Purpose and Need

The Norton Sound Red King Crab stock is small relative to most other BSAI crab stocks. Increasing participation by large vessels led to short seasons, unpredictable harvest rates, and overcapitalization in the fishery. To combat conservation concerns driven by unpredictable harvest levels, and to provide harvest opportunity for the smaller vessel that had traditionally participated in the fishery, the State of Alaska declared Norton Sound a superexclusive registration area. However, it was determined that the action was not within the FMP management measures which could be freely modified by the state, and required a federal FMP amendment. Therefore, this action superseded State of Alaska regulations to implement the area.

Analysis

A 69 page EA/RIR/IRFA, dated January 20, 1994, was prepared for this amendment. Three alternatives, including the status quo, were evaluated. The action alternatives were superexclusive registration or exclusive registration. Registration in a superexclusive area would prevent registration and participation in another BSAI crab area during that same registration year. Prior to this amendment, the fishery was nonexclusive and any vessel could participate in it regardless of participation in other crab fisheries

Regulation Summary

Any vessel registered to fish for red king crab in the Norton Sound superexclusive area could not participate in any other EEZ BSAI crab fishery during that same registration year.

Results

Large vessels sharply reduced participation in the Norton Sound red king crab fishery to maintain participation in larger and more generally more lucrative BSAI crab fisheries. This maintained the Norton Sound fishery as a small boat fishery.