[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39237-39246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14237]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 160229157-6481-01]
RIN 0648-BF84


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chinook 
Salmon Bycatch Management in the Gulf of Alaska Trawl Fisheries; 
Amendment 103

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 regulations to implement Amendment 103 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). If 
approved, Amendment 103 and this proposed rule would allow NMFS to 
reapportion unused Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) within 
and among specific trawl sectors in the Central and Western Gulf of 
Alaska (GOA), based on specific criteria and within specified limits. 
This proposed rule would not increase the current combined annual PSC 
limit of 32,500 Chinook salmon that applies to Central and Western GOA 
trawl sectors under the FMP. This proposed rule would provide for more 
flexible management of GOA trawl Chinook salmon PSC, increase the 
likelihood that groundfish resources are more fully harvested, reduce 
the potential for fishery closures, and maintain the overall Chinook 
salmon PSC limits in the Central and Western GOA. Amendment 103 is 
intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMP, and other applicable 
laws.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 18, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2016-0023, by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0023, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region 
NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, 
AK 99802-1668.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, 
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter 
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).
    Electronic copies of the Regulatory Impact Review/Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (hereafter ``Analysis'') prepared for 
this action; the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (collectively, Amendment 97 
Analysis) prepared for Amendment 97 to the FMP; and the Environmental 
Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis (collectively, Amendment 93 Analysis) prepared for Amendment 
93 to the FMP are available from http://www.regulations.gov or from the 
NMFS Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
    An electronic copy of the November 30, 2000, Biological Opinion on 
the effects of the Alaska groundfish fisheries on Endangered Species 
Act (ESA)-listed species is available at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/plb/default.htm.
    Written comments regarding the approved collection-of-information 
requirements referenced in this proposed rule may be submitted to NMFS 
at the above address and by email to [email protected] or fax 
to 202-395-5806. All currently approved NOAA collections of information 
may be viewed at http://www.cio.noaa.gov/services_programs/prasubs.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Hartman, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the 
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared, and NMFS 
approved, the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act

[[Page 39238]]

(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing 
U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 
679.
    The Council has submitted Amendment 103 for review by the Secretary 
of Commerce, and a notice of availability of the FMP amendment was 
published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2016, (81 FR 33456) with 
written comments on the FMP amendment invited through July 25, 2016. 
All relevant written comments received by the end of the comment 
period, whether specifically directed to the FMP amendment, this 
proposed rule, or both, will be considered in the approval/disapproval 
decision for Amendment 103 and addressed in the response to comments in 
the final decision.
    The following sections of the preamble describe (1) the management 
areas and fisheries affected by this proposed action; (2) the 
management of Chinook salmon PSC in the GOA trawl fisheries; (3) the 
rationale for Amendment 103 and this proposed rule; and (4) the 
provisions of this proposed rule.

Management Areas and Fisheries Affected

    This proposed rule would apply to federally-permitted vessels 
fishing in the Central and Western Reporting Areas of the GOA (referred 
to in the remainder of the preamble as the Central and Western GOA). 
The Central and Western Reporting Areas, shown in Figure 3 to 50 CFR 
part 679, consist of the Central and Western Regulatory Areas in the 
EEZ (Statistical Areas 620 and 630 correspond to the Central GOA, and 
Statistical Area 610 corresponds to the Western GOA) and the adjacent 
State of Alaska (State) waters. The specific boundaries between State 
waters and the EEZ are provided on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at 
https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/fig3.pdf. This 
proposed rule would not apply to federally-permitted vessels fishing in 
the Eastern Reporting Area of the GOA, which consists of Statistical 
Areas 640, 649, 650, and 659 in the EEZ and the adjacent State waters.
    This proposed rule would apply to federally-permitted trawl vessels 
fishing for pollock and non-pollock groundfish that are managed under 
total allowable catch (TAC) limits in Federal waters and under the 
State's parallel groundfish fisheries in State waters. Parallel 
groundfish fisheries are fisheries that occur in State waters where the 
catch of groundfish is debited from the Federal TAC. Parallel 
groundfish fisheries are opened and closed by the State concurrently 
with adjacent Federal fisheries. Parallel fisheries are managed by the 
State under rules similar to those that apply in the Federal fisheries. 
The parallel fisheries that would be affected by this action include 
the GOA State trawl fisheries for groundfish species that occur in 
State waters in the Central and Western GOA. Additional detail on State 
parallel fisheries is provided in Section 1.3 of the Analysis.
    In the Central and Western GOA, trawl vessels target multiple 
groundfish species and are categorized by whether they participate in 
the directed fishery (i.e., targeted) for pollock or other ``non-
pollock'' species. Section 679.2 defines the term directed fishing. 
Non-pollock species include arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, 
flathead sole, Pacific cod, rex sole, rockfish, sablefish, shallow-
water flatfish, and other groundfish species. Many of the non-pollock 
trawl vessels catch and retain multiple groundfish species in a single 
fishing trip. Section 3.4.2 of the Analysis provides additional detail 
on the pollock and non-pollock trawl fisheries in the Central and 
Western GOA.
    Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and 
regulations at 50 CFR 679.20(c) require that the Council recommend and 
NMFS specify an overfishing level (OFL), an acceptable biological catch 
(ABC), and a total allowable catch (TAC) for each stock or stock 
complex (i.e., each species or species group) of groundfish on an 
annual basis. The OFL is the level above which overfishing is occurring 
for a species. The ABC is the level of a species's annual catch that 
accounts for the scientific uncertainty in the estimate of OFL and any 
other scientific uncertainty. The ABC is set below the OFL. The TAC is 
the annual catch target for a species, derived from the ABC by 
considering social and economic factors and management uncertainty. The 
TAC must be set lower than or equal to the ABC. The TACs for some 
species are subject to further apportionment on a seasonal basis and 
among vessels using specific types of gear in the GOA (see regulations 
at Sec.  679.20(a)). NMFS closes directed fisheries when a TAC or 
seasonal apportionment of TAC is reached, and restricts fishing in 
other fisheries that may incidentally take a species or species group 
approaching its OFL.
    The final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for the GOA (81 FR 
14740, March 18, 2016) establish the current TAC amounts and 
apportionments of pollock and other groundfish fisheries. Only catcher 
vessels (CVs) are authorized to participate in the directed fishery for 
pollock (see Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(i)). Pollock in the Central and Western 
GOA is allocated entirely to CVs, and trawl CVs fish for these 
allocations. This proposed rule defines the Central and Western GOA 
pollock trawl CV fisheries as the Central GOA and Western GOA pollock 
sectors.
    The non-pollock fisheries in the Central and Western GOA are 
harvested by vessels using trawl and non-trawl gear (i.e., hook-and-
line, jig, and pot gear). This proposed rule categorizes the non-
pollock trawl fisheries into three distinct sectors: The trawl catcher/
processor (C/P) sector; the Rockfish Program catcher vessel (CV) 
sector; and the non-Rockfish Program CV sector.
    The trawl C/P sector includes trawl C/Ps that participate in a 
range of non-pollock groundfish fisheries in the Central and Western 
GOA such as arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, flathead sole, 
rex sole, rockfish and sablefish.
    The Rockfish Program CV sector includes any CV fishing for 
groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or 
Central GOA and operating under the authority of a Central GOA Rockfish 
Program cooperative quota permit. The Central GOA Rockfish Program is a 
limited access privilege program that authorizes vessels to fish for a 
variety of rockfish species, Pacific cod, and sablefish in the Central 
GOA. Additional detail on the Central GOA Rockfish Program and the 
Rockfish Program CV sector is provided in Section 1.1 of the Analysis, 
and the final rule implementing the Central GOA Rockfish Program (76 FR 
81248, December 27, 2011).
    The non-Rockfish Program CV sector is defined as any catcher vessel 
fishing for groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the 
Western or Central reporting area of the GOA and not operating under 
the authority of a Central GOA Rockfish Program CQ permit assigned to 
the catcher vessel sector.
    Section 3.4.2.1 of the Analysis describes the vessels participating 
in the five sectors (Central GOA pollock, Western GOA pollock, trawl C/
P, Rockfish CV, and Non-Rockfish Program CV) in the Central and Western 
GOA.

