10184 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

to waive the 30-day delay in 

effectiveness of this action. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: February 12, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–03351 Filed 2–16–21; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 210210–0018] 

RTID 0648–XY115 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 

2021 and 2022 Harvest Specifications 

for Groundfish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Final rule; harvest specifications 

and closures. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2021 

and 2022 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch limits for the 

groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

establish harvest limits for groundfish 

during the remainder of the 2021 and 

the start of the 2022 fishing years and 

to accomplish the goals and objectives 

of the Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 

The 2021 harvest specifications 

supersede those previously set in the 

final 2020 and 2021 harvest 

specifications, and the 2022 harvest 

specifications will be superseded in 

early 2022 when the final 2022 and 

2023 harvest specifications are 

published. The intended effect of this 

action is to conserve and manage the 

groundfish resources in the GOA in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

DATES: Harvest specifications and 

closures are effective at 1200 hours, 

Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 19, 

2021, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., 

December 31, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS), Record of Decision 

(ROD), and the annual Supplementary 

Information Reports (SIRs) to the EIS 

prepared for this action are available 

from https://www.regulations.gov. The 

2020 Stock Assessment and Fishery 

Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 

groundfish resources of the GOA, dated 

November 2020, and SAFE reports for 

previous years are available from the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council) at 1007 West 3rd 

Avenue, Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 

99501, phone 907–271–2809, or from 

the Council’s website at https://

www.npfmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the GOA groundfish fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone of the 

GOA under the FMP. The Council 

prepared the FMP under the authority of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 

1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. 

fisheries and implementing the FMP 

appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 

680. 

The FMP and its implementing 

regulations require that NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, specify 

the total allowable catch (TAC) for each 

target species, the sum of which must be 

within the optimum yield (OY) range of 

116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt) (50 

CFR 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B)). Section 

679.20(c)(1) further requires that NMFS 

publish and solicit public comment on 

proposed annual TACs and 

apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, 

and seasonal allowances of pollock and 

Pacific cod. Upon consideration of 

public comment received under 

§ 679.20(c)(1), NMFS must publish 

notice of final harvest specifications for 

up to two fishing years as annual TACs 

and apportionments, Pacific halibut PSC 

limits, and seasonal allowances of 

pollock and Pacific cod, per 

§ 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final harvest 

specifications set forth in Tables 1 

through 29 of this rule reflect the 

outcome of this process, as required at 

§ 679.20(c). 

The proposed 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

and Pacific halibut PSC limits were 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 3, 2020 (85 FR 78076). 

Comments were invited and accepted 

through January 4, 2021. NMFS did not 

receive any comments on the proposed 

harvest specifications. In December 

2020, NMFS consulted with the Council 

regarding the 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications. After an opportunity for 

public comment, and after considering 

more recent biological and 

socioeconomic data that were available 

at the Council’s December 2020 

meeting, NMFS is implementing the 

final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications, as recommended by the 

Council. Differences between the 

proposed specifications and the final 

specifications are discussed below. For 

2021, the sum of the TAC amounts is 

407,975 mt. For 2022, the sum of the 

TAC amounts is 409,039 mt. 

Other Actions Affecting the 2021 and 

2022 Harvest Specifications 

Amendment 109 to the FMP: Revisions 

to the GOA Pollock Seasons and Pacific 

Cod Seasonal Allocations 

On June 25, 2020, NMFS published a 

final rule to implement Amendment 109 

to the FMP (85 FR 38093), effective 

January 1, 2021 (see also correction 85 

FR 79139, December 9, 2020). The final 

rule revised the pollock seasons and 

allocations, along with Pacific cod 

season allocations, in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. 

Amendment 109 modified the existing 

annual pollock TAC allocation to two 

equal seasonal allocations (50 percent of 

TAC), rather than four equal seasonal 

allocations (25 percent of TAC). The 

pollock A and B seasons were combined 

into a January 20 through May 31 A 

season, and the pollock C and D seasons 

were combined into a September 1 

through November 1 B season. 

Additionally, Amendment 109 revised 

the Pacific cod TAC seasonal 

apportionments to the trawl catcher 

vessel (CV) sector by increasing the A 

season allocation and decreasing the B 

season allocation. The December 9, 

2020, correction clarified existing 

seasonal apportionments of Pacific cod 

for the jig sector. The revisions 

implemented by Amendment 109 are 

incorporated into these final 2021 and 

2022 harvest specifications. 

Amendment 110 to the FMP: Reclassify 

Sculpins as an Ecosystem Component 

Species 

On July 10, 2020, NMFS published 

the final rule to implement Amendment 

110 to the FMP (85 FR 41427). The final 

rule reclassified sculpins in the FMP as 

an ‘‘Ecosystem Component’’ species, 

which is a category of non-target species 

that are not in need of conservation and 

management. Accordingly, NMFS will 

no longer set an Overfishing Level 

(OFL), acceptable biological catch 

(ABC), and TAC for sculpins in the GOA 

groundfish harvest specifications. 

ABC and TAC Specifications 

In December 2020, the Council’s 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC), its Advisory Panel (AP), and the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10185 

Council reviewed the most recent 

biological and harvest information about 

the condition of the GOA groundfish 

stocks. The Council’s GOA Groundfish 

Plan Team (Plan Team) compiled and 

presented this information in the 2020 

SAFE report for the GOA groundfish 

fisheries, dated November 2020 (see 

ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a 

review of the latest scientific analyses 

and estimates of each species’ biomass 

and other biological parameters, as well 

as summaries of the available 

information on the GOA ecosystem and 

the economic condition of the 

groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From 

these data and analyses, the Plan Team 

recommends, and the SSC sets, an OFL 

and ABC for each species or species 

group. The 2020 SAFE report was made 

available for public review during the 

public comment period for the proposed 

harvest specifications. 

In previous years, the greatest changes 

from the proposed to the final harvest 

specifications have been based on recent 

NMFS stock surveys, which provide 

updated estimates of stock biomass and 

spatial distribution, and changes to the 

models used for producing stock 

assessments. At the November 2020 

Plan Team meeting, NMFS scientists 

presented updated and new survey 

results, changes to stock assessment 

models, and accompanying stock 

assessment estimates for groundfish 

species and species groups that are 

included in the 2020 SAFE report per 

the stock assessment schedule found in 

the 2020 SAFE report introduction. The 

SSC reviewed this information at the 

December 2020 Council meeting. 

Changes from the proposed to the final 

2021 and 2022 harvest specifications are 

discussed below. 

The final 2021 and 2022 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best available 

biological information, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised methods used to 

calculate stock biomass, and the final 

2021 and 2022 TACs are based on the 

best available biological and 

socioeconomic information. The FMP 

specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be 

used to compute OFLs and ABCs. The 

formulas applicable to a particular stock 

or stock complex are determined by the 

level of reliable information available to 

fisheries scientists. This information is 

categorized into a successive series of 

six tiers to define OFL and ABC 

amounts, with Tier 1 representing the 

highest level of information quality 

available and Tier 6 representing the 

lowest level of information quality 

available. The Plan Team used the FMP 

tier structure to calculate OFL and ABC 

amounts for each groundfish species. 

The SSC adopted the final 2021 and 

2022 OFLs and ABCs recommended by 

the Plan Team for most groundfish 

species, with the exception of sablefish. 

The Alaska-wide sablefish ABC is 

apportioned between six areas within 

the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

(BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (Bering Sea, 

Aleutian Islands, Western Gulf, Central 

Gulf, West Yakutat, and East Yakutat/ 

Southeast areas). Since 2013, a fixed 

apportionment methodology has been 

used to apportion the ABC between 

those six areas. However, a new 

apportionment methodology will be 

used for 2021 and 2022 that affects the 

apportionment of sablefish ABC and the 

area TACs that are allocated between 

the trawl and fixed gear sectors. The 

Joint BSAI and GOA Groundfish Plan 

Team, SSC, and Council reviewed a 

range of apportionment approaches for 

the sablefish ABC for the harvest 

specifications, including a range from 

the status quo (fixed apportionment) 

and the sablefish assessment authors’ 

recommended non-exponential 5-year 

survey moving average. The Joint Plan 

Team recommended that, from a 

biological perspective, moving away 

from the fixed apportionment toward 

the true distribution would be preferred, 

to the extent practical. The SSC 

recommended a 25 percent stair step 

from the current (fixed) apportionment 

percentages toward the non-exponential 

5-year survey moving average proposed 

by the assessment authors. The Council 

and NMFS have adopted the SSC’s 

recommendation for the 2021 and 2022 

ABC apportionments. For 2021 this 

increases the ABC apportionments in all 

areas (for example, up to 60 percent in 

the Aleutian Islands subarea), with 

smaller increases in areas that have 

recently been apportioned a greater 

percentage under the fixed 

apportionment methodology than 

suggested by recent survey observations 

(for example, only a 17 percent increase 

in the East Yakutat/Southeast area). 

The Council adopted the SSC’s OFLs 

and ABCs and the AP’s TAC 

recommendations, with the exception of 

the sablefish TACs (further described 

below). The final TAC 

recommendations are based on the 

ABCs and are adjusted for other 

biological and socioeconomic 

considerations, including maintaining 

the sum of all TACs within the required 

OY range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt. 

The Council recommended 2021 and 

2022 TACs that are equal to ABCs for 

pollock in the Southeast Outside (SEO) 

District, shallow-water flatfish in the 

Central GOA and the West Yakutat and 

SEO Districts, deep-water flatfish, rex 

sole, arrowtooth flounder in the Central 

GOA, flathead sole in the West Yakutat 

and SEO Districts, Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, 

dusky rockfish, rougheye and 

blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf 

rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ in the Western/Central GOA 

and West Yakutat District, big skate, 

longnose skate, other skates, sharks, and 

octopuses in the GOA. The Council 

recommended TACs for 2021 and 2022 

that are less than the ABCs for pollock 

for the combined Western and Central 

GOA and West Yakutat District area, 

Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish in the 

Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder in 

the Western GOA and the West Yakutat 

and SEO Districts, flathead sole in the 

Western and Central GOA, Atka 

mackerel, and ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the 

SEO District. The Council 

recommended 2021 sablefish TACs that 

are less than the 2021 ABCs, and 2022 

sablefish TACs that are equal to 2022 

ABCs. Setting the 2021 sablefish TACs 

less than 2021 ABCs is intended to 

provide an incremental increase to the 

2021 sablefish TACs, rather than the 

very large increase in the 2021 sablefish 

TACs if they were set equal to ABCs. 

The Council recommended setting the 

TAC for each GOA management area to 

be 25 percent higher than the 2020 

sablefish TACs. 

The combined Western, Central, and 

West Yakutat pollock TAC and the GOA 

Pacific cod TACs are set to 

accommodate the State of Alaska’s 

(State’s) guideline harvest levels (GHLs) 

so that the ABCs for pollock and Pacific 

cod are not exceeded. The Western GOA 

shallow-water flatfish, Western GOA 

arrowtooth flounder, and Western GOA 

flathead sole TACs are set to allow for 

increased harvest opportunities for 

these target species while conserving 

the halibut PSC limit for use in other, 

more fully utilized fisheries. Similarly, 

the Western Yakutat and SEO Districts 

arrowtooth flounder TACs and the 

Central GOA flathead sole TAC are set 

lower than ABC to conserve halibut PSC 

limit for use in other fisheries or 

because there is limited commercial 

interest and participation in these 

fisheries. The Atka mackerel TAC is set 

to accommodate incidental catch 

amounts in other fisheries. The ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ TAC in the SEO District is set 

to reduce the amount of discards of the 

species in that complex. 

The final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications approved by the Secretary 

of Commerce are unchanged from those 

recommended by the Council, and are 

consistent with the preferred harvest 

strategy alternative outlined in the FMP 

and EIS (see ADDRESSES). 


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10186 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

NMFS finds that the Council’s 

recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

are consistent with the biological 

condition of the groundfish stocks as 

described in the final 2020 SAFE report. 

NMFS also finds that the Council’s 

recommendations for TACs are 

consistent with the biological condition 

of groundfish stocks as adjusted for 

other biological and socioeconomic 

considerations, including maintaining 

the sum of all TACs within the OY 

range. NMFS reviewed the Council’s 

recommended TACs and 

apportionments, and NMFS approves 

these harvest specifications under 50 

CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The apportionment 

of TAC amounts among gear types and 

sectors, processing sectors, and seasons 

is discussed below. 

Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2021 and 

2022 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area 

apportionments of groundfish in the 

GOA. The 2021 harvest specifications 

set in this final action will supersede 

the 2021 harvest specifications 

previously set in the final 2020 and 

2021 harvest specifications (85 FR 

13802, March 10, 2020). The 2022 

harvest specifications will be 

superseded in early 2022 when the final 

2022 and 2023 harvest specifications are 

published. Pursuant to this final action, 

the 2021 harvest specifications therefore 

will apply for the remainder of the 

current year (2021), while the 2022 

harvest specifications are projected only 

for the following year (2022) and will be 

superseded in early 2022 by the final 

2022 and 2023 harvest specifications. 

Because this final action (published in 

early 2021) will be superseded in early 

2022 by the publication of the final 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications, it is 

projected that this final action will 

implement the harvest specifications for 

the Gulf of Alaska for approximately 

one year. 

Specification and Apportionment of 

TAC Amounts 

NMFS’s apportionment of groundfish 

species is based on the distribution of 

biomass among the regulatory areas over 

which NMFS manages the species. 

Additional regulations govern the 

apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, 

and sablefish and are described below. 

The ABC for the pollock stock in the 

combined Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas and the West Yakutat 

(WYK) District of the Eastern Regulatory 

Area (the W/C/WYK) includes the 

amount for the GHL established by the 

State for the Prince William Sound 

(PWS) pollock fishery. The Plan Team, 

SSC, AP, and Council have 

recommended that the sum of all State 

water and Federal water pollock 

removals from the GOA not exceed ABC 

recommendations. For 2021 and 2022, 

the SSC recommended and the Council 

approved the W/C/WYK pollock ABC, 

including the amount to account for the 

State’s PWS GHL. At the November 

2020 Plan Team meeting, State fisheries 

managers recommended setting the 

PWS pollock GHL at 2.5 percent of the 

annual W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 

2021, this yields a PWS pollock GHL of 

2,643 mt, a decrease of 69 mt from the 

2020 PWS pollock GHL of 2,712 mt. For 

2022, the PWS pollock GHL is 2,298 mt, 

a decrease of 414 mt from the 2020 PWS 

pollock GHL of 2,712 mt. After the GHL 

reductions, the 2021 and 2022 pollock 

ABCs for the combined W/C/WYK areas 

are then apportioned between four 

statistical areas (Areas 610, 620, 630, 

and 640) as both ABCs and TACs, as 

described below and detailed in Tables 

1 and 2. The total ABCs and TACs for 

the four statistical areas, plus the State 

PWS GHL, do not exceed the combined 

W/C/WYK ABC. 

