**STOCK ASSESSMENT AND FISHERY EVALUATION REPORT**

**FOR THE WEATHERVANE SCALLOP**

![](media/image1.wmf){width="6.504166666666666in"
height="3.8444444444444446in"}**FISHERY OFF ALASKA**

![](media/image2.png){width="0.7840277777777778in"
height="0.7388888888888889in"}

Compiled by

**The Scallop Plan Team**

With contributions by:

Gretchen Harrington, Scott Miller, Gregg Rosenkranz,

Herman Savikko, Diana Stram, and Jie Zheng

**March 2009**

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

605 West 4^th^ Avenue, Suite 306

Anchorage, Alaska 99501

# Table of Contents

[Table of Contents i](#table-of-contents)

[List of Tables ii](#list-of-tables)

[List of Figures iii](#list-of-figures)

[1 Introduction 1](#introduction)

[1.1 Responses to Comments from the SSC and Summary of New Information
Included in the SAFE Report
1](#responses-to-comments-from-the-ssc-and-summary-of-new-information-included-in-the-safe-report)

[1.2 Historical Overview of the Scallop Fishery
5](#historical-overview-of-the-scallop-fishery)

[1.3 Weathervane Scallop Biology 6](#weathervane-scallop-biology)

[1.4 Economic Overview of the Scallop Fishery
6](#economic-overview-of-the-scallop-fishery)

[2 Overview of Scallop Fishery and Management
9](#overview-of-scallop-fishery-and-management)

[2.1 Management 9](#management)

[2.2 Stock Assessments and GHLs 10](#stock-assessments-and-ghls)

[2.3 Fishery 11](#fishery)

[2.4 Observer Program 11](#observer-program)

[2.5 Crab Bycatch Limits 12](#crab-bycatch-limits)

[2.6 Scallop License Limitation Program
16](#scallop-license-limitation-program)

[2.7 Voluntary Scallop Cooperative 17](#voluntary-scallop-cooperative)

[2.8 Overfishing Definition 17](#overfishing-definition)

[3 Stock Status 19](#stock-status)

[3.1 Yakutat Registration Area 19](#yakutat-registration-area)

[3.2 Prince William Sound Registration Area
26](#prince-william-sound-registration-area)

[3.3 Cook Inlet Registration Area, Kamishak District
30](#cook-inlet-registration-area-kamishak-district)

[3.4 Kodiak Registration Area, Northeast District
33](#kodiak-registration-area-northeast-district)

[3.5 Kodiak Registration Area, Shelikof District
36](#kodiak-registration-area-shelikof-district)

[3.6 Kodiak Registration Area, Semidi District
39](#kodiak-registration-area-semidi-district)

[3.7 Alaska Peninsula Registration Area
40](#alaska-peninsula-registration-area)

[3.8 Bering Sea Registration Area 42](#bering-sea-registration-area)

[3.9 Dutch Harbor Registration Area 45](#dutch-harbor-registration-area)

[3.10 Adak Area 45](#adak-area)

[4 Ecosystem Considerations 46](#ecosystem-considerations)

[4.1 Habitat 46](#habitat)

[4.2 Bycatch 46](#bycatch)

[4.3 Trawl Survey Information on Scallop Stocks
47](#trawl-survey-information-on-scallop-stocks)

[5 Recent Regulatory Actions 49](#recent-regulatory-actions)

[6 Literature Cited 50](#literature-cited)

[Appendix A. Economic Factors In The Scallop Fishery Off Alaska
52](#appendix-a.-economic-factors-in-the-scallop-fishery-off-alaska)

[Appendix B. Annual Management Report for the Commercial Weathervane
Scallop Fisheries in the Westward District 2004/05
69](#appendix-b.-annual-management-report-for-the-commercial-weathervane-scallop-fisheries-in-the-westward-district-200405)

# List of Tables

[Table 1 Statewide crab bycatch limits, in percent of the crab abundance
estimate or number of crab. 12](#__RefHeading___Toc161036661)

[Table 2 Bycatch of C. opilio crabs (numbers of crab) in Bering Sea
fisheries, 1995-2005. 13](#__RefHeading___Toc161036662)

[Table 3 Bycatch of Bristol Bay red king crabs (numbers of crab) in
Bering Sea fisheries, 1995-2005. 13](#__RefHeading___Toc161036663)

[Table 4 Bycatch of C. bairdi crabs (numbers of crab) in Bering Sea
fisheries, 1995-2005. 14](#__RefHeading___Toc161036664)

[Table 5 Yakutat Area D scallop fishery summary statistics.
18](#__RefHeading___Toc161036665)

[Table 6 Yakutat District 16 scallop fishery summary statistics.
21](#__RefHeading___Toc161036666)

[Table 7 Kayak Island dredge survey summary.
24](#__RefHeading___Toc161036667)

[Table 8 Prince William Sound Area E scallop fishery summary statistics.
25](#__RefHeading___Toc161036668)

[Table 9 Kamishak Dredge Survey Summary.
28](#__RefHeading___Toc161036669)

[Table 10 Cook Inlet, Kamishak District scallop fishery summary
statistics. 29](#__RefHeading___Toc161036670)

[Table 11 Kodiak Northeast District scallop fishery summary statistics.
31](#__RefHeading___Toc161036671)

[Table 12 Kodiak Shelikof District scallop fishery summary statistics.
34](#__RefHeading___Toc161036672)

[Table 13 Kodiak Semidi District scallop fishery summary statistics.
37](#__RefHeading___Toc161036673)

[Table 14 Alaska Peninsula Area scallop fishery summary statistics.
38](#__RefHeading___Toc161036674)

[Table 15 Bering Sea Area scallop fishery summary statistics.
40](#__RefHeading___Toc161036675)

[Table 16 Dutch Harbor Area scallop fishery summary statistics.
43](#__RefHeading___Toc161036676)

[Table 17 Alaska weathervane scallop harvest and Maximum Sustainable
Yield from FMP, 1993/94--2005/06 seasons.
16](#__RefHeading___Toc161036677)

[Table 18 Historic Statewide Commercial Weathervane Scallop Revenue
Statistics, 1967-2004/05 7](#__RefHeading___Toc161036678)

# List of Figures

[Figure 1 Alaska weathervane scallop fishing registration areas.
3](#__RefHeading___Toc221418033)

[Figure 2 Scallop fishing locations (dark polygons) outside Cook Inlet
during the 2003/04 season. 4](#__RefHeading___Toc221418034)

[Figure 3 Statewide scallop harvest (pounds shucked scallop meats) and
MSY levels from the FMP. 17](#__RefHeading___Toc221418035)

[Figure 4 Barplots of Yakutat Area D scallop fishery statistics.
20](#__RefHeading___Toc221418036)

[Figure 5 Shell height histograms from resampling Yakutat Area D
observer data, 1998/99--2006/07 seasons.
21](#__RefHeading___Toc221418037)

[Figure 6 Barplots of Yakutat District 16 scallop fishery statistics.
23](#_Ref160940803)

[Figure 7 Shell height histograms from resampling Yakutat District 16
observer data. Insufficient data were collected to produce plots for the
2003/04 and 2007/08 seasons. 24](#_Ref160939714)

[Figure 8 Barplots of Area E scallop fishery statistics.
27](#__RefHeading___Toc221418040)

[Figure 9 Shell height histograms from resampling Area E observer data,
2000/01--2006/07. Insufficient data were available to produce plots for
earlier seasons. 28](#__RefHeading___Toc221418041)

[Figure 10 Barplots of Area H scallop fishery statistics.
31](#__RefHeading___Toc221418042)

[Figure 11 Barplots of Kodiak Northeast District scallop fishery
statistics. 33](#__RefHeading___Toc221418043)

[Figure 12 Shell height histograms from resampling Kodiak Northeast
District scallop observer data, 1999/2000--2006/07.
34](#__RefHeading___Toc221418044)

[Figure 13 Barplots of Kodiak Shelikof District scallop fishery
statistics. 36](#__RefHeading___Toc221418045)

[Figure 14 Shell height histograms from resampling Kodiak Shelikof
District scallop observer data, 19992000--2006/07.
37](#__RefHeading___Toc221418046)

[Figure 15 Barplots of Alaska Peninsula scallop fishery statistics.
40](#__RefHeading___Toc221418047)

[Figure 16 Barplots of Bering Sea scallop fishery statistics.
42](#__RefHeading___Toc221418048)

[Figure 17 Shell height histograms from resampling Bering Sea scallop
observer data, 1999/2000--2006/07. 43](#__RefHeading___Toc221418049)

[Figure 18 Map showing scallop fishing areas, areas closed to scallop
fishing by regulation, and locations where weathervane scallops were
captured during NMFS trawl surveys in the eastern Gulf of Alaska
46](#__RefHeading___Toc221418050)

[Figure 19 Map showing scallop fishing areas, areas closed to scallop
fishing by regulation, and locations where weathervane scallops were
captured during NMFS and ADF&G trawl surveys in the Kodiak Area.
47](#__RefHeading___Toc221418051)

[Figure 20 Map showing scallop fishing areas, areas closed to scallop
fishing by regulation, and locations where weathervane scallops were
captured during NMFS and ADF&G trawl 48](#__RefHeading___Toc221418052)

# Introduction

The *National Standard Guidelines for Fishery Management Plans*
published by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) require that a
stock assessment and fishery evaluation (SAFE) report is prepared and
reviewed annually for each fishery management plan (FMP). The SAFE
report summarizes the current biological and economic status of the
fishery and analytical information used in fishery management such as
guideline harvest levels (GHLs) and harvest strategies. The report is
assembled by the scallop plan team with contributions from the State of
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (NPFMC). The SAFE report is presented to the Council on an
annual basis and is also available to the public.

The Scallop Plan Team met in Anchorage on February 19-20, 2009 to review
the status of the weathervane scallop stocks, to discuss additional
issues of importance in scallop management, and to compile the annual
SAFE report. The Plan Team review was based on presentations by staff of
the NPFMC, NMFS and ADF&G with opportunity for public comment and input.
Members of the Plan Team who compiled the report were Gregg Rosenkranz,
Diana Stram, Gretchen Harrington, Scott Miller, Jie Zheng and Herman
Savikko.

The scallop fishery in Alaska's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ; 3-200
miles offshore) is jointly managed by the state and federal government
under the FMP. Most aspects of scallop fishery management are delegated
to the State of Alaska, while limited access and other federal
requirements are under jurisdiction of the federal government. The FMP
was developed by the NPFMC under the Magnuson Stevens Act and approved
by NMFS on July 26, 1995. The NPFMC updated and adoopted a revised FMP
in \[add date\].

Although the FMP covers all scallop stocks off the coast of Alaska
including weathervane scallops (*Patinopecten caurinus*), pink or
reddish scallops (*Chlamys rubida*), spiny scallops (*Chlamys hastata*),
and rock scallops (*Crassadoma gigantea*), the weathervane scallop is
the only commercially exploited stock at this time. Commercial fishing
for weathervane scallops occurs in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and
Aleutian Islands. Scallop registration areas used by ADF&G in management
of the fishery are shown in Figure 1, and general fishing locations are
shown in Figure 2.

