Purpose and Need

Although there were six small areas around Kodiak Island (the “Kodiak Gear Areas”) closed to foreign trawling from August 10 to June 1, domestic crab fishermen testified at numerous hearings that the loss of gear to foreign trawlers and the fear of future losses on the crab fishing grounds outside the small closed areas were still problems. These were problems only with the foreign fleets because the domestic trawlers avoided domestic crab gear by coordinating their activities with the crab fleet.

Analysis

A 6-page environmental assessment was prepared for this plan amendment. Two alternatives to the status quo were considered. A modification of the Kodiak Gear Area to permit unrestricted foreign trawling in two areas east and south of Trinity Island was rejected because the area contained significant numbers of king crab.

Regulation Summary

The amendment replaced six small fixed gear areas around Kodiak with a larger, single closed area to prevent gear conflicts between foreign trawlers and U.S. crab fishermen and to prevent preemption of crab grounds during the crab season by foreign trawlers. It remained closed from 2 days ahead of the Kodiak king crab season, normally September 15th through February 15th.

The Kodiak Gear Area (a.k.a. Lechener Line) is bounded as indicated below.

Results

This closure, also known as the “Lechner Line” for the biologist that proposed its boundary, remained in place while foreign trawlers still worked the grounds off Kodiak. Foreign trawling ceased in the Gulf of Alaska after 1985.

New amendments imposed trawl closures around Kodiak to protect crab habitat. Amendment 15 created special bottom trawl restrictions to protect king crab, which were renewed by Amendment 18. Amendment 26 permanently closed these areas. Amendment 60, effective in 2002, prohibit the use of non-pelagic trawl gear in the EEZ of Cook Inlet. In 2014, a Tanner crab protection area was created in Marmot Bay under Amendment 89.