AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands Pollock Trawl Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries
U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.
Current Classification on the List of Fisheries
Category |
II |
Estimated Number of Participants |
102 |
Target Species |
pollock |
Applicable Take Reduction Plans |
N/A |
Observer Coverage |
Observer coverage is calculated by the percentage of observed biomass (percentage of tons caught which were observed). Observer coverage in groundfish fisheries is assigned according to vessel length: vessels greater than 125 ft (30.5 m) have 10% coverage; vessels 60-125 ft (18.3-30.5 m) have 30% coverage; and vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) are not observed. Observer coverage in groundfish fisheries varies by statistical area and the pooled percent coverage for all areas is provided in the SARs and is reported here. Pooled observer coverage for all areas from 1998-2005 were 66.9%, 75.2%, 76.2%, 79.0%, 80.0%, 82.2%, 92.8%, and 77.3%, respectively. |
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured |
Bearded seal, AK; Beluga whale, Bristol Bay; Beluga whale, Eastern Bering Sea; Beluga whale, Eastern Chukchi Sea; Harbor seal, Bering Sea; Humpback whale, Central North Pacific; Humpback whale, Western North Pacific; Northern fur seal, Eastern Pacific; Ringed seal, AK; Ribbon seal, AK; Spotted seal, AK; Steller sea lion, Western U.S.1 |
^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.
*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).
1 Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.
Basis for Current Classification
The total annual mortality and serious injury of killer whales (Eastern North Pacific, GOA, Aleutian Islands, and Bering Sea transient stock) and Steller sea lions (Western U.S. stock) in the AK Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands (BSAI) pollock trawl fishery is greater than 1% and less than 50% of each of the stocks’ Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level.
Distribution
Fishing effort in this fishery takes place in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone of the Eastern Bering Sea and the portion of the North Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Aleutian Islands, which is west of 170°W. long. up to the U.S.-Russian Convention Line of 1867.
Gear Description
This fishery uses trawl gear. The use of non-pelagic trawl gear in the directed fishery for pollock is prohibited.
Management
Management measures for the BSAI groundfish fisheries constrain fishing both temporally and spatially. This fishery is federally managed under the BSAI FMP. The authorized gear, fishing season, criteria for determining fishing seasons, and area restrictions by gear type are defined in the regulations implementing the BSAI FMP (50 CFR 679).
Historical Information
Original Category (Year added to the LOF) |
II (1996) |
Original Number of Participants |
490 |
Basis for Original Classification |
This fishery was proposed for Category II listing because incidental take of killer whales (transient and resident stocks unknown) was 8% of the stock’s PBR. However, population estimates of both stocks were known to be biased low (because estimates were based on direct counts) and NOAA Fisheries had good estimates of incidental take in this fishery as a result of 60% observer coverage. Therefore, the levels of take were not thought to have a significant effect on the population and the fishery was listed as Category III. |
Past Names |
AK BSAI groundfish trawl (until 2004) |
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list) |
Dall's porpoise, AK; |
Timeline of Changes
2020 |
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2019 |
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2015 |
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2013 |
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2010 |
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2009 |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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2004 |
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Changes on the LOF when the “AK BSAI pollock trawl” fishery was included in the larger “AK BSAI groundfish trawl” fishery |
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2003 |
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2001 |
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1999 |
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1998 |
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