In 1996, optimum yield (OY) was established as 0 to 1.8 million pounds
of shucked scallop meats. A more conservative approach was taken in
1998, when OY was defined as 0 to 1.24 million pounds of shucked scallop
meats. Statewide scallop harvests have not exceeded OY, and scallop
stocks are not overfished.

## Responses to Comments from the SSC and Summary of New Information Included in the SAFE Report

Comments on the 2008 SAFE provided by the SSC and responses are below
followed by a summary of new infromation included in this report.

**Comment:** The SSC requests that next year's SAFE report include an
explanation in the management chapter (section 2.1) describing the
process by which changes to GHLs are determined each year. Additionally,
the SSC requests that an explanation be provided for all GHL changes
that have been made for each registration area, to be included in the
Stock Status chapter for each registration area.

**SPT response:** The SPT has requested information on GHLs, GHL
determination, and changes to GHLs from ADF&G management biologists from
the three ADF&G regions with scallop fisheries. Section 2.2 has been
created with subsections for each region that have minimal information
at present but will serve as placeholders until responses are received
and the information incorporated into the SAFE. Information on recent
changes to GHL levels has been added to individual registration area
sections where available and addtional information will be added when it
is received.

This SAFE Report includes updated information through the 2007/2008
fishing season. New information included in this report since the
previous report (NPFMC 2006) includes the following:

1)  Updated observer program summary data through 2007/2008 fishing
    season;

2)  Overview section on fishery management added;

3)  Clarification regarding definition of GHRs and GHLs;

4)  Many sections moved, reorganized, and rewritten;

5)  Updated information on recent regulatory actions with respect to the
    scallop fishery.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418033
.anchor}![](media/image1.wmf){width="6.753472222222222in"
height="3.997916666666667in"}Figure 1 Alaska weathervane scallop fishing
registration areas.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418034
.anchor}![](media/image3.png){width="7.299305555555556in"
height="3.5625in"}Figure 2 Scallop fishing locations (dark polygons)
outside Cook Inlet during the 2003/04 season.

## Historical Overview of the Scallop Fishery

Alaska weathervane scallop *Patinopecten caurinus* populations were
first evaluated for commercial potential in the early 1950s by
government and private sector investigators. Interest in the Alaska
fishery increased in the late 1960s as catches from U.S. and Canadian
sea scallop *Placopecten magellanicus* fisheries on Georges Bank
declined. Commercial fishing effort first took place in Alaska during
1967 when two vessels harvested weathervane scallops from fishing
grounds east of Kodiak Island. By the following year, 19 vessels
including New England scallopers, converted Alaskan crab boats, salmon
seiners, halibut longliners, and shrimp trawlers, entered the fishery.

From the inception of the fishery in 1967 through mid May 1993, the
scallop fishery was passively managed with minimal management measures.
Closed waters and seasons were established to protect crabs and crab
habitat. When catches declined in one bed, vessels moved to new areas.
While this may have been acceptable for a sporadic, low intensity
fishery, increased participation inevitably led to boom and bust cycles
(Barnhart 2003).

In the early 1990s, the Alaska weathervane scallop fishery expanded
rapidly with an influx of boats from the East Coast of the United
States. Concerns about overharvest of scallops and bycatch of other
comercially important species such as crabs prompted the ADF&G
Commissioner to designate the weathervane scallop fishery a high-impact
emerging fishery on May 21, 1993. This action required ADF&G to close
the fishery and implement an interim management plan prior to reopening.
The interim management plan contained provisions for king and Tanner
crab bycatch limits (CBLs) for most areas within the Westward Region.
Since then, crab bycatch limits have been established for the Kamishak
District of the Cook Inlet Registration Area and for the Prince William
Sound Registration Area. The commissioner adopted the regulations and
opened the fishery on June 17, 1993, consistent with the measures
identified in the interim management plan. The interim management plan
included a provision for 100% onboard observer coverage to monitor crab
bycatch and to collect biological and fishery data. In March 1994, the
Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) adopted the interim regulations
identified as the Alaska Scallop Fishery Management Plan, 5 AAC 38.076.

From 1967 until early 1995, all vessels participating in the Alaska
scallop fishery were registered under the laws of the State of Alaska.
Scallop fishing in both state and federal waters was managed under state
jurisdiction. In January 1995, the captain of a scallop fishing vessel
returned his 1995 scallop interim use permit card to the State of Alaska
Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission in Juneau and proceeded to fish
scallops in the EEZ with total disregard to harvest limits, observer
coverage, and other management measures and regulations. In response to
this unanticipated event, federal waters in the EEZ were closed to
scallop fishing by emergency rule on February 23, 1995. The initial
emergency rule was in effect through May 30, 1995, and was extended for
an additional 90 days through August 28, 1995. The intent of the
emergency rule was to control the unregulated scallop fishery in federal
waters until an FMP could be implemented to close the fishery. Prior to
August 28, NPFMC submitted a proposed FMP which closed scallop fishing
in the EEZ for a maximum of one year with an expiration date of August
28, 1996. The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the FMP was filed
July 18, 1996 and published in the Federal Register on July 23, 1996. It
became effective August 1, 1996, allowing the weathervane scallop
fishery to reopen in the EEZ. Scallop fishing in state waters of the
Westward Region was delayed until August 1, 1996 to coincide with the
opening of the EEZ. The state continued as the active manager of the
fishery with in-season actions duplicated by the federal system
(Barnhart 2003).

In March 1997, NPFMC approved Amendment 2, a vessel moratorium under
which 18 vessels qualified for federal moratorium permits to fish
weathervane scallops in federal waters off Alaska. By February 1999, the
Council recommended replacing the federal moratorium program with an
LLP, which became Amendment 4 to the FMP. The Council's goal was to
reduce capacity to approach a sustainable fishery with maximum net
benefits to the Nation, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. NPFMC's
preferred alternative created a total of nine licenses with no area
endorsements; each vessel is permitted to fish statewide. However,
vessels that fished exclusively in the Cook Inlet Registration Area
where a single 6-foot dredge was the legal gear type during the
qualifying period were also limited to fishing a single 6-foot dredge in
federal waters outside Cook Inlet. The NPFMC later modified the gear
restriction in Amendment 10 to allow these vessels to fish 2 dredges
with a combined maximum width of 20 feet. Amendment 10 was approved on
June 22, 2005. NMFS published final regulations on July 11, 2005, which
were effective August 10, 2005. NMFS implemented Amendment 10 by
reissuing the two LLP licenses with the larger gear restriction. 

## Weathervane Scallop Biology

This section is currently a placeholder; the SPT hopes to expand it with
input from the new ADF&G scallop biologist after the position is filled.
The goal will be to summarize what is known about weathervane scallop
biology and to delineate the most important directions for future
research.

Alaska weathervane scallops spawn between May and early July.
Spermatozoa and eggs are released directly into the water where
fertilization occurs. Fertilized eggs settle to the bottom and hatch
into larvae within several days; they then rise in the water column and
drift with prevailing currents for about a month while undergoing
metamorphosis. Scallops then settle to the bottom as juveniles and may
attach to the substrate with byssal threads. A combination of
large-scale (overall spawning population size and oceanographic
conditions) and small-scale (site suitability for settlement) processes
influence recruitment of scallops.

## Economic Overview of the Scallop Fishery

An overview of historic Alaska weathervane scallop harvest and wholesale
revenue is presented in Table 1. This data is reprinted from Kruse et
al. (2005) and updated with information from annual scallop harvest
information (Barnhart, 2006). Vessel participation and numbers of
landings in this fishery have varied considerably over time.
Participation increased rapidly from an historic low of 2 vessels in
1967 to 19 in both 1968 and 1969. Similarly, only 6 landings occurred in
1967 but by 1969, 157 landings were made and that year is the historical
peak in participation, landings, and catch and among the years with
highest first wholesale gross revenue.

Following 1969, participation, landing, and catch trended downward
through 1976. In 1977 and 1978 the fishery was open but fishermen opted
not to fish. In 1980 there were 8 participants making 56 landings
totaling more than 600,000 pounds of scallop meats. In the following
years, participation, landings, and catch trended upwards until 1983
before cycling downward. There followed an upward trend in landings and
catch through the mid 1990s. Since the mid 1990s, participation,
landings, and catch have stabilized somewhat with catch consistently
between 500,000 and 850,000 pounds each year, however, the 2004/05 catch
of 431.596 pounds is the lowest level in nearly a decade. Vessel
participation has been limited in recent years by the formation of the
voluntary cooperative in May 2000, and by the implementation of the LLP
in 2001. The Federal LLP limits the participation to 9 permit holders.
Since 2000, no more than 8 vessels have participated and in recent years
it has been even fewer.

Table 1 also provides historical statewide average price per pound of
landed scallop meats as well as a consumer price index based inflation
adjusted price. Total gross revenue is then calculated using landed
pounds of meats multiplied by the adjusted price. Adjusted price
converts the landed prices by year to year 2002/03 values so that
comparisons can be made in current dollar values, after accounting for
inflation. The 2002/03 base has been retained in this analysis for
comparability with the original source of the data.

It is important to note that landed scallop meats have been processed
(shucked) and frozen at sea. Prior to 1996 almost all scallop meats were
placed in muslin bags and iced (not frozen) at sea. Thus, although
landed price is often referred to as an ex-vessel price, in this case it
is actually a first wholesale price in that the landed product is a
primary processed product. Thus, gross revenue is identified as first
wholesale value here.

Adjusted price generally trended upwards during the late 1960s and
through the 1970s. Following the three years of closure, prices rose
dramatically to nearly \$7.5 per pound, possibly in response to shortage
of weathervane scallops caused by the closures. Historic prices peaked
in 1983 at \$8.56 per pound before trending downward through the mid
1990s, upward during the late 1990s and then back downward from 1999
through 2002-03 when adjusted prices averaged \$5.25 per pound. This
trend may be directly related to U.S. east coast scallop stock
conditions and related market prices and the dependence of market prices
in the Alaska scallop fishery on east coast markets is a topic for
further research.

