15194 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 111207737–2141–02] 

RIN 0648–XA711 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 

2012 and 2013 Harvest Specifications 

for Groundfish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Final rule; closures. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2012 

and 2013 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 2012 and 2013 fishing years 

and to accomplish the goals and 

objectives of the Fishery Management 

Plan for Groundfish of the GOA. 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. 

DATES: Effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), March 14, 2012, 

through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS), Record of Decision 

(ROD), Supplementary Information 

Report (SIR) to the EIS, and the Final 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) 

prepared for this action are available 

from http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. 

The final 2011 Stock Assessment and 

Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 

groundfish resources of the GOA, dated 

November 2011, is available from the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council) at 605 West 4th 

Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99510–2252, phone 907–271–2809, or 

from the Council’s Web site at http:// 

alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Pearson, 907–481–1780, or Obren Davis, 

907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the GOA groundfish fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 

the GOA under the Fishery Management 

Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of 

Alaska (FMP). The Council prepared the 

FMP under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(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 NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, to 

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). Section 679.20(c)(1) further 

requires NMFS to publish and solicit 

public comment on proposed annual 

TACs, halibut prohibited species catch 

(PSC) amounts, 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 target TAC, per 

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

specifications set forth in Tables 1 

through 31 of this document reflect the 

outcome of this process, as required at 

§ 679.20(c). 

The proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

and Pacific halibut PSC allowances 

were published in the Federal Register 

on December 22, 2011 (76 FR 79620). 

Comments were invited and accepted 

through January 23, 2012. NMFS 

received one response, containing two 

general categories of comments, on the 

proposed harvest specifications. A 

summary of the comments and NMFS’ 

responses is found in the Response to 

Comment section of this rule. In 

December 2011, NMFS consulted with 

the Council regarding the 2012 and 2013 

harvest specifications. After considering 

public testimony, as well as biological 

and economic data that were available 

at the Council’s December 2011 

meeting, NMFS is implementing the 

final 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications, as recommended by the 

Council. For 2012, the sum of the TAC 

amounts is 438,159 mt. For 2013, the 

sum of the TAC amounts is 447,752 mt. 

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and 

TAC Specifications 

In December 2011, the Council, its 

Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific 

and Statistical Committee (SSC), 

reviewed current biological and harvest 

information about the condition of 

groundfish stocks in the GOA. This 

information was compiled by the 

Council’s GOA Plan Team and was 

presented in the draft 2011 SAFE report 

for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated 

November 2011 (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 estimates an 

overfishing level (OFL) and ABC for 

each species or species group. The 2011 

SAFE report was made available for 

public review during the public 

comment period for the proposed 

harvest specifications. 

In previous years, the largest 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 making stock 

assessments. In October 2011, the 

Council also reviewed the proposed 

TACs recommended for several flatfish 

and other rockfish species, adjusting 

them downward from ABCs. At the 

November 2011 Plan Team meeting, 

NMFS scientists presented updated and 

new survey results, changes to 

assessment models, and accompanying 

stock estimates for all groundfish 

species and species groups that are 

included in the final 2011 SAFE report. 

The SSC reviewed this information at 

the December 2011 Council meeting. 

Changes from the proposed to the final 

harvest specifications in 2012 and 2013 

for newly assessed groundfish stocks are 

discussed below. 

The final 2012 and 2013 OFLs, ABCs, 

and TACs are based on the best 

available biological and socioeconomic 

information, including projected 

biomass trends, information on assumed 

distribution of stock biomass, and 

revised methods used to calculate stock 

biomass. The FMP specifies the 

formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute 

ABCs and OFLs. 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 SSC adopted the final 2012 and 

2013 OFLs and ABCs recommended by 

the Plan Team for all groundfish 

species, with the exception of the ABCs 

for ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Central and 

Western GOA. The Plan Team’s 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15195 

recommendation was that in 2012 and 

2013 the 44 mt ABC for ‘‘other rockfish’’ 

in the Western GOA be combined with 

the 606 mt ABC for ‘‘other rockfish’’ in 

the Central GOA for a combined Central 

and Western GOA ABC of 650 mt. This 

recommendation was intended to 

spatially apportion ‘‘other rockfish’’ so 

that target fisheries are not restricted 

based on limited and relatively 

uncertain estimates of recent survey 

spatial distributions of ‘‘other rockfish.’’ 

The SSC however, decided to retain the 

area apportionments of ABC for ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ between the Central and 

Western GOA. The apportionment of 44 

mt to the Western GOA ABC was based 

on the continued low abundance of 

harlequin rockfish in the 2011 NMFS 

bottom trawl survey. The SSC noted that 

‘‘other rockfish’’ are on bycatch status 

all year, are taken as incidental catch in 

other directed fisheries, and are 

discarded at a high rate. Therefore, the 

SSC determined that regulatory discards 

would not decrease by combining the 

Western and Central regulatory area 

ABCs and did not recommend a change 

to the previously approved method for 

apportioning the ABC. 

The Council adopted the SSC’s OFL 

and ABC recommendations and the 

AP’s TAC recommendations. The final 

TAC recommendations were based on 

the ABCs as 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 TACs for 

2012 and 2013 that are equal to ABCs 

for pollock, sablefish, deep-water 

flatfish, rex sole, Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, 

pelagic shelf rockfish, rougheye 

rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, ‘‘other rockfish’’ in 

the Central and Western GOA, big 

skates, longnose skate, other skates, 

squids, sharks, octopuses, and sculpins. 

The Council recommended TACs for 

2012 and 2013 that are less than the 

ABCs for Pacific cod, shallow-water 

flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, flathead 

sole, ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Eastern 

GOA, and Atka mackerel. The Pacific 

cod TACs are set to accommodate the 

State of Alaska’s (State’s) guideline 

harvest levels (GHLs) for Pacific cod so 

that the ABC is not exceeded. The 

shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, and flathead sole TACs are set 

to allow for increased harvest 

opportunities for these targets while 

conserving the halibut PSC limit for use 

in other, more fully utilized, fisheries. 

The ‘‘other rockfish’’ TAC in the Eastern 

GOA is set to reduce the amount of 

discards in the Southeast Outside (SEO) 

District. The Atka mackerel TAC is set 

to accommodate incidental catch 

amounts in other fisheries. 

The final 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications approved by the Secretary 

of Commerce (Secretary) are unchanged 

from those recommended by the 

Council and are consistent with the 

preferred harvest strategy alternative in 

the EIS (see ADDRESSES). 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 2011 

SAFE report. NMFS also finds that the 

Council’s recommendations for OFLs, 

ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the 

biological condition of groundfish 

stocks as adjusted for other biological 

and socioeconomic considerations, 

including maintaining the total TAC 

within the OY range. NMFS reviewed 

the Council’s recommended TAC 

specifications and apportionments, and 

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 2012 and 

2013 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area 

apportionments of groundfish in the 

GOA. The sums of the 2012 and 2013 

ABCs are 606,048 mt and 612,506 mt, 

respectively, which are higher in 2012 

and 2013 than the 2011 ABC sum of 

590,121 mt (76 FR 11111, March 1, 

2011). 

Specification and Apportionment of 

TAC Amounts 

The ABC for the pollock stock in the 

combined Western, Central, and West 

Yakutat Regulatory Areas (W/C/WYK) 

has been adjusted to reflect the GHL 

established by the State for the Prince 

William Sound (PWS) pollock fishery. 

Based upon genetic studies, fisheries 

scientists believe that the pollock in 

PWS is not a separate stock from the 

combined W/C/WYK population. 

Accordingly, the Council recommended 

decreasing the W/C/WYK pollock ABC 

to account for the State’s PWS GHL. For 

2012 and 2013, the PWS GHL for 

pollock is 2,770 mt, an increase from 

1,650 mt in 2011. 

The apportionment of annual pollock 

TAC among the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA reflects the 

seasonal biomass distribution and is 

discussed in greater detail below. The 

annual pollock TAC in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630, as well as equally 

among each of the following four 

seasons: the A season (January 20 

through March 10), the B season (March 

10 through May 31), the C season 

(August 25 through October 1), and the 

D season (October 1 through November 

1) (§ 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A) through (B)). Tables 

3 and 4 list the final 2012 and 2013 

distribution of pollock in the Central 

and Western Regulatory Areas of the 

GOA, and area and seasonal allowances 

of annual TAC. 

The AP, SSC, and Council 

recommended apportionment of the 

ABC for Pacific cod in the GOA among 

regulatory areas based on the three most 

recent NMFS summer trawl surveys. 

The 2012 and 2013 Pacific cod TACs are 

affected by the State’s fishery for Pacific 

cod in State waters in the Central and 

Western Regulatory Areas, as well as in 

PWS. The Plan Team, SSC, AP, and 

Council recommended that the sum of 

all State and Federal water Pacific cod 

removals from the GOA not exceed ABC 

recommendations. Accordingly, the 

Council reduced the 2012 and 2013 

Pacific cod TACs in the Eastern, Central, 

and Western Regulatory Areas to 

account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 

2012 Pacific cod TACs are less than the 

ABCs by the following amounts: (1) 

Eastern GOA, 657 mt; (2) Central GOA, 

14,235 mt; and (3) Western GOA, 7,008 

mt. The 2013 Pacific cod TACs are less 

than the ABCs by the following 

amounts: (1) Eastern GOA, 684 mt; (2) 

Central GOA, 14,788 mt; and (3) 

Western GOA, 7,280 mt. These amounts 

reflect the sum of the State’s 2012 and 

2013 GHLs in these areas, which are 25 

percent of the Eastern, Central, and 

Western GOA ABCs, respectively. 

NMFS establishes seasonal 

apportionments of the annual Pacific 

cod TAC in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the 

annual TAC is apportioned to the A 

season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig 

gear from January 1 through June 10, 

and for trawl gear from January 20 

through June 10. Forty percent of the 

annual TAC is apportioned to the B 

season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig 

gear from September 1 through 

December 31, and for trawl gear from 

September 1 through November 1 

(§§ 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)). 

NMFS published a final rule to 

implement Amendment 83 to the FMP 

on December 1, 2011 (76 FR 74670), 

effective January 1, 2012. Amendment 

83 allocates the Western and Central 

GOA Pacific cod TACs among various 

gear and operational sectors, and 

eliminates inshore and offshore 

allocations in these two regulatory 

areas. Sector allocations limit the 

amount of Western and Central GOA 

Pacific cod that each sector is 

authorized to harvest. Amendment 83 

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15196 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

did not change the existing annual 

Pacific cod TAC allocation between the 

inshore and offshore processing 

components in the Eastern GOA. The 

Pacific cod sector apportionments are 

discussed in detail in a subsequent 

section of this preamble. 

For sablefish, the SSC and Council 

recommended that the method of 

apportioning the sablefish ABC among 

management areas in 2012 and 2013 

include commercial fishery and survey 

data. NMFS stock assessment scientists 

believe the use of unbiased commercial 

fishery data reflecting catch-per-uniteffort provides rational input for stock 

distribution assessments. NMFS 

evaluates annually the use of 

commercial fishery data to ensure 

unbiased information is included in 

stock distribution models. The Council’s 

recommendation for sablefish area 

apportionments also takes into account 

the prohibition on the use of trawl gear 

in the SEO District of the Eastern 

Regulatory Area and makes available 

five percent of the combined Eastern 

Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl gear for 

use as incidental catch in other 

groundfish fisheries in the WYK District 

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

final 2012 and 2013 allocations of 

sablefish TAC to hook-and-line and 

trawl gear in the GOA. 

At the October 2011 Council meeting 

the SCC, AP, and Council 

recommended— and NMFS—proposed 

the move of widow and yellowtail 

rockfish from the pelagic shelf rockfish 

(PSR) species group to the ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ species group in the GOA. The 

preamble to the proposed 2012 and 

2013 groundfish harvest specifications 

for the GOA (76 FR 79620, December 22, 

2011) discusses the rationale for the 

action. These final 2012 and 2013 

groundfish harvest specifications for the 

GOA make this recommendation 

effective. Final 2012 and 2013 amounts 

for the PSR and ‘‘other rockfish’’ species 

groups are listed in Tables 1 and 2. 

NMFS intends to prepare an FMP and 

regulatory amendment to remove the 

description of the PSR species group 

and fishery, add a description of the 

dusky rockfish fishery, and revise the 

description of the ‘‘other rockfish’’ 

fishery in the FMP and in associated 

regulations. The management measures 

associated with PSR would remain the 

same for dusky rockfish. All references 

to PSR in this rule refer to dusky 

rockfish. 

Central GOA Rockfish Program 

The Central GOA Rockfish Pilot 

Program expired December 31, 2011. 

For that reason, NMFS did not include 

2012 allocations to the Rockfish Pilot 

Program in the final 2011 and 2012 

harvest specifications for groundfish (76 

FR 11111, March 1, 2011). A final rule 

to implement Amendment 88 to the 

GOA FMP, the Central GOA Rockfish 

Program (Rockfish Program), was 

published on December 27, 2011 (76 FR 

81248), and is effective December 27, 

2011, through December 31, 2021. The 

Rockfish Program allocates exclusive 

harvest privileges to a select group of 

License Limitation Program (LLP) 

license holders who used trawl gear to 

target Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf 

rockfish, and northern rockfish during 

specific qualifying years. This final rule 

includes allocations and 

apportionments of Rockfish Program 

species, as discussed in the proposed 

2012 and 2013 harvest specifications (76 

FR 79620, December 22, 2011). 

Other Actions Affecting Prohibited 

Species Catch (PSC) in the GOA 

Amendment 93 to Limit Bycatch of 

Chinook Salmon in the Western and 

Central GOA Pollock Fisheries 

NMFS has submitted Amendment 93 

to the FMP for review by the Secretary. 

