G24 Establish Prohibited Species Catch Limits for Non-Trawl Fisheries, Revise Trawl Fishery Categories for Prohibited Species Catch Accounting, Delay Fisheries Start Date, Expand Vessel Incentive Program
Purpose and Need
GOA Amendment 24 and BSAI Amendment 19 was initiated to further address bycatch issues that were raised under Amendments 16 to the BSAI FMP and 21 to the GOA FMP. The purpose of this amendment was to control and reduce halibut bycatch mortality in the Alaska groundfish fisheries in response to the international, social, and economic conflicts between U.S. and Canadian halibut fishermen and U.S. groundfish fishermen that take halibut as bycatch.
Analysis
A 111-page EA/RIR/IRFA (final draft dated April 10, 1992) was prepared for this amendment. The analysis was broken down into different management actions, and alternatives for each were evaluated separately. The number of alternatives (including the status quo) considered varied for each management measure.
Regulation Summary
Amendment 24 established three management measures. The one pertaining to the GOA FMP was to establish FMP authority to develop and implement regulatory amendments that allow for time/area closures to reduce prohibited species bycatch rates (revised “hotspot authority”).
In addition to the above FMP amendment, the following amendments to existing regulations were adopted:
1) Delay the season opening date of the groundfish trawl fisheries to January 20 of each fishing year to reduce salmon and halibut bycatch rates;
2) Further delay the season opening date of the GOA trawl rockfish fishery to the Monday closest to July 1 to reduce halibut and chinook salmon bycatch rates;
3) Change directed fishing standards to further limit halibut bycatch associated with bottom trawl fisheries; and
4) Expand the vessel incentive program to address halibut bycatch rates in all trawl fisheries.
- Correction (57 FR 49750, 11/03/1992)
- Correction (57 FR 49653, 11/03/1992)
- Final Rule (57 FR 43926, 09/23/1992)
- Proposed Rule (57 FR 22695, 05/29/1992)
- Notice of Availability (57 FR 17879, 04/28/1992)
Results
Since the amendment was approved, halibut bycatch has been controlled to stay within the PSC limits. Catch of groundfish (particularly flatfish) has been foregone due to these restrictions. Few vessels have been cited for violations of the vessel incentive program. PSC management was most recently revisited in Amendment 95 in 2014, and halibut PSC limits for the trawl and hook-and-line sectors have not been exceeded since implementation.
In 2006, the implementation of the Central GOA Rockfish Program under Amendment 68 changed the management of that fishery, which was further revised by Amendment 88 in 2011.