First wholesale revenue in this fishery has varied considerably over the
years as both price and landings have varied. The peak value in the
fishery occurred in 1992 when about \$8.8 million was earned. Since that
time, total first wholesale revenue in the fishery has trended downward
along with landings, catch, and prices. In 2002-03, the fishery yielded
about \$2.7 million in total first wholesale revenue. The downward trend
continued with the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons yielding \$2.6 million
and \$2.3 million respectively. The 2004-05 season returned the lowest
level of total revenue in the Alaska scallop fishery since 1988.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036678 .anchor}Table 1 Historic Statewide
Commercial Weathervane Scallop Revenue Statistics, 1967--2004/05

  ---------- ------------- ----------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ -------------
  **Year**   **Vessels**   **Landings^a^**   **Catch (lbs  **Average     **Inflation   **Adjusted   **Wholesale
                                             meats)^b^**   Price/Lb.**   Factor**      Price**      Value**

  1967       2             6                 778^c^        \$0.70        0.219         \$3.20       \$2,487

  1968       19            125               1,677,268     \$0.85        0.228         \$3.73       \$6,252,973

  1969       19            157               1,849,947     \$0.85        0.238         \$3.57       \$6,606,954

  1970       7             137               1,440,338     \$1.00        0.249         \$4.02       \$5,784,490

  1971       5             60                931,151       \$1.05        0.260         \$4.04       \$3,760,418

  1972       5             65                1,167,034     \$1.15        0.268         \$4.29       \$5,007,795

  1973       5             45                1,109,405     \$1.20        0.285         \$4.21       \$4,671,179

  1974       3             29                504,438       \$1.30        0.313         \$4.15       \$2,095,110

  1975       4             56                435,672       \$1.40        0.339         \$4.13       \$1,799,235

  1976       7             21                264,788       \$1.59        0.359         \$4.43       \$1,172,738

  1977-78    **No                                                                                   
             Fishery**                                                                              

  1979       1             4                 24,826        NA            NA            NA           NA

  1980       8             56                616,717^c^    \$3.60        0.484         \$7.44       \$4,587,151

  1981       18            101               924,441       \$4.00        0.529         \$7.56       \$6,990,102

  1982       13            120               913,996       \$3.25        0.561         \$5.79       \$5,294,986

  1983       5             30                192,310       \$5.00        0.584         \$8.56       \$1,646,490

  1984       6             52                383,512       \$4.00        0.607         \$6.59       \$2,527,262

  1985       7             47                615,564       \$4.00        0.627         \$6.38       \$3,927,043

  1986       8             74                667,258       \$4.25        0.639         \$6.65       \$4,437,944

  1987       4             54                599,947^d^    \$3.45        0.661         \$5.22       \$3,131,342

  1988       4             47                341,070       \$3.68        0.685         \$5.37       \$1,832,318

  1989       7             55                534,763       \$3.87        0.714         \$5.42       \$2,898,505

  1990       9             144               1,481,136     \$3.43        0.750         \$4.57       \$6,773,729

  1991       6             136               1,136,649     \$3.82        0.777         \$4.92       \$5,588,159

  1992       8             136               1,785,673     \$3.96        0.796         \$4.97       \$8,883,499

  1993^e^    7             51                568,077       \$5.15        0.816         \$6.31       \$3,585,290

  1993/94    15            111               984,583       \$5.15        0.816         \$6.31       \$6,213,974

  1994/95    15            104               1,240,775     \$5.79        0.833         \$6.95       \$8,624,354

  1995/96    10            29                410,743^d^    \$6.05        0.853         \$7.09       \$2,910,834

  1996/97    9             30                732,424       \$6.30        0.876         \$7.19       \$5,267,433

  1997/98    9             31                818,913       \$6.50        0.895         \$7.26       \$5,947,413

  1998/99    8             35                822,096       \$6.40        0.908         \$7.05       \$5,794,509

  1999/00    10            22                837,971       \$6.25        0.927         \$6.74       \$5,649,751

  2000/01    8             20                750,617       \$5.50        0.958         \$5.74       \$4,309,388

  2001/02    6             26                572,838       \$5.25        0.984         \$5.34       \$3,056,300

  2002/03    6             28                509,455       \$5.25        1.000         \$5.25       \$2,674,639

  2003/04    4             32                500,379       \$5.25        1.016         \$5.17       \$2,585,620

  2004/05    5             22                431,594       \$5.50        1.028         \$5.35       \$2,308,681
  ---------- ------------- ----------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ -------------

a Prior to and including 1995, number of landings equals number of fish
tickets. After 1995,

the number of landings equals number of deliveries (off-loads). A
delivery typically

includes multiple tickets, normally one per week.

b Pounds of shucked scallop meats.

c Unshucked scallop deliveries were converted to shucked meats using a
10% conversion factor.

d Includes illegal harvest.

e January 1 through June 30

# Overview of Scallop Fishery and Management

The scallop fishery is managed jointly by NMFS and ADF&G under the
Federal Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Scallop Fishery off
Alaska. Most management measures under the FMP are delegated to the
State for management under Federal oversight. ADF&G management of the
weathervane scallop fishery covers both state and federal waters off
Alaska. The following sections provide background on the fishery and its
managment, including registration areas, season, guideline harvest
ranges (GHRs), guideline harvest levels (GHLs), the onboard observer
program, crab bycatch limits (CBLs), and the LLP.

## Management

***Registration Areas***. The State of Alaska Scallop Fishery Management
Plan established 9 scallop registration areas in Alaska for vessels
commercially fishing scallops (Figure 1). These include the Southeastern
Alaska Registration Area (Area A);Yakutat Registration Area (Area D and
District 16); Prince William Sound Registration Area (Area E); Cook
Inlet Registration Area (Area H); Kodiak Registration Area (Area K),
which is subdivided into the Northeast, Shelikof and Semidi Districts;
Alaska Peninsula Registration Area (Area M); Dutch Harbor Registration
Area (Area O); Bering Sea Registration Area (Area Q); and Adak
Registration Area (Area R). Scallop seasons have never been opened in
Area A, and effort occurred in Area R during 1995 only.

***Seasons***. The regulatory fishing season for weathervane scallops in
Alaska is July 1 through February 15 except in the Cook Inlet
Registration Area. In the Kamishak District of Cook Inlet, the season is
August 15 through October 31, and in all other districts of Cook Inlet,
the season is from January 1 through December 31 under conditions of an
exploratory permit. Scallop fishing in any registration area in the
state may be closed by emergency order prior to the end of the
regulatory season. Scallop GHLs and CBLs are typically announced by
ADF&G approximately one month prior to the season opening date.

***Guideline Harvest Ranges*.** Although the FMP overfishing definition
(2.8) is based on the statewide scallop stock, statewide estimates of
stock size are not available and not likely to be otained due to limited
stock assessment resources. ADF&G manages the fishery by registration
areas and districts. Regulatory GHRs for traditional scallop fishing
areas were first established by the State of Alaska in 1993 under the
Interim Management Plan for Commercial Scallop Fisheries in Alaska.
Regulatory GHRs (lbs of shucked scallop meats) were set at 0--250,000
lbs for Yakutat, 0--50,000 lbs for Prince William Sound, 0--20,000 lbs
for the Kamishak District of Cook Inlet, 0--400,000 lbs for Kodiak, and
0--170,000 lbs for Dutch Harbor. These area GHR ceilings were determined
by averaging historic catches from 1969 to 1992 excluding years when
there was no fishing or a "fishing-up effect" occurred (Barnhart 2003).

Prior to the August 1, 1996 re-opening of the weathervane scallop
fishery, the State of Alaska established GHRs for non-traditional
registration areas, including 0--200,000 lbs for the Alaska Peninsula,
0--600,000 lbs for the Bering Sea, 0--35,000 lbs for District 16, and
0--75,000 lbs for Adak. The combined total of the upper limits from
traditional and non-traditional areas was 1.8 million lbs, which was
defined as maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in Amendment 1 to the federal
FMP.

In 1998, the scallop plan team recommended a more conservative
definition of MSY. Based on average landings from 1990--1997 excluding
1995 when the fishery was closed for most of the year, MSY was
subsequently established in Amendment 6 of the FMP at 1.24 million lbs,
with optimum yield (OY) defined as the range 0--1.24 million pounds. To
accommodate the new definition, regulatory GHR ceilings were reduced by
the State of Alaska from 400,000 to 300,000 lbs for Kodiak, from 170,000
to 110,000 for Dutch Harbor, and from 600,000 to 400,000 lbs for the
Bering Sea. Hence, MSY and the regulatory GHR ceiling written into
Alaska law are both 1.24 million lbs.

***Inseason data***. Observers that are required on all vessels fishing
for scallops in Alaska outside Cook Inlet monitor the fishery during the
season and transmit data to ADF&G at least thrice weekly. Fishing may be
closed in any area before the GHL is reached due to concerns about
localized depletion, trends in CPUE, or bycatch rates. Inseason data are
also used by the scallop industry to avoid areas of high bycatch.

## Stock Assessments and GHLs 

Management of the Alaska scallop fishery is handled by ADF&G biologists
from the three regions where scallop fishing occurs. Scallop fishing is
prohibited in large areas of coastal Alaska known to contain scallops
(4.3), and onboard observers are required on all vessels operating
outside Cook Inlet. Dredge surveys are conducted only in Central Region,
and scallop observer program data are the primary information source for
setting GHLs in other areas. These data consist of time sereis of
scallop harvest and fishing effort, including catch per unit effort
(CPUE), fishing locations, size structure of the catch, discard of
scallops, and crab bycatch. Spatially explicit catch and effort data
that cannot be displayed in the SAFE report due to State of Alaska
confidentiality requirements are examined by ADF&G staff each year when
GHLs are set.

ADF&G and the SPT recognize inherent weaknesses in using fishery data
for management purposes. CPUE may be an unreliable index of scallop
abundance due to factors such as market conditions, weather on the
grounds, tides, gear efficiency, bycatch avoidance, captain and crew
performance, etc. Industry participants have noted that the time of year
when fishing occurs can drastically affect CPUE due to differences in
weather and sea state between summer and winter. Size composition data
from the commercial catch are affected by choice of fishing locations
and gear selectivity and hence may not be representative of the true
size composition of any scallop population.

Concerns such as these led ADF&G to begin exploring underwater video
techniques for scallop stock assessment in 2000. A towed camera sled
system constructed in 2007 that records high resolution images of the
bottom on computer hard drives while towing 3--5 knots (Rosenkranz et
al. 2008) is currently being used to conduct pilot scallop surveys.
ADF&G is developing a plan to conduct more camera sled surveys around
the state.

***Southeast Alaska Region***. No regular assessment surveys are
conducted in the Southeast Alaska Region. GHLs for Yakutat Area D and
District 16 are set prior to each fishing season after examination of
recent observer program data. The fishery is managed by Joe Stratman
from the Petersburg office.

***Central Region***. ADF&G has conducted biennial dredge surveys in the
Kamishak District of the Cook Inlet Registration Area and near Kayak
Island in the Prince William Sound Registration Area since the late
1990s. Data from these surveys are used to set GHLs, and some
age-structured population modeling work has been performed. In the
Kamishak District fishery, observers are not required, but vessels are
limited to a single 6 ft dredge, and ADF&G staff are regularly deployed
as observers when fishing occurs. The Cook Inlet fishery is managed by
Charlie Trowbridge from the Homer office and the Kayak Island fishery is
managed by Bob Berceli in Cordova.

***Westward Region***. No regular assessment surveys are conducted in
Westward Region. Nick Sagalikin from the Kodiak office manages the
Kodiak and Alaska Peninsula fisheries, and Forrest Bowers in the Dutch
Harbor office manages the Bering Sea, Dutch Harbor, and Adak fisheries.
Kodiak Northeast District and Shelikof District GHLs have remained
relatively stable since the late 1990s. Management staff set CPUE
benchmarks for some areas prior to the season, and if CPUE falls below
these levels, all data are reviewed and the fishery may be closed or
allowed to continue. GHLs for many of the areas are divided between
statistical areas to prevent overharvesting.

