[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 10, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13802-13830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04016]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 200221-0062]
RIN 0648-XY201


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of 
Alaska; Final 2020 and 2021 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

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

ACTION: Final rule; harvest specifications and closures.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications, 
apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for 
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 
remainder of the 2020 and the start of the 2021 fishing years and to 
accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The 2020 harvest specifications 
supersede those previously set in the final 2019 and 2020 harvest 
specifications, and the 2021 harvest specifications will be superseded 
in early 2021 when the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications are 
published. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage 
the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

DATES: Harvest specifications and closures are effective at 1200 hours, 
Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 10, 2020, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., 
December 31, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 
Specifications Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision 
(ROD), the annual Supplementary Information Reports (SIRs) to the EIS, 
and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) prepared for 
this action are available from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The 
2019 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 
groundfish resources of the GOA, dated November 2019, and SAFE reports 
for previous years are available from the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) at 1007 West 3rd Avenue, Suite 400, 
Anchorage, AK

[[Page 13803]]

99501, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's website at https://www.npfmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in 
the exclusive economic zone of the GOA under the Fishery Management 
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The Council prepared 
the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 
et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP 
appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.
    The FMP and its implementing regulations require that NMFS, after 
consultation with the Council, specify the total allowable catch (TAC) 
for each target species, the sum of which must be within the optimum 
yield (OY) range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt) (50 CFR 
679.20(a)(1)(i)(B)). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires that NMFS 
publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual TACs and 
apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) 
limits, and seasonal allowances of pollock and Pacific cod. Upon 
consideration of public comment received under Sec.  679.20(c)(1), NMFS 
must publish notice of final harvest specifications for up to two 
fishing years as annual TACs and apportionments, Pacific halibut PSC 
limits, and seasonal allowances of pollock and Pacific cod, per Sec.  
679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final harvest specifications set forth in Tables 
1 through 29 of this rule reflect the outcome of this process, as 
required at Sec.  679.20(c).
    The proposed 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish of 
the GOA and Pacific halibut PSC limits were published in the Federal 
Register on December 3, 2019 (84 FR 66109). Comments were invited and 
accepted through January 2, 2020. NMFS received two letters of comment 
on the proposed harvest specifications; the comments are summarized and 
responded to in the ``Comments and Responses'' section of this rule. No 
changes were made to the final rule in response to the letters of 
comment received. In December 2019, NMFS consulted with the Council 
regarding the 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications. After considering 
public comment, as well as biological and socioeconomic data that were 
available at the Council's December 2019 meeting, NMFS is implementing 
the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications, as recommended by the 
Council. For 2020, the sum of the TAC amounts is 399,239 mt. For 2021, 
the sum of the TAC amounts is 407,982 mt.

Other Actions Affecting the 2020 and 2021 Harvest Specifications

Reclassify Sculpins as an Ecosystem Component Species

    In October 2019, the Council recommended that sculpins be 
reclassified in the FMP as an ``ecosystem component'' species, which is 
a category of non-target species that are not in need of conservation 
and management. Currently, NMFS annually sets an overfishing level 
(OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), and TAC for sculpins in the 
GOA groundfish harvest specifications. Under the Council's recommended 
action, OFL, ABC, and TAC specifications for sculpins would no longer 
be required. NMFS intends to develop rulemaking to implement the 
Council's recommendation for sculpins. Such rulemaking would prohibit 
directed fishing for sculpins, maintain recordkeeping and reporting, 
and establish a sculpin maximum retainable amount when directed fishing 
for groundfish species at 20 percent to discourage retention, while 
allowing flexibility to prosecute groundfish fisheries. Further details 
(and public comment on the sculpin action) will be available on 
publication of the proposed rule to reclassify sculpins as an ecosystem 
component species of the FMP. If the FMP amendment and its implementing 
regulations are approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the action is 
anticipated to be effective in 2021. Until effective, NMFS will 
continue to publish OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for sculpins in the GOA 
groundfish harvest specifications.

Final Rulemaking To Prohibit Directed Fishing for American Fisheries 
Act (AFA) and Crab Rationalization (CR) Program Sideboard Limits

    On February 8, 2019, NMFS published a final rule (84 FR 2723) that 
modified regulations for the AFA Program and CR Program participants 
subject to limits on the catch of specific species (sideboard limits) 
in the GOA. Sideboard limits are intended to prevent participants who 
benefit from receiving exclusive harvesting privileges in a particular 
fishery from shifting effort to other fisheries. Specifically, the 
final rule established regulations to prohibit directed fishing for 
most groundfish species or species groups subject to sideboard limits 
under the AFA Program and CR Program, rather than prohibiting directed 
fishing through the annual GOA harvest specifications. Since the final 
rule is now effective, NMFS is no longer publishing in the annual GOA 
harvest specifications the AFA Program and CR Program sideboard limit 
amounts for groundfish species or species groups subject to the final 
rule. Those groundfish species subject to the final rule associated 
with sideboard limits are now prohibited to directed fishing in 
regulation (Sec. Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iv)(D) and 680.22(e)(1)(i) and 
(iii) and Tables 54, 55, and 56 to 50 CFR part 679). NMFS is publishing 
in the annual GOA harvest specifications the AFA Program and CR Program 
sideboard limit amounts for groundfish species or species groups that 
were not subject to the final rule (see Tables 18, 19, 21 and 22 of 
this action).

Proposed Revisions to the GOA Pollock Seasons and Pacific Cod Seasonal 
Allocations

    In June 2019, the Council recommended for Secretarial review 
Amendment 109 to the FMP. Amendment 109 would revise pollock seasons 
and Pacific cod seasonal allocations. Amendment 109 would modify the 
existing annual pollock TAC allocation to two equal seasonal 
allocations (50 percent of TAC), rather than four equal seasonal 
allocations (25 percent of TAC). The pollock A and B seasons would be 
combined into a January 20 through May 31 A season, and the pollock C 
and D seasons would be combined into a September 1 through November 1 B 
season. Additionally, Amendment 109 would revise the Pacific cod TAC 
seasonal apportionments to the trawl catcher vessel (CV) sector by 
increasing the A season allocation and decreasing the B season 
allocation. Further details (and public comment on Amendment 109) will 
be available on publication of the proposed rule to implement Amendment 
109. If Amendment 109 and its implementing regulations are approved by 
the Secretary of Commerce, the action is anticipated to be effective in 
2021.

ABC and TAC Specifications

    In December 2019, the Council's Scientific and Statistical 
Committee (SSC), its Advisory Panel (AP), and the Council reviewed the 
most recent biological and harvest information about the condition of 
the GOA groundfish stocks. The Council's GOA Groundfish Plan Team (Plan 
Team) compiled and presented this information in the 2019 SAFE report 
for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2019 (see

[[Page 13804]]

ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific 
analyses and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological 
parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the 
GOA ecosystem and the economic condition of the groundfish fisheries 
off Alaska. From these data and analyses, the Plan Team recommends, and 
the SSC sets, an OFL and ABC for each species or species group. The 
2019 SAFE report was made available for public review during the public 
comment period for the proposed harvest specifications.
    In previous years, the greatest changes from the proposed to the 
final harvest specifications have been based on recent NMFS stock 
surveys, which provide updated estimates of stock biomass and spatial 
distribution, and changes to the models used for producing stock 
assessments. At the November 2019 Plan Team meeting, NMFS scientists 
presented updated and new survey results, changes to stock assessment 
models, and accompanying stock assessment estimates for groundfish 
species and species groups that are included in the 2019 SAFE report 
per the stock assessment schedule found in the 2019 SAFE report 
introduction. The SSC reviewed this information at the December 2019 
Council meeting. Changes from the proposed to the final 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications are discussed below.
    The final 2020 and 2021 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are based on the best 
available biological and socioeconomic information, including projected 
biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, 
and revised methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies 
the formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute OFLs and ABCs. The 
formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are 
determined by the level of reliable information available to fisheries 
scientists. This information is categorized into a successive series of 
six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts, with Tier 1 representing the 
highest level of information quality available and Tier 6 representing 
the lowest level of information quality available. The Plan Team used 
the FMP tier structure to calculate OFL and ABC amounts for each 
groundfish species. The SSC adopted the final 2020 and 2021 OFLs and 
ABCs recommended by the Plan Team for most groundfish species, with the 
exception of sablefish and Pacific cod.
    For sablefish, as discussed in the proposed 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications (84 FR 66109, December 3, 2019) the SSC considered the 
appropriateness of continuing to specify sablefish OFLs at the separate 
Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and GOA management area levels. The SSC 
reviewed the information available regarding area apportionment of the 
OFL, and decided that the best scientific information available 
regarding stock structure for sablefish supports an Alaska-wide OFL 
specification. Therefore, based on biological considerations, the SSC 
recommended specification of a single Alaska-wide sablefish OFL, which 
includes the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and the GOA. Also, the SSC 
agreed with the Plan Team that a substantial reduction in the 2020 and 
2021 ABCs from the maximum permissible ABCs were warranted. However, 
the SSC revised the Plan Team's recommendation for the sablefish ABCs 
by revising the method and amount of the reduction of the sablefish 
ABCs from the maximum permissible ABCs.
    For Pacific cod, the SSC accepted the Plan Team's recommendation 
for the 2020 Pacific cod ABC, but also decreased the 2021 ABC to equal 
the lower 2020 ABC. There is considerable uncertainty about future 
Pacific cod recruitment and potential effects of the recent marine heat 
wave on Pacific cod mortality. The 2020 Pacific cod assessment should 
provide more clarity about future trends.
    The Council adopted the SSC's OFLs and ABCs and the AP's TAC 
recommendations, with the exception of Pacific cod TACs (further 
described below). The final TAC recommendations are based on the ABCs 
as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, 
including maintaining the sum of all TACs within the required OY range 
of 116,000 to 800,000 mt.
    The Council recommended 2020 and 2021 TACs that are equal to ABCs 
for pollock in the Southeast Outside (SEO) District, shallow-water 
flatfish in the Central GOA and the West Yakutat and SEO Districts, 
deep-water flatfish, rex sole, arrowtooth flounder in the Central GOA, 
flathead sole in the West Yakutat and SEO Districts, Pacific ocean 
perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, rougheye 
and blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead 
rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' big skate, longnose skate, other skates, 
sculpins, sharks, and octopuses in the GOA. The Council recommended 
TACs for 2020 and 2021 that are less than the ABCs for pollock in the 
Western and Central GOA and the West Yakutat District, Pacific cod, 
shallow-water flatfish in the Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder in the 
Western GOA and the West Yakutat and SEO Districts, flathead sole in 
the Western and Central GOA, and Atka mackerel. The Council recommended 
2020 sablefish TACs that are less than the 2020 ABCs, and 2021 
sablefish TACs that are equal to 2021 ABCs. Setting the 2020 sablefish 
TACs less than 2020 ABCs is intended to provide an incremental increase 
to the 2020 sablefish TACs, rather than the very large increase in the 
2020 sablefish TACs if they were set equal to ABCs.
    The combined Western, Central, and West Yakutat pollock TAC and the 
GOA Pacific cod TACs are set to accommodate the State of Alaska's 
(State's) guideline harvest levels (GHLs) so that the ABCs for pollock 
and Pacific cod are not exceeded. Additionally, the Council recommended 
a further decrease to the Pacific cod TACs as an additional 
conservation measure due to this stock's low spawning biomass level 
(further discussed in the section titled ``Specification and 
Apportionment of TAC Amounts''). The Western GOA shallow-water 
flatfish, Western GOA arrowtooth flounder, and Western GOA flathead 
sole TACs are set to allow for increased harvest opportunities for 
these target species while conserving the halibut PSC limit for use in 
other, more fully utilized fisheries. Similarly, the Western Yakutat 
and SEO Districts arrowtooth flounder TACs and the Central GOA flathead 
sole TACs are set lower than ABC to conserve halibut PSC limit for use 
in other fisheries or because there is limited commercial interest and 
participation in these fisheries. The Atka mackerel TAC is set to 
accommodate incidental catch amounts in other fisheries.
    The final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications approved by the 
Secretary of Commerce are unchanged from those recommended by the 
Council, and are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy 
alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES).
    NMFS finds that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are 
consistent with the biological condition of the groundfish stocks as 
described in the final 2019 SAFE report. NMFS also finds that the 
Council's recommendations for OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with 
the biological condition of groundfish stocks as adjusted for other 
biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the 
total TAC within the OY range. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended 
TACs and apportionments, and NMFS approves these harvest specifications 
under 50 CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment of TAC amounts among 
gear types and

[[Page 13805]]

sectors, processing sectors, and seasons is discussed below.
    Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2020 and 2021 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and 
area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The 2020 harvest 
specifications set in this final action will supersede the 2020 harvest 
specifications previously set in the final 2019 and 2020 harvest 
specifications (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019). The 2021 harvest 
specifications will be superseded in early 2021 when the final 2021 and 
2022 harvest specifications are published. Pursuant to this final 
action, the 2020 harvest specifications therefore will apply for the 
remainder of the current year (2020), while the 2021 harvest 
specifications are projected only for the following year (2021) and 
will be superseded in early 2021 by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest 
specifications. Because this final action (published in early 2020) 
will be superseded in early 2021 by the publication of the final 2021 
and 2022 harvest specifications, it is projected that this final action 
will implement the harvest specifications for the Gulf of Alaska for 
approximately one year.

