Purpose and Need

The original FMP for the Gulf of Alaska (43 FR 17242; April 21, 1978) set domestic annual harvest (DAH) estimates, optimum yields (OY), and the total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF) in order to balance fishing effort between domestic and foreign fleets, including joint venture operations. After the FMP had been in place a full year, new data was available from NMFS on 1) the total domestic harvest through April 1979, and 2) the processors’ intentions to process during the remainder of the fishing year. This information made it possible to adjust downward the domestic annual harvests, by species and regulatory area in the GOA, and commensurately increase the TALFFs for all groundfish species, so that the fishery could be fully utilized..

Analysis

The FMP and implementing regulations would expire on November 1, 1979, and it was necessary to prepare a Secretarial amendment to the FMP to avoid social and economic disruption which would result from cessation of foreign fishing and joint venture operations; and to help assure full utilization of available fishery resources.

A negative assessment of environmental impact for this action went on file with the Environmental Protection Agency. A preliminary determination of non-significance under Executive Order 12044 had been made by the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries.

Regulation Summary

The regulations lowered the estimates of domestic annual harvest and reallocated the surplus to the TALFF, increasing the 1978 TALFF by 27,700 mt for all species of groundfish combined. Specifications by species are provided in the table below.

Results

The regulations adjusted the domestic annual harvest and corresponding TALFF to reflect the best information available from the observers and domestic processors, and allowed for a fully utilized groundfish fishery in the Gulf of Alaska.