## Fishery

Scallop vessels in the Alaska fishery are 58--124 feet length overall,
with maximum 1,200 horsepower. Standard New Bedford style scallop
dredges are used in the fishery. On average, a 15-foot dredge weighs a
minimum of 2,600 pounds and a 6-foot dredge weighs about 900 pounds. The
frame design provides a rigid, fixed dredge opening. Attached to and
directly behind the frame is a steel ring bag consisting of 4-inch
(inside diameter) rings connected with steel links; 4 inch or larger
rings are required by state law. A sweep chain footrope is attached to
the bottom of the mesh bag. The top of the bag consists of 6-inch
stretched mesh polypropylene netting which helps hold the bag open while
the dredge is towed along the ocean floor. A club stick attached to the
end of the bag helps maintain the shape of the bag and provides for an
attachment point to dump the dredge contents on deck. Steel dredge shoes
that are welded onto the lower corners of the frame bear most of the
dredge's weight and act as runners, permitting the dredge to move easily
along the substrate. Each dredge is attached to the boat by a single
steel wire cable operated from a deck winch.

Scallop fishing operations involve the following steps: (a) dredge
deployment; (b) dredge towed for 50 to 60 minutes on the bottom at an
average speed of 4.7 knots; (c) dredge retrieved; (d) dredge contents
emptied on deck; (e) retained scallops sorted from the catch and bycatch
discarded overboard; (f) baskets of retained scallops moved from the
deck to the shucking area; (g) gear prepared for the next set; (h) gear
deployed; aand (i) shuck, wash, grade, package and freeze scallop meats.
The scallop meat is the single adductor muscle that is removed from the
scallop by crew members using specialized hand-held scallop knives.
Scallop meats represent approximately 8-12% of the round weight
depending on area and season (Barnhart and Rosenkranz 2003). Scallop
meats are graded by size and sold primarily to domestic seafood markets,
with a smaller amount going to foreign markets (Kruse et al. 2005).

## Observer Program

The primary purposes of the onboard scallop observer program are to
collect biological and fishery data and to monitor bycatch. ADF&G
requires observers on all trips of all vessels fishing scallops outside
Cook Inlet in both state and federal waters. Observers are briefed and
debriefed by ADF&G staff in each management area where fishing occurs
prior to and after deployment.

Dredge hauls are sampled to collect data on retained scallop catch, crab
and halibut bycatch, scallop discards, and catch composition. Detailed
logbooks completed by vessel operators are checked by observers and
submitted to ADF&G along with other observer data forms. Observers send
summary reports to ADF&G fishery managers thrice weekly or more
frequently during the season by radio or email. Data are entered,
stored, and maintained by ADF&G staff in Kodiak. Observer data are used
for inseason management and in setting seasonal GHLs. Scallop observer
data are released to the public in reports prepared by ADF&G (e.g.,
Barnhart and Rosenkranz 2003).

Onboard observer coverage is funded by industry through direct payments
to independent contracting agents. Scallop observers are trained at the
University of Alaska North Pacific Fisheries Observer Training Center in
Anchorage. Observer training manuals (e.g., Banrhart 2003) are prepared
by ADF&G staff.

Observer cost for vessels limited to a single 6-ft dredge in federal
waters was addressed in Amendment 10, section 6.8 of the Scallop FMP.
The Council determined that given existing observer requirements and
their associated costs, the single 6-ft dredge restriction created a
disproportionate economic hardship when fishing in federal waters (NPFMC
2004). Amendment 10 allows two vessels to fish with two 10-ft dredges to
capture a larger share of the total catch, thus allowing them to offset
observer costs and perhaps enhance their economic viability.

## Crab Bycatch Limits

Bycatch of crabs in the scallop fishery is controlled through the use of
Crab Bycatch Limits (CBLs) that are based on condition of individual
crab stocks. CBLs were first instituted by the state in July 1993.
Methods used to determine CBLs in 1993 and 1994 were approved by the BOF
and the NPFMC and, with few exceptions, remain unchanged. Annual CBLs
are established preseason by ADF&G for areas with current crab resource
abundance information (surveys). For areas without crab abundance
estimates, CBLs may be set as a fixed number of crabs that is not
adjusted seasonally.

In the Kodiak, Alaska Peninsula, and Dutch Harbor Registration Areas,
the CBLs are set at 0.5% or 1.0% of the total crab stock abundance
estimate based on the most recent survey data (Table 2). In registration
areas or districts where red king crab or Tanner crab abundance is
sufficient to support a commercial crab fishery, the cap is set at 1.0%
of the most recent red king crab or Tanner crab abundance estimate. In
registration areas or districts where the red king crab or Tanner crab
abundance is insufficient to support a commercial fishery, the CBL is
set at 0.5% of the most recent red king crab or Tanner crab abundance
estimate. Bycatch caps are expressed in numbers of crabs and include all
sizes of crabs caught in the scallop fishery.

In the Kamishak District of the Cook Inlet Registration Area, the Tanner
crab bycatch limit is set at 0.5% of the total crab stock abundance and
the red king crab limit is fixed at 60 crabs. In the Prince William
Sound Registration Area the CBL for Tanner crab is fixed at 0.5% of the
total crab stock abundance, although this is a recent change from a
fixed number of crabs.

CBLs in the Bering Sea (registration Area Q) have evolved from fixed
numbers in 1993 to a three tier approach used in the current fishery. In
1993, Bering Sea CBLs were set by ADF&G to allow the fleet adequate
opportunity to explore and harvest scallop stocks while protecting the
crab resource. CBLs were established at 260,000 *Chionoecetes* spp. and
17,000 red king crabs. In 1995, ADF&G recommended that CBLs be
established at 0.003176 percent of the best available estimate of *C.
opilio* (snow crab) and 0.13542 percent of the best available estimate
of Tanner crab abundance in Registration Area Q. That equated to about
300,000 snow and 260,000 Tanner crabs based on 1994 crab abundance
estimates in Registration area Q. In Amendment 1 of the federal scallop
FMP, the NPFMC approved the CBLs established by ADF&G. The NPFMC also
recommended that king crab bycatch limits be set within a range of 500
to 3,000 annually. Beginning with the 1996/97 fishing season ADF&G took
a conservative approach and set the red king crab limit in Registration
Area Q at 500 red king crabs annually.

From the 1996/97 through 1998/99 fishing seasons the CBL for
*Chionoecetes* sp. in the Bering Sea was established annually by
applying the percentages established for snow and Tanner crab limits in
Amendment 1 of the FMP. In 1998, consistent with the Tanner crab
rebuilding plan in the Bering Sea, crab bycatch limits were modified.

The current three tier approach was established utilizing the bycatch
limits established in Amendment 1 of the FMP, 300,000 snow crab and
260,000 Tanner crab. The three tiers include (1) Tanner crab spawning
biomass above minimum stock size threshold (MSST); bycatch limit is set
at 260,000 crabs, (2) Tanner crab spawning biomass below MSST; bycatch
limit is set at 130,000 crabs, and (3) Tanner crab spawning biomass is
below MSST and the commercial fishing season is closed; Tanner crab
limit is set at 65,000 crabs. A similar three tier approach was taken
with the snow crab bycatch caps. The three tiers include (1) snow crab
spawning biomass above the MSST; bycatch limit is set at 300,000 crabs,
(2) snow crab spawning biomass below MSST; bycatch limit is set at
150,000 crabs, and (3) snow crab spawning biomass below MSST and the
commercial fishing season is closed; the snow crab limit is set at
75,000 crabs.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036661 .anchor}Table 2 Statewide crab bycatch
limits in percentage of crab abundance estimates (where available) or
number of crabs.

  -------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------
  Area/District        Red King Crab    *C. bairdi*      *C. opilio*

  Yakutat District 16  NE^a^            NE               NA^b^

  Yakutat Area D       NE               NE               NA

  Prince William Sound NE               0.5%             NA

  Cook Inlet Kamishak  0.5%             60 crabs^c^      NA
  District                                               

  Kodiak Northeast     0.5% or 1.0%     0.5% or 1.0%     NA
  District                                               

  Kodiak Shelikof      0.5% or 1.0%     0.5% or 1.0%     NA
  District                                               

  Kodiak Semidi        NE               NE               NA
  District                                               

  Alaska Peninsula     0.5% or 1.0%     0.5% or 1.0%     NA

  Bering Sea           500 crabs^c^     3 tier approach  3 tier approach

  Dutch Harbor         0.5% or 1.0%     0.5% or 1.0%     NA

  Adak^d^              50               10,000 crabs     NA
  -------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------

^a^ Not established.

^b^ Not applicable.

^c^ Fixed CBL.

^d^ Bycatch limit established to provide scallop fleet opportunity for
exploratory fishing while protecting crab resources.

Bycatch of snow crabs, Tanner crabs, and Bristol Bay red king crabs by
scallop fisheries in comparison with groundfish and directed crab
fisheries are shown in Tables 3--5. Bycatch of snow, king, and Tanner
crabs during the Bering Sea scallop fishery tends to be much lower than
for other Bering Sea fisheries. Scallop fishery closures due to
attainment of CBLs have decreased over the years, in part due to
decreased crab abundance (Barnhart and Rosenkranz 2003). ADF&G closely
monitors bycatch rates during scallop seasons and has used a rate of one
crab per pound of scallop meats as a benchmark since 1993. Bycatch may
affect harvest and CPUE in the Bering Sea scallop fishery as vessel
operators move or cease fishing when bycatch rates meet or exceed this
benchmark.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036662 .anchor}

Table 3 Bycatch of snow crabs (number crabs) in Bering Sea fisheries,
1995--2007.

+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **Year** | **D       | **Gr     | **G       | **Scallop | **Total** |
|          | irected** | oundfish | roundfish | dredge**  |           |
|          |           | trawl**  | fixed     |           |           |
|          | **crab    |          | gear**    |           |           |
|          | pot**     |          |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1995     | 4         | 5        | 230,233   | 0         | 5         |
|          | 8,734,000 | ,165,555 |           |           | 4,129,788 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1996     | 5         | 3        | 267,395   | 104,836   | 6         |
|          | 6,570,785 | ,643,612 |           |           | 0,586,628 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1997     | 7         | 5        | 554,103   | 195,345   | 8         |
|          | 5,005,446 | ,276,208 |           |           | 1,031,102 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1998     | 5         | 4        | 549,139   | 232,911   | 5         |
|          | 1,591,453 | ,122,648 |           |           | 6,496,151 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1999     | 4         | 1        | 269,778   | 150,421   | 4         |
|          | 7,093,200 | ,544,747 |           |           | 9,058,146 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2000     | 5,020,800 | 2        | 270,000   | 105,602   | 7,603,681 |
|          |           | ,207,279 |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2001     | 6,123,100 | 1        | 215,000   | 68,458    | 7,699,701 |
|          |           | ,293,143 |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2002     | 1         | 882,967  | n/a       | 70,795    | n/a       |
|          | 5,823,300 |          |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2003     | 2         | 615,012  | 86,313    | 16,206    | 2         |
|          | 2,140,336 |          |           |           | 2,857,867 |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2004     | 4,800,043 | 1        | 140,428   | 3,843     | 6,637,415 |
|          |           | ,693,101 |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2005^a^  | 4,530,514 | 3        | 124,171   | 5,211     | 7,952,425 |
|          |           | ,292,520 |           |           |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2006     |           |          |           | 8,543     |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2007     |           |          |           | 19,367    |           |
+----------+-----------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

^a^ From the 2005/2006 rationalized BB red king crab fishery (Oct 15
2005 to January 15 2006) but little or no catch or effort from January
1-15. This does not include any bycatch from the rationalized 2005/2006
Tanner crab fishery.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036663 .anchor}Table 4 Bycatch of Bristol Bay
red king crabs (numbers of crab) in Bering Sea fisheries, 1995--2006.