NMFS published a proposed rule to 

implement Amendment 93 on December 

14, 2011 (76 FR 77757), with comments 

on the proposed rule invited through 

January 30, 2012. If approved, 

Amendment 93 would establish an 

annual PSC limit of 25,000 Chinook 

salmon for the pollock fisheries in the 

Central and Western GOA, increase 

observer coverage requirements for 

vessels under 60 feet length overall until 

superseded by pending changes to the 

North Pacific Groundfish Observer 

Program, and require full retention of all 

salmon taken in the Central and 

Western GOA pollock fisheries until 

they can be counted and sampled. The 

annual 25,000 Chinook salmon PSC 

limit would be apportioned between the 

Western GOA (6,684 fish) and the 

Central GOA (18,316 fish). If 

Amendment 93 is approved and 

implemented in 2012 prior to the start 

of the pollock C season on August 25, 

2012, NMFS would establish a Chinook 

salmon PSC limit in the C and D pollock 

seasons of 5,598 fish in the Western 

GOA and 8,929 fish in the Central GOA 

in 2012. If the annual Chinook salmon 

PSC limits are reached in either 

reporting area, directed fishing for 

pollock in the applicable reporting area 

would be closed for the remainder of the 

fishing year. 

Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits 

Revisions 

At its October 2011 meeting, the 

Council decided to pursue possible 

revisions to the GOA halibut PSC limits 

through an FMP amendment and an 

associated regulatory amendment. The 

alternatives being analyzed include no 

change, and reductions of 5, 10, or 15 

percent of the current halibut PSC limits 

apportioned between trawl gear and 

hook-and-line gear. Apportionment of 

trawl PSC limits between the deepwater and shallow-water complexes, 

limits for non-exempt American 

Fisheries Act (AFA) CVs (CVs) using 

trawl gear, Rockfish Program halibut 

PSC limits for the catcher/processor (C/ 

P) and CV sectors, and halibut PSC 

limits for Amendment 80 Program 

vessels could be affected. The Council 

intends to schedule initial review and 

final action for the proposed 

amendment during 2012 for 

implementation, pending approval by 

the Secretary, in 2013. 

Changes From the Proposed 2012 and 

2013 Harvest Specifications in the GOA 

In October 2011, the Council’s 

recommendations for the proposed 2012 

and 2013 harvest specifications (76 FR 

79620, December 22, 2011) were based 

largely upon information contained in 

the final 2010 SAFE report for the GOA 

groundfish fisheries, dated November 

2010 (see ADDRESSES). The Council 

proposed that the final OFLs, ABCs, and 

TACs established for the 2012 

groundfish fisheries (76 FR 11111, 

March 1, 2011) be used for the proposed 

2012 and 2013 harvest specifications, 

pending completion and review of the 

2011 SAFE report at its December 2011 

meeting. 

As described previously, the SSC 

adopted the final 2012 and 2013 OFLs 

and ABCs recommended by the Plan 

Team, with the exception of the 

combined ABC for ‘‘other rockfish’’ in 

the Central and Western GOA. The 

Council adopted the SSC’s OFL and 

ABC recommendations and the AP’s 

TAC recommendations for 2012 and 

2013. The final 2012 ABCs are higher 

than the 2012 ABCs published in the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications (76 FR 79620, December 

22, 2011) for Pacific cod, sablefish, rex 

sole, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific ocean 

perch, northern rockfish, shortraker 

rockfish, ‘‘other rockfish,’’ pelagic shelf 

rockfish, big skate, octopuses, and 

sculpins. The final 2012 ABCs are lower 

than the proposed 2012 ABCs for 

pollock, shallow-water flatfish, deepwater flatfish, flathead sole, rougheye 

rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, longnose skate, 

‘‘other skates,’’ and sharks. The final 

2013 ABCs are higher than the proposed 

2013 ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, 

sablefish, rex sole, arrowtooth flounder, 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15197 

Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, ‘‘other rockfish,’’ 

pelagic shelf rockfish, big skate, 

octopuses, and sculpins. The final 2013 

ABCs are lower than the proposed 2013 

ABCs for shallow-water flatfish, deepwater flatfish, flathead sole, rougheye 

rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, longnose skate, 

‘‘other skates,’’ and sharks. For the 

remaining target species, Atka mackerel 

and squids, the Council recommended, 

and the Secretary approved, final 2012 

and 2013 ABCs that are the same as the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 ABCs. 

Additional information explaining the 

changes between the proposed and final 

ABCs is included in the final 2011 

SAFE report, which was not available 

when the Council made its proposed 

ABC and TAC recommendations in 

October 2011. At that time, the most 

recent stock assessment information was 

contained in the final 2010 SAFE report. 

The final 2011 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 final 2011 

SAFE report in December 2011 when it 

made recommendations for the final 

2012 and 2013 harvest specifications. 

The Council’s final 2012 and 2013 TAC 

recommendations increase fishing 

opportunities for species for which the 

Council had sufficient information to 

raise TACs. Conversely, the Council 

reduced TACs to limit directed fishing 

for some species. In the GOA, the total 

final 2012 TAC amount is 438,159 mt, 

a decrease of 25 percent from the total 

proposed 2012 TAC amount of 584,440 

mt. The total final 2013 TAC amount is 

447,752 mt, a decrease of 23 percent 

from the total proposed 2013 TAC 

amount of 584,440 mt. 

Based on changes to the assessment 

method used by the stock assessment 

scientists, the greatest TAC increases are 

for Pacific cod and northern rockfish. 

Based on changes in the estimates of 

overall biomass, the greatest TAC 

increases were for sablefish, shortraker 

rockfish, pelagic shelf rockfish, big 

skates, and octopuses. Based upon 

Council recommended changes in 

setting the TACs at amounts below 

ABCs the greatest decreases in TACs 

were for shallow-water flatfish, 

arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, and 

‘‘other rockfish.’’ The Council believed, 

and NMFS concurs, that setting TACs 

for these species equal to ABCs would 

not reflect anticipated harvest levels 

accurately, as the Council and NMFS 

expect halibut PSC limits to constrain 

these fisheries in both 2012 and 2013. 

However, the final TACs for these 

species are increased significantly from 

the final 2011 amounts to provide for 

greater harvest opportunities. 

Based upon changes in the estimates 

of biomass by stock assessment 

scientists, the greatest decreases in 

TACs are for deep-water flatfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, and longnose 

skates. For all other species and species 

groups, changes from the proposed to 

the final TACs are within plus or minus 

five percent of the proposed TACs. 

These TAC changes corresponded 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 2011 SAFE report. 

The final TACs are based on the best 

scientific information available. These 

TACs are specified in compliance with 

the harvest strategy described in both 

the proposed and final rules for the 

2012 and 2013 harvest specifications. 

The changes in TACs between the 

proposed and this final rule are 

compared in the following table. 

COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2012 AND 2013 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS

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

Species 

2012 and 

2013 

proposed TAC 

2012 

Final TAC 

Difference 

between 2012 

proposed and 

final 

Percentage 

difference 

2013 

Final TAC 

Difference 

between 2013 

proposed and 

final 

Percentage 

difference 

Principle 

reason for 

difference 

Pollock ........................ 121,649 116,444 ¥5,205 ¥4 125,334 3,685 +3 Biomass.1

Pacific cod .................. 58,650 65,700 7,050 +12 68,250 9,600 +16 Model.2

Sablefish ..................... 10,345 12,960 2,615 +25 12,794 2,449 +24 Biomass. 

Shallow-water flatfish 56,242 37,029 ¥19,213 ¥34 36,550 ¥19,692 ¥35 TAC adjustment.3

Deep-water flatfish ..... 6,486 5,126 ¥1,360 ¥21 5,126 ¥1,360 ¥21 Biomass. 

Rex sole ..................... 9,396 9,612 216 +2 9,432 36 0 Biomass. 

Arrowtooth flounder .... 211,027 103,300 ¥107,727 ¥51 103,300 ¥107,727 ¥51 TAC adjustment. 

Flathead sole .............. 50,591 30,319 ¥20,272 ¥40 30,408 ¥20,183 ¥40 TAC adjustment. 

Pacific ocean perch .... 16,187 16,918 731 +5 16,500 313 +2 Biomass. 

Northern rockfish ........ 4,614 5,507 893 +19 5,153 539 +12 Model. 

Shortraker rockfish ..... 914 1,081 167 +18 1,081 167 +18 Biomass. 

Other rockfish ............. 3,842 1,080 ¥2,762 ¥72 1,080 ¥2,762 ¥72 TAC adjustment. 

Pelagic shelf rockfish 4,347 5,118 771 +18 4,762 415 +10 Biomass. 

Rougheye rockfish ...... 1,312 1,223 ¥89 ¥7 1,240 ¥72 ¥5 Biomass. 

Demersal shelf rockfish.300 293 ¥7 ¥2 293 ¥7 ¥2 Biomass. 

Thornyhead rockfish ... 1,770 1,665 ¥105 ¥6 1,665 ¥105 ¥6 Biomass. 

Atka mackerel ............. 4,700 2,000 ¥2,700 ¥57 2,000 ¥2,700 ¥57 TAC adjustment. 

Big skate ..................... 3,328 3,767 439 +13 3,767 439 +13 Biomass. 

Longnose skates ........ 2,852 2,625 ¥227 ¥8 2,625 ¥227 ¥8 Biomass. 

Other skates ............... 2,093 2,030 ¥63 ¥3 2,030 ¥63 ¥3 Biomass. 

Squids ......................... 1,148 1,148 0 0 1,148 0 0 n/a. 

Sharks ........................ 6,197 6,028 ¥169 ¥3 6,028 ¥169 ¥3 Biomass. 

Octopuses .................. 954 1,455 501 +53 1,455 501 +53 Biomass. 

Sculpins ...................... 5,496 5,731 235 +4 5,731 235 +4 Biomass. 

Total .................... 584,440 438,159 ¥146,281 ¥25 447,752 ¥136,688 ¥23 

1Biomass—Change in estimate of biomass. 

2 Model—Change in assessment methodology. 

3TAC adjustment—Change in TAC to less than the ABC amount. 

The final 2012 and 2013 TAC 

recommendations 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 final the OFL, ABC, and TAC 

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15198 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

amounts for GOA groundfish for 2012 

and 2013, respectively. 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2012 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, 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 30,270 30,270 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 45,808 45,808 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 26,348 26,348 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 3,244 3,244 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) ....................................... 143,716 105,670 105,670 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 14,366 10,774 10,774 

Total ........................................................ 158,082 116,444 116,444 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 28,032 21,024 

C ..................................................................... n/a 56,940 42,705 

E ..................................................................... n/a 2,628 1,971 

Total ........................................................ 104,000 87,600 65,700 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,780 1,780 

C ..................................................................... n/a 5,760 5,760 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,247 2,247 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 3,173 3,173 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... n/a 5,420 5,420 

Total ........................................................ 15,330 12,960 12,960 

Shallow-water flatfish 6 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 21,994 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 22,910 18,000 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 4,307 4,307 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,472 1,472 

Total ........................................................ 61,681 50,683 37,029 

Deep-water flatfish 5 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 176 176 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,308 2,308 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,581 1,581 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,061 1,061 

Total ........................................................ 6,834 5,126 5,126 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,307 1,307 

C ..................................................................... n/a 6,412 6,412 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 836 836 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,057 1,057 

Total ........................................................ 12,561 9,612 9,612 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 27,495 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 143,162 75,000 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 21,159 6,900 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 21,066 6,900 

Total ........................................................ 250,100 212,882 103,300 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 15,300 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 25,838 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 4,558 4,558 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,711 1,711 

Total ........................................................ 59,380 47,407 30,319 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... 2,423 2,102 2,102 

C ..................................................................... 12,980 11,263 11,263 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,692 1,692 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,861 1,861 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... 4,095 n/a n/a 

Total ........................................................ 19,498 16,918 16,918 

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TABLE 1—FINAL 2012 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Northern rockfish 8 9 W .................................................................... n/a 2,156 2,156 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,351 3,351 

E ..................................................................... n/a 0 0 

Total ........................................................ 6,574 5,507 5,507 

Shortraker rockfish 11 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 104 104 

C ..................................................................... n/a 452 452 

E ..................................................................... n/a 525 525 

Total ........................................................ 1,441 1,081 1,081 

Other rockfish 9 12 ............................................ W .................................................................... n/a 44 44 

C ..................................................................... n/a 606 606 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 230 230 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 3,165 200 

Total ........................................................ 5,305 4,045 1,080 

Pelagic shelf rockfish 13 .................................. W .................................................................... n/a 409 409 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,849 3,849 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 542 542 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 318 318 

Total ........................................................ 6,257 5,118 5,118 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 10 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 80 80 

C ..................................................................... n/a 850 850 

E ..................................................................... n/a 293 293 

Total ........................................................ 1,472 1,223 1,223 

Demersal shelf rockfish 14 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 467 293 293 

Thornyhead rockfish ....................................... W .................................................................... n/a 150 150 

C ..................................................................... n/a 766 766 

E ..................................................................... n/a 749 749 

Total ........................................................ 2,220 1,665 1,665 

Atka mackerel ................................................. GW ................................................................. 6,200 4,700 2,000 

Big skate 15 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 469 469 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,793 1,793 

E ..................................................................... n/a 1,505 1,505 

Total ........................................................ 5,023 3,767 3,767 

Longnose skate 16 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 70 70 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,879 1,879 

E ..................................................................... n/a 676 676 

Total ........................................................ 3,500 2,625 2,625 

Other skates 17 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 2,706 2,030 2,030 

Squids ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 1,530 1,148 1,148 

Sharks ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 8,037 6,028 6,028 

Octopus ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 1,941 1,455 1,455 

Sculpins ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 7,641 5,731 5,731 

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 747,780 606,048 438,159 

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). 2Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is 

based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 23 percent, 55 percent, and 22 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 23 

percent, 67 percent, and 10 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is 

based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 37 percent, 28 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Table 3 lists the final 2012 seasonal apportionments. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, 

pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. 

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15200 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

3The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod in the Eastern Regulatory Area is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 

percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the final 2012 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments. 4Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gear in 2012. Table 7 lists the final 2012 allocations of sablefish TACs. 