Management of Chinook Salmon PSC Limits in the GOA Trawl Fisheries

    The Council designated Pacific salmon and several other species 
(Pacific halibut Pacific herring, steelhead trout, king crab, and 
Tanner crab) as prohibited species in the Gulf of Alaska (Section 3.6.1 
of the FMP).

[[Page 39239]]

Prohibited species catch are species taken incidentally in the 
groundfish trawl fisheries and designated as ``prohibited species'' 
because they are targets of other, fully utilized domestic fisheries. 
The Council has recommended and NMFS has implemented various measures 
to control the catch of such prohibited species. Prohibited species 
catch incidentally caught while directed fishing for groundfish in GOA 
may not be sold or kept for personal use and must be discarded with a 
minimum of injury (see Sec.  679.21(b)(2)). A limited exception to this 
discard requirement for PSC is provided for donations of halibut and 
salmon made under the Prohibited Species Donation program (see Sec.  
679.26). For purposes of PSC management, Pacific salmon are divided 
into Chinook salmon and non-Chinook salmon.
    Chinook salmon is a culturally and economically valuable species 
that is fully allocated and managed by the State of Alaska and the 
federal government. Sections 3.6 and 3.7 of the Analysis summarize 
salmon fishery management and describe the importance of the 
commercial, recreational, and subsistence Chinook salmon fisheries. The 
Council has recommended and NMFS has established management measures to 
constrain Chinook salmon PSC in the GOA groundfish fisheries. Most of 
the measures apply to the Central and Western GOA groundfish trawl 
fisheries because most of the Chinook salmon PSC in the GOA occurs in 
those fisheries. Amendments 93 and 97 to the FMP are the two most 
relevant measures. The following section describes these two amendments 
and their implementing regulations in greater detail.

Amendments 93 and 97: PSC Limits in the Pollock and Non-Pollock Trawl 
Fisheries

    In August 2012, NMFS implemented Amendment 93 to establish Chinook 
salmon PSC limits for the directed pollock trawl fisheries in the 
Central GOA and Western GOA (77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012). Amendment 93 
established an annual Chinook salmon PSC limit for the directed pollock 
fishery in the Western GOA (i.e., the Western GOA pollock sector) of 
6,684 Chinook salmon, and an annual Chinook salmon PSC limit for the 
directed pollock fishery in the Central GOA (i.e., the Central GOA 
pollock sector) of 18,316 Chinook salmon. For the Central and Western 
GOA pollock sectors, the combined annual Chinook salmon PSC limit is 
25,000 Chinook salmon.
    Once the PSC limit is reached in the Central GOA pollock sector or 
Western GOA pollock sector, NMFS closes directed pollock fishing for 
that particular sector. Amendment 93 is described in more detail in the 
final rule implementing Amendment 93 (77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012). The 
Regional Administrator of NMFS is the person authorized to close a 
groundfish sector or fishery. For simplicity, this preamble uses the 
term ``NMFS'' to refer to actions that may be undertaken by the Alaska 
Regional Administrator.
    In January 2015, NMFS implemented Amendment 97 to establish Chinook 
salmon PSC limits for the non-pollock trawl fisheries in the Central 
and Western GOA (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014). Amendment 97 included 
a long-term average annual Chinook salmon PSC limit of 7,500 Chinook 
salmon allocated among three non-pollock trawl sectors: (1) The Trawl 
C/P sector; (2) the Rockfish Program CV sector; and (3) the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector. Chinook salmon PSC use and allocations in 
each of these non-pollock sectors are described in greater detail in 
Section 4.4 of the Amendment 97 Analysis and in the final rule 
implementing Amendment 97 (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014).
    Amendment 97 divided the 7,500 non-pollock Chinook salmon PSC limit 
into 3,600 Chinook salmon for the Trawl C/P sector, 1,200 Chinook 
salmon for the Rockfish Program CV sector, and 2,700 Chinook salmon for 
the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector. If a sector reaches or is projected 
to reach its Chinook salmon PSC limit, NMFS will close directed fishing 
for all non-pollock groundfish species by vessels in that sector for 
the remainder of the calendar year. The rationale for the Chinook 
salmon PSC limits selected for each of the three sectors is described 
in detail in the proposed and final rules implementing Amendment 97 
(respectively, 79 FR 35971, June 25, 2014; 79 FR 71350, December 2, 
2014).
    The Trawl C/P sector in the Central and Western GOA is the only 
trawl sector under Amendment 97 that has its annual Chinook salmon PSC 
limit (3,600 Chinook salmon) divided into a seasonal PSC apportionment 
(see Sec.  679.21(i)(3)(ii)(A)). Prior to June 1 of each year, the 
Trawl C/P sector is prohibited from catching more than 2,376 Chinook 
salmon when the sector's annual PSC limit is set at 3,600 PSC, and 
2,693 Chinook salmon when its annual PSC limit is set at 4,080 Chinook 
salmon (due to a carry-over from the incentive buffer, described 
below). The Chinook salmon seasonal PSC limit helps the Trawl C/P 
sector participate in directed fisheries at different times of the year 
and not exceed its annual Chinook salmon PSC limit.
    Amendment 97 also implemented an incentive buffer to allow the 
Trawl C/P sector and Non-Rockfish Program CV sector to access 
additional PSC if a previous year's Chinook salmon PSC did not exceed a 
threshold standard. The incentive buffer allows the annual Chinook 
salmon PSC limit for the Trawl C/P and Non-Rockfish Program CV sectors 
to vary depending on the amount of Chinook salmon PSC taken by those 
sectors in the previous year. For example, if the Non-Rockfish Program 
CV sector maintains an annual PSC amount equal to or less than 2,340 in 
one year, that sector would receive up to 3,060 Chinook salmon as its 
PSC limit in the following year. This feature allows for variability in 
Chinook salmon PSC levels, while providing an incentive to minimize 
PSC. The final rule implementing Amendment 97 describes the incentive 
buffer in greater detail (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014).
    Many of the trawl CVs operating under Amendment 97 are eligible to 
participate in the Central GOA Rockfish Program (76 FR 81248, December 
27, 2011). Catch of Chinook salmon PSC by the Rockfish Program CV 
sector is subtracted from the Chinook salmon PSC limit of 1,200 fish 
when a vessel is operating under the authority of a Rockfish Program 
Cooperative Quota permit (see regulations at Sec.  679.5(r)(8)).
    The Non-Rockfish Program CV sector is composed of non-pollock trawl 
CVs that are authorized to fish for groundfish in the GOA and that are 
not fishing under the authority of a Rockfish Program Cooperative Quota 
Permit. This sector fishes primarily for Pacific cod in the Central and 
Western GOA and for arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, flathead 
sole, rex sole, and shallow-water flatfish in the Central GOA.
    Under Amendment 97, NMFS is required to reapportion all the 
Rockfish Program CV sector's unused Chinook salmon PSC in excess of 150 
Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector on October 1 of 
each year, and all remaining unused Chinook salmon PSC to the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector on November 15 of each year. However, under 
existing regulations, NMFS is not authorized to reapportion the GOA 
Chinook salmon PSC limit among the Trawl C/P sector and any of the CV 
trawl sectors.

