81 FR 14773 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2016 and 2017 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 53 (March 18, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 53 (March 18, 2016)
| Page Range | 14773-14800 | |
| FR Document | 2016-06182 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 14773-14800] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-06182] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 150916863-6211-02] RIN 0648-XE202 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2016 and 2017 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; closures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2016 and 2017 fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2017. ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) prepared for this action are available from http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2015 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated November 2015, as well as the SAFE reports for previous years, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's Web site at http://www.npfmc.org/. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved it under the Magnuson- Stevens Act. General regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600. The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species category. The sum TAC for all groundfish species must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see Sec. 679.20(a)(1)(i)). This final rule specifies the TAC at 2.0 million mt for both 2016 and 2017. NMFS also must specify apportionments of TAC, prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances, and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by Sec. 679.21; seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel TAC; Amendment 80 allocations; and Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts established by Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 26 of this action satisfy these requirements. Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires NMFS to consider public comment on the proposed annual TACs (and apportionments thereof) and PSC allowances, and to publish final harvest specifications in the Federal Register. The proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications and PSC allowances for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2015 (80 FR 76425). Comments were invited and accepted through January 8, 2016. NMFS received two letters of comment on the proposed harvest specifications with fourteen substantive comments. These comments are summarized and responded to in the ``Response to Comments'' section of this rule. NMFS consulted with the Council on the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications during the December 2015 Council meeting in Anchorage, AK. After considering public comments, as well as biological and economic data that were available at the Council's December meeting, NMFS implements the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council. Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest Specifications The final ABC levels for Alaska groundfish are based on the best available biological and socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised technical methods used to calculate stock biomass. In general, the development of ABCs and overfishing levels (OFLs) involves sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations. The FMP specifies a series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts based on the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier 1 represents the highest level of information quality available while Tier 6 represents the lowest. In December 2015, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current biological and harvest information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council's Plan Team compiled and presented this information in the final 2015 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2015 (see ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the BSAI ecosystem and the economic condition of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the public and asked for review of the 2015 SAFE report in the notice of proposed harvest specifications. From these data and analyses, the Plan Team recommended an OFL and ABC for each species or species category at the November 2015 Plan Team meeting. In December 2015, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's recommendations. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the sum of the TACs within the required OY range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As required by annual catch limit rules for all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009), none of the Council's recommended TACs for 2016 or 2017 exceeds the final 2016 or 2017 ABCs for any species category. The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) approves the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council. NMFS finds that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy and [[Page 14774]] the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2015 SAFE report that was approved by the Council. Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2016 and 2017 Harvest Specifications On November 30, 2015, the Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF), a regulatory body for the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game (State), established a guideline harvest level (GHL) in State waters between 164 and 167 degrees west longitude in the Bering Sea subarea (BS) equal to 6.4 percent of the Pacific cod ABC for the BS. The action by the State required a downward adjustment of the 240,000 mt proposed 2016 and 2017 Bering Sea subarea Pacific cod TAC because the combined TAC and GHL was greater than the proposed ABC of 255,000 mt. The maximum permissible TAC after subtraction of the GHL is 238,680 mt for the BS. The BOF for the State established a GHL in State waters in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI) equal to 27 percent of the Pacific cod ABC for the AI. The action by the State does not require a downward adjustment of the proposed Aleutian Islands subarea Pacific cod TAC because the combined TAC and GHL, 17,600 mt, is less than the proposed ABC. At its June 2015 meeting, the Council recommended reductions to the BSAI halibut PSC limits by 21 percent through Amendment 111 to the FMP. A notice of availability associated with those recommendations was published on October 29, 2015 (80 FR 66486). The specific reductions are 25 percent for Amendment 80 cooperatives, 15 percent for BSAI trawl limited access fisheries, 20 percent for CDQ fisheries, and 15 percent for non-trawl fisheries. NMFS will publish regulations implementing trawl and non-trawl BSAI halibut PSC limit reductions in 2016, upon approval by the Secretary of a final rule to implement Amendment 111. Upon implementation of the reductions, the 2016 and 2017 halibut PSC limits under this action will be superseded by Amendment 111 and reduced. Changes From the Proposed 2016 and 2017 Harvest Specifications for the BSAI The Council's recommendations for the proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications (80 FR 76425, December 9, 2015) were based largely on information contained in the 2014 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries. Through the proposed harvest specifications, NMFS notified the public that these harvest specifications could change, as the Council would consider information contained in the final 2015 SAFE report, recommendations from the Plan Team, SSC, and AP committees, and public testimony when making its recommendations for final harvest specifications at the December 2015 Council meeting. NMFS further notified the public that, as required by the FMP and its implementing regulations, the sum of the TACs must be within the OY range of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt. Information contained in the 2015 SAFE reports indicates biomass changes for several groundfish species from the 2014 SAFE reports. The 2015 report was made available for public review during the public comment period for the proposed harvest specifications. At the December 2015 Council meeting, the SSC recommended the 2016 and 2017 ABCs for many species based on the best and most recent information contained in the 2015 SAFE reports. This recommendation resulted in an ABC sum total for all BSAI groundfish species in excess of 2 million mt for both 2016 and 2017. Based on the SSC ABC recommendations and the 2015 SAFE reports, the Council recommends increasing Bering Sea pollock by 30,000 mt in 2016 and 30,643 in 2017. In terms of percentage, the largest increases in TACs were for Bogoslof area pollock and BSAI squid. These increases were to account for higher incidental catch needs than were specified in the proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications. The changes to TAC between the proposed and final harvest specifications are based on the most recent scientific and economic information and are consistent with the FMP, regulatory obligations, and harvest strategy as described in the proposed harvest specifications. These changes are compared in Table 1A. Table 1 lists the Council's recommended final 2016 OFL, ABC, TAC, initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish; and Table 2 lists the Council's recommended final 2017 OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC, and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish. NMFS concurs in these recommendations. The final 2016 and 2017 TAC recommendations for the BSAI are within the OY range established for the BSAI and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group. The apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed below. TABLE 1--Final 2016 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI \1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Species Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pollock \4\............................... BS.......................... 3,910,000 2,090,000 1,340,000 1,206,000 134,000 AI.......................... 39,075 32,227 19,000 17,100 1,900 Bogoslof.................... 31,906 23,850 500 500 0 Pacific cod \5\........................... BS.......................... 390,000 255,000 238,680 213,141 25,539 AI.......................... 23,400 17,600 12,839 11,465 1,374 Sablefish................................. BS.......................... 1,304 1,151 1,151 950 158 AI.......................... 1,766 1,557 1,557 1,265 263 Yellowfin sole............................ BSAI........................ 228,100 211,700 144,000 128,592 15,408 Greenland turbot.......................... BSAI........................ 4,194 3,462 2,873 2,442 n/a BS.......................... n/a 2,673 2,673 2,272 286 AI.......................... n/a 789 200 170 0 Arrowtooth flounder....................... BSAI........................ 94,035 80,701 14,000 11,900 1,498 Kamchatka flounder........................ BSAI........................ 11,100 9,500 5,000 4,250 0 Rock sole................................. BSAI........................ 165,900 161,000 57,100 50,990 6,110 Flathead sole \6\......................... BSAI........................ 79,562 66,250 21,000 18,753 2,247 Alaska plaice............................. BSAI........................ 49,000 41,000 14,500 12,325 0 Other flatfish \7\........................ BSAI........................ 17,414 13,061 2,500 2,125 0 Pacific ocean perch....................... BSAI........................ 40,529 33,320 31,900 28,143 n/a [[Page 14775]] BS.......................... n/a 8,353 8,000 6,800 0 EAI......................... n/a 7,916 7,900 7,055 845 CAI......................... n/a 7,355 7,000 6,251 749 WAI......................... n/a 9,696 9,000 8,037 963 Northern rockfish......................... BSAI........................ 14,689 11,960 4,500 3,825 0 Rougheye rockfish \8\..................... BSAI........................ 693 561 300 255 0 BS/EAI...................... n/a 179 100 85 0 CAI/WAI..................... n/a 382 200 170 0 Shortraker rockfish....................... BSAI........................ 690 518 200 170 0 Other rockfish \9\........................ BSAI........................ 1,667 1,250 875 744 0 BS.......................... n/a 695 325 276 0 AI.......................... n/a 555 550 468 0 Atka mackerel............................. BSAI........................ 104,749 90,340 55,000 49,115 5,885 BS/EAI...................... n/a 30,832 28,500 25,451 3,050 CAI......................... n/a 27,216 16,000 14,288 1,712 WAI......................... n/a 32,292 10,500 9,377 1,124 Skates.................................... BSAI........................ 50,215 42,134 26,000 22,100 0 Sculpins.................................. BSAI........................ 52,365 39,725 4,500 3,825 0 Sharks.................................... BSAI........................ 1,363 1,022 125 106 0 Squids.................................... BSAI........................ 6,912 5,184 1,500 1,275 0 Octopuses................................. BSAI........................ 3,452 2,589 400 340 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL................................. ............................ 5,324,080 3,236,662 2,000,000 1,791,97 197,225 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District. \2\ Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5). \3\ For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland turbot, ``other flatfish,'' Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program. \4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore--50 percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400 mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. \5\ The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 6.4 percent from the Bering Sea subarea ABC to account for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is set less than 27 percent of the Aleutian Islands subarea ABC to account for the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea. \6\ ``Flathead sole'' includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder). \7\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice. \8\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). \9\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian district, CAI = Central Aleutian district, WAI = Western Aleutian district.) Table 1A--Comparison of Final 2016 and 2017 With Proposed 2016 and 2017 Total Allowable Catch in the BSAI [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 2017 2016 2016 percentage 2017 2017 percentage Species Area\1\ 2016 final proposed difference difference 2017 final proposed difference difference TAC TAC from from TAC TAC from from proposed proposed proposed proposed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pollock....................... BS.............. 1,340,000 1,310,000 30,000 2.3 1,340,643 1,310,000 30,643 2.3 AI.............. 19,000 19,000 0 0.0 19,000 19,000 0 0.0 Bogoslof........ 500 100 400 400.0 500 100 400 400.0 Pacific cod................... BS.............. 238,680 240,000 -1,320 -0.5 238,680 240,000 -1,320 -0.5 AI.............. 12,839 9,422 3,417 36.3 12,839 9,422 3,417 36.3 Sablefish..................... BS.............. 1,151 1,211 -60 -5.0 1,052 1,211 -159 -13.1 AI.............. 1,557 1,637 -80 -4.9 1,423 1,637 -214 -13.1 Yellowfin sole................ BSAI............ 144,000 149,000 -5,000 -3.4 144,000 149,000 -5,000 -3.4 Greenland turbot.............. BS.............. 2,673 2,448 225 9.2 2,673 2,448 225 9.2 AI.............. 200 200 0 0.0 200 200 0 0.0 Arrowtooth flounder........... BSAI............ 14,000 22,000 -8,000 -36.4 14,000 22,000 -8,000 -36.4 [[Page 14776]] Kamchatka flounder............ BSAI............ 5,000 6,500 -1,500 -23.1 5,000 6,500 -1,500 -23.1 Rock sole..................... BSAI............ 57,100 69,250 -12,150 -17.5 57,100 69,250 -12,150 -17.5 Flathead sole................. BSAI............ 21,000 24,250 -3,250 -13.4 21,000 24,250 -3,250 -13.4 Alaska plaice................. BSAI............ 14,500 18,500 -4,000 -21.6 14,500 18,500 -4,000 -21.6 Other flatfish................ BSAI............ 2,500 3,620 -1,120 -30.9 2,500 3,620 -1,120 -30.9 Pacific ocean perch........... BS.............. 8,000 8,021 -21 -0.3 7,953 8,021 -68 -0.8 EAI............. 7,900 7,970 -70 -0.9 7,537 7,970 -433 -5.4 CAI............. 7,000 7,000 0 0.0 7,000 7,000 0 0.0 WAI............. 9,000 9,000 0 0.0 9,000 9,000 0 0.0 Northern rockfish............. BSAI............ 4,500 3,250 1,250 38.5 4,500 3,250 1,250 38.5 Rougheye rockfish............. BS/EAI.......... 100 149 -49 -32.9 100 149 -49 -32.9 CAI/WAI......... 200 200 0 0.0 200 200 0 0.0 Shortraker rockfish........... BSAI............ 200 250 -50 -20.0 200 250 -50 -20.0 Other rockfish................ BS.............. 325 325 0 0.0 325 325 0 0.0 AI.............. 550 555 -5 -0.9 550 555 -5 -0.9 Atka mackerel................. EAI/BS.......... 28,500 27,317 1,183 4.3 28,500 27,317 1,183 4.3 CAI............. 16,000 17,000 -1,000 -5.9 16,000 17,000 -1,000 -5.9 WAI............. 10,500 10,500 0 0.0 10,500 10,500 0 0.0 Skates........................ BSAI............ 26,000 25,700 300 1.2 26,000 25,700 300 1.2 Sculpins...................... BSAI............ 4,500 4,700 -200 -4.3 4,500 4,700 -200 -4.3 Sharks........................ BSAI............ 125 125 0 0.0 125 125 0 0.0 Squid......................... BSAI............ 1,500 400 1,100 275.0 1,500 400 1,100 275.0 Octopuses..................... BSAI............ 400 400 0 0.0 400 400 0 0.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL..................... BSAI............ 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 0.0 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 0.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI), Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI). Table 2--Final 2017 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI \1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 Species Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pollock \4\............................... BS.......................... 3,540,000 2,019,000 1,340,643 1,206,579 134,064 AI.......................... 44,455 36,664 19,000 17,100 1,900 Bogoslof.................... 31,906 23,850 500 500 0 Pacific cod \5\........................... BS.......................... 412,000 255,000 238,680 213,141 25,539 AI.......................... 23,400 17,600 12,839 11,465 1,374 Sablefish................................. BS.......................... 1,241 1,052 1,052 447 39 AI.......................... 1,681 1,423 1,423 302 27 Yellowfin sole............................ BSAI........................ 219,200 203,500 144,000 128,592 15,408 Greenland turbot.......................... BSAI........................ 7,416 6,132 2,873 2,442 n/a BS.......................... n/a 4,734 2,673 2,272 286 AI.......................... n/a 1,398 200 170 0 Arrowtooth flounder....................... BSAI........................ 84,156 72,216 14,000 11,900 1,498 Kamchatka flounder........................ BSAI........................ 11,700 10,000 5,000 4,250 0 Rock sole................................. BSAI........................ 149,400 145,000 57,100 50,990 6,110 Flathead sole \6\......................... BSAI........................ 77,544 64,580 21,000 18,753 2,247 Alaska plaice............................. BSAI........................ 46,800 39,100 14,500 12,325 0 Other flatfish \7\........................ BSAI........................ 17,414 13,061 2,500 2,125 0 Pacific ocean perch....................... BSAI........................ 38,589 31,724 31,490 27,779 n/a BS.......................... n/a 7,953 7,953 6,760 0 EAI......................... n/a 7,537 7,537 6,731 806 CAI......................... n/a 7,002 7,000 6,251 749 WAI......................... n/a 9,232 9,000 8,037 963 Northern rockfish......................... BSAI........................ 14,085 11,468 4,500 3,825 0 Rougheye rockfish \8\..................... BSAI........................ 855 694 300 255 0 EBS/EAI..................... n/a 216 100 85 0 CAI/WAI..................... n/a 478 200 170 0 Shortraker rockfish....................... BSAI........................ 690 518 200 170 0 Other rockfish \9\........................ BSAI........................ 1,667 1,250 875 744 0 BS.......................... n/a 695 325 276 0 AI.......................... n/a 555 550 468 0 Atka mackerel............................. BSAI........................ 99,490 85,840 55,000 49,115 5,885 EAI/BS...................... n/a 29,296 28,500 25,451 3,050 CAI......................... n/a 25,860 16,000 14,288 1,712 [[Page 14777]] WAI......................... n/a 30,684 10,500 9,377 1,124 Skates.................................... BSAI........................ 47,674 39,943 26,000 22,100 0 Sculpins.................................. BSAI........................ 52,365 39,725 4,500 3,825 0 Sharks.................................... BSAI........................ 1,363 1,022 125 106 0 Squids.................................... BSAI........................ 6,912 5,184 1,500 1,275 0 Octopuses................................. BSAI........................ 3,452 2,589 400 340 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL................................. ............................ 4,935,455 3,128,135 2,000,000 1,790,446 196,895 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District. \2\ Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5). \3\ For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland turbot, ``other flatfish,'' Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program. \4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: Inshore--50 percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400 mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. \5\ The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 6.4 percent from the Bering Sea subarea ABC to account for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is set less than 27 percent of the Aleutian Islands subarea ABC to account for the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea. \6\ ``Flathead sole'' includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder). \7\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice. \8\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). \9\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian district, CAI = Central Aleutian district, WAI = Western Aleutian district.) Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS to reserve 15 percent of the TAC for each target species, except for pollock, hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, in a non- specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS allocate 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish for the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that NMFS allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7 percent of the Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to the respective CDQ reserves. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that NMFS allocate 10.7 percent of the TAC for Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the CDQ reserves. Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also require that 10 percent of the BSAI pollock TACs be allocated to the pollock CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is allocated as an ICA (see Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not further apportion the CDQ allocations by gear. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a pollock ICA of 4.0 percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2000 through 2015. During this 16-year period, the pollock incidental catch ranged from a low of 2.4 percent in 2006 to a high of 4.8 percent in 2014, with a 16- year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of 2,400 mt of the AI subarea TAC after subtracting the 10-percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2003 through 2015. During this 13-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of 17 percent in 2014, with a 13-year average of 8 percent. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS allocates ICAs of 5,000 mt of flathead sole, 6,000 mt of rock sole, 3,500 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of WAI Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of CAI Pacific ocean perch, 200 mt of EAI Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of WAI Atka mackerel, 75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel, and 1,000 mt of EAI and BS subarea Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the 10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICA allowances are based on NMFS' examination of the incidental catch in other target fisheries from 2003 through 2015. The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be apportioned to a target species category that contributed to the non- specified [[Page 14778]] reserves during the year, provided that such apportionments do not result in overfishing (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The Regional Administrator has determined that the ITACs specified for the species listed in Table 1 need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve because U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is apportioning the amounts shown in Table 3 from the non-specified reserve to increase the ITAC for shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,'' sharks, and octopuses by 15 percent of the TAC in 2016 and 2017. Table 3--Final 2016 and 2017 Apportionment of Reserves to ITAC Categories [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 reserve 2016 final 2017 reserve 2017 final Species-area or subarea 2016 ITAC amount ITAC 2017 ITAC amount ITAC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shortraker rockfish-BSAI................................ 170 30 200 170 30 200 Rougheye rockfish-BS/EAI................................ 85 15 100 85 15 100 Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI............................... 170 30 200 170 30 200 Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea....................... 276 49 325 276 49 325 Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea................. 468 82 550 468 82 550 Sharks.................................................. 106 19 125 106 19 125 Octopuses............................................... 340 60 400 340 60 400 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total............................................... 1,615 285 1,900 1,615 285 1,900 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the BS subarea pollock TAC be apportioned, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and 4.0 percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows: 50 percent to the inshore sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor (C/P) sector, and 10 percent to the mothership sector. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10), and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1) (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining in the AI subarea after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and 2,400 mt for the ICA (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI subarea, the total A season apportionment of the TAC is less than or equal to 40 percent of the ABC and the remainder of the TAC is allocated to the B season. Tables 4 and 5 list these 2016 and 2017 amounts. The Steller sea lion protection measure final rule (79 FR 70286, November 25, 2014) sets harvest limits for pollock in the A season (January 20 to June 10) in Areas 543, 542, and 541, see Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6). In Area 543, the A season pollock harvest limit is no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. In Area 542, the A season pollock harvest limit is no more than 15 percent of the Aleutian Islands ABC. In Area 541, the A season pollock harvest limit is no more than 30 percent of the Aleutian Islands ABC. Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific requirements regarding BS subarea pollock allocations. First, it requires that 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector be available for harvest by AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P sector endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative contract that allows the distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps and AFA CVs in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not listed in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector. Tables 4 and 5 list the 2016 and 2017 allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 21 through 26 list the AFA C/P and CV harvesting sideboard limits. The tables for the pollock allocations to the BS subarea inshore pollock cooperatives and open access sector will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Tables 4 and 5 also list seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest within the SCA, as defined at Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no more than 28 percent of the annual DFA before 12:00 noon, April 1, as provided in Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season pollock SCA harvest limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's allocated percentage of the DFA. Tables 4 and 5 list these 2016 and 2017 amounts by sector. TABLE 4--Final 2016 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA)\1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 A season\1\ 2016 B season\1\ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Area and sector 2016 Allocations SCA Harvest limit A season DFA \2\ B season DFA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\...................................... 1,340,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA......................................................... 134,000 53,600 37,520 80,400 ICA \1\......................................................... 48,240 n/a n/a n/a AFA Inshore..................................................... 578,880 231,552 162,086 347,328 AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................................... 463,104 185,242 129,669 277,862 Catch by C/Ps............................................... 423,740 169,496 n/a 254,244 Catch by CVs \3\............................................ 39,364 15,746 n/a 23,618 Unlisted C/P Limit \4\...................................... 2,316 926 n/a 1,389 AFA Motherships................................................. 115,776 46,310 32,417 69,466 [[Page 14779]] Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................................. 202,608 n/a n/a n/a Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................................. 347,328 n/a n/a n/a Total Bering Sea DFA............................................ 1,157,760 463,104 324,173 694,656 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aleutian Islands subarea ABC.................................... 32,227 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................................ 19,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA......................................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140 ICA............................................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200 Aleut Corporation............................................... 14,700 10,931 n/a 3,769 Area harvest limit \7\ 541......................................................... 9,668 n/a n/a n/a 542......................................................... 4,834 n/a n/a n/a 543......................................................... 1,611 n/a n/a n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bogoslof District ICA \8\....................................... 