2021 Harvest Specifications for Pacific Whiting and 2021 Pacific Whiting Tribal Allocation

NOAA Fisheries is announcing a revised proposed rule for 2021 Pacific whiting harvest specifications and 2021 Pacific whiting tribal allocation following the lack of a bilateral agreement on the 2021 coastwide total allowable catch (TAC) during the U.S./Canada Joint Management Committee meeting held March 15-17, 2021. This revised proposed rule would establish the 2021 Pacific whiting coastwide TAC, U.S. TAC, and non-tribal sector allocations following the procedures identified in the 2006 Pacific Whiting Act. This revised proposed rule also includes the 2021 Pacific whiting tribal allocation and set aside for research and incidental mortality, which were described in the original proposed rule published February 16, 2021 (86 FR 9473).  The public comment period for this revised proposed rule is open until May 19, 2021. 

Interim Allocation for 2021 Pacific Whiting Fishery

Due to the lack of a bilateral agreement on the 2021 coastwide TAC, the final rule to establish the 2021 Pacific whiting harvest specifications will not be published in time for the start of the Pacific whiting season on May 15, 2021.  NOAA Fisheries is therefore issuing interim allocation amounts of Pacific whiting for the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the at-sea Mothership (MS) Coop and Catcher/Processor (C/P) Coop sectors prior to the start of the Pacific whiting fishery on May 15, 2021.

The interim allocations are based on the lowest value of the coastwide total allowable catch (TAC) (475,000 mt) considered in the revised proposed rule.  NOAA Fisheries will allocate any additional amounts of Pacific whiting to each sector after the final rule establishing the 2021 U.S. TAC, tribal allocation, and set-asides for research and incidental mortality is published. Additional information on the 2021 interim allocations for the Pacific whiting fishery is available in the NOAA Fisheries Bulletin.

If you have any questions regarding the revised proposed rule or interim allocations, please contact Stacey Miller at 503-231-6290 or stacey.miller@noaa.gov.