5 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

6 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus. 8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the slope rockfish species group. 9 ‘‘Slope 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, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, 

S. polyspinous. 10 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). 11 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis. 12 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf 

rockfish. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District means slope rockfish. 13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes variabilis (dusky). 14 ‘‘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). 15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata. 16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 17 ‘‘Other skates’’ means Bathyraja spp. 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2013 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .......................................................... Shumagin (610) .............................................. n/a 32,816 32,816 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 49,662 49,662 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 28,565 28,565 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 3,517 3,517 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) ....................................... 155,402 114,560 114,560 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 14,366 10,774 10,774 

Total ........................................................ 169,768 125,334 125,334 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 29,120 21,840 

C ..................................................................... n/a 59,150 44,363 

E ..................................................................... n/a 2,730 2,047 

Total ........................................................ 108,000 91,000 68,250 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,757 1,757 

C ..................................................................... n/a 5,686 5,686 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,219 2,219 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 3,132 3,132 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... n/a 5,351 5,351 

Total ........................................................ 15,129 12,794 12,794 

Shallow-water flatfish 6 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 20,171 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 21,012 18,000 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 3,950 3,950 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,350 1,350 

Total ........................................................ 56,781 46,483 36,550 

Deep-water flatfish 5 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 176 176 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,308 2,308 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,581 1,581 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,061 1,061 

Total ........................................................ 6,834 5,126 5,126 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,283 1,283 

C ..................................................................... n/a 6,291 6,291 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 821 821 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,037 1,037 

Total ........................................................ 12,326 9,432 9,432 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 27,386 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 142,591 75,000 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 21,074 6,900 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15201 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2013 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area1 OFL ABC TAC 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 20,982 6,900 

Total ........................................................ 249,066 212,033 103,300 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 15,518 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 26,205 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 4,623 4,623 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,735 1,735 

Total ........................................................ 60,219 48,081 30,408 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... 2,364 2,050 2,050 

C ..................................................................... 12,662 10,985 10,985 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,650 1,650 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,815 1,815 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ......................... 3,995 n/a n/a 

Total ........................................................ 19,021 16,500 16,500 

Northern rockfish 8 9 ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 2,017 2,017 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,136 3,136 

E ..................................................................... n/a 0 0 

Total ........................................................ 6,152 5,153 5,153 

Shortraker rockfish 11 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 104 104 

C ..................................................................... n/a 452 452 

E ..................................................................... n/a 525 525 

Total ........................................................ 1,441 1,081 1,081 

Other rockfish 9 12 ............................................ W .................................................................... n/a 44 44 

C ..................................................................... n/a 606 606 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 230 230 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 3,165 200 

Total ........................................................ 5,305 4,045 1,080 

Pelagic shelf rockfish) 13 ................................. W .................................................................... n/a 381 381 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,581 3,581 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 504 504 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 296 296 

Total ........................................................ 5,822 4,762 4,762 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 10 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 82 82 

C ..................................................................... n/a 861 861 

E ..................................................................... n/a 297 297 

Total ........................................................ 1,492 1,240 1,240 

Demersal shelf rockfish 14 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 467 293 293 

Thornyhead rockfish ....................................... W .................................................................... n/a 150 150 

C ..................................................................... n/a 766 766 

E ..................................................................... n/a 749 749 

Total ........................................................ 2,220 1,665 1,665 

Atka mackerel ................................................. GW ................................................................. 6,200 4,700 2,000 

Big skate 15 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 469 469 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,793 1,793 

E ..................................................................... n/a 1,505 1,505 

Total ........................................................ 5,023 3,767 3,767 

Longnose skate 16 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 70 70 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,879 1,879 

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15202 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2013 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area1 OFL ABC TAC 

E ..................................................................... n/a 676 676 

Total ........................................................ 3,500 2,625 2,625 

Other skates 17 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 2,706 2,030 2,030 

Squids ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 1,530 1,148 1,148 

Sharks ............................................................. GW ................................................................. 8,037 6,028 6,028 

Octopus ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 1,941 1,455 1,455 

Sculpins ........................................................... GW ................................................................. 7,641 5,731 5,731 

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 756,621 612,506 447,752 

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). 2Pollock is apportioned in the Western/Central Regulatory Areas among three statistical areas. During the A season, the apportionment is 

based on an adjusted estimate of the relative distribution of pollock biomass of approximately 23 percent, 55 percent, and 22 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the B season, the apportionment is based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 23 

percent, 67 percent, and 10 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. During the C and D seasons, the apportionment is 

based on the relative distribution of pollock biomass at 37 percent, 28 percent, and 35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630, respectively. Table 4 lists the final 2013 seasonal apportionments. In the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, 

pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances. 3The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod in the Eastern Regulatory Area is allocated 90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 

percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 6 lists the final 2013 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments. 4Sablefish is only allocated to trawl gear for 2013. Table 8 lists the final 2013 allocation of sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 

5 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deep sea sole. 

6 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 7 ‘‘Pacific ocean perch’’ means Sebastes alutus. 8 ‘‘Northern rockfish’’ means Sebastes polyspinous. For management purposes the 2 mt apportionment of ABC to the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the slope rockfish species group. 9 ‘‘Slope 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, slope rockfish also includes northern rockfish, 

S. polyspinous. 10 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). 11 ‘‘Shortraker rockfish’’ means Sebastes borealis. 12 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means slope rockfish and demersal shelf 

rockfish. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District means slope rockfish. 13 ‘‘Pelagic shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes variabilis (dusky). 14 ‘‘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). 15 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Raja binoculata. 16 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 17 ‘‘Other skates’’ means Bathyraja spp. 

Apportionment of Reserves 

Section 679.20(b)(2) requires NMFS to 

set aside 20 percent of each TAC for 

pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, squids, 

sharks, octopuses, and sculpins in 

reserves for possible apportionment at a 

later date during the fishing year. For 

2012 and 2013, NMFS proposed 

reapportionment of all the reserves in 

the proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications published in the Federal 

Register on December 22, 2011 (76 FR 

79620). NMFS did not receive any 

public comments on the proposed 

reapportionments. For the final 2012 

and 2013 harvest specifications, NMFS 

reapportioned, as proposed, all the 

reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, 

squids, sharks, octopuses, and sculpins. 

The TAC amounts shown in Tables 1 

and 2 reflect reapportionment of reserve 

amounts for these species and species 

groups. 

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. Pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the annual pollock 

TAC specified for the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 

apportioned into four equal seasonal 

allowances of 25 percent. As established 

by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, 

B, C, and D season allowances are 

available from January 20 to March 10, 

March 10 to May 31, August 25 to 

October 1, and October 1 to November 

1, respectively. 

Pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630, pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). In the A and B 

seasons, the apportionments are in 

proportion to the distribution of pollock 

biomass based on the four most recent 

NMFS winter surveys. In the C and D 

seasons, the apportionments are in 

proportion to the distribution of pollock 

biomass based on the four most recent 

NMFS summer surveys. However, for 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15203 

2012 and 2013, the Council 

recommends, and NMFS approves, 

averaging the winter and summer 

distribution of pollock in the Central 

Regulatory Area for the A season and 

not the distribution based on the winter 

surveys. The average is intended to 

reflect the migration patterns and 

distribution of pollock, and the 

performance of the fishery, in that area 

during the A season for the 2012 and 

2013 fishing years. During the A season, 

the apportionment is based on an 

adjusted estimate of the relative 

distribution of pollock biomass of 

approximately 23 percent, 55 percent, 

and 22 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 

620, and 630, respectively. During the B 

season, the apportionment is based on 

the relative distribution of pollock 

biomass at 23 percent, 67 percent, and 

10 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, 

and 630, respectively. During the C and 

D seasons, the apportionment is based 

on the relative distribution of pollock 

biomass at 37 percent, 28 percent, and 

35 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, 

and 630, respectively. 

Within any fishing year, the amount 

by which a seasonal allowance is 

underharvested or overharvested may be 

added to, or subtracted from, 

subsequent seasonal allowances 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 

unharvested seasonal 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 

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

in the WYK and SEO District of 3,244 

mt and 10,774 mt, respectively, in 2012, 

and 3,517 mt and 10,774 mt, 

respectively, in 2013, are not allocated 

by season. 

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

allocation of 100 percent of the pollock 

TAC in all regulatory areas and all 

seasonal allowances to vessels catching 

pollock for processing by the inshore 

component after subtraction of 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. 

Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2012 and 

2013 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. 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2012 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA; 

SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.01] 

Season1 Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total 2

A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ................................... 5,797 (22.64%) 14,023 (54.76%) 5,787 (22.60%) 25,607 

B (Mar 10–May 31) .................................. 5,797 (22.64%) 17,221 (67.25%) 2,589 (10.11%) 25,607 

C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ..................................... 9,338 (36.47%) 7,282 (28.44%) 8,986 (35.10%) 25,606 

D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ....................................... 9,338 (36.47%) 7,282 (28.44%) 8,986 (35.10%) 25,606 

Annual Total ...................................... 32,070 .................... 45,808 .................... 26,348 .................... 102,426 

1As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 

to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 2The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2013 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA; 

SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.01] 

Season1 Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total 2

A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ................................... 6,285 (22.64%) 15,202 (54.76%) 6,274 (22.60%) 27,761 

B (Mar 10–May 31) .................................. 6,285 (22.64%) 18,668 (67.25%) 2,806 (10.11%) 27,760 

C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ..................................... 10,123 (36.47%) 7,896 (28.44%) 9,743 (35.10%) 27,761 

D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ....................................... 10,123 (36.47%) 7,896 (28.44%) 9,743 (35.10%) 27,761 

Annual Total ...................................... 32,816 .................... 49,662 .................... 28,565 .................... 111,043 

1As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 

to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 2The WYK and SEO 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 

NMFS published a final rule to 

implement Amendment 83 to the FMP 

on December 1, 2011 (76 FR 74670), 

effective January 1, 2012. Amendment 

83 allocates the Western and Central 

GOA Pacific cod TACs among gear and 

operational sectors, based on each 

sector’s catch history. Amendment 83 

also limits access to the Federal Pacific 

cod TAC fisheries prosecuted in State 

waters, known as parallel fisheries, 

adjacent to the Western and Central 

GOA. Based on the restructuring of the 

GOA Pacific cod fisheries under 

Amendment 83, NMFS makes final 

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allocations of the annual Pacific cod 

TAC seasonally between the inshore 

and offshore components in the Eastern 

GOA, among vessels using jig gear, CVs 

less than 50 feet (15.2 m) in length 

overall using hook-and-line gear, CVs 

equal to or greater than 50 feet (15.2 m) 

in length overall using hook-and-line 

gear, C/Ps using hook-and-line gear, CVs 

using trawl gear, C/Ps using trawl gear, 

and vessels using pot gear in the Central 

GOA, and among vessels using jig gear, 

CVs using hook-and-line gear, C/Ps 

using hook-and-line gear, CVs using 

trawl gear, C/Ps using trawl gear, and 

vessels using pot gear in the Western 

GOA. 

NMFS may also apply any overage or 

underage of Pacific cod harvest by each 

sector from the A season to the B 

season. Under § 679.20(a)(12)(ii), any 

overage or underage of the Pacific cod 

allowance from the A season will 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 are determined by NMFS as likely 

to go unharvested by a sector may be 

reapportioned to other sectors for 

harvest during the remainder of the 

fishery year. 

NMFS calculated the final 2012 and 

2013 Pacific cod TAC allocations as 

follows. First, the jig sector receives 1.5 

percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC 

in the Western GOA and 1.0 percent of 

the annual Pacific cod TAC in the 

Central GOA, as required by 

§ 679.20(c)(7). The jig sector annual 

allocation is further apportioned 

between the A (60 percent) and B (40 

percent) seasons as required by 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(i). Should the jig sector 

harvest 90 percent or more of its 

allocation in an area during a fishing 

year, then this allocation would increase 

by 1 percent in the subsequent fishing 

year, up to 6 percent of the annual TAC. 

NMFS allocates the remainder of the 

annual Pacific cod TAC based on gear 

type, operation type, and vessel length 

overall in the Western and Central GOA 

seasonally as required by 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(A) and (B). Tables 5 and 

6 list the seasonal apportionments and 

allocations of the final 2012 and 2013 

Pacific cod TACs. 

TABLE 5—FINAL 2012 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages to the nearest 0.01. Seasonal allowances may not total precisely to annual 

allocation amount] 

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 (1.5% of TAC) ................................................................ 315 N/A 189 N/A 126 

Hook-and-line CV ................................................................. 290 0.70 145 0.70 145 

Hook-and-line C/P ................................................................ 4,100 10.90 2,257 8.90 1,843 

Trawl CV .............................................................................. 7,952 27.70 5,736 10.70 2,216 

Trawl C/P ............................................................................. 497 0.90 186 1.50 311 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ....................................................... 7,869 19.80 4,100 18.20 3,769 

Total .............................................................................. 21,024 60.00 12,614 40.00 8,410 

Central GOA 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ................................................................ 427 N/A 256 N/A 171 

Hook-and-line <50 CV ......................................................... 6,174 9.32 3,938 5.29 2,235 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV ......................................................... 2,835 5.61 2,372 1.10 464 

Hook-and-line C/P ................................................................ 2,158 4.11 1,736 1.00 422 

Trawl CV .............................................................................. 17,581 21.14 8,936 20.45 8,645 

Trawl C/P ............................................................................. 1,775 2.00 847 2.19 928 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ....................................................... 11,755 17.83 7,538 9.97 4,217 

Total .............................................................................. 42,705 60.00 25,623 40.00 17,082 

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

1,971 ........................ 1,774 ........................ 197 

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TABLE 6—FINAL 2013 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages to the nearest 0.01. Seasonal allowances may not total precisely to annual 

allocation amount] 

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 (1.5% of TAC) ................................................................ 328 N/A 197 N/A 131 

Hook-and-line CV ................................................................. 301 0.70 151 0.70 151 

Hook-and-line C/P ................................................................ 4,259 10.90 2,345 8.90 1,915 

Trawl CV .............................................................................. 8,261 27.70 5,959 10.70 2,302 

Trawl C/P ............................................................................. 516 0.90 194 1.50 323 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ....................................................... 8,175 19.80 4,259 18.20 3,915 

Total .............................................................................. 21,840 60.00 13,104 40.00 8,736 

Central GOA 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ................................................................ 444 N/A 266 N/A 177 

Hook-and-line <50 CV ......................................................... 6,413 9.32 4,091 5.29 2,322 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV ......................................................... 2,946 5.61 2,464 1.10 482 

Hook-and-line C/P ................................................................ 2,242 4.11 1,804 1.00 438 

Trawl CV .............................................................................. 18,263 21.14 9,282 20.45 8,981 

Trawl C/P ............................................................................. 1,844 2.00 880 2.19 964 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ....................................................... 12,212 17.83 7,831 9.97 4,381 

Total .............................................................................. 44,363 60.00 26,618 40.00 17,745 

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

2,047 ........................ 1,842 ........................ 205 

Allocations of the Sablefish TACs 

Section 679.20(a)(4)(i) and (ii) require 

allocations of sablefish TACs for each of 

the regulatory areas and districts to 

hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 

80 percent of each TAC is allocated to 

hook-and-line 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 hook-and-line 

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 in directed fisheries for other 

target species (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). 

