G29 Salmon Retention for Food Banks
Purpose and Need
The Alaska groundfish fisheries result in incidental fishing mortality of Pacific salmon. Vessel operators participating in these fisheries typically use trawl, hook-and-line, or pot gear. Trawl gear operations account for most of the groundfish catch, harvesting 92 percent and 94 percent of the groundfish catch during 1992 and 1993, respectively. Trawl gear fisheries for Alaska groundfish also account for more than 99 percent of the salmon bycatch by the Alaska groundfish fisheries. These fish are dead when brought on board a vessel and must be returned to Federal waters as prohibited species once a NMFS-certified observer has determined the number of salmon and completed the collection of any biological or scientific data.
The incidental salmon mortality experienced in the groundfish fisheries is one of several competing uses of the fully utilized salmon resource. Salmon also are used as catch and bycatch in directed commercial, subsistence, and sport salmon fisheries and as bycatch in other non-salmon and non-groundfish fisheries. Salmon used as bycatch in the groundfish fisheries and in other fisheries can exacerbate the management problem associated with the allocation of salmon among escapement goals set by Alaska State management policy and the terminal salmon fisheries. The groundfish fisheries may result in reduced escapement or harvest in the salmon fisheries, thereby imposing a cost on other salmon users.
Amendment 29 would authorize the voluntary retention and processing of salmon taken as bycatch in the Alaska trawl fisheries for donation to needy individuals. The intent of this action was to reduce bycatch and waste and potentially provide the opportunity to collect additional data that would support a more long-term solution to the salmon bycatch problem.
Analysis
A 24-page EA/RIR (final draft dated March 1996) was prepared for this amendment. Three alternatives including the status quo were considered. Under the status quo alternative, all bycaught salmon would be retained until a NMFS-certified observer has determined the number of salmon and collected any biological or scientific data. Salmon could not be retained for reasons other than the collection of biological or scientific data and ultimately must be discarded in Federal waters as a prohibited species. The other alternative not chosen would have mandated that every salmon taken in the Alaska groundfish trawl fisheries be retained, processed for human consumption, and donated to a nonprofit foodbank organization. Because NMFS's authority under the Magnuson - Stevens Act to directly regulate harvesting and processing fishery resources is limited to the EEZ, this alternative was not developed further but instead provided a qualitative comparison with the other alternatives.
Regulation Summary
The Salmon Donation Program authorizes the distribution of Pacific Salmon taken as bycatch in the groundfish trawl fisheries in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals through NMFS authorized distributor selected by the Regional Director in accordance with federal regulations implemented under the FMP.
Selection of an authorized distributor for donated salmon was announced on August 16, 1996 (61 FR 42591).
Results
The Salmon Donation Program was implemented in 1996 after two years of assessment under several experimental fishing permits. Based on the results from the Salmon Donation Program, it appears that the program was effective at reducing bycatch waste without increasing total bycatch and that the program merits expansion. Since the amendment was approved, many fishing companies have voluntarily participated in the donation program. Through 1998, the authorized distributor, Northwest Food Strategies, has distributed over 3 million pounds (approximately 12 million meals) of donated salmon and halibut to needy people.