Specification and Apportionment of TAC Amounts

    NMFS's apportionment of groundfish species is based on the 
distribution of biomass among the regulatory areas over which NMFS 
manages the species. Additional regulations govern the apportionment of 
pollock, Pacific cod, and sablefish and are described below.
    The ABC for the pollock stock in the combined Western and Central 
Regulatory Areas and the West Yakutat (WYK) District of the Eastern 
Regulatory Area (the W/C/WYK) includes the amount for the GHL 
established by the State for the Prince William Sound (PWS) pollock 
fishery. The Plan Team, SSC, AP, and Council have recommended that the 
sum of all State water and Federal water pollock removals from the GOA 
not exceed ABC recommendations. For 2020 and 2021, the SSC recommended 
and the Council approved the W/C/WYK pollock ABC, including the amount 
to account for the State's PWS GHL. At the November 2019 Plan Team 
meeting, State fisheries managers recommended setting the PWS pollock 
GHL at 2.5 percent of the annual W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 2020, this 
yields a PWS pollock GHL of 2,712 mt, a decrease of 684 mt from the 
2019 PWS pollock GHL of 3,396 mt. For 2021, the PWS pollock GHL is 
2,797 mt, a decrease of 599 mt from the 2019 PWS pollock GHL of 3,396 
mt. After the GHL reductions, the 2020 and 2021 pollock ABCs for the 
combined W/C/WYK areas are then apportioned between four statistical 
areas (Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640) as both ABCs and TACs, as 
described below and detailed in Tables 1 and 2. The total ABCs and TACs 
for the four statistical areas, plus the State PWS GHL, do not exceed 
the combined W/C/WYK ABC.
    Apportionments of pollock to the W/C/WYK areas are considered to be 
``apportionments of annual catch limits (ACLs)'' rather than ``ABCs.'' 
This more accurately reflects that such apportionments address 
management, rather than biological or conservation, concerns. In 
addition, apportionments of the ACL in this manner allow NMFS to 
balance any transfer of TAC among Areas 610, 620, and 630 pursuant to 
Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B) to ensure that the combined W/C/WYK ACL, ABC, 
and TAC are not exceeded.
    NMFS establishes pollock TACs in the Western (Area 610) and Central 
(Areas 620 and 630) Regulatory Areas and the West Yakutat (Area 640) 
and the SEO (Area 650) Districts of the GOA (see Tables 1 and 2). NMFS 
also establishes seasonal apportionments of the annual pollock TACs in 
the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA among Statistical 
Areas 610, 620, and 630. These apportionments are divided equally among 
each of the following four seasons: The A season (January 20 through 
March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C season (August 
25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1 through November 1) 
(Sec. Sec.  679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A) and 
(B)). Additional detail is provided in this rule; Tables 3 and 4 list 
these amounts.
    The 2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs are set to accommodate the 
State's GHL for Pacific cod in State waters in the Western and Central 
Regulatory Areas, as well as in PWS. The Plan Team, SSC, AP, and 
Council recommended that the sum of all State water and Federal water 
Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. The 
Council set the 2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs in the Western, Central, 
and Eastern Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 
2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following 
amounts: (1) Western GOA, 2,866 mt; (2) Central GOA, 4,652 mt; and (3) 
Eastern GOA, 672 mt. These amounts reflect the State's 2020 and 2021 
GHLs in these areas, which are 30 percent of the Western GOA ABC and 25 
percent of the Eastern and Central GOA ABCs. For 2020, this results in 
a Western GOA Pacific cod GHL of 1,483 mt. This also results in a 2,115 
mt GHL and 305 mt GHL in the Central GOA and Eastern GOA, respectively. 
The 2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs also incorporate an additional 
reduction from the Pacific cod ABCs, as the Council and NMFS have set 
the Pacific cod TACs at a conservative level of 60 percent of the 
available ABCs, after deduction of the State GHL amounts. The Council 
chose, and NMFS agrees, to make this additional reduction to the 
Pacific cod TAC because the most recent biological assessment available 
of the stock condition for Pacific cod in the GOA has determined that 
the spawning biomass will be below 20 percent of the projected unfished 
spawning biomass during 2020.
    NMFS establishes seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod 
TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the 
annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-line, pot, and 
jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl gear from 
January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is 
apportioned to the B season for jig gear from June 10 through December 
31, for hook-and-line and pot gear from September 1 through December 
31, and for trawl gear from September 1 through November 1 (Sec. Sec.  
679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)). The Western and Central GOA Pacific 
cod TACs are allocated among various gear and operational sectors. The 
Pacific cod sector apportionments are discussed in detail in a 
subsequent section and in Tables 5 and 6 of this rule.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(4), NMFS has determined that a 
biological assessment of stock condition for Pacific cod in the GOA 
projects that the spawning biomass in the GOA will be below 20 percent 
of the projected unfished spawning biomass during 2020. Consequently, 
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Pacific cod in the GOA on January 
1, 2020, through December 31, 2020 (84 FR 70438, December 23, 2019). 
While this closure is effective the maximum retainable amounts at Sec.  
679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip. Pursuant to Sec.  
679.20(d)(4), the directed fishery for Pacific cod in the GOA will 
remain closed until a subsequent biological assessment projects that 
the spawning biomass for Pacific cod in the GOA will exceed 20 percent 
of the projected unfished spawning biomass during a fishing year.
    The Council's recommendation for sablefish area apportionments 
takes into account the prohibition on the use of trawl gear in the SEO 
District of the Eastern Regulatory Area (Sec.  679.7(b)(1)) and makes 
available 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area

[[Page 13806]]

TACs to vessels using trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other 
trawl groundfish fisheries in the WYK District (Sec.  679.20(a)(4)(i)). 
Tables 7 and 8 list the final 2020 and 2021 allocations of sablefish 
TAC to fixed gear and trawl gear in the GOA.

Changes From the Proposed 2020 and 2021 Harvest Specifications in the 
GOA

    In October 2019, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 
2020 and 2021 harvest specifications (84 FR 66109, December 3, 2019) 
were based largely on information contained in the final 2018 SAFE 
report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2018. The final 
2018 SAFE report for the GOA is available from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that the final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 
established for the 2020 groundfish fisheries (84 FR 9416, March 14, 
2019) be used for the proposed 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications (84 
FR 66109, December 3, 2019), pending completion and review of the 2019 
SAFE report at the Council's December 2019 meeting.
    As described previously, the SSC recommended the final 2020 and 
2021 OFLs and ABCs as recommended by the Plan Team. The Council adopted 
as its recommendations the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations and the 
AP's TAC recommendations (except for Pacific cod) for 2020 and 2021.
    The final 2020 ABCs are higher than the proposed 2020 ABCs 
published in the proposed 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications (84 FR 
66109, December 3, 2019) for pollock, sablefish, rex sole, Pacific 
ocean perch, northern rockfish, dusky rockfish, big skate, and 
octopuses. The final 2020 ABCs are lower than the proposed 2020 ABCs 
for Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish, deep-water flatfish, 
arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, shortraker rockfish, rougheye/
blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, other rockfish, 
longnose skate, other skates, and sculpins.
    The final 2021 ABCs are higher than the proposed 2021 ABCs for 
pollock, sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, rex sole, flathead sole, 
Pacific ocean perch, big skate, and octopuses. The final 2021 ABCs are 
lower than the proposed 2021 ABCs for Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish, 
arrowtooth flounder, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, dusky 
rockfish, rougheye/blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 
other rockfish, longnose skates, other skates, and sculpins. For the 
remaining target species, the Council recommended the final 2020 and 
2021 ABCs that are the same as the proposed 2020 and 2021 ABCs.
    Additional information explaining the changes between the proposed 
and final ABCs is included in the final 2019 SAFE report, which was not 
available when the Council made its proposed ABC and TAC 
recommendations in October 2019. At that time, the most recent stock 
assessment information was contained in the final 2018 SAFE report. The 
final 2019 SAFE report contains the best and most recent scientific 
information on the condition of the groundfish stocks, as previously 
discussed in this preamble, and is available for review (see 
ADDRESSES). The Council considered the 2019 SAFE report in December 
2019 when it made recommendations for the final 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications. In the GOA, the total final 2020 TAC amount is 399,239 
mt, a decrease of 2 percent from the total proposed 2020 TAC amount of 
408,534 mt. The total final 2021 TAC amount is 407,982 mt, a decrease 
of 0.1 percent from the total proposed 2021 TAC amount of 408,534 mt. 
Table 1a summarizes the difference between the proposed and final TACs.
    Annual stock assessments incorporate a variety of new or revised 
inputs, such as survey data or catch information, as well as changes to 
the statistical models used to estimate a species' biomass and 
population trend. Changes to biomass and ABC estimates are primarily 
based on fishery catch updates to species' assessment models. Some 
species, such as pollock and sablefish, have additional surveys 
conducted on an annual basis, which resulted in additional data being 
available for the 2019 assessments for these stocks.
    The changes from the proposed 2020 TACs to the final 2020 TACs are 
within a range of plus 13 percent or minus 59 percent, and the changes 
from the proposed 2021 TACs to the final 2021 TACs are within a range 
of plus 44 percent or minus 59 percent. Based on changes in the 
estimates of overall biomass in the stock assessment for 2020 and 2021, 
as compared to the estimates previously made for 2019 and 2020, the 
species or species group with the greatest TAC percentage increases are 
sablefish (in 2021), Pacific ocean perch, and big skate. Based on 
changes in the estimates of biomass, the species or species group with 
the greatest decreases in TACs are Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish, 
shortraker rockfish, rougheye/blackspotted rockfish, other rockfish, 
longnose skates, and other skates. For all other species and species 
groups, changes from the proposed 2020 TACs to the final 2020 TACs and 
changes from the proposed 2021 TACs to the final 2021 TACs are less 
than a 10 percent change (either increase or decrease). These TAC 
changes correspond to associated changes in the ABCs and TACs, as 
recommended by the SSC, AP, and Council.
    Detailed information providing the basis for the changes described 
above is contained in the final 2019 SAFE report. The final TACs are 
based on the best scientific information available, including 
biological and socioeconomic information. These TACs are specified in 
compliance with the harvest strategy described in the proposed and 
final rules for the 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications.

                                Table 1a--Comparison of Proposed and Final 2020 and 2021 GOA Total Allowable Catch Limits
                                              [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentage]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            2020 final                                      2021 final
                 Species                  2020 and  2021    2020 final      minus 2020      Percentage      2021  final     minus 2021      Percentage
                                           proposed  TAC        TAC        proposed  TAC    difference          TAC        proposed  TAC    difference
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock.................................         114,943         115,930             987               1         119,239           4,296               4
Pacific cod.............................          15,709           6,431          -9,278             -59           6,431          -9,278             -59
Sablefish...............................          15,462          14,393          -1,069              -7          22,252           6,790              44
Shallow-water flatfish..................          43,606          44,864           1,258               3          45,403           1,797               4
Deep-water flatfish.....................           9,624           6,030          -3,594             -37           5,926          -3,698             -38
Rex sole................................          14,725          14,878             153               1          15,416             691               5
Arrowtooth flounder.....................          96,875          96,969              94               0          94,983          -1,892              -2
Flathead sole...........................          26,587          28,262           1,675               6          28,386           1,799               7
Pacific ocean perch.....................          27,652          31,238           3,586              13          29,983           2,331               8
Northern rockfish.......................           4,269           4,311              42               1           4,106            -163              -4
Shortraker rockfish.....................             863             708            -155             -18             708            -155             -18
Dusky rockfish..........................           3,670           3,676               6               0           3,598             -72              -2

[[Page 13807]]

 
Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish..........           1,414           1,209            -205             -14           1,211            -203             -14
Demersal shelf rockfish.................             261             238             -23              -9             238             -23              -9
Thornyhead rockfish.....................           2,016           2,016               0               0           2,016               0               0
Other rockfish..........................           5,594           4,053          -1,541             -28           4,053          -1,541             -28
Atka mackerel...........................           3,000           3,000               0               0           3,000               0               0
Big skate...............................           2,848           3,208             360              13           3,208             360              13
Longnose skate..........................           3,572           2,587            -985             -28           2,587            -985             -28
Other skates............................           1,384             875            -509             -37             875            -509             -37
Sculpins................................           5,301           5,199            -102              -2           5,199            -102              -2
Sharks..................................           8,184           8,184               0               0           8,184               0               0
Octopuses...............................             975             980               5               1             980               5               1
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................................         408,534         399,239          -9,295              -2         407,982            -552            -0.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final 2020 and 2021 TAC amounts for the GOA are within the OY 
range established for the GOA and do not exceed the ABC for any species 
or species group. Tables 1 and 2 list the final OFL, ABC, and TAC 
amounts for GOA groundfish for 2020 and 2021, respectively.

 Table 1--Final 2020 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat, Western, Central,
 Eastern Regulatory Areas, the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, and
                                    Gulfwide Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Species                         Area \1\                OFL             ABC             TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\...........................  Shumagin (610)..........             n/a          19,175          19,175
                                        Chirikof (620)..........             n/a          54,456          54,456
                                        Kodiak (630)............             n/a          26,597          26,597
                                        WYK (640)...............             n/a           5,554           5,554
                                        W/C/WYK (subtotal) \2\..         140,674         108,494         105,782
                                        SEO (650)...............          13,531          10,148          10,148
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                         154,205         118,642         115,930
Pacific cod \3\.......................  W.......................             n/a           4,942           2,076
                                        C.......................             n/a           8,458           3,806
                                        E.......................             n/a           1,221             549
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          17,794          14,621           6,431
Sablefish \4\.........................  W.......................             n/a           2,278           1,942
                                        C.......................             n/a           7,560           6,445
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,521           2,343
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           4,524           3,663
                                        E (WYK and SEO)                      n/a           7,045           6,006
                                         (subtotal).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          50,481          16,883          14,393
Shallow-water flatfish \5\............  W.......................             n/a          23,849          13,250
                                        C.......................             n/a          27,732          27,732
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,773           2,773
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,109           1,109
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          68,010          55,463          44,864
Deep-water flatfish \6\...............  W.......................             n/a             226             226
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,948           1,948
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,105           2,105
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,751           1,751
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           7,163           6,030           6,030
Rex sole..............................  W.......................             n/a           2,901           2,901
                                        C.......................             n/a           8,579           8,579
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           1,174           1,174
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           2,224           2,224
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          18,127          14,878          14,878
Arrowtooth flounder...................  W.......................             n/a          31,455          14,500
                                        C.......................             n/a          68,669          68,669
                                        WYK.....................             n/a          10,242           6,900
                                        SEO.....................  ..............          17,694           6,900
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------

[[Page 13808]]

 
                                           Total                         153,017         128,060          96,969
Flathead sole.........................  W.......................             n/a          13,783           8,650
                                        C.......................             n/a          20,201          15,400
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,354           2,354
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,858           1,858
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          46,572          38,196          28,262
Pacific ocean perch \7\...............  W.......................             n/a           1,437           1,437
                                        C.......................             n/a          23,678          23,678
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           1,470           1,470
                                        W/C/WYK subtotal........          31,567          26,585          26,585
                                        SEO.....................           5,525           4,653           4,653
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          37,092          31,238          31,238
Northern rockfish \8\.................  W.......................             n/a           1,133           1,133
                                        C.......................             n/a           3,178           3,178
                                        E.......................             n/a               1  ..............
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           5,143           4,312           4,311
Shortraker rockfish \9\...............  W.......................             n/a              52              52
                                        C.......................             n/a             284             284
                                        E.......................             n/a             372             372
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                             944             708             708
Dusky rockfish \10\...................  W.......................             n/a             776             776
                                        C.......................             n/a           2,746           2,746
                                        WYK.....................             n/a             115             115
                                        SEO.....................             n/a              39              39
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           4,492           3,676           3,676
Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish      W.......................             n/a             168             168
 \11\.
                                        C.......................             n/a             455             455
                                        E.......................             n/a             586             586
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           1,452           1,209           1,209
Demersal shelf rockfish \12\..........  SEO.....................             375             238             238
Thornyhead rockfish...................  W.......................             n/a             326             326
                                        C.......................             n/a             911             911
                                        E.......................             n/a             779             779
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                          Total                            2,688           2,016           2,016
Other rockfish 13 14..................  W and C.................             n/a             940             940
                                        WYK.....................             n/a             369             369
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           2,744           2,744
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           5,320           4,053           4,053
Atka mackerel.........................  GW......................           6,200           4,700           3,000
Big skate \15\........................  W.......................             n/a             758             758
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,560           1,560
                                        E.......................             n/a             890             890
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                        Total...................           4,278           3,208           3,208
Longnose skate \16\...................  W.......................             n/a             158             158
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,875           1,875
                                        E.......................             n/a             554             554
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           3,449           2,587           2,587
Other skates \17\.....................  GW......................           1,166             875             875
Sculpins..............................  GW......................           6,932           5,199           5,199
Sharks................................  GW......................          10,913           8,184           8,184
Octopus...............................  GW......................           1,307             980             980
                                       -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.............................  ........................         607,120         465,956         399,239
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec.   679.2. (W = Western Gulf of Alaska; C = Central Gulf of
  Alaska; E = Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-
  wide).

[[Page 13809]]

 
\2\ The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 108,494 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (2,712 mt)
  of that ABC for the State's pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 105,782 mt (for the W/C/WYK
  Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas (Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640). These
  apportionments are considered subarea ACLs, rather than ABCs, for specification and reapportionment purposes.
  The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 3 (final 2020 seasonal
  biomass distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal
  allowances). In the West Yakutat (Area 640) and Southeast Outside (Area 650) Districts of the Eastern
  Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
  Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA is
  allocated 90 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent
  to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the final 2020
  Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations.
\4\ The sablefish OFL is set Alaska-wide. Additionally, sablefish is allocated to trawl and fixed gear in 2020
  and trawl gear in 2021. Table 7 lists the final 2020 allocations of sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
  arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 1 mt apportionment of ABC to
  the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ``other rockfish'' species group.
\9\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\10\ ``Dusky rockfish'' means Sebastes variabilis.
\11\ ``Rougheye and blackspotted rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus
  (blackspotted).
\12\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
  S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\13\ ``Other rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
  S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
  wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
  (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
  (vermilion), S. reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA
  only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\14\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other
  rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The ``other rockfish'' species group in the SEO District only includes
  other rockfish.
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja and Raja spp.


