Purpose and Need

The single species OY levels that were established in the original FMP draft did not provide the flexibility needed to respond to biological changes and the rapidly developing domestic fishery. Plan amendments were required for each adjustment to the OY established for each species and species complex and the amount allocated to domestic and foreign fisheries. This was a very cumbersome, costly, and slow process, and impeded the development of a domestic fishery. Additionally, trawl and longline closure areas implemented with the original FMP inhibited the developing domestic fisheries, so some of these restrictions were removed.

Analysis

A 32-page RIR/IRFA (final draft dated August, 1982) was prepared for this amendment. Three primary alternatives including the status quo were considered. The other alternative that was not chosen would have adopted a multi-species OY of 1.6 million mt (which equaled 80% of the midpoint range of the MSY estimate). The alternative adopted for OY was conservative (set equal to 85% of the MSY range, estimated to be 1.7 to 2.4 million mt), and based on a range (1.4 to 2.0 million mt) to allow for flexibility with changes in the ecosystem. The original FMP OY specifications for individual groundfish species were replaced by the OY range for the complex, with total allowable catch (TAC) specified annually for each target species and for the “other species” category. Fifteen percent of each TAC for target and “other species” was set aside for reserves, which could be used for unexpected expansion of the domestic fleet or unexpected conditions of a stock during a fishing year, and for in-season allocations. The TAC could then be apportioned between the domestic annual harvest (DAH) and the total allowable level for foreign fisheries (TALFF).

Regulation Summary

The amendment included the following measures:

• Established a multi-year, multi-species optimum yield for BSAI groundfish complex (1.4 million to 2.0 million mt);
• Established a framework procedure for the determination and apportionment of amounts of groundfish specified for total allowable catch (TAC), domestic annual harvest (DAH), reserves, and total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF);
• Allowed year-round domestic trawling and longlining in the Winter Halibut Savings Area and Bristol Bay Pot Sanctuary;
• Modified seasonal foreign trawl restrictions in the Petrel Bank area to be based on crab opening dates;
• Updated appendices and annexes to the FMP; added Annex I (description of SAFE document); and
• Eliminated the “Misty Moon” grounds south of the Pribilofs from the winter halibut savings area. 

Results

Except in years of very low pollock abundance, catches have remained within the OY cap range. The Total BSAI catch of all species has ranged from a low of 1.3 million t in 1983 to 1.98 million t in 2006.