Purpose and Need

The purpose of Amendment 8 was to extend reductions of incidental bycatch of salmon in the foreign trawl fisheries implemented under Amendment 3. Its intent was to continue the Council’s salmon bycatch reduction efforts begun under Amendment 3, which controlled salmon PSC through 1983 only. 

Analysis

The Council reviewed the status of the salmon resource and the economic and technological reasonableness of further PSC reductions in context with the 75% reduction goal by 1986. The 1984-86 salmon PSC levels reflect limits negotiated between representatives for those Western Alaska residents who depend on the salmon resource and the Japanese trawl industry. A 39-page analysis of salmon, halibut, and crab bycatch reductions was prepared for Amendment 3 in 1981.

Regulation Summary

Amendments 3 and 8 reduced bycatch of prohibited species in foreign groundfish fisheries.  Amendment 3 set a goal of total salmon bycatch of 17,473 fish by 1986, which was a 75% reduction from the 1981 salmon PSC of 69,893 and a 78% reduction from the average salmon bycatch of 80,000 fish for the years 1977-80. Amendment 8 implemented a salmon PSC limit of 38,441 fish for 1984 and 27,957 fish for 1985. The 1986 limit remained at the 17,473 fish PSC envisioned in Amendment 3.

Results

The foreign fleet successfully reduced bycatch in their fisheries.  However, bycatch savings were offset by the growing JV fisheries.