Federal Fisheries in the North Aleutian Basin

Diana Evans

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

November 27, 2006

Plan for talk

Background Background the Councilthe Council Federal fisheries managementFederal fisheries management

Fishery distribution within the proposed Fishery distribution within the proposed Sale 92 area of the North Aleutian BasinSale 92 area of the North Aleutian Basin GroundfishGroundfish HalibutHalibut CrabCrab ScallopScallop

Fishery Management Process

Council recommends management measures

for each fishery(Fishery Management Plan and

amendments)

Secretary of Commerce approves or

disapproves Council recommendation

NMFS implements management measures

through regulation

NMFS monitors fishery and enforces

management measures

What is the Council?

Responsibilities under MSA:Responsibilities under MSA:1.1. Prepare a Fishery Management Plan for Prepare a Fishery Management Plan for

each fishery under its authorityeach fishery under its authority2.2. Submit amendments to FMPs as Submit amendments to FMPs as

necessarynecessary3.3. Conduct public hearings to allow all Conduct public hearings to allow all

interested persons to be heard regarding interested persons to be heard regarding FMPs and their implementationFMPs and their implementation

4.4. Review stock assessments and harvest Review stock assessments and harvest specificationsspecifications

Council membership

11 voting members11 voting members (1) NMFS RA; (1) NMFS RA; (3) WA, OR, AK State Fishery Dept heads; (3) WA, OR, AK State Fishery Dept heads; (5) AK ‘at large’ seats appointed by AK (5) AK ‘at large’ seats appointed by AK

governor; governor; (2) WA ‘at large’ seats appoint by WA (2) WA ‘at large’ seats appoint by WA

governorgovernor 4 non-voting members (USFWS, USCG, 4 non-voting members (USFWS, USCG,

PSMFC, Dept of State)PSMFC, Dept of State)

Council Structure

Council

Scientific and Statistical Committee

Plan Teams

Advisory Panel

Committees

Public Comment

Fishery Management Plans (FMPs)

BSAI GroundfishBSAI Groundfish GOA Groundfish GOA Groundfish

BSAI King and BSAI King and Tanner CrabTanner Crab

Alaska-wide ScallopAlaska-wide Scallop

Alaska-wide SalmonAlaska-wide Salmon

HalibutHalibut

Setting Harvest Levels

Optimum Yield1 and Overfishing Levels

Actual annual harvest levels

Groundfish Council Council

Crab Council State of Alaska

Scallop Council State of Alaska

HalibutInternational Pacific Halibut Commission

International Pacific Halibut Commission

1expressed as a range

North Aleutian Basin area

Pink polygon represents Sale 92

Groundfish

Overlap with N. Aleutian Basin

Groundfish fisheries

Target fisheries occurring in the area:Target fisheries occurring in the area:

Trawl Longline Pot

Pollock

Pacific cod

Flatfish

- Yellowfin sole

- Rock sole

- Flathead sole

Pacific cod Pacific cod

Fishery Harvest - 2005

Harvested in Harvested in 509, 516, 512509, 516, 512

% of total BSAI % of total BSAI harvestharvest

Pollock trawlPollock trawl 317,089317,089 21%21%

Pacific cod trawlPacific cod trawl 26,02326,023 40%40%

Pacific cod longlinePacific cod longline 13,30013,300 11%11%

Pacific cod potPacific cod pot 4,7274,727 28%28%

Yellowfin sole trawlYellowfin sole trawl 6,6746,674 7%7%

Flathead sole trawlFlathead sole trawl 2,2922,292 55%55%

Rock sole trawlRock sole trawl 20,41820,418 14%14%

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Pelagic Trawl Fisherypollock target

2005 Pelagic Trawl Fisherypollock target

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Bottom Trawl FisheriesPacific cod, flatfish targets

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Bottom Trawl FisheriesPacific cod, flatfish targets

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Longline FisheryPacific cod target

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Longline FisheryPacific cod target

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Pot FisheryPacific cod target

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

2005 Pot FisheryPacific cod target

Based on 2005 fishery observer data

Halibut

Halibut Fishery

• Sale 92 area is closed to commercial fishing

BSAI King and Tanner Crab

General location of BSAI commercial shellfish fisheries in 1998

Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab FMP

General location of BSAI commercial shellfish fisheries in 1998

Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab FMP

Bristol Bay Red King Crab Fishery 2005/06

• Blue box represents vast majority of 2005 landings• Fishery season: 10/23/05 – 1/7/06 (intensive in Nov)• Crab rationalization changed fishery patterns

Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

Bristol Bay Red King Crab Fishery 2005/06

• By week, anywhere from 1-51 vessels participating• 2.5 million crabs harvested, 16.5 million lbs

Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

Bering Sea Tanner crab

Fishery closed 1997-2004Fishery closed 1997-2004

2005 – no overlap2005 – no overlap Fishery occurred west of the North Aleutian Fishery occurred west of the North Aleutian

BasinBasin

Early/mid-1990s, some incidental harvest Early/mid-1990s, some incidental harvest of Tanner crab in BBRKC fisheryof Tanner crab in BBRKC fishery

Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

Weathervane Scallop

Scallop fishery in 2004/05

ADF&G trawl survey stations

Stations with scallops

Closed to scallop fishing

Scallop fishing effort

NMFS trawl survey stations

Bering Sea

Unimak I

North Pacific OceanSource: Scallop SAFE report

Scallop fishery in 2004/05

ADF&G trawl survey stations

Stations with scallops

Closed to scallop fishing

Scallop fishing effort

NMFS trawl survey stations

Bering Sea

Unimak I

North Pacific OceanSource: Scallop SAFE report

Bering Sea scallop fishery

Fishery occurs north of Unimak IslandFishery occurs north of Unimak Island stock occurs over a wide area at low densities stock occurs over a wide area at low densities

Fishing season: July 1 – February 15 Fishing season: July 1 – February 15

Voluntary cooperative since 2000Voluntary cooperative since 2000 1 vessel fished in 2004/51 vessel fished in 2004/5

Source: Scallop SAFE report

Bering Sea Area scallop fishery summary statistics

SeasonNumber vessels

GHR ceiling

(lbs meat)

Dredgehoursa

Catcha

(lbs meat)

Duration of fishery

2000/01 3 200,000 3,355 205,520

2001/02 3 200,000 3,072 140,871 7/1-11/1

2002/03 2 105,000 2,038 92,240 9/5-1/6

2003/04 2 105,000 1,020 42,590 7/1-7/18

2004/05 1 105,000 275 10,050 7/1-7/13

2005/06 12/13-1/11aConfidential data released by vessel operators

• 2% of total Alaska scallop catch for 2004/5Source: Scallop SAFE report