+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| **Year**  | **D       | **G       | **G       | **Scallop | **Total** |
|           | irected** | roundfish | roundfish | dredge**  |           |
|           |           | trawl**   | fixed     |           |           |
|           | **crab    |           | gear**    |           |           |
|           | pot**     |           |           |           |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1995      | 0         | 44,934    | 3,257     | 0         | 48,191    |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1996      | 605,000   | 30,967    | 75,675    | 0         | 711,642   |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1997      | 985,000   | 50,711    | 25,579    | 0         | 1,061,290 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1998      | 4,593,800 | 42,003    | 7,017     | 146       | 4,642,966 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1999      | 957,800   | 84,709    | 8,968     | 1         | 1,026,178 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2000      | 1,701,000 | 70,787    | 39,754    | 2         | 1,653,542 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2001      | 2,419,100 | 58,552    | 19,000    | 0         | 2,496,652 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2002      | 1,677,800 | 89,955    | 27,477    | 2         | 1,795,234 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2003      | 5,808,200 | 91,937    | 13,531    | 0         | 5,913,668 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2004      | 2,470,868 | 78,742    | 15,014    | 0         | 2,564,624 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2005^a^   | 5,724,919 | 111,249   | 19,723    | 2         | 5,855,893 |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2006      |           |           |           | 10        |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2007      |           |           |           | 1         |           |
+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

^a^ This is from the pre-rationalized opilio fishery and the
rationalized 2005/2006 BB red king crab fishery. This does not include
bycatch during 2005 from the 2005/2006 EBS snow crab or directed Tanner
crab fishery.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036664 .anchor}Table 5 Bycatch of Tanner crabs
(number of crabs) in Bering Sea fisheries, 1995-2006.

  ---------- ------------ -------------- -------------- ------------ ------------
  **Year**   **Directed   **Groundfish   **Groundfish   **Scallop    **Total**
             crab pot**   Trawl**        fixed gear**   dredge**     

  1995       15,897,300   2,212,181      87,674         0            18,197,155

  1996       4,588,000    1,836,031      279,560        17,000       6,930,591

  1997       4,865,900    1,917,736      50,218         28,000       6,861,854

  1998       4,293,800    1,477,816      46,552         36,000       5,854,168

  1999       1,995,100    901,619        43,220         n/a          n/a

  2000       491,000      1,002,074      140,453        53,614       1,539,141

  2001       626,400      950,331        80,000         48,718       1,705,449

  2002       1,282,600    1,086,286      98,848         48,053       2,515,787

  2003       626,000      897,340        105,094        31,316       1,659,750

  2004       334,593      800,794        38,592         15,303       2,849,032

  2005       708,290      1,569,613      122,167        15,529       2,415,599

  2006                                                  45,204       

  2007                                                  35,288       
  ---------- ------------ -------------- -------------- ------------ ------------

## Scallop License Limitation Program

Commercial weathervane scallop fishing in federal waters off Alaska is
limited by a federal license limitation program (LLP), while
participation in state waters (0-3 nautical miles) is limited by a
vessel-based limited entry program. The LLP limits participation in the
statewide scallop fishery in Federal waters to nine vessels.

The Federal Scallop License Limitation Program (LLP) became effective in
2001. The NPFMC created the scallop LLP under Amendment 4 to the FMP to
limit the number of participants and reduce fishing capacity. The LLP
license is required on board any vessel deployed in the weathervane
scallop fishery in federal waters off Alaska. NMFS granted 7 vessel
owners licenses to fish statewide outside Cook Inlet. Originally, NMFS
granted two vessel owners licenses to fish statewide utilizing a single
6-foot dredge. In August, 2005, NMFS implemented Amendment 10 to the
FMP, which modified the gear restriction to allow these two licenses to
be used on vessels with up to two 10-foot dredges statewide. All 9
licenses allow vessel owners to fish inside Cook Inlet with a single
6-foot dredge. Vessel length is limited to that of the qualifying
period.

All vessels fishing inside the Cook Inlet Registration Area are limited
by state regulation to a single dredge not more than 6 feet in width.
Unless otherwise restricted by the LLP, vessels fishing in the remainder
of the state may simultaneously operate a maximum of 2 dredges that are
15 feet or less in width.

In 1997, the Alaska legislature approved legislation (AS 16.43.906)
establishing a scallop vessel moratorium in state waters. In 2001, the
legislature authorized a 3-year extension of the moratorium set to
expire July 1, 2004. During the 2002 legislative session, passage of
CSHB206 resulted in significant changes to the state's limited entry
statutes. The changes authorized use of a vessel-based limited entry
program in the weathervane scallop and hair crab fisheries. However, the
program has a sunset provision. The vessel entry permits issued for the
statewide weathervane scallop fishery will expire on December 31, 2008
unless statutory authority is extended. Eight vessel owners received
permits to fish for weathervane scallops in state waters.

Two vessels with multiple LLP permits as well as state vessel-based
limited entry permits have harvested most of the scallop catch outside
Cook Inlet over the past several seasons. Three vessels 80 feet or less
LOA typically participate in the Cook Inlet Registration Area fishery.
Occasionally, one or more of these vessels participate in the scallop
fishery outside of Cook Inlet.

More information on the scallop LLP can be found on the NMFS Alaska
Region web page at [http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ram/smp.htm.]{.underline}

## Voluntary Scallop Cooperative

In May 2000, six of the nine LLP owners formed the North Pacific Scallop
Cooperative under authority of the Fishermen\'s Cooperative Marketing
Act, 48 Stat. 1213 (1934), 15 U.S.C. Sec. 521. The cooperative is
self-regulated and is neither endorsed nor managed by ADF&G or NMFS.
Number range CHAPTERThe cooperative regulates individual vessel
allocations within the GHR and crab bycatch caps under the terms of
their cooperative contract. Non-coop vessels are not bound by any
contract provisions. The cooperative does not receive an exclusive
allocation of the scallop harvest. Some owners opted to remove their
boats from the fishery and arranged for their shares to be caught by
other members of the cooperative. Since formation of the cooperative,
harvest rates have slowed and fishing effort occurs over a longer time
period each season

Vessel owners within the cooperative have taken an active role in
reducing crab bycatch. Vessel operators provide confidential in-season
fishing information to an independent consulting company contracted by
the cooperative. This firm reviews crab bycatch data, fishing locations,
and scallop harvest, which allows for real time identification of high
crab bycatch areas. When these areas are identified, the fleet is
provided with the information and directed to avoid the area.

More information on the voluntary scallop cooperative can be found in
the EA/RIR/IRFA for Amendment 10 to the Scallop FMP available on the
Council website at:

<http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/analyses/analyses.htm>

## Overfishing Definition

Overfishing is a level of fishing mortality that jeopardizes the
long-term capacity of a stock or stock complex to produce MSY on a
continuing basis. MSY is defined as the largest long-term average catch
that can be taken from a stock under prevailing ecological and
environmental conditions. Amendment 6 to the scallop FMP established MSY
for weathervane scallops at 1.24 million lbs of shucked meats based on
the average catch from 1990-1997 excluding 1995. Optimum Yield (OY) was
defined as 0--1.24 million lbs, and the overfishing control rule was
defined as a fishing rate in excess of the natural mortality rate, which
has been estimated as F~overfishing~ = M = 0.13 (12% per year)
statewide. At this time, abundance is estimated for only two of the nine
registration areas and a determination of MSST cannot be made. The
fishery is managed conservatively with harvest levels well below MSY.
Figure 3 shows statewide scallop catch and MSY levels both prior to
amendment 6 and following inception of the new MSY level in 1996. Since
1996, catches have averaged between 39% to 66% of MSY (Table 6, Figure
3,). Control rules for other Alaskan scallop species have not been
developed as no commercial harvests occurs.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036677 .anchor}Table 6 Alaska weathervane
scallop harvest and Maximum Sustainable Yield from FMP, 1993/94--2007/08
seasons.

  ---------------- ---------------- ------------------ ------------------
                   Harvest                             

  Season           (lbs meat)       MSY                \% MSY

  1993/94          984,583          1,800,000          55

  1994/95          1,240,775        1,800,000          69

  1995/96          410,743          1,800,000          23

  1996/97          732,424          1,800,000          41

  1997/98          818,913          1,800,000          45

  1998/99          822,096          1,240,000          66

  1999/2000        837,971          1,240,000          68

  2000/01          750,617          1,240,000          61

  2001/02          572,838          1,240,000          46

  2002/03          509,455          1,240,000          41

  2003/04          492,000          1,240,000          40

  2004/05          425,477          1,240,000          34

  2005/06          525,357          1,240,000          42

  2006/07          487,473          1,240,000          39

  2007/08          458,313          1,240,000          37
  ---------------- ---------------- ------------------ ------------------

![](media/image4.wmf){width="4.648031496062992in" height="3.0in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418035 .anchor}Figure 3 Statewide scallop
harvest (pounds shucked scallop meats) and MSY levels from the FMP.

# Stock Status

The following sections provide summaries of recent scallop fishery
performance for each registration area.

Dredge survey summary data are provided for Prince William Sound and the
Cook Inlet Registration Area. In other areas, dredge surveys are not
performed, and data from the scallop observer program are the primary
information source. ADF&G camera sled image data have been collected in
several management areas, but these data have not yet been used for
fishery management.

## Yakutat Registration Area

Alaska state regulations limit the combined Yakutat Area D and District
16 scallop harvest to 250,000 lbs of scallop meats per season. Prior to
the 2007/08 season, GHLs were set at 0--150,000 lbs for Area D and
0--21,000 lbs for District 16 (Tables 7--8) .

Two co-op vessels participated in the 2007/08 fishery and harvested
125,960 lbs of scallop meats from Yakutat Area D and 180 lbs of scallop
meats from Yakutat District 16. Fishery data from recent seasons are
presented in Tables 7--8 and Figures 3--5.

For Yakutat Area D, 2007/08 CPUE was 48 lbs meat/dredge hr, close to the
2000/01--2006/07 average of 46 lbs meat/dredge hr (Table 7). SH
histograms (Figure 5) indicate that a significant numbers of scallops in
the 90--110 mm SH range were discarded during the fishery. ADF&G
modeling work on scallop shell age data shows that growth of scallops in
the eastern Gulf of Alaska is considerably slower than for Kodiak
scallops with an estimated asymptotic size of 136 mm SH compared to 166
mm SH for scallops from the Kodiak area.

