51 Inshore/Offshore III
Purpose and Need
The TACs for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA and for pollock in the BSAI and have been allocated between the inshore and offshore components of the groundfish fisheries since 1992. Amendments 51/51 were proposed to extend the provisions of Amendment 40 to the GOA FMP and Amendment 38 to the BSAI FMP, which expired on December 31, 1998. Amendments 40 and 38 previously extended GOA Amendment 23 and BSAI Amendment 18, respectively. The original amendments set processor allocations of the pollock and Pacific cod processor allocations in the GOA and pollock TAC in the BSAI, as a response to an early closure in 1989 when several catcher/processors harvested substantial amounts of pollock in the BSAI and GOA and forced an early closure of the GOA pollock fishery. The amendments allocated 35% to the inshore and 65% to the offshore processing sector of the BSAI pollock fishery, and allocated 90% of the cod and 100% of the pollock to the inshore processing sector in the GOA.
Analysis
A 299-page EA/RIR/IRFA (final draft dated December 9, 1998) was prepared for Amendments 51/51. Five alternatives were considered, including: the no action alternative; a rollover of the existing inshore/ offshore program; several options to revise the BSAI pollock processing inshore/ offshore percentages; a set-aside for catcher vessels less than 125' length overall; and a set-aside for catcher vessels less than 155' length overall. The Council’s preferred alternative for the GOA was to maintain the current allocations of 90% Pacific cod and 100% pollock to the inshore sector.
Regulation Summary
As adopted by the Council in June 1998, Amendment 51 re-established, without change, the current inshore/offshore allocation regime in the GOA through December 31, 2001. The amendment maintains the current allocation: 100% of the pollock TAC to the inshore component, and 90% of the Pacific cod TAC to the inshore component and 10% to the offshore component.
Results
This amendment continued the pollock and cod allocations in the Gulf as they were established in 1992. Industry and community stability have been maintained through the approval of this amendment. Amendment 62 indefinitely extended the GOA allocation, to be consistent with the duration of the BSAI allocations under the AFA.