250              187                15,385             678
Pacific ocean perch                 BS                     0.1000             2,567              257                2,567              257
                                    Eastern Aleutian       0.0077             2,824              22                 2,824              22
                                    Central Aleutian       0.0025             2,785              7                  2,785              7
                                    Western Aleutian       0.0000             4,659              0                  4,659              0
Northern rockfish                   BSAI                   0.0084             4,250              36                 4,250              36
Shortraker rockfish                 BSAI                   0.0037             493                2                  493                2
Rougheye rockfish                   BSAI                   0.0037             190                1                  190                1
Other rockfish                      BS                     0.0048             689                3                  689                3
                                    AI                     0.0095             502                5                  502                5
Squid                               BSAI                   0.3827             1,084              415                1,675              641
Other species                       BSAI                   0.0541             34,765             1,881              29,750             1,609
Flathead Sole                       BS trawl gear          0.0505             17,000             859                43,010             2,172
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Halibut and crab PSC listed in Table 11 that are caught by AFA 
catcher vessels participating in any groundfish fishery other than 
pollock will accrue against the 2007 and 2008 proposed PSC sideboard 
limits for the AFA catcher vessels. Sections 679.21(d)(8) and (e)(3)(v) 
provide authority to close directed fishing for groundfish other than 
pollock for AFA catcher vessels once a 2007 and 2008 proposed PSC 
sideboard limit listed in Table 11 is reached. The PSC caught by AFA 
catcher vessels while fishing for pollock in the BSAI will accrue 
against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the 
midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other species'' fishery 
categories under regulations at Sec.  679.21(e)(3)(iv).

 TABLE 11 - 2007 AND 2008 PROPOSED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD
                                                    LIMITS\1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Ratio of 1995-
                                                            1997 AFA catcher                      2007 and 2008
                                                                 vessel         2007 and 2008     Proposed AFA
           PSC species                  Target fishery         groundfish       Proposed PSC     catcher vessel
                                         category\2\         retained catch         limit         PSC sideboard
                                                                to total                              limit
                                                             retained catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut                            Pacific cod trawl        0.6183            1,434             887
                                   Pacific cod hook-and-    0.0022            775               2
                                    line or pot
                                   Yellowfin sole           ................  ................  ................
                                     January 20-April 1     0.1144            262               30
                                     April 1-May 21         0.1144            195               22
                                     May 21-July 5          0.1144            49                6
                                     July 5-December 31     0.1144            380               43
                                   Rock sole/flathead sole/ ................  ................  ................
                                    other flatfish\5\
                                     January 20-April 1      0.2841           448               127
                                     April 1-July 5         0.2841            164               47
                                     July 5-December 31     0.2841            167               47
                                   Turbot/Arrowtooth/       0.2327            0                 0
                                    Sablefish
                                   Rockfish (July 1 -       0.0245            69                2
                                    December 31)
                                   Pollock/Atka mackerel/   0.0227            232               5
                                    other species
Red King Crab                      Pacific cod              0.6183            26,563            16,424
Zone 1\4\                          Yellowfin sole           0.1144            33,843            3,872
                                   Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841            121,413           34,493
                                    other flatfish\5\

[[Page 75473]]

 
                                   Pollock/Atka mackerel/   0.0227            406               9
                                    other species
C. opilio                          Pacific cod              0.6183            139,331           86,148
COBLZ\3\                           Yellowfin sole           0.1144            3,101,915         354,859
                                   Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841            1,082,528         307,546
                                    other flatfish\5\
                                   Pollock/Atka mackerel/   0.0227            80,903            1,836
                                    other species
                                   Rockfish                 0.0245            44,945            1,101
                                   Turbot/Arrowtooth/       0.2327            44,946            10,459
                                    Sablefishs
C. bairdi                          Pacific cod              0.6183            183,112           113,218
Zone 1\3\                          Yellowfin sole           0.1144            340,844           38,993
                                   Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841            365,320           103,787
                                    other flatfish\5\
                                   Pollock/Atka mackerel/   0.0227            17,224            391
                                    other species
C. bairdi                          Pacific cod              0.6183            324,176           200,438
Zone 2\3\                          Yellowfin sole           0.1144            1,788,459         204,600
                                   Rock sole/flathead sole/ 0.2841            596,154           169,367
                                    other flatfish\5\
                                   Pollock/Atka mackerel/   0.0227            27,473            624
                                    other species
                                   Rockfish                 0.0245            10,988            269
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Halibut mortality amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
\2\ Target fishery categories are defined in regulation at Sec.   679.21(e)(3)(iv).
\3\ Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of areas.
\4\ In October 2006, the Council recommended that red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be
  limited to 35 percent of the total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/''other flatfish'' fishery
  category (see Sec.   679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)).
\5\ ''Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited
  species), Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, and arrowtooth flounder.