 Table 2--Final 2021 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat, Western, Central,
 Eastern Regulatory Areas, the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, and
                                    Gulfwide Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Species                         Area \1\                OFL             ABC             TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \2\...........................  Shumagin (610)..........             n/a          19,775          19,775
                                        Chirikof (620)..........             n/a          56,159          56,159
                                        Kodiak (630)............             n/a          27,429          27,429
                                        WYK (640)...............             n/a           5,728           5,728
                                        W/C/WYK (subtotal) \2\..         149,988         111,888         109,091
                                        SEO (650)...............          13,531          10,148          10,148
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                         163,519         122,036         119,239
Pacific cod \3\.......................  W.......................             n/a           4,942           2,076
                                        C.......................             n/a           8,458           3,806
                                        E.......................             n/a           1,221             549
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          30,099          14,621           6,431
Sablefish \4\.........................  W.......................             n/a           3,003           3,003
                                        C.......................             n/a           9,963           9,963
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           3,323           3,323
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           5,963           5,963
                                        E (WYK and SEO)                      n/a           9,286           9,286
                                         (subtotal).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          64,765          22,252          22,252
Shallow-water flatfish \5\............  W.......................             n/a          24,256          13,250
                                        C.......................             n/a          28,205          28,205
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,820           2,820
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,128           1,128
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          69,129          56,409          45,403
Deep-water flatfish \6\...............  W.......................             n/a             225             225
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,914           1,914
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,068           2,068
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,719           1,719
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           7,040           5,926           5,926
Rex sole..............................  W.......................             n/a           3,013           3,013
                                        C.......................             n/a           8,912           8,912
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           1,206           1,206
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           2,285           2,285
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          18,779          15,416          15,416
Arrowtooth flounder...................  W.......................             n/a          30,545          14,500

[[Page 13810]]

 
                                        C.......................             n/a          66,683          66,683
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           9,946           6,900
                                        SEO.....................             n/a          17,183           6,900
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                         148,597         124,357          94,983
Flathead sole.........................  W.......................             n/a          14,191           8,650
                                        C.......................             n/a          20,799          15,400
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           2,424           2,424
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           1,912           1,912
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          47,919          39,326          28,386
Pacific ocean perch \7\...............  W.......................             n/a           1,379           1,379
                                        C.......................             n/a          22,727          22,727
                                        WYK.....................             n/a           1,410           1,410
                                        W/C/WYK.................          30,297          25,516          25,516
                                        SEO.....................           5,303           4,467           4,467
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                          35,600          29,983          29,983
Northern rockfish \8\.................  W.......................             n/a           1,079           1,079
                                        C.......................             n/a           3,027           3,027
                                        E.......................             n/a               1  ..............
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           4,898           4,107           4,106
Shortraker rockfish \9\...............  W.......................             n/a              52              52
                                        C.......................             n/a             284             284
                                        E.......................             n/a             372             372
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                             944             708             708
Dusky rockfish \10\...................  W.......................             n/a             759             759
                                        C.......................             n/a           2,688           2,688
                                        WYK.....................             n/a             113             113
                                        SEO.....................             n/a              38              38
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           4,396           3,598           3,598
Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish      W.......................             n/a             169             169
 \11\.
                                        C.......................             n/a             455             455
                                        E.......................             n/a             587             587
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           1,455           1,211           1,211
Demersal shelf rockfish \12\..........  SEO.....................             375             238             238
Thornyhead rockfish...................  W.......................             n/a             326             326
                                        C.......................             n/a             911             911
                                        E.......................             n/a             779             779
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           2,688           2,016           2,016
                                        W and C.................             n/a             940             940
Other rockfish\13\ \14\...............  WYK.....................             n/a             369             369
                                        SEO.....................             n/a           2,744           2,744
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           5,320           4,053           4,053
Atka mackerel.........................  GW......................           6,200           4,700           3,000
Big skate \15\........................  W.......................             n/a             758             758
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,560           1,560
                                        E.......................             n/a             890             890
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           4,278           3,208           3,208
Longnose skate \16\...................  W.......................             n/a             158             158
                                        C.......................             n/a           1,875           1,875
                                        E.......................             n/a             554             554
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                           Total                           3,449           2,587           2,587
Other skates \17\.....................  GW......................           1,166             875             875
Sculpins..............................  GW......................           6,932           5,199           5,199
Sharks................................  GW......................          10,913           8,184           8,184
Octopus...............................  GW......................           1,307             980             980
                                       -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.............................  ........................         639,768         471,990         407,982
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec.   679.2. (W = Western Gulf of Alaska; C = Central Gulf of
  Alaska; E = Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-
  wide).

[[Page 13811]]

 
\2\ The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 111,888 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (2,797 mt)
  of that ABC for the State's pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 109,091 mt (for the W/C/WYK
  Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas (Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640). These
  apportionments are considered subarea ACLs, rather than ABCs, for specification and reapportionment purposes.
  The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 4 (final 2021 seasonal
  biomass distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal
  allowances). In the West Yakutat (Area 640) and Southeast Outside (Area 650) Districts of the Eastern
  Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
  Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA is
  allocated 90 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent
  to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 6 lists the final 2021
  Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations.
\4\ The sablefish OFL is set Alaska-wide. Additionally, sablefish is only allocated to trawl gear for 2021.
  Table 8 lists the final 2021 allocation of sablefish TACs to trawl gear.
\5\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
  arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 1 mt apportionment of ABC to
  the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ``other rockfish'' species group.
\9\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\10\ ``Dusky rockfish'' means Sebastes variabilis.
\11\ ``Rougheye and blackspotted rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus
  (blackspotted).
\12\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
  S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\13\ ``Other rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
  S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
  wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
  (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
  (vermilion), S. reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA
  only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\14\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other
  rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The ``other rockfish'' species group in the SEO District only includes
  other rockfish.
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja and Raja spp.

Apportionment of Reserves

    Section 679.20(b)(2) requires NMFS to set aside 20 percent of each 
TAC for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses 
in reserve for possible apportionment at a later date during the 
fishing year. For 2020 and 2021, NMFS proposed reapportionment of all 
the reserves in the proposed 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications 
published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2019 (84 FR 66109). 
NMFS did not receive any public comments on the proposed 
reapportionments. For the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications, 
NMFS reapportioned, as proposed, all the reserves for pollock, Pacific 
cod, flatfish, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses back to the original TAC 
limit from which the reserve was derived (Sec.  679.20(b)(3)). This was 
done because NMFS expects, based on recent harvest patterns, that such 
reserves are not necessary and that the entire TAC for each of these 
species will be caught. The TACs listed in Tables 1 and 2 reflect 
reapportionments of reserve amounts to the original TAC limit for these 
species and species groups, i.e., each final TAC for the above 
mentioned species or species groups contains the full TAC recommended 
by the Council.

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

    In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by season and area, and is 
further allocated for processing by inshore and offshore components. 
Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock TAC specified 
for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is apportioned 
into four equal seasonal allowances of 25 percent. As established by 
Sec.  679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season 
allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to May 
31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively.
    Pollock TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 
are apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630 in proportion 
to the distribution of the pollock biomass, pursuant to Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). In the A and B seasons, the apportionments 
previously were in proportion to the distribution of pollock biomass 
based on the four most recent NMFS winter surveys. In the C and D 
seasons, the apportionments were in proportion to the distribution of 
pollock biomass based on the four most recent NMFS summer surveys. For 
2020 and 2021, the Council recommended, and NMFS approved, following 
the apportionment methodology that was used previously for the 2019 and 
2020 harvest specifications. This methodology averages the winter and 
summer distribution of pollock in the Central Regulatory Area for the A 
season instead of using the distribution based on only the winter 
surveys. The average is intended to reflect the best available 
information about migration patterns, distribution of pollock, and the 
performance of the fishery in the area during the A season for the 2020 
and 2021 fishing years. For the A season, the apportionment is based on 
an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of 
approximately 2 percent, 75 percent, and 23 percent in Statistical 
Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. For the B season, the 
apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass 
of approximately 2 percent, 89 percent, and 9 percent in Statistical 
Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. For the C and D seasons, the 
apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass 
of approximately 36 percent, 27 percent, and 37 percent in Statistical 
Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. The pollock chapter of the 2019 
SAFE report (see ADDRESSES) contains a comprehensive description of the 
apportionment process and reasons for the minor changes from past 
apportionments.
    Within any fishing year, the amount by which a pollock seasonal 
allowance is underharvested or overharvested may be added to, or 
subtracted from, subsequent seasonal allowances for the Western and 
Central Regulatory Areas in a manner to be determined by the Regional 
Administrator (Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The rollover amount is 
limited to 20 percent of the subsequent seasonal TAC apportionment for 
the statistical area. Any unharvested pollock above the 20-percent 
limit could be further distributed to the other statistical areas, in 
proportion to the estimated biomass in the subsequent season in those 
statistical areas and in an amount no

[[Page 13812]]

more than 20 percent of the seasonal TAC apportionment in those 
statistical areas (Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The pollock TACs in the 
WYK and the SEO Districts of 5,554 mt and 10,148 mt, respectively, in 
2020, and 5,728 mt and 10,148 mt, respectively, in 2021, are not 
allocated by season.
    Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2020 and 2021 seasonal biomass 
distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 
area apportionments, and seasonal allowances. The amounts of pollock 
for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown. 
Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the allocation of 100 percent of the 
pollock TAC in all GOA regulatory areas and all seasonal allowances to 
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component after 
subtraction of pollock amounts projected by the Regional Administrator 
to be caught by, or delivered to, the offshore component incidental to 
directed fishing for other groundfish species. Thus, the amount of 
pollock available for harvest by vessels harvesting pollock for 
processing by the offshore component is that amount that will be taken 
as incidental catch during directed fishing for groundfish species 
other than pollock, up to the maximum retainable amounts allowed by 
Sec.  679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these incidental catch amounts 
of pollock are unknown and will be determined during the fishing year 
during the course of fishing activities by the offshore component.

   Table 3--Final 2020 Distribution of Pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska; Seasonal Biomass Distribution; Area
                                                  Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
                             [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.01]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season \1\                                           Shumagin
                                                     Chirikof
                                                      Kodiak                   Total \2\
                                                    (Area 610)
                                                    (Area 620)
                                                    (Area 630)            ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10).......................             517           2.06%          18,757          74.86%           5,783          23.08%          25,057
B (Mar 10-May 31).......................             517            2.06          22,222           88.68           2,318            9.25          25,057
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)........................           9,070           36.20           6,739           26.89           9,248           36.91          25,057
D (Oct 1-Nov 1).........................           9,070           36.20           6,739           26.89           9,248           36.91          25,057
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual Total........................          19,175  ..............          54,456  ..............          26,597  ..............         100,228
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ As established by Sec.   679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to
  May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore
  components are not shown in this table.
\2\ The WYK District and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.


   Table 4--Final 2021 Distribution of Pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska; Seasonal Biomass Distribution; Area
                                                  Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
                             [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.01]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season \1\                                           Shumagin
                                                     Chirikof
                                                      Kodiak                   Total \2\
                                                    (Area 610)
                                                    (Area 620)
                                                    (Area 630)            ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (Jan 20-Mar 10).......................             533           2.06%          19,344          74.86%           5,964          23.08%          25,841
B (Mar 10-May 31).......................             533            2.06          22,917           88.68           2,391            9.25          25,841
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)........................           9,354           36.20           6,950           26.89           9,537           36.91          25,841
D (Oct 1-Nov 1).........................           9,354           36.20           6,950           26.89           9,537           36.91          25,841
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual Total........................          19,775  ..............          56,159  ..............          27,429  ..............         103,363
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ As established by Sec.   679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to
  May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore
  components are not shown in this table.
\2\ The WYK District and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.

Annual and Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific Cod TAC

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i), NMFS seasonally allocates the 
2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs in the Western and Central Regulatory 
Areas of the GOA among gear and operational sectors. NMFS also 
allocates the Pacific cod TACs annually between the inshore (90 
percent) and offshore (10 percent) components in the Eastern Regulatory 
Area of the GOA (Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii)). In the Central GOA, the 
Pacific cod TAC is apportioned seasonally first to vessels using jig 
gear, and then among CVs less than 50 feet in length overall using 
hook-and-line gear, CVs equal to or greater than 50 feet in length 
overall using hook-and-line gear, catcher/processors (C/Ps) using hook-
and-line gear, CVs using trawl gear, C/Ps using trawl gear, and vessels 
using pot gear (Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)). In the Western GOA, the 
Pacific cod TAC is apportioned seasonally first to vessels using jig 
gear, and then among CVs using hook-and-line gear, C/Ps using hook-and-
line gear, CVs using trawl gear, C/Ps using trawl gear, and vessels 
using pot gear (Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i)(A)). The overall seasonal 
apportionments in the Western and Central GOA are 60 percent of the 
annual TAC to the A season and 40 percent of the annual TAC to the B 
season.
    Under Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(ii), any overage or underage of the 
Pacific cod allowance from the A season may be subtracted from, or 
added to, the subsequent B season allowance. In addition, any portion 
of the hook-and-line, trawl, pot, or jig sector allocations that is 
determined by NMFS as likely to go unharvested by a sector may be 
reallocated to other sectors for harvest during the remainder of the 
fishery year.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i)(A) and (B), a portion of the 
annual Pacific cod TACs in the Western and Central GOA will be 
allocated to vessels with a

[[Page 13813]]

Federal fisheries permit that use jig gear before the TACs are 
apportioned among other non-jig sectors. In accordance with the FMP, 
the annual jig sector allocations may increase to up to 6 percent of 
the annual Western and Central GOA Pacific cod TACs, depending on the 
annual performance of the jig sector (see Table 1 of Amendment 83 to 
the FMP for a detailed discussion of the jig sector allocation process 
(76 FR 74670, December 1, 2011)). Jig sector allocation increases are 
established for a minimum of two years.
    NMFS has evaluated the 2019 harvest performance of the jig sector 
in the Western and Central GOA, and is establishing the 2020 and 2021 
Pacific cod apportionments to this sector based on its historical 
harvest performance from 2014 to 2019. For 2020 and 2021, NMFS 
allocates the jig sector 3.5 percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC in 
the Western GOA. This is an increase from the 2019 jig sector 
allocation of 2.5 percent. The 2020 and 2021 allocations consist of a 
base allocation of 2.5 percent of the Western GOA Pacific cod TAC, and 
a 1.0 percent performance increase because in 2019 the jig sector 
harvested greater than 90 percent of its 2019 Pacific cod allocation.
    For 2020 and 2021, NMFS allocates the jig sector 1.0 percent of the 
annual Pacific cod TAC in the Central GOA. This is the same percent as 
the 2019 jig sector allocation because in 2019 this sector harvested 
less than 90 percent of its 2019 Pacific cod allocation. The 2020 and 
2021 allocations consist of a base allocation of 1.0 percent of the 
Central GOA Pacific cod TAC, and no additional performance increase in 
the Central GOA.
    Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal apportionments and allocations of 
the 2020 and 2021 Pacific cod TACs.