Rationale for Amendments 93 and 97

    The Council recommended, and NMFS implemented, Amendments 93 and 97 
to meet a variety of policy

[[Page 39240]]

objectives. The two policy objectives most applicable to this proposed 
rule are to minimize Chinook salmon bycatch to the extent practicable 
while allowing the pollock fishery to harvest its TAC in the groundfish 
fisheries; and to avoid exceeding the annual Chinook salmon threshold 
of 40,000 that was identified in the incidental take statement 
accompanying the November 30, 2000, Biological Opinion on the effects 
of the Alaska groundfish fisheries on Endangered Species Act (ESA)-
listed salmon of the Pacific Northwest (see ADDRESSES).
    The Council recommended, and NMFS implemented, Amendments 93 and 97 
after analyzing a range of alternatives that considered different 
Chinook salmon PSC limits and methods for apportioning Chinook salmon 
PSC limits. The analyses for Amendments 93 and 97, and the final rules 
implementing them (respectively, 77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012; 79 FR 
71350, December 2, 2014) describe the alternatives considered and the 
rationale for selecting the specific Chinook salmon PSC limits and 
apportionments. The two most relevant factors considered by the Council 
and NMFS are briefly summarized here.
    First, the Council and NMFS considered the importance of equity 
among user groups in the Central and Western GOA pollock and non-
pollock trawl fisheries and the needs of Chinook salmon users. The 
Chinook salmon resource is of value to many stakeholders, including 
commercial, recreational, and subsistence user groups, and it is a 
resource that is currently fully utilized. The Council and NMFS 
implemented Chinook salmon PSC limits that would prevent harvest of 
Chinook salmon in excess of the current combined annual PSC limit of 
32,500 fish.
    Second, the Council recommended and NMFS implemented Chinook salmon 
PSC limits that reflected the long-term average annual use of Chinook 
salmon PSC in the pollock and non-pollock fisheries. However, the 
Council and NMFS recognized that in some years, these Chinook salmon 
PSC limits could constrain groundfish harvests and impose costs on 
pollock and non-pollock trawl fishery participants. The Council and 
NMFS selected Chinook salmon PSC limits that reflect the long-term 
average use of Chinook salmon PSC as a trade-off between minimizing 
Chinook salmon and the potential for forgoing pollock and non-pollock 
catch.

Emergency Rule

    Amendment 97 was implemented beginning on January 1, 2015. Under 
Amendment 97, NMFS established an annual Chinook salmon PSC limit of 
2,700 Chinook salmon for the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector. On May 3, 
2015, NMFS closed all directed fishing for groundfish by the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector after determining that the sector had 
exceeded its annual PSC limit of 2,700 Chinook salmon. The Non-Rockfish 
Program CV sector's use of Chinook salmon in the first few months of 
2015 was significantly greater than expected based on the historical 
data available to the Council when it established this sector's Chinook 
salmon PSC limit under Amendment 97. Due to the directed fishing 
closure, significant amounts of non-pollock groundfish remained 
unharvested by the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector, resulting in 
significant negative economic effects on fishermen, shoreside 
processors, stationary floating processors, and communities that 
participate in this sector.
    On August 10, 2015, NMFS implemented an emergency rule (see 
Analysis, Section 3.4.1.5) that provided the Non-Rockfish Program CV 
sector with an additional PSC limit of up to 1,600 Chinook salmon (80 
CFR 47864, August 10, 2015). This Chinook salmon PSC limit, separate 
and distinct from the sector-based PSC limit of 2,700 established under 
Amendment 97, was anticipated to allow this sector to prosecute the 
Pacific cod and flatfish fisheries in the fall of 2015. The emergency 
rule expired on December 31, 2015.
    The emergency rule re-opened fishing for the Non-Rockfish Program 
CV sector while continuing to limit the sector's total amount of 
Chinook salmon PSC. When the emergency rule expired, the sector had 
used only 4 of the additional 1,600 Chinook salmon PSC limit authorized 
under the emergency rule.