Effort in Yakutat District 16 during the 2007/08 season was minimal with
a total of 8 tows and catch of 180 lbs of scallop meats (Table 8, Figure
6). No 2007/08 SH histogram was constructed due to small sample sizes,
but data from recent years are shown in Figure 7.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036665 .anchor}Table 7 Yakutat Area D scallop
fishery summary statistics.

  ------------ ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
               Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^    CPUE (lbs meat

  Season       vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)  per dredge hr)

  1993         7^b^       250,000     1,999       139,057     70

  1994         10^b^      250,000     4,130       246,862     60

  1995         8^c^       250,000     4,730       237,417     50

  1996         4          250,000     4,438       238,736     54

  1997         4          250,000     3,956       243,810     62

  1998/99      8          250,000     4,154       242,929     58

  1999/00      3          250,000     3,840       249,681     65

  2000/01      3          250,000     4,241       195,699     46

  2001/02      2          200,000     2,406       103,800     43

  2002/03      2          200,000     2,439       122,718     50

  2003/04      2          200,000     3,360       160,918     48

  2004/05      2          200,000     2,132       86,950      41

  2005/06      2          200,000     5,089       199,351     39

  2006/07      2          150,000     2,817       150,950     53

  2007/08      2          150,000     2,601       125,960     48
  ------------ ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

^b^ One additional vessel fished by waiver without an observer; data not
included.

^c^ Two additional vessels fished by waiver without observers; data not
included.

![](media/image5.wmf){width="4.779861111111111in"
height="8.006944444444445in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418036 .anchor}Figure 4 Barplots of Yakutat
Area D scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image6.wmf){width="6.579861111111111in"
height="7.999305555555556in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418037 .anchor}Figure 5 Shell height histograms
from resampling Yakutat Area D observer data, 1998/99--2006/07 seasons.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036666 .anchor}Table 8 Yakutat District 16
scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ------------- ---------- ----------- ---------- -------------- --------------
                Number     GHL ceiling Dredge     Catch^a^       CPUE (lbs meat

  Season        vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^   (lbs meat)     per dredge hr)

  1993          1          35,000                 confidential   

  1994          7^b^       35,000      408        22,226         54

  1995          6^b^       35,000      1,095      33,302         30

  1996          2          35,000      917        34,060         37

  1997          4          35,000      561        22,020         39

  1998/99       2          35,000      702        34,153         49

  1999/00       2          35,000      674        34,624         51

  2000/01       3          35,000      476        30,904         65

  2001/02       2          35,000      417        20,398         49

  2002/03       2          35,000      100        3,685          37

  2003/04       2          35,000      18         1,072          59

  2004/05       2          35,000      419        24,430         58

  2005/06       2          35,000      407        13,650         34

  2006/07       2          21,000      309        13,445         44

  2007/08       1          21,000      6          180            30
  ------------- ---------- ----------- ---------- -------------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

^b^ One additional vessel fished by waiver without an observer; data not
included.

![](media/image7.wmf){width="4.85in" height="8.001388888888888in"}

[]{#_Ref160940803 .anchor}

Figure 6 Barplots of Yakutat District 16 scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image8.wmf){width="6.029861111111111in"
height="8.004861111111111in"}

[]{#_Ref160939714 .anchor}

Figure 7 Shell height histograms from resampling Yakutat District 16
observer data. Insufficient data were collected to produce plots for the
2003/04 and 2007/08 seasons.

## Prince William Sound Registration Area

Scallop dredge surveys have been conducted biennially in the Prince
William Sound Registration Area (Area E) near Kayak Island (Figure 1and
Figure 2) since 1996. Survey catches have varied considerably (Table 9)
and concerns have been raised about dredge efficiency and performance
(William Bechtol, ADF&G, personal communication). The 2004 survey
produced a meat weight biomass estimate of over 750,000 lbs (Table ),
and small scallops that should recruit to the exploitable population
during the next 2 years were caaptured in the lined survey dredge
(William Bechtol, ADF&G, unpublished data). The most recent published
survey report (Bechtol 2003) contains information on survey methodology
as well as catch rates and size and age structure of the stock from
previous surveys. Area E GHRs are established by ADF&G Central Region
staff based on survey and fishery data, conservative harvest rates, and
analysis of trends in recruitment and abundance.

Two catcher processors participated in the 2006/07 Area E fishery and
harvested approximately 37,000 lbs of scallop meats (Table 10). Fishery
data from recent seasons are presented inTable 8 and Figures 7--8.

Illegal fishing in the area by a single vessel outside the jurisdiction
of the state of Alaska occurred in 1995 and led to a statewide scallop
fishing closure in federal waters. Catch but no effort data are
available for the illegal fishing incident (Table 10).

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036667 .anchor}Table 9 Kayak Island dredge
survey summary.

  -------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------- --------------- ---------- -----------
                                **East                                            
                                Bed**                                            

  Survey   Number     Area      Total Area Total      Scallop         Average    Estimated
                      Swept                                                      

  Year     stations   by dredge surveyed   scallops   density         weight     biomass

           sampled    (km^2^)   (km^2^)    caught     (scal/10m^2^)   (g/scal)   (lbs meat)

  1996     41         0.180     281        2,656      0.115           245        153,115

  1998     21         0.092     144        2,278      0.247           251        145,928

  2000     25         0.110     171        5,104      0.466           238        298,822

  2002     9          0.039     62         668        0.169           254        40,678

  2004     24         0.105     171        4,823      0.458           255        281,992

  2006     23         0.101     171        5,020      0.498           279        367,265

                                                                                 

                                **West                                            
                                Bed**                                            

  1998     13         0.057     89         2,844      0.499           246        178,472

  2000     16         0.070     110        9,577      1.365           196        460,488

  2002     13         0.057     89         2,784      0.488           242        161,752

  2004     15         0.066     110        9,257      1.407           228        419,632

  2006     13         0.057     96         5,290      0.928           227        290,418
  -------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------- --------------- ---------- -----------

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036668 .anchor}

Table 9 Prince William Sound Area E scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------ -------------
                Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^     CPUE (lbs
                                                                meat

  Season        vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)   per dredge
                                                                hr)

  1993          7          50,000      638         63,068       99

  1994                     Closed                               

  1995          3          50,000                  108,000^b^   

  1996                     Closed                               

  1997          1          17,200      171         18,000       105

  1998/99       2          20,000      179         19,650       110

  1999/00       2          20,000      149         20,410       137

  2000/01       3          30,000      221         30,266       137

  2001/02       1          30,000      263         30,090       114

  2002/03       2          20,000      122         15,641       121

  2003/04       1          20,000      216         19,980       93

  2004/05       2          50,000      614         49,320       80

  2005/06       3          50,000      491         49,205       100

  2006/07       2          37,000      334         36,990       111

  2007/08       2          37,000      428         37,105       87
  ------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ------------ -------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

^b^ Total includes illegal fishing by one vessel; effort data not
available.

![](media/image9.wmf){width="4.820138888888889in"
height="8.006944444444445in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418040 .anchor}Figure 8 Barplots of Area E
scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image10.wmf){width="6.629861111111111in"
height="7.998611111111111in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418041 .anchor}Figure 9 Shell height histograms
from resampling Area E observer data, 2000/01--2006/07. Insufficient
data were available to produce plots for earlier seasons.

## Cook Inlet Registration Area, Kamishak District

The Cook Inlet scallop fishery is prosecuted in the Kamishak District by
vessels that are limited to one 6-foot dredge. The third-party contract
observer requirement is waived by the ADF&G fishery manager provided
that participants accommodate an ADF&G observer when requested. Other
areas of Cook Inlet were explored briefly but are not currently fished
(Trowbridge and Bechtol 2003). Much of Cook Inlet is closed to scallop
dredging (Figure 2).

ADF&G conducted a dredge survey of the Kamishak District scallop
population in 1984, and biennial surveys began there in 1996. Biomass
estimates from these surveys (Table 10) have been relatively stable,
ranging from 438,000 lbs to 612,000 lbs since 1996. Information on
survey methodology, catch rates and size and age structure of the stock
from earlier surveys are available in published reports (e.g., Bechtol
and Gustafson 2002).

The guideline harvest regulation specified by state regulation for the
Kamishak District is 10,000 to 20,000 pounds of shucked meats. During
the 2004/05 season, 3 vessels participated in the fishery harvesting
6,117 lbs of scallop meats (Table 11). Participation and CPUE in this
small fishery vary widely (Table 11, Figure 10).

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036669 .anchor}Table 10 Kamishak Dredge Survey
Summary.

  -------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------- --------------- ---------- -----------
                                **North                                           
                                Bed**                                            

  Survey   Number     Area      Total Area Total      Scallop         Average    Estimated
                      Swept                                                      

  Year     stations   by dredge surveyed   scallops   density         weight     biomass

           sampled    (km^2^)   (km^2^)    caught     (scal/10m^2^)   (g/scal)   (lbs meat)

  1984     47         0.206     192        3,664      0.178           361        209,305

  1996     26         0.114     178        6,064      0.532           270        467,500

  1998     14         0.061     199        2,531      0.412           352        438,290

  1999     28         0.123     192        7,306      0.595           382        611,175

  2001     25         0.110     178        5,297      0.483           435        510,701

  2003     20         0.088     137        1,755      0.200           448        178,407

  2005     23         0.101     158        1,802      0.179           448        185,291

                                                                                 

                                **South                                           
                                Bed**                                            

  2003     22         0.096     151        4,873      0.505           336        371,972

  2005     13         0.057     89         1,360      0.239           302        94,524
  -------- ---------- --------- ---------- ---------- --------------- ---------- -----------

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036670 .anchor}Table 11 Cook Inlet, Kamishak
District scallop fishery summary statistics.

  --------- ----------- ------------ ----------- -------------- -------------
            Number      GHL          Dredge      Catch^a^       CPUE (lbs
                                                                meat

  Season    vessels     (lbs meat)   hours       (lbs meat)     per dredge
                                                                hr)

  1993      3                        529         20,115         38

  1994      4                        454         20,431         45

  1995                  closed                                  

  1996      5                        534         28,228         53

  1997      3           20,000       394         20,336         52

  1998      1           20,000       390         confidential   

  1999      3           20,000       333         20,315         61

  2000      3           20,000       276         20,516         74

  2001      2           20,000       406         confidential   

  2002      3           20,000       311         8,591          28

  2003      2           20,000       862         confidential   

  2004      3           20,000       364         6,117          17

  2005      2           7,000        199         confidential   

  2006      1           7,000        10          confidential   

  2007                                                          
  --------- ----------- ------------ ----------- -------------- -------------

^a^ Includes estimated dead loss.

![](media/image11.wmf){width="4.820138888888889in"
height="8.006944444444445in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418042 .anchor}Figure 10 Barplots of Area H
scallop fishery statistics.

