Halibut and red king crab bycatch rate standards for the Alaska groundfish trawl fisheries included under the vessel incentive program are established for the first half of 2001, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region.
These standards are specified for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) trawl fisheries during the first half of 2001 as follows:
Fishery and quarter 2001 bycatch rate standard Halibut bycatch rate standards (kilograms of halibut/metric ton of groundfish) BSAI Midwater pollock Qt 1 1.0 Qt 2 1.0 BSAI Bottom pollock Qt 1 5.0 Qt 2 5.0 BSAI Yellowfin sole Qt 1 5.0 Qt 2 5.0 BSAI Other trawl Qt 1 30.0 Qt 2 30.0 GOA Midwater pollock Qt 1 1.0 Qt 2 1.0 GOA Other trawl Qt 1 40.0 Qt 2 40.0 Zone 1 red king crab bycatch rate standards (number of crab/metric ton of groundfish) BSAI yellowfin sole Qt 1 2.5 Qt 2 2.5 BSAI Other trawl Qt 1 2.5 Qt 2 2.5 _______________________________________________________
A vessel's observed bycatch rate for a fishing month that is above the applicable bycatch rate standard constitutes a violation of the regulations implementing the vessel incentive program. The 2001 fishing months are specified as the following periods for purposes of calculating vessel bycatch rates:
Month 1: January 1 through January 27;
Month 2: January 28 through February 24;
Month 3: February 25 through March 31;
Month 4: April 1 through May 5;
Month 5: May 6 through June 2;
Month 6: June 3 through June 30;
Month 7: July 1 through July 28;
Month 8: July 29 through September 1;
Month 9: September 2 through September 29;
Month 10: September 30 through October 27;
Month 11: October 28 through December 1; and
Month 12: December 2 through December 31.
Comments on the bycatch rate standards implemented for the first and second quarters of 2001 will be accepted through February 15, 2001. This information bulletin provides notice of a regulatory change. Do not rely upon it to guide you in complying with the new regulatory change.