Table 5--Final 2020 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Amounts in
    the GOA; Allocations in the Western GOA and Central GOA Sectors, and the Eastern GOA Inshore and Offshore
                                              Processing Components
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             A Season                        B Season
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Annual          Sector                          Sector
 Regulatory area and sector \1\     allocation    percentage  of     Seasonal     percentage  of     Seasonal
                                       (mt)        annual  non-     allowances     annual  non-     allowances
                                                      jig TAC          (mt)           jig TAC          (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA:
    Jig (3.5% of TAC)...........              73             N/A              44             N/A              29
    Hook-and-line CV............              28            0.70              14            0.70              14
    Hook-and-line C/P...........             397           10.90             218            8.90             178
    Trawl CV....................             769           27.70             555           10.70             214
    Trawl C/P...................              48            0.90              18            1.50              30
    All Pot CV and Pot C/P......             761           19.80             397           18.20             365
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total...................           2,076           60.00           1,246           40.00             830
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central GOA:
    Jig (1.0% of TAC)...........              38             N/A              23             N/A              15
    Hook-and-line <50 CV........             550            9.32             351            5.29             199
    Hook-and-line >=50 CV.......             253            5.61             211            1.10              41
    Hook-and-line C/P...........             192            4.11             155            1.00              38
    Trawl CV \2\................           1,567           21.14             796           20.45             771
    Trawl C/P...................             158            2.00              75            2.19              83
    All Pot CV and Pot C/P......           1,048           17.83             672            9.97             376
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total...................           3,806           60.00           2,284           40.00           1,522
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern GOA:                                        Inshore (90% of Annual TAC)
                                   Offshore (10% of Annual TAC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             549                     494
                                                      55
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Pacific cod in the GOA on January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020
  (84 FR 70438, December 23, 2019), therefore; the seasonal apportionments and allocations in Table 5 are to
  support incidental catch of Pacific cod in other fisheries. While the directed fishing closure is effective,
  the maximum retainable amounts at Sec.   679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.
\2\ Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 145 mt, of the
  annual Central GOA TAC (see Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season
  allowance (see Table 12. Final 2020 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA and Table
  28c to 50 CFR part 679).


Table 6--Final 2021 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Amounts in
    the GOA; Allocations in the Western GOA and Central GOA Sectors, and the Eastern GOA Inshore and Offshore
                                              Processing Components
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             A Season                        B Season
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Annual          Sector                          Sector
   Regulatory area and sector       allocation    percentage  of     Seasonal     percentage  of     Seasonal
                                       (mt)        annual  non-     allowances     annual  non-     allowances
                                                      jig TAC          (mt)           jig TAC          (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA:

[[Page 13814]]

 
    Jig (3.5% of TAC)...........              73             N/A              44             N/A              29
    Hook-and-line CV............              28            0.70              14            0.70              14
    Hook-and-line C/P...........             397           10.90             218            8.90             178
    Trawl CV....................             769           27.70             555           10.70             214
    Trawl C/P...................              48            0.90              18            1.50              30
    All Pot CV and Pot C/P......             761           19.80             397           18.20             365
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total...................           2,076           60.00           1,246           40.00             830
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central GOA:
    Jig (1.0% of TAC)...........              38             N/A              23             N/A              15
    Hook-and-line <50 CV........             550            9.32             351            5.29             199
    Hook-and-line >=50 CV.......             253            5.61             351            1.10              41
    Hook-and-line C/P...........             192            4.11             211            1.00              38
    Trawl CV \1\................           1,597           21.14             796           20.45             771
    Trawl C/P...................             158            2.00              75            2.19              83
    All Pot CV and Pot C/P......           1,048           17.83             672            9.97             376
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total...................           3,806           60.00           2,284           40.00           1,522
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern GOA:                                        Inshore (90% of Annual TAC)
                                   Offshore (10% of Annual TAC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             549                     494
                                                      55
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 145 mt, of the
  annual Central GOA TAC (see Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season
  allowance (see Table 13. Final 2021 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA and Table
  28c to 50 CFR part 679).

Allocations of the Sablefish TAC Amounts to Vessels Using Fixed and 
Trawl Gear

    Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require allocations of sablefish 
TACs for each of the regulatory areas and districts to fixed and trawl 
gear. In the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent of each 
TAC is allocated to fixed gear, and 20 percent of each TAC is allocated 
to trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent of the TAC is 
allocated to fixed gear, and 5 percent is allocated to trawl gear. The 
trawl gear allocation in the Eastern Regulatory Area may only be used 
to support incidental catch of sablefish using trawl gear while 
directed fishing for other target species (Sec.  679.20(a)(4)(i)).
    In recognition of the prohibition against trawl gear in the SEO 
District of the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council recommended and 
NMFS approves specifying for incidental catch the allocation of 5 
percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC to trawl 
gear in the WYK District of the Eastern Regulatory Area. The remainder 
of the WYK District sablefish TAC is allocated to vessels using fixed 
gear. NMFS allocates 100 percent of the sablefish TAC in the SEO 
District to vessels using fixed gear. This action results in a 2020 
allocation of 300 mt to trawl gear and 2,043 mt to fixed gear in the 
WYK District, a 2020 allocation of 3,663 mt to fixed gear in the SEO 
District, and a 2021 allocation of 464 mt to trawl gear in the WYK 
District. Table 7 lists the allocations of the 2020 sablefish TACs to 
fixed and trawl gear. Table 8 lists the allocations of the 2021 
sablefish TACs to trawl gear.
    The Council recommended that a trawl sablefish TAC be established 
for two years so that retention of incidental catch of sablefish by 
trawl gear could commence in January in the second year of the 
groundfish harvest specifications. Both the 2020 and 2021 trawl 
allocations are specified in these final harvest specifications, in 
Tables 7 and 8, respectively.
    The Council also recommended that the fixed gear sablefish TAC be 
established annually to ensure that this IFQ fishery is conducted 
concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the most 
recent survey information. Since there is an annual assessment for 
sablefish and since the final harvest specifications are expected to be 
published before the IFQ season begins in March 2020, the Council 
recommended that the fixed gear sablefish TAC be set annually, rather 
than for two years, so that the best scientific information available 
could be considered in establishing the sablefish ABCs and TACs. 
Accordingly, Table 7 lists the 2020 fixed gear allocations, and the 
2021 fixed gear allocations will be specified in the 2021 and 2022 
harvest specifications.
    With the exception of the trawl allocations that are provided to 
the Rockfish Program (see Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), directed 
fishing for sablefish with trawl gear in the GOA is closed during the 
fishing year. Also, fishing for groundfish with trawl gear is 
prohibited prior to January 20 (Sec.  679.23(c)). Therefore, it is not 
likely that the sablefish allocation to trawl gear would be reached 
before the effective date of the final 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications.

[[Page 13815]]



     Table 7--Final 2020 Sablefish TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocations to Fixed and Trawl Gear
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Fixed gear      Trawl gear
                          Area/district                                 TAC         allocation      allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western.........................................................           1,942           1,554             388
Central \1\.....................................................           6,445           5,156           1,289
West Yakutat \2\................................................           2,343           2,043             300
Southeast Outside...............................................           3,663           3,663               0
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          14,393          12,415           1,978
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish
  Program cooperatives (663 mt). See Table 12: Final 2020 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the
  Central GOA. This results in 626 mt being available for the non-Rockfish Program trawl fisheries.
\2\ The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat
  and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District.


        Table 8--Final 2021 Sablefish TAC Amounts in the Gulf of Alaska and Allocation to Trawl Gear \1\
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Fixed gear      Trawl gear
                          Area/district                                 TAC         allocation      allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western.........................................................           3,003             n/a             601
Central \2\.....................................................           9,963             n/a           1,993
West Yakutat \3\................................................           3,323             n/a             464
Southeast Outside...............................................           5,963             n/a               0
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          22,252             n/a           3,058
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Council recommended that the final 2021 harvest specifications for the fixed gear sablefish Individual
  Fishing Quota fisheries not be specified in the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications.
\2\ The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish
  Program cooperatives (1,025 mt). See Table 13: Final 2021 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the
  Central GOA. This results in 968 mt being available for the non-Rockfish Program trawl fisheries.
\3\ The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat
  and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District.

Allocations, Apportionments, and Sideboard Limits for the Rockfish 
Program

    These final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for the GOA 
include the fishery cooperative allocations and sideboard limitations 
established by the Rockfish Program. Program participants are primarily 
trawl CVs and trawl C/Ps, with limited participation by vessels using 
longline gear. The Rockfish Program assigns quota share and cooperative 
quota to participants for primary species (Pacific ocean perch, 
northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish) and secondary species (Pacific 
cod, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, sablefish, shortraker 
rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish), allows a participant holding a 
license limitation program (LLP) license with rockfish quota share to 
form a rockfish cooperative with other persons, and allows holders of 
C/P LLP licenses to opt out of the fishery. The Rockfish Program also 
has an entry level fishery for rockfish primary species for vessels 
using longline gear. Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, 
and handline gear.
    Under the Rockfish Program, rockfish primary species in the Central 
GOA are allocated to participants after deducting for incidental catch 
needs in other directed groundfish fisheries (Sec.  679.81(a)(2)). 
Participants in the Rockfish Program also receive a portion of the 
Central GOA TAC of specific secondary species. In addition to 
groundfish species, the Rockfish Program allocates a portion of the 
halibut PSC limit (191 mt) from the third season deep-water species 
fishery allowance for the GOA trawl fisheries to Rockfish Program 
participants (Sec.  679.81(d) and Table 28d to 50 CFR part 679). The 
Rockfish Program also establishes sideboard limits to restrict the 
ability of harvesters operating under the Rockfish Program to increase 
their participation in other, non-Rockfish Program fisheries. These 
restrictions and halibut PSC limits are discussed in a subsequent 
section in this rule titled ``Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard and 
Halibut PSC Limitations.''
    Section 679.81(a)(2)(ii) and Table 28e to 50 CFR part 679 require 
allocations of 5 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 5 mt of northern rockfish, 
and 50 mt of dusky rockfish to the entry level longline fishery in 2020 
and 2021. The allocation for the entry level longline fishery may 
increase incrementally each year if the catch exceeds 90 percent of the 
allocation of a species. The incremental increase in the allocation 
would continue each year until it reaches the maximum percent of the 
TAC for that species. In 2019, the catch of Pacific ocean perch, 
northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish did not attain the 90 percent 
threshold, and those final allocations for 2020 remain the same as the 
2019 allocations. The remainder of the TACs for the rockfish primary 
species are allocated to the CV and C/P cooperatives (Sec.  
679.81(a)(2)(iii)). Table 9 lists the allocations of the 2020 and 2021 
TACs for each rockfish primary species to the entry level longline 
fishery, the potential incremental increases for future years, and the 
maximum percentages of the TACs assigned to the Rockfish Program that 
may be allocated to the rockfish entry level longline fishery.

[[Page 13816]]



Table 9--Final 2020 and Initial 2021 Allocations of Rockfish Primary Species to the Entry Level Longline Fishery
                                          in the Central Gulf of Alaska
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Incremental increase in
        Rockfish primary species         2020 and 2021 allocations    2021 if < 90% of 2020     Up to maximum %
                                                                     allocation is harvested         of TAC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch....................  5 metric tons............  5 metric tons............                  1
Northern rockfish......................  5 metric tons............  5 metric tons............                  2
Dusky rockfish.........................  50 metric tons...........  20 metric tons...........                  5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 679.81 requires allocations of rockfish primary species 
among various sectors of the Rockfish Program. Tables 10 and 11 list 
the final 2020 and 2021 allocations of rockfish primary species in the 
Central GOA to the entry level longline fishery, and rockfish CV and C/
P cooperatives in the Rockfish Program. NMFS also is setting aside 
incidental catch amounts (ICAs) for other directed fisheries in the 
Central GOA of 3,000 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 300 mt of northern 
rockfish, and 250 mt of dusky rockfish. These amounts are based on 
recent average incidental catches in the Central GOA by other 
groundfish fisheries.
    Allocations among vessels belonging to CV or C/P cooperatives are 
not included in these final harvest specifications. Rockfish Program 
applications for CV cooperatives and C/P cooperatives are not due to 
NMFS until March 1 of each calendar year; therefore, NMFS cannot 
calculate 2020 and 2021 allocations in conjunction with these final 
harvest specifications. NMFS will post the 2020 allocations on the 
Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/alaska-fisheries-management-reports#central-goa-rockfish when they become available after March 1.

  Table 10--Final 2020 Allocations of Rockfish Primary Species in the Central Gulf of Alaska to the Entry Level
                       Longline Fishery and Rockfish Cooperatives in the Rockfish Program
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Allocation to   Allocation to
                                    Central GOA     Incidental                       the entry     the rockfish
    Rockfish primary species        annual TAC         catch       TAC minus ICA  level longline   cooperatives
                                                     allowance                     \1\  fishery         \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.............          23,678           3,000          20,678               5          20,673
Northern rockfish...............           3,178             300           2,878               5           2,873
Dusky rockfish..................           2,746             250           2,496              50           2,446
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................          29,602           3,550          26,052              60          25,992
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear (50 CFR 679.2).
\2\ Rockfish cooperatives include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives (50 CFR 679.81).


  Table 11--Final 2021 Allocations of Rockfish Primary Species in the Central Gulf of Alaska to the Entry Level
                       Longline Fishery and Rockfish Cooperatives in the Rockfish Program
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Allocation to   Allocation to
                                    Central GOA     Incidental                       the entry     the rockfish
    Rockfish primary species        annual TAC         catch       TAC minus ICA  level longline   cooperatives
                                                     allowance                     \1\  fishery         \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch.............          22,727           3,000          19,727               5          19,722
Northern rockfish...............           3,027             300           2,727               5           2,722
Dusky rockfish..................           2,688             250           2,438              50           2,388
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................          28,442           3,550          24,892              60          24,832
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear (50 CFR 679.2).
\2\ Rockfish cooperatives include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives (50 CFR 679.81).

    Section 679.81(c) and Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679 require 
allocations of rockfish secondary species to CV and C/P cooperatives in 
the Central GOA. CV cooperatives receive allocations of Pacific cod, 
sablefish from the trawl gear allocation, and thornyhead rockfish. C/P 
cooperatives receive allocations of sablefish from the trawl gear 
allocation, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, shortraker rockfish, 
and thornyhead rockfish. Tables 12 and 13 list the apportionments of 
the 2020 and 2021 TACs of rockfish secondary species in the Central GOA 
to CV and C/P cooperatives.