## Kodiak Registration Area, Northeast District

Two cooperative vessels harvested about 75,000 lbs of scallop meats from
the Northeast District of the Kodiak Management Area during the 2007/08
season. Summary statistics from recent fishery data are presented in
Table 12 and Figures 11--12.

The Northeast District GHL was raised to 90,000 lbs for the 2006/07 and
2007/08 seasons through addition of 15,000 lbs that could be harvested
only from an exploratory area north of Cape Izhut (58.1° N latitude).
This area lies east of Afognak and Marmot Islands and north of areas
fished since inception of the observer program in 1993. Scallops were
last harvested in this area during the 1980s.

Northeast District catches and CPUE have remained remarkably stable
since the 2000/01 fishing season (Table 12, Figure 11). Less than 100
lbs scallops meats were harvested from 25 dredge hours of effort in the
exploratory area during he 2007/08 season.

Large portions of the Northeast District that contain scallops are
closed to scallop dredging (Figure 2). These closures were recommended
by ADF&G and adopted by the Alaska BOF over 30 years ago due to concerns
about red king crab bycatch and gear conflicts.

The weathervane scallop population in the Northeast District of the
Kodiak Registration Area has never been surveyed and no abundance
estimates are available.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036671 .anchor}Table 12 Kodiak Northeast
District scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
             Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^    CPUE (lbs meat

  Season     vessels    (lbs meat)  hours       (lbs meat)  per dredge hr)

  1993/94    10         NA          6,940       155,187     22

  1994/95    7          NA          1,773       35,207      20

  1995/96               closed                              

  1996/97    3          NA          581         11,430      20

  1997/98    3          NA          2,604       95,858      37

  1998/99    4          NA          2,749       120,010     44

  1999/00    3          75,000      1,384       77,119      56

  2000/01    4          80,000      1,101       79,965      73

  2001/02    3          80,000      1,142       80,470      70

  2002/03    2          80,000      1,350       80,000      59

  2003/04    2          80,000      1,248       79,965      64

  2004/05    2          80,000      1,227       80,105      65

  2005/06    3          80,000      1,759       79,990      45

  2006/07    2          90,000      1,168       75,150      64

  2007/08    2          90,000      1,170       75,105      64
  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

![](media/image12.wmf){width="4.820138888888889in"
height="8.006944444444445in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418043 .anchor}Figure 11 Barplots of Kodiak
Northeast District scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image13.wmf){width="6.620138888888889in"
height="7.998611111111111in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418044 .anchor}Figure 12 Shell height
histograms from resampling Kodiak Northeast District scallop observer
data, 1999/2000--2006/07.

## Kodiak Registration Area, Shelikof District

The 2007/08 Shelikof District GHL was set at 170,000 lbs, an increase of
10,000 lbs due to increasing catch rates in the southern portion of the
bed for the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons. Two cooperative vessels and a
smaller vessel that deployed a single 10 ft dredge participated in the
2007/08 fishery and harvested about 170,000 lbs. Summary statistics from
recent fishery data area presented in Table 13 and Figures 13--14.

Shelikof District CPUE decreased to 58 lbs meat/dredge hr for the
2007/08 season (Table 13, Figure 13). ADF&G attributes this decline at
least in part to participation of the additional vessel that deployed a
smaller dredge. ADF&G does not account for dredge width in CPUE
calculations. CPUE has been 50 lbs meat/dredge hr or higher in each
season since 2003/04. Significant numbers of scallops \<120 mm SH were
discarded during the 2007/08 season (Figure 14).

To protect depressed red king crab and Tanner crab populations, the BOF
closed Kodiak's westside bays to scallop fishing in1990; weathervane
scallops are known to inhabit these closed waters (Figure 2).

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036672 .anchor}Table 13 Kodiak Shelikof
District scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
             Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^    CPUE (lbs meat

  Season     vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)  per dredge hr)

  1993/94    5          NA          2,491       105,017     42

  1994/95    11         NA          8,662       314,051     36

  1995/96               closed                              

  1996/97    3^b^       NA          3,491       219,305     63

  1997/98    4          NA          5,492       258,346     47

  1998/99    8          NA          4,081       179,870     44

  1999/00    6          180,000     4,304       187,963     44

  2000/01    5          180,000     2,907       180,087     62

  2001/02    4          180,000     3,398       177,112     52

  2002/03    3          180,000     3,799       180,580     48

  2003/04    2          180,000     3,258       180,011     55

  2004/05    2          180,000     3,467       174,622     50

  2005/06    2          160,000     2,280       159,941     70

  2006/07    3          160,000     2,183       162,537     74

  2007/08    3          170,000     2,937       169,968     58
  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

^b^ One additional vessel fished but data were not available.

![](media/image14.wmf){width="4.990277777777778in"
height="7.993055555555555in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418045 .anchor}Figure 13 Barplots of Kodiak
Shelikof District scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image15.wmf){width="6.6097222222222225in"
height="7.997222222222222in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418046 .anchor}Figure 14 Shell height
histograms from resampling Kodiak Shelikof District scallop observer
data, 19992000--2006/07.

## Kodiak Registration Area, Semidi District

Traditional scallop fishing areas of the Semidi District are located in
state waters that were closed to scallop dredging by the BOF in 2000
(Figure 2). Other parts of the district remain open to fishing, but no
effort has occurred since the 1999/00 season (Table 14).

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036673 .anchor}Table 14 Kodiak Semidi District
scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -------------
                Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^       CPUE (lbs
                                                                  meat

  Season        vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)     per dredge
                                                                  hr)

  1993/94       6^b^       NA          1,819       55,487         32

  1994/95       2          NA          272         confidential   

  1995/96                  closed                                 

  1996/97       3          NA          1,017       37,810         37

  1997/98       1          NA          349         6,315          18

  1998/99       2          NA          106         1,720          16

  1999/00       1          NA          45          930            21
  ------------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

^b^ Two additional vessel fished but data are not available.

## Alaska Peninsula Registration Area

Scallop fishing in the Alaska Peninsula Registration Area (Area M) was
traditionally concentrated in a small region near the Shumagin Islands
between 160° and 161° W longitude. Area M was closed for the 2001/2002
and 2002/03 seasons due to concerns about potential localized depletion
(Table 15, Figure 15).

For the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons, the area between 160° and 161° W
longitude remained closed to promote stock rebuilding, while the
remainder of the area was opened with a 10,000 pound GHL. For the
2005/06 season, the area between 160° and 161° W. longitude opened with
a GHL of 10,000 lbs, the remainder of the area was opened with a GHL of
10,000 lbs, and no effort occurred. During the 2006/07 season, two
cooperative vessels fished traditional areas and adjacent waters on an
experimental basis and found poor scalloping, indicating that no effort
for a 5-yr period had no beneficial effect on the population.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036674 .anchor}Table 15 Alaska Peninsula Area
scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
             Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^    CPUE (lbs meat

  Season     vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)  per dredge hr)

  1993/94    8          NA          1,847       112,152     61

  1994/95    7          NA          1,664       65,282      39

  1995/96               closed                              

  1996/97    2          200,000     327         12,560      38

  1997/98    4          200,000     1,752       51,616      29

  1998/99    4          200,000     1,612       63,290      39

  1999/00    5          200,000     2,025       75,535      37

  2000/01    3          33,000      320         7,660       24

  2001/02               closed                              

  2002/03               closed                              

  2003/04               10,000                              

  2004/05               10,000                              

  2005/06               20,000                              

  2006/07    2          25,000      64          155         2

  2007/08               10,000                              
  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

![](media/image16.wmf){width="4.820138888888889in"
height="8.006944444444445in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418047 .anchor}Figure 15 Barplots of Alaska
Peninsula scallop fishery statistics.

## Bering Sea Registration Area

Scallop fishing in the Bering Sea Registration Area (Area Q) occurs
north of Unimak Island (Figure 1 and Figure 2), Two cooperative vessels
participated in the 2007/08 fishery and harvested 49,995 lbs of shucked
scallop meats (Table 16, Figure 16--17).

Large Bering Sea scallop catches landed during the early 1990s (Table
16, Figure 16) do not appear to be sustainable. The GHL was reduced to
50,000 lbs for the 2005/06 season. Experimental scallop video research
conducted in the Bering Sea in 2003 showed that the stock is distributed
over a wide, poorly defined area at low densities.

Although incidental catches of *Chionoecetes* crabs in the Bering Sea
scallop fishery have remained below CBLs in recent years, concerns about
*Chionoecetes* bycatch rates often alter fleet behavior in the fishery.
Scallop vessels frequently move to avoid high crab bycatch areas, which
may in turn reduce CPUE and profitability. Dredging operations create
feeding opportunities for crabs and juvenile flatfish, so when a
profitable scalloping area is found, bycatch rates tend to increase over
time and may force the vessel to move. Industry attributes harvests that
have fallen below the upper end of the GHR in recent seasons to bycatch
avoidance.

Large portions of the eastern Bering Sea shelf and the Pribilof Islands
Habitat Conservation Area are closed to scallop fishing to protect red
and blue king crab habitat and to provide for habitat conservation
(Figure 2).

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036675 .anchor}Table 16 Bering Sea Area scallop
fishery summary statistics.

  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------
             Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^    CPUE (lbs meat

  Season     vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)  per dredge hr)

  1993/94    9          NA          5,764       284,414     49

  1994/95    8          NA          11,113      505,439     45

  1995/96               closed                              

  1996/97    1          600,000     2,313       150,295     65

  1997/98    2          600,000     2,246       97,002      43

  1998/99    4          400,000     2,319       96,795      42

  1999/00    2          400,000     3,294       164,929     50

  2000/01    3          200,000     3,355       205,520     61

  2001/02    3          200,000     3,072       140,871     46

  2002/03    2          105,000     2,038       92,240      45

  2003/04    2          105,000     1,020       42,590      42

  2004/05    1          105,000     275         10,050      37

  2005/06    1          50,000      602         23,220      39

  2006/07    1          50,000      1,138       48,246      43

  2007/08    2          50,000      1,084       49,995      46
  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

![](media/image17.wmf){width="4.909722222222222in"
height="8.00763888888889in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418048 .anchor}Figure 16 Barplots of Bering Sea
scallop fishery statistics.

![](media/image18.wmf){width="6.579861111111111in"
height="7.999305555555556in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418049 .anchor}Figure 17 Shell height
histograms from resampling Bering Sea scallop observer data,
1999/2000--2006/07.

## Dutch Harbor Registration Area

The Dutch Harbor Registration Area (Area O) was opened during 2002/03
for the first time since the 1999/00 season. One vessel fished briefly
and harvested about 6,000 lbs of scallop meats, with CPUE that was low
but comparable to CPUE from earlier seasons (Table 17). Managers decided
in 2003 to close the area for at least 3 additional years to allow for
stock rebuilding. Productive scallop grounds that contributed
significantly to the overall harvest were closed to scallop fishing
before 1986, primarily as a protective measure for crab nursery areas
(Figure 2).

The weathervane scallop population in the Dutch Harbor Registration Area
is not surveyed and no estimate of abundance has been made. There are
currently no plans to survey this population.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc161036676 .anchor}Table 17 Dutch Harbor Area
scallop fishery summary statistics.