Rationale for Amendment 103 and This Proposed Rule

    In June 2015, after recommending adoption of the emergency rule to 
provide an immediate increase of 1,600 Chinook salmon PSC to the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector, the Council analyzed alternatives to 
provide for more flexible use of Chinook salmon PSC limits established 
under Amendments 93 and 97. Under Amendments 93 and 97, a Chinook 
salmon PSC limit assigned to a pollock or non-pollock sector applies 
only to that sector. Existing regulations generally do not authorize 
NMFS to reapportion unused amounts of Chinook salmon PSC limits among 
the five pollock and non-pollock sectors. This proposed rule would 
allow NMFS to reapportion a limited amount of unused Chinook salmon PSC 
from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the non-Rockfish Program CV 
sector late in the year. Based on previous experience with 
reapportioning directed fishery allocations and various PSC species 
(e.g., halibut), the Council determined that fishery closures could be 
avoided or limited by authorizing NMFS to use inseason management 
actions to reapportion unused amounts of Chinook salmon PSC among the 
pollock and non-pollock sectors.
    In December 2015, the Council recommended Amendment 103 to the FMP, 
which would allow NMFS to reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC limits 
among the GOA pollock and non-pollock sectors established by Amendments 
93 and 97. This proposed rule could prevent or limit fishery closures, 
such as the May 2015 closure of the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector, 
while maintaining the current combined annual limit of 32,500 Chinook 
salmon PSC. The Council determined that increasing the opportunities 
and flexibility for NMFS to execute inseason reapportionments of 
Chinook salmon PSC limits could achieve several goals without the need 
for revising the PSC limits established under Amendments 93 and 97.
    The Council determined and NMFS agrees that this proposed rule to 
implement Amendment 103 would not increase the current combined annual 
Chinook salmon PSC limit of 32,500 Chinook salmon established for the 
Central and Western GOA under Amendments 93 and 97. It would increase 
the likelihood that groundfish resources are more fully harvested, and 
it would reduce the occurrence of fishery closures and resulting 
adverse socioeconomic impacts on harvesters, processors, and 
communities.
    As highlighted in the Council's purpose and need statement, this 
action should (1) improve NMFS' inseason flexibility for reapportioning 
Chinook salmon PSC and minimize closures in the GOA, (2) be consistent 
with goals of Amendments 93 and 97 and maintain current PSC limits, (3) 
not exceed the incidental take threshold for ESA-listed Chinook salmon, 
and (4) balance competing social and economic interests.

[[Page 39241]]

Improve NMFS Inseason Flexibility for Reapportioning Chinook Salmon PSC 
and Minimize Closures

    One goal of this proposed rule is to provide greater flexibility to 
reapportion GOA trawl Chinook salmon PSC limits during years of high or 
unusual Chinook salmon PSC without revising the individual sector PSC 
limits that are currently set in regulation. For example, Chinook 
salmon PSC could be reapportioned from the Central GOA pollock trawl 
sector to the non-pollock trawl CV sector after NMFS has determined 
that the remaining amount of the Central GOA pollock trawl sector's PSC 
limit is greater than the amount projected to be necessary to harvest 
the pollock TAC for the remainder of the year. In the same manner, this 
proposed rule would allow inseason reapportionment of Chinook salmon 
PSC from the non-pollock trawl fisheries to the pollock fisheries or 
among the three non-pollock trawl sectors.
    Allowing Chinook salmon PSC limits to be reapportioned among 
sectors would provide NMFS with additional flexibility to allow the 
catch of available TAC, and in some circumstances would likely prevent 
or delay fishery closures or allow a closed fishery to reopen. Section 
3.4.1.3.1 of the Analysis provides examples of how reapportioning 
unused Chinook salmon PSC among various sectors could have provided 
additional harvest opportunities in various sectors without exceeding 
the overall Chinook salmon PSC limits established under Amendments 93 
and 97. Section 3.4.1.3.1 shows that, based on observed Chinook salmon 
PSC in 2015, the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector likely would have 
remained open after May 4, 2015, if NMFS had had the authority to 
reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC.

Be Consistent With Goals of Amendments 93 and 97 and Maintain Current 
PSC Limits

    In considering this proposed rule, the Council determined and NMFS 
agrees that the Chinook salmon PSC limits established in Amendments 93 
and 97 continue to be the most practicable Chinook salmon PSC limits 
for the Central and Western GOA trawl fisheries. The Chinook PSC limits 
established under Amendments 93 and 97 intentionally impose the risk of 
closure on a sector that approaches or exceeds its Chinook salmon PSC 
limit.
    Based on historical Chinook salmon PSC use in the Central and 
Western GOA trawl fisheries and the variability in Chinook salmon PSC 
in recent years since the implementation of Amendment 97, a certain 
level of risk remains under this proposed rule that Chinook salmon PSC 
limits could close fisheries. After reviewing the historical Chinook 
salmon PSC data (see Section 3.4.1.3.2 of the Analysis), the Council 
determined and NMFS agrees that, in most years, the Central and Western 
GOA pollock sectors will fully harvest the available TACs under the 
Chinook salmon PSC limits established under Amendment 93.
    Of the five sectors covered by Amendments 93 and 97, the three non-
pollock sectors are more likely to be constrained by their Chinook 
salmon PSC limits because Amendment 97 set those three sectors' Chinook 
salmon PSC limits close to their historical use levels (see the final 
rule for implementing Amendment 97 (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014)).
    As with Amendments 93 and 97, this proposed rule is intended to 
minimize bycatch to the extent practicable. Several provisions of this 
proposed rule are designed to achieve that objective. For example, this 
proposed rule establishes a ``cap'' on the amount of reapportioned 
Chinook salmon PSC limit that a sector may receive in a single year. By 
capping the amount of PSC that can be received by a sector through a 
reapportionment, this proposed rule balances the goal of flexibility to 
reapportion Chinook salmon PSC limits with the goal to minimize PSC, 
consistent with National Standard 9.
    Section 3.8 of the Analysis identifies the potential for small 
increases in the annual Chinook salmon PSC under this proposed rule 
relative to the status quo due to the increased flexibility to 
reapportion Chinook salmon PSC limits. The Council and NMFS concluded 
that the small scale of the potential PSC increases and effective PSC 
limits are consistent with the goals of Amendments 93 and 97. During 
years in which a CV sector is constrained by Chinook salmon PSC and 
receives a Chinook salmon PSC reapportionment, the flexibility provided 
by this proposed rule could increase the aggregate amount of Chinook 
salmon that are taken across all GOA trawl fisheries.
    Section 3.8 of the Analysis estimates that the most likely scenario 
for reapportionment under this proposed rule is from one or both of the 
pollock sectors to either the Rockfish CV sector or the Non-Rockfish CV 
sector. Because this proposed rule would cap the maximum amount that 
would be reapportioned, as described later in this preamble, the most 
likely scenario is that NMFS would reapportion no more than 2,000 
Chinook salmon in any year, or approximately 6 percent of the current 
combined 32,500 Chinook salmon PSC limit for the Central and Western 
GOA trawl fisheries. The Council explained that while this proposed 
rule would allow for slightly higher Chinook PSC, that amount of PSC 
would still be within the combined annual 32,500 Chinook salmon PSC 
limit established by Amendments 93 and 97. The proposed rule therefore 
appropriately balances the objectives of the National Standards. See 
discussion below.
    While the provisions of this proposed rule would likely result in 
some additional Chinook salmon PSC reapportionment, NMFS does not 
expect that this proposed rule would provide incentives for 
participants to increase PSC use or ignore PSC limits established by 
Amendments 93 and 97. Three factors explain why sectors are unlikely to 
drastically reduce their effort to avoid Chinook salmon as a result of 
this proposed rule (see Analysis, Section 3.8). First, the 
reapportionment provisions in this proposed rule would not guarantee 
that Chinook salmon PSC limit reapportionments would be available in a 
given year. Chinook salmon PSC encounter levels are highly variable 
across years. The years in which a sector reaches its PSC limit are 
likely to be years in which other GOA trawl sectors are experiencing 
similarly high Chinook salmon PSC levels, thus reducing the 
availability of reapportionments to GOA trawl sectors. Second, NMFS 
inseason managers would not necessarily make an immediate 
reapportionment to a closed sector. Although this proposed rule could 
prevent a closure for a sector during an entire year, the possibility 
exists that fishing opportunities might be forgone for at least part of 
a year. Third, most reapportionment of Chinook salmon PSC limits are 
likely to be from the Central or Western GOA pollock sectors, and most 
of the Chinook salmon PSC use in those two sectors occurs later in the 
year. NMFS likely would not make large PSC limit reapportionments from 
either of these pollock sectors to a non-pollock sector until NMFS is 
able to reasonably project that a pollock sector's PSC use will be 
below its PSC limit for the remainder of the year.
    The Council determined, and NMFS agrees, that authorizing NMFS to 
reapportion Chinook salmon PSC limits from one sector to another will 
not increase the likelihood of exceeding the current combined annual 
Chinook salmon PSC amount of 32,500. The