Apportionments of pollock to the W/ 

C/WYK areas are considered to be 

‘‘apportionments of annual catch limits 

(ACLs)’’ rather than ‘‘ABCs.’’ This more 

accurately reflects that such 

apportionments address management, 

rather than biological or conservation, 

concerns. In addition, apportionments 

of the ACL in this manner allow NMFS 

to balance any transfer of TAC among 

Areas 610, 620, and 630 pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B) to ensure that the 

combined W/C/WYK ACL, ABC, and 

TAC are not exceeded. 

NMFS establishes pollock TACs in 

the Western (Area 610) and Central 

(Areas 620 and 630) Regulatory Areas 

and the West Yakutat (Area 640) and the 

SEO (Area 650) Districts of the GOA (see 

Tables 1 and 2). NMFS also establishes 

seasonal apportionments of the annual 

pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 

630. Additional detail on area 

apportionments and seasonal 

allowances is provided in a subsequent 

section in this rule; Tables 3 and 4 list 

these amounts. 

The 2021 and 2022 Pacific cod TACs 

are set to accommodate the State’s GHLs 

for Pacific cod in State waters in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 

as well as in PWS. The Plan Team, SSC, 

AP, and Council recommended that the 

sum of all State water and Federal water 

Pacific cod removals from the GOA not 

exceed ABC recommendations. The 

Council set the 2021 and 2022 Pacific 

cod TACs in the Western, Central, and 

Eastern Regulatory Areas to account for 

State GHLs. Therefore, the 2021 Pacific 

cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the 

following amounts: (1) Western GOA, 

2,396 mt; (2) Central GOA, 3,414 mt; 

and (3) Eastern GOA, 496 mt. The 2022 

Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs 

by the following amounts: (1) Western 

GOA, 3,868 mt; (2) Central GOA, 5,511 

mt; and (3) Eastern GOA, 801 mt. These 

amounts reflect the State’s 2021 and 

2022 GHLs in these areas, which are 30 

percent of the Western GOA ABC and 

25 percent of the Eastern and Central 

GOA ABCs. 

The Western and Central GOA Pacific 

cod TACs are allocated among various 

gear and operational sectors. NMFS also 

establishes seasonal apportionments of 

the annual Pacific cod TAC in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas. 

The Pacific cod sector and seasonal 

apportionments are discussed in detail 

in a subsequent section and in Tables 5 

and 6 of this rule. 

The Council’s recommendation for 

sablefish area apportionments takes into 

account the prohibition on the use of 

trawl gear in the SEO District of the 

Eastern Regulatory Area (§ 679.7(b)(1)) 

and makes available 5 percent of the 

combined Eastern Regulatory Area 

TACs to vessels using trawl gear for use 

as incidental catch in other trawl 

groundfish fisheries in the WYK District 

(§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). Tables 7 and 8 list the 

final 2021 and 2022 allocations of 

sablefish TAC to fixed gear and trawl 

gear in the GOA. 

Changes From the Proposed 2021 and 

2022 Harvest Specifications in the GOA 

In October 2020, the Council’s 

recommendations for the proposed 2021 

and 2022 harvest specifications (85 FR 

78076, December 3, 2020) were based 

largely on information contained in the 

final 2019 SAFE report for the GOA 

groundfish fisheries, dated November 

2019. The final 2019 SAFE report for the 

GOA is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that 

the final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

established for the 2021 groundfish 

fisheries (85 FR 13802, March 10, 2020) 

be used for the proposed 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications (85 FR 78076, 

December 3, 2020), pending completion 

and review of the 2020 SAFE report at 

the Council’s December 2020 meeting. 

As described previously, the SSC 

recommended the final 2021 and 2022 

OFLs and ABCs as recommended by the 

Plan Team, with the exception of 

sablefish ABCs. The Council adopted as 

its recommendations the SSC’s OFL and 

ABC recommendations and the AP’s 

TAC recommendations (except for 

sablefish) for 2021 and 2022. 

The final 2021 ABCs are higher than 

the proposed 2021 ABCs published in 

the proposed 2021 and 2022 harvest 


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specifications (85 FR 78076, December 

3, 2020) for Pacific cod, arrowtooth 

flounder, flathead sole, Pacific ocean 

perch, northern rockfish, dusky 

rockfish, rougheye/blackspotted 

rockfish, and demersal shelf rockfish. 

The final 2021 ABCs are lower than the 

proposed 2021 ABCs for pollock, 

sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, and sharks. 

The final 2022 ABCs are higher than 

the proposed 2022 ABCs for Pacific cod, 

sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, 

flathead sole, Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, dusky rockfish, 

rougheye/blackspotted rockfish, and 

demersal shelf rockfish. The final 2022 

ABCs are lower than the proposed 2022 

ABCs for pollock, arrowtooth flounder, 

thornyhead rockfish, and sharks. For the 

remaining target species, the Council 

recommended the final 2021 and 2022 

ABCs that are the same as the proposed 

2021 and 2022 ABCs. 

Additional information explaining the 

changes between the proposed and final 

ABCs is included in the final 2020 

SAFE report, which was not completed 

and available when the Council made 

its proposed ABC and TAC 

recommendations in October 2020. At 

that time, the most recent stock 

assessment information was contained 

in the final 2019 SAFE report. The final 

2020 SAFE report contains the best and 

most recent scientific information on 

the condition of the groundfish stocks, 

as previously discussed in this 

preamble, and is available for review 

(see ADDRESSES). The Council 

considered the 2020 SAFE report in 

December 2020 when it made 

recommendations for the final 2021 and 

2022 harvest specifications. In the GOA, 

the total final 2021 TAC amount is 

407,975 mt, an increase of 1.3 percent 

from the total proposed 2021 TAC 

amount of 402,783 mt. The total final 

2022 TAC amount is 409,039 mt, an 

increase of 1.6 percent from the total 

proposed 2022 TAC amount of 402,783 

mt. Table 1a summarizes the difference 

between the proposed and final TACs. 

Annual stock assessments incorporate 

a variety of new or revised inputs, such 

as survey data or catch information, as 

well as changes to the statistical models 

used to estimate a species’ biomass and 

population trend. Changes to biomass 

and ABC estimates are primarily based 

on fishery catch updates to species’ 

assessment models. Some species, such 

as pollock and sablefish, have 

additional surveys conducted on an 

annual basis, which resulted in 

additional data being available for the 

2020 assessments for these stocks. 

The changes from the proposed 2021 

TACs to the final 2021 TACs are within 

a range of plus 169 percent or minus 60 

percent, and the changes from the 

proposed 2022 TACs to the final 2022 

TACs are within a range of plus 335 

percent or minus 60 percent. Based on 

changes in the estimates of overall 

biomass in the stock assessment for 

2021 and 2022, as compared to the 

estimates previously made for 2020 and 

2021, the species or species group with 

the greatest TAC percentage increases 

are Pacific cod, Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish. 

Based on changes in the estimates of 

biomass, the species or species group 

with the greatest decreases in TACs are 

sablefish, other rockfish, and sharks, as 

well as pollock (2022 TAC). The 2021 

sablefish TAC decreases by 19 percent, 

but increases in 2022 by 13 percent, 

compared to estimates previously made 

for 2020 and 2021. For all other species 

and species groups, changes from the 

proposed 2021 TACs to the final 2021 

TACs and changes from the proposed 

2022 TACs to the final 2022 TACs are 

less than a 10 percent change (either 

increase or decrease). These TAC 

changes correspond to associated 

changes in the ABCs and TACs, as 

recommended by the SSC, AP, and 

Council. 

Detailed information providing the 

basis for the changes described above is 

contained in the final 2020 SAFE report. 

The final TACs are based on the best 

scientific information available, 

including biological and socioeconomic 

information. These TACs are specified 

in compliance with the harvest strategy 

described in the proposed and final 

rules for the 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications. 

TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2021 AND 2022 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentage] 

Species 2021 and 2022 

Proposed TAC 

2021 Final 

TAC 

2021 Final 

minus 2021 

Proposed TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

2022 

Final TAC 

2022 Final 

minus 2022 

Proposed TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

Pollock ........................................................... 119,239 113,227 –6,012 –5 99,784 –19,455 –16 

Pacific cod ..................................................... 6,431 17,321 10,890 169 27,961 21,530 335 

Sablefish ........................................................ 22,252 17,992 –4,260 –19 25,231 2,979 13 

Shallow-water flatfish .................................... 45,403 45,263 –140 0 45,673 270 1 

Deep-water flatfish ........................................ 5,926 5,926 0 0 5,926 0 0 

Rex sole ........................................................ 15,416 15,416 0 0 15,416 0 0 

Arrowtooth flounder ....................................... 94,983 97,372 2,389 3 95,454 471 0 

Flathead sole ................................................. 28,386 28,392 6 0 28,445 59 0 

Pacific ocean perch ....................................... 29,983 36,177 6,194 21 34,602 4,619 15 

Northern rockfish ........................................... 4,106 5,357 1,251 30 5,099 993 24 

Shortraker rockfish ........................................ 708 708 0 0 708 0 0 

Dusky rockfish ............................................... 3,598 5,389 1,791 50 5,295 1,697 47 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish ................... 1,211 1,212 1 0 1,221 10 1 

Demersal shelf rockfish ................................. 238 257 19 8 257 19 8 

Thornyhead rockfish ...................................... 2,016 1,953 –63 –3 1,953 –63 –3 

Other rockfish ................................................ 4,053 1,609 –2,444 –60 1,609 –2,444 –60 

Atka mackerel ............................................... 3,000 3,000 0 0 3,000 0 0 

Big skate ....................................................... 3,208 3,208 0 0 3,208 0 0 

Longnose skate ............................................. 2,587 2,587 0 0 2,587 0 0 

Other skates .................................................. 875 875 0 0 875 0 0 

Sharks ........................................................... 8,184 3,755 –4,429 –54 3,755 –4,429 –54 

Octopuses ..................................................... 980 980 0 0 980 0 0 

Total ....................................................... 402,783 407,975 5,193 1.3 409,039 6,256 1.6 

The final 2021 and 2022 TAC 

amounts for the GOA are within the OY 

range established for the GOA and do 

not exceed the ABC for any species or 

species group. Tables 1 and 2 list the 

final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts for 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
10188 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

GOA groundfish for 2021 and 2022, 

respectively. 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2021 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

EASTERN REGULATORY AREA, AND GULFWIDE DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .......................................................... Shumagin (610) .............................................. n/a 18,477 18,477 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 54,870 54,870 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 24,320 24,320 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 5,412 5,412 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 ..................................... 123,455 105,722 103,079 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 13,531 10,148 10,148 

Total ........................................................ 136,986 115,870 113,227 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 7,986 5,590 

C ..................................................................... n/a 13,656 10,242 

E ..................................................................... n/a 1,985 1,489 

Total ........................................................ 28,977 23,627 17,321 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,224 2,428 

C ..................................................................... n/a 9,527 8,056 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 3,451 2,929 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 5,273 4,579 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... n/a 8,724 7,508 

Total ........................................................ 60,426 21,475 17,991 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 24,151 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 28,082 28,082 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,808 2,808 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,123 1,123 

Total ........................................................ 68,841 56,164 45,263 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 225 225 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,914 1,914 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,068 2,068 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,719 1,719 

Total ........................................................ 7,040 5,926 5,926 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,013 3,013 

C ..................................................................... n/a 8,912 8,912 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,206 1,206 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,285 2,285 

Total ........................................................ 18,779 15,416 15,416 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 32,377 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 69,072 69,072 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 8,380 6,900 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 17,141 6,900 

Total ........................................................ 151,723 126,970 97,372 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 14,209 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 20,826 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,427 2,427 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,915 1,915 

Total ........................................................ 47,982 39,377 28,392 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,643 1,643 

C ..................................................................... n/a 27,429 27,429 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,705 1,705 

......................................................................... W/C/WYK subtotal ......................................... 36,563 30,777 30,777 

SEO ................................................................ 6,414 5,400 5,400 

Total ........................................................ 42,977 36,177 36,177 

Northern rockfish 8 .......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 2,023 2,023 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,334 3,334 

E ..................................................................... n/a 1 ........................

Total ........................................................ 6,396 5,358 5,357 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 52 52 

C ..................................................................... n/a 284 284 

E ..................................................................... n/a 372 372 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10189 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2021 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

EASTERN REGULATORY AREA, AND GULFWIDE DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Total ........................................................ 944 708 708 

Dusky rockfish 10 ............................................. W .................................................................... n/a 270 270 

C ..................................................................... n/a 4,548 4,548 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 468 468 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 103 103 

Total ........................................................ 8,655 5,389 5,389 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 168 168 

C ..................................................................... n/a 456 456 

E ..................................................................... n/a 588 588 

Total ........................................................ 1,456 1,212 1,212 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 405 257 257 

Thornyhead rockfish ....................................... W .................................................................... n/a 352 352 

C ..................................................................... n/a 910 910 

E ..................................................................... n/a 691 691 

Total ........................................................ 2,604 1,953 1,953 

Other rockfish 13 14 .......................................... W and C ......................................................... n/a 940 940 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 369 369 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,744 300 

Total ........................................................ 5,320 4,053 1,609 

Atka mackerel ................................................. GW ................................................................. 6,200 4,700 3,000 

Big skate 15 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 758 758 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,560 1,560 

E ..................................................................... n/a 890 890 

Total ........................................................ 4,278 3,208 3,208 

Longnose skate 16 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 158 158 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,875 1,875 

E ..................................................................... n/a 554 554 

Total ........................................................ 3,449 2,587 2,587 

Other skates 17 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 1,166 875 875 

Sharks ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 5,006 3,755 3,755 

Octopus ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 1,307 980 980 

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 610,917 476,037 407,975 

1 Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; 

WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 105,722 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (2,643 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 103,079 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

(Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640). These apportionments are considered subarea ACLs, rather than ABCs, for specification and reapportionment 

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 3 (final 2021 seasonal biomass distribution 

of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal allowances). In the West Yakutat (Area 640) and 

Southeast Outside (Area 650) Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. 3The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned, after seasonal apportionment to the jig sector, as follows: (1) 63.84 percent to the A season and 

36.16 percent to the B season and (2) 64.16 percent to the A season and 35.84 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory 

Areas of the GOA, respectively. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA is allocated 90 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific 

cod for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 

5 lists the final 2021 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC is set Alaska-wide (60,426 mt and 29,588 mt, respectively). Additionally, sablefish is allocated to trawl and fixed 

gear in 2021 and trawl gear in 2022. Table 7 lists the final 2021 allocations of sablefish TACs. 5 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 6 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus. 8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 1 mt apportionment of ABC to the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group. 9 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis. 10 ‘‘Dusky rockfish’’ means Sebastes variabilis. 11 ‘‘Rougheye and blackspotted rockfish’’ mean Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and S. melanostictus (blackspotted). 12 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. 

helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). 13 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri 

(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. 

zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion), S. 

reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, 

S. polyspinis. 14 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other rockfish and demersal shelf 

rockfish. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District only includes other rockfish. 


