G1 Extend OY, TALFF, and US Capacity Estimates through 1979
Purpose and Need
On April 21, 1978, a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) was published by the Secretary of Commerce. That FMP established conservation and management measures for both the foreign and domestic groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) under the authority of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Proposed regulations to implement the plan were also published on April 21, 1978.
At the July 1978 Council meeting, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) had drafted a letter to the Council asking them to consider an amendment that extended optimum yield (OY), total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF), and U.S. capacity estimates through 1979.
The FMP was designed to conserve and manage groundfish resources. The purpose of Amendment 1 was to extend the already-established management strategies described in the FMP with some slight language modification.
Analysis
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries determined that this action did not constitute a major Federal action requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). However, a 3-page environmental assessment (EA) was prepared for this amendment.
Regulation Summary
In addition to extending the OY, TALFF, and U.S. capacity, the language in the FMP was modified to reflect November as the start of the fishing year. As such, the extension went until October 31, 1979, instead of December 31, 1979.
Specifically, the amended implementation regulations were to:
1) Extend the time frame of the FMP so that conservation and management measures would be in effect through October 31, 1979.
2) Conform the phrasing of the regulations to be consistent with a fishing year beginning on November 1.
Results
The OY, statement of U.S. capacity, and TALFF were extended from December 31, 1978 to October 31, 1979.
A later amendment, Amendment 7, extended the FMP through 1980. In 1980, Amendment 8 changed the plan management year to January 1- December 31 and removed the plan expiration date.