[[Page 39242]]

individual PSC limits for the pollock sectors and non-pollock trawl 
sectors are unchanged by this action. As described above under the 
section titled ``Management of PSC Limits in the GOA,'' NMFS would have 
sufficient and timely PSC data to close these fisheries and avoid 
exceeding the current combined annual amount of 32,500 Chinook salmon 
PSC.

ESA Incidental Take Threshold for Chinook Salmon

    Under this proposed rule, the trawl fisheries would continue to 
avoid exceeding the annual Chinook salmon ESA threshold of 40,000 
Chinook salmon that was identified in the incidental take statement 
accompanying the November 30, 2000, Biological Opinion (see ADDRESSES). 
Establishing a limit on the amount of Chinook salmon PSC that may be 
taken on an annual basis in the pollock and non-pollock trawl fisheries 
in the Central and Western GOA would accomplish that goal. This 
proposed rule would continue to limit the combined annual Chinook 
salmon PSC in the Central and Western GOA trawl fisheries to 32,500 
Chinook salmon, much less than the 40,000 Chinook salmon threshold.

Balance Competing Social and Economic Interests: National Standards

    The Council concluded and NMFS agrees that this proposed rule could 
mitigate the potential for Chinook salmon PSC limits implemented under 
Amendments 93 and 97 to cause adverse social and economic effects of an 
early fishery closure while continuing to minimize Chinook salmon PSC 
to the extent practicable. Reapportioning Chinook salmon PSC limits to 
a sector to avoid a fishing closure or to reopen a fishery may prevent 
negative impacts to harvesters, processors, and GOA coastal communities 
that depend on that groundfish resource.
    Section 3.4.1.5 of the Analysis provides an example of the forgone 
revenue to harvesters and processors from the Chinook salmon PSC limit 
closure for the non-Rockfish Program CV sector that would likely have 
been avoided under this proposed rule (see Analysis, Section 3.4.1.5). 
Based on average groundfish catch by the sector from 2010 through 2014, 
reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC limits to the Non-Rockfish 
Program CV sector before May 2015 could have avoided the loss of 
approximately $4.6 million in gross revenues to GOA trawl harvesters 
and $11.3 million in gross revenues to processers. The reapportionment 
of Chinook salmon PSC limits to that sector could have also avoided 
adverse impacts to employees and businesses in the Kodiak Borough and 
City of Kodiak where most of the non-Rockfish Program CV sector catch 
is landed and processed.
    NMFS determined that Amendments 93 and 97 were fully consistent 
with all 10 of the National Standards included in the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act (18 U.S.C. 1801(a)). In recommending this proposed rule, the 
Council and NMFS concluded that providing additional authority to NMFS 
to reapportion Chinook salmon PSC limits in the pollock and non-pollock 
trawl sectors is consistent with Amendments 93 and 97 and the National 
Standards, and it appropriately balances the National Standards' 
competing interests. The Council determined and NMFS agrees that 
reapportioning Chinook salmon PSC could benefit GOA trawl vessel 
operators, crew members, processors, support industries, and 
communities that are dependent on those fisheries, without modifying 
the overall PSC limits that were established to protect the Chinook 
salmon resource.
    Of particular importance to this proposed rule are National 
Standards 1, 5, 6, 8, and 9 (see Analysis, Section 5.1). Section 5.1 of 
the Analysis describes the consistency of this proposed rule with all 
National Standards. This proposed rule increases the likelihood that 
groundfish TACs will be achieved, allows for management actions to 
adjust to the variation in Chinook salmon PSC rates among sectors 
within a year, and decreases the likelihood that harvesters, 
processors, and communities are adversely affected by fishery closures 
due to Chinook salmon PSC limits. Those objectives are consistent with 
National Standards 1, 5, 6, 8, and 9.
    The Council determined and NMFS agrees that this action should not 
revise observer deployment, coverage, or observer sampling estimation 
methods in the Central and Western GOA pollock and non-pollock trawl 
fisheries. NMFS' catch, bycatch, and PSC estimation methods are 
described in more detail in Section 3.3 of the Analysis.