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10190 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata. 16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 17 ‘‘Other skates’’ mean Bathyraja and Raja spp. 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2022 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

EASTERN REGULATORY AREA, AND GULFWIDE DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .......................................................... Shumagin (610) .............................................. n/a 16,067 16,067 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 47,714 47,714 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 21,149 21,149 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 4,706 4,706 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 ..................................... 106,767 91,934 89,636 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 13,531 10,148 10,148 

Total ............................................................ 120,298 102,082 99,784 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 12,892 9,024 

C ..................................................................... n/a 22,045 16,534 

E ..................................................................... n/a 3,204 2,403 

Total ............................................................ 46, 587 38,141 27,961 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 4,165 4,165 

C ..................................................................... n/a 11,111 11,111 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 4,009 4,009 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 5,946 5,946 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... n/a 9,955 9,955 

Total ............................................................ 70,710 25,231 25,231 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 24,460 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 28,442 28,442 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,844 2,844 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,137 1,137 

Total ............................................................ 69,061 56,883 45,673 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 225 225 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,914 1,914 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,068 2,068 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,719 1,719 

Total ............................................................ 7,040 5,926 5,926 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,013 3,013 

C ..................................................................... n/a 8,912 8,912 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,206 1,206 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,285 2,285 

Total ............................................................ 18,779 15,416 15,416 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 31,479 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 67,154 67,154 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 8,147 6,900 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 16,665 6,900 

Total ............................................................ 147,515 123,445 95,454 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 14,380 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 21,076 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,456 2,456 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,939 1,939 

Total ............................................................ 48,534 39,851 28,445 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,572 1,572 

C ..................................................................... n/a 26,234 26,234 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,631 1,631 

W/C/WYK ....................................................... 34,974 29,437 29,437 

SEO ................................................................ 6,136 5,165 5,165 

Total ............................................................ 41,110 34,602 34,602 

Northern rockfish 8 .......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,926 1,926 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,173 3,173 

E ..................................................................... n/a 1 ........................

Total ............................................................ 6,088 5,100 5,099 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 52 52 

C ..................................................................... n/a 284 284 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10191 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2022 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

EASTERN REGULATORY AREA, AND GULFWIDE DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

E ..................................................................... n/a 372 372 

Total ............................................................ 944 708 708 

Dusky rockfish 10 ............................................. W .................................................................... n/a 265 265 

C ..................................................................... n/a 4,469 4,469 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 460 460 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 101 101 

Total ............................................................ 8,423 5,295 5,295 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 170 170 

C ..................................................................... n/a 459 459 

n/a .................................................................. 592 592 

Total ............................................................ 1,467 1,221 1,221 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 405 257 257 

Thornyhead rockfish ....................................... W .................................................................... n/a 352 352 

C ..................................................................... n/a 910 910 

E ..................................................................... n/a 691 691 

Total ............................................................ 2, 604 1,953 1,953 

Other rockfish 13 14 .......................................... W and C ......................................................... n/a 940 940 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 369 369 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,744 300 

Total ............................................................ 5,320 4,053 1,609 

Atka mackerel ................................................. GW ................................................................. 6,200 4,700 3,000 

Big skate 15 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 758 758 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,560 1,560 

E ..................................................................... n/a 890 890 

Total ............................................................ 4, 278 3,208 3,208 

Longnose skate 16 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 158 158 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,875 1,875 

E ..................................................................... n/a 554 554 

Total ............................................................ 3,449 2,587 2,587 

Other skates 17 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 1,166 875 875 

Sharks ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 5,006 3,755 3,755 

Octopus ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 1,307 980 980 

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 616,921 476,269 409,039 

1 Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2. (W=Western Gulf of Alaska; C=Central Gulf of Alaska; E=Eastern Gulf of Alaska; 

WYK=West Yakutat District; SEO=Southeast Outside District; GW=Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 91,934 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (2,298 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 89,636 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

(Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640). These apportionments are considered subarea ACLs, rather than ABCs, for specification and reapportionment 

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 4 (final 2022 seasonal biomass distribution 

of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal allowances). In the West Yakutat (Area 640) and 

Southeast Outside (Area 650) Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. 3The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned, after seasonal apportionment to the jig sector, as follows: (1) 63.84 percent to the A season and 

36.16 percent to the B season and (2) 64.16 percent to the A season and 35.84 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory 

Areas of the GOA, respectively. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA is allocated 90 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific 

cod for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 

6 lists the final 2022 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC is set Alaska-wide (70,710 mt and 36,955 mt, respectively). Additionally, sablefish is allocated only to trawl gear 

for 2022. Table 8 lists the final 2022 allocation of sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 5 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 6 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus. 8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 1 mt apportionment of ABC to the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group. 9 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis. 10 ‘‘Dusky rockfish’’ means Sebastes variabilis. 11 ‘‘Rougheye and blackspotted rockfish’’ mean Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and S. melanostictus (blackspotted). 12 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. 

helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). 13 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri 

(darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S. wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. 

zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani (shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus (vermilion), S. 

reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, 

S. polyspinis. 


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10192 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

14 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other rockfish and demersal shelf 

rockfish. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District only includes other rockfish. 15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata. 16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 17 ‘‘Other skates’’ mean Bathyraja and Raja spp. 

Apportionment of Reserves 

Section 679.20(b)(2) requires NMFS to 

set aside 20 percent of each TAC for 

pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, sharks, and 

octopuses in reserve for possible 

apportionment at a later date during the 

fishing year. For 2021 and 2022, NMFS 

proposed reapportionment of all the 

reserves in the proposed 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications published in the 

Federal Register on December 3, 2020 

(85 FR 78076). NMFS did not receive 

any public comments on the proposed 

reapportionments. For the final 2021 

and 2022 harvest specifications, NMFS 

reapportioned, as proposed, all the 

reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, 

sharks, and octopuses back to the 

original TAC limit from which the 

reserve was derived (§ 679.20(b)(3)). 

This was done because NMFS expects, 

based on recent harvest patterns, that 

such reserves are not necessary and that 

the entire TAC for each of these species 

will be caught. The TACs listed in 

Tables 1 and 2 reflect reapportionments 

of reserve amounts to the original TAC 

limit for these species and species 

groups, i.e., each final TAC for the above 

mentioned species or species groups 

contains the full TAC recommended by 

the Council. 

Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among 

Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and 

Allocations for Processing by Inshore 

and Offshore Components 

In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by 

season and area, and is further allocated 

for processing by inshore and offshore 

components. The pollock TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA are apportioned among 

Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630. 

These apportionments are divided into 

two equal seasonal allowances of 50 

percent to the A season (January 20 

through May 31) and 50 percent to the 

B season (September 1 through 

November 1) (§§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B) and 

679.23(d)(2)). As described earlier in the 

preamble, the regulatory revisions 

implemented by Amendment 109 to the 

FMP (85 FR 38093, published June 25, 

2020, effective January 1, 2021) 

decreased the number of seasons to two 

and established two equal seasonal 

allowances of 50 percent. NMFS 

incorporated these regulatory revisions 

into the harvest specifications for the 

GOA, and Tables 3 and 4, below, reflect 

the revised seasons and seasonal 

allowances implemented by 

Amendment 109 to the FMP. 

The GOA pollock stock assessment 

continues to use a four-season 

methodology to determine pollock 

distribution in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA to 

maintain continuity in the historical 

pollock apportionment time-series. 

Pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630 in proportion to the 

distribution of pollock biomass 

determined by the most recent NMFS 

surveys, pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). The pollock 

chapter of the 2020 SAFE report (see 

ADDRESSES) contains a comprehensive 

description of the apportionment and 

reasons for the minor changes from past 

apportionments. For purposes of 

specifying pollock TAC between two 

seasons for the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA, NMFS has 

summed the A and B season 

apportionments and the C and D season 

apportionments as calculated in the 

2020 GOA pollock assessment. This 

yields the seasonal amounts specified 

for the A season and the B season, 

respectively. 

Within any fishing year, the amount 

by which a pollock seasonal allowance 

is underharvested or overharvested may 

be added to, or subtracted from, 

subsequent seasonal allowances for the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 

in a manner to be determined by the 

Regional Administrator 

(§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The rollover 

amount is limited to 20 percent of the 

subsequent seasonal TAC 

apportionment for the statistical area. 

Any unharvested pollock above the 20- 

percent limit could be further 

distributed to the other statistical areas, 

in proportion to the estimated biomass 

in the subsequent season in those 

statistical areas and in an amount no 

more than 20 percent of the seasonal 

TAC apportionment in those statistical 

areas (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B)). The pollock 

TACs in the WYK and the SEO Districts 

of 5,412 mt and 10,148 mt, respectively, 

in 2021, and 4,706 mt and 10,148 mt, 

respectively, in 2022, are not allocated 

by season. 

Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2021 and 

2022 seasonal biomass distribution of 

pollock in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, 

and seasonal allowances. The amounts 

of pollock for processing by the inshore 

and offshore components are not shown. 

Section 679.20(a)(6)(i) requires the 

allocation of 100 percent of the pollock 

TAC in all GOA regulatory areas and all 

seasonal allowances to vessels catching 

pollock for processing by the inshore 

component after subtraction of pollock 

amounts projected by the Regional 

Administrator to be caught by, or 

delivered to, the offshore component 

incidental to directed fishing for other 

groundfish species. Thus, the amount of 

pollock available for harvest by vessels 

harvesting pollock for processing by the 

offshore component is that amount that 

will be taken as incidental catch during 

directed fishing for groundfish species 

other than pollock, up to the maximum 

retainable amounts allowed by 

§ 679.20(e) and (f). At this time, these 

incidental catch amounts of pollock are 

unknown and will be determined 

during the fishing year during the 

course of fishing activities by the 

offshore component. 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2021 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 799 41,737 6,297 48,833

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 17,677 13,133 18,023 48,833 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10193 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2021 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 18,477 54,870 24,320 97,667 

1Area apportionments and seasonal allowances may not total precisely due to rounding. 

2As established by § 679.23(d)(2), the A and B season allowances are available from January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through 

November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 3The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs 

shown in this table. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2022 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 695 36,294 5,476 42,465

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 15,372 11,420 15,672 42,465 

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 16,067 47,714 21,149 84,929 

1Area apportionments and seasonal allowances may not total precisely due to rounding. 

2As established by § 679.23(d)(2), the A and B season allowances are available from January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through 

November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 3The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs 

shown in this table. 

Annual and Seasonal Apportionments 

of Pacific Cod TAC 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(12)(i), NMFS 

seasonally allocates the 2021 and 2022 

Pacific cod TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among gear and operational sectors. In 

the Western and Central Regulatory 

Areas, a portion of the annual TAC is 

apportioned to the A season for hookand-line, pot, and jig gear from January 

1 through June 10, and for trawl gear 

from January 20 through June 10, and a 

portion of the annual TAC is 

apportioned to the B season for jig gear 

from June 10 through December 31, for 

hook-and-line and pot gear from 

September 1 through December 31, and 

for trawl gear from September 1 through 

November 1 (§§ 679.20(a)(12) and 

679.23(d)(3)). NMFS also allocates the 

Pacific cod TACs annually between the 

inshore (90 percent) and offshore (10 

percent) components in the Eastern 

Regulatory Area of the GOA 

(§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii)). 

In the Central GOA, the Pacific cod 

TAC is apportioned seasonally first to 

vessels using jig gear, and then among 

CVs less than 50 feet in length overall 

using hook-and-line gear, CVs equal to 

or greater than 50 feet in length overall 

using hook-and-line gear, catcher/ 

processors (CPs) using hook-and-line 

gear, CVs using trawl gear, CPs using 

trawl gear, and vessels using pot gear 

(§ 679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)). In the Western 

GOA, the Pacific cod TAC is 

apportioned seasonally first to vessels 

using jig gear, and then among CVs 

using hook-and-line gear, CPs using 

hook-and-line gear, CVs using trawl 

gear, CPs using trawl gear, and vessels 

using pot gear (§ 679.20(a)(12)(i)(A)). 

Excluding seasonal apportionments to 

the jig sector, the seasonal 

apportionments of the annual TAC 

among the non-jig sectors in the 

Western GOA are 63.84 percent to the 

A season and 36.16 percent to the B 

season, and in the Central GOA are 

64.16 percent to the A season and 35.84 

percent to the B season. 

Under § 679.20(a)(12)(ii), any overage 

or underage of the Pacific cod season 

allowance from the A season may be 

subtracted from, or added to, the 

subsequent B season allowance. In 

addition, any portion of the hook-andline, trawl, pot, or jig sector allocations 

that is determined by NMFS as likely to 

go unharvested by a sector may be 

reallocated to other sectors for harvest 

during the remainder of the fishery year. 

Pursuant to §§ 679.20(a)(12)(i)(A) and 

(B), a portion of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western and Central GOA 

will be allocated to vessels with a 

Federal fisheries permit that use jig gear 

before the TACs are apportioned among 

other non-jig sectors. In accordance with 

the FMP, the annual jig sector 

allocations may increase to up to 6 

percent of the annual Western and 

Central GOA Pacific cod TACs, 

depending on the annual performance 

of the jig sector (see Table 1 of 

Amendment 83 to the FMP for a 

detailed discussion of the jig sector 

allocation process (76 FR 74670, 

December 1, 2011)). Jig sector allocation 

increases are established for a minimum 

of two years. 