[[Page 13817]]



   Table 12--Final 2020 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel and
                                         Catcher/Processor Cooperatives
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Catcher vessel cooperatives   Catcher/processor cooperatives
                                    Central GOA  ---------------------------------------------------------------
   Rockfish secondary species       annual TAC     Percentage of   Apportionment   Percentage of   Apportionment
                                                        TAC            (mt)             TAC            (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.....................           3,806            3.81             145            0.00               0
Sablefish.......................           6,445            6.78             437            3.51             226
Shortraker rockfish.............             284            0.00               0           40.00             114
Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish..             455            0.00               0           58.87             268
Thornyhead rockfish.............             911            7.84              71           26.50             241
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Table 13--Final 2021 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel and
                                         Catcher/Processor Cooperatives
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Catcher vessel cooperatives   Catcher/processor cooperatives
                                    Central GOA  ---------------------------------------------------------------
   Rockfish secondary species       annual TAC     Percentage of   Apportionment   Percentage of   Apportionment
                                                        TAC            (mt)             TAC            (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod.....................           3,806            3.81             145            0.00               0
Sablefish.......................           9,963            6.78             675            3.51             350
Shortraker rockfish.............             284            0.00               0           40.00             114
Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish..             455            0.00               0           58.87             268
Thornyhead rockfish.............             911            7.84              71           26.50             241
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halibut PSC Limits

    Section 679.21(d) establishes annual halibut PSC limit 
apportionments to trawl gear and hook-and-line gear, and authorizes the 
establishment of apportionments for pot gear. In December 2019, the 
Council recommended halibut PSC limits of 1,706 mt for trawl gear, 257 
mt for hook-and-line gear, and 9 mt for the demersal shelf (DSR) 
rockfish fishery in the SEO District for both 2020 and 2021.
    The DSR fishery in the SEO District is defined at Sec.  
679.21(d)(2)(ii)(A). This fishery is apportioned 9 mt of the halibut 
PSC limit in recognition of its small-scale harvests of groundfish 
(Sec.  679.21(d)(2)(i)(A)). The separate halibut PSC limit for the DSR 
fishery is intended to prevent that fishery from being impacted from 
the halibut PSC incurred by other GOA fisheries. NMFS estimates low 
halibut bycatch in the DSR fishery because (1) the duration of the DSR 
fisheries and the gear soak times are short, (2) the DSR fishery occurs 
in the winter when there is less overlap in the distribution of DSR and 
halibut, and (3) the directed commercial DSR fishery has a low DSR TAC. 
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game sets the commercial GHL for the 
DSR fishery after deducting (1) estimates of DSR incidental catch in 
all fisheries (including halibut and subsistence); and (2) the 
allocation to the DSR sport fishery. Of the 261 mt TAC for DSR in 2019, 
50 mt were available for directed fishing by the DSR commercial 
fishery, of which 18 mt were harvested (through December 16, 2019).
    The FMP authorizes the Council to exempt specific gear from the 
halibut PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation with the Council, exempts 
pot gear, the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery categories, and 
jig gear from the non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2020 and 2021. The 
Council recommended, and NMFS approves, these exemptions because: (1) 
The pot gear fisheries have low annual halibut bycatch mortality, (2) 
IFQ program regulations prohibit discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ 
permit holder on board a catcher vessel holds unused halibut IFQ for 
that vessel category and the IFQ regulatory area in which the vessel is 
operating (Sec.  679.7(f)(11)), (3) some sablefish IFQ fishermen hold 
halibut IFQ permits and are therefore required to retain the halibut 
they catch while fishing sablefish IFQ, and (4) NMFS estimates 
negligible halibut mortality for the jig gear fisheries given the small 
amount of groundfish harvested by jig gear, the selective nature of jig 
gear, and the high survival rates of halibut caught and released with 
jig gear.
    The best available information on estimated halibut bycatch 
consists of data collected by fisheries observers during 2019. The 
calculated halibut bycatch mortality through December 31, 2019, is 
1,102 mt for trawl gear and 76 mt for hook-and-line gear for a total 
halibut mortality of 1,178 mt. This halibut mortality was calculated 
using groundfish and halibut catch data from the NMFS Alaska Region's 
catch accounting system. This accounting system contains historical and 
recent catch information compiled from each Alaska groundfish fishery.
    Section 679.21(d)(4)(i) and (ii) authorizes NMFS to seasonally 
apportion the halibut PSC limits after consultation with the Council. 
The FMP and regulations require that the Council and NMFS consider the 
following information in seasonally apportioning halibut PSC limits: 
(1) Seasonal distribution of halibut; (2) seasonal distribution of 
target groundfish species relative to halibut distribution; (3) 
expected halibut bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relative to changes 
in halibut biomass and expected catch of target groundfish species; (4) 
expected bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; (5) expected changes in 
directed groundfish fishing seasons; (6) expected actual start of 
fishing effort; and (7) economic effects of establishing seasonal 
halibut allocations on segments of the target groundfish industry. The 
Council considered information from the 2019 SAFE report, NMFS catch 
data, State of Alaska catch data, International Pacific Halibut 
Commission (IPHC) stock

[[Page 13818]]

assessment and mortality data, and public testimony when apportioning 
the halibut PSC limits. NMFS concurs with the Council's recommendations 
listed in Table 14, which shows the final 2020 and 2021 Pacific halibut 
PSC limits, allowances, and apportionments.
    Section 679.21(d)(4)(iii) and (iv) specifies that any underages or 
overages of a seasonal apportionment of a halibut PSC limit will be 
added to or deducted from the next respective seasonal apportionment 
within the fishing year.

                   Table 14--Final 2020 and 2021 Pacific Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limits, Allowances, and Apportionments
                                                               [Values are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Trawl gear                                                             Hook-and-line gear \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Other than DSR                                    DSR
                 Season                    Percent     Amount  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           Season             Percent     Amount             Season              Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1......................       30.5        519  January 1-June 10..........         86        221  January 1-December 31.....          9
April 1-July 1..........................       20.0        341  June 10-September 1........          2          5  ..........................  .........
July 1-August 1.........................       27.0        462  September 1-December 31....         12         31  ..........................  .........
August 1-October 1......................        7.5        128  ...........................  .........  .........  ..........................  .........
October 1-December 31...................       15.0        256  ...........................  .........  .........  ..........................  .........
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................  .........      1,706  ...........................  .........        257  ..........................          9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the DSR fishery in the SEO District and to the hook-
  and-line fisheries other than the DSR fishery. The hook-and-line sablefish IFQ fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits, as are pot and jig gear for
  all groundfish fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

    Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes further apportionment of the 
trawl halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery categories listed in Sec.  
679.21(d)(3)(iii). The annual apportionments are based on each 
category's proportional share of the anticipated halibut bycatch 
mortality during the fishing year and optimization of the total amount 
of groundfish harvest under the halibut PSC limit. The fishery 
categories for the trawl halibut PSC limits are: (1) A deep-water 
species fishery, composed of sablefish, rockfish, deep-water flatfish, 
rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and (2) a shallow-water species 
fishery, composed of pollock, Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish, 
flathead sole, Atka mackerel, and ``other species'' (sculpins, sharks, 
and octopuses) (Sec.  679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Halibut mortality incurred 
while directed fishing for skates with trawl gear accrues towards the 
shallow-water species fishery halibut PSC limit (69 FR 26320, May 12, 
2004).
    NMFS will combine available trawl halibut PSC limit apportionments 
on May 15 during the second season deep-water and shallow-water species 
fisheries for use in either fishery from May 15 through June 30 (Sec.  
679.21(d)(4)(iii)(D)). This is intended to maintain groundfish harvest 
while minimizing halibut bycatch by these sectors to the extent 
practicable. This provides the deep-water and shallow-water species 
trawl fisheries additional flexibility and the incentive to participate 
in fisheries at times of the year that may have lower halibut PSC rates 
relative to other times of the year.
    Table 15 lists the final 2020 and 2021 apportionments of trawl 
halibut PSC limits between the trawl gear deep-water and shallow-water 
species fishery categories.
    Table 28d to 50 CFR part 679 specifies the amount of the trawl 
halibut PSC limit that is assigned to the CV and C/P sectors that are 
participating in the Rockfish Program. This includes 117 mt of halibut 
PSC limit to the CV sector and 74 mt of halibut PSC limit to the C/P 
sector. These amounts are allocated from the trawl deep-water species 
fishery's halibut PSC third seasonal apportionment. After the combined 
CV and C/P halibut PSC limit allocation of 191 mt to the Rockfish 
Program, 150 mt remains for the trawl deep-water species fishery's 
halibut PSC third seasonal apportionment.
    Section 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(B) limits the amount of the halibut PSC 
limit allocated to Rockfish Program participants that could be re-
apportioned to the general GOA trawl fisheries during the current 
fishing year to no more than 55 percent of the unused annual halibut 
PSC limit apportioned to Rockfish Program participants. The remainder 
of the unused Rockfish Program halibut PSC limit is unavailable for use 
by any person for the remainder of the fishing year (Sec.  
679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C)).

Table 15--Final 2020 and 2021 Apportionment of Pacific Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits Between the Trawl
                Gear Deep-Water Species Fishery and the Shallow-Water Species Fishery Categories
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Season                                Shallow-water  Deep-water \1\       Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 20-April 1..............................................             384             135             519
April 1-July 1..................................................              85             256             341
July 1-August 1.................................................             121             341             462
August 1-October 1..............................................              53              75             128
Subtotal January 20-October 1...................................             643             807           1,450
October 1-December 31 \2\.......................................  ..............  ..............             256
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------

[[Page 13819]]

 
    Total.......................................................  ..............  ..............           1,706
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive 191 mt of the third
  season (July 1 through August 1) deep-water species fishery halibut PSC apportionment.
\2\ There is no apportionment between trawl shallow-water and deep-water species fishery categories during the
  fifth season (October 1 through December 31).

    Section 679.21(d)(2)(i)(B) requires that the ``other hook-and-line 
fishery'' halibut PSC limit apportionment to vessels using hook-and-
line gear must be apportioned between CVs and C/Ps in accordance with 
Sec.  679.21(d)(2)(iii) in conjunction with these harvest 
specifications. A comprehensive description and example of the 
calculations necessary to apportion the ``other hook-and-line fishery'' 
halibut PSC limit between the hook-and-line CV and C/P sectors were 
included in the proposed rule to implement Amendment 83 to the FMP (76 
FR 44700, July 26, 2011) and are not repeated here.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.21(d)(2)(iii), the hook-and-line halibut PSC 
limit for the ``other hook-and-line fishery'' is apportioned between 
the CV and C/P sectors in proportion to the total Western and Central 
GOA Pacific cod allocations, which vary annually based on the 
proportion of the Pacific cod biomass between the Western, Central, and 
Eastern GOA. Pacific cod is apportioned among these three management 
areas based on the percentage of overall biomass per area, as 
calculated in the 2019 Pacific cod stock assessment. Updated 
information in the final 2019 SAFE report describes this distributional 
calculation, which allocates ABC among GOA regulatory areas on the 
basis of the three most recent stock surveys. For 2020 and 2021, the 
distribution of the total GOA Pacific cod ABC is 32 percent to the 
Western GOA, 59 percent to the Central GOA, and 9 percent to the 
Eastern GOA. Therefore, the calculations made in accordance with Sec.  
679.21(d)(2)(iii) incorporate the most recent information on GOA 
Pacific cod distribution with respect to establishing the annual 
halibut PSC limits for the CV and C/P hook-and-line sectors. 
Additionally, the annual halibut PSC limits for both the CV and C/P 
sectors of the ``other hook-and-line fishery'' are divided into three 
seasonal apportionments, using seasonal percentages of 86 percent, 2 
percent, and 12 percent.
    For 2020 and 2021, NMFS apportions halibut PSC limits of 144 mt and 
113 mt to the hook-and-line CV and hook-and-line C/P sectors, 
respectively. Table 16 lists the final 2020 and 2021 apportionments of 
halibut PSC limits between the hook-and-line CV and the hook-and-line 
C/P sectors of the ``other hook-and-line fishery.''
    No later than November 1 of each year, NMFS will calculate the 
projected unused amount of halibut PSC limit by either of the CV or C/P 
hook-and-line sectors of the ``other hook-and-line fishery'' for the 
remainder of the year. The projected unused amount of halibut PSC limit 
is made available to the other hook-and-line sector for the remainder 
of that fishing year (Sec.  679.21(d)(2)(iii)(C)), if NMFS determines 
that an additional amount of halibut PSC is necessary for that sector 
to continue its directed fishing operations.

  Table 16--Final 2020 and 2021 Apportionments of the ``Other Hook-and-line Fishery'' Annual Halibut Prohibited
       Species Catch Allowance between the Hook-and-Line Gear Catcher Vessel and Catcher/Processor Sectors
                                           [Values are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Hook-and-line    Sector annual                      Seasonal      Sector seasonal
``Other than DSR'' allowance       sector          amount           Season        percentage         amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
257.........................  Catcher Vessel.             144  January 1-June               86               124
                                                                10.
                                                               June 10-                      2                 3
                                                                September 1.
                                                               September 1-                 12                17
                                                                December 31.
                              Catcher/                    113  January 1-June               86                97
                               Processor.                       10.
                                                               June 10-                      2                 2
                                                                September 1.
                                                               September 1-                 12                14
                                                                December 31.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition

    The IPHC annually assesses the abundance and potential yield of the 
Pacific halibut stock using all available data from the commercial and 
sport fisheries, other removals, and scientific surveys. Additional 
information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment may be found in the 
IPHC's 2019 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December 2019), available 
on the IPHC website at www.iphc.int. The IPHC considered the 2019 
Pacific halibut stock assessment at its February 2020 annual meeting 
when it set the 2020 commercial halibut fishery catch limits.

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates

    To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, 
the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut incidental catch 
rates, halibut discard mortality rates (DMRs), and estimates of 
groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality 
allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. Halibut incidental 
catch rates are based on observers' estimates of halibut incidental 
catch in the groundfish fishery. DMRs are estimates of the proportion 
of incidentally caught halibut that do not survive after being returned 
to the sea. The cumulative

[[Page 13820]]

halibut mortality that accrues to a particular halibut PSC limit is the 
product of a DMR multiplied by the estimated halibut PSC. DMRs are 
estimated using the best scientific information available in 
conjunction with the annual GOA stock assessment process. The DMR 
methodology and findings are included as an appendix to the annual GOA 
groundfish SAFE report.
    In 2016, the DMR estimation methodology underwent revisions per the 
Council's directive. An interagency halibut working group (IPHC, 
Council, and NMFS staff) developed improved estimation methods that 
have undergone review by the GOA Plan Team, SSC, and the Council. A 
summary of the revised methodology is contained in the GOA proposed 
2017 and 2018 harvest specifications (81 FR 87881, December 6, 2016), 
and the comprehensive discussion of the working group's statistical 
methodology is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). The DMR 
working group's revised methodology is intended to improve estimation 
accuracy, transparency, and transferability in the methodology used for 
calculating DMRs. The working group will continue to consider 
improvements to the methodology used to calculate halibut mortality, 
including potential changes to the reference period (the period of data 
used for calculating the DMRs). Future DMRs may change based on 
additional years of observer sampling, which could provide more recent 
and accurate data and which could improve the accuracy of estimation 
and progress on methodology. The new methodology will continue to 
ensure that NMFS is using DMRs that more accurately reflect halibut 
mortality, which will inform the different sectors of their estimated 
halibut mortality and allow specific sectors to respond with methods 
that could reduce mortality and, eventually, the DMR for that sector.
    At the December 2019 meeting, the SSC, AP, and the Council 
concurred with the revised DMR estimation methodology, and NMFS adopts 
for 2020 and 2021 the DMRs calculated under the revised methodology, 
which uses an updated 2-year reference period. The final 2020 and 2021 
DMRs in this rule are unchanged from the DMRs in the proposed 2020 and 
2021 harvest specifications (84 FR 66109, December 3, 2019). Table 17 
lists these final 2020 and 2021 DMRs.

