Purpose and Need

Salmon are a target species in directed salmon fisheries, but are taken as incidental bycatch in groundfish trawl fisheries.   The objective of the amendment was to provide the Council with the means to control chinook salmon bycatch in the BSAI groundfish trawl fisheries.  Chinook salmon bycatch control measures were thought to be needed for two reasons. First, many chinook salmon stocks are fully utilized, and uncontrolled bycatch constitutes an additional, unaccounted for allocation of the resources.  Second, uncontrolled bycatch levels exceeding recent highs may lead to conservation problems for Alaskan and Canadian chinook salmon populations.  During the previous 10 years, several major river systems had experienced low levels of returns, particularly the Nushagak, Yukon, and Kuskokwim rivers.

Analysis

A 203-page EA/RIR/IRFA (final draft dated August 16, 1995) was prepared for this amendment.  Three primary alternatives including the status quo were considered.  There were 8 different area closure options, two bycatch limit options, and three seasonal closure options.  The other primary alternative that was not chosen would have established a time/area closure but without a PSC limit that triggered a closure.  In selecting the preferred alternative, the Council recognized that a PSC limit of 48,000 chinook salmon would not constrain groundfish fisheries in most years, but would allow for closures in areas and times of historic high salmon bycatch.

Regulation Summary

Amendment 21b established measures to control the amount of chinook salmon taken as bycatch in BSAI trawl fisheries.  Specifically, the alternative adopted would close three areas in the BSAI to all trawling when 48,000 chinook salmon were taken as bycatch.  The chinook salmon savings  areas are shown in the adjacent figure.  A closure will remain in effect from the time the trigger is reached until April 16, when the areas would reopen to trawling for the remainder of the year. 

Amendment 21b was adopted by the Council in November 1995. NMFS published final rule on November 29, 1995 (60 FR 61215).  Effective date of implementation was January 1, 1996.

Results

Although more than 48,000 chinook salmon were taken over the course of a year in 1996, 1997, and 1998, closure of the area has not been triggered because the cap was not exceeded prior to April 15.  Total  number of chinook salmon taken annually as bycatch in BSAI groundfish fisheries is shown in the adjacent table.  In February 1999, the Council adopted Amendment 58, which reduced the chinook salmon bycatch trigger level to 29,000 chinook salmon (with year-round accounting) and refined the closure areas based on more recent data.

Despite these actions, chinook salmon populations in western Alaska remain in relatively poor shape, and have not yet recovered to earlier levels.