NMFS has evaluated the historical 

harvest performance of the jig sector in 

the Western and Central GOA, and is 

establishing the 2021 and 2022 Pacific 

cod apportionments to this sector based 

on its historical harvest performance 

through 2019. NMFS did not evaluate 

the 2020 performance of the jig sectors 

in the Western and Central GOA: Since 

NMFS prohibited directed fishing for all 

Pacific cod sectors in 2020, the catch for 

the jig sectors could not reach 90 

percent of the initial allocation required 

for a performance increase (84 FR 

70438, December 23, 2019). For 2021 

and 2022, NMFS allocates the jig sector 

3.5 percent of the annual Pacific cod 

TAC in the Western GOA. The 2021 and 

2022 allocations consist of a base 

allocation of 1.5 percent of the Western 

GOA Pacific cod TAC, and prior 

additional performance increases of 2.0 

percent. For 2021 and 2022, NMFS 

allocates the jig sector 1.0 percent of the 

annual Pacific cod TAC in the Central 

GOA. The 2021 and 2022 allocations 

consist of a base allocation of 1.0 

percent of the Central GOA Pacific cod 

TAC, and no additional performance 

increase in the Central GOA. 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
10194 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

For 2021 and 2022, NMFS is 

apportioning the jig sector allocations 

for the Western and Central GOA 

between the A season (60 percent) and 

the B season (40 percent), pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(i) and the correction to 

the final rule to implement Amendment 

109 (85 FR 79139, December 9, 2020). 

This is the same jig sector seasonal 

apportionments implemented in prior 

groundfish harvest specifications for the 

GOA and is consistent with Amendment 

83 to the FMP (76 FR 44700, July 26, 

2011). 

As discussed earlier in this preamble, 

NMFS published a final rule to 

implement Amendment 109 to the FMP 

(85 FR 38093, June 25, 2020). With 

respect to Pacific cod, Amendment 109 

revised the Pacific cod TAC seasonal 

apportionments to the trawl CV sector 

by increasing the A season allocation 

and decreasing the B season allocation, 

with the intent of decreasing the annual 

underharvest of Pacific cod by this 

sector. NMFS incorporated the revised 

seasonal apportionments to trawl CVs 

between the A and B seasons in 

accordance with regulatory changes 

made under Amendment 109. The A 

season apportionment for trawl CVs has 

increased to 31.54 percent and 25.29 

percent in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA, 

respectively. The B season 

apportionment for trawl CVs has 

decreased to 6.86 percent and 16.29 

percent in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA, 

respectively. 

Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal 

apportionments and allocations of the 

2021 and 2022 Pacific cod TACs. 

TABLE 5—FINAL 2021 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS IN THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS, AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector Annual 

allocation (mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 196 N/A 117 N/A 78 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 76 0.70 38 0.70 38 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,068 10.90 588 8.90 480 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 2,071 31.54 1,701 6.86 370 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 129 0.90 49 1.50 81 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,050 19.80 1,068 18.20 982 

Total ....................................................................... 5,590 63.84 3,561 36.16 2,029 

Central GOA 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 102 N/A 61 N/A 41 

Hook-and-line < 50 CV ................................................. 1,481 9.32 945 5.29 536 

Hook-and-line ≥ 50 CV ................................................. 680 5.61 569 1.10 111 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 518 4.11 416 1.00 101 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 4,216 25.29 2,565 16.29 1,652 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 426 2.00 203 2.19 223 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,819 17.83 1,808 9.97 1,011 

Total ....................................................................... 10,242 64.16 6,567 35.84 3,675 

Eastern GOA Inshore (90% of Annual TAC) Offshore (10% of Annual TAC) 

1,489 1,340 149 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 390 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC, which 

is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 12. Final 2021 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central 

GOA and Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2022 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS IN THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS, AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector Annual 

allocation (mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 316 N/A 190 N/A 126 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 122 0.70 61 0.70 61 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,724 10.90 949 8.90 775 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 3,344 31.54 2,747 6.86 597 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10195 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2022 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS IN THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS, AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector Annual 

allocation (mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 209 0.90 78 1.50 131 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 3,309 19.80 1,724 18.20 1,585 

Total ....................................................................... 9,024 63.84 5,749 36.16 3,275 

Central GOA 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 165 N/A 99 N/A 66 

Hook-and-line < 50 CV ................................................. 2,390 9.32 1,525 5.29 865 

Hook-and-line ≥ 50 CV ................................................. 1,098 5.61 918 1.10 180 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 836 4.11 672 1.00 163 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 6,807 25.29 4,140 16.29 2,667 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 687 2.00 328 2.19 359 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 4,551 17.83 2,918 9.97 1,633 

Total ....................................................................... 16,534 64.16 10,601 35.84 5,933 

Eastern GOA Inshore (90% of Annual TAC) Offshore (10% of Annual TAC) 

2,403 ........................ ........................ 2,163 240 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 630 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC, which 

is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 13. Final 2022 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central 

GOA and Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). 

Allocations of the Sablefish TAC 

Amounts to Vessels Using Fixed and 

Trawl Gear 

Sections 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) 

require allocations of sablefish TACs for 

each of the regulatory areas and districts 

to fixed and trawl gear. In the Western 

and Central Regulatory Areas, 80 

percent of each TAC is allocated to fixed 

gear, and 20 percent of each TAC is 

allocated to trawl gear. In the Eastern 

Regulatory Area, 95 percent of the TAC 

is allocated to fixed gear, and 5 percent 

is allocated to trawl gear. The trawl gear 

allocation in the Eastern Regulatory 

Area may only be used to support 

incidental catch of sablefish using trawl 

gear while directed fishing for other 

target species (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). 

In recognition of the prohibition 

against trawl gear in the SEO District of 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council 

recommended and NMFS approves 

specifying for incidental catch the 

allocation of 5 percent of the combined 

Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC 

to trawl gear in the WYK District of the 

Eastern Regulatory Area. The remainder 

of the WYK District sablefish TAC is 

allocated to vessels using fixed gear. 

NMFS allocates 100 percent of the 

sablefish TAC in the SEO District to 

vessels using fixed gear. This action 

results in a 2021 allocation of 375 mt to 

trawl gear and 2,554 mt to fixed gear in 

the WYK District, a 2021 allocation of 

4,579 mt to fixed gear in the SEO 

District, and a 2022 allocation of 498 mt 

to trawl gear in the WYK District. Table 

7 lists the allocations of the 2021 

sablefish TACs to fixed and trawl gear. 

Table 8 lists the allocations of the 2022 

sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 

The Council recommended that a 

trawl sablefish TAC be established for 

two years so that retention of incidental 

catch of sablefish by trawl gear could 

commence in January in the second year 

of the groundfish harvest specifications. 

Both the 2021 and 2022 trawl 

allocations are specified in these final 

harvest specifications, in Tables 7 and 8, 

respectively. 

The Council also recommended that 

the fixed gear sablefish TAC be 

established annually to ensure that this 

Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery 

is conducted concurrently with the 

halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the 

most recent survey information. Since 

there is an annual assessment for 

sablefish and since the final harvest 

specifications are expected to be 

published before the IFQ season begins 

in March 2020, the Council 

recommended that the fixed gear 

sablefish TAC be set annually, rather 

than for two years, so that the best 

scientific information available could be 

considered in establishing the sablefish 

TACs. Accordingly, Table 7 lists the 

2021 fixed gear allocations, and the 

2022 fixed gear allocations will be 

specified in the 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications. 

With the exception of the trawl 

allocations that are provided to the 

Rockfish Program (see Table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679), directed fishing for 

sablefish with trawl gear in the GOA is 

closed during the fishing year. Also, 

fishing for groundfish with trawl gear is 

prohibited prior to January 20 

(§ 679.23(c)). Therefore, it is not likely 

that the sablefish allocation to trawl gear 

would be reached before the effective 

date of these final 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications. 


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10196 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 7—FINAL 2021 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO FIXED AND TRAWL

GEAR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/District TAC Fixed gear 

allocation 

Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 2,428 1,942 486 

Central 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 8,056 6,444 1,612 

West Yakutat 2 ............................................................................................................................. 2,929 2,554 375 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 4,579 4,579 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 17,992 15,519 2,473 

1 The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (829 mt). See 

Table 12: Final 2021 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA. This results in 783 mt being available for the nonRockfish Program trawl fisheries. 2 The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

TABLE 8—FINAL 2022 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO TRAWL GEAR 1

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/District TAC Fixed gear 

allocation 

Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 4,165 n/a 833 

Central 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 11,111 n/a 2,222 

West Yakutat 3 ............................................................................................................................. 4,009 n/a 498 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 5,946 n/a 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 25,231 n/a 3,553 

1 The Council recommended that the final 2022 harvest specifications for the fixed gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries not be 

specified in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications. 2 The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (1,143 mt). See 

Table 13: Final 2022 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA. This results in 1,079 mt being available for the nonRockfish Program trawl fisheries. 3 The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

Allocations, Apportionments, and 

Sideboard Limits for the Rockfish 

Program 

These final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications for the GOA include the 

fishery cooperative allocations and 

sideboard limitations established by the 

Rockfish Program. Program participants 

are primarily trawl CVs and trawl CPs, 

with limited participation by vessels 

using longline gear. The Rockfish 

Program assigns quota share and 

cooperative quota to participants for 

primary species (Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish) 

and secondary species (Pacific cod, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

sablefish, shortraker rockfish, and 

thornyhead rockfish), allows a 

participant holding a license limitation 

program (LLP) license with rockfish 

quota share to form a rockfish 

cooperative with other persons, and 

allows holders of CP LLP licenses to opt 

out of the fishery. The Rockfish Program 

also has an entry level fishery for 

rockfish primary species for vessels 

using longline gear. Longline gear 

includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and 

handline gear. 

Under the Rockfish Program, rockfish 

primary species in the Central GOA are 

allocated to participants after deducting 

for incidental catch needs in other 

directed groundfish fisheries 

(§ 679.81(a)(2)). Participants in the 

Rockfish Program also receive a portion 

of the Central GOA TAC of specific 

secondary species. In addition to 

groundfish species, the Rockfish 

Program allocates a portion of the 

halibut PSC limit (191 mt) from the 

third season deep-water species fishery 

allowance for the GOA trawl fisheries to 

Rockfish Program participants 

(§ 679.81(d) and Table 28d to 50 CFR 

part 679). The Rockfish Program also 

establishes sideboard limits to restrict 

the ability of harvesters operating under 

the Rockfish Program to increase their 

participation in other, non-Rockfish 

Program fisheries. These restrictions 

and halibut PSC limits are discussed in 

a subsequent section in this rule titled 

‘‘Rockfish Program Groundfish 

Sideboard and Halibut PSC 

Limitations.’’ 

Section 679.81(a)(2)(ii) and Table 28e 

to 50 CFR part 679 require allocations 

of 5 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 5 mt of 

northern rockfish, and 50 mt of dusky 

rockfish to the entry level longline 

fishery in 2021 and 2022. The allocation 

for the entry level longline fishery may 

increase incrementally each year if the 

catch exceeds 90 percent of the 

allocation of a species. The incremental 

increase in the allocation would 

continue each year until it reaches the 

maximum percent of the TAC for that 

species. In 2020, the catch of Pacific 

ocean perch, northern rockfish, and 

dusky rockfish did not attain the 90 

percent threshold, and those final 

allocations for 2021 remain the same as 

the 2020 allocations. The remainder of 

the TACs for the rockfish primary 

species are allocated to the CV and CP 

cooperatives (§ 679.81(a)(2)(iii)). Table 9 

lists the allocations of the 2021 and 

2022 TACs for each rockfish primary 

species to the entry level longline 

fishery, the potential incremental 

increases for future years, and the 

maximum percentages of the TACs 

assigned to the Rockfish Program that 

may be allocated to the rockfish entry 

level longline fishery. 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 10197 

TABLE 9—FINAL 2021 AND INITIAL 2022 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA

Rockfish primary species 2021 and 2022 allocations Incremental increase in 2022 if >90% 

of 2021 allocation is harvested 

Up to maximum % 

of TAC 

Pacific ocean perch ................................ 5 metric tons ......................................... 5 metric tons ......................................... 1 

Northern rockfish .................................... 5 metric tons ......................................... 5 metric tons ......................................... 2 

Dusky rockfish ........................................ 50 metric tons ....................................... 20 metric tons ....................................... 5 

Section 679.81 requires allocations of 

rockfish primary species among various 

sectors of the Rockfish Program. Tables 

10 and 11 list the final 2021 and 2022 

allocations of rockfish primary species 

in the Central GOA to the entry level 

longline fishery, and rockfish CV and 

CP cooperatives in the Rockfish 

Program. NMFS also is setting aside 

incidental catch amounts (ICAs) for 

other directed fisheries in the Central 

GOA of 2,500 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 

300 mt of northern rockfish, and 250 mt 

of dusky rockfish. These amounts are 

based on recent average incidental 

catches in the Central GOA by other 

groundfish fisheries. 

Allocations among vessels belonging 

to CV or CP cooperatives are not 

included in these final harvest 

specifications. Rockfish Program 

applications for CV cooperatives and CP 

cooperatives are not due to NMFS until 

March 1 of each calendar year; 

therefore, NMFS cannot calculate 2021 

and 2022 allocations in conjunction 

with these final harvest specifications. 

NMFS will post the 2021 allocations on 

the Alaska Region website at https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/ 

sustainable-fisheries/alaska-fisheriesmanagement-reports#central-goarockfish when they become available 

after March 1. 

TABLE 10—FINAL 2021 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish Primary Species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the Rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 27,429 2,500 24,929 5 24,924 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,334 300 3,034 5 3,029 

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 4,548 250 4,298 50 4,248 

Total .............................................................................. 35,311 3,050 32,261 60 32,201 

1 Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear (50 CFR 679.2). 

2 Rockfish cooperatives include vessels in CV and CP cooperatives (50 CFR 679.81). 

TABLE 11—FINAL 2022 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish Primary Species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the Rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 26,234 2,500 23,734 5 23,729 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,173 300 2,873 5 2,868 

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 4,469 250 4,219 50 4,169 

Total .............................................................................. 33,876 3,050 30,826 60 30,766 

1 Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear (50 CFR 679.2). 

