Purpose and Need

To reduce discards, the Council adopted an improved retention and utilization program (IR/IU) for all groundfish target fisheries. The Council’s objective for Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries centers on the same basic concern that motivated an IR/IU program in the BSAI groundfish fisheries; that is, economic discards of groundfish catch are at unacceptably high levels. An IR/IU program for the GOA would be expected to provide incentives for fishermen to avoid unwanted catch, increase utilization of fish that are taken, and reduce overall discards of whole fish, consistent with current Magnuson-Stevens Act provisions. In addition, the Council recognizes the potential risk of preemption of certain existing GOA groundfish fisheries which could occur in response to economic incentives displacing capacity and effort from BSAI IR/IU fisheries. This risk can be minimized if substantially equivalent IR/IU regulations are simultaneously implemented for the GOA. 

The IR/IU program was intended to improve utilization and effective control/reduction of bycatch and discards in the fisheries off Alaska to address the following problems:

1) Bycatch and discard loss of groundfish, crab, herring, salmon, and other nontarget species; 

2) Economic loss and waste associated with the discard mortality of target species harvested but not retained for economic reasons; 

3) Inability to provide for a long-term, stable fisheries-based economy due to loss of fishery resources through wasteful fishing practices; and 

4) The need to promote improved retention and utilization of fish resources by reducing waste of target groundfish species to achieve long term sustainable economic benefits to the nation

Analysis

A 130-page analysis (Secretarial review draft dated October 1997) reviewed a variety of bycatch reduction plans that had been discussed by the Council since 1993. While other alternatives were discussed, primary focus was given to these three alternative programs:

 1) Individual fishing quotas for groundfish species; 

2) A “Harvest Priority” program that would provide for quota set-asides for vessels exhibiting low bycatch rates of nontarget species; 

3) Retention and utilization mandates, with built-in incentives for fishing operations to avoid catch of unwanted species. 

The analysis determined that pollock, Pacific cod, and shallow water flatfish represent approximately 33% of the total discards of allocated groundfish in the GOA groundfish fisheries. The Council concluded that by requiring 100% retention of these three species, initially pollock and Pacific cod, and subsequently shallow water flatfish, the Council's objective of “substantially reducing discards of unprocessed groundfish” in these fisheries could be achieved.

Regulation Summary

Amendment 49 requires all vessels fishing for groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska to retain all pollock and Pacific cod beginning January 1, 1998, and all shallow water flatfish beginning January 1, 2003. It established a 15% minimum utilization standard for all at-sea processors. When shallow-water flatfish are open to directed fishing, a catcher vessel must retain all fish of that species brought onboard the vessel and a catcher/processor must make and retain a primary product from all fish of that species brought onboard the vessel. When shallow-water flatfish are closed to directed fishing, a catcher vessel must retain all shallow-water flatfish up to the maximum retainable amount (MRA), and a catcher/ processor must make and retain a primary product from all fish of that species brought onboard the vessel up to the point that the round weight equivalent of primary products onboard equals the MRA for that species.

Results

Beginning in 1998, 100% retention of pollock and Pacific cod was required, regardless of how or where it was caught. Only fish not fit for human consumption can be legally discarded. Gulf of Alaska shallow water flatfish retention was required beginning in 2003; the delay allowed for development of new markets and gear technological responses by the vessels engaged in these fisheries. This measure has dramatically reduced overall discards of groundfish. After implementation of shallow water flatfish IR/IU in 2003, shallow-water flatfish discards have not exceeded 5% of the total groundfish catch in any GOA groundfish fishery (as of 2008). GOA Amendment 72 later required annual review of discards of shallow-water flatfish in the GOA groundfish fisheries. In 2018, discards of shallow-water rockfish accounted for 0.06% of the total GOA groundfish catch.

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Sibling Amendments