Classification

    NMFS has determined that the proposed specifications are consistent 
with the FMP and preliminarily determined that the proposed 
specifications are consistent with the MSA and other applicable laws.
    NMFS prepared a DEIS for this action; a notice of availability was 
published on September 8, 2006 (71 FR 53093). The public comment period 
closed on October 23, 2006. The DEIS analyzes the environmental 
consequences of the proposed action and its alternatives on resources 
in the action area. The DEIS found no significant environmental 
consequences from the proposed action or its alternatives, however, 
some impacts were unknown.
    This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    An initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) was prepared, as 
required by section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The IRFA 
describes the economic impact this proposed rule, if adopted, would 
have on small entities. A description of the action, why it is being 
considered, and the legal basis for this action are contained at the 
beginning of this section in the preamble and in the SUMMARY section of 
the preamble. A summary of the analysis follows. A copy of this 
analysis is available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).
    The action under consideration is a harvest strategy to govern the 
catch of groundfish in the BSAI. The preferred alternative is the 
status quo harvest strategy in which TACs fall within the range of ABCs 
recommended by the Council's Groundfish Plan Teams, and TACs 
recommended by the Council. This action is taken in accordance with the 
FMP prepared by the Council pursuant to the MSA.
    The entities directly regulated by this action are those that 
harvest groundfish in the EEZ of the BSAI, and in parallel fisheries 
within State of Alaska waters. These include entities operating catcher 
vessels and catcher-processor vessels within the action area, and 
entities receiving direct allocations of groundfish. Catcher vessels 
and catcher processors were considered to be small entities if they had 
annual gross receipts, from all of their economic activities, and 
including the revenue of their affiliated operations, less than or 
equal to $4 million per year. Data from 2004 was used because it was 
the most recent available. CDQ groups receive direct allocations of 
groundfish, and these were considered to be small entities because they 
are non-profit entities. The Aleut Corporation is not a small entity 
because it is a holding company which does not meet the SBA $6 million 
threshold for holding companies (13 CFR 121.201).
    The directly regulated small entities include approximately 810 
small catcher vessels, fewer than 20 small catcher/processors, and six 
CDQ groups. Estimates of first wholesale gross revenues for the BSAI 
non-CDQ and CDQ sectors were used as indices of the potential impacts 
of the alternative harvest strategies on small entities. Revenues were 
projected to decline from 2006 levels in 2007 and 2008 under the 
preferred alternative due to declines in ABCs for economically key 
groundfish species.
    The new provisions in the MSA governing the CDQ Program may reduce 
the amount of sablefish available as incidental catch by CDQ trawl 
vessels and directed or incidental catch by CDQ fixed gear vessels. The 
amounts of sablefish involved are expected to be relatively small, and 
may be under one percent of the annual first wholesale value of CDQ 
production.
    The preferred alternative (Alternative 2) was compared to four 
other alternatives. These included Alternative 1, which would set TACs 
to generate fishing rates equal to the maximum permissible ABC (if the 
full TAC were harvested), unless the sum of TACs would exceed the BSAI 
OY, in which

[[Page 75474]]

case TACs would be limited to the OY. Alternative 3 would set TACs to 
produce fishing rates equal to the most recent five-year average 
fishing rates. Alternative 4 would set TACs to equal the lower bound of 
the BSAI OY range. Alternative 5 would set TACs equal to zero. 
Alternative 5 is the ``no action'' alternative.
    Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 were all associated with smaller levels 
for important fishery TACs than the preferred alternative. Estimated 
total first wholesale gross revenues were used as an index of potential 
adverse impacts to small entities. As a consequence of the lower TAC 
levels, Alternatives 3, 4 and 5 all had smaller values of these first 
wholesale revenue indices for both non-CDQ and CDQ sectors than 
Alternative 2. Thus, Alternatives 3, 4 and 5 had greater adverse 
impacts on small entities. Alternative 1 could have higher TAC levels 
than Alternative 2, if the sum of the Alternative 2 TACs were less than 
the BSAI optimum yield (OY) level. However, Alternative 2 is expected 
to be associated with TACs that are equal to the statutory OY. 
Therefore, Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 TACs are assumed to be equal 
to each other, and Alternative 1 is not expected to have greater net 
benefits than Alternative 2 in this instance.
    This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting 
requirements, or duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any Federal 
rules.
    Adverse impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities 
conducted under these harvest specifications are discussed in the DEIS 
(see ADDRESSES).
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1540(f); 1801 et seq.; 1851 
note; and 3631 et seq.

    Dated: December 5, 2006.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-21447 Filed 12-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S