In recognition of the prohibition 

against trawling in the SEO District of 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council 

recommended allocating 5 percent of 

the combined Eastern Regulatory Area 

sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the WYK 

District and making the remainder of the 

WYK sablefish TAC available to vessels 

using hook-and-line gear. NMFS 

concurs with the Council’s 

recommendation, and, as a result, 

allocates 100 percent of the sablefish 

TAC in the SEO District to vessels using 

hook-and-line gear. This 

recommendation results in a 2012 

allocation of 271 mt to trawl gear and 

1,976 mt to hook-and-line gear in the 

WYK District, a 2012 allocation of 3,173 

mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO 

District, and a 2013 allocation of 268 mt 

to trawl gear in the WYK District. Table 

7 lists the allocations of the 2012 

sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and 

trawl gear. Table 8 lists the allocations 

of the 2013 sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 

The Council recommended that the 

hook-and-line sablefish TAC be 

established annually to ensure that this 

Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) fishery 

is conducted concurrent with the 

halibut IFQ fishery and is based on 

recent sablefish survey information. The 

Council also recommended that only 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. 

However, since there is an annual 

assessment for sablefish and the final 

harvest specifications are expected to be 

published before the IFQ season begins 

(typically, early March), the Council 

recommended that the hook-and-line 

sablefish TAC be set on an annual basis, 

rather than for two years, so that the 

best scientific information available 

could be considered in establishing the 

sablefish ABCs and TACs. Also, because 

sablefish is closed for directed fishing 

for trawl gear during the entire fishing 

year (except for vessels with Rockfish 

Program cooperative allocations) and 

fishing for groundfish is prohibited 

prior to January 20, it is not likely that 

the trawl allocation of sablefish 

established by the final 2011 and 2012 

harvest specifications would be reached 

before the effective date of the final 

2012 and 2013 harvest specifications. 

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TABLE 7—FINAL 2012 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA AND ALLOCATIONS TO HOOK-AND-LINE AND TRAWL

GEAR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Hook-and-line 

allocation Trawl allocation 

Western ...................................................................................................................... 1,780 1,424 356 

Central ....................................................................................................................... 5,760 4,608 1,152 

West Yakutat 1 ........................................................................................................... 2,247 1,976 271 

Southeast Outside ..................................................................................................... 3,173 3,173 0 

Total .................................................................................................................... 12,960 11,181 1,779 

1The trawl allocation is based on allocating five percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside combined) sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

TABLE 8—FINAL 2013 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR 1

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Hook-and-line 

allocation Trawl allocation 

Western ...................................................................................................................... 1,757 n/a 351 

Central ....................................................................................................................... 5,686 n/a 1,137 

West Yakutat 2 ........................................................................................................... 2,219 n/a 268 

Southeast Outside ..................................................................................................... 3,132 n/a 0 

Total .................................................................................................................... 12,794 n/a 1,756 

1The Council recommended that harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries be limited to one 

year. 2The trawl allocation is based on allocating five percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside combined) sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR) 

The recommended 2012 and 2013 

DSR TAC is 293 mt. Management of 

DSR is delegated to the State. In 2006, 

the Alaska Board of Fish allocated 

future SEO District DSR TACs between 

the commercial fishery (84 percent) and 

the sport fishery (16 percent) after 

deductions were made for anticipated 

subsistence harvests (8 mt). This results 

in 2012 and 2013 allocations of 239 mt 

to the commercial fishery and 46 mt to 

the sport fishery. The State deducts 

estimates of incidental catch of DSR in 

the commercial halibut fishery and test 

fishery mortality from the DSR 

commercial fishery allocation. In 2011, 

this resulted in 89 mt being available for 

the directed commercial DSR fishery 

apportioned between four outer coast 

areas. Only one of these areas, the South 

Southeast Outside area, was open to 

directed commercial fishery with a GHL 

of 25 mt and a harvest of 22 mt. DSR 

harvest in the halibut fishery is linked 

to the annual halibut catch limits; 

therefore the State cannot estimate 

potential DSR incidental catch in that 

fishery until those quotas are 

established. Federally-permitted CVs 

using hook-and-line or jig gear fishing 

for groundfish and Pacific halibut in the 

SEO District of the GOA are required to 

retain all DSR (§ 679.20(j)). The State 

will announce the opening of directed 

fishing for DSR in 2012 in January 

following the International Pacific 

Halibut Commission’s (IPHC) January 

2012 annual meeting. 

Apportionments to the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program 

Amendment 88 to the GOA FMP 

establishes the Central GOA Rockfish 

Program (Rockfish Program). NMFS 

published a final rule to implement 

Amendment 88 on December 27, 2011 

(76 FR 81248). These final 2012 and 

2013 groundfish harvest specifications 

for the GOA includes the various fishery 

cooperative allocations and sideboard 

limitations established by the Central 

GOA Rockfish Program. Under the 

Rockfish Program, the primary rockfish 

species (Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish) are 

allocated to participants after deducting 

for incidental catch needs in other 

directed groundfish fisheries. Potential 

participants in the Rockfish Program 

include vessels in CV cooperatives, C/P 

cooperatives, and vessels in the entry 

level longline category. 

The Rockfish Program assigns quota 

share and cooperative quota to 

participants for primary and secondary 

species, allows a participant holding an 

LLP license with rockfish quota share to 

form a rockfish cooperative with other 

persons, and allows holders of C/P 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. 

Additionally, the Rockfish Program 

continues to establish sideboard limits 

to limit the ability of harvesters 

operating under the Rockfish Program 

from increasing their participation in 

other, non-Rockfish Program fisheries. 

Additionally, the Rockfish Program 

allocates a portion of the halibut PSC 

limit from the third season deep-water 

species fishery allowance for the GOA 

trawl fisheries to Rockfish Program 

participants (§ 679.81(d)). This includes 

117 mt to the CV sector and 74 mt to 

the C/P sector. It also would 

permanently retire 27 mt (values are 

rounded to the nearest metric ton) of the 

halibut PSC limit from being allocated 

to any fishery. 

NMFS initially allocates 5 mt of 

Pacific ocean perch, 5 mt of northern 

rockfish, and 30 mt of PSR to the entry 

level longline fishery in 2012 and 2013. 

The remainder of the TACs for the 

primary rockfish species are allocated to 

the CV and C/P cooperatives. The 

allocation for the entry level longline 

fishery would increase incrementally 

each year if the sector harvests 90 

percent or more of the allocation of a 

species. The incremental increase 

would continue each year until it 

reaches the cap set for the maximum 

percent of the entry level allocation for 

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that species in accordance with Table 

28e to part 679. Table 9 lists the initial 

2012 and 2013 allocations for each 

rockfish primary species to the entry 

level longline fishery, the incremental 

increase for future years, and the cap for 

the entry level longline fishery. 

TABLE 9—INITIAL 2012 AND 2013 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY IN THE CENTRAL

GULF OF ALASKA

Rockfish primary species 2012 and 2013 allocations 

Incremental increase per 

season if ≥90% of 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 

Pelagic shelf rockfish .................................................... 30 metric tons ............................ 20 metric tons ............................ 5 

The Rockfish Program allocates 

primary rockfish species among various 

components of the Rockfish Program. 

Tables 10 and 11 list the final 2012 and 

2013 allocations of rockfish in the 

Central GOA to longline gear in the 

entry level rockfish fishery and other 

participants in the Rockfish Program, 

which include CV and C/P cooperatives. 

NMFS is also setting aside incidental 

catch amounts (ICAs) of 900 mt of 

Pacific ocean perch, 125 mt of northern 

rockfish, and 125 mt of pelagic shelf 

rockfish for other directed fisheries in 

the Central GOA. These amounts are 

based on recent average incidental 

catches in the Central GOA by other 

groundfish fisheries. Allocations 

between vessels belonging to CV or 

C/P cooperatives are not included in 

these final harvest specifications. 

Rockfish Program applications for CV 

cooperatives, C/P cooperatives, and 

C/Ps electing to opt-out of the program 

are not due to NMFS until March 1 of 

each calendar year. Therefore, NMFS 

cannot calculate the 2012 and 2013 

allocations in conjunction with these 

final harvest specifications. NMFS will 

post these allocations on the Alaska 

Region Web site at (http:// 

alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ 

sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm) 

when they become available in March. 

TABLE 10—FINAL 2012 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species TAC Incidental catch 

allowance TAC minus ICA 

Allocation to the 

entry level 

longline 1 fishery 

Allocation to 

other participants 

in the Rockfish 

Program 2

Pacific ocean perch ......................................... 11,263 900 10,363 5 10,358 

Northern rockfish .............................................. 3,351 125 3,226 5 3,221 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................................... 3,849 125 3,724 30 3,694 

Total .......................................................... 18,463 1,000 17,463 40 17,423 

1 Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear. 

2Other participants in the Rockfish Program include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives. 

TABLE 11—FINAL 2013 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species TAC Incidental catch 

allowance TAC minus ICA 

Allocation to the 

entry level 

longline 1 fishery 

Allocation to 

other participants 

in the Rockfish 

Program 2

Pacific ocean perch ......................................... 10,985 900 10,235 5 10,230 

Northern rockfish .............................................. 3,136 125 3,011 5 3,006 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................................... 3,581 125 3,456 30 3,426 

Total .......................................................... 17,702 1,000 16,702 40 16,662 

1 Longline gear includes hook-and-line, jig, troll, and handline gear. 

2Other participants in the Rockfish Program include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives. 

Under Amendment 88, NMFS also 

allocates secondary species to 

cooperatives in the Rockfish Program 

(§ 679.81(c)). These species include 

sablefish from the trawl gear allocation, 

thornyhead rockfish, Pacific cod for the 

CV cooperatives, and rougheye and 

shortraker rockfish for the C/P 

cooperatives. Tables 12 and 13 list the 

final 2012 and 2013 apportionments of 

rockfish secondary species in the 

Central GOA to CV and C/P 

cooperatives. 

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TABLE 12—FINAL 2012 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Annual central 

GOA TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/Processor cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ........................................................ 42,705 3.81 1,627 N/A N/A 

Sablefish .......................................................... 5,760 6.78 391 3.51 202 

Shortraker rockfish ........................................... 452 N/A N/A 40.00 181 

Rougheye rockfish ........................................... 850 N/A N/A 58.87 500 

Thornyhead rockfish ........................................ 766 7.84 60 26.50 203 

TABLE 13—FINAL 2013 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Annual central 

GOA TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/processor cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ........................................................ 44,363 3.81 1,690 N/A N/A 

Sablefish .......................................................... 5,686 6.78 386 3.51 200 

Shortraker rockfish ........................................... 452 N/A N/A 40.00 181 

Rougheye rockfish ........................................... 861 N/A N/A 58.87 507 

Thornyhead rockfish ........................................ 766 7.84 60 26.50 203 

Halibut PSC Limits 

Section 679.21(d) establishes the 

annual halibut PSC limit 

apportionments to trawl and hook-andline gear and authorizes the 

establishment of apportionments for pot 

gear. In December 2011, the Council 

recommended that NMFS maintain the 

2012 halibut PSC limits of 2,000 mt for 

the trawl fisheries and 300 mt for the 

hook-and-line fisheries for the 2012 and 

2013 groundfish fisheries. Ten mt of the 

hook-and-line limit is further allocated 

to the DSR fishery in the SEO District. 

The DSR fishery is defined at 

§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(A). This fishery has 

been apportioned 10 mt in recognition 

of its small-scale harvests. Most vessels 

in the DSR fishery are less than 60 ft 

(18.3 m) length overall and are exempt 

from observer coverage. Therefore, 

observer data are not available to verify 

actual bycatch amounts. 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 less overlap 

occurs in the distribution of DSR and 

halibut; and (3) the directed commercial 

DSR fishery has a low DSR TAC. Of the 

300 mt TAC for DSR in 2011, 89 mt was 

available for the commercial fishery, of 

which 22 mt were harvested. 

The FMP authorizes the Council to 

exempt specific gear from the halibut 

PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation 

with the Council, exempts pot gear, jig 

gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-andline gear fishery from the non-trawl 

halibut limit for 2012 and 2013. The 

Council recommended, and NMFS 

approves, these exemptions because (1) 

the pot gear fisheries have low annual 

halibut bycatch mortality (averaging 22 

mt annually from 2002 through 2011); 

(2) IFQ program regulations prohibit 

discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ 

permit holder on board a catcher vessel 

holds unused halibut IFQ 

(§ 679.7(f)(11)); (3) sablefish IFQ 

fishermen typically 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. NMFS estimates 

that halibut mortality is negligible in the 

jig gear fisheries given the small amount 

of groundfish harvested by jig gear 

(averaging 297 mt annually from 2003 

through 2011), the selective nature of jig 

gear, and the high survival rates of 

halibut caught (and subsequently 

released) with jig gear. 