     Table 17--Final 2020 and 2021 Halibut Discard Mortality Rates for Vessels Fishing in the Gulf of Alaska
                               [Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Halibut
                                                                                                      discard
                  Gear                              Sector                Groundfish fishery      mortality rate
                                                                                                     (percent)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelagic trawl...........................  Catcher vessel............  All.......................             100
                                          Catcher/processor.........  All.......................             100
Non-pelagic trawl.......................  Catcher vessel............  Rockfish Program..........              52
                                          Catcher vessel............  All others................              68
                                          Mothership and catcher/     All.......................              75
                                           processor.
Hook-and-line...........................  Catcher/processor.........  All.......................              11
                                          Catcher vessel............  All.......................              13
Pot.....................................  Catcher vessel and catcher/ All.......................               0
                                           processor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species Catch Limits

    Amendment 93 to the FMP (77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012) established 
separate Chinook salmon PSC limits in the Western and Central GOA in 
the directed pollock trawl fishery. These limits require that NMFS 
close the pollock directed fishery in the Western and Central 
Regulatory Areas of the GOA if the applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit 
in that regulatory area is reached (Sec.  679.21(h)(8)). The annual 
Chinook salmon PSC limits in the pollock directed fishery of 6,684 
salmon in the Western GOA and 18,316 salmon in the Central GOA are set 
at Sec.  679.21(h)(2)(i) and (ii).
    Amendment 97 to the FMP (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014) established 
an initial annual PSC limit of 7,500 Chinook salmon for the trawl non-
pollock groundfish fisheries in the Western and Central GOA. This limit 
is apportioned among three sectors directed fishing for groundfish 
species other than pollock: 3,600 Chinook salmon to trawl C/Ps; 1,200 
Chinook salmon to trawl CVs participating in the Rockfish Program; and 
2,700 Chinook salmon to trawl CVs not participating in the Rockfish 
Program (Sec.  679.21(h)(4)). NMFS will monitor the Chinook salmon PSC 
in the trawl non-pollock groundfish fisheries and close an applicable 
sector if it reaches its Chinook salmon PSC limit.
    The Chinook salmon PSC limit for two sectors, trawl C/Ps and trawl 
CVs not participating in the Rockfish Program, may be increased in 
subsequent years based on the performance of these two sectors and 
their ability to minimize their use of their respective Chinook salmon 
PSC limits. If either or both of these two sectors limits its use of 
Chinook salmon PSC to a specified threshold amount in 2019 (3,120 for 
trawl C/Ps and 2,340 for Non-Rockfish Program trawl CVs), that sector 
will receive an incremental increase to its 2020 Chinook salmon PSC 
limit (Sec.  679.21(h)(4)). In 2019, the trawl C/P sector did not 
exceed 3,120 Chinook salmon PSC; therefore, the 2020 trawl C/P sector 
Chinook salmon PSC limit will be 4,080 Chinook salmon. In 2019, the 
Non-Rockfish Program trawl CV sector did exceed 2,340 Chinook salmon 
PSC; therefore, the 2020 Non-Rockfish Program trawl CV sector Chinook 
salmon PSC limit will be 2,700 Chinook salmon.

American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel 
Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits

    Section 679.64 establishes groundfish harvesting and processing 
sideboard limitations on AFA C/Ps and CVs in the GOA. These sideboard 
limits are necessary to protect the interests of fishermen and 
processors who do not directly benefit from the AFA from those 
fishermen and processors who receive exclusive harvesting and 
processing privileges under the AFA. Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii) prohibits 
listed AFA C/Ps and C/Ps designated on a listed AFA C/P permit from 
harvesting any species of groundfish in the GOA. Additionally, Sec.  
679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits listed AFA C/Ps and C/Ps designated on a 
listed AFA C/P permit from processing any pollock harvested in a 
directed pollock fishery in the GOA and any groundfish harvested in 
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.

[[Page 13821]]

    AFA CVs that are less than 125 feet (38.1 meters) length overall, 
have annual landings of pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
less than 5,100 mt, and have made at least 40 GOA groundfish landings 
from 1995 through 1997 are exempt from GOA CV groundfish sideboard 
limits under Sec.  679.64(b)(2)(ii). Sideboard limits for non-exempt 
AFA CVs in the GOA are based on their traditional harvest levels of TAC 
in groundfish fisheries covered by the FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iv) 
establishes the CV groundfish sideboard limitations in the GOA based on 
the aggregate retained catch of non-exempt AFA CVs of each sideboard 
species or species group from 1995 through 1997 divided by the sum of 
the TACs for that species or species group available to CVs over the 
same period.
    As discussed earlier in this preamble, NMFS published a final rule 
(84 FR 2723, February 8, 2019) that establishes regulations to prohibit 
directed fishing for specific groundfish species or species groups 
subject to sideboard limits, rather than prohibiting directed fishing 
for non-exempt AFA CV sideboards through the GOA annual harvest 
specifications. Those groundfish species or species groups with 
sideboard limits subject to the final rule are now prohibited to 
directed fishing in regulation (Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iv)(D) and Table 56 
to 50 CFR part 679). Beginning with the 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications, NMFS is incorporating these changes into the 
specification and management of non-exempt AFA CV sideboard limits and 
will continue to publish only those sideboard limit amounts for 
groundfish species or species groups not subject to the final rule. 
This decreases the overall number of sideboard limits specified in the 
GOA harvest specifications, compared to previous years.
    Tables 18 and 19 list the final 2020 and 2021 groundfish sideboard 
limits for non-exempt AFA CVs. NMFS will deduct all targeted or 
incidental catch of sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA CVs from 
the sideboard limits listed in Tables 18 and 19.

                       Table 18--Final 2020 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Sideboard Limits
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Ratio of 1995-
                                          Apportionments by season/                               1997 non-exempt    Final 2020  TACs   Final 2020  non-
                Species                             gear                   Area/component         AFA CV catch to          \3\           exempt AFA  CV
                                                                                                   1995-1997 TAC                        sideboard limit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock................................  A Season..................  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047                517                313
                                         January 20-March 10.......  Chirikof (620)............             0.1167             18,757              2,189
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              5,783              1,173
                                         B Season..................  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047                517                313
                                         March 10-May 31...........  Chirikof (620)............             0.1167             22,222              2,593
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              2,318                470
                                         C Season..................  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047              9,070              5,485
                                         August 25-October 1         Chirikof (620)............             0.1167              6,739                786
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              9,248              1,875
                                         D Season..................  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047              9,070              5,485
                                         October 1-November 1        Chirikof (620)............             0.1167              6,739                786
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              9,248              1,875
                                         Annual....................  WYK (640).................             0.3495              5,554              1,941
                                                                     SEO (650).................             0.3495             10,148              3,547
Pacific cod............................  A Season \1\..............  W.........................             0.1331              1,246                166
                                         January 1-June 10.........  C.........................             0.0692              2,284                158
                                         B Season \2\..............  W.........................             0.1331                830                111
                                         September 1-December 31...  C.........................             0.0692              1,522                105
Flatfish, shallow-water................  Annual....................  W.........................             0.0156             13,250                207
                                                                     C.........................             0.0587             27,732              1,628
Flatfish, deep-water...................  Annual....................  W.........................             0.0647                226  .................
                                                                     C.........................             0.0128              1,948                126
Rex sole...............................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0384              8,579                329
Arrowtooth flounder....................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0280             68,669              1,923
Flathead sole..........................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0213             15,400                328
Pacific ocean perch....................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0748             23,678              1,771
                                                                     E.........................             0.0466              6,123                285
Northern rockfish......................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0277              3,178                 88
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
\3\ The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs.


                       Table 19--Final 2021 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Sideboard Limits
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Ratio of 1995-
                                                                                                  1997 non-exempt                       Final 2021 non-
                Species                   Apportionments by season/        Area/component         AFA CV catch to    Final 2021 TACs     exempt AFA CV
                                                    gear                                           1995-1997 TAC           \3\          sideboard limit
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock................................  A Season--January 20-March  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047                533                322
                                          10.
                                                                     Chirikof (620)............             0.1167             19,344              2,257
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              5,964              1,209
                                         B Season--March 10-May 31.  Shumagin (610)............             0.6047                533                322

[[Page 13822]]

 
                                                                     Chirikof (620)............             0.1167             22,917              2,674
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              2,391                485
                                         C Season--August 25-        Shumagin (610)............             0.6047              9,354              5,656
                                          October 1.
                                                                     Chirikof (620)............             0.1167              6,950                811
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              9,537              1,934
                                         D Season--October 1-        Shumagin (610)............             0.6047              9,354              5,656
                                          November 1.
                                                                     Chirikof (620)............             0.1167              6,950                811
                                                                     Kodiak (630)..............             0.2028              9,537              1,934
                                         Annual....................  WYK (640).................             0.3495              5,728              2,002
                                                                     SEO (650).................             0.3495             10,148              3,547
Pacific cod............................  A Season \1\--January 1-    W.........................             0.1331              1,246                166
                                          June 10.
                                                                     C.........................             0.0692              2,284                158
                                         B Season \2\--September 1-  W.........................             0.1331                830                111
                                          December 31.
                                                                     C.........................             0.0692              1,522                105
Flatfish, shallow-water................  Annual....................  W.........................             0.0156             13,250                207
                                                                     C.........................             0.0587             28,205              1,656
Flatfish, deep-water...................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0647              1,914                124
                                                                     E.........................             0.0128              3,787                 48
Rex sole...............................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0384              8,912                342
Arrowtooth flounder....................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0280             66,683              1,867
Flathead sole..........................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0213             15,400                328
Pacific ocean perch....................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0748             22,727              1,700
                                         Annual....................  E.........................             0.0466              5,877                274
Northern rockfish......................  Annual....................  C.........................             0.0277              3,027                 84
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
\3\ The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs.

Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel Halibut PSC Limits

    The halibut PSC sideboard limits for non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA 
are based on the aggregate retained groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA 
CVs in each PSC target category from 1995 through 1997 divided by the 
retained catch of all vessels in that fishery from 1995 through 1997 
(Sec.  679.64(b)(4)(ii)). Table 20 lists the final 2020 and 2021 non-
exempt AFA CV halibut PSC limits for vessels using trawl gear in the 
GOA.

   Table 20--Final 2020 and 2021 Non-Exempt AFA CV Halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Sideboard Limits for
                                       Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the GOA
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Ratio of  1995-
                                                              1997  non-exempt
                                                                    AFA CV       2020 and 2021    2020 and 2021
      Season            Season dates        Target fishery     retained catch      PSC limit     non-exempt  AFA
                                                                  to total                        CV  PSC limit
                                                               retained catch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.................  January 20-April 1.  shallow-water......             0.340              384              131
                                         deep-water.........             0.070              135                9
2.................  April 1-July 1.....  shallow-water......             0.340               85               29
                                         deep-water.........             0.070              256               18
3.................  July 1-August 1....  shallow-water......             0.340              121               41
                                         deep-water.........             0.070              341               24
4.................  August 1-October 1.  shallow-water......             0.340               53               18
                                         deep-water.........             0.070               75                5
5.................  October 1-December   all targets........             0.205              256               52
                     31.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual.............................  Total shallow-water  ................  ...............              219
                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Total deep-water...  ................  ...............               56
                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Total, all season and categories                     1,706              328
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish Harvest Limitations

    Section 680.22 establishes groundfish catch limits for vessels with 
a history of participation in the Bering Sea snow crab fishery to 
prevent these vessels from using the increased flexibility provided by 
the Crab Rationalization (CR) Program to expand their level of 
participation in the GOA groundfish fisheries. Sideboard limits 
restrict these vessels' catch to their collective

[[Page 13823]]

historical landings in each GOA groundfish fishery (except the fixed-
gear sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also apply to catch made 
using an LLP license derived from the history of a restricted vessel, 
even if that LLP license is used on another vessel.
    The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the 
final rules implementing the major provisions of the CR Program, 
including Amendments 18 and 19 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) (70 FR 
10174, March 2, 2005), Amendment 34 to the Crab FMP (76 FR 35772, June 
20, 2011), Amendment 83 to the GOA FMP (76 FR 74670, December 1, 2011), 
and Amendment 45 to the Crab FMP (80 FR 28539, May 19, 2015).
    As discussed earlier in this preamble, NMFS published a final rule 
(84 FR 2723, February 8, 2019) that establishes regulations to prohibit 
directed fishing for specific groundfish species or species groups 
subject to sideboard limits, rather than prohibiting directed fishing 
for non-AFA crab vessel sideboards through the GOA annual harvest 
specifications. Those groundfish species or species groups with 
sideboard limits subject to the final rule are now prohibited to 
directed fishing in regulation (Sec.  680.22(e)(1)(i) and (iii)). 
Beginning with the 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications, NMFS is 
incorporating such changes into the specification and the management of 
non-AFA crab vessel sideboard limits and will continue to publish only 
those non-AFA crab vessel sideboard limit amounts for groundfish 
species not subject to the final rule. This decreases the overall 
number of sideboard limits specified in the GOA harvest specifications, 
compared to previous years.
    Tables 21 and 22 list the final 2020 and 2021 groundfish sideboard 
limitations for non-AFA crab vessels. All targeted or incidental catch 
of sideboard species made by non-AFA crab vessels or associated LLP 
licenses will be deducted from these sideboard limits.

                               Table 21--Final 2020 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel Groundfish Sideboard Limits
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Ratio of  1996-
                                                                                                        2000  non-AFA                    Final 2020  non-
                                                                                                        crab  vessel                        AFA  crab
                 Species                            Season/gear              Area/component/gear       catch  to 1996-  Final 2020 TACs       vessel
                                                                                                         2000 total                      sideboard limit
                                                                                                           harvest
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod..............................  A Season....................  Western Pot CV.............            0.0997            1,246              124
                                           January 1-June 10...........  Central Pot CV.............            0.0474            2,284              108
                                           B Season....................  Western Pot CV.............            0.0997              830               83
                                           September 1-December 31.....  Central Pot CV.............            0.0474            1,522               72
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                               Table 22--Final 2021 GOA Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel Groundfish Sideboard Limits
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Ratio of  1996-
                                                                                                        2000  non-AFA                    Final 2021  non-
                                                                                                        crab  vessel                        AFA  crab
                 Species                            Season/gear              Area/component/gear       catch  to 1996-  Final 2021 TACs       vessel
                                                                                                         2000  total                     sideboard limit
                                                                                                           harvest
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod..............................  A Season....................  Western Pot CV.............            0.0997            1,246              124
                                           January 1-June 10...........  Central Pot CV.............            0.0474            2,284              108
                                           B Season....................  Western Pot CV.............            0.0997              830               83
                                           September 1-December 31.....  Central Pot CV.............            0.0474            1,522               72
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard and Halibut PSC Limitations

    The Rockfish Program establishes three classes of sideboard 
provisions: CV groundfish sideboard restrictions, C/P rockfish 
sideboard restrictions, and C/P opt-out vessel sideboard restrictions 
(Sec.  679.82(c)(1)). These sideboards are intended to limit the 
ability of rockfish harvesters to expand into other GOA groundfish 
fisheries.
    CVs participating in the Rockfish Program may not participate in 
directed fishing for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and northern 
rockfish in the West Yakutat District and Western GOA from July 1 
through July 31. Also, CVs may not participate in directed fishing for 
arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, and rex sole in the GOA from 
July 1 through July 31 (Sec.  679.82(d)).
    C/Ps participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives are restricted 
by rockfish and halibut PSC sideboard limits. These C/Ps are prohibited 
from directed fishing for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and 
northern rockfish in the West Yakutat District and Western GOA from 
July 1 through July 31 (Sec.  679.82(e)(2)). Holders of C/P-designated 
LLP licenses that opt out of participating in a Rockfish Program 
cooperative will be able to access that portion of each rockfish 
sideboard limit that is not assigned to rockfish cooperatives (Sec.  
679.82 (e)(7)). The sideboard ratio for each fishery in the West 
Yakutat District and the Western GOA is set forth in Sec.  
679.82(e)(4). Tables 23 and 24 list the final 2020 and 2021 Rockfish 
Program C/P sideboard limits in the West Yakutat District and the 
Western GOA. Due to confidentiality requirements associated with 
fisheries data, the sideboard limits for the West Yakutat District are 
not displayed.

[[Page 13824]]



 Table 23--Final 2020 Rockfish Program Sideboard Limits for the Western GOA and West Yakutat District by Fishery
                                        for the Catcher/Processor Sector
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    C/P sector  (% of    Final 2020
              Area                    Fishery              TAC)             TACs          Final 2020 C/P limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA....................  Dusky rockfish...  72.3.............             776  561.
                                 Pacific ocean      50.6.............           1,437  727.
                                  perch.
                                 Northern rockfish  74.3.............           1,133  884.
West Yakutat District..........  Dusky rockfish...  Confidential \1\.             115  Confidential.\1\
                                 Pacific ocean      Confidential \1\.           1,470  Confidential.\1\
                                  perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Not released due to confidentiality requirements associated with fish ticket data, as established by NMFS
  and the State of Alaska.