2 Rockfish cooperatives include vessels in CV and CP cooperatives (50 CFR 679.81). 

Section 679.81(c) and Table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679 require allocations of 

rockfish secondary species to CV and CP 

cooperatives in the Central GOA. CV 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

Pacific cod, sablefish from the trawl gear 

allocation, and thornyhead rockfish. CP 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

sablefish from the trawl gear allocation, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, and thornyhead 

rockfish. Tables 12 and 13 list the 

apportionments of the 2021 and 2022 

TACs of rockfish secondary species in 

the Central GOA to CV and CP 

cooperatives. 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with RULES
10198 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 12—FINAL 2021 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel 

cooperatives 

Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 10,242 3.8 390 0.00 0 

Sablefish .............................................................................. 8,056 6.78 546 3.51 283 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 284 0.00 0 40.00 114 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .......................................... 456 0.00 0 58.87 268 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................................ 910 7.84 71 26.50 241 

TABLE 13—FINAL 2022 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel 

cooperatives 

Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 16,534 3.81 630 0.00 0 

Sablefish .............................................................................. 11,111 6.78 753 3.51 390 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 284 0.00 0 40.00 114 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .......................................... 459 0.00 0 58.87 270 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................................ 910 7.84 71 26.50 241 

Halibut PSC Limits 

Section 679.21(d) establishes annual 

halibut PSC limit apportionments to 

trawl gear and hook-and-line gear, and 

authorizes the establishment of 

apportionments for pot gear. In 

December 2020, the Council 

recommended halibut PSC limits of 

1,706 mt for trawl gear, 257 mt for hookand-line gear, and 9 mt for the demersal 

shelf (DSR) rockfish fishery in the SEO 

District for both 2021 and 2022. 

The DSR fishery in the SEO District 

is defined at § 679.21(d)(2)(ii)(A). This 

fishery is apportioned 9 mt of the 

halibut PSC limit in recognition of its 

small-scale harvests of groundfish 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(i)(A)). The separate 

halibut PSC limit for the DSR fishery is 

intended to prevent that fishery from 

being impacted from the halibut PSC 

incurred by other GOA fisheries. NMFS 

estimates low halibut bycatch in the 

DSR fishery because (1) the duration of 

the DSR fisheries and the gear soak 

times are short, (2) the DSR fishery 

occurs in the winter when there is less 

overlap in the distribution of DSR and 

halibut, and (3) the directed commercial 

DSR fishery has a low DSR TAC. The 

Alaska Department of Fish and Game 

sets the commercial GHL for the DSR 

fishery after deducting estimates of DSR 

incidental catch in all fisheries 

(including halibut and subsistence) and 

allocation to the DSR sport fishery. In 

2020, the commercial fishery for DSR 

was closed due to concerns about 

declining DSR biomass. 

The FMP authorizes the Council to 

exempt specific gear from the halibut 

PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation 

with the Council, exempts pot gear, the 

sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery 

categories, and jig gear from the nontrawl halibut PSC limit for 2021 and 

2022. The Council recommended, and 

NMFS approves, these exemptions 

because: (1) The pot gear fisheries have 

low annual halibut bycatch mortality, 

(2) IFQ program regulations prohibit 

discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ 

permit holder on board a catcher vessel 

holds unused halibut IFQ for that vessel 

category and the IFQ regulatory area in 

which the vessel is operating 

(§ 679.7(f)(11)), (3) some sablefish IFQ 

fishermen hold halibut IFQ permits and 

are therefore required to retain the 

halibut they catch while fishing 

sablefish IFQ, and (4) NMFS estimates 

negligible halibut mortality for the jig 

gear fisheries given the small amount of 

groundfish harvested by jig gear, the 

selective nature of jig gear, and the high 

survival rates of halibut caught and 

released with jig gear. 

The best available information on 

estimated halibut bycatch consists of 

data collected by fisheries observers 

during 2020. The calculated halibut 

bycatch mortality through December 31, 

2020, is 789 mt for trawl gear and 3 mt 

for hook-and-line gear for a total halibut 

mortality of 792 mt. This halibut 

mortality was calculated using 

groundfish and halibut catch data from 

the NMFS Alaska Region’s catch 

accounting system. This accounting 

system contains historical and recent 

catch information compiled from each 

Alaska groundfish fishery. 

Sections 679.21(d)(4)(i) and (ii) 

authorize NMFS to seasonally apportion 

the halibut PSC limits after consultation 

with the Council. The FMP and 

regulations require that the Council and 

NMFS consider the following 

information in seasonally apportioning 

halibut PSC limits: (1) Seasonal 

distribution of halibut; (2) seasonal 

distribution of target groundfish species 

relative to halibut distribution; (3) 

expected halibut bycatch needs on a 

seasonal basis relative to changes in 

halibut biomass and expected catch of 

target groundfish species; (4) expected 

bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; (5) 

expected changes in directed groundfish 

fishing seasons; (6) expected actual start 

of fishing effort; and (7) economic 

effects of establishing seasonal halibut 

allocations on segments of the target 

groundfish industry. The Council 

considered information from the 2020 

SAFE report, NMFS catch data, State of 

Alaska catch data, International Pacific 

Halibut Commission (IPHC) stock 

assessment and mortality data, and 

public testimony when apportioning the 


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halibut PSC limits. NMFS concurs with 

the Council’s recommendations listed in 

Table 14, which shows the final 2021 

and 2022 Pacific halibut PSC limits, 

allowances, and apportionments. 

Sections 679.21(d)(4)(iii) and (iv) 

specifies that any unused amounts, or 

overages, of a seasonal apportionment of 

a halibut PSC limit will be added to or 

deducted from the next respective 

seasonal apportionment within the 

fishing year. 

TABLE 14—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND

APPORTIONMENTS

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

January 20–April 1 ........... 30.5 519 January 1–June 10 ......... 86 221 January 1–December 31 9 

April 1–July 1 .................... 20.0 341 June 10–September 1 ..... 2 5 .......................................... ................

July 1–August 1 ................ 27.0 462 September 1–December 

31.

12 31 .......................................... ................

August 1–October 1 ......... 7.5 128 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

October 1–December 31 .. 15.0 256 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

Total .......................... ................ 1,706 .......................................... ................ 257 .......................................... 9 

1The Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the DSR fishery in the SEO District and to the 

hook-and-line fisheries other than the DSR fishery. The hook-and-line sablefish IFQ fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits, as are pot and jig 

gear for all groundfish fisheries. 

Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 

Section 679.21(d)(3)(ii) authorizes 

further apportionment of the trawl 

halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery 

categories listed in § 679.21(d)(3)(iii). 

The annual apportionments are based 

on each category’s proportional share of 

the anticipated halibut bycatch 

mortality during the fishing year and 

optimization of the total amount of 

groundfish harvest under the halibut 

PSC limit. The fishery categories for the 

trawl halibut PSC limits are: (1) A deepwater species fishery, composed of 

sablefish, rockfish, deep-water flatfish, 

rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and 

(2) a shallow-water species fishery, 

composed of pollock, Pacific cod, 

shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, 

Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ 

(sharks and octopuses) 

(§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Halibut mortality 

incurred while directed fishing for 

skates with trawl gear accrues towards 

the shallow-water species fishery 

halibut PSC limit (69 FR 26320, May 12, 

2004). 

NMFS will combine available trawl 

halibut PSC limit apportionments 

during the second season deep-water 

and shallow-water species fisheries for 

use in either fishery from May 15 

through June 30 (§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(D)). 

This is intended to maintain groundfish 

harvest while minimizing halibut 

bycatch by these sectors to the extent 

practicable. This provides the deepwater and shallow-water species trawl 

fisheries additional flexibility and the 

incentive to participate in fisheries at 

times of the year that may have lower 

halibut PSC rates relative to other times 

of the year. 

Table 15 lists the final 2021 and 2022 

apportionments of trawl halibut PSC 

limits between the trawl gear deepwater and shallow-water species fishery 

categories. 

Table 28d to 50 CFR part 679 specifies 

the amount of the trawl halibut PSC 

limit that is assigned to the CV and CP 

sectors that are participating in the 

Rockfish Program. This includes 117 mt 

of halibut PSC limit to the CV sector and 

74 mt of halibut PSC limit to the CP 

sector. These amounts are allocated 

from the trawl deep-water species 

fishery’s halibut PSC third seasonal 

apportionment. After the combined CV 

and CP halibut PSC limit allocation of 

191 mt to the Rockfish Program, 150 mt 

remains for the trawl deep-water species 

fishery’s halibut PSC third seasonal 

apportionment. 

Section 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(B) limits the 

amount of the halibut PSC limit 

allocated to Rockfish Program 

participants that could be reapportioned to the general GOA trawl 

fisheries during the current fishing year 

to no more than 55 percent of the 

unused annual halibut PSC limit 

apportioned to Rockfish Program 

participants. The remainder of the 

unused Rockfish Program halibut PSC 

limit is unavailable for use by any 

person for the remainder of the fishing 

year (§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C)). 

TABLE 15—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH LIMITS BETWEEN

THE TRAWL GEAR DEEP-WATER SPECIES FISHERY AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES FISHERY CATEGORIES

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

January 20–April 1 ....................................................................................................................... 384 135 519 

April 1–July 1 ............................................................................................................................... 85 256 341 

July 1–August 1 ........................................................................................................................... 121 341 462 

August 1–October 1 ..................................................................................................................... 53 75 128 

Subtotal January 20–October 1 ........................................................................................... 643 807 1,450 

October 1–December 31 2 ........................................................................................................... ........................ ........................ 256 


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TABLE 15—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH LIMITS BETWEEN

THE TRAWL GEAR DEEP-WATER SPECIES FISHERY AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES FISHERY CATEGORIES—Continued 

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... ........................ ........................ 1,706 

1Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive 191 mt of the third season (July 1 through August 1) 

deep-water species fishery halibut PSC apportionment. 2There is no apportionment between trawl shallow-water and deep-water species fishery categories during the fifth season (October 1 through 

December 31). 

Section 679.21(d)(2)(i)(B) requires that 

the ‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ 

halibut PSC limit apportionment to 

vessels using hook-and-line gear must 

be apportioned between CVs and CPs in 

accordance with § 679.21(d)(2)(iii) in 

conjunction with these harvest 

specifications. A comprehensive 

description and example of the 

calculations necessary to apportion the 

‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ halibut 

PSC limit between the hook-and-line CV 

and CP sectors were included in the 

proposed rule to implement 

Amendment 83 to the FMP (76 FR 

44700, July 26, 2011) and are not 

repeated here. 

Pursuant to § 679.21(d)(2)(iii), the 

hook-and-line halibut PSC limit for the 

‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ is 

apportioned between the CV and CP 

sectors in proportion to the total 

Western and Central GOA Pacific cod 

allocations, which vary annually based 

on the proportion of the Pacific cod 

biomass between the Western, Central, 

and Eastern GOA. Pacific cod is 

apportioned among these three 

management areas based on the 

percentage of overall biomass per area, 

as calculated in the 2020 Pacific cod 

stock assessment. Updated information 

in the final 2020 SAFE report describes 

this distributional calculation, which 

allocates ABC among GOA regulatory 

areas on the basis of the three most 

recent stock surveys. For 2021 and 2022, 

the distribution of the total GOA Pacific 

cod ABC is 32 percent to the Western 

GOA, 59 percent to the Central GOA, 

and 9 percent to the Eastern GOA. 

Therefore, the calculations made in 

accordance with § 679.21(d)(2)(iii) 

incorporate the most recent information 

on GOA Pacific cod distribution with 

respect to establishing the annual 

halibut PSC limits for the CV and CP 

hook-and-line sectors. Additionally, the 

annual halibut PSC limits for both the 

CV and CP sectors of the ‘‘other hookand-line fishery’’ are divided into three 

seasonal apportionments, using seasonal 

percentages of 86 percent, 2 percent, 

and 12 percent. 

For 2021 and 2022, NMFS apportions 

halibut PSC limits of 144 mt and 113 mt 

to the hook-and-line CV and hook-andline CP sectors, respectively. Table 16 

lists the final 2021 and 2022 

apportionments of halibut PSC limits 

between the hook-and-line CV and the 

hook-and-line CP sectors of the ‘‘other 

hook-and-line fishery.’’ 

No later than November 1 of each 

year, NMFS will calculate the projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit by 

either of the CV or CP hook-and-line 

sectors of the ‘‘other hook-and-line 

fishery’’ for the remainder of the year. 

The projected unused amount of halibut 

PSC limit is made available to the other 

hook-and-line sector for the remainder 

of that fishing year 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(iii)(C)), if NMFS 

determines that an additional amount of 

halibut PSC is necessary for that sector 

to continue its directed fishing 

operations. 

TABLE 16—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERY’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS

[Values are in metric tons] 

‘‘Other than DSR’’ allowance Hook-and-line sector Sector annual 

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector seasonal 

amount 

257 ....................................... Catcher Vessel .................... 144 January 1–June 10 ............. 86 124 

June 10–September 1 ......... 2 3 

September 1–December 31 12 17 

Catcher/Processor ............... 113 January 1–June 10 ............. 86 97 

June 10–September 1 ......... 2 2 

September 1–December 31 12 14 

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock 

Condition 

The IPHC annually assesses the 

abundance and potential yield of the 

Pacific halibut stock using all available 

data from the commercial and sport 

fisheries, other removals, and scientific 

surveys. Additional information on the 

Pacific halibut stock assessment may be 

found in the IPHC’s 2020 Pacific halibut 

stock assessment (December 2020), 

available on the IPHC website at 

www.iphc.int. The IPHC considered the 

2020 Pacific halibut stock assessment at 

its January 2021 annual meeting when 

it set the 2021 commercial halibut 

fishery catch limits. 

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates 

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality 

allowances and apportionments, the 

Regional Administrator uses observed 

halibut incidental catch rates, halibut 

discard mortality rates (DMRs), and 

estimates of groundfish catch to project 

when a fishery’s halibut bycatch 

mortality allowance or seasonal 

apportionment is reached. Halibut 

incidental catch rates are based on 

observers’ estimates of halibut 

incidental catch in the groundfish 

fishery. DMRs are estimates of the 

proportion of incidentally caught 

halibut that do not survive after being 

returned to the sea. The cumulative 


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halibut mortality that accrues to a 

particular halibut PSC limit is the 

product of a DMR multiplied by the 

estimated halibut PSC. DMRs are 

estimated using the best scientific 

information available in conjunction 

with the annual GOA stock assessment 

process. The DMR methodology and 

findings are included as an appendix to 

the annual GOA groundfish SAFE 

report. 

In 2016, the DMR estimation 

methodology underwent revisions per 

the Council’s directive. An interagency 

halibut working group (IPHC, Council, 

and NMFS staff) developed improved 

estimation methods that have 

undergone review by the GOA Plan 

Team, SSC, and the Council. A 

summary of the revised methodology is 

contained in the GOA proposed 2017 

and 2018 harvest specifications (81 FR 

87881, December 6, 2016), and the 

comprehensive discussion of the 

working group’s statistical methodology 

is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The DMR working group’s 

revised methodology is intended to 

improve estimation accuracy, 

transparency, and transferability in the 

methodology used for calculating DMRs. 