Section 679.21(d)(5) authorizes NMFS 

to seasonally apportion the halibut PSC 

limits after consultation with the 

Council. The FMP and regulations 

require the Council and NMFS to 

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 

obtained the information it considered 

when setting the halibut PSC limits 

from the 2011 SAFE report, NMFS catch 

data, State of Alaska catch data, IPHC 

stock assessment and mortality data, 

and public testimony. 

NMFS concurs in the Council’s 

recommendations listed in Table 14, 

which shows the final 2012 and 2013 

Pacific halibut PSC limits, allowances, 

and apportionments. Sections 

679.21(d)(5)(iii) and (iv) specify that any 

underages or overages of a seasonal 

apportionment of a PSC limit will be 

deducted from or added to the next 

respective seasonal apportionment 

within the fishing year. 

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TABLE 14—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 PACIFIC HALIBUT 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 .......... 27 .5 550 January 1–June 10 ......... 86 250 January 1–December 31 10 

April 1–July 1 .................. 20 400 June 10–September 1 .... 2 5 

July 1–September 1 ........ 30 600 September 1–December 

31.

12 35 

September 1–October 1 .. 7 .5 150 

October 1–December 31 15 300 

Total ......................... .................. 2,000 ......................................... ................ 290 ......................................... 10 

1The Pacific halibut PSC limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and fisheries other than DSR. 

The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits, as are pot and jig gear for all groundfish fisheries. 

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

further apportionment of the trawl 

halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery 

categories. 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 deep-water species 

fishery, composed of sablefish, rockfish, 

deep-water flatfish, rex sole, and 

arrowtooth flounder; and (2) a shallowwater species fishery, composed of 

pollock, Pacific cod, shallow-water 

flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel, 

skates, and ‘‘other species’’ 

(§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Table 15 lists the 

final 2012 and 2013 apportionments of 

Pacific halibut PSC trawl limits between 

the trawl gear deep-water and the 

shallow-water species fisheries. 

TABLE 15—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL GEAR

DEEP-WATER SPECIES FISHERY AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES FISHERY

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

January 20–April 1 ..................................................................................................... 450 100 550 

April 1–July 1 ............................................................................................................. 100 300 400 

July 1–September 1 ................................................................................................... 200 400 600 

September 1–October 1 ............................................................................................ 150 Any remainder 150 

Subtotal January 20–October 1 ................................................................................. 900 800 1,700 

October 1–December 31 2 ......................................................................................... .............................. .............................. 300 

Total .................................................................................................................... .............................. .............................. 2,000 

1Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive a portion of the third season (July 1 through September 1) deep-water species fishery halibut PSC apportionment. This amount is not currently known, but will be posted later on the Alaska Region web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov) when it becomes available in March. 2There is no apportionment between shallow-water and deep-water trawl species fisheries during the fifth season (October 1 through December 31). 

Under Amendment 83 to the GOA 

FMP, which established Pacific cod 

sector splits, the ‘‘other than DSR’’ 

halibut PSC apportionment to vessels 

using hook-and-line gear must be 

apportioned between CVs and C/Ps (76 

FR 74670, December 1, 2011). NMFS 

must calculate the halibut PSC limit 

apportionments for the entire GOA to 

hook-and-line CVs and C/Ps in 

accordance with (§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(B)(1) 

and (2) in conjunction with these 

harvest specifications. 

A comprehensive description and 

example of the calculations necessary to 

apportion the ‘‘other than DSR’’ hookand-line halibut PSC limit between the 

hook-and-line CV and C/P sectors were 

included in the proposed rule to 

implement Amendment 83 (76 FR 

44700, July 26, 2011) and is not 

repeated here. For 2012 and 2013, 

NMFS is apportioning halibut PSC 

limits of 173 mt and 117 mt to the hookand-line CV and hook-and-line C/P 

sectors, respectively. In addition, these 

annual limits are divided into three 

seasonal apportionments, using seasonal 

percentages of 86 percent, 2 percent, 

and 12 percent. Table 16 lists the 2012 

and 2013 annual and seasonal halibut 

PSC apportionments between the hookand-line sectors in the GOA. 

No later than November 1, NMFS will 

determine whether either of the hookand-line sectors will have an unused 

amount of halibut PSC. If so, projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC will be 

made available to the other hook-andline sector for the remainder of that 

fishing year if NMFS determines that an 

additional amount of halibut PSC is 

necessary for that sector to continue its 

directed fishing operations 

(§ 679.9(d)(4)(iii)(B)(3)). 

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TABLE 16—APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERIES’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PSC 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 Percent of 

annual amount 

Sector 

annual amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

290 ................ Catcher Vessel ................... 59.7 173 January 1–June 10 ............. 86 149 

June 10–September 1 ........ 2 3 

September 1–December 31 12 21 

Catcher/Processor .............. 40.3 117 January 1–June 10 ............. 86 101 

June 10–September 1 ........ 2 2 

September 1–December 31 12 14 

The Rockfish Program requires NMFS 

to allocate a fixed amount of the deepwater species fishery’s halibut PSC third 

seasonal apportionment to participants 

in the Rockfish Program. This amount is 

based on 87.5 percent of the 2000 

through 2006 average halibut mortality 

usage of 219 mt. Of this amount, 117.3 

mt of the halibut PSC is allocated to the 

CV sector and 74.1 mt is allocated to the 

C/P sector. The remaining 12.5 percent, 

or 38 mt, would no longer be annually 

apportioned for use by fisheries using 

trawl gear in the GOA. 

Regulations implementing the 

Rockfish Program (76 FR 81248, 

December 27, 2011) limit the amount of 

the halibut PSC limit allocated to 

Rockfish Program participants that 

could be re-apportioned to the general 

GOA trawl fisheries 

(§ 679.21(d)(5)(iii)(B)). Halibut PSC limit 

reallocations to the non-Rockfish 

Program trawl fisheries from the 

Rockfish Program are limited to no more 

than 55 percent of the unused annual 

halibut PSC apportioned to Rockfish 

Program participants. The remainder of 

the unused Rockfish Program halibut 

PSC limit is unavailable for use by 

vessels directed fishing with trawl gear 

for the remainder of the fishing year. 

Estimated Halibut Bycatch in Prior 

Years 

The best available information on 

estimated halibut bycatch was data 

collected by fisheries observers during 

2011. The calculated halibut bycatch 

mortality by trawl, hook-and-line, and 

pot gear in 2011 is 1,847 mt, 240 mt, 

and 45 mt, respectively, for a total 

halibut mortality of 2,132 mt. 

Halibut bycatch restrictions 

seasonally constrained trawl gear 

fisheries during the 2011 fishing year. 

Table 17 lists the closure dates for 

fisheries that resulted from the 

attainment of seasonal or annual halibut 

PSC limits. 

TABLE 17—2011 FISHERY CLOSURES DUE TO ATTAINMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS

Fishery category Opening date Closure date Federal Register citation 

Trawl Deep-water, season 2 ........ January 20, 2011 ......................... April 22, 2011 ............................... 76 FR 23511, April 27, 2011. 

Trawl Shallow-water,1 season 4 ... September 1, 2011 ...................... September 3, 2011 ...................... 76 FR 55276, September 7, 2011. 

Trawl Shallow-water,1 season 4 ... September 14, 2011 .................... September 16, 2011 .................... 76 FR 57679, September 16, 2011. 

Trawl Shallow-water,1 season 4 ... September 20, 2011 .................... Remained open through December 31, 2011.

Hook-and-line gear, all targets 2 ... January 1, 2011 ........................... Remained open through December 31, 2011.

1With the exception of vessels participating in the Central GOA Rockfish Program and vessels fishing for pollock using pelagic trawl gear. 

2With the exception of the sablefish fishery which was open March 12, 2011, through November 18, 2011. 

Current Estimates of Halibut Biomass 

and Stock Condition 

The IPHC annually assesses the 

abundance and potential yield of the 

Pacific halibut 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 2011 Pacific halibut stock 

assessment (December 2011), available 

on the IPHC Web site at www.iphc.int. 

The IPHC considered the 2011 Pacific 

halibut assessment for 2012 at its 

January 2012 annual meeting when it 

set the 2012 commercial halibut fishery 

catch limits. 

The halibut resource is fully utilized. 

Recent catches in the commercial 

halibut fisheries in Alaska over the last 

18 years (1994 through 2011) have 

averaged 31,535 mt round weight per 

year. In January 2012, the IPHC 

recommended Alaska commercial catch 

limits totaling 15,430 mt round weight 

for 2012, a 21.5 percent decrease from 

19,662 mt in 2011. Through December 

31, 2011, commercial hook-and-line 

harvests of halibut off Alaska totaled 

19,140 mt round weight. The IPHC staff 

recommendations for commercial catch 

limits continue to be based on applying 

the Slow Up—Full Down policy of a 33 

percent increase from the previous 

year’s catch limits when stock yields are 

projected to increase, but uses a 100 

percent decrease in recommended catch 

when stock yields are projected to 

decrease, as was done for the 2011 

fishery. 

The largest decreases in the 2012 

catch limit recommendations for Alaska 

are for Area 3A, from 8,685 mt round 

weight in 2011 to 7,208 mt round 

weight in 2012; for Area 3B, from 4,542 

mt in 2011 to 3,066 mt in 2012; for Area 

4A, from 1,458 mt in 2011 to 948 mt in 

2012; for Area 4B, from 1,318 mt in 

2011 to 1,130 mt in 2012; and for 

combined Areas CDE, from 2,250 mt in 

2011 to 1,491 mt in 2012. The only 

increase in catch limit 

recommendations in Alaska is for Area 

2C, from 1,409 mt round weight in 2011 

to 1,587 mt round weight in 2012. 

For more information, see the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications (76 FR 79620, December 

22, 2011), which discusses the potential 

impacts of expected fishing for 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15211 

groundfish on halibut stocks, as well as 

methods available for reducing halibut 

bycatch in the groundfish fisheries. 

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates 

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality 

allowances and apportionments, the 

Regional Administrator uses observed 

halibut incidental catch rates, discard 

mortality rates (DMRs), and estimates of 

groundfish catch to project when a 

fishery’s halibut bycatch mortality 

allowance or seasonal apportionment is 

reached. The DMRs are based on the 

best information available, including 

information contained in the annual 

SAFE report. 

NMFS is implementing the Council’s 

recommendation that the halibut DMRs 

developed and recommended by the 

IPHC for the 2010 through 2012 GOA 

groundfish fisheries be used for 

monitoring the final 2012 and 2013 

halibut bycatch mortality allowances 

(see Tables 14 through 16). The IPHC 

developed the DMRs for the 2010 

through 2012 GOA groundfish fisheries 

using the 10-year mean DMRs for those 

fisheries. Long-term average DMRs were 

not available for some fisheries, so rates 

from the most recent years were used. 

For the squid, shark, sculpin, octopus, 

and skate fisheries, where insufficient 

mortality data are available, the 

mortality rate of halibut caught in the 

Pacific cod fishery for that gear type was 

recommended as a default rate. The 

IPHC will analyze observer data 

annually and recommend changes to the 

DMRs when a fishery DMR shows large 

variation from the mean. A discussion 

of the DMRs and their justification is 

presented in Appendix 2 to the 2009 

SAFE report (see ADDRESSES). Table 18 

lists the final 2012 and 2013 DMRs. 

These DMRs are unchanged from the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications (76 FR 79620, December 

22, 2011). In 2012, the IPHC will update 

its DMR recommendations for the 2013 

through 2015 groundfish fisheries. 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Target fishery Mortality rate 

(%) 

Hook-and-line ............................................ Other fisheries 1 ............................................................................................................ 12 

Skates .......................................................................................................................... 12 

Pacific cod .................................................................................................................... 12 

Rockfish ........................................................................................................................ 9 

Trawl ......................................................... Arrowtooth flounder ...................................................................................................... 72 

Deep-water flatfish ....................................................................................................... 48 

Flathead sole ................................................................................................................ 65

Non-pelagic pollock ...................................................................................................... 59 

Other fisheries .............................................................................................................. 62

Pacific cod .................................................................................................................... 62 

Pelagic pollock ............................................................................................................. 76 

Rex sole ....................................................................................................................... 64 

Rockfish ........................................................................................................................ 67 

Sablefish ....................................................................................................................... 65 

Shallow-water flatfish ................................................................................................... 71 

Pot ............................................................. Other fisheries .............................................................................................................. 17 

Pacific cod .................................................................................................................... 17 

1Other fisheries includes all gear types for sculpin, shark, skate, squids, octopuses, and hook-and-line sablefish. 

American Fisheries Act C/P and CV 

Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits 

Section 679.64 establishes groundfish 

harvesting and processing sideboard 

limitations on AFA C/Ps 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 C/Ps from harvesting any species 

of groundfish in the GOA. Section 

679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits listed AFA C/Ps 

from processing any pollock harvested 

in a directed pollock fishery in the GOA 

and any groundfish harvested in 

Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. 

AFA CVs that are less than 125 ft 

(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 

groundfish landings from 1995 through 

1997 are exempt from GOA 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)(iii) 

establishes the groundfish sideboard 

limitations in the GOA based on the 

retained catch of non-exempt AFA CVs 

of each sideboard species from 1995 

through 1997 divided by the TAC for 

that species over the same period. 

As provided by Amendment 83 to the 

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

NMFS has recalculated and establishes 

sideboards limitations for Pacific cod for 

the non-exempt AFA CVs in the 

Western and Central GOA that would 

supersede the inshore and offshore 

processing sideboards established under 

the AFA. The sideboard limits for other 

species would continue to be calculated 

as they have in the past, including the 

Eastern GOA Pacific cod sideboard 

limits. Tables 19 and 20 list the final 

2012 and 2013 groundfish sideboard 

limits for non-exempt AFA CVs. NMFS 

will deduct all targeted or incidental 

catch of sideboard species made by nonexempt AFA CVs from the sideboard 

limits listed in Tables 19 and 20. 