 Table 24--Final 2021 Rockfish Program Sideboard Limits for the Western GOA and West Yakutat District by Fishery
                                        for the Catcher/Processor Sector
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    C/P sector  (% of    Final 2021
              Area                    Fishery              TAC)             TACs          Final 2021 C/P limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA....................  Dusky rockfish...  72.3.............             759  549.
                                 Pacific ocean      50.6.............           1,379  698.
                                  perch.
                                 Northern rockfish  74.3.............           1,079  802.
West Yakutat District..........  Dusky rockfish...  Confidential \1\.             113  Confidential.\1\
                                 Pacific ocean      Confidential \1\.           1,410  Confidential.\1\
                                  perch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Not released due to confidentiality requirements associated with fish ticket data, as established by NMFS
  and the State of Alaska.

    Under the Rockfish Program, the C/P sector is subject to halibut 
PSC sideboard limits for the trawl deep-water and shallow-water species 
fisheries from July 1 through July 31 (Sec.  679.82(e)(3) and (5)). 
Halibut PSC sideboard ratios by fishery are set forth in Sec.  
679.82(e)(5). No halibut PSC sideboard limits apply to the CV sector, 
as CVs participating in cooperatives receive a portion of the annual 
halibut PSC limit. C/Ps that opt out of the Rockfish Program are able 
to access that portion of the deep-water and shallow-water halibut PSC 
sideboard limit not assigned to C/P rockfish cooperatives. The 
sideboard provisions for C/Ps that elect to opt out of participating in 
a rockfish cooperative are described in Sec.  679.82(c), (e), and (f). 
Sideboard limits are linked to the catch history of specific vessels 
that may choose to opt out. After March 1, NMFS will determine which C/
Ps have opted-out of the Rockfish Program in 2020, and NMFS will know 
the ratios and amounts used to calculate opt-out sideboard ratios. NMFS 
will then calculate any applicable opt-out sideboards for 2020 and post 
these limits on the Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/alaska-fisheries-management-reports#central-goa-rockfish. Table 25 lists the final 2020 
and 2021 Rockfish Program halibut PSC sideboard limits for the C/P 
sector.

                      Table 25--Final 2020 and 2021 Rockfish Program Halibut PSC Sideboard Limits for the Catcher/Processor Sector
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Shallow-water        Deep-water                           Annual  shallow-   Annual  deep-water
                                                        species fishery     species fishery      2020 and 2021      water  species      species fishery
                       Sector                             halibut PSC         halibut PSC      halibut mortality   fishery  halibut       halibut PSC
                                                        sideboard ratio     sideboard ratio       limit  (mt)       PSC  sideboard      sideboard limit
                                                           (percent)           (percent)                              limit  (mt)            (mt)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catcher/processor...................................               0.10                2.50               1,706                   2                  43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amendment 80 Program Groundfish and PSC Sideboard Limits

    Amendment 80 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (Amendment 80 Program) 
established a limited access privilege program for the non-AFA trawl C/
P sector. The Amendment 80 Program established groundfish and halibut 
PSC catch limits for Amendment 80 Program participants to limit the 
ability of participants eligible for the Amendment 80 Program to expand 
their harvest efforts in the GOA.
    Section 679.92 establishes groundfish harvesting sideboard limits 
on all Amendment 80 program vessels, other than the F/V Golden Fleece, 
to amounts no greater than the limits listed in Table 37 to 50 CFR part 
679. Under Sec.  679.92(d), the F/V Golden Fleece is prohibited from 
directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific ocean perch, dusky 
rockfish, and northern rockfish in the GOA.
    Groundfish sideboard limits for Amendment 80 Program vessels 
operating in the GOA are based on their average aggregate harvests from 
1998 through 2004 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Tables 26 and 27 
list the final 2020 and 2021 groundfish sideboard limits for Amendment 
80 Program vessels. NMFS will deduct all targeted or incidental catch 
of sideboard species

[[Page 13825]]

made by Amendment 80 Program vessels from the sideboard limits in 
Tables 26 and 27.

              Table 26--Final 2020 GOA Groundfish Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Ratio of
                                                                   Amendment  80                       2020
                                Apportionments                        sector                       Amendment  80
           Species             and  allocations        Area       vessels  1998-  2020 TAC  (mt)      vessel
                                   by season                      2004  catch to                    sideboards
                                                                        TAC                            (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock......................  A Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003             517               2
                               January 20-March  Chirikof (620).           0.002          18,757              38
                                10.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           5,783              12
                               B Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003             517               2
                               March 10-May 31.  Chirikof (620).           0.002          22,222              44
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           2,318               5
                               C Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003           9,070              27
                               August 25-        Chirikof (620).           0.002           6,739              13
                                October 1.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           9,248              18
                               D Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003           9,070              27
                               October 1-        Chirikof (620).           0.002           6,739              13
                                November 1.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           9,248              18
                               Annual..........  WYK (640)......           0.002           5,554              11
Pacific cod..................  A Season \1\....  W..............           0.020           1,246              25
                               January 1-June    C..............           0.044           2,284             100
                                10.
                               B Season \2\....  W..............           0.020             830              17
                               September 1-      C..............           0.044           1,522              67
                                December 31.
                               Annual..........  WYK............           0.034             549              19
Pacific ocean perch..........  Annual..........  W..............           0.994           1,437           1,428
                                                 WYK............           0.961           1,470           1,413
Northern rockfish............  Annual..........  W..............           1.000           1,133           1,133
Dusky rockfish...............  Annual..........  W..............           0.764             776             593
                                                 WYK............           0.896             115             103
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.


              Table 27--Final 2021 GOA Groundfish Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Ratio of
                                                                   Amendment 80                        2021
                                Apportionments                        sector                       Amendment  80
           Species             and  allocations        Area       vessels  1998-  2021 TAC  (mt)      vessel
                                   by season                      2004  catch to                    sideboards
                                                                        TAC                            (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock......................  A Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003             533               2
                               January 20-March  Chirikof (620).           0.002          19,344              39
                                10.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           5,964              12
                               B Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003             533               2
                               March 10-May 31.  Chirikof (620).           0.002          22,917              46
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           2,391               5
                               C Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003           9,354              28
                               August 25-        Chirikof (620).           0.002           6,950              14
                                October 1.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           9,537              19
                               D Season........  Shumagin (610).           0.003           9,354              28
                               October 1-        Chirikof (620).           0.002           6,950              14
                                November 1.
                                                 Kodiak (630)...           0.002           9,537              19
                               Annual..........  WYK (640)......           0.002           5,728              11
Pacific cod..................  A Season \1\....  W..............           0.020           1,246              25
                               January 1-June    C..............           0.044           2,284             100
                                10.
                               B Season \2\....  W..............           0.020             830              17
                               September 1-      C..............           0.044           1,522              67
                                December 31.
                               Annual..........  WYK............           0.034             549              19
Pacific ocean perch..........  Annual..........  W..............           0.994           1,379           1,371
                                                 WYK............           0.961           1,410           1,355
Northern rockfish............  Annual..........  W..............           1.000           1,079           1,079
Dusky rockfish...............  Annual..........  W..............           0.764             759             580
                                                 WYK............           0.896             113             101
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.
\2\ The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.


[[Page 13826]]

    The halibut PSC sideboard limits for Amendment 80 Program vessels 
in the GOA are based on the historic use of halibut PSC by Amendment 80 
Program vessels in each PSC target category from 1998 through 2004. 
These values are slightly lower than the average historic use to 
accommodate two factors: Allocation of halibut PSC cooperative quota 
under the Rockfish Program and the exemption of the F/V Golden Fleece 
from this restriction (Sec.  679.92(b)(2)). Table 28 lists the final 
2020 and 2021 halibut PSC sideboard limits for Amendment 80 Program 
vessels. These tables incorporate the maximum percentages of the 
halibut PSC sideboard limits that may be used by Amendment 80 Program 
vessels as contained in Table 38 to 50 CFR part 679. Any residual 
amount of a seasonal Amendment 80 halibut PSC sideboard limit may carry 
forward to the next season limit (Sec.  679.92(b)(2)).

     Table 28--Final 2020 and 2021 Halibut PSC Sideboard Limits for Amendment 80 Program Vessels in the GOA
                                   [Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Historic
                                                                   Amendment  80
                                                                    use of  the   2020 and  2021  2020 and  2021
       Season             Season dates         Target fishery         annual         annual PSC    Amendment  80
                                                                    halibut PSC     limit (mt)      vessel  PSC
                                                                    limit catch                        limit
                                                                      (ratio)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................  January 20-April 1...  shallow-water.......          0.0048           1,706               8
                                            deep-water..........          0.0115           1,706              20
2..................  April 1-July 1.......  shallow-water.......          0.0189           1,706              32
                                            deep-water..........          0.1072           1,706             183
3..................  July 1-August 1......  shallow-water.......          0.0146           1,706              25
                                            deep-water..........          0.0521           1,706              89
4..................  August 1-October 1...  shallow-water.......          0.0074           1,706              13
                                            deep-water..........          0.0014           1,706               2
5..................  October 1-December 31  shallow-water.......          0.0227           1,706              39
                                            deep-water..........          0.0371           1,706              63
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total..........  .....................  ....................  ..............  ..............             474
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directed Fishing Closures

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), if the Regional Administrator 
determines 1) that any allocation or apportionment of a target species 
or species group allocated or apportioned to a fishery will be reached; 
or 2) with respect to pollock and Pacific cod, that an allocation or 
apportionment to an inshore or offshore component or sector allocation 
will be reached, then the Regional Administrator may establish a 
directed fishing allowance (DFA) for that species or species group. If 
the Regional Administrator establishes a DFA and that allowance is or 
will be reached before the end of the fishing season or year, NMFS will 
prohibit directed fishing for that species or species group in the 
specified GOA subarea, regulatory area, or district (Sec.  
679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the TACs for the 
species listed in Table 29 are necessary to account for the incidental 
catch of these species in other anticipated groundfish fisheries for 
the 2020 and 2021 fishing years.

      Table 29--2020 and 2021 Directed Fishing Closures in the GOA
 [Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric
                                  tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Incidental catch
                                    Area/component/     amount and year
             Target                      gear         (if amounts differ
                                                           by year)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock.........................  all/offshore......  not applicable\1\.
Sablefish \2\...................  all/trawl.........  1,978 (2020),
                                                       3,058 (2021).
Pacific cod \3\.................  Western, all        See Tables 5 and 6
                                   sectors, all gear   of this final
                                   types Central,      rule for
                                   all sectors, all    incidental catch
                                   gear types          amounts.
                                   Eastern, inshore
                                   and offshore.
Shortraker rockfish \2\.........  All...............  708.
Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish    All...............  1,209 (2020),
 \2\.                                                  1,211 (2021).
Thornyhead rockfish \2\.........  All...............  2,016.
Other rockfish..................  All...............  4,053.
Atka mackerel...................  All...............  3,000.
Big skate.......................  All...............  3,208.
Longnose skate..................  All...............  2,587.
Other skates....................  All...............  875.
Sharks..........................  All...............  8,184.
Octopuses.......................  All...............  980.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pollock is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore
  component under Sec.   679.20(a)(6)(i).
\2\ Closures not applicable to participants in cooperatives conducted
  under the Central GOA Rockfish Program, as cooperatives are prohibited
  from exceeding their allocations (Sec.   679.7(n)(6)(viii)).
\3\ NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Pacific cod in the GOA on
  January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020 (84 FR 70438, December 23,
  2019).


[[Page 13827]]

    Consequently, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), the 
Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species or species 
groups listed in Table 29 as zero mt. Therefore, in accordance with 
Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for those 
species, areas, gear types, and components in the GOA listed in Table 
29 effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 10, 2020, through 2400 hours, 
A.l.t., December 31, 2021.
    Closures implemented under the 2019 and 2020 GOA harvest 
specifications for groundfish (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019) remain 
effective under authority of these final 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications and until the date specified in those notices. Closures 
are posted at the following website under the Alaska filter for 
Management Areas: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/rules-and-announcements/bulletins.
    While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts 
at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. 
These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and 
prohibitions found at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS may implement other 
closures during the 2020 and 2021 fishing years as necessary for 
effective conservation and management.

Comments and Responses

    NMFS received two letters containing two substantive comments 
during the public comment period for the proposed GOA groundfish 
harvest specifications. No changes were made to the final rule in 
response to the comment letters received. NMFS's response to public 
comments on the proposed GOA groundfish harvest specifications is 
provided below.
    Comment 1: The allowable harvest of groundfish species in the GOA 
should be reduced by 50 percent to avoid exploiting the fisheries 
resources of the GOA and to account for the marine animals that rely on 
fish.
    Response: Pursuant to National Standard One of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, NMFS must achieve, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from 
each fishery for the U.S. fishing industry (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(1)). 
Under the FMP and implementing regulations, the optimum yield for the 
GOA groundfish fisheries ranges from 116,000 to 800,000 mt. Based on 
the best available science, the Council determined that the optimum 
yield for 2020 and 2021 is 399,239 mt and 407,982 mt, respectively, and 
recommended TACs to achieve this optimum yield. NMFS agrees with this 
recommendation. Reducing the harvest of all groundfish by 50 percent 
would not achieve optimum yield for the GOA groundfish fisheries, and 
would not comply with National Standard One. Moreover, NMFS's primary 
objective in the harvest specifications process is the conservation and 
management of groundfish for the Nation as a whole, and the annual 
harvest specifications process is a key element to ensuring that Alaska 
fisheries are sustainably managed in a controlled and orderly manner. 
This process incorporates the best available scientific information 
from the most recent SAFE reports, which includes information on the 
condition of each groundfish species, as well as the condition of other 
ecosystem components, including marine mammals and seabirds. The 
recommended TACs for species and species groups in the GOA are based on 
the most recent SAFE report, and none of the NMFS-managed groundfish 
species in the GOA is overfished or subject to overfishing. In 
addition, NMFS has considered impacts on endangered and threatened 
species and marine mammals and has developed measures to address those 
impacts.
    Comment 2: NMFS should prohibit commercial fishing, and only allow 
subsistence fishing, in the GOA.
    Response: The groundfish harvest specifications regulations that 
implement the FMP govern commercial fishing for groundfish in the GOA 
by vessels of the United States. The groundfish harvest specifications 
are for commercial fishing activities. Non-commercial fishing 
activities, including subsistence fishing, are outside of the scope of 
this action.