500 n/a n/a n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery. \2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. \3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors. \4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock. \5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. \6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. \7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. \8\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 5-Final 2017 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 A season \1\ 2017 B season \1\ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Area and sector 2017 Allocations SCA Harvest limit A season DFA \2\ B season DFA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\...................................... 1,340,643 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA......................................................... 134,064 53,626 37,538 80,439 ICA \1\......................................................... 48,263 n/a n/a n/a AFA Inshore..................................................... 579,158 231,663 162,164 347,495 AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................................... 463,326 185,330 129,731 277,996 Catch by C/Ps............................................... 423,943 169,577 n/a 254,366 Catch by CVs \3\............................................ 39,383 15,753 n/a 23,630 Unlisted C/P Limit \4\...................................... 2,317 927 n/a 1,390 AFA Motherships................................................. 115,832 46,333 32,433 69,499 Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................................. 202,705 n/a n/a n/a Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................................. 347,495 n/a n/a n/a Total Bering Sea DFA............................................ 1,158,316 463,326 324,328 694,989 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aleutian Islands subarea ABC.................................... 36,664 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................................ 19,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA......................................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140 ICA............................................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200 Aleut Corporation............................................... 14,700 12,706 n/a 1,994 Area harvest limit \7\ 541......................................................... 10,999 n/a n/a n/a 542......................................................... 5,500 n/a n/a n/a 543......................................................... 1,833 n/a n/a n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 14780]] Bogoslof District ICA \8\....................................... 500 n/a n/a n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery. \2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. \4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock. \5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. \6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. \7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. \8\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and non-trawl gear sector (Tables 6 and 7). The percentage of the ITAC for Atka mackerel allocated to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is listed in Table 33 to part 679 and in Sec. 679.91. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the EAI and the BS subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be allocated to vessels using jig gear. The percent of this allocation is recommended annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council recommended, and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in the EAI and BS subarea to the jig gear sector in 2015 and 2016. This percentage is applied to the Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC into two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20 through June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June 10 through December 31 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. The ICA and jig gear allocations are not apportioned by season. Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and (ii) limit Atka mackerel catch within waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller sea lion sites listed in Table 6 to this part and located west of 178[deg] W longitude to no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543, and equally divide the annual TAC between the A and B seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3). Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires that the annual TAC in Area 543 will be no more than 65 percent of the ABC in Area 543. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(D) requires that any unharvested Atka mackerel A season allowance that is added to the B season be prohibited from being harvested within waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller sea lion sites listed in Table 6 to this part and located in Areas 541, 542, and 543. Tables 6 and 7 list these 2016 and 2017 Atka mackerel seasons, area allowances, and the sector allocations. The 2017 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. Table 6--Final 2016 Seasonal and Spatial Allowance, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance and Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Allocation by area -------------------------------------- Eastern Central Sector \1\ Season \2\ \3\ \4\ Aleutian Aleutian Western District/ District Aleutian Bering Sea \5\ District ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAC....................................... n/a.......................... 28,500 16,000 10,500 CDQ reserve............................... Total........................ 3,050 1,712 1,124 A............................ 1,525 856 562 Critical Habitat............. n/a 514 337 B............................ 1,525 856 562 Critical Habitat............. n/a 514 337 ICA....................................... Total........................ 1,000 75 40 Jig \6\................................... Total........................ 122 0 0 [[Page 14781]] BSAI trawl limited access................. Total........................ 2,433 1,421 0 A............................ 1,216 711 0 Critical Habitat............. n/a 426 0 B............................ 1,216 711 0 Critical Habitat............. n/a 426 0 Amendment 80 sectors...................... Total........................ 21,895 12,792 9,337 A............................ 10,948 6,396 4,668 B............................ 10,948 6,396 4,668 Alaska Groundfish Cooperative............. Total \6\.................... 12,349 7,615 5,742 A............................ 6,175 3,808 2,871 Critical Habitat............. n/a 2,285 1,723 B............................ 6,175 3,808 2,871 Critical Habitat............. n/a 2,285 1,723 Alaska Seafood Cooperative................ Total \6\.................... 9,546 5,177 3,595 A............................ 4,773 2,589 1,798 Critical Habitat............. n/a 1,553 1,079 B............................ 4,773 2,589 1,798 Habitat..................... n/a 1,553 1,079 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). \2\ Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. \3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. \4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31. \5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC. \6\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 7--Final 2017 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and Amendment 80 Allocation of the BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 Allocation by area ----------------------------------------------- Eastern Sector \1\ Season \2\ \3\ \4\ Aleutian Central Western District/ Aleutian Aleutian Bering Sea \5\ District \5\ District \5\ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAC................................... n/a..................... 28,500 16,000 10,500 CDQ reserve........................... Total................... 3,050 1,712 1,124 A....................... 1,525 856 562 Critical Habitat........ n/a 514 337 B....................... 1,525 856 562 Critical Habitat........ n/a 514 337 ICA................................... Total................... 1,000 75 40 Jig \6\............................... Total................... 122 0 0 BSAI trawl limited access............. Total................... 2,433 1,421 0 A....................... 1,216 711 0 Critical Habitat........ n/a 426 0 B....................... 1,216 711 0 Critical Habitat........ n/a 426 0 Amendment 80 sectors \7\.............. Total................... 21,895 12,792 9,337 A....................... 10,948 6,396 4,668 B....................... 10,948 6,396 4,668 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). \2\ Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. \3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. [[Page 14782]] \4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31. \5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habitat; (a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC. \6\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season. \7\ The 2017 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. NMFS will post 2017 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2016. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC The Council separated BS and AI subarea OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for Pacific cod in 2014 (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) allocates 10.7 percent of the BS TAC and AI TAC to the CDQ program. After CDQ allocations have been deducted from the respective BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, the remaining BS and AI Pacific cod TACs are combined for calculating further BSAI Pacific cod sector allocations. However, if the non-CDQ Pacific cod TAC is or will be reached in either the BS or AI subareas, NMFS will prohibit non-CDQ directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea as provided in Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii). Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) allocate the Pacific cod TAC in the combined BSAI TAC, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ program, as follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear; 2.0 percent to hook-and-line and pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA); 0.2 percent to hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and-line C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 percent to pot C/Ps; 2.3 percent to AFA trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA trawl C/Ps; and 22.1 percent to trawl CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2016 and 2017, the Regional Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 mt based on anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in other fisheries. The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to disperse the Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7) and 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod allowance will become available at the beginning of the next seasonal allowance. Section 679.20(a)(7)(vii) requires the Regional Administrator to establish an Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit based on Pacific cod abundance in Area 543. Based on the 2015 stock assessment, the Regional Administrator determined the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit to be 26.3 percent of the AI Pacific cod TAC for 2016 and 2017. NMFS will first subtract the State GHL Pacific cod amount from the AI Pacific cod ABC. Then NMFS will determine the harvest limit in Area 543 by multiplying the percentage of Pacific cod estimated in Area 543 by the remaining ABC for AI Pacific cod. Based on these calculations, the Area 543 harvest limit is 3,379 mt. The CDQ and non-CDQ season allowances by gear based on the 2016 and 2017 Pacific cod TACs are listed in Tables 8 and 9, and are based on the sector allocation percentages of Pacific cod set forth at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A) and the seasonal allowances of Pacific cod set forth at Sec. 679.23(e)(5). Table 8--Final 2016 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Seasonal apportionment Gear sector Percent 2016 Share of gear 2016 Share of sector --------------------------------------------- sector total total Seasons Amount -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BS TAC............................. n/a................... 238,680............... n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a BS CDQ............................. n/a................... 25,539................ n/a.................. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B). BS non-CDQ TAC..................... n/a................... 213,141............... n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a AI TAC............................. n/a................... 12,839................ n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a AI CDQ............................. n/a................... 1,374................. n/a.................. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B). AI non-CDQ TAC..................... n/a................... 11,465................ n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a Western Aleutian Island Limit...... n/a................... 3,379................. n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC \1\......... 100................... 224,606............... n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a Total hook-and-line/pot gear....... 60.8.................. 136,561............... n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a Hook-and-line/pot ICA \2\.......... n/a................... 500................... n/a.................. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B). Hook-and-line/pot sub-total........ n/a................... 136,061............... n/a.................. n/a.................. n/a Hook-and-line catcher/processor.... 48.7.................. n/a................... 108,983.............. Jan 1-Jun 10......... 55,581 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Dec 31........ 53,402 Hook-and-line catcher vessel >= 60 0.2................... n/a................... 448.................. Jan 1-Jun 10......... 228 ft LOA. ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Dec 31........ 219 Pot catcher/processor.............. 1.5................... n/a................... 3,357................ Jan 1-Jun 10......... 1,712 ...................... ...................... ..................... Sept 1-Dec 31........ 1,645 Pot catcher vessel >= 60 ft LOA.... 8.4................... n/a................... 18,798............... Jan 1-Jun 10......... 9,587 ...................... ...................... ..................... Sept 1-Dec 31........ 9,211 Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using 2..................... n/a................... 4,476................ n/a.................. n/a hook-and-line or pot gear. Trawl catcher vessel............... 22.1.................. 49,638................ n/a.................. Jan 20-Apr 1......... 36,732 [[Page 14783]] ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 1-Jun 10......... 5,460 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Nov 1......... 7,446 AFA trawl catcher/processor........ 2.3................... 5,166................. n/a.................. Jan 20-Apr 1......... 3,874 ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 1-Jun 10......... 1,291 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Nov 1......... 0 Amendment 80....................... 13.4.................. 30,097................ n/a.................. Jan 20-Apr 1......... 22,573 ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 1-Jun 10......... 7,524 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Nov 1......... 0 Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...... n/a................... n/a................... 4,751................ Jan 20-Apr 1......... 3,563 ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 1-Jun 10......... 1,188 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Dec 31........ 0 Alaska Seafood Cooperative......... n/a................... n/a................... 25,346............... Jan 20-Apr 1......... 19,010 ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 1-Jun 10......... 6,337 ...................... ...................... ..................... Jun 10-Dec 31........ 0 Jig................................ 1.4................... 3,144................. n/a.................. Jan 1-Apr 30......... 1,887 ...................... ...................... ..................... Apr 30-Aug 31........ 629 ...................... ...................... ..................... Aug 31-Dec 31........ 629 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains. \2\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2016 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 9--Final 2017 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 Share 2017 Seasonal apportionment of gear 2017 Share of --------------------------------- Gear sector Percent sector sector total total Seasons Amount ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BS TAC....................... n/a............. 238,680 n/a............. n/a............ n/a BS CDQ....................... n/a............. 25,539 n/a............. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(i )(B). BS non-CDQ TAC............... n/a............. 213,141 n/a............. n/a............ n/a AI TAC....................... n/a............. 12,839 n/a............. n/a............ n/a AI CDQ....................... n/a............. 1,374 n/a............. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(i )(B). AI non-CDQ TAC............... n/a............. 11,465 n/a............. n/a............ n/a Western Aleutian Island Limit n/a............. 3,379 n/a............. n/a............ n/a Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC \1\... n/a............. 224,606 n/a............. n/a............ n/a Total hook-and-line/pot gear. 60.8............ 136,561 n/a............. n/a............ n/a Hook-and-line/pot ICA \2\.... n/a............. 500 n/a............. see Sec. n/a 679.20(a)(7)(i i)(B). Hook-and-line/pot sub-total.. n/a............. 136,061 n/a............. n/a............ n/a Hook-and-line catcher/ 48.7............ n/a 108,983......... Jan 1-Jun 10... 55,581 processor. ................ ........... ................ Jun 10-Dec 31.. 53,402 Hook-and-line catcher vessel 0.2............. n/a 448............. Jan 1-Jun 10... 228 >= 60 ft LOA. ................ ........... ................ Jun 10-Dec 31.. 219 Pot catcher/processor........ 1.5............. n/a 3,357........... Jan 1-Jun 10... 1,712 ................ ........... ................ Sept 1-Dec 31.. 1,645 Pot catcher vessel >= 60 ft 8.4............. n/a 18,798.......... Jan 1-Jun 10... 9,587 LOA. ................ ........... ................ Sept 1-Dec 31.. 9,211 Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA 2............... n/a 4,476........... n/a............ n/a using hook-and-line or pot gear. Trawl catcher vessel......... 22.1............ 49,638 n/a............. Jan 20-Apr 1... 36,732 ................ ........... ................ Apr 1-Jun 10... 5,460 ................ ........... ................ Jun 10-Nov 1... 7,446 AFA trawl catcher/processor.. 2.3............. 5,166 n/a............. Jan 20-Apr 1... 3,874 ................ ........... ................ Apr 1-Jun 10... 1,291 ................ ........... ................ Jun 10-Nov 1... 0 Amendment 80................. 13.4............ 30,097 n/a............. Jan 20-Apr 1... 22,573 ................ ........... ................ Apr 1-Jun 10... 7,524 ................ ........... ................ Jun 10-Dec 31.. 0 Jig.......................... 1.4............. 3,144 n/a............. Jan 1-Apr 30... 1,887 ................ ........... ................ Apr 30-Aug 31.. 629 ................ ........... ................ Aug 31-Dec 31.. 629 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains. [[Page 14784]] \2\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2017 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Sablefish Gear Allocation Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require allocation of the sablefish TAC for the BS and AI subareas between trawl and hook-and- line or pot gear sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for the BS subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for the AI subarea are 25 percent for trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to apportion 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish to the CDQ reserve. Additionally, Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) requires that 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish from the non- specified reserves, established under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ reserve. The Council recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be established biennially. The harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear and pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fisheries will be limited to the 2016 fishing year to ensure those fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain closed at the beginning of each fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 10 lists the 2016 and 2017 gear allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts. Table 10--Final 2016 and 2017 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACS [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent of 2016 Share 2016 CDQ 2017 Share 2017 CDQ Subarea and gear TAC of TAC 2016 ITAC Reserve of TAC 2017 ITAC Reserve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bering Sea: Trawl \1\................................................ 50 576 489 43 526 447 39 Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\............................... 50 576 460 115 n/a n/a n/a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total................................................ 100 1,151 950 158 526 447 39 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aleutian Islands: Trawl \1\................................................ 25 389 331 29 356 302 27 Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\............................... 75 1,168 934 234 n/a n/a n/a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total................................................ 100 1,557 1,265 263 356 302 27 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC after the subtracting these reserves. \2\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TAC between the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve and an ICA for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl gear. The allocation of the ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector is established in accordance with Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. Tables 11 and 12 list the 2016 and 2017 allocations of the AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs. Table 11--Final 2016 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACS [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock sole Yellowfin --------------------------------------- sole ------------- sole Sector Eastern Central Western ------------- ------------ Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI District District District BSAI BSAI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAC............................... 7,900 7,000 9,000 21,000 57,100 144,000 CDQ............................... 845 749 963 2,247 6,110 15,408 ICA............................... 200 75 10 5,000 6,000 3,500 BSAI trawl limited access......... 685 618 161 0 0 14,979 Amendment 80...................... 6,169 5,558 7,866 13,753 44,990 110,113 Alaska Groundfish Cooperative..... 3,271 2,947 4,171 1,411 11,129 43,748 [[Page 14785]] Alaska Seafood Cooperative........ 2,898 2,611 3,695 12,342 33,861 66,365 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 12--Final 2017 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACS [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock sole Yellowfin --------------------------------------- sole ------------- sole Sector Eastern Central Western ------------- ------------ Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI District District District BSAI BSAI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAC............................... 7,537 7,002 9,000 21,000 57,100 144,000 CDQ............................... 806 749 963 2,247 6,110 15,408 ICA............................... 200 75 10 5,000 6,000 3,500 BSAI trawl limited access......... 653 618 161 0 0 14,979 Amendment 80 \1\.................. 5,877 5,560 7,866 13,753 44,990 110,113 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. NMFS will publish 2017 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2016. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Section 679.2 defines the ABC surplus for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole as the difference between the annual ABC and TAC for each species. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii) establishes ABC reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The ABC surpluses and the ABC reserves are necessary to mitigate the operational variability, environmental conditions, and economic factors that may constrain the CDQ groups and the Amendment 80 cooperatives from achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS, after consultation with the Council, may set the ABC reserve at or below the ABC surplus for each species thus maintaining the TAC below ABC limits. An amount equal to 10.7 percent of the ABC reserves will be allocated as CDQ reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The Amendment 80 ABC reserves shall be the ABC reserves minus the CDQ ABC reserves. Section 679.91(i)(2) establishes each Amendment 80 cooperative ABC reserve to be the ratio of each cooperatives' quota share units and the total Amendment 80 quota share units, multiplied by the Amendment 80 ABC reserve for each respective species. Table 13 lists the 2016 and 2017 ABC surplus and ABC reserves for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. Table 13--Final 2016 and 2017 ABC Surplus, Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI for Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Flathead 2016 Yellowfin 2017 Flathead 2017 Yellowfin Sector sole 2016 Rock sole sole sole 2017 Rock sole sole -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABC..................................................... 66,250 161,100 211,700 64,580 145,000 203,500 TAC..................................................... 21,000 57,100 144,000 21,000 57,100 144,000 ABC surplus............................................. 45,250 104,000 67,700 43,580 87,900 59,500 ABC reserve............................................. 45,250 104,000 67,700 43,580 87,900 59,500 CDQ ABC reserve......................................... 4,842 11,128 7,244 4,663 9,405 6,367 Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................ 40,408 92,872 60,456 38,917 78,495 53,134 Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2016 \1\.............. 4,145 22,974 24,019 n/a n/a n/a Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 \1\................. 36,263 69,898 36,437 n/a n/a n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. [[Page 14786]] PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Reductions to the BSAI halibut PSC limits are expected to be implemented in 2016, pending Secretarial approval of Amendment 111 and the effective date of publication of a final rule. On implementation of the reductions, the 2016 and 2017 halibut PSC limits under this action will be superseded by Amendment 111 and reduced. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(2), the 2016 and 2017 BSAI halibut mortality limits are 3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl fisheries. Sections 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocate 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the non- trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes apportioning the non-trawl halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances among six fishery categories. Tables 15 and 16 list the fishery bycatch allowances for the trawl fisheries, and Table 17 lists the fishery bycatch allowances for the non-trawl fisheries. Pursuant to Section 3.6 of the FMP, the Council recommends, and NMFS agrees, that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, after consulting with the Council, NMFS exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook- and-line gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for the following reasons: (1) The pot gear fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig gear fleet to be negligible because of the small size of the fishery and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the IFQ program requires legal-size halibut to be retained by vessels using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is holding unused halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). In 2015, total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was approximately 38,149 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality of about 3 mt. The 2015 jig gear fishery harvested about 29 mt of groundfish. Most vessels in the jig gear fleet are exempt from observer coverage requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, as mentioned above, NMFS estimates the jig gear sector will have a negligible amount of halibut bycatch mortality because of the selective nature of jig gear and the low mortality rate of halibut caught with jig gear and released. Section 679.21(f)(2) annually allocates portions of either 47,591 or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limits among the AFA sectors, depending on past catch performance and on whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements are formed. If an AFA sector participates in an approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that sector as specified in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its performance standard under Sec. 679.21(f)(6), then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector, as specified in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2016, the Chinook salmon PSC limit is 60,000 and the AFA sector Chinook salmon allocations are seasonally allocated with 70 percent of the allocation for the A season pollock fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation for the B season pollock fishery as stated in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for these PSC limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing management measures for Amendment 91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010). NMFS publishes the approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements, 2016 allocations, and reports at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm when they become available. Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700 fish as the 2016 and 2017 Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i) allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, to the AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2016 and 2017 non-Chinook salmon PSC limit in the Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent, or 4,494 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSC limit for the non-CDQ fisheries. PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance and spawning biomass. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1) allocates 10.7 percent from each trawl gear PSC limit specified for crab as a PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. Based on the 2015 survey data, the red king crab mature female abundance is estimated to be at 18.6 million red king crabs, which is above the threshold of 8.4 million red king crabs, and the effective spawning biomass is estimated at 46.5 million lbs (21,092 mt). Based on the criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i), the 2016 and 2017 PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals. This limit derives from the mature female abundance of more than 8.4 million king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate of less than 55 million lb (24,948 mt). Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2) establishes criteria under which NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS red king crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit, based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red king crab bycatch. In December 2015, the Council recommended and NMFS concurs that the red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit within the RKCSS (Table 15). Based on 2015 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) abundance is estimated at 329 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2016 and 2017 C. bairdi crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 830,000 animals in Zone 1, and 2,520,000 animals in Zone 2. In Zone 1, C. bairdi abundance was estimated to be greater than 270 million and less than 400 million animals. In Zone 2, C. bairdi abundance was estimated to be greater than 290 million animals and less than 400 million animals. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for snow crab (C. opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133 percent of the BS abundance index minus 150,000 crab. Based on the 2015 survey estimate of 4.288 billion animals, the calculated C. opilio crab PSC limit is 4,708,314 animals. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1 percent of the annual eastern BS herring biomass. The best estimate of 2016 and 2017 herring biomass is 263,098 mt. This amount was developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game based on spawning location estimates. Therefore, the herring PSC limit for 2016 and 2017 is [[Page 14787]] 2,361 mt for all trawl gear as listed in Tables 14 and 15. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A) requires PSQ reserves to be subtracted from the total trawl PSC limits. The 2015 PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are specified in Table 35 to part 679. The resulting allocations of PSC limit to CDQ PSQ, the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access fisheries are listed in Table 10. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and Sec. 679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 sector are then further allocated to Amendment 80 cooperatives as PSC cooperative quota as listed in Table 18. PSC cooperative quota assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives is not allocated to specific fishery categories. In 2016, there are no vessels in the Amendment 80 limited access sector. The 2017 PSC allocations between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(B) requires NMFS to apportion each trawl PSC limit not assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives into PSC bycatch allowances for seven specified fishery categories. Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consulting with the Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts for the BSAI trawl limited access and Amendment 80 limited access sectors in order to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered are (1) seasonal distribution of prohibited species, (2) seasonal distribution of target groundfish species, (3) PSC bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass, (4) expected variations in bycatch rates throughout the year, (5) expected start of fishing effort, and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments on industry sectors. The Council recommended and NMFS approves the seasonal PSC apportionments in Tables 15 and 16 to maximize harvest among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of PSC based on the above criteria. Table 14--Final 2016 and 2017 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, The Cdq Program, Amendment 80, and the Bsai Trawl Limited Access Sectors -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Non-trawl Non-trawl PSC PSC Trawl PSC Amendment BSAI trawl PSC species and area\1\ remaining remaining Total trawl remaining CDQ PSQ 80 limited after CDQ after CDQ PSC after CDQ reserve\2\ sector\3\ access PSQ\2\ PSQ\2\ PSQ\2\ fishery -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI.................................. 900 832 3,675 3,349 393 2,325 875 Herring (mt) BSAI............................................ n/a n/a 2,631 n/a n/a n/a n/a Red king crab (animals) Zone 1............................... n/a n/a 97,000 86,621 10,379 43,293 26,489 C. opilio (animals) COBLZ.................................... n/a n/a 4,708,314 4,204,524 503,790 2,066,524 1,351,334 C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1.............................. n/a n/a 830,000 741,190 88,810 312,115 348,285 C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2.............................. n/a n/a 2,520,000 2,250,360 269,640 532,660 1,053,394 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones. \2\ Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and Sec. 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of each crab PSC limit. \3\ The Amendment 80 program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits by 150 mt for halibut mortality and 20 percent for crab. These reductions are not apportioned to other gear types or sectors. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 15--Final 2016 and 2017 Herring and Red King Crab Savings Subarea Prohibited Species Catch Allowances for All Trawl Sectors ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red king Herring crab Fishery Categories (mt) BSAI (animals) Zone 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yellowfin sole................................ 179 n/a Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \1\.... 29 n/a Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka 19 n/a flounder/sablefish........................... Rockfish...................................... 13 n/a Pacific cod................................... 40 n/a Midwater trawl pollock........................ 2,151 n/a Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species \2,3\..... 199 n/a Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic n/a 24,250 trawl gear \4\............................... ------------------------- Total trawl PSC........................... 2,631 97,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. \2\ Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ``other species'' fishery category. \3\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. \4\ In December 2015 the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be limited to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance (see Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)). Note: Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. [[Page 14788]] Table 16--Final 2016 and 2017 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sector ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prohibited species and area \1\ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Red king C. bairdi (animals) BSAI trawl limited access fisheries Halibut crab C. opilio ------------------------- mortality (animals) (animals) (mt) BSAI Zone 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yellowfin sole................................. 167 23,338 1,273,886 293,234 1,005,879 Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \2\..... 0 0 0 0 0 Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka 0 0 0 0 0 flounder/sablefish............................ Rockfish April 15-December 31.................. 5 0 2,104 0 849 Pacific cod.................................... 453 2,954 54,298 50,816 42,424 Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species \3\........ 250 197 21,046 4,235 4,242 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC........ 875 26,489 1,351,334 348,285 1,053,394 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas. \2\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. \3\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 17--Final 2016 and 2017 Halibut Prohibited Species by Catch Allowances for Non-Trawl Fisheries [Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catcher/ Catcher Non-trawl fisheries Seasons processor vessel All Non-Trawl ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific cod........................ Total Pacific cod..... 760 15 n/a January 1-June 10..... 455 10 n/a June 10-August 15..... 190 3 n/a August 15-December 31. 115 2 n/a Non-Pacific cod non-trawl-Total.... May 1-December 31..... n/a n/a 58 Groundfish pot and jig............. n/a................... n/a n/a Exempt. Sablefish hook-and-line............ n/a................... n/a n/a Exempt. ---------------------------------------------------- Total for all non-trawl PSC.... n/a................... n/a n/a 833 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Table 18--Final 2016 Prohibited Species by Catch Allowance for the BSAI Amendment 80 Cooperatives ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prohibited species and zones \1\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cooperative Halibut Red king crab C. opilio C. bairdi (animals) mortality (mt) (animals) (animals) ------------------------------- BSAI Zone 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska Groundfish Cooperative... 632 12,459 650,551 82,136 137,369 Alaska Seafood Cooperative...... 1,693 30,834 1,415,973 229,979 395,291 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR) To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, DMRs, and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. The DMRs are based on the best information available, including information contained in the annual SAFE report. NMFS is implementing the halibut DMRs developed and recommended by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the Council for the 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish fisheries for use in monitoring the 2016 and 2017 halibut bycatch allowances (see Tables 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18). The IPHC and the Council developed these DMRs for the 2016 and 2017 BSAI fisheries using the 10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries. Long-term average DMRs were not available for some fisheries, so rates from the most recent years were used. For the skate, sculpin, shark, squid, and octopus target fisheries, where not enough halibut mortality data are available, the mortality rate of halibut caught in the Pacific cod fishery for that gear type was recommended as a default rate. The IPHC and Council staff will analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a fishery DMR shows large variation from the mean. A discussion of the DMRs and how they are established is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 19 lists the 2016 and 2017 DMRs. [[Page 14789]] Table 19--Final 2016 and 2017 Pacific Halibut Discard Mortality Rates for the BSAI ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Halibut discard Gear Fishery mortality rate (percent) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-CDQ hook-and-line............. Greenland turbot.... 11 Other species.\1\... 9 Pacific cod......... 9 Rockfish............ 9 Non-CDQ trawl..................... Alaska plaice....... 66 Arrowtooth flounder. 84 Atka mackerel....... 82 Flathead sole....... 72 Greenland turbot.... 82 Kamchatka flounder.. 84 Non-pelagic pollock. 81 Pelagic pollock..... 88 Other flatfish \2\.. 63 Other species.\1\... 66 Pacific cod......... 66 Rockfish............ 83 Rock sole........... 86 Sablefish........... 66 Yellowfin sole...... 84 Non-CDQ Pot....................... Other species.\1\... 9 Pacific cod......... 9 CDQ trawl......................... Atka mackerel....... 82 Arrowtooth flounder. 84 Flathead sole....... 79 Kamchatka flounder.. 84 Non-pelagic pollock. 86 Pelagic pollock..... 90 Pacific cod......... 87 Greenland turbot.... 89 Rockfish............ 70 Rock sole........... 86 Yellowfin sole...... 85 CDQ hook-and-line................. Greenland turbot.... 10 Pacific cod......... 10 CDQ pot........................... Pacific cod......... 1 Sablefish........... 41 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ ``Other species'' includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. \2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. Directed Fishing Closures In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator may establish a DFA for a species or species group if the Regional Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment of a target species has been or will be reached. If the Regional Administrator establishes a DFA, and that allowance is or will be reached before the end of the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species or species group in the specified subarea or district (see Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator determines that a fishery category's bycatch allowance of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab, or C. opilio crab for a specified area has been reached, the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for each species in that category in the specified area. Based on historic catch patterns and anticipated fishing activity, the Regional Administrator has determined that the groundfish allocation amounts in Table 20 will be necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2016 and 2017 fishing years. Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species and species groups in Table 20 as zero. Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors and species in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2017. Also, for the BSAI trawl limited access sector, bycatch allowances of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in Table 20 are insufficient to support directed fisheries. Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors and fishery categories in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2017. Table 20--2016 and 2017 Directed Fishing Closures \1\ [Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 2017 Incidental Incidental Area Sector Species catch catch allowance allowance ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bogoslof District................. All.................. Pollock.............. 500 500 [[Page 14790]] Aleutian Islands subarea.......... All.................. ICA pollock.......... 2,400 2,400 ``Other rockfish'' 550 550 \2\. Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Non-amendment 80, ICA Atka mackerel.... 1,000 1,000 Sea. CDQ, and BSAI trawl limited access. Eastern Aleutian District/Bering All.................. Rougheye rockfish.... 100 100 Sea. Eastern Aleutian District......... Non-amendment 80, ICA Pacific ocean 200 200 CDQ, and BSAI trawl perch. limited access. Central Aleutian District......... Non-amendment 80, ICA Atka mackerel.... 75 75 CDQ, and BSAI trawl limited access. ICA Pacific ocean 75 75 perch. Western Aleutian District......... Non-amendment 80, CDQ ICA Atka mackerel.... 40 40 and BSAI trawl limited access. ICA Pacific ocean 10 10 perch. Western and Central Aleutian All.................. Rougheye rockfish.... 200 200 Districts. Bering Sea subarea................ All.................. Pacific ocean perch.. 6,800 6,760 ``Other rockfish'' 325 325 \2\. ICA pollock.......... 48,240 48,263 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands... All.................. Northern rockfish.... 3,825 3,825 Shortraker rockfish.. 200 200 Skates............... 22,100 22,100 Sculpins............. 3,825 3,825 Sharks............... 125 125 Squids............... 1,275 1,275 Octopuses............ 400 400 Hook-and-line and pot ICA Pacific cod...... 500 500 gear. Non-amendment 80 and ICA flathead sole.... 5,000 5,000 CDQ. ICA rock sole........ 6,000 6,000 Non-amendment 80, ICA yellowfin sole... 3,500 3,500 CDQ, and BSAI trawl limited access. BSAI trawl limited Rock sole/flathead 0 0 access. sole/other flatfish-- halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2. Turbot/arrowtooth/ 0 0 sablefish--halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2. Rockfish--red king 0 0 crab Zone 1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. \2\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Closures implemented under the final 2015 and 2016 BSAI harvest specifications for groundfish (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) remain effective under authority of these final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications, and are posted at the following Web sites: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/cm/info_bulletins/ and http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries_reports/reports/. While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and prohibitions found at 50 CFR part 679. Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA C/Ps to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the pollock directed fishery. These restrictions are set out as ``sideboard'' limits on catch. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Table 21 lists the 2016 and 2017 AFA C/P sideboard limits. All harvest of groundfish sideboard species by listed AFA C/Ps, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Table 21. However, groundfish sideboard species that are delivered to listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be deducted from the 2016 and 2017 sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps. Table 21--Final 2016 and 2017 Listed BSAI American Fisheries Act Catcher/Processor Groundfish Sideboard Limits [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1995-1997 --------------------------------------- 2016 ITAC 2017 ITAC Ratio of available 2016 AFA C/ available 2017 AFA C/ Target species Area/season Retained retained to trawl C/ P side- to trawl C/ P side- catch Total catch catch to Ps \1\ board limit Ps1 board limit total catch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sablefish trawl..................... BS..................... 8 497 0.016 489 8 447 7 AI..................... 0 145 0 331 0 302 0 [[Page 14791]] Atka mackerel....................... Central AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 7,144 822 8,000 920 Central AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 7,144 822 8,000 920 Western AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 4,688 938 5,250 1,050 Western AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 4,688 938 5,250 1,050 Rock sole........................... BSAI................... 6,317 169,362 0.037 50,990 1,887 50,990 1,887 Greenland turbot.................... BS..................... 121 17,305 0.007 2,272 16 2,272 16 AI..................... 23 4,987 0.005 170 1 170 1 Arrowtooth flounder................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 11,900 24 11,900 24 Kamchatka flounder.................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 4,250 9 4,250 9 Flathead sole....................... BSAI................... 1,925 52,755 0.036 18,753 675 18,753 675 Alaska plaice....................... BSAI................... 14 9,438 0.001 12,325 12 12,325 12 Other flatfish...................... BSAI................... 3,058 52,298 0.058 2,125 123 2,125 123 Pacific ocean perch................. BS..................... 12 4,879 0.002 6,800 14 6,760 14 Eastern AI............. 125 6,179 0.02 7,055 141 6,731 135 Central AI............. 3 5,698 0.001 6,251 6 6,251 6 Western AI............. 54 13,598 0.004 8,037 32 8,037 32 Northern rockfish................... BSAI................... 91 13,040 0.007 3,825 27 3,825 27 Shortraker rockfish................. BSAI................... 50 2,811 0.018 200 4 200 4 Rougheye rockfish................... EBS/EAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 100 2 100 2 CAI/WAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 200 4 200 4 Other rockfish...................... BS..................... 18 621 0.029 325 9 325 9 AI..................... 22 806 0.027 550 15 550 15 Skates.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 22,100 177 22,100 177 Sculpins............................ BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 3,825 31 3,825 31 Sharks.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 125 1 125 1 Squids.............................. BSAI................... 73 3,328 0.022 1,275 28 1,275 28 Octopuses........................... BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 400 3 400 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C). \2\ The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District. Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 and 41 of part 679 establish a formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for listed AFA C/Ps. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). PSC species listed in Table 22 that are caught by listed AFA C/Ps participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the 2016 and 2017 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2016 or 2017 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 22 is reached. Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA C/Ps while fishing for pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other species'' fishery categories under Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv). Table 22--Final 2016 and 2017 BSAI AFA Listed Catcher/Processor Prohibited Species Sideboard Limits ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 and 2017 PSC available 2016 and 2017 Ratio of PSC to trawl AFA catcher/ PSC species and area \1\ catch to total vessels after processor PSC subtraction of sideboard PSQ \2\ limit \2\ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Halibut mortality BSAI.......................................... n/a n/a 286 Red king crab zone 1............................................ 0.007 86,621 606 C. opilio (COBLZ)............................................... 0.153 4,204,524 643,292 C. bairdi Zone 1................................................ 0.14 741,190 103,767 [[Page 14792]] C. bairdi Zone 2................................................ 0.05 2,250,360 112,518 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas. \2\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of AFA CVs to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the pollock directed fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a formula for setting AFA CV groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Tables 23 and 24 list the 2016 and 2017 AFA CV sideboard limits. All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA CVs, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from the 2016 and 2017 sideboard limits listed in Table 23. Table 23--Final 2016 and 2017 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel BSAI Groundfish Sideboard Limits [Amounts are in metric tons] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ratio of 1995- 2016 AFA 2017 AFA 1997 AFA CV 2016 initial catcher vessel 2017 initial catcher vessel Species/gear Fishery by area/season catch to 1995- TAC \1\ sideboard TAC \1\ sideboard 1997 TAC limits limits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pacific cod/Jig gear...................... BSAI........................ 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 Pacific cod/Hook-and-line CV >= 60 feet BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10........... 0.0006 228 0 228 0 LOA. BSAI Jun 10-Dec 31.......... 0.0006 219 0 219 0 Pacific cod pot gear CV................... BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10........... 0.0006 9,587 6 9,587 6 BSAI Sept 1-Dec 31.......... 0.0006 9,211 6 9,211 6 Pacific cod CV < 60 feet LOA using hook- BSAI........................ 0.0006 4,476 3 4,476 3 and-line or pot gear. Pacific cod trawl gear CV................. BSAI Jan 20-Apr 1........... 0.8609 36,732 31,623 36,732 31,623 BSAI Apr 1-Jun 10........... 0.8609 5,460 4,701 5,460 4,701 BSAI Jun 10-Nov 1........... 0.8609 7,446 6,410 7,446 6,410 Sablefish trawl gear...................... BS.......................... 0.0906 489 44 447 40 AI.......................... 0.0645 331 21 302 19 Atka mackerel............................. Eastern AI/BS Jan 1-Jun 10.. 0.0032 12,725 41 12,725 41 Eastern AI/BS Jun 10-Nov 1.. 0.0032 12,725 41 12,725 41 Central AI Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0.0001 7,144 1 7,144 1 Central AI Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0.0001 7,144 1 7,144 1 Western AI Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0 4,688 0 4,688 0 Western AI Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0 4,688 0 4,688 0 Rock sole................................. BSAI........................ 0.0341 50,990 1,739 50,990 1,739 Greenland turbot.......................... BS.......................... 0.0645 2,272 147 2,272 147 AI.......................... 0.0205 170 3 170 3 Arrowtooth flounder....................... BSAI........................ 0.069 11,900 821 11,900 821 Kamchatka flounder........................ BSAI........................ 0.069 4,250 293 4,250 293 Alaska plaice............................. BSAI........................ 0.0441 12,325 544 12,325 544 Other flatfish............................ BSAI........................ 0.0441 2,125 94 2,125 94 Flathead sole............................. BS.......................... 0.0505 18,753 947 18,753 947 Pacific ocean perch....................... BS.......................... 0.1 6,800 680 6,760 676 Eastern AI.................. 0.0077 7,055 54 6,731 52 Central AI.................. 0.0025 6,251 16 6,251 16 Western AI.................. 0 8,037 0 8,037 0 Northern rockfish......................... BSAI........................ 0.0084 3,825 32 3,825 32 Shortraker rockfish....................... BSAI........................ 0.0037 200 1 200 1 Rougheye rockfish......................... EBS/EAI..................... 0.0037 100 0 100 0 CAI/WAI..................... 0.0037 200 1 200 1 Other rockfish............................ BS.......................... 0.0048 325 2 325 2 AI.......................... 0.0095 550 5 550 5 Skates.................................... BSAI........................ 0.0541 22,100 1,196 22,100 1,196 Sculpins.................................. BSAI........................ 0.0541 3,825 207 3,825 207 Sharks.................................... BSAI........................ 0.0541 125 7 125 7 Squids.................................... BSAI........................ 0.3827 1,275 488 1,275 488 Octopuses................................. BSAI........................ 0.0541 400 22 400 22 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of that species after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C). [[Page 14793]] Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Table 24 that are caught by AFA CVs participating in any groundfish fishery for groundfish other than pollock will accrue against the 2016 and 2017 PSC sideboard limits for the AFA CVs. Sections 679.21(d)(7) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for AFA CVs once a 2016 or 2017 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 24 is reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other species'' fishery categories under Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv). Table 24--Final 2016 and 2017 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits for the BSAI \1\ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 and 2017 AFA catcher PSC limit 2016 and 2017 Target fishery category vessel PSC after AFA catcher PSC species and area \1\ \2\ sideboard subtraction of vessel PSC limit ratio PSQ reserves sideboard \3\ limit \3\ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Halibut............................... Pacific cod trawl....... n/a n/a 887 Pacific cod hook-and- n/a n/a 2 line or pot. Yellowfin sole total.... n/a n/a 101 Rock sole/flathead sole/ n/a n/a 228 other flatfish \4\. Greenland turbot/ n/a n/a 0 arrowtooth/sablefish \5\. Rockfish................ n/a n/a 2 Pollock/Atka mackerel/ n/a n/a 5 other species \6\. Red king crab Zone 1.................. n/a..................... 0.299 86,621 25,900 C. opilio COBLZ....................... n/a..................... 0.168 4,204,524 706,360 C. bairdi Zone 1...................... n/a..................... 0.33 741,190 244,593 C. bairdi Zone 2...................... n/a..................... 0.186 2,250,360 418,567 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas. \2\ Target fishery categories are defined at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv). \3\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. \4\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. \5\ Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder. \6\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures Based on historical catch patterns, the Regional Administrator has determined that many of the AFA C/P and CV sideboard limits listed in Tables 25 and 26 are necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2016 and 2017 fishing years. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator establishes the sideboard limits listed in Tables 25 and 26 as DFAs. Because many of these DFAs will be reached before the end of 2016, the Regional Administrator has determined, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), that NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by listed AFA C/Ps for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 25, and directed fishing by non-exempt AFA CVs for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 26. Table 25--Final 2016 and 2017 American Fisheries Act Listed Catcher/Processor Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Sideboard 2017 Sideboard Species Area Gear types limit limit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sablefish trawl................... BS................... trawl................ 8 7 AI................... trawl................ 0 0 Rock sole......................... BSAI................. all.................. 1,887 1,887 Greenland turbot.................. BS................... all.................. 17 16 AI................... all.................. 1 1 Arrowtooth flounder............... BSAI................. all.................. 24 24 Kamchatka flounder................ BSAI................. all.................. 9 9 Alaska plaice..................... BSAI................. all.................. 12 12 Other flatfish \2\................ BSAI................. all.................. 123 123 Flathead sole..................... BSAI................. all.................. 675 675 Pacific ocean perch............... BS................... all.................. 14 14 Eastern AI........... all.................. 141 135 Central AI........... all.................. 6 6 Western AI........... all.................. 32 32 Northern rockfish................. BSAI................. all.................. 27 27 Shortraker rockfish............... BSAI................. all.................. 4 4 Rougheye rockfish................. EBS/EAI.............. all.................. 2 2 CAI/WAI.............. all.................. 4 4 Other rockfish \3\................ BS................... all.................. 9 9 AI................... all.................. 15 15 Skates............................ BSAI................. all.................. 177 177 [[Page 14794]] Sculpins.......................... BSAI................. all.................. 31 31 Sharks............................ BSAI................. all.................. 1 1 Squids............................ BSAI................. all.................. 28 28 Octopuses......................... BSAI................. all.................. 3 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. \2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. \3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Table 26--Final 2016 and 2017 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\ [Amounts are in metric tons] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Sideboard 2017 Sideboard Species Area Gear types limit limit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BSAI................. hook-and-line CV >= 0 0 60 feet LOA. BSAI................. pot CV >= 60 feet LOA 12 12 BSAI................. hook-and-line or pot 3 3 CV < 60 feet LOA. BSAI................. jig.................. 0 0 Sablefish......................... BS................... trawl................ 44 40 AI................... trawl................ 21 19 Atka mackerel..................... Eastern AI/BS........ all.................. 82 82 Central AI........... all.................. 2 2 Western AI........... all.................. 0 0 Greenland turbot.................. BS................... all.................. 147 147 AI................... all.................. 3 3 Arrowtooth flounder............... BSAI................. all.................. 821 821 Kamchatka flounder................ BSAI................. all.................. 293 293 Alaska plaice..................... BSAI................. all.................. 544 544 Other flatfish \2\................ BSAI................. all.................. 94 94 Flathead sole..................... BSAI................. all.................. 947 947 Rock sole......................... BSAI................. all.................. 1,739 1,739 Pacific ocean perch............... BS................... all.................. 680 676 Eastern AI........... all.................. 54 52 Central AI........... all.................. 16 16 Western AI........... all.................. 0 0 Northern rockfish................. BSAI................. all.................. 32 32 Shortraker rockfish............... BSAI................. all.................. 1 1 Rougheye rockfish................. BS/EAI............... all.................. 0 0 CAI/WAI.............. all.................. 1 1 Other rockfish \3\................ BS................... all.................. 2 2 AI................... all.................. 5 5 Skates............................ BSAI................. all.................. 1,196 1,196 Sculpins.......................... BSAI................. all.................. 207 207 Sharks............................ BSAI................. all.................. 7 7 Squids............................ BSAI................. all.................. 488 488 Octopuses......................... BSAI................. all.................. 22 22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. \2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. \3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Response to Comments NMFS received two letters with fourteen substantive comments during the public comment period for the proposed BSAI groundfish harvest specifications. No changes were made to the final rule in response to comment letters received. NMFS' response to the public comments on the proposed BSAI groundfish harvest specifications is provided below. [[Page 14795]] Comment 1: The allocation of the sablefish TAC between trawl gear and hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea should be revised to match the allocation percentages used to apportion the Aleutian Islands sablefish TAC. That would mean that the Bering Sea sablefish TAC would be allocated 25 percent to trawl gear and 75 percent to hook-and-line or pot gear, rather than allocating 50 percent of the Bering Sea sablefish TAC to each gear category. Doing so would decrease the adverse impacts, such as bycatch and habitat damage, that trawl gear would have in the Bering Sea sablefish fishery. Response: The allocation of the BSAI sablefish TACs between trawl gear and hook-and-line gear or pot gear is required by regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv). Revising these allocations is outside of the scope of this action. Comment 2: The use of trawl gear to catch sablefish in the BSAI results in the bycatch of other species and destruction of habitat. Response: Trawl gear is a legal gear type in the BSAI for a variety of groundfish species. Pelagic and non-pelagic trawl gears are authorized under both the FMP and regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Additionally, most of the sablefish harvested in the BSAI is caught by hook-and-line or pot gear, not trawl gear. The catch reports on the Alaska Region's Web site show that from 2010 through 2015 the highest trawl catch was 18 percent of the Bering Sea trawl gear TAC compared to hook-and-line or pot gear at 63 percent of the Bering Sea hook-and-line or pot gear TAC (see https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries-catch-landings). The Council and NMFS have taken a variety of measures to control the use of trawl gear and the impacts of trawl gear on non-target species and habitat. Examples of the former include prohibiting the use of trawl gear or certain types of trawl gear in some groundfish fisheries and requiring that the trawl sweeps of nonpelagic trawl gear be elevated a minimum distance off the sea floor (75 FR 61642, October 6, 2010). The Council and NMFS have also established a variety of restrictions and prohibitions associated with bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries, including prohibitions against directing fishing for some species, as well as regulations designed to minimize the bycatch of prohibited species by trawl gear. Examples of habitat conservation measures include identifying essential fish habitat and establishing geographic area closures to trawl gear. The use of trawl gear in the BSAI groundfish fisheries is consistent with the National Standards 1 and 5 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which require the prevention of overfishing while achieving optimum yield from each fishery and consideration of efficiency in the use of fish resources. Comment 3: The Council made a good start toward minimizing halibut bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries by reducing halibut PSC limits through the BSAI FMP Amendment 111. However, the Council and NMFS need to take additional action to achieve further bycatch reduction to comply with Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements. Response: The Council and NMFS are committed to minimizing halibut bycatch in the BSAI consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable and to achieve, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. Pursuant to section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP, the Secretary, after consultation with the Council, considers the following information when evaluating measures to minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI fisheries: 1. Estimated change in halibut biomass and stock condition; 2. potential impacts on halibut stocks and fisheries; 3. potential impacts on groundfish fisheries; 4. estimated bycatch mortality during prior years; 5. expected halibut bycatch mortality; 6. methods available to reduce halibut bycatch mortality; 7. the cost of reducing halibut bycatch mortality; and 8. other biological and socioeconomic factors that affect the appropriateness of a specific bycatch mortality limit in terms of FMP objectives. Pursuant to section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP, annual BSAI-wide Pacific halibut bycatch mortality limits for trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries are established in regulations and may be amended by regulatory amendment. NMFS will publish regulations implementing trawl and non- trawl BSAI halibut PSC limit reductions in 2016, upon approval by the Secretary of a final rule to implement Amendment 111. The Council and NMFS will continue to evaluate the need to implement additional measures to minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations. In evaluating the need for further halibut bycatch reduction measures, the Council and NMFS must balance, for example, National Standard 9 obligations to minimize halibut bycatch to the extent practicable with National Standard 1 obligations to achieve optimum yield from the BSAI groundfish fisheries on a continuing basis, and National Standard 8 obligations to minimize adverse economic consequences on fishing communities to the extent practicable. Comment 4: Halibut bycatch or PSC levels differ among the various groundfish fisheries. NMFS should take into consideration halibut bycatch rates associated with the groundfish fisheries when establishing groundfish harvest limits. Response: NMFS interprets this comment as requesting NMFS to establish TACs based on the relative rates of halibut PSC use among the groundfish fisheries and that groundfish fisheries with higher bycatch rates should receive lower TAC amounts. NMFS disagrees that setting TACs based on halibut bycatch rates would necessarily minimize halibut bycatch to the extent practicable. Annual BSAI-wide Pacific halibut bycatch mortality limits for trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries are established in regulations. Therefore, while reducing the TAC in a particular fishery may limit halibut bycatch in that target fishery, sectors have the ability to target other species and may encounter higher halibut bycatch rates in those fisheries. Thus, fishing sectors may still reach the halibut PSC limit as a result. In addition, it is important for multispecies trawl fisheries to have several options for target species to allow this sector to avoid target fisheries with high halibut bycatch rates. Setting a TAC so low that the directed fishery cannot open limits the ability of sectors to move between target fisheries to avoid high halibut bycatch rates. As described previously in this rule, NMFS will publish regulations implementing trawl and non- trawl BSAI halibut PSC limit reductions in 2016, upon approval by the Secretary of a final rule to implement Amendment 111. Comment 5: The Council approved a TAC for arrowtooth flounder that was 600% higher than the TAC recommended by the AP. Arrowtooth flounder has the highest average halibut bycatch mortality rate of all target groundfish fisheries. Had the Council followed the AP's arrowtooth flounder TAC recommendation, the TACs could have resulted in higher overall wholesale values and optimum yield for both the groundfish and halibut fisheries. Response: The AP's TAC recommendations were higher than the Council's for pollock (34,392 mt), yellowfin sole (6,000 mt), Pacific ocean perch (724 mt), and Atka mackerel (4,500 mt). NMFS has determined that [[Page 14796]] the Council ultimately recommended TACs that more efficiently utilized fishery resources. The Council considered halibut bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries and the importance of the fishery resources to the fishing communities, while also achieving optimum yield in the groundfish fisheries within the statutory 2 million metric ton limit. As described in response to Comment 4, a significant reduction in the arrowtooth flounder TACs would likely have little impact on minimizing halibut bycatch. Annual BSAI-wide Pacific halibut bycatch mortality limits for trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries are established in regulations. While significantly reducing the arrowtooth flounder TAC would prevent opening the directed fishery for arrowtooth flounder and would limit halibut bycatch in that fishery, such action would not necessarily minimize halibut bycatch. For example, if a reduced arrowtooth flounder TAC prevents this directed fishery from opening, multispecies trawl sectors that typically target arrowtooth flounder have the ability to target other species. However, the multispecies trawl fishery would have fewer targeting options and a limited ability to move between target fisheries to avoid high halibut PSC in seasons and areas with higher halibut bycatch rates. Thus, the multispecies trawl sectors may still reach the halibut PSC limit notwithstanding significant reductions in the arrowtooth flounder TAC. Further, eliminating the opportunity to target arrowtooth flounder may jeopardize continued optimum yield in the groundfish fisheries because the multispecies trawl fishery may be closed early if it is unable to avoid halibut bycatch and reaches the halibut PSC limits during seasons and areas with higher halibut bycatch rates. The Council recognized that some of the AP's TAC recommendations, including arrowtooth flounder, would not be sufficient to allow for a directed fishery or support incidental catch in other fisheries. In 2015, more than 5,000 mt of arrowtooth flounder was taken in targets other than arrowtooth flounder in the BSAI. At the AP's arrowtooth flounder TAC recommendation of 2,000 mt, all of the TAC would be taken in other fisheries, NMFS would not open directed fishing for arrowtooth, and would be required to prohibit retention of arrowtooth flounder. This would require regulatory discards of arrowtooth flounder when the TAC was reached. Despite prohibiting retention, the incidental catch of arrowtooth flounder would still exceed 2,000 mt, unless catch in the target fisheries with the highest arrowtooth flounder incidental catch (pollock, Pacific cod, and yellowfin sole) were also greatly curtailed. Curtailment of these fisheries may jeopardize continued optimum yield in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. The Council set the arrowtooth TAC at 14,000 mt to acknowledge that arrowtooth flounder is targeted as part of the annual fishing plan for some of the fleet. Also, arrowtooth flounder is an important ecosystem component as a predator and may impact the biomass of other species. The 2014 arrowtooth flounder stock assessment indicates that nearly half of the adult diet is comprised of juvenile pollock (47%) followed by adult pollock (19%), and euphausiids (9%). The Ecosystem Considerations chapter states predation by arrowtooth flounder has exceeded cannibalism as the largest source of predation mortality of age-1 pollock since 2007. Comment 6: At their October 2015 meeting, the Council stated that it would consider halibut bycatch in making TAC recommendations for the final 2016 and 2017 BSAI harvest specifications. However, the Council failed to consider halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries when it ultimately made TAC recommendations. Therefore, NMFS' acceptance of the Council's recommended TACs for the 2016 and 2017 BSAI harvest specifications would be arbitrary, capricious, and irrational. Response: As stated in responses to Comments 4 and 5, the Council did consider halibut bycatch in various groundfish fisheries in making TAC recommendations for the final 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications. Also, the Council considered the potential effects of groundfish harvest on directed halibut fisheries and the health of the halibut resource, while also recognizing a shared responsibility to maintain the viability of halibut commercial, sport, and personal use fisheries, and the communities dependent on them. Halibut was one of many bycatch species that the Council balanced with the groundfish TACs, and the arrowtooth flounder fishery received the greatest percentage decrease of any species from the proposed harvest specifications. Also, the Council acknowledged the voluntary efforts in 2015 by the Amendment 80 sector to reduce halibut PSC. Comment 7: The proposed groundfish harvest specifications stated that the proposed OFL, ABCs, and TACs are subject to change pending completion of the final 2015 SAFE report and the Council's recommendations for final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications during its December Council meeting. This statement is an admission that the proposed rule is a placeholder. Therefore, the proposed groundfish harvest specifications failed to give adequate public notice and an opportunity for public comment and do not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. Response: The proposed 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications provided adequate notice and opportunity for the public to comment consistent with obligations under the Administrative Procedure Act. NMFS published the Council's recommended TACs from the October 2015 meeting in the proposed harvest specifications. NMFS explained in the preamble to the proposed harvest specifications that some of the final harvest specifications could differ from the proposed specifications. The preamble stated that changes to the proposed BSAI harvest specifications in the final rule would likely be based on updated scientific information included in the 2015 SAFE, Groundfish Plan Team recommendations, information from the December 2015 Scientific and Statistical Committee and Advisory Panel meetings, public testimony, and relevant written comment. The preamble to the proposed BSAI groundfish harvest specifications also stated that the Council could recommend changes to the proposed harvest specifications if warranted on the basis of bycatch considerations, management uncertainty, or socioeconomic considerations, or if required in order to cause the sum of the TACs to fall within the OY range. Finally, the preamble stated that changes in groundfish biomass trends could affect the Council's recommended final harvest specifications, but that the groundfish harvest specifications must comply with governing statutes, regulations, and the FMP. Based on information provided in the proposed harvest specifications, interested members of the public were aware of issues involved in establishing the final harvest specification levels and therefore had adequate notice of information relevant to the final harvest specifications. The public has had the opportunity to comment on all parts of this process. Comment 8: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 1 obligations to achieve optimum yield. The AP's groundfish TAC recommendations would be far more responsive to the Magnuson-Stevens Act National [[Page 14797]] Standard 1 because they could have resulted in higher estimated overall wholesale values to the groundfish sector, as well as higher quotas and value in the directed halibut fishery. Response: As mentioned in the response to Comments 4 and 5, the AP's TAC recommendations are not guaranteed to lower halibut PSC. Also, while in a single year it may be more profitable overall to shift the fisheries to pollock and Atka mackerel, this could significantly reduce revenues or force out of business those fishermen and vessels from the flatfish sector. In years of lower pollock and Atka mackerel abundance, the absence of these vessels could create far smaller groundfish catches, and on a continuing basis create harvests below the optimum yield. Comment 9: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 3. The groundfish and halibut stocks are clearly interrelated in the Bering Sea ecosystem, as is evident by the high bycatch rates in certain groundfish species, which disproportionately impacts the directed halibut fishermen. Response: NMFS interprets this comment as suggesting that NMFS should manage halibut as a unit or in close coordination with the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS does not directly manage halibut or halibut fisheries through the implementation of the 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications. NMFS implements the BSAI groundfish harvest specifications under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Actions taken by the Council to manage halibut fisheries are developed under the authority of the Halibut Act, and National Standard 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act does not apply. Section 5.2.1 of the FMP describes that the IPHC manages the Pacific halibut stocks in its jurisdiction through regulations implementing the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (16 U.S.C. 773-773k). Halibut is not managed under the FMP. However the Council and NMFS manage halibut bycatch limits under the FMP and believe that treatment of halibut as a prohibited species is appropriate. Under the Magnuson- Stevens Act, it is the Council's responsibility to recommend management measures that minimize halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable. As described previously in this rule, NMFS expects to publish regulations implementing trawl and non-trawl BSAI halibut PSC limit reductions in 2016, pending Secretarial approval of a final rule to implement Amendment 111 and the effective date of the final rule. Comment 10: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with National Standard 4 obligations to ensure allocations are fair and equitable. The AP's recommended TACs would have achieved a far more equitable allocation of the halibut resource as a whole. Response: NMFS interprets this comment as suggesting that the BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with National Standard 4 because lower groundfish TACs for specific fisheries would have reduced halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries and more fairly reallocated the unused halibut to the directed halibut fishery. NMFS disagrees. NMFS does not allocate halibut through the groundfish harvest specifications. As described in response to Comment 3, Section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP requires that annual BSAI-wide Pacific halibut bycatch mortality limits for trawl and non-trawl gear fisheries be established in regulations and may be amended by regulatory amendment. The halibut PSC limits are not an allocation of halibut bycatch in the groundfish fishery. Rather, the halibut PSC limits impose an absolute limit on the amount of halibut bycatch that may be caught in the trawl and non-trawl groundfish fisheries. NMFS uses the halibut PSC limits to minimize the amount of halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable. Further, as described in response to Comment 4, a reduction in groundfish TACs would likely have little impact on reducing halibut bycatch. For example, while significantly reducing the arrowtooth flounder TAC might limit halibut bycatch in that fishery, sectors targeting arrowtooth flounder have the ability to target other species. These sectors may still reach the halibut PSC limit notwithstanding reductions in the TACs. Therefore, the AP's recommended TACs would not likely result in reduced halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries or increase the availability of halibut for directed halibut users. Comment 11: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 5. The AP's recommended TACs optimize harvest by the groundfish sector and PSC reduction. Response: NMFS has determined that the 2016 and 2017 groundfish harvest specifications are consistent with National Standard 5. National Standard 5 requires the conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, consider efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources. The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications establish groundfish harvest limits that result in as efficient a fishery as is practicable. The BSAI harvest specifications allow for the combined groundfish fisheries to harvest up to the statutory 2 million metric ton OY limit with the least amount of regulatory discards and economic waste as is practicable. NMFS interprets this Comment 11 as suggesting that the AP's recommended TAC reductions for some groundfish species and increases in TACs for other groundfish species would have resulted in greater halibut PSC reduction and greater efficiency in the utilization of the BSAI groundfish and halibut fisheries. NMFS disagrees. While the AP's recommended TACs would have resulted in different distributions of gains and burdens among the various BSAI groundfish sectors, the AP's recommended TACs would not have resulted in an increase in efficiency of the groundfish and halibut fisheries. Although significant TAC reductions in some groundfish species would have allowed for increases in TACs for other groundfish species, the AP's recommended TACs would likely have increased costs for some fisheries and resulted in increased regulatory discards. For example, if NMFS implemented the AP's arrowtooth flounder TAC recommendation, NMFS would not open directed fishing for arrowtooth and would reserve the 2,000 mt arrowtooth TAC for incidental take in other directed fisheries. Incidental take of arrowtooth in other fisheries would likely reach the 2,000 mt TAC early in the fishing season. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(d)(2), NMFS would require that arrowtooth flounder be treated as a prohibited species for the remainder of the year, and incidental catch arrowtooth flounder would be required to be discarded. Further, as stated in response to Comments 4 and 5, the AP's recommended TAC reductions would not contribute to the objective of reducing halibut bycatch in the groundfish fisheries. While significant TAC reductions in particular fisheries may limit halibut bycatch in those target fisheries, sectors have the ability to target other species and may encounter higher halibut bycatch rates in those fisheries. Thus, fishing sectors may still reach the halibut PSC limit. For the forgoing reasons, NMFS has determined that the Council's recommended BSAI [[Page 14798]] groundfish TACs provide for as efficient a fishery as is practicable. Comment 12: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 6 obligations to take into account contingencies in the fisheries and fishery resources. The BSAI halibut fishery and dependent halibut fishermen and communities are facing an extraordinary situation with low halibut quotas that threaten their participation in the fisheries. National Standard 6 requires an FMP to be flexible and responsive to such variations. The BSAI groundfish harvest specifications do not take this contingency into account. Response: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications do take this contingency into account. Some of the largest TAC reductions from the proposed rule are in the flatfish fisheries, with arrowtooth flounder having the highest percentage reduction. However, further reducing flatfish TACs could prevent flatfish fishermen from adapting to variations in their fisheries. As stated in previous responses to comments, potentially significantly reducing revenues or forcing out of business fishermen that are dependent on flatfish could jeopardize achieving optimum yield if variations in the pollock biomass produce lower available pollock TACs. Comment 13: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 8 obligations to take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities, their sustained participation in those fisheries, and minimization of adverse impacts on such communities to the extent practicable. The sustained participation of St. Paul and other Bering Sea communities in the halibut fishery is clearly in jeopardy. The AP's recommendation demonstrated practicable allocations of groundfish TACs that would be consistent with National Standard 8 and could result in higher economic value to the groundfish sector. Response: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI harvest specifications are consistent with National Standard 8. The impact of the BSAI groundfish fisheries, and in particular the arrowtooth flounder fishery, on halibut bycatch mortality was one of the many environmental and socioeconomic considerations that the Council evaluated in making the TAC recommendations for the 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications. In recommending the final TACs for all groundfish fisheries, the Council took into account the importance of both the halibut and groundfish fisheries to communities that depend on them. The Council evaluated the burdens groundfish fishery communities would experience from significant TAC reductions with the benefits of such TAC reductions that would flow to the communities that rely on directed halibut fisheries. NMFS determined that significant TAC reductions in some groundfish fisheries would likely adversely impact communities dependent on groundfish fisheries, potentially increase halibut PSC use, and would provide little benefit to the communities that depend on the halibut resources. Comment 14: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are not consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 9 obligations to minimize bycatch and to minimize mortality of such bycatch. The AP's recommended TACs showed a practicable way to minimize halibut bycatch, resulting in the potential for over 840,000 pounds of savings. Response: The 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish harvest specifications are consistent with National Standard 9. As described in several previous comments, NMFS disagrees that the AP's recommended TACs would have minimized halibut bycatch. The AP's recommended TAC reductions would have resulted in increased bycatch and regulatory discards of some groundfish species, and potentially increased halibut PSC use. For example, the AP's arrowtooth flounder TAC would have required the regulatory discard of large amounts of arrowtooth flounder and hindered the ability of some fishermen to reduce halibut bycatch. Further, the Council also considered bycatch of other prohibited species such as salmon, crab, and herring in various groundfish fisheries. The Council and NMFS are committed to minimizing bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act obligations to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable and to achieve, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. As described in responses to previous comments, NMFS will publish regulations implementing trawl and non-trawl BSAI halibut PSC limit reductions in 2016, upon approval by the Secretary of a final rule to implement Amendment 111 and the publication of the final rule. Classification NMFS has determined that these final harvest specifications are consistent with the FMP and with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws. This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review under Executive Orders 12866 and 13563. NMFS prepared an EIS that covers this action (see ADDRESSES) and made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the EIS. In January 2016, NMFS prepared a Supplemental Information Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The EIS analyzes the environmental consequences of the groundfish harvest specifications and alternative harvest strategies on resources in the action area. The EIS found no significant environmental consequences of this action and its alternatives. The SIR evaluates the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2016 and 2017 groundfish harvest specifications. An SEIS should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns; or (2) significant new circumstances or information exist relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has determined that (1) approval of the 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest strategy in the EIS, do not constitute a change in the action; and (2) there are no significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the action or its impacts. Additionally, the 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications will result in environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental NEPA documentation is not necessary to implement the 