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TABLE 19—FINAL 2012 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/ 

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2012 

TACs 

Final 2012 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20— 

March 10.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 5,797 3,505 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 14,023 1,636 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 5,787 1,174 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 5,797 3,505 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 17,221 2,010 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 2,589 525 

C Season August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 9,338 5,647 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 7,282 850 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 8,986 1,822 

D Season October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 9,338 5,647 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 7,282 850 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 8,986 1,822 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.3495 3,244 1,134 

SEO (650) ............................. 0.3495 10,774 3,766 

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

10.

W .......................................... 0.1331 12,614 1,679 

C ........................................... 0.0692 25,623 1,773 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.1331 8,410 1,119 

C ........................................... 0.0692 17,082 1,182 

Annual ................................... E inshore .............................. 0.0079 1,774 14 

E offshore ............................. 0.0078 197 2 

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear ................ W .......................................... 0.0000 356 0 

C ........................................... 0.0642 1,152 74 

E ........................................... 0.0433 271 12 

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

C ........................................... 0.0587 18,000 1,057 

E ........................................... 0.0126 5,779 73 

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 176 0 

C ........................................... 0.0647 2,308 149 

E ........................................... 0.0128 2,642 34 

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0007 1,307 1 

C ........................................... 0.0384 6,412 246 

E ........................................... 0.0029 1,893 5 

Arrowtooth flounder ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0021 14,500 30 

C ........................................... 0.0280 75,000 2,100 

E ........................................... 0.0002 13,800 3 

Flathead sole ......................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0036 8,650 31 

C ........................................... 0.0213 15,400 328 

E ........................................... 0.0009 6,269 6 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0023 2,102 5 

C ........................................... 0.0748 11,263 842 

E ........................................... 0.0466 3,553 166 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0003 2,156 1 

C ........................................... 0.0277 3,351 93 

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 104 0 

C ........................................... 0.0218 452 10 

E ........................................... 0.0110 525 6 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0034 44 0 

C ........................................... 0.1699 606 103 

E ........................................... 0.0000 430 0 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0001 409 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,849 0 

E ........................................... 0.0067 860 6 

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 80 0 

C ........................................... 0.0237 850 20 

E ........................................... 0.0124 293 4 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0020 293 1 

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0280 150 4 

C ........................................... 0.0280 766 21 

E ........................................... 0.0280 749 21 

Atka mackerel ........................ Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0309 2,000 62 

Big skates .............................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0063 469 3 

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TABLE 19—FINAL 2012 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/ 

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2012 

TACs 

Final 2012 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

C ........................................... 0.0063 1,793 11 

E ........................................... 0.0063 1,505 9 

Longnose skates ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0063 70 0 

C ........................................... 0.0063 1,879 12 

E ........................................... 0.0063 676 4 

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 2,030 13 

Squids .................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 1,148 7 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 6,028 38 

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 1,455 9 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 5,731 36 

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 20—FINAL 2013 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/ 

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2013 

TACs 

Final 2013 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–March 

10.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 6,285 3,801 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 15,202 1,774 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 6,274 1,272 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 6,285 3,801 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 18,668 2,179 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 2,807 569 

C Season August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 10,123 6,121 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 7,896 821 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 9,742 1,976 

D Season October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.6047 10,123 6,121 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.1167 7,896 921 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.2028 9,742 1,976 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.3495 3,517 1,229 

SEO (650) ............................. 0.3495 10,774 3,766 

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

10.

W .......................................... 0.1331 13,104 1,744 

C ........................................... 0.0692 26,618 1,842 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.1331 8,736 1,163 

C ........................................... 0.0692 17,745 1,228 

Annual ................................... E inshore .............................. 0.0079 1,842 15 

E offshore ............................. 0.0078 205 2 

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear ................ W .......................................... 0.0000 351 0 

C ........................................... 0.0642 1,137 73 

E ........................................... 0.0433 268 12 

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

C ........................................... 0.0587 18,000 1,057 

E ........................................... 0.0126 5,300 67 

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 176 0 

C ........................................... 0.0647 2,308 149 

E ........................................... 0.0128 2,642 34 

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0007 1,283 1 

C ........................................... 0.0384 6,291 242 

E ........................................... 0.0029 1,858 5 

Arrowtooth flounder ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0021 14,500 30 

C ........................................... 0.0280 75,000 2,100 

E ........................................... 0.0002 13,800 3 

Flathead sole ......................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0036 8,650 31 

C ........................................... 0.0213 14,500 309 

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TABLE 20—FINAL 2013 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/ 

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2013 

TACs 

Final 2013 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

E ........................................... 0.0009 6,358 6 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0023 2,050 5 

C ........................................... 0.0748 10,985 822 

E ........................................... 0.0466 3,465 161 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0003 2,017 1 

C ........................................... 0.0277 3,136 87 

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 104 0 

C ........................................... 0.0218 452 10 

E ........................................... 0.0110 525 6 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0034 44 0 

C ........................................... 0.1699 606 103 

E ........................................... 0.0000 430 0 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0001 381 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,581 0 

E ........................................... 0.0067 800 5 

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 82 0 

C ........................................... 0.0237 861 20 

E ........................................... 0.0124 297 4 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0020 293 1 

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0280 150 4 

C ........................................... 0.0280 766 21 

E ........................................... 0.0280 749 21 

Atka mackerel ........................ Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0309 2,000 13 

Big skates .............................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0063 469 3 

C ........................................... 0.0063 1,793 11 

E ........................................... 0.0063 1,505 9 

Longnose skates ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0063 70 0 

C ........................................... 0.0063 1,879 12 

E ........................................... 0.0063 676 4 

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 2,030 13 

Squids .................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 1,148 7 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 6,028 38 

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 1,455 9 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 5,731 36 

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. 

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)). Table 21 lists the final 

2012 and 2013 non-exempt AFA CV 

halibut PSC limits for vessels using 

trawl gear in the GOA. These halibut 

PSC limits are unchanged from the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications. 

TABLE 21—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) 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 

2012 and 

2013 PSC limit 

2012 and 

2013 non-exempt AFA CV 

PSC limit 

1 ............................................. January 20–April 1 ............... shallow-water ........................ 0.340 450 153 

deep-water ............................ 0.070 100 7 

2 ............................................. April 1–July 1 ........................ shallow-water ........................ 0.340 100 34 

deep-water ............................ 0.070 300 21 

3 ............................................. July 1–September 1 ............. shallow-water ........................ 0.340 200 68 

deep-water ............................ 0.070 400 28 

4 ............................................. September 1–October 1 ....... shallow-water ........................ 0.340 150 51 

deep-water ............................ 0.070 0 0 

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TABLE 21—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR

VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA—Continued 

[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 

2012 and 

2013 PSC limit 

2012 and 

2013 non-exempt AFA CV 

PSC limit 

5 ............................................. October 1–December 31 ...... all targets .............................. 0.205 300 62 

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 

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 a LLP license 

derived from the history of a restricted 

vessel, even if that LLP license is used 

on another vessel. 

Vessels exempt from Pacific cod 

sideboards are those that landed less 

than 45,359 kilograms of Bering Sea 

snow crab and more than 500 mt of 

groundfish (in round weight 

equivalents) from the GOA between 

January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2000, 

and any vessel named on an LLP license 

that was based in whole or in part on 

the fishing history of a vessel meeting 

the criteria in § 680.22(a)(3). 

Sideboard limits for non-AFA crab 

vessels in the GOA are based on their 

traditional harvest levels of TAC in 

groundfish fisheries covered by the 

FMP. Sections 680.22(d) and (e) 

establish the formulas used to calculate 

groundfish sideboard limitations in the 

GOA. These limitations are calculated 

by dividing the non-AFA crab vessels’ 

retained catch for each sideboard 

species from 1996 through 2000 divided 

by the total retained harvest of that 

species over the same period. 

NMFS issued a final rule on June 20, 

2011 (76 FR 35772), to implement 

Amendment 34 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Bering Sea/ 

Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs. 

Amendment 34 amended the Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands Crab 

Rationalization Program to exempt 

additional recipients of crab quota share 

from GOA pollock and Pacific cod 

sideboards. Such sideboards apply to 

some vessels and LLP licenses that are 

used to participate in these two 

fisheries. The sideboard ratios for 

pollock are unchanged. The sideboard 

ratios for Pacific cod in the Western 

GOA have been superseded by the 

Pacific cod sector splits implemented by 

Amendment 83, which includes 

dividing the Pacific cod sideboards 

among applicable industry sectors. 

Under Amendment 83 (76 FR 74670, 

December 1, 2011), the non-AFA crab 

vessel sideboards for the inshore and 

offshore components in the Western and 

Central GOA were combined. These 

combined sideboards must then be 

divided per the sector allocations 

established under Amendment 83. 

Thus, NMFS is specifying sideboard 

limitations in the Pacific cod fisheries 

for the non-AFA crab vessels in the 

Western and Central GOA that 

supersede the original inshore offshore 

and offshore processing sideboards 

established under the Crab 

Rationalization Program. Tables 22 and 

23 list the final 2012 and 2013 

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. 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2012 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total 

harvest 

Final 2012 

TACs 

Final 2012 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–March 

10 

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 5,797 57 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 14,023 43 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 5,787 1 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 5,797 57 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 17,221 53 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 2,589 1 

C Season August 25–October 1 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 9,338 92 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 7,282 23 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 8,986 2 

D Season October 1–November 1 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 9,338 92 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 7,282 23 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 8,986 2 

Annual WYK (640) ............................ 0.0000 3,244 0 

SEO (650) ............................. 0.0000 10,774 0 

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15216 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2012 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total 

harvest 

Final 2012 

TACs 

Final 2012 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

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

10 

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 12,614 0 

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 12,614 5 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0018 12,614 

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 12,614 1,258 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 12,614 98 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 12,614 9 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 25,623 0 

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 25,623 3 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 25,623 31 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 25,623 1,215 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 25,623 348 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 25,623 31 

B Season 2 Jig Gear: June 

10–December 31. All other 

gears: September 1–December 31 

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 8,410 0 

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 8,410 3 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0001 8,410 15 

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 8,410 838 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 8,410 66 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 8,410 6 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 17,082 0 

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 17,082 2 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 17,082 20 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 17,082 810 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 17,082 232 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 17,082 20 

Annual E inshore .............................. 0.0110 1,774 20 

E offshore ............................. 0.0000 197 0 

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear W .......................................... 0.0000 356 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 1,152 0 

E ........................................... 0.0000 271 0 

Flatfish, shallow-water ........... Annual W .......................................... 0.0059 13,250 78 

C ........................................... 0.0001 18,000 2 

E ........................................... 0.0000 5,779 0 

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual W .......................................... 0.0035 176 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 2,308 0 

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,642 0 

Rex sole ................................ Annual W .......................................... 0.0000 1,307 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 6,412 0 

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,893 0 

Arrowtooth flounder ............... Annual W .......................................... 0.0004 14,500 6 

C ........................................... 0.0001 75,000 8 

E ........................................... 0.0000 13,800 0 

Flathead sole ......................... Annual W .......................................... 0.0002 8,650 2 

C ........................................... 0.0004 14,500 6 

E ........................................... 0.0000 6,269 0 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual W .......................................... 0.0000 2,102 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 11,263 0 

E ........................................... 0.0000 3,553 0 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual W .......................................... 0.0005 2,156 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,351 0 

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual W .......................................... 0.0013 104 0 

C ........................................... 0.0012 452 1 

E ........................................... 0.0009 525 0 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual W .......................................... 0.0035 44 0 

C ........................................... 0.0033 606 2 

E ........................................... 0.0000 430 0 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual W .......................................... 0.0017 409 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,849 0 

E ........................................... 0.0000 860 0 

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual W .......................................... 0.0067 80 1 

C ........................................... 0.0047 850 4 

E ........................................... 0.0008 293 0 

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TABLE 22—FINAL 2012 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total 

harvest 

Final 2012 

TACs 

Final 2012 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual SEO ...................................... 0.0000 293 0 

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual W .......................................... 0.0047 150 1 

C ........................................... 0.0066 766 5 

E ........................................... 0.0045 749 3 

Atka mackerel ........................ Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0000 2,000 0 

Big skate ................................ Annual W .......................................... 0.0392 469 18 

C ........................................... 0.0159 1,793 29 

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,505 0 

Longnose skate ..................... Annual W .......................................... 0.0392 70 3 

C ........................................... 0.0159 1,879 30 

E ........................................... 0.0000 676 0 

Other skates .......................... Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 2,030 36 

Squids .................................... Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,148 20 

Sharks ................................... Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 6,028 106 

Octopuses ............................. Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,455 26 

Sculpins ................................. Annual Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,731 101 

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 23—FINAL 2013 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total 

harvest 

Final 2013 

TACs 

Final 2013 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–March 

10.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 6,285 62 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 15,202 47 

Kodiak (630) 0.0002 6,274 1 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 6,285 62 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 18,668 58 

Kodiak (630) 0.0002 2,806 1 

C Season August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 10,123 99 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 7,896 24 

Kodiak (630) 0.0002 9,743 2 

D Season October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 10,123 99 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 7,896 24 

Kodiak (630) 0.0002 9,743 2 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.0000 3,517 0 

SEO (650) 0.0000 10,774 0 

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

10.

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 13,104 0 

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 13,104 5 

W Hook-and-line C/P 0.0018 13,104 24 

W Pot CV 0.0997 13,104 1,306 

W Pot C/P 0.0078 13,104 102 

W Trawl CV 0.0007 13,104 9 

C Jig 0.0000 26,618 0 

C Hook-and-line CV 0.0001 26,618 3 

C Hook-and-line C/P 0.0012 26,618 32 

C Pot CV 0.0474 26,618 1262 

C Pot C/P 0.0136 26,618 362 

C Trawl CV 0.0012 26,618 32 

B Season2 Jig Gear: June 

10–December 31. All other 

gears: September 1–December 31.

