Chinook and Chum Salmon Bycatch Reduction in Alaska Fisheries - Federal Register Rules and Notices
Summary
This emergency rule establishes a 1,600 Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for the Western and Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Non-Rockfish Program trawl catcher vessel sector (Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector) that is immediately available for use by the sector until the limit is reached or December 31, 2015. On January 1, 2015, an annual Chinook salmon PSC limit of 2,700 Chinook salmon became available for use by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector implementing Amendment 97 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP). On May 3, 2015, and considerably earlier than had been expected, NMFS prohibited directed fishing for groundfish by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector after determining that the sector had exceeded its annual PSC limit of 2,700 Chinook salmon. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NMFS recently discovered that the use of Chinook salmon PSC by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector in the first few months of 2015 was exorbitantly greater than the historical use, which was relied on in developing the Chinook salmon PSC limit for this sector, and that this discrepancy in use was not foreseen when the PSC limit of 2,700 Chinook salmon for the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector was implemented under Amendment 97. Due to the directed fishing closure, significant amounts of non-pollock groundfish remain unharvested by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector, and fishermen, shoreside processors, and communities that participate in the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector have limited alternatives to mitigate the resulting significant, negative economic effects. This emergency rule is necessary to relieve a restriction that is preventing non-pollock groundfish harvest by the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector while continuing to limit the amount of Chinook salmon PSC used by this sector.
Federal Register
- Emergency Rule for Chinook Salmon PSC Limits (80 FR 47864, 08/10/2015)
- Notice of Public Workshop for AFA Catcher Vessels (78 FR 19214, 03/29/2013)
- Implementation of Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report Program (77 FR 5389, 02/0…
- Proposed Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report Program (76 FR 42099, 07/18/2011)
- Correction to 75 FR 53026 Chinook Salmon Bycatch (75 FR 58337, 09/24/2010)
- Proposed CDQ Amendments, AI Prohibited Species Allocation (75 FR 39892, 07/13/2…
- Notice of Workshop for Chinook Bycatch (75 FR 32378, 06/08/2010)
- Notice of Comment Period Extension, Draft EIS (74 FR 898, 01/09/2009)
- Notice of Intent to Prepare and EA or EIS (74 FR 798, 01/08/2009)
- Notice of Availability, Final EIS (74 FR 67206, 12/18/2009)
- Notice of Workshop for Trawl Catcher/Processors and Motherships (74 FR 43678, 0…
- Notice of Availability, Draft EIS Bering Sea Chinook Salmon (73 FR 74170, 12/05…
- Notice of Intent to Prepare EIS, BSAI Bycatch Reduction (72 FR 72994, 12/26/200…
- Final Rule in BSAI Chum/Chinook Salmon Savings Area (72 FR 61070, 10/29/2007)
- Proposed Rule in BSAI Chum/Chinook Salmon Savings Area (72 FR 19454, 04/18/2007)
- Emergency Interim Rule for BSAI (59 FR 35476, 07/12/1994)
- Proposed Rule to Prohibit Offloading in the EEZ (58 FR 29381, 05/20/1993)
- Proposed Rule to Delay Opening for Pollock Fishing (58 FR 532, 01/06/1993)
- Final Rule to Require Foreign Vessels Report Halibut/Salmon Discards (44 FR 655…
- Proposed Rule to Require Foreign Vessels Report Halibut/Salmon Discards (44 FR …
- Proposed Rule; Foreign Fishing within Fishery Conservation Zone (43 FR 51053, 1…