Provisions of This Proposed Rule

    The Council and NMFS considered a range of options that would limit 
the amount of unused Chinook salmon PSC that could be reapportioned to 
a sector and the number of sectors that could receive an apportionment 
(see Sections 3.5, 3.6, and 3.7 of the Analysis). This analysis 
included options that were considered by the Council, but not adopted. 
The remainder of this preamble describes only those provisions that 
would be implemented by this proposed rule.
    Before making any reapportionment, this proposed rule specifies 
that NMFS would first project the amount of Chinook salmon PSC that 
would be unused by a sector during the remainder of the fishing year. 
Section 3.4.1.4 of the Analysis describes some of the factors that NMFS 
would consider in making its projections of Chinook salmon PSC use. 
Proposed regulations at Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(iii) direct NMFS to publish 
any reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC limits in the Federal 
Register.
    The following paragraphs describe: (1) The sectors that can receive 
a reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC; (2) the amount of 
unused Chinook salmon PSC that can be reapportioned to a sector; and 
(3) non-substantive revisions to existing Chinook salmon PSC 
regulations to improve clarity.
    This proposed rule would authorize NMFS to reapportion unused 
Chinook salmon PSC from any of the five pollock or non-pollock sectors 
to any other sector, except the Trawl C/P sector. The Council 
recommended and NMFS proposes excluding the Trawl C/P sector because 
data on historic PSC use indicates that the Trawl C/P sector is not 
likely to exceed its current Amendment 97 PSC limit (Section 3.8 of the 
Analysis). In addition, the Trawl C/P sector is eligible to earn and 
carry forward additional Chinook salmon PSC by qualifying for the 
Amendment 97 incentive buffer described earlier in this preamble (see 
Section 3.8 of the Analysis).
    This proposed rule would limit, or ``cap'' the maximum amount of 
unused Chinook salmon PSC that a sector could receive on an annual 
basis. Specifically, a reapportioned amount cannot be greater than 50 
percent of the Chinook salmon PSC limit initially assigned for that 
sector under either Amendment 93 or Amendment 97. For example, 
Amendment 97 initially assigned a PSC limit of 1,200 Chinook salmon to 
the Rockfish Program CV sector. Therefore, under this proposed rule, 
NMFS could not reapportion more than 600 unused Chinook salmon PSC from 
another sector to the Rockfish Program CV sector.
    Section 679.21(h)(5)(iv)(A) through (D) of the proposed regulations 
specifies that the amount of unused Chinook salmon PSC limits 
reapportioned to an eligible sector may not exceed the following 
amounts:
     3,342 Chinook salmon to the Western GOA pollock sector;

[[Page 39243]]

     9,158 Chinook salmon to the Central GOA pollock sector;
     600 Chinook salmon to the Rockfish Program CV sector; or
     1,350 Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector
    The Council determined and NMFS believes that these caps on the 
reapportionment will allow NMFS to reapportion Chinook salmon PSC when 
needed and justified by the circumstances.
    In considering the selection of the 50 percent PSC reapportionment 
cap--as opposed to lower percentages that were considered--the Council 
and NMFS considered the difficulty, if not impossibility, of 
identifying the precise minimum amount of Chinook salmon PSC that each 
sector would need to keep operating and supporting its dependent 
stakeholders in all future years. The Council and NMFS concluded that 
selecting a smaller percentage (thus allowing for a smaller 
reapportionment) could preclude the reapportionment of sufficient 
amounts of Chinook salmon PSC to avoid fishery closures, particularly 
for sectors such as the Rockfish CV Sector that have small initial 
Chinook salmon PSC limits (See Analysis, Section 3.8).
    This proposed rule would modify the existing reapportionment of 
Chinook salmon PSC limits from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the 
non-pollock Non-Rockfish Program CV sector on October 1. The current 
regulation at Sec.  679.21(i)(4) states that the reapportionment of all 
but 150 of the unused Chinook salmon PSC limit remaining in the 
Rockfish Program CV sector's annual limit of 1,200 fish must be 
reapportioned to the non-Rockfish Program CV sector on October 1.
    The proposed regulations at Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(i) provide NMFS with 
the discretion to reapportion Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish 
Program CV sector to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector on October 1 
with one exception: NMFS cannot reapportion an amount of Chinook salmon 
PSC that would leave a remaining balance of less than 150 Chinook 
salmon PSC as of October 1. The removal of the requirement that NMFS 
reapportion all but 150 PSC from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the 
Non-Rockfish Program Sector on October 1 is consistent with the overall 
intent of this proposed rule (See Section 2.1 of the Analysis) because 
the Rockfish Program CV sector may require more than 150 Chinook salmon 
PSC after October 1 in future years if harvesting patterns change. 
Section 3.4.1.3.3 of the Analysis notes that most of the vessels 
participating in the Rockfish Program CV sector also prosecute late-
year non-pollock fisheries (Pacific cod and flatfish). Providing 
additional management flexibility in the amount of Chinook salmon 
reapportioned to the Non-Rockfish CV sector on October 1 decreases the 
likelihood that participants would have to forgo catch in one non-
pollock sector in order to participate in another sector.
    The proposed regulations at Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(ii) provide NMFS 
with the discretion to reapportion all unused Chinook salmon PSC limit 
from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the non-pollock Non-Rockfish 
Program CV sector on November 15 of each year but not to exceed 50 
percent of the receiving sector's initial allocation. This additional 
flexibility is consistent with the overall intent of this proposed rule 
(See Section 2.1 of the Analysis) because the Rockfish Program CV 
sector may continue to need some Chinook salmon PSC limit after 
November 15 to prosecute late-year non-pollock fisheries. Providing 
additional management flexibility in the amount of Chinook salmon 
reapportioned the Non-Rockfish CV sector on November 15 of each year 
decreases the likelihood that participants would have to forgo catch in 
one non-pollock sector in order to participate in another sector.
    This proposed rule would consolidate the regulations for Chinook 
salmon PSC limits in the GOA pollock and non-pollock trawl fisheries 
currently found at Sec.  679.21(h) and (i) into Sec.  679.21(h). The 
Chinook salmon PSC regulations for the GOA pollock fishery are 
currently found at Sec.  679.21(h), and the Chinook salmon PSC 
regulations for the GOA non-pollock fisheries are currently found at 
Sec.  679.21(i). This proposed rule would consolidate under Sec.  
679.21(h) all the current Chinook salmon PSC limits and management 
measures as well as the proposed regulations to authorize the 
reapportionment of Chinook salmon PSC limits among the GOA pollock and 
non-pollock trawl sectors. Consolidation of the Chinook salmon PSC 
limit regulations under Sec.  679.21(h) would not result in any 
technical or substantive changes to the existing procedures, policies, 
and requirements that were implemented under Amendments 93 and 97. 
Consolidation would allow for more efficient, clear, and concise 
regulations for the entities regulated by this proposed rule. NMFS is 
not taking public comment on those policies and procedures previously 
implemented through Amendments 93 and 97.

