Purpose and Need

The original FMP for the Gulf of Alaska was effective April 21, 1978 (43 FR 17242). After a year of practical experience implementing the management measures in the plan, the Council identified several omissions and superfluous provisions in the plan. The purpose of Amendment 4 was to fix these small omissions and to correct excessive or redundant provisions that were originally included to protect the halibut fishery but were later found to be unnecessary. 

Analysis

An 8-page environmental assessment was prepared for this amendment. Two alternative actions to the preferred alternative were considered, including no action. The other alternative not chosen would have imposed more restrictions on the foreign and domestic fleets and retained regulations that were unnecessary. Based on revised stock assessments, new observer information, and new foreign and domestic fishery data, the proposed actions were considered the best overall balance between biological considerations and social and economic impacts. 

Regulation Summary

The regulations implemented the following provisions: 

1) Reduce the number of fishing areas in the GOA from five to three (Western, Central, Eastern), to reduce the regulatory burden on the fisheries while still preventing localized depletion.

2) Allow foreign fishing within the 3-12-mile zone between 169° and 170° W longitude to correct an omission in the FMP. 

3) Remove the restriction which allowed only 25% of the total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF) to be taken from December 1 to May 31. The restriction was proved unnecessary since foreign trawl operations use pelagic trawls in the winter.

4) Allow foreign longlining for sablefish seaward of 400 meters (instead of 500 meters) from May 1 to September 30 in the area between 140° and 170° W longitude. Because incidental halibut catch by longliners is low during the summer, this change increased areas for foreign nations to catch sablefish while adequately protecting halibut stocks.

5) Permit a directed longline fishery for Pacific cod between 140° and 157° W longitude seaward of 12 miles, except during the U.S. halibut season. By encouraging longlining instead of trawling for Pacific cod, the incidental mortality of halibut would be reduced.

6) Exempt foreign vessels from the requirement that fishing by all vessels of a nation in a fishing area cease when the allocation for any species has been taken. The exemption does not apply if the allocation reached is for a target species of the longliners. This was to prevent the foreign longline fishery from being closed by the foreign trawl fishery.

7) Increase the squid optimum yield to 5,000 mt (from 2,000 mt) to allow a sufficient incidental catch for foreign nations.

8) Increase the Atka mackerel optimum yield to 26,800 mt (from 24,800 mt), based on new data indicating higher historical catches.

9) Remove the domestic one-hour tow restriction. This was deemed unnecessary protection for halibut given the separate incidental catch quota on halibut for domestic fisheries. 

10) Remove the domestic requirement for the use of off-bottom trawls from December 1- May 1. This measure was also considered unnecessary for halibut protection.

11) Require domestic permits to be renewed annually and domestic reporting (fish tickets) to be submitted within 7 days (instead of 3 days). This would make the Federal and State regulations consistent.

Results

Many of the management measures provided for in the original FMP were designed to protect the halibut resource and fishery. After experiencing how the fisheries operated under the plan for a year, it was evident that several provisions could be removed without compromising halibut conservation goals. New data and practical experience indicated that instituting the above changes would allow for a less burdensome regulatory environment for fishermen.