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications. Section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act requires that, when an agency promulgates a final rule under section 553 of Title 5 of the United States Code, after being required by that section, or any other law, to publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking, the agency shall prepare a final regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA). Section 604 describes the required contents of a FRFA: (1) A statement of the need for, and objectives of, the rule; (2) a statement of the significant issues raised by the public comments in [[Page 14799]] response to the initial regulatory flexibility analysis, a statement of the assessment of the agency of such issues, and a statement of any changes made in the proposed rule as a result of such comments; (3) the response of the agency to any comments filed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration in response to the proposed rule, and a detailed statement of any change made to the proposed rule in the final rule as a result of the comments; (4) a description of and an estimate of the number of small entities to which the rule will apply or an explanation of why no such estimate is available; (5) a description of the projected reporting, recordkeeping and other compliance requirements of the rule, including an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills necessary for preparation of the report or record; (6) a description of the steps the agency has taken to minimize the significant economic impact on small entities consistent with the stated objectives of applicable statutes, including a statement of the factual, policy, and legal reasons for selecting the alternative adopted in the final rule and why each one of the other significant alternatives to the rule considered by the agency which affect the impact on small entities was rejected. A description of this action, its purpose, and its legal basis are contained at the beginning of the preamble to this final rule and are not repeated here. NMFS published the proposed rule on December 9, 2015 (80 FR 76425). The rule was accompanied by an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), which was summarized in the proposed rule. The comment period closed on January 8, 2016. No comments were received on the IRFA. The entities directly regulated by this action are those that receive allocations of groundfish in the exclusive economic zone of the BSAI, and in parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters, during the annual harvest specifications process. These directly regulated entities include the groundfish CVs and C/Ps active in these areas. Direct allocations of groundfish are also made to certain organizations, including the CDQ groups, AFA C/P and inshore CV sectors, Aleut Corporation, and Amendment 80 cooperatives. These entities are, therefore, also considered directly regulated. The Small Business Administration has established size standards for all major industry sectors in the United States. A business primarily involved in finfish harvesting is classified as a small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has combined annual gross receipts not in excess of $20.5 million, for all its affiliated operations worldwide. The IRFA estimates the number of harvesting vessels that are considered small entities, but these estimates may overstate the number of small entities because (1) some vessels may also be active as tender vessels in the salmon fishery, fish in areas other than Alaska and the West Coast, or generate revenue from other non-fishing sources; and (2) all affiliations are not taken into account, especially if the vessel has affiliations not tracked in available data (i.e., ownership of multiple vessel or affiliation with processors) and may be misclassified as a small entity. Because some catcher vessels and catcher/processors meet this size standard, they are considered to be small entities for the purposes of this analysis. The estimated directly regulated small entities include approximately 190 catcher vessels, two catcher/processors, and six CDQ groups. Some of these vessels are members of AFA inshore pollock cooperatives, GOA rockfish cooperatives, or crab rationalization cooperatives, and, since under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) it is the aggregate gross receipts of all participating members of the cooperative that must meet the ``under $20.5 million'' threshold, they are considered to be large entities within the meaning of the RFA. Thus, the estimate of 190 catcher vessels may be an overstatement of the number of small entities. Average gross revenues were $446,000 for small hook-and-line vessels, $1.31 million for small pot vessels, and $2.28 million for small trawl vessels. Revenue data for catcher/ processors is confidential; however, in 2014, NMFS estimates that there are two catcher/processor small entities with gross receipts less than $20.5. This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting requirements. The significant alternatives were those considered as alternative harvest strategies when the Council selected its preferred harvest strategy (Alternative 2) in December 2006. These included the following:Alternative 1: Set TAC to produce fishing mortality rates, F, that are equal to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TAC is constrained by the OY established in the FMPs. This is equivalent to setting TAC to produce harvest levels equal to the maximum permissible ABC, as constrained by OY. The term ``maxFABC'' refers to the maximum permissible value of FABC under Amendment 56 to the groundfish FMPs. Historically, the TAC has been set at or below the ABC; therefore, this alternative represents a likely upper limit for setting the TAC within the OY and ABC limits. Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 2, and 3, set TAC to produce F equal to the most recent 5-year average actual F. For species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC equal to the most recent 5-year average actual catch. For stocks with a high level of scientific information, TAC would be set to produce harvest levels equal to the most recent 5-year average actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks with insufficient scientific information, TAC would be set equal to the most recent 5-year average actual catch. This alternative recognizes that for some stocks, catches may fall well below ABC, and recent average F may provide a better indicator of actual F than FABC does. Alternative 4: (1) Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 3 at F75%. Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F=0.5M. Set spatially explicit TAC for shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the BSAI. (2) Taking the rockfish TAC as calculated above, reduce all other TAC by a proportion that does not vary across species, so that the sum of all TAC, including rockfish TAC, is equal to the lower bound of the area OY (1,400,000 mt in the BSAI). This alternative sets conservative and spatially explicit TAC for rockfish species that are long-lived and late to mature, and sets conservative TAC for the other groundfish species. Alternative 5: Set TAC at zero. Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative chosen by the Council: Set TAC that fall within the range of ABC recommended through the Council harvest specifications process and TACs recommended by the Council. Under this scenario, F is set equal to a constant fraction of maxFABC. The recommended fractions of maxFABC may vary among species or stocks, based on other considerations unique to each. This is the method for determining TAC that has been used in the past. Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet the objectives of this action, although they have a smaller adverse economic impact on small entities than the preferred alternative. The Council rejected these alternatives as harvest strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of Commerce did so in 2007. Alternative 1 would lead to TAC limits whose sum exceeds the fishery OY, which is set out in statute and the FMP. As shown in [[Page 14800]] Table 1 and Table 2, the sum of ABCs in 2016 and 2017 would be 3,236,662 and 3,143,135 million mt, respectively. Both of these are substantially in excess of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This result would be inconsistent with the objectives of this action, in that it would violate the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Public Law 108-199, Section 803(c), and the FMP for the BSAI groundfish fishery, which both set a 2 million mt maximum harvest for BSAI groundfish. Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5 years' worth of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or for the most recent 5 years' worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 through 6). This alternative is also inconsistent with the objectives of this action, because it does not take into account the most recent biological information for this fishery. Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all species to reduce TAC from the upper end of the OY range in the BSAI, to its lower end. This result would lead to significant reductions in harvests of species by small entities. While reductions of this size could be associated with offsetting price increases, the size of these increases is very uncertain, and NMFS has no confidence that they would be sufficient to offset the volume decreases and leave revenues unchanged. Thus, this action would have an adverse economic impact on small entities, compared to the preferred alternative. Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, may also address conservation issues, but would have a significant adverse economic impact on small entities. Impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities conducted under this rule are discussed in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this rule, because delaying this rule is contrary to the public interest. Plan Team review occurred in November 2015, and Council consideration and recommendations occurred in December 2015. Accordingly, NMFS' review could not begin until after the December 2015 Council meeting, and after the public had time to comment on the proposed action. If this rule's effectiveness is delayed, fisheries that might otherwise remain open under these rules may prematurely close based on the lower TACs established in the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015). If implemented immediately, this rule would allow these fisheries to continue fishing without worrying about a potential closure because the new TAC limits are higher than the ones under which they are currently fishing. Certain fisheries, such as those for pollock and Pacific cod are intensive, fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those for flatfish, rockfish, skates, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses, are critical as directed fisheries and as incidental catch in other fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the TAC allocations in these fisheries. Any delay in allocating the final TAC limits in these fisheries would cause confusion in the industry and potential economic harm through unnecessary discards. Determining which fisheries may close is impossible because these fisheries are affected by several factors that cannot be predicted in advance, including fishing effort, weather, movement of fishery stocks, and market price. Furthermore, the closure of one fishery has a cascading effect on other fisheries by freeing up fishing vessels, allowing them to move from closed fisheries to open ones, increasing the fishing capacity in those open fisheries and causing them to close at an accelerated pace. Additionally, in fisheries subject to declining sideboards, delaying this rule's effectiveness could allow some vessels to inadvertently reach or exceed their new sideboard levels. Because sideboards are intended to protect traditional fisheries in other sectors, allowing one sector to exceed its new sideboards by delaying this rule's effectiveness would effectively reduce the available catch for sectors without sideboard limits. Moreover, the new TAC and sideboard limits protect the fisheries from being overfished. Thus, the delay is contrary to the public interest in protecting traditional fisheries and fish stocks. If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 19, 2016, which is the start of the 2016 Pacific halibut season as specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Delayed effectiveness of this action would result in confusion for sablefish harvesters and economic harm from unnecessary discard of sablefish that are caught along with Pacific halibut, as both hook-and-line sablefish and Pacific halibut are managed under the same IFQ program. Immediate effectiveness of the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also, immediate effectiveness of this action is required to provide consistent management and conservation of fishery resources based on the best available scientific information. This is particularly true of those species that have lower 2016 ABC and TAC limits than those established in the 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015). Immediate effectiveness also would give the fishing industry the earliest possible opportunity to plan and conduct its fishing operations with respect to new information about TAC limits. Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). Small Entity Compliance Guide This final rule is a plain language guide to assist small entities in complying with this final rule as required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's primary purpose is to announce the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management measures for groundfish during the 2016 and 2017 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FMP. This action directly affects all fishermen who participate in the BSAI fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in tables to assist the reader. NMFS will announce closures of directed fishing in the Federal Register and information bulletins released by the Alaska Region. Affected fishermen should keep themselves informed of such closures. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106- 31; Pub. L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109- 241; Pub. L. 109-479. Dated: March 14, 2016. Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016-06182 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14773
Dated: March 14, 2016. West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, specifications as recommended by the
Samuel D. Rauch III, AK 99510–2252, phone 907–271–2809, Council.
Deputy Assistant Administrator for or from the Council’s Web site at http://
Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and
Regulatory Programs, National Marine www.npfmc.org/.
Fisheries Service.
TAC Harvest Specifications
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2016–06183 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am] The final ABC levels for Alaska
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. groundfish are based on the best
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal available biological and socioeconomic
regulations at 50 CFR part 679 information, including projected
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE implement the FMP and govern the biomass trends, information on assumed
groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The distribution of stock biomass, and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS revised technical methods used to
Administration approved it under the Magnuson- calculate stock biomass. In general, the
Stevens Act. General regulations development of ABCs and overfishing
50 CFR Part 679 governing U.S. fisheries also appear at levels (OFLs) involves sophisticated
50 CFR part 600. statistical analyses of fish populations.
[Docket No. 150916863–6211–02]
The FMP and its implementing The FMP specifies a series of six tiers
RIN 0648–XE202 regulations require NMFS, after to define OFL and ABC amounts based
consultation with the Council, to on the level of reliable information
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic available to fishery scientists. Tier 1
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and specify the total allowable catch (TAC)
for each target species category. The represents the highest level of
Aleutian Islands; 2016 and 2017 information quality available while Tier
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish sum TAC for all groundfish species
must be within the optimum yield (OY) 6 represents the lowest.
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries In December 2015, the Scientific and
range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory
metric tons (mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)).
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Panel (AP), and Council reviewed
This final rule specifies the TAC at 2.0
Commerce. current biological and harvest
million mt for both 2016 and 2017.
information about the condition of the
ACTION: Final rule; closures. NMFS also must specify
BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council’s
apportionments of TAC, prohibited
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2016 Plan Team compiled and presented this
species catch (PSC) allowances, and
and 2017 harvest specifications and information in the final 2015 SAFE
prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries,
prohibited species catch allowances for established by § 679.21; seasonal
the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea dated November 2015 (see ADDRESSES).
allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and The SAFE report contains a review of
and Aleutian Islands management area Atka mackerel TAC; Amendment 80
(BSAI). This action is necessary to the latest scientific analyses and
allocations; and Community estimates of each species’ biomass and
establish harvest limits for groundfish Development Quota (CDQ) reserve
during the 2016 and 2017 fishing years, other biological parameters, as well as
amounts established by summaries of the available information
and to accomplish the goals and § 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final harvest
objectives of the Fishery Management on the BSAI ecosystem and the
specifications set forth in Tables 1 economic condition of groundfish
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea through 26 of this action satisfy these
and Aleutian Islands Management Area fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the
requirements. public and asked for review of the 2015
(FMP). The intended effect of this action
Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires SAFE report in the notice of proposed
is to conserve and manage the
NMFS to consider public comment on harvest specifications. From these data
groundfish resources in the BSAI in
the proposed annual TACs (and and analyses, the Plan Team
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
apportionments thereof) and PSC recommended an OFL and ABC for each
Fishery Conservation and Management
allowances, and to publish final harvest species or species category at the
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
specifications in the Federal Register. November 2015 Plan Team meeting.
DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska The proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest In December 2015, the SSC, AP, and
local time (A.l.t.), March 18, 2016, specifications and PSC allowances for Council reviewed the Plan Team’s
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were recommendations. The final TAC
2017. published in the Federal Register on recommendations were based on the
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the December 9, 2015 (80 FR 76425). ABCs as adjusted for other biological
Alaska Groundfish Harvest Comments were invited and accepted and socioeconomic considerations,
Specifications Final Environmental through January 8, 2016. NMFS received including maintaining the sum of the
Impact Statement (EIS), Record of two letters of comment on the proposed TACs within the required OY range of
Decision (ROD), Supplementary harvest specifications with fourteen 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As
Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and substantive comments. These comments required by annual catch limit rules for
the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis are summarized and responded to in the all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16,
(FRFA) prepared for this action are ‘‘Response to Comments’’ section of this 2009), none of the Council’s
available from http:// rule. NMFS consulted with the Council recommended TACs for 2016 or 2017
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2015 on the final 2016 and 2017 harvest exceeds the final 2016 or 2017 ABCs for
Stock Assessment and Fishery specifications during the December any species category. The Secretary of
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 2015 Council meeting in Anchorage, Commerce (Secretary) approves the final
groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated AK. After considering public comments, 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications as
November 2015, as well as the SAFE as well as biological and economic data recommended by the Council. NMFS
reports for previous years, are available that were available at the Council’s finds that the Council’s recommended
from the North Pacific Fishery December meeting, NMFS implements OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent
Management Council (Council) at 605 the final 2016 and 2017 harvest with the preferred harvest strategy and
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the biological condition of groundfish percent for non-trawl fisheries. NMFS ABCs for many species based on the
stocks as described in the 2015 SAFE will publish regulations implementing best and most recent information
report that was approved by the trawl and non-trawl BSAI halibut PSC contained in the 2015 SAFE reports.
Council. limit reductions in 2016, upon approval This recommendation resulted in an
by the Secretary of a final rule to ABC sum total for all BSAI groundfish
Other Actions Potentially Affecting the
implement Amendment 111. Upon species in excess of 2 million mt for
2016 and 2017 Harvest Specifications
implementation of the reductions, the both 2016 and 2017. Based on the SSC
On November 30, 2015, the Alaska 2016 and 2017 halibut PSC limits under ABC recommendations and the 2015
Board of Fisheries (BOF), a regulatory this action will be superseded by SAFE reports, the Council recommends
body for the State of Alaska Department Amendment 111 and reduced. increasing Bering Sea pollock by 30,000
of Fish and Game (State), established a
guideline harvest level (GHL) in State Changes From the Proposed 2016 and mt in 2016 and 30,643 in 2017. In terms
waters between 164 and 167 degrees 2017 Harvest Specifications for the of percentage, the largest increases in
west longitude in the Bering Sea subarea BSAI TACs were for Bogoslof area pollock
(BS) equal to 6.4 percent of the Pacific The Council’s recommendations for and BSAI squid. These increases were to
cod ABC for the BS. The action by the the proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest account for higher incidental catch
State required a downward adjustment specifications (80 FR 76425, December needs than were specified in the
of the 240,000 mt proposed 2016 and 9, 2015) were based largely on proposed 2016 and 2017 harvest
2017 Bering Sea subarea Pacific cod information contained in the 2014 SAFE specifications. The changes to TAC
TAC because the combined TAC and report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries. between the proposed and final harvest
GHL was greater than the proposed ABC Through the proposed harvest specifications are based on the most
of 255,000 mt. The maximum specifications, NMFS notified the public recent scientific and economic
permissible TAC after subtraction of the that these harvest specifications could information and are consistent with the
GHL is 238,680 mt for the BS. The BOF change, as the Council would consider FMP, regulatory obligations, and harvest
for the State established a GHL in State information contained in the final 2015 strategy as described in the proposed
waters in the Aleutian Islands subarea SAFE report, recommendations from the harvest specifications. These changes
(AI) equal to 27 percent of the Pacific Plan Team, SSC, and AP committees, are compared in Table 1A.
cod ABC for the AI. The action by the and public testimony when making its
Table 1 lists the Council’s
State does not require a downward recommendations for final harvest
recommended final 2016 OFL, ABC,
adjustment of the proposed Aleutian specifications at the December 2015
Islands subarea Pacific cod TAC because Council meeting. NMFS further notified TAC, initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ
the combined TAC and GHL, 17,600 mt, the public that, as required by the FMP reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish;
is less than the proposed ABC. and its implementing regulations, the and Table 2 lists the Council’s
At its June 2015 meeting, the Council sum of the TACs must be within the OY recommended final 2017 OFL, ABC,
recommended reductions to the BSAI range of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt. TAC, ITAC, and CDQ reserve amounts
halibut PSC limits by 21 percent Information contained in the 2015 of the BSAI groundfish. NMFS concurs
through Amendment 111 to the FMP. A SAFE reports indicates biomass changes in these recommendations. The final
notice of availability associated with for several groundfish species from the 2016 and 2017 TAC recommendations
those recommendations was published 2014 SAFE reports. The 2015 report was for the BSAI are within the OY range
on October 29, 2015 (80 FR 66486). The made available for public review during established for the BSAI and do not
specific reductions are 25 percent for the public comment period for the exceed the ABC for any species or
Amendment 80 cooperatives, 15 percent proposed harvest specifications. At the species group. The apportionment of
for BSAI trawl limited access fisheries, December 2015 Council meeting, the TAC amounts among fisheries and
20 percent for CDQ fisheries, and 15 SSC recommended the 2016 and 2017 seasons is discussed below.
TABLE 1—FINAL 2016 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016
Species Area
OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3
Pollock 4 .............................. BS ....................................... 3,910,000 2,090,000 1,340,000 1,206,000 134,000
AI ........................................ 39,075 32,227 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof ............................. 31,906 23,850 500 500 0
Pacific cod 5 ........................ BS ....................................... 390,000 255,000 238,680 213,141 25,539
AI ........................................ 23,400 17,600 12,839 11,465 1,374
Sablefish ............................. BS ....................................... 1,304 1,151 1,151 950 158
AI ........................................ 1,766 1,557 1,557 1,265 263
Yellowfin sole ...................... BSAI ................................... 228,100 211,700 144,000 128,592 15,408
Greenland turbot ................. BSAI ................................... 4,194 3,462 2,873 2,442 n/a
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
BS ....................................... n/a 2,673 2,673 2,272 286
AI ........................................ n/a 789 200 170 0
Arrowtooth flounder ............. BSAI ................................... 94,035 80,701 14,000 11,900 1,498
Kamchatka flounder ............ BSAI ................................... 11,100 9,500 5,000 4,250 0
Rock sole ............................ BSAI ................................... 165,900 161,000 57,100 50,990 6,110
Flathead sole 6 .................... BSAI ................................... 79,562 66,250 21,000 18,753 2,247
Alaska plaice ....................... BSAI ................................... 49,000 41,000 14,500 12,325 0
Other flatfish 7 ..................... BSAI ................................... 17,414 13,061 2,500 2,125 0
Pacific ocean perch ............ BSAI ................................... 40,529 33,320 31,900 28,143 n/a
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TABLE 1—FINAL 2016 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016
Species Area
OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3
BS ....................................... n/a 8,353 8,000 6,800 0
EAI ...................................... n/a 7,916 7,900 7,055 845
CAI ..................................... n/a 7,355 7,000 6,251 749
WAI ..................................... n/a 9,696 9,000 8,037 963
Northern rockfish ................. BSAI ................................... 14,689 11,960 4,500 3,825 0
Rougheye rockfish 8 ............ BSAI ................................... 693 561 300 255 0
BS/EAI ................................ n/a 179 100 85 0
CAI/WAI .............................. n/a 382 200 170 0
Shortraker rockfish .............. BSAI ................................... 690 518 200 170 0
Other rockfish 9 ................... BSAI ................................... 1,667 1,250 875 744 0
BS ....................................... n/a 695 325 276 0
AI ........................................ n/a 555 550 468 0
Atka mackerel ..................... BSAI ................................... 104,749 90,340 55,000 49,115 5,885
BS/EAI ................................ n/a 30,832 28,500 25,451 3,050
CAI ..................................... n/a 27,216 16,000 14,288 1,712
WAI ..................................... n/a 32,292 10,500 9,377 1,124
Skates ................................. BSAI ................................... 50,215 42,134 26,000 22,100 0
Sculpins ............................... BSAI ................................... 52,365 39,725 4,500 3,825 0
Sharks ................................. BSAI ................................... 1,363 1,022 125 106 0
Squids ................................. BSAI ................................... 6,912 5,184 1,500 1,275 0
Octopuses ........................... BSAI ................................... 3,452 2,589 400 340 0
TOTAL ......................... ............................................. 5,324,080 3,236,662 2,000,000 1,791,97 197,225
1 These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of
these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
2 Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each
TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and
Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish
TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Ber-
ing Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands
Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore—50
percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands sub-
area pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
5 The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 6.4 percent from the Bering Sea subarea ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline
harvest level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is set less than 27 percent of the Aleutian Islands subarea ABC
to account for the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and
rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian
district, CAI = Central Aleutian district, WAI = Western Aleutian district.)
TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2016 AND 2017 WITH PROPOSED 2016 AND 2017 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE
BSAI
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 2017
2016 2017
2016 percentage 2017 percentage
2016 final difference 2017 final difference
Species Area1 proposed difference proposed difference
TAC from TAC from
TAC from TAC from
proposed proposed
proposed proposed
Pollock ................................... BS .................. 1,340,000 1,310,000 30,000 2.3 1,340,643 1,310,000 30,643 2.3
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
AI ................... 19,000 19,000 0 0.0 19,000 19,000 0 0.0
Bogoslof ........ 500 100 400 400.0 500 100 400 400.0
Pacific cod ............................. BS .................. 238,680 240,000 ¥1,320 ¥0.5 238,680 240,000 ¥1,320 ¥0.5
AI ................... 12,839 9,422 3,417 36.3 12,839 9,422 3,417 36.3
Sablefish ................................ BS .................. 1,151 1,211 ¥60 ¥5.0 1,052 1,211 ¥159 ¥13.1
AI ................... 1,557 1,637 ¥80 ¥4.9 1,423 1,637 ¥214 ¥13.1
Yellowfin sole ........................ BSAI .............. 144,000 149,000 ¥5,000 ¥3.4 144,000 149,000 ¥5,000 ¥3.4
Greenland turbot ................... BS .................. 2,673 2,448 225 9.2 2,673 2,448 225 9.2
AI ................... 200 200 0 0.0 200 200 0 0.0
Arrowtooth flounder ............... BSAI .............. 14,000 22,000 ¥8,000 ¥36.4 14,000 22,000 ¥8,000 ¥36.4
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TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2016 AND 2017 WITH PROPOSED 2016 AND 2017 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE
BSAI—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 2017
2016 2017
2016 percentage 2017 percentage
2016 final difference 2017 final difference
Species Area1 proposed difference proposed difference
TAC from TAC from
TAC from TAC from
proposed proposed
proposed proposed
Kamchatka flounder .............. BSAI .............. 5,000 6,500 ¥1,500 ¥23.1 5,000 6,500 ¥1,500 ¥23.1
Rock sole .............................. BSAI .............. 57,100 69,250 ¥12,150 ¥17.5 57,100 69,250 ¥12,150 ¥17.5
Flathead sole ......................... BSAI .............. 21,000 24,250 ¥3,250 ¥13.4 21,000 24,250 ¥3,250 ¥13.4
Alaska plaice ......................... BSAI .............. 14,500 18,500 ¥4,000 ¥21.6 14,500 18,500 ¥4,000 ¥21.6
Other flatfish .......................... BSAI .............. 2,500 3,620 ¥1,120 ¥30.9 2,500 3,620 ¥1,120 ¥30.9
Pacific ocean perch ............... BS .................. 8,000 8,021 ¥21 ¥0.3 7,953 8,021 ¥68 ¥0.8
EAI ................. 7,900 7,970 ¥70 ¥0.9 7,537 7,970 ¥433 ¥5.4
CAI ................ 7,000 7,000 0 0.0 7,000 7,000 0 0.0
WAI ................ 9,000 9,000 0 0.0 9,000 9,000 0 0.0
Northern rockfish ................... BSAI .............. 4,500 3,250 1,250 38.5 4,500 3,250 1,250 38.5
Rougheye rockfish ................ BS/EAI ........... 100 149 ¥49 ¥32.9 100 149 ¥49 ¥32.9
CAI/WAI ......... 200 200 0 0.0 200 200 0 0.0
Shortraker rockfish ................ BSAI .............. 200 250 ¥50 ¥20.0 200 250 ¥50 ¥20.0
Other rockfish ........................ BS .................. 325 325 0 0.0 325 325 0 0.0
AI ................... 550 555 ¥5 ¥0.9 550 555 ¥5 ¥0.9
Atka mackerel ....................... EAI/BS ........... 28,500 27,317 1,183 4.3 28,500 27,317 1,183 4.3
CAI ................ 16,000 17,000 ¥1,000 ¥5.9 16,000 17,000 ¥1,000 ¥5.9
WAI ................ 10,500 10,500 0 0.0 10,500 10,500 0 0.0
Skates ................................... BSAI .............. 26,000 25,700 300 1.2 26,000 25,700 300 1.2
Sculpins ................................. BSAI .............. 4,500 4,700 ¥200 ¥4.3 4,500 4,700 ¥200 ¥4.3
Sharks ................................... BSAI .............. 125 125 0 0.0 125 125 0 0.0
Squid ..................................... BSAI .............. 1,500 400 1,100 275.0 1,500 400 1,100 275.0
Octopuses ............................. BSAI .............. 400 400 0 0.0 400 400 0 0.0
TOTAL ............................ BSAI .............. 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 0.0 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 0.0
1 Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI), Central Aleu-
tian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI).
TABLE 2—FINAL 2017 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017
Species Area
OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3
Pollock 4 .............................. BS ....................................... 3,540,000 2,019,000 1,340,643 1,206,579 134,064
AI ........................................ 44,455 36,664 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof ............................. 31,906 23,850 500 500 0
Pacific cod 5 ........................ BS ....................................... 412,000 255,000 238,680 213,141 25,539
AI ........................................ 23,400 17,600 12,839 11,465 1,374
Sablefish ............................. BS ....................................... 1,241 1,052 1,052 447 39
AI ........................................ 1,681 1,423 1,423 302 27
Yellowfin sole ...................... BSAI ................................... 219,200 203,500 144,000 128,592 15,408
Greenland turbot ................. BSAI ................................... 7,416 6,132 2,873 2,442 n/a
BS ....................................... n/a 4,734 2,673 2,272 286
AI ........................................ n/a 1,398 200 170 0
Arrowtooth flounder ............. BSAI ................................... 84,156 72,216 14,000 11,900 1,498
Kamchatka flounder ............ BSAI ................................... 11,700 10,000 5,000 4,250 0
Rock sole ............................ BSAI ................................... 149,400 145,000 57,100 50,990 6,110
Flathead sole 6 .................... BSAI ................................... 77,544 64,580 21,000 18,753 2,247
Alaska plaice ....................... BSAI ................................... 46,800 39,100 14,500 12,325 0
Other flatfish 7 ..................... BSAI ................................... 17,414 13,061 2,500 2,125 0
Pacific ocean perch ............ BSAI ................................... 38,589 31,724 31,490 27,779 n/a
BS ....................................... n/a 7,953 7,953 6,760 0
EAI ...................................... n/a 7,537 7,537 6,731 806
CAI ..................................... n/a 7,002 7,000 6,251 749
WAI ..................................... n/a 9,232 9,000 8,037 963
Northern rockfish ................. BSAI ................................... 14,085 11,468 4,500 3,825 0
Rougheye rockfish 8 ............ BSAI ................................... 855 694 300 255 0
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
EBS/EAI ............................. n/a 216 100 85 0
CAI/WAI .............................. n/a 478 200 170 0
Shortraker rockfish .............. BSAI ................................... 690 518 200 170 0
Other rockfish 9 ................... BSAI ................................... 1,667 1,250 875 744 0
BS ....................................... n/a 695 325 276 0
AI ........................................ n/a 555 550 468 0
Atka mackerel ..................... BSAI ................................... 99,490 85,840 55,000 49,115 5,885
EAI/BS ................................ n/a 29,296 28,500 25,451 3,050
CAI ..................................... n/a 25,860 16,000 14,288 1,712
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TABLE 2—FINAL 2017 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH
(TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017
Species Area
OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3
WAI ..................................... n/a 30,684 10,500 9,377 1,124
Skates ................................. BSAI ................................... 47,674 39,943 26,000 22,100 0
Sculpins ............................... BSAI ................................... 52,365 39,725 4,500 3,825 0
Sharks ................................. BSAI ................................... 1,363 1,022 125 106 0
Squids ................................. BSAI ................................... 6,912 5,184 1,500 1,275 0
Octopuses ........................... BSAI ................................... 3,452 2,589 400 340 0
TOTAL ......................... ............................................. 4,935,455 3,128,135 2,000,000 1,790,446 196,895
1 These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of
these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
2 Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each
TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and
Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish
TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Ber-
ing Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands
Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: Inshore—50
percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands sub-
area pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
5 The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 6.4 percent from the Bering Sea subarea ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline
harvest level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is set less than 27 percent of the Aleutian Islands subarea ABC
to account for the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and
rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian
district, CAI = Central Aleutian district, WAI = Western Aleutian district.)
Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental pollock TACs be allocated to the pollock catch, including the incidental catch by
Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock, CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other
Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock The entire Bogoslof District pollock than pollock from 2003 through 2015.
Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and Aleutian TAC is allocated as an ICA (see During this 13-year period, the
Islands Pacific Ocean Perch § 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of incidental catch of pollock ranged from
Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of
to reserve 15 percent of the TAC for CDQ reserve, the regulations do not 17 percent in 2014, with a 13-year
each target species, except for pollock, further apportion the CDQ allocations average of 8 percent.
hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of by gear. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8) and (10),
sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates ICAs of 5,000 mt of
in a non-specified reserve. Section NMFS allocates a pollock ICA of 4.0 flathead sole, 6,000 mt of rock sole,
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC 3,500 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of WAI
allocate 20 percent of the hook-and-line after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of CAI
and pot gear allocation of sablefish for reserve. This allowance is based on Pacific ocean perch, 200 mt of EAI
the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve. NMFS’ examination of the pollock Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of WAI Atka
Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that incidental catch, including the mackerel, 75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel,
NMFS allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in and 1,000 mt of EAI and BS subarea
gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7 target fisheries other than pollock from Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the
percent of the Bering Sea Greenland 2000 through 2015. During this 16-year 10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICA
turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to period, the pollock incidental catch allowances are based on NMFS’
the respective CDQ reserves. Section ranged from a low of 2.4 percent in 2006 examination of the incidental catch in
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that NMFS to a high of 4.8 percent in 2014, with a other target fisheries from 2003 through
allocate 10.7 percent of the TAC for 16-year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant 2015.
Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), The regulations do not designate the
ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of remainder of the non-specified reserve
flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the 2,400 mt of the AI subarea TAC after by species or species group. Any
CDQ reserves. Sections subtracting the 10-percent CDQ DFA. amount of the reserve may be
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also This allowance is based on NMFS’ apportioned to a target species category
require that 10 percent of the BSAI examination of the pollock incidental that contributed to the non-specified
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reserves during the year, provided that supplemented from the non-specified Table 3 from the non-specified reserve
such apportionments do not result in reserve because U.S. fishing vessels to increase the ITAC for shortraker
overfishing (see § 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The have demonstrated the capacity to catch rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
Regional Administrator has determined the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in rockfish,’’ sharks, and octopuses by 15
that the ITACs specified for the species accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is percent of the TAC in 2016 and 2017.
listed in Table 1 need to be apportioning the amounts shown in
TABLE 3—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 APPORTIONMENT OF RESERVES TO ITAC CATEGORIES
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 reserve 2016 final 2017 reserve 2017 final
Species-area or subarea 2016 ITAC 2017 ITAC
amount ITAC amount ITAC
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI ......................... 170 30 200 170 30 200
Rougheye rockfish-BS/EAI ...................... 85 15 100 85 15 100
Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI .................... 170 30 200 170 30 200
Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea ......... 276 49 325 276 49 325
Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea .. 468 82 550 468 82 550
Sharks ...................................................... 106 19 125 106 19 125
Octopuses ................................................ 340 60 400 340 60 400
Total .................................................. 1,615 285 1,900 1,615 285 1,900
Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the the B season. Tables 4 and 5 list these all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not
American Fisheries Act (AFA) 2016 and 2017 amounts. listed in the AFA are limited to
The Steller sea lion protection harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that measure final rule (79 FR 70286, the pollock allocated to the C/P sector.
the BS subarea pollock TAC be November 25, 2014) sets harvest limits Tables 4 and 5 list the 2016 and 2017
apportioned, after subtracting 10 for pollock in the A season (January 20 allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 21
percent for the CDQ program and 4.0 to June 10) in Areas 543, 542, and 541, through 26 list the AFA C/P and CV
percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows: see § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6). In Area 543, harvesting sideboard limits. The tables
50 percent to the inshore sector, 40 the A season pollock harvest limit is no for the pollock allocations to the BS
percent to the catcher/processor (C/P) more than 5 percent of the Aleutian subarea inshore pollock cooperatives
sector, and 10 percent to the mothership Islands pollock ABC. In Area 542, the A and open access sector will be posted on
sector. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of season pollock harvest limit is no more the Alaska Region Web site at http://
the DFA is allocated to the A season than 15 percent of the Aleutian Islands alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
(January 20–June 10), and 60 percent of ABC. In Area 541, the A season pollock
harvest limit is no more than 30 percent Tables 4 and 5 also list seasonal
the DFA is allocated to the B season apportionments of pollock and harvest
of the Aleutian Islands ABC.
(June 10–November 1) limits within the Steller Sea Lion
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also
(§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed includes several specific requirements Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest
pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut regarding BS subarea pollock within the SCA, as defined at
Corporation is the amount of pollock allocations. First, it requires that 8.5 § 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no more
remaining in the AI subarea after percent of the pollock allocated to the than 28 percent of the annual DFA
subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA C/P sector be available for harvest by before 12:00 noon, April 1, as provided
(10 percent) and 2,400 mt for the ICA AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P in § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season
(§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI sector endorsements, unless the pollock SCA harvest limit will be
subarea, the total A season Regional Administrator receives a apportioned to each sector in proportion
apportionment of the TAC is less than cooperative contract that allows the to each sector’s allocated percentage of
or equal to 40 percent of the ABC and distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps the DFA. Tables 4 and 5 list these 2016
the remainder of the TAC is allocated to and AFA CVs in a manner agreed to by and 2017 amounts by sector.
TABLE 4—FINAL 2016 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 A season1 2016 B season1
Area and sector 2016 Allocations SCA Harvest
A season DFA B season DFA
limit 2
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 .............................. 1,340,000 n/a n/a n/a
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
CDQ DFA ......................................................... 134,000 53,600 37,520 80,400
ICA 1 ................................................................. 48,240 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore ..................................................... 578,880 231,552 162,086 347,328
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 ............................... 463,104 185,242 129,669 277,862
Catch by C/Ps .......................................... 423,740 169,496 n/a 254,244
Catch by CVs 3 ......................................... 39,364 15,746 n/a 23,618
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ................................... 2,316 926 n/a 1,389
AFA Motherships ............................................. 115,776 46,310 32,417 69,466
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TABLE 4—FINAL 2016 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 A season1 2016 B season1
Area and sector 2016 Allocations SCA Harvest
A season DFA B season DFA
limit 2
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ............................ 202,608 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ........................... 347,328 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA ..................................... 1,157,760 463,104 324,173 694,656
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC ......................... 32,227 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 ....................... 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA ......................................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140
ICA ................................................................... 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation ............................................. 14,700 10,931 n/a 3,769
Area harvest limit 7
541 ............................................................ 9,668 n/a n/a n/a
542 ............................................................ 4,834 n/a n/a n/a
543 ............................................................ 1,611 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA 8 ...................................... 500 n/a n/a n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated
as a DFA as follows: inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS
subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20–June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June
10–November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing al-
lowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
2 In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.
3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in
Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
8 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
NOTE: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 5–FINAL 2017 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017 A season 1 2017 B season 1
Area and sector 2017 Allocations SCA Harvest
A season DFA B season DFA
limit 2
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 .............................. 1,340,643 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA ......................................................... 134,064 53,626 37,538 80,439
ICA 1 ................................................................. 48,263 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore ..................................................... 579,158 231,663 162,164 347,495
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 ............................... 463,326 185,330 129,731 277,996
Catch by C/Ps .......................................... 423,943 169,577 n/a 254,366
Catch by CVs 3 ......................................... 39,383 15,753 n/a 23,630
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ................................... 2,317 927 n/a 1,390
AFA Motherships ............................................. 115,832 46,333 32,433 69,499
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ............................ 202,705 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ........................... 347,495 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA ..................................... 1,158,316 463,326 324,328 694,989
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC ......................... 36,664 n/a n/a n/a
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 ....................... 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA ......................................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140
ICA ................................................................... 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation ............................................. 14,700 12,706 n/a 1,994
Area harvest limit 7
541 ............................................................ 10,999 n/a n/a n/a
542 ............................................................ 5,500 n/a n/a n/a
543 ............................................................ 1,833 n/a n/a n/a
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TABLE 5–FINAL 2017 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017 A season 1 2017 B season 1
Area and sector 2017 Allocations SCA Harvest
A season DFA B season DFA
limit 2
Bogoslof District ICA 8 ...................................... 500 n/a n/a n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated
as a DFA as follows: inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS
subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20–June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June
10–November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing al-
lowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
2 In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in
Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
8 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
NOTE: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs the EAI and BS subarea to the jig gear TACs in Areas 542 and 543, and equally
sector in 2015 and 2016. This divide the annual TAC between the A
Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka percentage is applied to the Atka and B seasons as defined at
mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80 mackerel TAC after subtracting the CDQ § 679.23(e)(3). Section
and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, reserve and the ICA. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires that the
after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions annual TAC in Area 543 will be no more
gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI the Atka mackerel TAC into two equal than 65 percent of the ABC in Area 543.
trawl limited access sector and non- seasonal allowances. Section Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(D) requires that
trawl gear sector (Tables 6 and 7). The 679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal any unharvested Atka mackerel A
percentage of the ITAC for Atka allowance for directed fishing with season allowance that is added to the B
mackerel allocated to the Amendment trawl gear from January 20 through June season be prohibited from being
80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors 10 (A season), and the second seasonal harvested within waters 0 nm to 20 nm
is listed in Table 33 to part 679 and in allowance from June 10 through of Steller sea lion sites listed in Table
§ 679.91. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8)(i), December 31 (B season). Section 6 to this part and located in Areas 541,
up to 2 percent of the EAI and the BS 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel 542, and 543.
subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. Tables 6 and 7 list these 2016 and
allocated to vessels using jig gear. The The ICA and jig gear allocations are not 2017 Atka mackerel seasons, area
percent of this allocation is apportioned by season. allowances, and the sector allocations.
recommended annually by the Council Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and The 2017 allocations for Atka mackerel
based on several criteria, including the (ii) limit Atka mackerel catch within between Amendment 80 cooperatives
anticipated harvest capacity of the jig waters 0 nm to 20 nm of Steller sea lion and the Amendment 80 limited access
gear fleet. The Council recommended, sites listed in Table 6 to this part and sector will not be known until eligible
and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent located west of 178° W longitude to no participants apply for participation in
allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in more than 60 percent of the annual the program by November 1, 2016.
TABLE 6—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCE, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Allocation by area
Sector 1 Eastern
Season 2 3 4 Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian
District/Ber- District 5 District
ing Sea
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
TAC ....................................................................... n/a ......................................................................... 28,500 16,000 10,500
CDQ reserve ......................................................... Total ...................................................................... 3,050 1,712 1,124
A ........................................................................... 1,525 856 562
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 514 337
B ........................................................................... 1,525 856 562
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 514 337
ICA ........................................................................ Total ...................................................................... 1,000 75 40
Jig 6 ....................................................................... Total ...................................................................... 122 0 0
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TABLE 6—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCE, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Allocation by area
Eastern
Sector 1 Season 2 3 4 Aleutian Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian
District/Ber- District 5 District
ing Sea
BSAI trawl limited access ..................................... Total ...................................................................... 2,433 1,421 0
A ........................................................................... 1,216 711 0
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 426 0
B ........................................................................... 1,216 711 0
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 426 0
Amendment 80 sectors ......................................... Total ...................................................................... 21,895 12,792 9,337
A ........................................................................... 10,948 6,396 4,668
B ........................................................................... 10,948 6,396 4,668
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ............................ Total 6 ................................................................... 12,349 7,615 5,742
A ........................................................................... 6,175 3,808 2,871
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 2,285 1,723
B ........................................................................... 6,175 3,808 2,871
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 2,285 1,723
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ................................ Total 6 ................................................................... 9,546 5,177 3,595
A ........................................................................... 4,773 2,589 1,798
Critical Habitat ...................................................... n/a 1,553 1,079
B ........................................................................... 4,773 2,589 1,798
Habitat .................................................................. n/a 1,553 1,079
1 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amend-
ment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited ac-
cess sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see
§§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
2 Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
3 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
4 Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B
season from June 10 to December 31.
5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habi-
tat; (a)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the
TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC.
6 Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear
after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 7—FINAL 2017 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH
ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATION OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017 Allocation by area
Sector 1 Season 2 3 4 Eastern Aleu- Central Aleu- Western Aleu-
tian District/ tian District 5 tian District 5
Bering Sea 5
TAC ................................................................. n/a .................................................................. 28,500 16,000 10,500
CDQ reserve ................................................... Total ............................................................... 3,050 1,712 1,124
A ..................................................................... 1,525 856 562
Critical Habitat ................................................ n/a 514 337
B ..................................................................... 1,525 856 562
Critical Habitat ................................................ n/a 514 337
ICA .................................................................. Total ............................................................... 1,000 75 40
Jig 6 ................................................................. Total ............................................................... 122 0 0
BSAI trawl limited access ............................... Total ............................................................... 2,433 1,421 0
A ..................................................................... 1,216 711 0
Critical Habitat ................................................ n/a 426 0
B ..................................................................... 1,216 711 0
Critical Habitat ................................................ n/a 426 0
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Amendment 80 sectors 7 ................................. Total ............................................................... 21,895 12,792 9,337
A ..................................................................... 10,948 6,396 4,668
B ..................................................................... 10,948 6,396 4,668
1 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amend-
ment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited ac-
cess sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see
§§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
2 Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
3 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
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4 Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B
season from June 10 to December 31.
5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of critical habi-
tat; (a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and (a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires the
TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC.
6 Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear
after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
7 The 2017 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known
until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. NMFS will post 2017 Amendment 80 allocations when they
become available in December 2016.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 allowance will become available at the
The Council separated BS and AI percent to pot C/Ps; 2.3 percent to AFA beginning of the next seasonal
subarea OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA allowance.
Pacific cod in 2014 (79 FR 12108, March trawl C/Ps; and 22.1 percent to trawl Section 679.20(a)(7)(vii) requires the
4, 2014). Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and Regional Administrator to establish an
allocates 10.7 percent of the BS TAC pot sectors will be deducted from the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit based
and AI TAC to the CDQ program. After aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC on Pacific cod abundance in Area 543.