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 8,736 0 

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 8,736 3 

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15218 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 23—FINAL 2013 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total 

harvest 

Final 2013 

TACs 

Final 2013 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0018 8,736 16 

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 8,736 871 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 8,736 68 

W Trawl CV 0.0012 8,736 6 

C Jig 0.0000 17,745 0 

C Hook-and-line CV 0.0001 17,745 2 

C Hook-and-line C/P 0.0012 17,745 21 

C Pot CV 0.0474 17,745 841 

C Pot C/P 0.0136 17,745 241 

C Trawl CV 0.0012 17,745 21 

Annual ................................... E inshore .............................. 0.0110 1,842 20 

E offshore 0.0000 205 0 

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear ................ W .......................................... 0.0000 351 0 

C 0.0000 1,137 0 

E 0.0000 268 0 

Flatfish, shallow-water ........... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0059 13,250 78 

C 0.0001 18,000 2 

E 0.0000 5,330 0 

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 176 1 

C 0.0000 2,308 0 

E 0.0000 2,642 0 

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 1,283 0 

C 0.0000 6,291 0 

E 0.0000 1,858 0 

Arrowtooth flounder ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0004 14,500 6 

C 0.0001 75,000 8 

E 0.0000 13,800 0 

Flathead sole ......................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0002 8,650 2 

C 0.0004 14,500 6 

E 0.0000 6,358 0 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 2,050 0 

C 0.0000 10,985 0 

E 0.0000 3,465 0 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0005 2,017 1 

C 0.0000 3,136 0 

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0013 104 0 

C 0.0012 452 1 

E 0.0009 525 0 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 44 0 

C 0.0033 606 2 

E 0.0000 430 0 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0017 381 1 

C 0.0000 3,581 0 

E 0.0000 800 0 

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0067 82 1 

C 0.0047 861 4 

E 0.0008 297 0 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0000 293 0 

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0047 150 1 

C 0.0066 766 5 

E 0.0045 749 3 

Atka mackerel ........................ Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0000 2,000 0 

Big skate ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 469 18 

C 0.0159 1,793 29 

E 0.0000 1,505 0 

Longnose skate ..................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 70 3 

C 0.0159 1,879 30 

E 0.0000 676 0 

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 2,030 36 

Squids .................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,148 20 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 6,028 106 

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,455 26 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,731 101 

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

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15219 

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

Rockfish Program Groundfish 

Sideboard and Halibut PSC Limitations 

Amendment 88 to the FMP 

implements the Central GOA Rockfish 

Program, as previously described in the 

preamble. The Rockfish Program 

amendment establishes three classes of 

sideboard provisions: CV groundfish 

sideboard restrictions, C/P rockfish 

sideboard restrictions, and C/P opt-out 

vessel sideboard restrictions. These 

sideboards are intended to limit the 

ability of rockfish harvesters to expand 

into other fisheries. A full description of 

the Rockfish Program sideboard 

provisions is contained in the proposed 

rule to implement Amendment 88 (76 

FR 52148, August 19, 2011). 

CVs participating in the Rockfish 

Program may not participate in directed 

fishing for northern rockfish, Pacific 

ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish 

in the West Yakutat district and Western 

GOA from July 1 through July 31. 

Furthermore, 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)). 

Amendment 88 also establishes 

rockfish and halibut PSC sideboard 

limitations for C/Ps participating in 

Rockfish Program cooperatives. These 

C/Ps are prohibited from directed 

fishing for northern rockfish, Pacific 

ocean perch, and pelagic shelf rockfish 

in the West Yakutat district and Western 

GOA from July 1 through July 31. 

Holders of C/P-designated LLP licenses 

that opt-out of participating in a 

Rockfish Program cooperative will be 

able to access that portion of each 

sideboard limit that is not assigned to 

rockfish cooperatives. Tables 24 and 25 

list the final 2012 and 2013 Rockfish 

Program C/P 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 24—FINAL 2012 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN

GOA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery C/P sector (% of 

TAC) Final 2012 TACs Final 2012 C/P limit 

West Yakutat District ........................ Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................... Confidential 1 ............. 542 Confidential 1

Pacific ocean perch .......................... Confidential 1 ............. 1,692 Confidential 1

Western GOA .................................... Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................... 72.3 ........................... 409 296 

Pacific ocean perch .......................... 50.6 ........................... 2,102 1,064 

Northern rockfish .............................. 74.3 ........................... 2,156 1,602 

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

TABLE 25—FINAL 2013 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN

GOA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery C/P sector (% of 

TAC) Final 2013 TACs Final 2013 C/P limit 

West Yakutat District ........................ Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................... Confidential 1 ............. 504 Confidential 1

Pacific ocean perch .......................... Confidential 1 ............. 1,650 Confidential 1

Western GOA .................................... Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................... 72.3 ........................... 381 275 

Pacific ocean perch .......................... 50.6 ........................... 2,050 1,037 

Northern rockfish .............................. 74.3 ........................... 2,017 1,499 

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

The C/P sector is subject to halibut 

PSC sideboard limits for the trawl deepwater and shallow-water species 

fisheries during the period July 1 

through July 31. No halibut PSC 

sideboard limits apply to the CV sector. 

C/Ps that opt-out of the Rockfish 

Program would be able to access that 

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

assigned to C/P rockfish cooperatives. 

The sideboard provisions for C/Ps that 

elect to opt-out of participating in a 

rockfish cooperative are described in the 

final rule implementing Amendment 88 

(76 FR 81248, December 27, 2011). 

These ratios and amounts are not known 

at this time because vessels applications 

for C/Ps electing to opt-out are due to 

NMFS on March 1 of each calendar 

year, thereby preventing NMFS from 

calculating final 2012 and 2013 

allocations. NMFS will post these 

allocations on the Alaska Region Web 

site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ 

sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm 

when they become available in March. 

Table 26 lists the final 2012 and 2013 

Rockfish Program halibut PSC limits for 

the C/P sector. 

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15220 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 26—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR

SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Sector 

Shallow-water 

complex 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

Deep-water 

complex 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

Annual halibut 

mortality limit 

(mt) 

Annual 

shallowwater complex 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Annual deepwater complex 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Catcher/processor ................................................................ 0.10 2.50 2,000 2 50 

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 

C/P sector. To limit the ability of 

participants eligible for the Amendment 

80 Program to expand their harvest 

efforts in the GOA, the Amendment 80 

Program established groundfish and 

halibut PSC catch limits for Amendment 

80 Program participants. 

Section 679.92 establishes groundfish 

harvesting sideboard limits on all 

Amendment 80 program vessels, other 

than the F/V GOLDEN FLEECE, to 

amounts no greater than the limits 

shown in Table 37 to 50 CFR part 679. 

Under regulations at § 679.92(d), the F/ 

V GOLDEN FLEECE is prohibited from 

directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, 

Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf 

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. Tables 27 and 28 list the 

final 2012 and 2013 sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels. These 

limits are based on the final 2012 and 

2013 TACs established by this action, 

and thus may differ proportionately 

from the sideboard limits in the 

proposed harvest specifications. NMFS 

will deduct all targeted or incidental 

catch of sideboard species made by 

Amendment 80 Program vessels from 

the sideboard limits in Tables 27 and 

28. 

TABLE 27—FINAL 2012 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 

2012 TAC 

(mt) 

2012 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–February 25.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 5,797 17 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 14,023 28 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 5,787 12 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 5,797 17 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 17,221 34 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 2,589 5 

C Season August 25–September 15.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 9,338 28 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 7,282 15 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 8,986 18 

D Season October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 9,338 28 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 7,282 15 

October 1–November 1 ........ Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 8,986 18 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.002 3,244 6 

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

10.

W .......................................... 0.020 12,614 252 

C ........................................... 0.044 25,623 1,127 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.020 8,410 168 

C ........................................... 0.044 17,082 752 

Annual ................................... WYK ...................................... 0.034 1,971 67 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.994 2,102 2,089 

WYK ...................................... 0.961 1,692 1,626 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 1.000 2,156 2,156 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.764 409 312 

WYK ...................................... 0.896 542 486 

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. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15221 

TABLE 28—FINAL 2013 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 

2013 TAC 

(mt) 

2013 

Amendment 

80 

vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................... A Season January 20–February 25.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 6,285 19 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 15,202 30 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 6,274 13 

B Season March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 6,285 19 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 18,668 37 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 2,806 6 

C Season August 25–September 15.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 10,123 30 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 7,896 16 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 9,743 19 

D Season October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 10,123 30 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 7,896 16 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 9,743 19 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.002 3,517 7 

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

10.

W .......................................... 0.020 13,104 262 

C ........................................... 0.044 26,618 1,171 

B Season 2 September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.020 8,736 175 

C ........................................... 0.044 17,745 781 

Annual ................................... WYK ...................................... 0.034 2,047 70 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.994 2,050 2,038 

WYK ...................................... 0.961 1,650 1,586 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 1.000 2,017 2,017 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.764 381 291 

WYK ...................................... 0.896 504 452 

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 Central GOA Rockfish 

Program and the exemption of the F/V 

GOLDEN FLEECE from this restriction 

(§ 679.92(b)(2)). Table 29 lists the final 

2012 and 2013 halibut PSC limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels, as 

contained in Table 38 to 50 CFR part 

679. These halibut PSC limits are 

unchanged from those listed in the 

proposed 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications. 

TABLE 29—FINAL 2012 AND 2013 HALIBUT PSC 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) 

2012 and 

2013 annual 

PSC limit 

(mt) 

2012 and 

2013 

Amendment 

80 

vessel PSC 

limit 

1 ............. January 20–April 1 ............................... shallow-water ....................................... 0.0048 2,000 10 

deep-water ........................................... 0.0115 2,000 23 

2 ............. April 1–July 1 ....................................... shallow-water ....................................... 0.0189 2,000 38 

deep-water ........................................... 0.1072 2,000 214 

3 ............. July 1–September 1 ............................. shallow-water ....................................... 0.0146 2,000 29 

deep-water ........................................... 0.0521 2,000 104 

4 ............. September 1–October 1 ....................... shallow-water ....................................... 0.0074 2,000 15 

deep-water ........................................... 0.0014 2,000 3 

5 ............. October 1–December 31 ...................... shallow-water ....................................... 0.0227 2,000 45 

deep-water ........................................... 0.0371 2,000 74 

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15222 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

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, 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 year, NMFS 

will prohibit directed fishing for that 

species or species group in the specified 

GOA regulatory area or district 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the TACs for the 

species listed in Table 30 are necessary 

to account for the incidental catch of 

these species in other anticipated 

groundfish fisheries for the 2012 and 

2013 fishing years. 

TABLE 30—2012 AND 2013 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 

Pollock ........................................................................................ all/offshore .................................................................................. not applicable1

Sablefish 2 ................................................................................... all/trawl ....................................................................................... 1,779 (2012) 

1,756 (2013) 

Shortraker rockfish 2 ................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 1,081 

Other rockfish ............................................................................. all ................................................................................................ 1,080 

Rougheye rockfish ...................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 1,223 (2012) 

1,240 (2013) 

Thornyhead rockfish ................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 1,665 

Atka mackerel ............................................................................. all ................................................................................................ 2,000 

Big skate ..................................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 3,767 

Longnose skate .......................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 2,625 

Other skates ............................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 2,030 

Squids ......................................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 1,148 

Sharks ......................................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 6,028 

Octopuses ................................................................................... all ................................................................................................ 1,455 

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

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

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the DFA for 

the species or species groups listed in 

Table 30 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 

30. These closures will remain in effect 

through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 

2013. 

Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for 

management of AFA CV groundfish 

harvest limits and PSC bycatch limits 

using directed fishing closures and PSC 

closures according to procedures set out 

at §§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(8), and 

679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional 

Administrator has determined that, in 

addition to the closures listed above, 

many of the non-exempt AFA CV 

sideboard limits listed in Tables 19 and 

20 are necessary as incidental catch to 

support other anticipated groundfish 

fisheries for the 2012 and 2013 fishing 

years. In accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional 

Administrator sets the DFAs for the 

species and species groups in Table 31 

at zero. Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting 

directed fishing by non-exempt AFA 

CVs in the GOA for the species and 

specified areas listed in Table 31. These 

closures will remain in effect through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2013. 

TABLE 31—2012 AND 2013 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR ALL GEAR TYPES IN

THE GOA 

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

Species Regulatory area/district Incidental catch amount 

Pacific cod ........................................................................ Eastern ............................................................................. 14 (inshore) and 2 (offshore) in 2012 

15 (inshore) and 2 (offshore) in 2013 

Shallow-water flatfish ....................................................... Eastern ............................................................................. 73 in 2012 

67 in 2013 

Deep-water flatfish ........................................................... Western ............................................................................ 0 

Rex sole ........................................................................... Eastern and Western ....................................................... 1 and 5 

Arrowtooth flounder .......................................................... Eastern and Western ....................................................... 3 and 30 

Flathead sole .................................................................... Eastern and Western ....................................................... 6 and 31 

Pacific ocean perch .......................................................... Western ............................................................................ 5 

Northern rockfish .............................................................. Western ............................................................................ 1 

Pelagic shelf rockfish ....................................................... Entire GOA ....................................................................... 6 in 2012 

5 in 2013 

Demersal shelf rockfish .................................................... SEO District ..................................................................... 1 

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TABLE 31—2012 AND 2013 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR ALL GEAR TYPES IN

THE GOA—Continued 

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

Species Regulatory area/district Incidental catch amount 

Sculpins ............................................................................ Entire GOA ....................................................................... 36 

Section 680.22 provides for the 

management of non-AFA crab vessel 

sideboards using directed fishing 

closures in accordance with 

§ 680.22(e)(2) and (3). The Regional 

Administrator has determined that the 

non-AFA crab vessel sideboards listed 

in Tables 22 and 23 are insufficient to 

support a directed fishery and has set 

the sideboard DFA at zero, with the 

exception of Pacific cod pot CV sector 

apportionments in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. Therefore, 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by 

non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA for all 

species and species groups listed in 

Tables 22 and 23, with the exception of 

the Pacific cod pot CV sector 

apportionments in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. 