The working group will continue to 

consider improvements to the 

methodology used to calculate halibut 

mortality, including potential changes 

to the reference period (the period of 

data used for calculating the DMRs). 

Future DMRs may change based on 

additional years of observer sampling, 

which could provide more recent and 

accurate data and which could improve 

the accuracy of estimation and progress 

on methodology. The new methodology 

will continue to ensure that NMFS is 

using DMRs that more accurately reflect 

halibut mortality, which will inform the 

different sectors of their estimated 

halibut mortality and allow specific 

sectors to respond with methods that 

could reduce mortality and, eventually, 

the DMR for that sector. 

At the December 2020 meeting, the 

SSC, AP, and the Council concurred 

with the revised DMR estimation 

methodology, and NMFS adopts for 

2021 and 2022 the DMRs calculated 

under the revised methodology, which 

uses an updated 2-year reference period. 

The final 2021 and 2022 DMRs in this 

rule are unchanged from the DMRs in 

the proposed 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications (85 FR 78076, December 

3, 2020). Table 17 lists these final 2021 

and 2022 DMRs. 

TABLE 17—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Sector Groundfish fishery 

Halibut discard 

mortality rate 

(percent) 

Pelagic trawl ............................................ Catcher vessel ......................................... All ............................................................. 100 

Catcher/processor ................................... All ............................................................. 100 

Non-pelagic trawl ..................................... Catcher vessel ......................................... Rockfish Program .................................... 60 

Catcher vessel ......................................... All others ................................................. 69 

Mothership and catcher/processor .......... All ............................................................. 84 

Hook-and-line .......................................... Catcher/processor ................................... All ............................................................. 15 

Catcher vessel ......................................... All ............................................................. 13 

Pot ........................................................... Catcher vessel and catcher/processor .... All ............................................................. 10 

Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species 

Catch Limits 

Amendment 93 to the FMP (77 FR 

42629, July 20, 2012) established 

separate Chinook salmon PSC limits in 

the Western and Central GOA in the 

directed pollock trawl fishery. These 

limits require that NMFS close the 

pollock directed fishery in the Western 

and Central Regulatory Areas of the 

GOA if the applicable Chinook salmon 

PSC limit in that regulatory area is 

reached (§ 679.21(h)(8)). The annual 

Chinook salmon PSC limits in the 

pollock directed fishery of 6,684 salmon 

in the Western GOA and 18,316 salmon 

in the Central GOA are set at 

§ 679.21(h)(2)(i) and (ii). 

Amendment 97 to the FMP (79 FR 

71350, December 2, 2014) established an 

initial annual PSC limit of 7,500 

Chinook salmon for the trawl nonpollock groundfish fisheries in the 

Western and Central GOA. This limit is 

apportioned among the three sectors 

that conduct directed fishing for 

groundfish species other than pollock: 

3,600 Chinook salmon to trawl CPs; 

1,200 Chinook salmon to trawl CVs 

participating in the Rockfish Program; 

and 2,700 Chinook salmon to trawl CVs 

not participating in the Rockfish 

Program (§ 679.21(h)(4)). NMFS will 

monitor the Chinook salmon PSC in the 

trawl non-pollock groundfish fisheries 

and close an applicable sector if it 

reaches its Chinook salmon PSC limit. 

The Chinook salmon PSC limit for 

two sectors, trawl CPs and trawl CVs not 

participating in the Rockfish Program, 

may be increased in subsequent years 

based on the performance of these two 

sectors and their ability to minimize 

their use of their respective Chinook 

salmon PSC limits. If either or both of 

these two sectors limits its use of 

Chinook salmon PSC to a specified 

threshold amount in 2020 (3,120 for 

trawl CPs and 2,340 for Non-Rockfish 

Program trawl CVs), that sector will 

receive an incremental increase to its 

2021 Chinook salmon PSC limit 

(§ 679.21(h)(4)). In 2020, the trawl CP 

sector did not exceed 3,120 Chinook 

salmon PSC; therefore, the 2021 trawl 

CP sector Chinook salmon PSC limit 

will be 4,080 Chinook salmon. In 2020, 

the Non-Rockfish Program trawl CV 

sector did not exceed 2,340 Chinook 

salmon PSC; therefore, the 2021 NonRockfish Program trawl CV sector 

Chinook salmon PSC limit will be 3,060 

Chinook salmon. 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/ 

Processor and Catcher Vessel 

Groundfish Harvest Limits 

Section 679.64 establishes groundfish 

harvesting and processing sideboard 

limitations on AFA CPs and CVs in the 

GOA. These sideboard limits are 

necessary to protect the interests of 

fishermen and processors who do not 

directly benefit from the AFA from 

those fishermen and processors who 

receive exclusive harvesting and 

processing privileges under the AFA. 

Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii) prohibits listed 

AFA CPs and CPs designated on a listed 

AFA CP permit from harvesting any 

species of groundfish in the GOA. 

Additionally, § 679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits 

listed AFA CPs and CPs designated on 

a listed AFA CP permit from processing 

any pollock harvested in a directed 

pollock fishery in the GOA and any 

groundfish harvested in Statistical Area 

630 of the GOA. 


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AFA CVs that are less than 125 feet 

(38.1 meters) length overall, have 

annual landings of pollock in the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands less than 5,100 

mt, and have made at least 40 GOA 

groundfish landings from 1995 through 

1997 are exempt from GOA CV 

groundfish sideboard limits under 

§ 679.64(b)(2)(ii). Sideboard limits for 

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on their traditional harvest levels 

of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered 

by the FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iv) 

establishes the CV groundfish sideboard 

limitations in the GOA based on the 

aggregate retained catch of non-exempt 

AFA CVs of each sideboard species or 

species group from 1995 through 1997 

divided by the sum of the TACs for that 

species or species group available to 

CVs over the same period. NMFS 

published a final rule (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019) that implemented 

regulations to prohibit non-exempt AFA 

CVs from directed fishing for specific 

groundfish species or species groups 

subject to sideboard limits 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv)(D) and Table 56 to 50 

CFR part 679). Sideboard limits not 

subject to the final rule continue to be 

calculated and included in the GOA 

annual harvest specifications. 

Tables 18 and 19 list the final 2021 

and 2022 groundfish sideboard limits 

for non-exempt AFA CVs. NMFS will 

deduct all targeted or incidental catch of 

sideboard species made by non-exempt 

AFA CVs from the sideboard limits 

listed in Tables 18 and 19. 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2021 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) 

GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV catch to 

1995–1997 TAC 

Final 2021 TACs3

Final 2021 nonexempt AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................. A Season January 20–May 31 ................. Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 799 483 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 41,737 4,871 

Kodiak (630) ....................... 0.2028 6,297 1,277 

B Season September 1–November 1 ...... Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 17,677 10,689 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 13,133 1,533 

Kodiak (630) ....................... 0.2028 18,023 3,655 

Annual ...................................................... WYK (640) ......................... 0.3495 5,412 1,891 

SEO (650) .......................... 0.3495 10,148 3,547 

Pacific cod ........................... A Season 1 January 1–June 10 ............... W ........................................ 0.1331 3,561 474 

C ......................................... 0.0692 6,567 454 

B Season 2 September 1–December 31 .. W ........................................ 0.1331 2,029 270 

C ......................................... 0.0692 3,675 254 

Flatfish, shallow-water ......... Annual ...................................................... W ........................................ 0.0156 13,250 207 

C ......................................... 0.0587 28,082 1,648 

Flatfish, deep-water ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0647 1,914 124 

E ......................................... 0.0128 3,787 48 

Rex sole .............................. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0384 8,912 342 

Arrowtooth flounder ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0280 69,072 1,934 

Flathead sole ....................... Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0213 15,400 328 

Pacific ocean perch ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0748 27,429 2,052 

E ......................................... 0.0466 7,105 331 

Northern rockfish ................. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0277 3,334 92 

1The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

2The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

3The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs. 

TABLE 19—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) 

GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV catch to 

1995–1997 TAC 

Final 2022 TACs 3

Final 2022 nonexempt AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................. A Season January 20–May 31 ................. Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 695 420 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 36,294 4,235 

Kodiak (630) ....................... 0.2028 5,476 1,111 

B Season September 1–November 1 ...... Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 15,372 9,295 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 11,420 1,333 

Kodiak (630) ....................... 0.2028 15,672 3,178 

Annual ...................................................... WYK (640) ......................... 0.3495 4,706 1,645 

SEO (650) .......................... 0.3495 10,148 3,547 

Pacific cod ........................... A Season 1 January 1–June 10 ............... W ........................................ 0.1331 5,749 765 

C ......................................... 0.0692 10,601 734 

B Season 2 September 1–December 31 .. W ........................................ 0.1331 3,275 436 

C ......................................... 0.0692 5,933 411 

Flatfish, shallow-water ......... Annual ...................................................... W ........................................ 0.0156 13,250 207 

C ......................................... 0.0587 28,442 1,670 

Flatfish, deep-water ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0647 1,914 124 

E ......................................... 0.0128 3,787 48 

Rex sole .............................. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0384 8,912 342 

Arrowtooth flounder ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0280 67,154 1,880 

Flathead sole ....................... Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0213 15,400 328 

Pacific ocean perch ............. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0748 26,234 1,962 

E ......................................... 0.0466 6,796 317 


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TABLE 19—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV)—Continued 

GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV catch to 

1995–1997 TAC 

Final 2022 TACs 3

Final 2022 nonexempt AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Northern rockfish ................. Annual ...................................................... C ......................................... 0.0277 3,173 88 

1The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

2The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

3The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs. 

Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel 

Halibut PSC Limits 

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on the aggregate retained 

groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA 

CVs in each PSC target category from 

1995 through 1997 divided by the 

retained catch of all vessels in that 

fishery from 1995 through 1997 

(§ 679.64(b)(4)(ii)). Table 20 lists the 

final 2021 and 2022 non-exempt AFA 

CV halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

vessels using trawl gear in the GOA. 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) 

SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV retained 

catch to total 

retained catch 

2021 and 2022 

PSC limit 

2021 and 2022 

non-exempt 

AFA CV PSC 

limit 

1 ....................... January 20–April 1 ...................... shallow-water .............................. 0.340 384 131 

deep-water .................................. 0.070 135 9 

2 ....................... April 1–July 1 .............................. shallow-water .............................. 0.340 85 29 

deep-water .................................. 0.070 256 18 

3 ....................... July 1–August 1 .......................... shallow-water .............................. 0.340 121 41 

deep-water .................................. 0.070 341 24 

4 ....................... August 1–October 1 .................... shallow-water .............................. 0.340 53 18 

deep-water .................................. 0.070 75 5 

5 ....................... October 1–December 31 ............. all targets ..................................... 0.205 256 52 

Annual ........................................................................ Total shallow-water ..................... ............................ .......................... *219 

Total deep-water ......................... ............................ .......................... 56 

Total, all season and categories 1,706 328 

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish 

Harvest Limitations 

Section 680.22 establishes groundfish 

catch limits for vessels with a history of 

participation in the Bering Sea snow 

crab fishery to prevent these vessels 

from using the increased flexibility 

provided by the Crab Rationalization 

(CR) Program to expand their level of 

participation in the GOA groundfish 

fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these 

vessels’ catch to their collective 

historical landings in each GOA 

groundfish fishery (except the fixed-gear 

sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also 

apply to catch made using an LLP 

license derived from the history of a 

restricted vessel, even if that LLP 

license is used on another vessel. 

The basis for these sideboard limits is 

described in detail in the final rules 

implementing the major provisions of 

the CR Program, including Amendments 

18 and 19 to the Fishery Management 

Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 

King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) (70 

FR 10174, March 2, 2005), Amendment 

34 to the Crab FMP (76 FR 35772, June 

20, 2011), Amendment 83 to the GOA 

FMP (76 FR 74670, December 1, 2011), 

and Amendment 45 to the Crab FMP (80 

FR 28539, May 19, 2015). Also, NMFS 

published a final rule (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019) that implemented 

regulations to prohibit non-AFA crab 

vessels from directed fishing for all 

groundfish species or species groups 

subject to sideboard limits, except for 

Pacific cod apportioned to CVs using 

pot gear in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas (§ 680.22(e)(1)(iii)). 

Accordingly, the GOA annual harvest 

specifications will include the non-AFA 

crab vessel groundfish sideboard limits 

for only Pacific cod apportioned to CVs 

using pot gear in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. 

Tables 21 and 22 list the final 2021 

and 2022 groundfish sideboard 

limitations for non-AFA crab vessels. 

All targeted or incidental catch of 

sideboard species made by non-AFA 

crab vessels or associated LLP licenses 

will be deducted from these sideboard 

limits. 


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TABLE 21—FINAL 2021 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel catch 

to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2021 

TACs 

Final 2021 

non-AFA crab 

vessel sideboard 

limit 

Pacific cod ......................... A Season January 1–June 

10.

Western Pot CV ................ 0.0997 3,561 355 

Central Pot CV .................. 0.0474 6,567 311 

B Season September 1– 

December 31.

Western Pot CV ................ 0.0997 2,029 202 

Central Pot CV .................. 0.0474 3,675 174 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel catch 

to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2022 

TACs 

Final 2022 

non-AFA crab 

vessel sideboard 

limit 

Pacific cod ......................... A Season January 1–June 

10.

Western Pot CV ................ 0.0997 5,749 573 

Central Pot CV .................. 0.0474 10,601 502 

B Season September 1– 

December 31.

Western Pot CV ................ 0.0997 3,275 327 

Central Pot CV .................. 0.0474 5,933 281 

Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard 

and Halibut PSC Limitations 

The Rockfish Program establishes 

three classes of sideboard provisions: 

CV groundfish sideboard restrictions, 

CP rockfish sideboard restrictions, and 

CP opt-out vessel sideboard restrictions 

(§ 679.82(c)(1)). These sideboards are 

intended to limit the ability of rockfish 

harvesters to expand into other GOA 

groundfish fisheries. 

CVs participating in the Rockfish 

Program may not participate in directed 

fishing for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean 

perch, and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

July 1 through July 31. Also, CVs may 

not participate in directed fishing for 

arrowtooth flounder, deep-water 

flatfish, and rex sole in the GOA from 

July 1 through July 31 (§ 679.82(d)). 

CPs participating in Rockfish Program 

cooperatives are restricted by rockfish 

and halibut PSC sideboard limits. These 

CPs are prohibited from directed fishing 

for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, 

and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

July 1 through July 31 (§ 679.82(e)(2)). 