  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -------------- --------------
             Number     GHL         Dredge      Catch^a^       CPUE (lbs meat

  Season     vessels    (lbs meat)  hours^a^    (lbs meat)     per dredge hr)

  1993/94    2          170,000     838         confidential   46

  1994/95    3          170,000     81          1,931          24

  1995/96    1          170,000     1,047       26,950         26

  1996/97               170,000                                

  1997/98    1          170,000     171         5,790          34

  1998/99    4          110,000     1,025       46,432         45

  1999/00    1          110,000     273         6,465          24

  2000/01               closed                                 

  2001/02               closed                                 

  2002/03    1          10,000      184         6,000          33

  2003/04               closed                                 

  2004/05               closed                                 

  2005/06               closed                                 

  2006/07               closed                                 

  2007/08               closed                                 
  ---------- ---------- ----------- ----------- -------------- --------------

^a^ Confidential data released by vessel operators.

## Adak Area

ADF&G records indicate that scallops were harvested from the Adak
Registration Area in 1979, 1992, and 1995. Few vessels participated
making catch and effort data confidential. Little is known about scallop
populations in this area. The Petrel Bank between 51º30' N. latitude and
54º30' N. latitude, west of 179º W. longitude and east of 179º East
longitude was closed in 1991 due to concerns about king crab bycatch
during the *Chlamys* (pink scallop) fishery. ADF&G opens the area each
season with a GHL of 0--75,000 pounds, but no vessels have participated
since 1995.

The weathervane scallop population in the Adak Registration Area is not
surveyed and no estimate of abundance has been made. There are currently
no plans to survey this population. The continental shelf adjacent to
the Aleutian Islands is narrow, providing limited weathervane scallop
habitat.

# Ecosystem Considerations

The Ecosystem Considerations section was added to the SAFE in 2006. The
SPT is continuing to organize and improve the section. A wealth of
information on climate effects on ecosystems and ecosystem trends
contained in the GOA Groundfish Plan Team Ecosystems Considerations
document is equally relevant to the scallop fishery and may be accessed
at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/SAFE/SAFE.htm

## Habitat

The Alaska weathervane scallop fishery occurs in continental shelf
waters at depths 40--150 m in three main areas: the eastern Gulf of
Alaska between Prince William Sound and Cape Spencer, around Kodiak
Island, and in the eastern Bering Sea (Figure 2). Because the fishery
footprint is confined to these areas and many areas of similar habitat
are closed to scallop dredging, we expect the effects of the fishery on
the GOA and Bering Sea ecosystems to be minor.

Commercial concentrations of weathervane scallops occur along the Alaska
coast in elongated beds oriented in the same direction as prevailing
currents. Image data from ADF&G camera sled tows show that benthic
habitats where scallop fishing occurs in the Bering Sea, eastern GOA,
and Shelikof Strait, consist predominately of fine sediments (silt, mud,
and sand), with sediments regularly suspended by tidal currents. Areas
of harder bottom with larger sediment sizes are found alongside scallop
fishing areas, particularly inshore from where fishing occurs. ADF&G is
beginning to use camera sled data to document and map habitat in the
vicinity of scallop fishing areas. ADF&G hopes to study habitat in
closed areas inhabited by scallops in the future as well.

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) descriptions for weathervane scallops are
being revised under Amendment 9 to the Scallop FMP. There is no
available life history information for other scallop species (pink,
spiny and rock scallops). More information on EFH designations may be
found at: <http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/habitat/efh.htm>.

## Bycatch

Scallop fishery bycatch is closely monitored by the onboard observer
program (2.4). Bycatch in the scallop fishery includes prohibited
species such as red king crab, Tanner crab, snow crab, and Pacific
Halibut, other commercially important species of fish and invertebrates,
miscellaneous non-commercial species, and natural and man-made debris.
Although a variety of marine vertebrates, invertebrates, and debris are
caught incidentally in scallop dredges, weathervane scallops predominate
catches.

During the 1996/97--2004/05 seasons, the five most frequently caught
species or items, statewide, by percent weight, from haul composition
sampling were: weathervane scallops 77%, numerous species of starfish
5%, natural debris (kelp, wood, etc.) 5%, empty bivalve shells 4%, and
several species of skates 2%. Gorgonian (hard) corals are infrequently
encountered by scallop observers; since 1996, corals have been observed
in only 11 of the 15,836 tows sampled for catch composition and bycatch.
Summaries of haul composition sampling are presented in observer reports
prepared by ADF&G (e.g., Barnhart and Rosenkranz 2003).

## Trawl Survey Information on Scallop Stocks

Trawl surveys for fisheries stock assessment are conducted annually in
the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea by NMFS and ADF&G. Although these
surveys target crab and groundfish and the gear is not designed to
efficiently capture scallops, weathervane scallops are caught in some
areas and survey data provide information on the range of the species.

In the eastern GOA (Figure 18), weathervane scallops have been captured
during trawl surveys offshore from traditional scallop fishing grounds
and in closed waters adjacent to Prince William Sound. Around Kodiak
Island (Figure 19), trawl surveys have captured scallops in closed
waters south of the island and in many bays and inlets. Along the south
side of the Alaska Peninsula, trawl survey data indicate that most
scallop habitat lies in coastal waters that are closed to scallop
fishing, while scallops have been captured during trawl surveys over a
large swath of the eastern Bering Sea shelf (Figure 20).

![](media/image19.png){width="6.527777777777778in"
height="4.392361111111111in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418050 .anchor}Figure 18 Map showing scallop
fishing areas, areas closed to scallop fishing by regulation, and
locations where weathervane scallops were captured during NMFS trawl
surveys in the eastern Gulf of Alaska

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418051
.anchor}![](media/image20.png){width="6.527777777777778in"
height="5.059027777777778in"}Figure 19 Map showing scallop fishing
areas, areas closed to scallop fishing by regulation, and locations
where weathervane scallops were captured during NMFS and ADF&G trawl
surveys in the Kodiak Area.

![](media/image21.png){width="6.527777777777778in"
height="4.996527777777778in"}

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc221418052 .anchor}Figure 20 Map showing scallop
fishing areas, areas closed to scallop fishing by regulation, and
locations where weathervane scallops were captured during NMFS and ADF&G
trawl

# Recent Regulatory Actions

During the 2002 legislative session, passage of CSHB206(RLS) resulted in
changes to the limited entry statutes authorizing use of a permanent
vessel-based limited entry program in the weathervane scallop fishery.
In 2004, eight vessel owners received permits to fish for weathervane
scallops in state waters. Vessel entry permits issued for the statewide
weathervane scallop fishery will expire on December 31, 2008 unless
statutory authority is extended. If statutory authority is not extended,
the state water fishery will revert to an open access fishery. A bill
has been introduced to the Alaska legislature, House Bill #16 (HB16) to
extend the sunset date to December 30, 2013. Additional details on this
bill and the progress of it can be accessed at
<http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/start.asp>.

# Literature Cited

Barnhart, J.P. 2003. Weathervane scallop fishery in Alaska with a focus
on the Westward Region, 1967-2002. Alaska Department of Fish and Game,
Division of Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information Report 4K03-5,
Kodiak

Barnhart, J. P., and G. Rosenkranz. 2003. Summary and analysis of
onboard observer-collected data from the 1999/2000 through 2001/2002
statewide commercialweathervane scallop fishery. Alaska Department of
Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information
Report 4K03-9, Kodiak.

Barnhart, J.P. 2004. Weathervane scallop observer manual. Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Regional
Information Report 4K04-39, Kodiak.

Barnhart, J.P. and S.J. Carpenter. 2003. Warm-water annual checks in
weathervane scallops, Patinopecten caurinus. 14th International Pectinid
Workshop Abstracts w Programs, April 2003, p.122.

Bechtol, W.R. 2000. Preliminary evaluation of multiple data sources in
an age-structured model for weathervane scallops in Kamishak Bay,
Alaska. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial
Fisheries, Regional Information Report 2A00-03, Anchorage.

Bechtol, W.R. 2003. Assessment of weathervane scallops near Kayak
Island, Alaska, 2000. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of
Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information Report 2A03-22, Anchorage.

Bechtol, W.R. and R. Gustafson. 2002. A survey of weathervane scallops
in Kamishak Bay, Alaska, 1998 and 1999. Alaska Department of Fish and
Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information Report
2A02-21, Anchorage.

Berceli, R., W.R. Bechtol, and C.E. Trowbridge. 2003. Review of the
Dungeness crab, shrimp, and miscellaneous shellfish fisheries in Prince
William Sound. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of
Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information Report 2A03-08, Anchorage.

Carpenter S.J. and Barnhart J. 2000. Seasonality and physiological
changes observed in the carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in modern
weathervane scallops (*Patinopecten caurinus*) from the Alaskan Coast.
Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts w. Programs, v.
32, p. 93.

Kandianis, Mark. 2006. Public testimony at the 2006 Scallop Plan Team
meeting, February 24, 2006, Anchorage, AK.

Kandianis, Theressa. 2007. Public testimony at the 2007 Scallop Plan
Team meeting, February 23, 2007, Anchorage, AK.

Kruse, G. H., Barnhart, J.P. and G.E. Rosenkranz. 2005. Management of
the data-limited weathervane scallop fishery in Alaska. Pages 51-68 *In*
G.H. Kruse, V.F. Galucci, D.E. Hay, R.I. Perry, R.M. Peterman, T.C.
Shirley, P.D. Spencer, B. Wilson, and D. Woodby (eds.). Fisheries
assessment and management in data-limited situations. Alaska Sea Grant
College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks. 958 pp.

Rosenkranz, G.E. 2002. Mortality of Chionoecetes crabs incidentally
caught in Alaska\'s weathervane scallop fishery. Crabs in Cold Water
Regions: Biology, Management, and Economics. Alaska Sea Grant College
Program Report AK-SG-02-01 University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Rosenkranz, G., S. Gallager, R. Shepard, and M. Blakeslee. Development
of a high-resolution benthic imaging system for coastal fisheries
reserach in Alaska. *In review*. Fisheries Research.

NPFMC. 2003. Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report for
the Scallop Fishery off Alaska. Compiled by the Scallop Plan Team. North
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 West 4^th^ Ave, Ste 306.
Anchorage, AK 99587.

NPFMC. 2004. EA/RIR/IRFA for Amendment 10 to the FMP for the Scallop
Fishery Off Alaska to modify the License Limitation Program. North
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 West 4^th^ Ave, Ste 306.
Anchorage, AK 99587.

Stone, Jim. 2007. Public testimony at the 2007 Scallop Plan Team
meeting, February 23, 2007, Anchorage, AK.

Trowbridge, C.E., and W.R. Bechtol. 2003. Review of commercial fisheries
for Dungeness crab, shrimp, and miscellaneous shellfish in Lower Cook
Inlet: Report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Alaska Department of
Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Regional Information
Report 2A03-09, Anchorage.

# Appendix A. Economic Factors In The Scallop Fishery Off Alaska

# Appendix B. Annual Management Report for the Commercial Weathervane Scallop Fisheries in the Westward District 2004/05