Purpose and Need

The Magnuson -Stevens Act was amended in 1996 by the Sustainable Fisheries Act. The new Act emphasized the importance of reducing bycatch to maintain sustainable fisheries. National Standard 9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates that conservation and management measures shall minimize bycatch, to the extent practicable, and shall minimize mortality where bycatch cannot be avoided. The objective of Amendment 57 is to reduce bycatch in the BSAI pollock fishery. 

Analysis

A 72-page EA/RIR/IRFA (final draft dated November 1999) was prepared for this amendment. Two alternatives including the status quo were considered. In addition, three options for PSC reductions were evaluated. The alternative chosen prohibited the use of bottom trawls for pollock fishing as FMP language, and the option chosen resulted in the most reduced bycatch of halibut and crabs.

Definition of pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear. 

(§ 672.2 Parts 5 and 7) 

(5) Nonpelagic trawl means a trawl other than a pelagic trawl; 

(6)... 

(7) Pelagic trawl means a trawl that: 

(I) Has no discs, bobbins, or rollers; 

(ii) Has no chafe protection gear attached to the foot rope or fishing line; 

(iii) Except for the small mesh allowed under paragraph (7)(ix) of this definition: 

(A) Has no mesh tied to the fishing line, head rope, and breast lines with less than 20 inches (50.8 cm) between knots, and has no stretched mesh size of less than 60 inches (152.4 cm) aft from all points on the fishing line, head rope, and breast lines and extending past the fishing circle for a distance equal to or greater than one half the vessel's length overall; or 

(B) Has no parallel lines spaced closer than 64 inches (162.6 cm), from all points on the fishing line, head rope, and breast lines and extending aft to a section of mesh, with no stretched mesh size of less than 60 inches (152.4 cm), extending aft for a distance equal to or greater than one half the vessel's LOA; 

(iv) Has no stretched mesh size less than 15 inches (38.1 cm) aft of the mesh described in paragraph (7)(iii) of this definition for a distance equal to or greater than one half the vessel's length overall; 

(v) Contains no configuration intended to reduce the stretched mesh sizes described in paragraphs (7)(iii) and (iv) of this definition; 

(vi) Has no flotation other than floats capable of providing up to 200 pounds (90.7 kg) of buoyancy to accommodate the use of a net-sounder device; 

(vii) Has no more than one fishing line and one foot rope for a total of no more than two weighted lines on the bottom of the trawl between the wing tip and the fishing circle; 

(viii) Has no metallic component except for connectors (e.g., hammerlocks or swivels) or net-sounder device aft of the fishing circle and forward of any mesh greater than 5.5 inches (14.0 cm) stretched measure; 

(ix) May have small mesh within 32 feet (9.8 m) of the center of the head rope as needed for attaching instrumentation (e.g., net-sounder device); and 

(x) May have weights on the wing tips;

Regulation Summary

Amendment 57 prohibited the use of nonpelagic trawl gear when participating in the BSAI pollock fisheries. The definition of a pelagic trawl is relatively complex, whereas non-pelagic trawls are all other trawls not meeting the pelagic trawl definition. Regulations that define pelagic trawl gear are listed in the accompanying table. In addition, regulations prohibit any vessel engaged in directed pollock fishing from having 20 crabs larger than 1.5 inches carapace width onboard the vessel at any time. Crabs were chosen for the standard because they inhabit the seabed, and if caught, provide proof that a trawl has been in contact with the bottom. Vessels fishing for CDQ pollock were exempted from the non-pelagic trawl gear prohibition. Amendment 57 also reduced the bycatch limits for halibut and crab due to the bottom trawl prohibition. Halibut bycatch mortality was reduced by 100 mt, and the PSC allowance for red king crabs was reduced by 3,000 animals, for C. bairdi crabs by 50,000 animals, and for C. opilio crabs by 150,000 animals. For C bairdi crabs, the limit was lowered by 20,000 in Zone 1 and by 30,000 in Zone 2.

Results

The trawl fisheries have prosecuted under lower crab and halibut PSC bycatch limits.

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