Holders of CP-designated LLP licenses 

that opt out of participating in a 

Rockfish Program cooperative will be 

able to access that portion of each 

rockfish sideboard limit that is not 

assigned to rockfish cooperatives 

(§ 679.82(e)(7)). The sideboard ratio for 

each fishery in the West Yakutat District 

and the Western GOA is set forth in 

§ 679.82(e)(4). Tables 23 and 24 list the 

final 2021 and 2022 Rockfish Program 

CP sideboard limits in the West Yakutat 

District and the Western GOA. Due to 

confidentiality requirements associated 

with fisheries data, the sideboard limits 

for the West Yakutat District are not 

displayed. 

TABLE 23—FINAL 2021 ROCKFISH PROGRAM SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE WESTERN GOA AND WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT

BY FISHERY FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery CP sector 

(% of TAC) 

Final 2021 

TACs Final 2021 CP limit 

Western GOA ............................... Dusky rockfish ............................. 72.3 .............................................. 270 195. 

Pacific ocean perch ..................... 50.6 .............................................. 1,643 831. 

Northern rockfish ......................... 74.3 .............................................. 2,023 1,503. 

West Yakutat District ................... Dusky rockfish ............................. Confidential 1 ................................ 468 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ..................... Confidential 1 ................................ 1,705 Confidential.1

1 Not released due to confidentiality requirements associated with fish ticket data, as established by NMFS and the State of Alaska. 


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TABLE 24—FINAL 2022 ROCKFISH PROGRAM SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE WESTERN GOA AND WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT

BY FISHERY FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery CP sector 

(% of TAC) 

Final 2022 

TACs Final 2022 CP limit 

Western GOA ............................... Dusky rockfish ............................. 72.3 .............................................. 265 192. 

Pacific ocean perch ..................... 50.6 .............................................. 1,572 795. 

Northern rockfish ......................... 74.3 .............................................. 1,926 1,431. 

West Yakutat District ................... Dusky rockfish ............................. Confidential 1 ................................ 460 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ..................... Confidential 1 ................................ 1,631 Confidential.1

1 Not released due to confidentiality requirements associated with fish ticket data, as established by NMFS and the State of Alaska. 

Under the Rockfish Program, the CP 

sector is subject to halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for the trawl deepwater and shallow-water species 

fisheries from July 1 through July 31 

(§ 679.82(e)(3) and (5)). Halibut PSC 

sideboard ratios by fishery are set forth 

in § 679.82(e)(5). No halibut PSC 

sideboard limits apply to the CV sector, 

as CVs participating in cooperatives 

receive a portion of the annual halibut 

PSC limit. CPs that opt out of the 

Rockfish Program are able to access that 

portion of the deep-water and shallowwater halibut PSC sideboard limit not 

assigned to CP rockfish cooperatives. 

The sideboard provisions for CPs that 

elect to opt out of participating in a 

rockfish cooperative are described in 

§ 679.82(c), (e), and (f). Sideboard limits 

are linked to the catch history of 

specific vessels that may choose to opt 

out. After March 1, NMFS will 

determine which CPs have opted-out of 

the Rockfish Program in 2021, and 

NMFS will know the ratios and amounts 

used to calculate opt-out sideboard 

ratios. NMFS will then calculate any 

applicable opt-out sideboards for 2021 

and post these limits on the Alaska 

Region website at https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/ 

sustainable-fisheries/alaska-fisheriesmanagement-reports#central-goarockfish. Table 25 lists the final 2021 

and 2022 Rockfish Program halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for the CP sector. 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/ 

PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Sector 

Shallow-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

Deep-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

2021 and 2022 

halibut mortality 

limit 

(mt) 

Annual shallowwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit 

(mt) 

Annual deepwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit 

(mt) 

Catcher/processor .................................. 0.10 2.50 1,706 2 43 

Amendment 80 Program Groundfish 

and PSC Sideboard Limits 

Amendment 80 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

Management Area (Amendment 80 

Program) established a limited access 

privilege program for the non-AFA trawl 

CP sector. The Amendment 80 Program 

established groundfish and halibut PSC 

catch limits for Amendment 80 Program 

participants to limit the ability of 

participants eligible for the Amendment 

80 Program to expand their harvest 

efforts in the GOA. 

Section 679.92 establishes groundfish 

harvesting sideboard limits on all 

Amendment 80 program vessels, other 

than the fishing vessel (F/V) Golden 

Fleece, to amounts no greater than the 

limits listed in Table 37 to 50 CFR part 

679. Under § 679.92(d), the F/V Golden 

Fleece is prohibited from directed 

fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific 

ocean perch, dusky rockfish, and 

northern rockfish in the GOA. 

Groundfish sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels 

operating in the GOA are based on their 

average aggregate harvests from 1998 

through 2004 (72 FR 52668, September 

14, 2007). Tables 26 and 27 list the final 

2021 and 2022 groundfish sideboard 

limits for Amendment 80 Program 

vessels. NMFS will deduct all targeted 

or incidental catch of sideboard species 

made by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels from the sideboard limits in 

Tables 26 and 27. 

TABLE 26—FINAL 2021 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments and 

allocations by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 

80 sector 

vessels 1998– 

2004 catch to 

TAC 

2021 TAC 

(mt) 

2021 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–May 

31.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 799 2 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 41,737 83 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 6,297 13 


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TABLE 26—FINAL 2021 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments and 

allocations by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 

80 sector 

vessels 1998– 

2004 catch to 

TAC 

2021 TAC 

(mt) 

2021 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

B Season September 1– ......

November 1 ..........................

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 17,677 53 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 13,133 26 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 18,023 36 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.002 5,412 11 

Pacific cod ............................. A Season 1 January 1–June 

10.

W .......................................... 0.020 3,561 71 

C ........................................... 0.044 6,567 289 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.020 2,029 41 

C ........................................... 0.044 3,675 162 

Annual ................................... WYK ...................................... 0.034 1,489 51 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.994 1,643 1,633 

WYK ...................................... 0.961 1,705 1,639 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 1.000 2,023 2,023 

Dusky rockfish ....................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.764 270 206 

WYK ...................................... 0.896 468 419 

1The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

2The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

TABLE 27—FINAL 2022 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments and 

allocations by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 

80 sector 

vessels 1998– 

2004 catch to 

TAC 

2022 TAC 

(mt) 

2022 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–May 

31.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 695 2 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 36,294 73 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 5,476 11 

................................................ B Season September 1– ......

November 1 ..........................

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 15,372 46 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 11,420 23 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 15,672 31 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.002 4,706 9 

Pacific cod ............................. A Season 1 January 1–June 

10.

W .......................................... 0.020 5,749 115 

C ........................................... 0.044 10,601 466 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.020 3,275 66 

C ........................................... 0.044 5,933 261 

Annual ................................... WYK ...................................... 0.034 2,403 82 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.994 1,572 1,563 

WYK ...................................... 0.961 1,631 1,567 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 1.000 1,926 1,926 

Dusky rockfish ....................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.764 265 202 

WYK ...................................... 0.896 460 412 

1The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

2The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels in the 

GOA are based on the historic use of 

halibut PSC by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels in each PSC target category from 

1998 through 2004. These values are 

slightly lower than the average historic 

use to accommodate two factors: 

Allocation of halibut PSC cooperative 

quota under the Rockfish Program and 

the exemption of the F/V Golden Fleece 

from this restriction (§ 679.92(b)(2)). 

Table 28 lists the final 2021 and 2022 

halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels. These 

tables incorporate the maximum 

percentages of the halibut PSC 

sideboard limits that may be used by 

Amendment 80 Program vessels as 

contained in Table 38 to 50 CFR part 

679. Any residual amount of a seasonal 

Amendment 80 halibut PSC sideboard 

limit may carry forward to the next 

season limit (§ 679.92(b)(2)). 


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TABLE 28—FINAL 2021 AND 2022 HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 

PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 

80 use of the 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

catch 

(ratio) 

2021 and 2022 

annual PSC 

limit 

(mt) 

2021 and 2022 

Amendment 80 

vessel PSC 

limit 

1 ............... January 20–April 1 ............................ shallow-water .................................... 0.0048 1,706 8 

deep-water ........................................ 0.0115 1,706 20 

2 ............... April 1–July 1 .................................... shallow-water .................................... 0.0189 1,706 32 

deep-water ........................................ 0.1072 1,706 183 

3 ............... July 1–August 1 ................................ shallow-water .................................... 0.0146 1,706 25

deep-water ........................................ 0.0521 1,706 89 

4 ............... August 1–October 1 .......................... shallow-water .................................... 0.0074 1,706 13 

deep-water ........................................ 0.0014 1,706 2 

5 ............... October 1–December 31 ................... shallow-water .................................... 0.0227 1,706 39 

deep-water ........................................ 0.0371 1,706 63 

Total: ............................................................ ............................................................ ........................ .......................... 474 

Directed Fishing Closures 

Pursuant to § 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the 

Regional Administrator determines (1) 

that any allocation or apportionment of 

a target species or species group 

allocated or apportioned to a fishery 

will be reached; or (2) with respect to 

pollock and Pacific cod, that an 

allocation or apportionment to an 

inshore or offshore component or sector 

allocation will be reached, then the 

Regional Administrator may establish a 

directed fishing allowance (DFA) for 

that species or species group. If the 

Regional Administrator establishes a 

DFA and that allowance is or will be 

reached before the end of the fishing 

season or year, NMFS will prohibit 

directed fishing for that species or 

species group in the specified GOA 

subarea, regulatory area, or district 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the TACs for the 

species listed in Table 29 are necessary 

to account for the incidental catch of 

these species in other anticipated 

groundfish fisheries for the 2021 and 

2022 fishing years. 

TABLE 29—2021 AND 2022 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA 

[Amounts for incidental catch in other directed fisheries are in metric tons] 

Target Area/component/gear Incidental catch amount and year 

(if amounts differ by year) 

Pollock ............................................................... all/offshore ........................................................ not applicable 1. 

Sablefish 2 .......................................................... all/trawl ............................................................. 2,473 (2021), 3,553 (2022). 

Pacific cod ......................................................... Western, CP, trawl ........................................... 129 (2021), 209 (2022). 

Central, CP, trawl ............................................. 426 (2021), 687 (2022). 

Shortraker rockfish 2 .......................................... all ...................................................................... 708. 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish 2 ..................... all ...................................................................... 1,212 (2021), 1,221 (2022). 

Thornyhead rockfish 2 ........................................ all ...................................................................... 1,953. 

Other rockfish .................................................... all ...................................................................... 1,609. 

Atka mackerel .................................................... all ...................................................................... 3,000. 

Big skate ............................................................ all ...................................................................... 3,208. 

Longnose skate ................................................. all ...................................................................... 2,587. 

Other skates ...................................................... all ...................................................................... 875. 

Sharks ................................................................ all ...................................................................... 3,755. 

Octopuses .......................................................... all ...................................................................... 980. 

1Pollock is closed to directed fishing in the GOA by the offshore component under § 679.20(a)(6)(i). 

2 Closures are not applicable to participants in cooperatives conducted under the Central GOA Rockfish Program because cooperatives are 

prohibited from exceeding their allocations (§ 679.7(n)(6)(viii)). 

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the DFA for 

the species or species groups listed in 

Table 29 as zero mt. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 

those species, areas, gear types, and 

components in the GOA listed in Table 

29 effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., 

February 19, 2021, through 2400 hours, 

A.l.t., December 31, 2022. 

Closures implemented under the 2020 

and 2021 GOA harvest specifications for 

groundfish (85 FR 13802, March 10, 

2020) remain effective under authority 

of these final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications and until the date 

specified in those notices. Closures are 

posted at the following website under 

the Alaska filter for Management Areas: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/rulesand-announcements/bulletins. 

While these closures are in effect, the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time 

during a fishing trip. These closures to 

directed fishing are in addition to 

closures and prohibitions found at 50 

CFR part 679. NMFS may implement 


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other closures during the 2021 and 2022 

fishing years as necessary for effective 

conservation and management. 

Comments and Responses 

NMFS did not receive any comments 

during the public comment period for 

the proposed groundfish harvest 

specifications. 

Classification 

NMFS has determined that the final 

harvest specifications are consistent 

with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act and other applicable 

laws. 

This final rule is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

NMFS prepared an EIS for the Alaska 

groundfish harvest specifications and 

alternative harvest strategies (see 

ADDRESSES) and made it available to the 

public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS 

issued the ROD for the EIS. In January 

2021, NMFS prepared a SIR for this 

action to provide a subsequent 

assessment of the action and to address 

the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS 

(SEIS;40 CFR 1501.11(b); § 1502.9(d)(1)). 

Copies of the EIS, ROD, and annual SIRs 

for this action are available from NMFS 

(see ADDRESSES). The Final EIS analyzes 

the environmental, social, and economic 

consequences of the groundfish harvest 

specifications and alternative harvest 

strategies on resources in the action 

area. Based on the analysis in the Final 

EIS, NMFS concluded that the preferred 

Alternative (Alternative 2) provides the 

best balance among relevant 

environmental, social, and economic 

considerations and allows for continued 

management of the groundfish fisheries 

based on the most recent, best scientific 

information. The preferred alternative is 

a harvest strategy in which TACs are set 

at a level within the range of ABCs 

recommended by the Council’s SSC; the 

sum of the TACs must achieve the OY 

specified in the FMP. While the specific 

numbers that the harvest strategy 

produces may vary from year to year, 

the methodology used for the preferred 

harvest strategy remains constant. 

The annual SIR evaluates the need to 

prepare a SEIS for the 2021 and 2022 

groundfish harvest specifications. An 

SEIS should be prepared if (1) the 

agency makes substantial changes in the 

proposed action that are relevant to 

environmental concerns, or (2) 

significant new circumstances or 

information exist relevant to 

environmental concerns and bearing on 

the proposed action or its impacts (40 

CFR 1502.9(d)(1)). After reviewing the 

information contained in the SIR and 

SAFE reports, the Regional 

Administrator has determined that (1) 

approval of the 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications, which were set according 

to the preferred harvest strategy in the 

EIS, does not constitute a substantial 

change in the action; and (2) there are 

no significant new circumstances or 

information relevant to environmental 

concerns and bearing on the action or its 

impacts. Additionally, the 2021 and 

2022 harvest specifications will result in 

environmental, social, and economic 

impacts within the scope of those 

analyzed and disclosed in the EIS. 

Therefore, an SEIS is not necessary to 

implement the 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications. 

Section 604 of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 604) 

requires that, when an agency 

promulgates a final rule under 5 U.S.C. 

553, after being required by that section, 

or any other law, to publish a general 

notice of proposed rulemaking, the 

agency shall prepare a final regulatory 

flexibility analysis (FRFA). The 

following constitutes the FRFA 

prepared in the final action. 