Classification

    Pursuant to sections 304(b) and 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
the NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this proposed rule 
is consistent with Amendment 103, the FMP, other provisions of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law, subject to further 
consideration after public comment.
    This proposed rule has been determined to be not significant for 
the purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was prepared for 
this proposed rule, as required by section 603 of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (RFA). The IRFA describes the economic impact this 
proposed rule, if adopted, would have on small entities. A description 
of this proposed rule, why it is being considered, and the legal basis 
for this proposed rule are contained earlier in the preamble to this 
proposed rule and are not repeated here. A copy of the IRFA is 
available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA follows.
    A business primarily involved in finfish harvesting is classified 
as a small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not 
dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has 
combined annual gross receipts not in excess of the applicable size 
standard for all its affiliated operations worldwide. Fishing vessels 
are considered small entities if their total annual gross receipts, 
from all their activities combined, are less than $20.5 million (see 
Analysis, Section 4).
    The entities directly regulated by this proposed rule are those 
federally permitted or licensed entities that participate in harvesting 
groundfish from the Federal or State-managed parallel pollock and non-
pollock trawl fisheries of the Central and Western GOA. Fishing vessels 
are considered small entities if their total annual gross receipts, 
from all their activities combined, are less than $20.5 million. Based 
on 2013 data, the IRFA identified 32 CVs that are defined as small 
entities. The IRFA also identified one trawl C/P that is defined as a 
small entity. Therefore, 33 small entities would be directly regulated 
by this proposed rule.
    Neither processors nor other stakeholders are directly regulated by 
this proposed rule because they are not apportioned Chinook salmon PSC 
limits. The processors that take deliveries of trawl-caught GOA 
groundfish, and other stakeholders not directly regulated by this 
proposed rule, are therefore excluded from the IRFA.
    An IRFA requires a description of any significant alternatives to 
the proposed rule(s) that accomplish the stated

[[Page 39244]]

objectives, are consistent with applicable statutes, and that would 
minimize any significant economic impact of the proposed rule on small 
entities. This proposed rule has several elements: (1) It establishes 
authority for NMFS to reapportion Chinook salmon PSC limits among the 
Central GOA pollock, Western GOA pollock Trawl C/P, Rockfish Program 
CV, and Non-Rockfish Program CV sectors; (2) it excludes the trawl C/P 
sector from receiving reapportioned unused Chinook salmon PSC limits; 
(3) it limits the amount of unused Chinook salmon PSC that can be 
reapportioned; and (4) it provides flexibility for NMFS to determine if 
it is appropriate to reallocate in excess of 150 unused Chinook salmon 
PSC, or a different amount, from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the 
Non-Rockfish Program CV sector.
    During consideration of this proposed rule, the Council and NMFS 
evaluated a number of alternatives including (1) no action; (2) 
authorizing reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC limit to the 
trawl C/P sector; and (3) limiting the percent of Chinook salmon PSC 
that can be reapportioned to or from a sector based on the amount of 
the Chinook salmon PSC initially assigned to a sector (between 10 
percent and 50 percent of the initial Chinook salmon PSC limit). None 
of these alternatives met the objectives of this proposed rule and had 
a smaller impact on small entities.
    The no action alternative fails to provide tools to reapportion 
Chinook salmon PSC limits to pollock and non-pollock trawl sectors to 
avoid fishery closures, and thus fails to meet the principal objective 
of this proposed rule. Authorizing trawl C/Ps to receive 
reapportionments of Chinook salmon PSC limits would be unnecessary 
based on historical use of Chinook salmon PSC by that sector and the 
apportionments of PSC granted to that sector under Amendment 97.
    Limiting the percent of Chinook salmon PSC that could be 
reapportioned from a sector could allow some sectors, such as the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector, to use more than twice the amount of 
Chinook salmon PSC than was initially apportioned under Amendment 97. 
That would be inconsistent with the goals of Amendment 103. Limiting 
the amount of Chinook salmon PSC that could be received in a 
reapportionment to 40 percent or less of the sector's initial limit 
could be insufficient to adequately reduce the number of trawl fishery 
closures from reaching a PSC limit. Thus, the Council determined, and 
NMFS agrees, that these smaller percentages would not be consistent 
with the goals of the previous GOA trawl PSC limits under Amendments 93 
and 97, or with Amendment 103.
    No duplication, overlap, or conflict between this proposed rule and 
existing Federal rules has been identified.

Collection-of-Information Requirements

    This rule contains collection-of-information requirements subject 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that have been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
OMB Control Number 0648-0515
    This rule contains a collection-of-information requirement subject 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and which has been approved by 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control number OMB Control 
Number 0648-0515. Public reporting burden for eLandings landing report 
is estimated to average ten minutes per individual response and 
eLandings production report is estimated to average five minutes per 
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 
completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    Although the eLandings landing report and eLandings at-sea 
production report are included in the non-substantive revisions for 
this rule, this rulemaking imposes no additional burden or cost on the 
regulated community. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or 
any other aspect of this data collection, including suggestions for 
reducing the burden, to NMFS (see ADDRESSEES) and by email to 
[email protected], or fax to (202) 395-5806.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. All currently approved NOAA 
collections of information may be viewed at: http://www.cio.noaa.gov/services_programs/prasubs.html.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: June 10, 2016.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is 
proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

0
1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., 3631 et seq.; 
and Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.

0
2. In Sec.  679.7, revise paragraph (b)(8) to read as follows:


Sec.  679.7  Prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (8) Prohibitions specific to salmon discard in the Western and 
Central Reporting Areas of the GOA directed fisheries for groundfish. 
Fail to comply with any requirements of Sec.  679.21(h).
* * * * *
0
3. In Sec.  679.21:
0
a. Revise paragraph (h); and
0
b. Remove paragraph (i) to read as follows:


Sec.  679.21  Prohibited species bycatch management.