Classification

    NMFS has determined that the final harvest specifications are 
consistent with the FMP and with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and other applicable laws.
    This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS prepared an EIS for the Alaska groundfish harvest 
specifications and alternative harvest strategies (see ADDRESSES) and 
made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On 
February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the ROD for the EIS. In January 2020, 
NMFS prepared a SIR for this action. Copies of the EIS, ROD, and annual 
SIRs for this action are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The Final 
EIS analyzes the environmental, social, and economic consequences of 
the groundfish harvest specifications and alternative harvest 
strategies on resources in the action area. Based on the analysis in 
the Final EIS, NMFS concluded that the preferred Alternative 
(Alternative 2) provides the best balance among relevant environmental, 
social, and economic considerations and allows for continued management 
of the groundfish fisheries based on the most recent, best scientific 
information. The preferred alternative is a harvest strategy in which 
TACs are set at a level within the range of ABCs recommended by the 
Council's SSC; the sum of the TACs must achieve the OY specified in the 
FMP.
    The annual SIR evaluates the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS 
(SEIS) for the 2020 and 2021 groundfish harvest specifications. An SEIS 
should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial changes in the 
proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns, or (2) 
significant new circumstances or information exist relevant to 
environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its 
impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information 
contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has 
determined that (1) approval of the 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest 
strategy in the EIS, does not constitute a substantial change in the 
action; and (2) there are no significant new circumstances or 
information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the 
action or its impacts. Additionally, the 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications will result in environmental, social, and economic 
impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed in the EIS. 
Therefore, an SEIS is not necessary to implement the 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications.
    Section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 604) 
requires that, when an agency promulgates a final rule under 5 U.S.C. 
553, after being required by that section, or any other law, to publish 
a general notice of proposed rulemaking, the agency shall prepare a 
final regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA). The following constitutes 
the FRFA prepared in the final action.
    Section 604 describes the required contents of a FRFA: (1) A 
statement of the need for, and objectives of, the rule; (2) a statement 
of the significant issues raised by the public comments in response to 
the initial regulatory flexibility analysis, a statement of the 
assessment of the agency of such issues, and a statement of any changes 
made in the proposed rule as a result of such comments; (3) the 
response of the agency to any comments filed by the

[[Page 13828]]

Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration in 
response to the proposed rule, and a detailed statement of any change 
made to the proposed rule in the final rule as a result of the 
comments; (4) a description of and an estimate of the number of small 
entities to which the rule will apply or an explanation of why no such 
estimate is available; (5) a description of the projected reporting, 
recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements of the rule, including 
an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to 
the requirement and the type of professional skills necessary for 
preparation of the report or record; and (6) a description of the steps 
the agency has taken to minimize the significant economic impact on 
small entities consistent with the stated objectives of applicable 
statutes, including a statement of the factual, policy, and legal 
reasons for selecting the alternative adopted in the final rule and why 
each one of the other significant alternatives to the rule considered 
by the agency that affect the impact on small entities was rejected.
    A description of this action, its purpose, and its legal basis are 
contained at the beginning of the preamble to this final rule and are 
not repeated here.
    NMFS published the proposed rule on December 3, 2019 (84 FR 66109). 
NMFS prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) to 
accompany the proposed action, and included a summary in the proposed 
rule. The comment period closed on January 2, 2020. No comments were 
received on the IRFA or on the economic impacts of the rule more 
generally. The Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration did not file any comments on the proposed rule.
    The entities directly regulated by this action include: (1) 
Entities operating vessels with groundfish FFPs catching FMP groundfish 
in Federal waters; (2) all entities operating vessels, regardless of 
whether they hold groundfish FFPs, catching FMP groundfish in the 
State-waters parallel fisheries; and (3) all entities operating vessels 
fishing for halibut inside three miles of the shore (whether or not 
they have FFPs).
    For RFA purposes only, NMFS has established a small business size 
standard for businesses, including their affiliates, whose primary 
industry is commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). A business primarily 
engaged in commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) 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 $11 million for all its 
affiliated operations worldwide.
    Using the most recent data available (2018), the estimated number 
of directly regulated small entities include approximately 756 
individual catcher vessel entities with gross revenues meeting small 
entity criteria. Of these entities, 706 used hook-and-line gear, 74 
used pot gear, and 28 used trawl gear (some of these entities used more 
than one gear type, thus the counts of entities using the different 
gear types do not sum to the total number of entities above). Three 
individual catcher/processors met the small entity criterion; two used 
hook-and-line gear, and one used trawl gear. Catcher/processor gross 
revenues were not reported for confidentiality reasons; however, in 
2018, small hook-and-line entities had average gross revenues of 
$390,000, small pot entities had average gross revenues of $870,000, 
and small trawl entities had average gross revenues of $2 million.
    Some of these vessels are members of AFA inshore pollock 
cooperatives, of GOA rockfish cooperatives, or of Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands crab rationalization cooperatives, and, therefore, 
under the RFA it is the aggregate gross receipts of all participating 
members of the cooperative that must meet the threshold. Vessels that 
participate in these cooperatives are considered to be large entities 
within the meaning of the RFA. These relationships are accounted for, 
along with corporate affiliations among vessels, to the extent that 
they are known, in the estimated number of small entities. If 
affiliations exist of which NMFS is unaware, or if entities had non-
fishing revenue sources, the estimates above may overstate the number 
of directly regulated small entities.
    This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting 
requirements.
    NMFS considered alternative harvest strategies when choosing the 
preferred harvest strategy (Alternative 2) in December 2006. These 
included the following:
     Alternative 1: Set TACs to produce fishing mortality 
rates, F, that are equal to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TACs is 
constrained by the OY established in the FMP. This is equivalent to 
setting TACs to produce harvest levels equal to the maximum permissible 
ABCs, as constrained by OY. The term ``maxFABC'' refers to the maximum 
permissible value of FABC under Amendment 56 to the GOA groundfish 
fishery management plan. Historically, the TAC has been set at or below 
the ABC; therefore, this alternative represents a likely upper limit 
for setting the TAC within the OY and ABC limits.
     Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 2, and 3, set TAC 
to produce F equal to the most recent 5-year average actual F. For 
species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC equal to the most recent 5-year 
average actual catch. For stocks with a high level of scientific 
information, TACs would be set to produce harvest levels equal to the 
most recent 5-year average actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks 
with insufficient scientific information, TACs would be set equal to 
the most recent 5-year average actual catch. This alternative 
recognizes that for some stocks, catches may fall well below ABCs, and 
recent average F may provide a better indicator of actual F than FABC 
does.
     Alternative 4: First, set TACs for rockfish species in 
Tier 3 at F75%; set TACs for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F=0.5M; and 
set spatially explicit TACs for shortraker and rougheye/blackspotted 
rockfish in the GOA. Second, taking the rockfish TACs as calculated 
above, reduce all other TACs by a proportion that does not vary across 
species, so that the sum of all TACs, including rockfish TACs, is equal 
to the lower bound of the area OY (116,000 mt in the GOA). This 
alternative sets conservative and spatially explicit TACs for rockfish 
species that are long-lived and late to mature and sets conservative 
TACs for the other groundfish species.
     Alternative 5: (No Action) Set TACs at zero.
    Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet the objectives of this 
action, and although Alternatives 1 and 3 may have a smaller adverse 
economic impact on small entities than the preferred alternative, 
Alternatives 4 and 5 would have a significant adverse economic impact 
on small entities. The Council rejected these alternatives as harvest 
strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of Commerce did so in 2007.
    Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative chosen by the Council: 
Set TACs that fall within the range of ABCs recommended through the 
Council harvest specifications process and TACs recommended by the 
Council. Under this scenario, F is set equal to a constant fraction of 
maxFABC. The recommended fractions of maxFABC may vary among species or 
stocks, based on other considerations unique to each. This is the 
method for determining TACs that has been used in the past.

[[Page 13829]]

    Alternative 2 selected harvest rates that will allow fishermen to 
harvest stocks at the level of ABCs, unless total harvests are 
constrained by the upper bound of the GOA OY of 800,000 mt. The sums of 
ABCs in 2020 and 2021 are 465,956 mt and 471,990 mt, respectively. The 
sums of the TACs in 2020 and 2021 are 399,239 mt and 407,982 mt, 
respectively. Thus, although the sum of ABCs in each year is less than 
800,000 mt, the sums of the TACs in each year are less than the sums of 
the ABCs.
    In most cases, the Council has set TACs equal to ABCs. The 
divergence between aggregate TACs and aggregate ABCs reflects a variety 
of special species- and fishery-specific circumstances:
     Pacific cod TACs were first set equal to 70 percent in the 
Western GOA and 75 percent in the Central and Eastern GOA of the 
Pacific cod ABCs in each year to account for the GHL set by the State 
for its GHL Pacific cod fisheries (30 percent of the Western GOA ABC 
and 25 percent of the Central and Eastern GOA ABCs). In addition, the 
Council recommended and NMFS agrees to further reduce the 2020 and 2021 
Pacific cod TACs in light of the current status of the Pacific cod 
stock.
     Shallow-water flatfish Western Regulatory Area and 
flathead sole Central and Western Regulatory Area TACs are set below 
ABCs. Arrowtooth flounder TACs are set below ABC in all GOA regulatory 
areas, except the Central GOA. Catches of these flatfish species 
rarely, if ever, approach the proposed ABCs or TACs. Important trawl 
fisheries in the GOA take halibut PSC, and are constrained by limits on 
the allowable halibut PSC mortality. These limits may force the closure 
of trawl fisheries before they have harvested the available groundfish 
ABC. Thus, actual harvests of groundfish in the GOA routinely fall 
short of some ABCs and TACs. Markets can also constrain harvests below 
the TACs, as has been the case with arrowtooth flounder, in the past. 
These TACs are set to allow for increased harvest opportunities for 
these targets while conserving the halibut PSC limit for use in other, 
more fully utilized fisheries.
     The GOA-wide Atka mackerel TAC is set below the ABC. The 
current estimates of survey biomass continue to be unreliable in the 
GOA. Therefore, the Council recommended and NMFS agrees that the Atka 
mackerel TAC in the GOA be set at an amount to support incidental catch 
in other directed fisheries.
    Alternative 1 selects harvest rates that would allow fishermen to 
harvest stocks at the level of the ABCs, unless total harvests were 
constrained by the upper bound of the GOA OY of 800,000 mt. Although 
Alternative 1 may be consistent with the preferred alternative 
(Alternative 2), meet the objectives of the action, and have small 
entity impacts equivalent to the preferred alternative, it is not 
likely that Alternative 1 would result in reduced adverse economic 
impacts to directly-regulated small entities relative to Alternative 2. 
The selection of Alternative 1, which could increase all TACs up to the 
sum of ABCs, would not reflect the practical implications that 
increased TACs for some species probably would not be fully harvested. 
This could be due to a variety of reasons, which are addressed in the 
preamble to this rule and are summarized briefly here. There may be a 
lack of commercial or market interest in some species. Additionally, an 
underharvest of flatfish TACs could result due to constraints such as 
the fixed, and therefore constraining, PSC limits associated with the 
harvest of the GOA groundfish species. Finally, the TACs for two 
species (pollock and Pacific cod) cannot be set equal to ABC, as the 
TAC must be set to account for the State of Alaska's GHLs in these 
fisheries.
    Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5 
years of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or based on 
the most recent 5 years of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 through 6). 
This alternative is inconsistent with the objectives of this action 
because it does not take account of the most recent biological 
information for this fishery, as well as National Standard 2 of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(2)). NMFS annually conducts at-
sea surveys for different species, as well as statistical modeling, to 
estimate stock sizes and permissible harvest levels. Actual harvest 
rates or harvest amounts are a component of these estimates, but in and 
of themselves may not accurately portray stock sizes and conditions. 
Harvest rates are listed for each species or species group for each 
year in the SAFE report (see ADDRESSES).
    Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all 
species to reduce TACs from the upper end of the OY range in the GOA to 
its lower end of 116,000 mt. Overall, this alternative would reduce 
2020 TACs by about 71 percent, compared to the Council's recommended 
total 2020 TAC of 399,239 mt. This would lead to significant reductions 
in harvests of species by small entities. While production declines in 
the GOA likely would be associated with offsetting price increases in 
the GOA, the size of these increases is very uncertain. Price increases 
would still be constrained by the availability of substitutes, and 
there are close substitutes for GOA groundfish species available in 
significant quantities from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area. In addition, price increases are very unlikely to 
offset revenue declines from smaller production. Thus, this action 
would have a detrimental economic impact on small entities, compared to 
the preferred alternative.
    Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, may also 
address conservation issues, but would have a significant adverse 
economic impact on small entities and would be inconsistent with 
achieving OY on a continuing basis, as mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(1)).
    Adverse impacts on marine mammals, or endangered or threatened 
species, resulting from fishing activities conducted under this rule 
are discussed in the Final EIS and its accompanying annual SIRs (see 
ADDRESSES).
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in 
effectiveness for this rule because delaying this rule is contrary to 
the public interest. The Plan Team review of the 2019 SAFE report 
occurred in November 2019, and based on the 2019 SAFE report the 
Council considered and recommended the final harvest specifications in 
December 2019. Accordingly, NMFS's review of the final 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications could not begin until after the December 2019 
Council meeting, and after the public had time to comment on the 
proposed action.
    For all fisheries not currently closed because the TACs established 
under the final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications (84 FR 9416, March 
14, 2019) were not reached, it is possible that they would be closed 
prior to the expiration of a 30-day delayed effectiveness period 
because their TACs could be reached within that period. If implemented 
immediately, this rule would allow these fisheries to continue fishing 
because some of the new TACs implemented by this rule are higher than 
the TACs under which they are currently fishing.
    In addition, immediate effectiveness of this action is required to 
provide consistent management and conservation of fishery resources 
based on the best available scientific information. This is 
particularly pertinent for those species that have lower 2020 ABCs and 
TACs than those

[[Page 13830]]

established in the 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications (84 FR 9416, 
March 14, 2019). If implemented immediately, this rule would ensure 
that NMFS can properly manage those fisheries for which this rule sets 
lower 2020 ABCs and TACs, which are based on the most recent biological 
information on the condition of stocks, rather than managing species 
under the higher TACs set in the previous year's harvest 
specifications.
    Certain fisheries, such as those for pollock, are intensive, fast-
paced fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those for sablefish, 
flatfish, rockfish, Atka mackerel, skates, sharks, and octopuses, are 
critical as directed fisheries and as incidental catch in other 
fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch 
the TAC allocations in many of these fisheries. If this rule allowed 
for a 30-day delay in effectiveness and if a TAC were reached during 
those 30 days, NMFS would close directed fishing or prohibit retention 
for the applicable species. Any delay in allocating the final TACs in 
these fisheries would cause confusion to the industry and potential 
economic harm through unnecessary discards, thus undermining the intent 
of this rule. Waiving the 30-day delay allows NMFS to prevent economic 
loss to fishermen that could otherwise occur should the 2020 TACs (set 
under the 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications) be reached. Determining 
which fisheries may close is nearly impossible because these fisheries 
are affected by several factors that cannot be predicted in advance, 
including fishing effort, weather, movement of fishery stocks, and 
market price. Furthermore, the closure of one fishery has a cascading 
effect on other fisheries by freeing-up fishing vessels, allowing them 
to move from closed fisheries to open ones, increasing the fishing 
capacity in those open fisheries, and causing them to close at an 
accelerated pace.
    In fisheries subject to declining sideboard limits, a failure to 
implement the updated sideboard limits before initial season's end 
could deny the intended economic protection to the non-sideboarded 
sectors. Conversely, in fisheries with increasing sideboard limits, 
economic benefit could be denied to the sideboard-limited sectors.
    If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 14, 
2020, which is the start of the 2020 Pacific halibut season as 
specified by the IPHC, the fixed gear sablefish fishery will not begin 
concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. This would result in 
confusion for the industry and economic harm from unnecessary discard 
of sablefish that are caught along with Pacific halibut, as both fixed 
gear sablefish and Pacific halibut are managed under the same IFQ 
program. Immediate effectiveness of the final 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin 
concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season.
    Finally, immediate effectiveness also would provide the fishing 
industry the earliest possible opportunity to plan and conduct its 
fishing operations with respect to new information about TACs. 
Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in 
effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

Small Entity Compliance Guide

    This final rule is a plain language guide to assist small entities 
in complying with this final rule as required by the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's primary 
purpose is to announce the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications 
and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the groundfish fisheries 
of the GOA. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and 
associated management measures for groundfish during the 2020 and 2021 
fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FMP. 
This action affects all fishermen who participate in the GOA fisheries. 
The specific OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC amounts are provided in tables to 
assist the reader. NMFS will announce closures of directed fishing in 
the Federal Register and information bulletins released by the Alaska 
Region. Affected fishermen should keep themselves informed of such 
closures.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540 (f), 1801 et 
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-31; Pub. 
L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub. 
L. 109-479.

    Dated: February 24, 2020.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-04016 Filed 3-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P