Section 604 of the RFA describes the 

required contents of a FRFA: (1) A 

statement of the need for, and objectives 

of, the rule; (2) a statement of the 

significant issues raised by the public 

comments in response to the initial 

regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), a 

statement of the assessment of the 

agency of such issues, and a statement 

of any changes made in the proposed 

rule as a result of such comments; (3) 

the response of the agency to any 

comments filed by the Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration in response to the 

proposed rule, and a detailed statement 

of any change made to the proposed rule 

in the final rule as a result of the 

comments; (4) a description of and an 

estimate of the number of small entities 

to which the rule will apply or an 

explanation of why no such estimate is 

available; (5) a description of the 

projected reporting, recordkeeping, and 

other compliance requirements of the 

rule, including an estimate of the classes 

of small entities which will be subject 

to the requirement and the type of 

professional skills necessary for 

preparation of the report or record; and 

(6) a description of the steps the agency 

has taken to minimize the significant 

economic impact on small entities 

consistent with the stated objectives of 

applicable statutes, including a 

statement of the factual, policy, and 

legal reasons for selecting the alternative 

adopted in the final rule and why each 

one of the other significant alternatives 

to the rule considered by the agency that 

affect the impact on small entities was 

rejected. 

A description of this action, its 

purpose, and its legal basis are 

contained at the beginning of the 

preamble to this final rule and are not 

repeated here. 

NMFS published the proposed rule on 

December 3, 2020 (85 FR 78076). NMFS 

prepared an IRFA to accompany the 

proposed action, and included the IRFA 

in the proposed rule. The comment 

period closed on January 4, 2021. No 

comments were received on the IRFA or 

on the economic impacts of the rule 

more generally. The Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration did not file any 

comments on the proposed rule. 

The entities directly regulated by this 

action are: (1) Entities operating vessels 

with groundfish federal fishing permit 

(FFPs) catching FMP groundfish in 

Federal waters; (2) all entities operating 

vessels, regardless of whether they hold 

groundfish FFPs, catching FMP 

groundfish in the State-waters parallel 

fisheries; and (3) all entities operating 

vessels fishing for halibut inside three 

miles (5.6 km) of the shore (whether or 

not they have FFPs). 

For RFA purposes only, NMFS has 

established a small business size 

standard for businesses, including their 

affiliates, whose primary industry is 

commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). 

A business primarily engaged in 

commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) 

is classified as a small business if it is 

independently owned and operated, is 

not dominant in its field of operation 

(including its affiliates), and has 

combined annual gross receipts not in 

excess of $11 million for all its affiliated 

operations worldwide. 

Using the most recent data available 

(2019), the estimated number of directly 

regulated small entities include 

approximately 871 individual catcher 

vessel entities with gross revenues 

meeting small entity criteria. This 

estimate does not account for corporate 

affiliations among vessels, and for 

cooperative affiliations among fishing 

entities, since some of the fishing 

vessels operating in the GOA are 

members of AFA inshore pollock 

cooperatives, GOA rockfish 

cooperatives, or BSAI CR Program 

cooperatives. Vessels that participate in 

these cooperatives are considered to be 

large entities within the meaning of the 

RFA because the aggregate gross receipts 

of all participating members exceed the 

$11 million threshold. After accounting 

for membership in these cooperatives, 

there are an estimated 812 small CV and 

5 small CP entities remaining in the 

GOA groundfish sector. However, the 


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estimate of these 817 CVs may be an 

overstatement of the number of small 

entities. This latter group of vessels had 

average gross revenues that varied by 

gear type. Average gross revenues for 

hook-and-line CVs, pot gear CVs, trawl 

gear CVs, and hook-and-line CPs are 

estimated to be $350,000, $780,000, $1.6 

million, and $2.9 million, respectively. 

This final rule contains no 

information collection requirements 

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. 

This action implements the final 2021 

and 2022 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and halibut PSC limits 

for the groundfish fishery of the GOA. 

This action is necessary to establish 

harvest limits for groundfish during the 

2021 and 2022 fishing years and is taken 

in accordance with the FMP prepared 

by the Council pursuant to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 

establishment of the final harvest 

specifications is governed by the 

Council’s harvest strategy that governs 

the catch of groundfish in the GOA. The 

harvest strategy was selected previously 

from among five alternatives, with the 

preferred alternative harvest strategy 

being one in which the TACs fall within 

the range of ABCs recommended by the 

SSC. Under this preferred alternative 

harvest strategy, TACs are set within the 

range of ABCs recommended by the 

SSC; the sum of the TACs must achieve 

the OY specified in the FMP; and while 

the specific TAC numbers that the 

harvest strategy produces may vary from 

year to year, the methodology used for 

the preferred harvest strategy remains 

constant. This final action implements 

the preferred alternative harvest strategy 

previously chosen by the Council to set 

TACs that fall within the range of ABCs 

recommended through the Council 

harvest specifications process and as 

recommended by the Council. This is 

the method for determining TACs that 

has been used in the past. 

The final 2021 and 2022 TACs 

associated with preferred harvest 

strategy are those recommended by the 

Council in December 2020. OFLs and 

ABCs for the species were based on 

recommendations prepared by the 

Council’s Plan Team, and reviewed by 

the Council’s SSC. The Council based 

its TAC recommendations on those of 

its AP, which were consistent with the 

SSC’s OFL and ABC recommendations. 

The sum of all TACs remains within the 

OY for the GOA consistent with 

§ 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B). 

The final 2021 and 2022 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best available 

biological information, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised technical methods 

to calculate stock biomass. The final 

2021 and 2022 TACs are based on the 

best available biological and 

socioeconomic information. The final 

2021 and 2022 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

are consistent with the biological 

condition of groundfish stocks as 

described in the 2020 SAFE report, 

which is the most recent, completed 

SAFE report. Accounting for the most 

recent biological information to set the 

final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs is 

consistent with the objectives for this 

action, as well as National Standard 2 of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 

1851(a)(2)) that actions shall be based 

on the best scientific information 

available. 

Under this action, the final ABCs 

reflect harvest amounts that are less 

than the specified overfishing levels. 

The final TACs are within the range of 

final ABCs recommended by the SSC 

and do not exceed the biological limits 

recommended by the SSC (the ABCs 

and overfishing levels). For most species 

and species groups in the GOA, the 

Council recommended, and NMFS sets, 

final TACs equal to final ABCs, which 

is intended to maximize harvest 

opportunities in the GOA, unless other 

conservation or management reasons 

support setting TAC amounts less than 

the ABCs. 

For these species and species groups, 

the Council recommended and NMFS 

sets TACs that are less than the ABCs, 

including for pollock for the combined 

W/C/WYK Regulatory Area, Pacific cod, 

shallow-water flatfish in the Western 

GOA, arrowtooth flounder in the 

Western GOA and the West Yakutat and 

SEO Districts, flathead sole in the 

Western and Central GOA, Atka 

mackerel, and ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the 

SEO District. These specific reductions 

were reviewed and recommended by the 

Council’s AP, and, with the exception of 

sablefish, the Council in turn adopted 

the AP’s recommendations for the final 

2021 and 2022 TACs. 

For sablefish, the Council 

recommended 2021 sablefish TACs that 

are less than the 2021 ABCs, which is 

intended to provide an incremental 

increase from the 2020 TACs to the 2021 

TACs rather than the very large increase 

in the 2021 TACs if they were set equal 

to final ABCs. Moreover, increasing 

TACs for some species may not result in 

increased harvest opportunities for 

those species. This is due to a variety of 

reasons. There may be a lack of 

commercial or market interest in some 

species. Additionally, there are fixed, 

and therefore constraining, PSC limits 

associated with the harvest of the GOA 

groundfish species that can lead to an 

underharvest of flatfish TACs. For this 

reason, the shallow-water flatfish, 

arrowtooth flounder, and flathead sole 

TACs are set to allow for increased 

harvest opportunities for these target 

species while conserving the halibut 

PSC limit for use in other fisheries. The 

Atka mackerel TAC is set to 

accommodate incidental catch amounts 

in other fisheries. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ 

TAC in the SEO District is set to reduce 

the amount of discards of the species in 

that complex. Finally, the TACs for two 

species (pollock and Pacific cod) cannot 

be set equal to ABC, as the TAC must 

be reduced to account for the State’s 

GHLs in these fisheries. The W/C/WYK 

Regulatory Area pollock TAC and the 

GOA Pacific cod TACs are therefore set 

to account for the State’s GHLs for the 

State water pollock and Pacific cod 

fisheries so that the ABCs are not 

exceeded. 

Based upon the best available 

scientific data, and in consideration of 

the Council’s objectives of this action, 

there are no significant alternatives to 

the final rule that have the potential to 

accomplish the stated objectives of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act and any other 

applicable statutes and that have the 

potential to minimize any significant 

adverse economic impact of the final 

rule on small entities. This action is 

economically beneficial to entities 

operating in the GOA, including small 

entities. The action specifies TACs for 

commercially-valuable species in the 

GOA and allows for the continued 

prosecution of the fishery, thereby 

creating the opportunity for fishery 

revenue. After public process, during 

which the Council solicited input from 

stakeholders, the Council concluded 

that these final harvest specifications 

would best accomplish the stated 

objectives articulated in the preamble 

for this final rule and in applicable 

statutes and would minimize to the 

extent practicable adverse economic 

impacts on the universe of directly 

regulated small entities. 

Adverse impacts on marine mammals, 

or endangered or threatened species, 

resulting from fishing activities 

conducted under this rule are discussed 

in the Final EIS and its accompanying 

annual SIRs (see ADDRESSES). 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the 

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in effectiveness for this 

rule because delaying this rule is 

contrary to the public interest. The Plan 

Team review of the 2020 SAFE report 

occurred in November 2020, and based 

on the 2020 SAFE report the Council 

considered and recommended the final 

harvest specifications in December 


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10210 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 32 / Friday, February 19, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

2020. Accordingly, NMFS’s review of 

the final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications could not begin until after 

the December 2020 Council meeting, 

and after the public had time to 

comment on the proposed action. 

For all fisheries not currently closed 

because the TACs established under the 

final 2020 and 2021 harvest 

specifications (85 FR 13802, March 10, 

2020) were not reached, it is possible 

that they would be closed prior to the 

expiration of a 30-day delayed 

effectiveness period because their TACs 

could be reached within that period. If 

implemented immediately, this rule 

would allow these fisheries to continue 

fishing because some of the new TACs 

implemented by this rule are higher 

than the TACs under which they are 

currently fishing. 

In addition, immediate effectiveness 

of this action is required to provide 

consistent management and 

conservation of fishery resources based 

on the best available scientific 

information. This is particularly 

pertinent for those species that have 

lower 2021 ABCs and TACs than those 

established in the 2020 and 2021 

harvest specifications (85 FR 13802, 

March 10, 2020). If implemented 

immediately, this rule would ensure 

that NMFS can properly manage those 

fisheries for which this rule sets lower 

2021 ABCs and TACs, which are based 

on the most recent biological 

information on the condition of stocks, 

rather than managing species under the 

higher TACs set in the previous year’s 

harvest specifications. 

Certain fisheries, such as those for 

pollock, are intensive, fast-paced 

fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those 

for sablefish, flatfish, rockfish, Atka 

mackerel, skates, sharks, and octopuses, 

are critical as directed fisheries and as 

incidental catch in other fisheries. U.S. 

fishing vessels have demonstrated the 

capacity to catch the TAC allocations in 

many of these fisheries. If the 

effectiveness of this rule were delayed 

30 days and if a TAC were reached 

during those 30 days, NMFS would 

close directed fishing or prohibit 

retention for the applicable species. Any 

delay in allocating the final TACs in 

these fisheries would cause confusion to 

the industry and potential economic 

harm through unnecessary discards, 

thus undermining the intent of this rule. 

Waiving the 30-day delay allows NMFS 

to prevent economic loss to fishermen 

that could otherwise occur should the 

2021 TACs (set under the 2020 and 2021 

harvest specifications) be reached. 

Determining which fisheries may close 

is nearly impossible because these 

fisheries are affected by several factors 

that cannot be predicted in advance, 

including fishing effort, weather, 

movement of fishery stocks, and market 

price. Furthermore, the closure of one 

fishery has a cascading effect on other 

fisheries by freeing-up fishing vessels, 

allowing them to move from closed 

fisheries to open ones, increasing the 

fishing capacity in those open fisheries, 

and causing them to close at an 

accelerated pace. 

In fisheries subject to declining 

sideboard limits, a failure to implement 

the updated sideboard limits before 

initial season’s end could deny the 

intended economic protection to the 

non-sideboarded sectors. Conversely, in 

fisheries with increasing sideboard 

limits, economic benefit could be 

denied to the sideboard-limited sectors. 

If the final harvest specifications are 

not effective by March 6, 2021, which is 

the start of the 2021 Pacific halibut 

season as specified by the IPHC, the 

fixed gear sablefish fishery will not 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. This would result in 

confusion for the industry and 

economic harm from unnecessary 

discard of sablefish that are caught 

along with Pacific halibut, as both fixed 

gear sablefish and Pacific halibut are 

managed under the same IFQ program. 

Immediate effectiveness of the final 

2021 and 2022 harvest specifications 

will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. 

Finally, immediate effectiveness also 

would provide the fishing industry the 

earliest possible opportunity to plan and 

conduct its fishing operations with 

respect to new information about TACs. 

Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to 

waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness 

under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). 

Small Entity Compliance Guide 

This final rule is a plain language 

guide to assist small entities in 

complying with this final rule as 

required by the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 

1996. This final rule’s primary purpose 

is to announce the final 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications and prohibited 

species bycatch allowances for the 

groundfish fisheries of the GOA. This 

action is necessary to establish harvest 

limits and associated management 

measures for groundfish during the 2021 

and 2022 fishing years, and to 

accomplish the goals and objectives of 

the FMP. This action affects all 

fishermen who participate in the GOA 

fisheries. The specific OFL, ABC, TAC, 

and PSC amounts are provided in tables 

to assist the reader. NMFS will 

announce closures of directed fishing in 

the Federal Register and information 

bulletins released by the Alaska Region. 

Affected fishermen should keep 

themselves informed of such closures. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 

1540 (f), 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; 

Pub. L. 105–277; Pub. L. 106–31; Pub. L. 

106–554; Pub. L. 108–199; Pub. L. 108–447; 

Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L 109–479. 

Dated: February 11, 2021. 

Samuel D. Rauch III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–03194 Filed 2–18–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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