* * * * *
    (h) GOA Chinook Salmon PSC Management--(1) Applicability. 
Regulations in this paragraph apply to trawl vessels participating in 
the directed fishery for groundfish in the Western and Central 
reporting areas of the GOA and processors receiving deliveries from 
these vessels.
    (2) GOA Chinook salmon PSC limits for the pollock sectors 
(fisheries). (i) The annual PSC limit for vessels participating in the 
directed fishery for pollock in the Western reporting area of the GOA 
is 6,684 Chinook salmon.
    (ii) The annual PSC limit for vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Central reporting area of the GOA is 18,316 
Chinook salmon.
    (3) GOA non-pollock trawl sectors. For the purposes of accounting 
for the annual Chinook salmon PSC limits at paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this 
section, the non-pollock trawl sectors are:
    (i) Trawl catcher/processor sector. The Trawl catcher/processor 
sector is any catcher/processor vessel fishing for groundfish, other 
than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or Central GOA reporting 
area and processing that groundfish at sea;

[[Page 39245]]

    (ii) Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector. The Rockfish Program 
catcher vessel sector is any catcher vessel fishing for groundfish, 
other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or Central reporting 
area of the GOA and operating under the authority of a Central GOA 
Rockfish Program CQ permit assigned to the catcher vessel sector; and
    (iii) Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector. The Non-Rockfish 
Program catcher vessel sector is any catcher vessel fishing for 
groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or 
Central reporting area of the GOA and not operating under the authority 
of a Central GOA Rockfish Program CQ permit assigned to the catcher 
vessel sector.
    (4) GOA Chinook salmon PSC limits for non-pollock trawl fisheries. 
(i) The annual Chinook salmon PSC limits in the Western and Central 
reporting areas of the GOA for the sectors defined in paragraph (h)(3) 
of this section are as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         Unless, the use of     If so, in the
                                                    The total Chinook    the Chinook salmon   following calendar
    For the following sectors defined in Sec.      salmon PSC limit in   PSC limit for that   year, the Chinook
                679.21(h)(3) . . .                  each calendar year      sector in a        salmon PSC limit
                                                         is . . .        calendar year does    for that sector
                                                                         not  exceed . . .      will be . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Trawl catcher/processor sector...............                3,600                3,120                4,080
                                                  --------------------------------------------------------------
(B) Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector.......                1,200                     N/A
                                                  --------------------------------------------------------------
(C) Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector...                2,700                2,340                3,060
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (ii) For the Trawl catcher/processor sector defined in paragraph 
(h)(3)(i) of this section:
    (A) The seasonal PSC limit prior to June 1 is 2,376 Chinook salmon 
if the annual Chinook salmon PSC limit is 3,600. The seasonal PSC limit 
prior to June 1 is 2,693 Chinook salmon if the annual Chinook salmon 
PSC limit is 4,080.
    (B) The number of Chinook salmon PSC available on June 1 through 
the remainder of the calendar year is the annual Chinook salmon PSC 
limit specified for the Trawl catcher/processor sector minus the number 
of Chinook salmon used by that sector prior to June 1 and any Chinook 
salmon PSC limit reapportioned to another sector specified at paragraph 
(h)(5)(iii) of this section prior to June 1.
    (5) Inseason reapportionment of Chinook salmon PSC limits. (i) On 
October 1, the Regional Administrator may reallocate any unused Chinook 
salmon PSC available to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, 
defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section, in excess of 150 
Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, but 
not to exceed the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector's limit on 
Chinook salmon PSC reapportionment as defined in paragraph 
(h)(5)(iv)(D) of this section.
    (ii) On November 15, the Regional Administrator may reallocate all 
remaining Chinook salmon PSC available to the Rockfish Program catcher 
vessel sector, defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section, to the 
Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, but not to exceed the Non-
Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector's limit on Chinook salmon PSC 
reapportionment as defined in paragraph (h)(5)(iv)(D)of this section.
    (iii) Any Chinook salmon PSC limit in paragraphs (h)(2) or (h)(4) 
of this section projected by the Regional Administrator to be unused 
during the remainder of the fishing year may be reapportioned subject 
to the Chinook salmon PSC limits in paragraphs (h)(5)(iv)(A) through 
(D) of this section for the remainder of the fishing year. NMFS will 
publish notification in the Federal Register announcing any Chinook 
salmon PSC limit reapportionments in the GOA.
    (iv) On an annual basis, NMFS shall not reapportion an amount of 
unused Chinook salmon PSC greater than the following amounts:
    (A) 3,342 Chinook salmon to vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Western reporting area of the GOA;
    (B) 9,158 Chinook salmon to vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Central reporting area of the GOA;
    (C) 600 Chinook salmon to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel 
sector defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section; and
    (D) 1,350 Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel 
sector defined in paragraph (h)(3)(iii) of this section.
    (6) Salmon retention. (i) The operator of a vessel, including but 
not limited to a catcher vessel or tender, must retain all salmon until 
delivered to a processing facility.
    (ii) The operator of a catcher/processor or the owner and manager 
of a shoreside processor or SFP receiving groundfish deliveries from 
trawl vessels must retain all salmon until the number of salmon by 
species has been accurately recorded in the eLandings at-sea production 
report or eLandings groundfish landing report.
    (iii) The owner and manager of a shoreside processor or SFP 
receiving pollock deliveries must, if an observer is present, retain 
all salmon until the observer is provided the opportunity to count the 
number of salmon and collect scientific data or biological samples from 
the salmon.
    (iv) The operator of a catcher/processor must retain all salmon 
until an observer is provided the opportunity to collect scientific 
data or biological samples from the salmon.
    (7) Salmon discard. Except for salmon under the PSD program defined 
in Sec.  679.26, all salmon must be discarded after the requirements at 
paragraphs (h)(6)(ii) or (h)(6)(iii) of this section have been met.
    (8) GOA Chinook salmon PSC closures. If, during the fishing year, 
the Regional Administrator determines that:
    (i) Vessels participating in the directed fishery for pollock in 
the Western reporting area or Central reporting area of the GOA will 
reach the applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit specified for that 
reporting area under paragraph (h)(2) of this section or the applicable 
limit following any reapportionment under paragraph (h)(5) of this 
section, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal Register closing 
the applicable regulatory area to directed fishing for pollock;
    (ii) Vessels in a sector defined in paragraph (h)(3) of this 
section will reach the applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit specified 
for that sector under paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this section or the 
applicable limit following any

[[Page 39246]]

reapportionment under paragraph (h)(5) of this section, NMFS will 
publish notification in the Federal Register closing directed fishing 
for all groundfish species, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the 
Western and Central reporting areas of the GOA for that sector; or
    (iii) Vessels in the Trawl catcher/processor sector defined in 
paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this section will reach the seasonal Chinook 
salmon PSC limit specified at paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(A) of this section 
prior to June 1, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal Register 
closing directed fishing for all groundfish species, other than 
pollock, with trawl gear in the Western and Central reporting areas of 
the GOA for all vessels in the Trawl catcher/processor sector until 
June 1. Directed fishing for groundfish species, other than pollock 
will reopen on June 1 for the Trawl catcher/processor sector defined in 
paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this section with the Chinook salmon PSC limit 
determined at paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(B) of this section unless NMFS 
determines that the amount of Chinook salmon PSC available to the 
sector is insufficient to allow the sector to fish and not exceed its 
annual Chinook salmon PSC limit.

[FR Doc. 2016-14237 Filed 6-15-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P