CDQ allocations have been deducted allocated to the hook-and-line and pot Based on the 2015 stock assessment, the
from the respective BS and AI Pacific sectors. For 2016 and 2017, the Regional Regional Administrator determined the
cod TACs, the remaining BS and AI Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit to be
Pacific cod TACs are combined for mt based on anticipated incidental catch 26.3 percent of the AI Pacific cod TAC
calculating further BSAI Pacific cod by these sectors in other fisheries. for 2016 and 2017. NMFS will first
sector allocations. However, if the non- The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to subtract the State GHL Pacific cod
CDQ Pacific cod TAC is or will be the Amendment 80 sector is established amount from the AI Pacific cod ABC.
reached in either the BS or AI subareas, in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. Then NMFS will determine the harvest
NMFS will prohibit non-CDQ directed The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 limit in Area 543 by multiplying the
fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea as species between Amendment 80 percentage of Pacific cod estimated in
provided in § 679.20(d)(1)(iii). cooperatives and the Amendment 80 Area 543 by the remaining ABC for AI
Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) limited access sector will not be known Pacific cod. Based on these calculations,
allocate the Pacific cod TAC in the until eligible participants apply for the Area 543 harvest limit is 3,379 mt.
combined BSAI TAC, after subtracting participation in the program by The CDQ and non-CDQ season
10.7 percent for the CDQ program, as November 1, 2016. allowances by gear based on the 2016
follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned and 2017 Pacific cod TACs are listed in
gear; 2.0 percent to hook-and-line and into seasonal allowances to disperse the Tables 8 and 9, and are based on the
pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing sector allocation percentages of Pacific
overall (LOA); 0.2 percent to hook-and- year (see §§ 679.20(a)(7) and cod set forth at §§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and
line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A) and the seasonal
(18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and- § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused allowances of Pacific cod set forth at
line C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater portion of a seasonal Pacific cod § 679.23(e)(5).
TABLE 8—FINAL 2016 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Share of 2016 Seasonal apportionment
2016 Share of
Gear sector Percent gear sector sector total
total Seasons Amount
BS TAC .............................................. n/a ............... 238,680 ......... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
BS CDQ ............................................. n/a ............... 25,539 ........... n/a ................. see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) ..................... n/a
BS non-CDQ TAC ............................. n/a ............... 213,141 ......... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
AI TAC ............................................... n/a ............... 12,839 ........... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
AI CDQ .............................................. n/a ............... 1,374 ............. n/a ................. see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) ..................... n/a
AI non-CDQ TAC ............................... n/a ............... 11,465 ........... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
Western Aleutian Island Limit ............ n/a ............... 3,379 ............. n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 .............. 100 .............. 224,606 ......... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
Total hook-and-line/pot gear ............. 60.8 ............. 136,561 ......... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 ..................... n/a ............... 500 ................ n/a ................. see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B) ..................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ............... n/a ............... 136,061 ......... n/a ................. n/a ...................................................... n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/processor ....... 48.7 ............. n/a ................. 108,983 ......... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 55,581
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................................. 53,402
Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft 0.2 ............... n/a ................. 448 ................ Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 228
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
LOA.
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................................. 219
Pot catcher/processor ........................ 1.5 ............... n/a ................. 3,357 ............. Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 1,712
..................... ....................... ....................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................................... 1,645
Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ......... 8.4 ............... n/a ................. 18,798 ........... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 9,587
..................... ....................... ....................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................................... 9,211
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using 2 .................. n/a ................. 4,476 ............. n/a ...................................................... n/a
hook-and-line or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel .......................... 22.1 ............. 49,638 ........... n/a ................. Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................................... 36,732
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TABLE 8—FINAL 2016 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Share of 2016 Seasonal apportionment
2016 Share of
Gear sector Percent gear sector sector total
total Seasons Amount
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 5,460
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................................... 7,446
AFA trawl catcher/processor ............. 2.3 ............... 5,166 ............. n/a ................. Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................................... 3,874
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 1,291
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................................... 0
Amendment 80 .................................. 13.4 ............. 30,097 ........... n/a ................. Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................................... 22,573
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 7,524
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................................... 0
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ......... n/a ............... n/a ................. 4,751 ............. Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................................... 3,563
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 1,188
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................................. 0
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ............. n/a ............... n/a ................. 25,346 ........... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................................... 19,010
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................................... 6,337
..................... ....................... ....................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................................. 0
Jig ...................................................... 1.4 ............... 3,144 ............. n/a ................. Jan 1–Apr 30 ..................................... 1,887
..................... ....................... ....................... Apr 30–Aug 31 .................................. 629
..................... ....................... ....................... Aug 31–Dec 31 .................................. 629
1 The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the sub-
traction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohib-
ited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
2 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line
and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2016 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 9—FINAL 2017 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2017 Share 2017 Seasonal apportionment
2017 Share of
Gear sector Percent of gear sec- sector total
tor total Seasons Amount
BS TAC .................................................... n/a ......... 238,680 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
BS CDQ ................................................... n/a ......... 25,539 n/a .................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) .......................... n/a
BS non-CDQ TAC ................................... n/a ......... 213,141 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
AI TAC ..................................................... n/a ......... 12,839 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
AI CDQ .................................................... n/a ......... 1,374 n/a .................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) .......................... n/a
AI non-CDQ TAC ..................................... n/a ......... 11,465 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
Western Aleutian Island Limit .................. n/a ......... 3,379 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 ..................... n/a ......... 224,606 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
Total hook-and-line/pot gear .................... 60.8 ....... 136,561 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 ........................... n/a ......... 500 n/a .................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B) .......................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ...................... n/a ......... 136,061 n/a .................... n/a ........................................................... n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/processor ............. 48.7 ....... n/a 108,983 ............ Jan 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 55,581
............... .................... .......................... Jun 10–Dec 31 ....................................... 53,402
Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft 0.2 ......... n/a 448 ................... Jan 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 228
LOA.
............... .................... .......................... Jun 10–Dec 31 ....................................... 219
Pot catcher/processor .............................. 1.5 ......... n/a 3,357 ................ Jan 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 1,712
............... .................... .......................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ........................................ 1,645
Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ............... 8.4 ......... n/a 18,798 .............. Jan 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 9,587
............... .................... .......................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ........................................ 9,211
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using hook- 2 ............ n/a 4,476 ................ n/a ........................................................... n/a
and-line or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel ................................ 22.1 ....... 49,638 n/a .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 .......................................... 36,732
............... .................... .......................... Apr 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 5,460
............... .................... .......................... Jun 10–Nov 1 ......................................... 7,446
AFA trawl catcher/processor ................... 2.3 ......... 5,166 n/a .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 .......................................... 3,874
............... .................... .......................... Apr 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 1,291
............... .................... .......................... Jun 10–Nov 1 ......................................... 0
Amendment 80 ........................................ 13.4 ....... 30,097 n/a .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 .......................................... 22,573
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
............... .................... .......................... Apr 1–Jun 10 .......................................... 7,524
............... .................... .......................... Jun 10–Dec 31 ....................................... 0
Jig ............................................................ 1.4 ......... 3,144 n/a .................... Jan 1–Apr 30 .......................................... 1,887
............... .................... .......................... Apr 30–Aug 31 ....................................... 629
............... .................... .......................... Aug 31–Dec 31 ....................................... 629
1 The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the sub-
traction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohib-
ited, even if a BSAI allowance remains.
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2 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line
and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2017 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Sablefish Gear Allocation apportion 20 percent of the hook-and- fishing year to ensure those fisheries are
line and pot gear allocation of sablefish conducted concurrently with the halibut
Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) to the CDQ reserve. Additionally, IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish and
require allocation of the sablefish TAC § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) requires that 7.5 halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the
for the BS and AI subareas between percent of the trawl gear allocation of potential for discards of halibut and
trawl and hook-and-line or pot gear sablefish from the non-specified sablefish in those fisheries. The
sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for reserves, established under sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain
the BS subarea are 50 percent for trawl § 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ closed at the beginning of each fishing
gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or reserve. The Council recommended that year until the final harvest
pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs only trawl sablefish TAC be established specifications for the sablefish IFQ
for the AI subarea are 25 percent for biennially. The harvest specifications fisheries are in effect. Table 10 lists the
trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and- for the hook-and-line gear and pot gear 2016 and 2017 gear allocations of the
line or pot gear. Section sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to fisheries will be limited to the 2016 amounts.
TABLE 10—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 GEAR SHARES AND CDQ RESERVE OF BSAI SABLEFISH TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Percent of 2016 Share 2016 CDQ 2017 Share 2017 CDQ
Subarea and gear 2016 ITAC 2017 ITAC
TAC of TAC Reserve of TAC Reserve
Bering Sea:
Trawl 1 ............................................... 50 576 489 43 526 447 39
Hook-and-line/pot gear 2 ................... 50 576 460 115 n/a n/a n/a
Total ........................................... 100 1,151 950 158 526 447 39
Aleutian Islands:
Trawl 1 ............................................... 25 389 331 29 356 302 27
Hook-and-line/pot gear 2 ................... 75 1,168 934 234 n/a n/a n/a
Total ........................................... 100 1,557 1,265 263 356 302 27
1 Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of
the TAC after the subtracting these reserves.
2 For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use
by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ The 2017 allocations for Amendment
Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock reserve and an ICA for the BSAI trawl 80 species between Amendment 80
Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs limited access sector and vessels using cooperatives and the Amendment 80
non-trawl gear. The allocation of the limited access sector will not be known
Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and until eligible participants apply for
require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and participation in the program by
ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 November 1, 2016. Tables 11 and 12 list
rock sole, and yellowfin sole TAC sector is established in accordance with the 2016 and 2017 allocations of the AI
between the Amendment 80 sector and Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead
BSAI trawl limited access sector, after § 679.91. sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs.
TABLE 11—FINAL 2016 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND
AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK
SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock Yellowfin
sole sole sole
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
TAC .................................................................................. 7,900 7,000 9,000 21,000 57,100 144,000
CDQ ................................................................................. 845 749 963 2,247 6,110 15,408
ICA ................................................................................... 200 75 10 5,000 6,000 3,500
BSAI trawl limited access ................................................ 685 618 161 0 0 14,979
Amendment 80 ................................................................. 6,169 5,558 7,866 13,753 44,990 110,113
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ....................................... 3,271 2,947 4,171 1,411 11,129 43,748
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14785
TABLE 11—FINAL 2016 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND
AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK
SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock Yellowfin
sole sole sole
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ........................................... 2,898 2,611 3,695 12,342 33,861 66,365
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 12—FINAL 2017 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND
AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK
SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock Yellowfin
sole sole sole
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
TAC .................................................................................. 7,537 7,002 9,000 21,000 57,100 144,000
CDQ ................................................................................. 806 749 963 2,247 6,110 15,408
ICA ................................................................................... 200 75 10 5,000 6,000 3,500
BSAI trawl limited access ................................................ 653 618 161 0 0 14,979
Amendment 80 1 .............................................................. 5,877 5,560 7,866 13,753 44,990 110,113
1 The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not
be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016. NMFS will publish 2017 Amendment 80 alloca-
tions when they become available in December 2016.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Section 679.2 defines the ABC surplus cooperatives from achieving, on a minus the CDQ ABC reserves. Section
for flathead sole, rock sole, and continuing basis, the optimum yield in 679.91(i)(2) establishes each
yellowfin sole as the difference between the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS, Amendment 80 cooperative ABC reserve
the annual ABC and TAC for each after consultation with the Council, may to be the ratio of each cooperatives’
species. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii) set the ABC reserve at or below the ABC quota share units and the total
establishes ABC reserves for flathead surplus for each species thus Amendment 80 quota share units,
sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The maintaining the TAC below ABC limits. multiplied by the Amendment 80 ABC
ABC surpluses and the ABC reserves are An amount equal to 10.7 percent of the reserve for each respective species.
necessary to mitigate the operational ABC reserves will be allocated as CDQ Table 13 lists the 2016 and 2017 ABC
variability, environmental conditions, reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and surplus and ABC reserves for BSAI
and economic factors that may constrain yellowfin sole. The Amendment 80 ABC flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin
the CDQ groups and the Amendment 80 reserves shall be the ABC reserves sole.
TABLE 13—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 ABC SURPLUS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) ABC RESERVES, AND
AMENDMENT 80 ABC RESERVES IN THE BSAI FOR FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 Flathead 2016 Rock 2016 Yellowfin 2017 Flathead 2017 Rock 2017 Yellowfin
Sector sole sole sole sole sole sole
ABC .......................................................... 66,250 161,100 211,700 64,580 145,000 203,500
TAC .......................................................... 21,000 57,100 144,000 21,000 57,100 144,000
ABC surplus ............................................. 45,250 104,000 67,700 43,580 87,900 59,500
ABC reserve ............................................. 45,250 104,000 67,700 43,580 87,900 59,500
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
CDQ ABC reserve ................................... 4,842 11,128 7,244 4,663 9,405 6,367
Amendment 80 ABC reserve ................... 40,408 92,872 60,456 38,917 78,495 53,134
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for
2016 1 ................................................... 4,145 22,974 24,019 n/a n/a n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 1 .. 36,263 69,898 36,437 n/a n/a n/a
1 The 2017 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not
be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2016.
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![14788 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 16—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS
SECTOR
Prohibited species and area 1
BSAI trawl limited Red king
Halibut C. opilio C. bairdi (animals)
access fisheries crab
mortality (animals)
(animals)
(mt) BSAI COBLZ
Zone 1 Zone 1 Zone 2
Yellowfin sole ........................................................................................... 167 23,338 1,273,886 293,234 1,005,879
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 2 ..................................................... 0 0 0 0 0
Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish ..... 0 0 0 0 0
Rockfish April 15–December 31 .............................................................. 5 0 2,104 0 849
Pacific cod ............................................................................................... 453 2,954 54,298 50,816 42,424
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 3 ..................................................... 250 197 21,046 4,235 4,242
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC ............................................... 875 26,489 1,351,334 348,285 1,053,394
1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
2 ‘‘Otherflatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock
sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 17—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES BY CATCH ALLOWANCES FOR NON-TRAWL FISHERIES
[Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI]
Catcher/ Catcher
Non-trawl fisheries Seasons All Non-Trawl
processor vessel
Pacific cod .......................................................... Total Pacific cod ................................................ 760 15 n/a
January 1–June 10 ............................................ 455 10 n/a
June 10–August 15 ............................................ 190 3 n/a
August 15–December 31 ................................... 115 2 n/a
Non-Pacific cod non-trawl-Total ......................... May 1–December 31 ......................................... n/a n/a 58
Groundfish pot and jig ........................................ n/a ...................................................................... n/a n/a Exempt.
Sablefish hook-and-line ...................................... n/a ...................................................................... n/a n/a Exempt.
Total for all non-trawl PSC ......................... n/a ...................................................................... n/a n/a 833
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 18—FINAL 2016 PROHIBITED SPECIES BY CATCH ALLOWANCE FOR THE BSAI AMENDMENT 80 COOPERATIVES
Prohibited species and zones 1
Cooperative Halibut Red king crab C. opilio C. bairdi (animals)
mortality (mt) (animals) (animals)
BSAI Zone 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ........................................... 632 12,459 650,551 82,136 137,369
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ............................................... 1,693 30,834 1,415,973 229,979 395,291
1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of zones.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR) the International Pacific Halibut fisheries, where not enough halibut
To monitor halibut bycatch mortality Commission (IPHC) and the Council for mortality data are available, the
allowances and apportionments, the the 2016 and 2017 BSAI groundfish mortality rate of halibut caught in the
Regional Administrator uses observed fisheries for use in monitoring the 2016 Pacific cod fishery for that gear type was
halibut bycatch rates, DMRs, and and 2017 halibut bycatch allowances recommended as a default rate. The
estimates of groundfish catch to project (see Tables 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18). The IPHC and Council staff will analyze
when a fishery’s halibut bycatch IPHC and the Council developed these observer data annually and recommend
mortality allowance or seasonal DMRs for the 2016 and 2017 BSAI changes to the DMRs when a fishery
apportionment is reached. The DMRs fisheries using the 10-year mean DMRs DMR shows large variation from the
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
are based on the best information for those fisheries. Long-term average mean. A discussion of the DMRs and
available, including information DMRs were not available for some how they are established is available
contained in the annual SAFE report. fisheries, so rates from the most recent from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table
NMFS is implementing the halibut years were used. For the skate, sculpin, 19 lists the 2016 and 2017 DMRs.
DMRs developed and recommended by shark, squid, and octopus target
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14789
TABLE 19—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI
Halibut discard
Gear Fishery mortality rate
(percent)
Non-CDQ hook-and-line ............................................................. Greenland turbot ........................................................................ 11
Other species.1 ........................................................................... 9
Pacific cod .................................................................................. 9
Rockfish ...................................................................................... 9
Non-CDQ trawl ........................................................................... Alaska plaice .............................................................................. 66
Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................... 84
Atka mackerel ............................................................................. 82
Flathead sole .............................................................................. 72
Greenland turbot ........................................................................ 82
Kamchatka flounder ................................................................... 84
Non-pelagic pollock .................................................................... 81
Pelagic pollock ............................................................................ 88
Other flatfish 2 ............................................................................. 63
Other species.1 ........................................................................... 66
Pacific cod .................................................................................. 66
Rockfish ...................................................................................... 83
Rock sole .................................................................................... 86
Sablefish ..................................................................................... 66
Yellowfin sole ............................................................................. 84
Non-CDQ Pot ............................................................................. Other species.1 ........................................................................... 9
Pacific cod .................................................................................. 9
CDQ trawl ................................................................................... Atka mackerel ............................................................................. 82
Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................... 84
Flathead sole .............................................................................. 79
Kamchatka flounder ................................................................... 84
Non-pelagic pollock .................................................................... 86
Pelagic pollock ............................................................................ 90
Pacific cod .................................................................................. 87
Greenland turbot ........................................................................ 89
Rockfish ...................................................................................... 70
Rock sole .................................................................................... 86
Yellowfin sole ............................................................................. 85
CDQ hook-and-line ..................................................................... Greenland turbot ........................................................................ 10
Pacific cod .................................................................................. 10
CDQ pot ...................................................................................... Pacific cod .................................................................................. 1
Sablefish ..................................................................................... 41
1 ‘‘Other
species’’ includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
2 ‘‘Other
flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole,
yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
Directed Fishing Closures category’s bycatch allowance of halibut, 20 as zero. Therefore, in accordance
red king crab, C. bairdi crab, or C. opilio with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), crab for a specified area has been prohibiting directed fishing for these
the Regional Administrator may reached, the Regional Administrator sectors and species in the specified
establish a DFA for a species or species will prohibit directed fishing for each areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March
group if the Regional Administrator species in that category in the specified 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
determines that any allocation or area. December 31, 2017. Also, for the BSAI
apportionment of a target species has Based on historic catch patterns and trawl limited access sector, bycatch
been or will be reached. If the Regional anticipated fishing activity, the Regional allowances of halibut, red king crab, C.
Administrator establishes a DFA, and Administrator has determined that the bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in
that allowance is or will be reached groundfish allocation amounts in Table Table 20 are insufficient to support
before the end of the fishing year, NMFS 20 will be necessary as incidental catch directed fisheries. Therefore, in
will prohibit directed fishing for that to support other anticipated groundfish accordance with § 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is
species or species group in the specified fisheries for the 2016 and 2017 fishing prohibiting directed fishing for these
subarea or district (see years. Consequently, in accordance with sectors and fishery categories in the
§ 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional specified areas effective at 1200 hrs,
to § 679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for A.l.t., March 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs,
Administrator determines that a fishery the species and species groups in Table A.l.t., December 31, 2017.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
TABLE 20—2016 AND 2017 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals]
2016 Inci- 2017 Inci-
Area Sector Species dental catch dental catch
allowance allowance
Bogoslof District ......................................... All .............................................................. Pollock ....................................................... 500 500
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![14790 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 20—2016 AND 2017 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued
[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals]
2016 Inci- 2017 Inci-
Area Sector Species dental catch dental catch
allowance allowance
Aleutian Islands subarea ........................... All .............................................................. ICA pollock ................................................ 2,400 2,400
‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ...................................... 550 550
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea ......... Non-amendment 80, CDQ, and BSAI ICA Atka mackerel .................................... 1,000 1,000
trawl limited access.
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea ......... All .............................................................. Rougheye rockfish .................................... 100 100
Eastern Aleutian District ............................ Non-amendment 80, CDQ, and BSAI ICA Pacific ocean perch ........................... 200 200
trawl limited access.
Central Aleutian District ............................. Non-amendment 80, CDQ, and BSAI ICA Atka mackerel .................................... 75 75
trawl limited access.
ICA Pacific ocean perch ........................... 75 75
Western Aleutian District ........................... Non-amendment 80, CDQ and BSAI trawl ICA Atka mackerel .................................... 40 40
limited access.
ICA Pacific ocean perch ........................... 10 10
Western and Central Aleutian Districts ..... All .............................................................. Rougheye rockfish .................................... 200 200
Bering Sea subarea ................................... All .............................................................. Pacific ocean perch ................................... 6,800 6,760
‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ...................................... 325 325
ICA pollock ................................................ 48,240 48,263
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands ............... All .............................................................. Northern rockfish ....................................... 3,825 3,825
Shortraker rockfish .................................... 200 200
Skates ....................................................... 22,100 22,100
Sculpins ..................................................... 3,825 3,825
Sharks ....................................................... 125 125
Squids ....................................................... 1,275 1,275
Octopuses ................................................. 400 400
Hook-and-line and pot gear ...................... ICA Pacific cod .......................................... 500 500
Non-amendment 80 and CDQ .................. ICA flathead sole ....................................... 5,000 5,000
ICA rock sole ............................................. 6,000 6,000
Non-amendment 80, CDQ, and BSAI ICA yellowfin sole ...................................... 3,500 3,500
trawl limited access.
BSAI trawl limited access ......................... Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish—hal- 0 0
ibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1, C.
opilio COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish—halibut mor- 0 0
tality, red king crab Zone 1, C. opilio
COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2.
Rockfish—red king crab Zone 1 ............... 0 0
1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
2 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Closures implemented under the final addition to closures and prohibitions detail in the final rules implementing
2015 and 2016 BSAI harvest found at 50 CFR part 679. the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR
specifications for groundfish (80 FR Listed AFA Catcher/Processor 79692, December 30, 2002) and
11919, March 5, 2015) remain effective Sideboard Limits Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668,
under authority of these final 2016 and September 14, 2007). Table 21 lists the
2017 harvest specifications, and are Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional 2016 and 2017 AFA C/P sideboard
Administrator is responsible for limits.
posted at the following Web sites:
restricting the ability of listed AFA
http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/cm/ All harvest of groundfish sideboard
C/Ps to engage in directed fishing for
info_bulletins/ and http:// groundfish species other than pollock to species by listed AFA C/Ps, whether as
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries_ protect participants in other groundfish targeted catch or incidental catch, will
reports/reports/. While these closures fisheries from adverse effects resulting be deducted from the sideboard limits
are in effect, the maximum retainable from the AFA and from fishery in Table 21. However, groundfish
amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at cooperatives in the pollock directed sideboard species that are delivered to
any time during a fishing trip. These fishery. These restrictions are set out as listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be
closures to directed fishing are in ‘‘sideboard’’ limits on catch. The basis deducted from the 2016 and 2017
for these sideboard limits is described in sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps.
TABLE 21—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH
SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
1995–1997
2016 ITAC 2016 AFA 2017 ITAC 2017 AFA
Ratio of
Target species Area/season available to C/P side- available to C/P side-
Retained retained
Total catch trawl C/Ps 1 board limit trawl C/Ps1 board limit
catch catch to
total catch
Sablefish trawl ................. BS .............. 8 497 0.016 489 8 447 7
AI ................ 0 145 0 331 0 302 0
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14791
TABLE 21—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH
SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
1995–1997
Ratio of 2016 ITAC 2016 AFA 2017 ITAC 2017 AFA
Target species Area/season Retained retained available to C/P side- available to C/P side-
catch Total catch catch to trawl C/Ps 1 board limit trawl C/Ps1 board limit
total catch
Atka mackerel .................. Central AI A n/a n/a 0.115 7,144 822 8,000 920
season 2.
Central AI B n/a n/a 0.115 7,144 822 8,000 920
season 2.
Western AI n/a n/a 0.2 4,688 938 5,250 1,050
A sea-
son 2.
Western AI n/a n/a 0.2 4,688 938 5,250 1,050
B sea-
son 2.
Rock sole ......................... BSAI ........... 6,317 169,362 0.037 50,990 1,887 50,990 1,887
Greenland turbot ............. BS .............. 121 17,305 0.007 2,272 16 2,272 16
AI ................ 23 4,987 0.005 170 1 170 1
Arrowtooth flounder ......... BSAI ........... 76 33,987 0.002 11,900 24 11,900 24
Kamchatka flounder ........ BSAI ........... 76 33,987 0.002 4,250 9 4,250 9
Flathead sole ................... BSAI ........... 1,925 52,755 0.036 18,753 675 18,753 675
Alaska plaice ................... BSAI ........... 14 9,438 0.001 12,325 12 12,325 12
Other flatfish .................... BSAI ........... 3,058 52,298 0.058 2,125 123 2,125 123
Pacific ocean perch ......... BS .............. 12 4,879 0.002 6,800 14 6,760 14
Eastern AI .. 125 6,179 0.02 7,055 141 6,731 135
Central AI ... 3 5,698 0.001 6,251 6 6,251 6
Western AI 54 13,598 0.004 8,037 32 8,037 32
Northern rockfish ............. BSAI ........... 91 13,040 0.007 3,825 27 3,825 27
Shortraker rockfish .......... BSAI ........... 50 2,811 0.018 200 4 200 4
Rougheye rockfish ........... EBS/EAI ..... 50 2,811 0.018 100 2 100 2
CAI/WAI ..... 50 2,811 0.018 200 4 200 4
Other rockfish .................. BS .............. 18 621 0.029 325 9 325 9
AI ................ 22 806 0.027 550 15 550 15
Skates .............................. BSAI ........... 553 68,672 0.008 22,100 177 22,100 177
Sculpins ........................... BSAI ........... 553 68,672 0.008 3,825 31 3,825 31
Sharks ............................. BSAI ........... 553 68,672 0.008 125 1 125 1
Squids .............................. BSAI ........... 73 3,328 0.022 1,275 28 1,275 28
Octopuses ....................... BSAI ........... 553 68,672 0.008 400 3 400 3
1 Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of
the TAC after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
2 The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. List-
ed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of
the annual ITAC specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.
Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 PSC species listed in Table 22 that are or 2017 PSC sideboard limit listed in
and 41 of part 679 establish a formula caught by listed AFA C/Ps participating Table 22 is reached.
for calculating PSC sideboard limits for in any groundfish fishery other than Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed
listed AFA C/Ps. The basis for these pollock will accrue against the 2016 and AFA C/Ps while fishing for pollock will
sideboard limits is described in detail in 2017 PSC sideboard limits for the listed accrue against the bycatch allowances
the final rules implementing the major AFA C/Ps. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) annually specified for either the
provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, authorizes NMFS to close directed midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka
December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 fishing for groundfish other than mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery
(72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2016 categories under § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 22—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES SIDEBOARD LIMITS
2016 and 2016 and
2017 PSC 2017 AFA
Ratio of PSC available to catcher/
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
PSC species and area 1 catch to total trawl vessels processor
PSC after subtrac- sideboard
tion of PSQ 2 limit 2
Halibut mortality BSAI .................................................................................................................. n/a n/a 286
Red king crab zone 1 .................................................................................................................. 0.007 86,621 606
C. opilio (COBLZ) ........................................................................................................................ 0.153 4,204,524 643,292
C. bairdi Zone 1 ........................................................................................................................... 0.14 741,190 103,767
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![14792 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 22—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES SIDEBOARD LIMITS—
Continued
2016 and 2016 and
2017 PSC 2017 AFA
Ratio of PSC available to catcher/
PSC species and area 1 catch to total trawl vessels processor
PSC after subtrac- sideboard
tion of PSQ 2 limit 2
C. bairdi Zone 2 ........................................................................................................................... 0.05 2,250,360 112,518
1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
2 Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits cooperatives in the pollock directed September 14, 2007). Tables 23 and 24
Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a list the 2016 and 2017 AFA CV
Administrator is responsible for formula for setting AFA CV groundfish sideboard limits.
restricting the ability of AFA CVs to and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. All catch of groundfish sideboard
engage in directed fishing for groundfish The basis for these sideboard limits is species made by non-exempt AFA CVs,
species other than pollock to protect described in detail in the final rules whether as targeted catch or incidental
participants in other groundfish implementing the major provisions of catch, will be deducted from the 2016
fisheries from adverse effects resulting the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, and 2017 sideboard limits listed in
from the AFA and from fishery 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, Table 23.
TABLE 23—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL BSAI GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Ratio of 1995– 2016 AFA 2017 AFA
1997 AFA CV 2016 initial catcher vessel 2017 initial catcher vessel
Species/gear Fishery by area/season catch to 1995– TAC 1 sideboard TAC 1 sideboard
1997 TAC limits limits
Pacific cod/Jig gear ............................. BSAI .................................................... 0 n/a 0 n/a 0
Pacific cod/Hook-and-line CV ≥ 60 BSAI Jan 1–Jun 10 ............................. 0.0006 228 0 228 0
feet LOA.
BSAI Jun 10–Dec 31 .......................... 0.0006 219 0 219 0
Pacific cod pot gear CV ...................... BSAI Jan 1–Jun 10 ............................. 0.0006 9,587 6 9,587 6
BSAI Sept 1–Dec 31 ........................... 0.0006 9,211 6 9,211 6
Pacific cod CV < 60 feet LOA using BSAI .................................................... 0.0006 4,476 3 4,476 3
hook-and-line or pot gear.
Pacific cod trawl gear CV .................... BSAI Jan 20–Apr 1 ............................. 0.8609 36,732 31,623 36,732 31,623
BSAI Apr 1–Jun 10 ............................. 0.8609 5,460 4,701 5,460 4,701
BSAI Jun 10–Nov 1 ............................ 0.8609 7,446 6,410 7,446 6,410
Sablefish trawl gear ............................. BS ....................................................... 0.0906 489 44 447 40
AI ......................................................... 0.0645 331 21 302 19
Atka mackerel ...................................... Eastern AI/BS Jan 1–Jun 10 .............. 0.0032 12,725 41 12,725 41
Eastern AI/BS Jun 10–Nov 1 .............. 0.0032 12,725 41 12,725 41
Central AI Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... 0.0001 7,144 1 7,144 1
Central AI Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... 0.0001 7,144 1 7,144 1
Western AI Jan 1–Jun 10 ................... 0 4,688 0 4,688 0
Western AI Jun 10–Nov 1 .................. 0 4,688 0 4,688 0
Rock sole ............................................. BSAI .................................................... 0.0341 50,990 1,739 50,990 1,739
Greenland turbot ................................. BS ....................................................... 0.0645 2,272 147 2,272 147
AI ......................................................... 0.0205 170 3 170 3
Arrowtooth flounder ............................. BSAI .................................................... 0.069 11,900 821 11,900 821
Kamchatka flounder ............................ BSAI .................................................... 0.069 4,250 293 4,250 293
Alaska plaice ....................................... BSAI .................................................... 0.0441 12,325 544 12,325 544
Other flatfish ........................................ BSAI .................................................... 0.0441 2,125 94 2,125 94
Flathead sole ....................................... BS ....................................................... 0.0505 18,753 947 18,753 947
Pacific ocean perch ............................. BS ....................................................... 0.1 6,800 680 6,760 676
Eastern AI ........................................... 0.0077 7,055 54 6,731 52
Central AI ............................................ 0.0025 6,251 16 6,251 16
Western AI .......................................... 0 8,037 0 8,037 0
Northern rockfish ................................. BSAI .................................................... 0.0084 3,825 32 3,825 32
Shortraker rockfish .............................. BSAI .................................................... 0.0037 200 1 200 1
Rougheye rockfish ............................... EBS/EAI .............................................. 0.0037 100 0 100 0
CAI/WAI .............................................. 0.0037 200 1 200 1
Other rockfish ...................................... BS ....................................................... 0.0048 325 2 325 2
AI ......................................................... 0.0095 550 5 550 5
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Skates .................................................. BSAI .................................................... 0.0541 22,100 1,196 22,100 1,196
Sculpins ............................................... BSAI .................................................... 0.0541 3,825 207 3,825 207
Sharks ................................................. BSAI .................................................... 0.0541 125 7 125 7
Squids .................................................. BSAI .................................................... 0.3827 1,275 488 1,275 488
Octopuses ........................................... BSAI .................................................... 0.0541 400 22 400 22
1 Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of that species after the
subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14793
Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Sections 679.21(d)(7) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in
Table 24 that are caught by AFA CVs authorize NMFS to close directed the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch
participating in any groundfish fishery fishing for groundfish other than allowances annually specified for either
for groundfish other than pollock will pollock for AFA CVs once a 2016 or the midwater pollock or the pollock/
accrue against the 2016 and 2017 PSC 2017 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table Atka mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery
sideboard limits for the AFA CVs. 24 is reached. The PSC that is caught by categories under § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
TABLE 24—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD
LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1
2016 and
2016 and
AFA catcher 2017 AFA
2017 PSC limit
Target fishery vessel PSC catcher vessel
PSC species and area 1 after subtrac-
category 2 sideboard limit PSC
tion of PSQ
ratio sideboard
reserves 3 limit 3
Halibut ............................................................. Pacific cod trawl ............................................. n/a n/a 887
Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot .................... n/a n/a 2
Yellowfin sole total ......................................... n/a n/a 101
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 4 ........... n/a n/a 228
Greenland turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 5 ......... n/a n/a 0
Rockfish .......................................................... n/a n/a 2
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 6 ........... n/a n/a 5
Red king crab Zone 1 ..................................... n/a .................................................................. 0.299 86,621 25,900
C. opilio COBLZ .............................................. n/a .................................................................. 0.168 4,204,524 706,360
C. bairdi Zone 1 .............................................. n/a .................................................................. 0.33 741,190 244,593
C. bairdi Zone 2 .............................................. n/a .................................................................. 0.186 2,250,360 418,567
1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
2 Target fishery categories are defined at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
3 Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
4 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock
sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
5 Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
6 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher support other anticipated groundfish Regional Administrator has determined,
Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing fisheries for the 2016 and 2017 fishing in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
Closures years. In accordance with that NMFS is prohibiting directed
Based on historical catch patterns, the § 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional fishing by listed AFA C/Ps for the
Regional Administrator has determined Administrator establishes the sideboard species in the specified areas set out in
that many of the AFA C/P and CV limits listed in Tables 25 and 26 as Table 25, and directed fishing by non-
sideboard limits listed in Tables 25 and DFAs. Because many of these DFAs will exempt AFA CVs for the species in the
26 are necessary as incidental catch to be reached before the end of 2016, the specified areas set out in Table 26.
TABLE 25—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED
FISHING CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 2017
Species Area Gear types Sideboard limit Sideboard limit
Sablefish trawl .................................................. BS .................................................................... trawl ............. 8 7
AI ..................................................................... trawl ............. 0 0
Rock sole ......................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 1,887 1,887
Greenland turbot .............................................. BS .................................................................... all ................ 17 16
AI ..................................................................... all ................ 1 1
Arrowtooth flounder .......................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 24 24
Kamchatka flounder ......................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 9 9
Alaska plaice .................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 12 12
Other flatfish 2 ................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 123 123
Flathead sole ................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 675 675
Pacific ocean perch ......................................... BS .................................................................... all ................ 14 14
Eastern AI ........................................................ all ................ 141 135
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Central AI ......................................................... all ................ 6 6
Western AI ....................................................... all ................ 32 32
Northern rockfish .............................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 27 27
Shortraker rockfish ........................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 4 4
Rougheye rockfish ........................................... EBS/EAI ........................................................... all ................ 2 2
CAI/WAI ........................................................... all ................ 4 4
Other rockfish 3 ................................................. BS .................................................................... all ................ 9 9
AI ..................................................................... all ................ 15 15
Skates .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 177 177
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![14794 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 25—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED
FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 2017
Species Area Gear types Sideboard limit Sideboard limit
Sculpins ............................................................ BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 31 31
Sharks .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 1 1
Squids .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 28 28
Octopuses ........................................................ BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 3 3
1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
2 ‘‘Otherflatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and
rougheye rockfish.
TABLE 26—FINAL 2016 AND 2017 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING
CLOSURES 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2016 2017
Species Area Gear types Sideboard limit Sideboard limit
.......................................................................... BSAI ................................................................. hook-and-line 0 0
CV ≥ 60
feet LOA.
BSAI ................................................................. pot CV ≥ 60 12 12
feet LOA.
BSAI ................................................................. hook-and-line 3 3
or pot
CV < 60
feet LOA.
BSAI ................................................................. jig ................ 0 0
Sablefish .......................................................... BS .................................................................... trawl ............ 44 40
AI ..................................................................... trawl ............. 21 19
Atka mackerel .................................................. Eastern AI/BS .................................................. all ................ 82 82
Central AI ......................................................... all ................ 2 2
Western AI ....................................................... all ................ 0 0
Greenland turbot .............................................. BS .................................................................... all ................ 147 147
AI ..................................................................... all ................ 3 3
Arrowtooth flounder .......................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 821 821
Kamchatka flounder ......................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 293 293
Alaska plaice .................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 544 544
Other flatfish 2 ................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 94 94
Flathead sole ................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 947 947
Rock sole ......................................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 1,739 1,739
Pacific ocean perch ......................................... BS .................................................................... all ................ 680 676
Eastern AI ........................................................ all ................ 54 52
Central AI ......................................................... all ................ 16 16
Western AI ....................................................... all ................ 0 0
Northern rockfish .............................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 32 32
Shortraker rockfish ........................................... BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 1 1
Rougheye rockfish ........................................... BS/EAI ............................................................. all ................ 0 0
CAI/WAI ........................................................... all ................ 1 1
Other rockfish 3 ................................................. BS .................................................................... all ................ 2 2
AI ..................................................................... all ................ 5 5
Skates .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 1,196 1,196
Sculpins ............................................................ BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 207 207
Sharks .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 7 7
Squids .............................................................. BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 488 488
Octopuses ........................................................ BSAI ................................................................. all ................ 22 22
1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
2 ‘‘Otherflatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and
rougheye rockfish.
Response to Comments proposed BSAI groundfish harvest public comments on the proposed BSAI
specifications. No changes were made to groundfish harvest specifications is
NMFS received two letters with
fourteen substantive comments during the final rule in response to comment provided below.
the public comment period for the letters received. NMFS’ response to the
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![14800 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
Table 1 and Table 2, the sum of ABCs TACs established in the final 2015 and are managed under the same IFQ
in 2016 and 2017 would be 3,236,662 2016 harvest specifications (80 FR program. Immediate effectiveness of the
and 3,143,135 million mt, respectively. 11919, March 5, 2015). If implemented final 2016 and 2017 harvest
Both of these are substantially in excess immediately, this rule would allow specifications will allow the sablefish
of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This these fisheries to continue fishing IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with
result would be inconsistent with the without worrying about a potential the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also,
objectives of this action, in that it would closure because the new TAC limits are immediate effectiveness of this action is
violate the Consolidated Appropriations higher than the ones under which they required to provide consistent
Act of 2004, Public Law 108–199, are currently fishing. Certain fisheries, management and conservation of fishery
Section 803(c), and the FMP for the such as those for pollock and Pacific resources based on the best available
BSAI groundfish fishery, which both set cod are intensive, fast-paced fisheries. scientific information. This is
a 2 million mt maximum harvest for Other fisheries, such as those for particularly true of those species that
BSAI groundfish. flatfish, rockfish, skates, sculpins, have lower 2016 ABC and TAC limits
Alternative 3 selects harvest rates sharks, and octopuses, are critical as than those established in the 2015 and
based on the most recent 5 years’ worth directed fisheries and as incidental 2016 harvest specifications (80 FR
of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 catch in other fisheries. U.S. fishing 11919, March 5, 2015). Immediate
through 3) or for the most recent 5 years’ vessels have demonstrated the capacity effectiveness also would give the fishing
worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 to catch the TAC allocations in these industry the earliest possible
through 6). This alternative is also fisheries. Any delay in allocating the opportunity to plan and conduct its
inconsistent with the objectives of this final TAC limits in these fisheries fishing operations with respect to new
action, because it does not take into would cause confusion in the industry information about TAC limits.
account the most recent biological and potential economic harm through Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to
information for this fishery. unnecessary discards. Determining waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness
Alternative 4 would lead to which fisheries may close is impossible under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
significantly lower harvests of all because these fisheries are affected by
species to reduce TAC from the upper several factors that cannot be predicted Small Entity Compliance Guide
end of the OY range in the BSAI, to its in advance, including fishing effort,
lower end. This result would lead to weather, movement of fishery stocks, This final rule is a plain language
significant reductions in harvests of and market price. Furthermore, the guide to assist small entities in
species by small entities. While closure of one fishery has a cascading complying with this final rule as
reductions of this size could be effect on other fisheries by freeing up required by the Small Business
associated with offsetting price fishing vessels, allowing them to move Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
increases, the size of these increases is from closed fisheries to open ones, 1996. This final rule’s primary purpose
very uncertain, and NMFS has no increasing the fishing capacity in those is to announce the final 2016 and 2017
confidence that they would be sufficient open fisheries and causing them to close harvest specifications and prohibited
to offset the volume decreases and leave at an accelerated pace. species bycatch allowances for the
revenues unchanged. Thus, this action Additionally, in fisheries subject to groundfish fisheries of the BSAI. This
would have an adverse economic declining sideboards, delaying this action is necessary to establish harvest
impact on small entities, compared to rule’s effectiveness could allow some limits and associated management
the preferred alternative. vessels to inadvertently reach or exceed measures for groundfish during the 2016
Alternative 5, which sets all harvests their new sideboard levels. Because and 2017 fishing years and to
equal to zero, may also address sideboards are intended to protect accomplish the goals and objectives of
conservation issues, but would have a traditional fisheries in other sectors, the FMP. This action directly affects all
significant adverse economic impact on allowing one sector to exceed its new fishermen who participate in the BSAI
small entities. sideboards by delaying this rule’s fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL,
Impacts on marine mammals resulting effectiveness would effectively reduce ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in
from fishing activities conducted under the available catch for sectors without tables to assist the reader. NMFS will
this rule are discussed in the EIS (see sideboard limits. Moreover, the new announce closures of directed fishing in
ADDRESSES). TAC and sideboard limits protect the the Federal Register and information
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the fisheries from being overfished. Thus, bulletins released by the Alaska Region.
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, the delay is contrary to the public Affected fishermen should keep
NOAA, finds good cause to waive the interest in protecting traditional themselves informed of such closures.
30-day delay in effectiveness for this fisheries and fish stocks. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
rule, because delaying this rule is If the final harvest specifications are 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
contrary to the public interest. Plan not effective by March 19, 2016, which 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105–277; Pub. L. 106–
Team review occurred in November is the start of the 2016 Pacific halibut 31; Pub. L. 106–554; Pub. L. 108–199; Pub.
2015, and Council consideration and season as specified by the IPHC, the L. 108–447; Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L. 109–
recommendations occurred in December hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not 479.
2015. Accordingly, NMFS’ review could begin concurrently with the Pacific
Dated: March 14, 2016.
not begin until after the December 2015 halibut IFQ season. Delayed
Council meeting, and after the public effectiveness of this action would result Samuel D. Rauch III,
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
had time to comment on the proposed in confusion for sablefish harvesters and Deputy Assistant Administrator for
action. If this rule’s effectiveness is economic harm from unnecessary Regulatory Programs, National Marine
delayed, fisheries that might otherwise discard of sablefish that are caught Fisheries Service.
remain open under these rules may along with Pacific halibut, as both hook- [FR Doc. 2016–06182 Filed 3–17–16; 8:45 am]
prematurely close based on the lower and-line sablefish and Pacific halibut BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Document Created: 2018-02-02 15:14:07
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 15:14:07
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Rules and Regulations | |
| Action | Final rule; closures. | |
| Dates | Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 18, 2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2017. | |
| Contact | Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 14773 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE20 |
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