Section 679.82 provides for the 

management of Rockfish Program 

sideboard limits using directed fishing 

closures in accordance with § 679.82(d) 

and (e). The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the CV sideboards 

listed in Tables 24 and 25 are 

insufficient to support a directed fishery 

and has set the sideboard DFA at zero. 

Therefore, NMFS is closing directed 

fishing for Pacific ocean perch and 

pelagic shelf rockfish in the WYK 

district and the Western Regulatory 

Area, and for northern rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area by CVs 

participating in the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program during the month of 

July in 2012 and 2013. These closures 

will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, 

A.l.t., December 31, 2013. 

Closures implemented under the 2011 

and 2012 Gulf of Alaska harvest 

specifications for groundfish (76 FR 

11111, March 1, 2011) remain effective 

under authority of these final 2012 and 

2013 harvest specifications, and are 

posted at the following Web sites: 

http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/index/ 

infobulletins/infobulletins.asp?Yr=2011, 

and http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ 

2011/status.htm. 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 in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. 

NMFS may implement other closures 

during the 2012 and 2013 fishing years 

as necessary for effective conservation 

and management. 

Response to Comments 

This action was published as a 

proposed rule on December 22, 2011 (76 

FR 79620), and public comments about 

it were solicited until January 23, 2012. 

NMFS received one comment 

submission containing two general 

categories of comments. This comment 

was received from a company involved 

in the halibut sport fishery in Alaska. 

These comments are summarized and 

responded to below. 

Comment 1: Maintaining the current 

Pacific halibut PSC limits for trawl and 

hook-and-line gear is unacceptable. The 

halibut exploitable biomass had 

decreased significantly in recent years, 

which has adversely affected various 

user groups, including the commercial 

halibut IFQ fisheries, guided and 

unguided sport sectors, and subsistence 

users. The Council’s ongoing effort to 

consider halibut PSC reductions for the 

commercial groundfish fisheries in the 

GOA is commendable. However, the 

Council has not yet taken final action on 

that issue, and even if it does in 2012, 

halibut PSC limit reductions in the GOA 

may not occur until 2013. Therefore, 

NMFS and the Council must consider 

interim PSC reductions, prior to the 

selection and implementation of any 

future GOA halibut PSC limit 

reductions. 

Response: The action to revise GOA 

halibut PSC limits is under 

development and consideration by the 

Council. Initially, this potential revision 

was under consideration for 

implementation through the 2012 and 

2013 harvest specifications. In October 

2011, the Council initiated a new action 

to remove GOA halibut PSC limits from 

the annual harvest specifications 

process through an amendment to the 

GOA FMP. In addition, the action 

would establish the means to set GOA 

halibut PSC limits in federal 

regulations. The Council reviewed a 

draft Environmental Assessment (EA) 

and Regulatory Impact Review (RIR) at 

its February 2012 meeting and is 

scheduled to take final action on halibut 

PSC revisions later in 2012. As the effort 

to review and potentially revise these 

limits is under active review and 

consideration by the Council, NMFS 

does not believe it to be either necessary 

or appropriate to reduce either the trawl 

or hook-and-line gear halibut PSC limits 

as part of the final 2012 and 2013 

harvest specifications. 

The GOA groundfish fisheries 

currently are subject to binding halibut 

PSC limits set by the Council for 

purposes of halibut conservation. 

Commercial groundfish fisheries are 

required to stop fishing when their 

halibut PSC limits are taken. Directed 

fisheries for some groundfish species 

may be closed due to the attainment of 

halibut PSC limits before the target 

species’ TACs have been fully 

harvested. Participants in these fisheries 

incur significant costs to stay within 

their halibut catch limits. The pending 

action to revise halibut PSC limits is 

assessing the economic effects of 

changes to the current trawl and hookand-line halibut PSC limits on various 

components of the GOA groundfish 

fisheries. 

Comment 2: The draft EA and RIR 

prepared for the pending halibut PSC 

revision under consideration by the 

Council are inadequate. The range of 

alternatives considered for the potential 

revisions should include higher PSC 

limit reductions than five, ten, or 15 

percent. The EA should be augmented 

with additional studies pertaining to 

halibut bycatch effects on other halibut 

fishery sectors, additional information 

about the economic impacts of the 

alternatives, and a more detailed 

explanation of halibut bycatch 

estimation and any potential bias 

associated with estimating halibut 

bycatch. The RIR should be augmented 

to fully account for the costs and 

benefits to each resource user sector, 

rather than focusing on the commercial 

sector. Finally, the analysis does not 

sufficiently address National Standards 

1, 8, and 9 of the Magnuson-Steven Act. 

Response: NMFS notes the 

commenter’s observations and concerns 

about the GOA halibut PSC revision EA 

and RIR. We also encourage the 

commenter to continue to follow the 

GOA halibut PSC revision action 

through the Council and rulemaking 

processes, and provide additional 

comments about the action and its 

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15224 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

associated analytical documents to the 

Council and NMFS, as appropriate. 

Classification 

NMFS has determined that these final 

harvest specifications are consistent 

with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws. 

This action is authorized under 50 

CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866 and 

13563. 

NMFS prepared an EIS for this action 

(see ADDRESSES) and made it available to 

the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS 

issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for 

the EIS. In January 2012, NMFS 

prepared a Supplemental Information 

Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of 

the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are 

available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). 

The EIS analyzes the environmental 

consequences of the groundfish harvest 

specifications and alternative harvest 

strategies on resources in the action 

area. The EIS found no significant 

environmental consequences of this 

action and its alternatives. The SIR 

evaluates the need to prepare a 

Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2012 

and 2013 groundfish harvest 

specifications. 

A 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(c)(1)). After reviewing the 

information contained in the SIR and 

SAFE reports, the Regional 

Administrator has determined that (1) 

approval of the 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications, which were set according 

to the preferred harvest strategy in the 

EIS, do not constitute a 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 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications will result in 

environmental impacts within the scope 

of those analyzed and disclosed in the 

EIS. Therefore, supplemental National 

Environmental Protection Act 

documentation is not necessary to 

implement the 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications. 

Pursuant to section 604 of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 

et seq., a FRFA was prepared for this 

action. The FRFA incorporates the 

IRFA, and includes a summary of the 

significant issues raised by public 

comments in response to the IRFA, and 

NMFS’ responses to those comments, 

and a summary of the analyses 

completed to support the action. 

A copy of the FRFA prepared for this 

final rule is available from NMFS (see 

ADDRESSES). 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 22, 2011. NMFS prepared an 

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

(IRFA) to accompany this action, and 

included a summary in the proposed 

rule. The comment period closed on 

January 23, 2012. No comments were 

received on the IRFA. No changes were 

made from the proposed rule to the final 

rule based on comments received about 

the IRFA. 

The entities directly regulated by this 

action are those that receive allocations 

of groundfish in the EEZ of the GOA, 

and in parallel fisheries within State of 

Alaska waters, during the annual 

harvest specifications process. These 

directly regulated entities include the 

groundfish CVs and groundfish C/Ps 

active in these areas. Direct allocations 

of groundfish are also made to Central 

GOA Rockfish Program cooperatives. 

These entities are, therefore, also 

considered to be directly regulated. 

In 2009, there were 660 individual 

CVs with revenues less than or equal to 

$4 million. Some of these vessels are 

members of AFA inshore pollock 

cooperatives, or of GOA rockfish 

cooperatives. Vessels that participate in 

these cooperatives are considered to be 

large entities within the meaning of the 

RFA. After accounting for membership 

in these cooperatives, there are an 

estimated 627 small CVs remaining in 

the GOA. 

In 2009, nine C/Ps grossed less than 

$4 million. Some of these vessels were 

affiliated through ownership by the 

same business firm. NMFS estimates 

that these vessels were owned by eight 

separate firms. Vessels in this group 

were also affiliated through membership 

in two cooperatives (the Amendment 80 

Alaska Seafood Cooperative and the 

Freezer Longline Conservation 

Cooperative). After taking account of 

firm and cooperative affiliations, NMFS 

estimates that these nine vessels 

represent four small entities. 

The number of Rockfish Program 

cooperatives can change from year to 

year. In 2010, there were eight separate 

cooperatives (NMFS 2011). The 

Rockfish Program cooperatives are 

directly regulated, since they receive 

allocations of TAC through the harvest 

specifications process. The cooperatives 

are large entities, since they are 

affiliated with firms with a combined 

total gross revenue of over $4 million. 

This action does not modify 

recordkeeping or reporting 

requirements. 

NMFS considered alternative harvest 

strategies when choosing the preferred 

harvest strategy in December 2006. 

These included the following: 

• Alternative 1: Set TACs to produce 

fishing mortality rates, F, that are equal 

to maxFABC, unless the sum of the 

TACs is constrained by the OY 

established in the FMPs. This is 

equivalent to setting TACs to produce 

harvest levels equal to the maximum 

permissible ABCs, as constrained by 

OY. The term ‘‘maxFABC’’ refers to the 

maximum permissible value of FABC 

under Amendment 56 to the groundfish 

FMPs. Historically, the TAC has been 

set at or below the ABC, therefore, this 

alternative represents a likely upper 

limit for setting the TAC within the OY 

and ABC limits. 

• Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 

2, and 3, set TAC to produce F equal to 

the most recent 5-year average actual F. 

For species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC 

equal to the most recent 5-year average 

actual catch. For stocks with a high 

level of scientific information, TACs 

would be set to produce harvest levels 

equal to the most recent five year 

average actual fishing mortality rates. 

For stocks with insufficient scientific 

information, TACs would be set equal to 

the most recent five year average actual 

catch. This alternative recognizes that 

for some stocks, catches may fall well 

below ABCs, and recent average F may 

provide a better indicator of actual F 

than FABC does. 

• Alternative 4: (1) Set TACs for 

rockfish species in Tier 3 at F75%. Set 

TACs for rockfish species in Tier 5 at 

F=0.5M. Set spatially explicit TACs for 

shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the 

GOA. (2) Taking the rockfish TACs as 

calculated above, reduce all other TACs 

by a proportion that does not vary 

across species, so that the sum of all 

TACs, including rockfish TACs, is equal 

to the lower bound of the area OY 

(116,000 mt in the GOA). This 

alternative sets conservative and 

spatially explicit TACs for rockfish 

species that are long-lived and late to 

mature and sets conservative TACs for 

the other groundfish species. 

• Alternative 5: (No Action) Set TACs 

at zero. 

These alternatives do not both meet 

the objectives of this action although 

they have a smaller adverse economic 

impact on small entities than the 

preferred alternative. The Council 

rejected these alternatives as harvest 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 15225 

strategies in 2006, and the Secretary did 

so in 2007. 

Alternative 1 selected harvest rates 

that will allow fishermen to harvest 

stocks at the level of ABCs, unless total 

harvests are constrained by the upper 

bound of the GOA OY of 800,000 metric 

tons. The sums of ABCs in 2012 and 

2013 are 606,048 mt and 612,506 mt, 

respectively. The sums of the TACs in 

2012 and 2013 are 438,159 mt and 

447,752 mt, respectively. Thus, 

although the sum of ABCs in each year 

is less than 800,000 metric tons, the 

sums of the TACs in each year are less 

than the sums of the ABCs. 

In most cases, the Council has set 

TACs equal to ABCs. The divergence 

between aggregate TACs and aggregate 

ABCs reflects a variety of special 

species- and fishery-specific 

circumstances: 

Pacific cod TACs are set equal to 75 

percent of the Pacific cod ABCs in each 

year to account for the guideline harvest 

levels set by the State of Alaska for 

Pacific cod in its fisheries that are equal 

to 25 percent of the Council’s ABCs. 

Thus, this difference does not actually 

reflect a Pacific cod harvest below the 

Pacific cod ABC. 

Shallow-water flatfish and flathead 

sole TACs are set below ABCs in the 

Western and Central GOA regulatory 

areas. Arrowtooth flounder TACs are set 

below ABC in all GOA regulatory areas. 

Catches of these flatfish species rarely, 

if ever, approach the proposed ABCs or 

TACs. Important trawl fisheries in the 

GOA take halibut PSC, and are 

constrained by limits on the allowable 

halibut PSC mortality. These limits 

routinely force the closure of trawl 

fisheries before they have harvested the 

available groundfish ABC. Thus, actual 

harvests of groundfish in the GOA 

routinely fall short of some ABCs and 

TACs. Markets can also constrain 

harvests below the TACs, as has been 

the case with arrowtooth flounder, in 

the past. These TACs are set to allow for 

increased harvest opportunities for 

these targets while conserving the 

halibut PSC limit for use in other, more 

fully utilized, fisheries. 

The other rockfish TAC is set below 

the ABC in the Southeast Outside 

district based on several factors. In 

addition to conservation concerns for 

the rockfish species in this group, there 

is a regulatory prohibition against using 

trawl gear east of 140° W. longitude. 

Because most species of other rockfish 

are caught exclusively with trawl gear, 

the catch of such species with other gear 

types, such as hook-and-line, is low. 

The commercial catch of other rockfish 

in the Eastern regulatory area (which 

includes the West Yakutat and 

Southeast Outside districts) in the last 

decade has ranged from approximately 

70 mt to 248 mt per year. 

The GOA-wide Atka mackerel TAC is 

set below the ABC. The estimates of 

survey biomass continue to be 

unreliable in the GOA. Therefore, the 

Council recommended and NMFS 

agrees that the Atka mackerel TAC in 

the GOA be set at an amount to support 

incidental catch in other directed 

fisheries. 

Alternative 3 selects harvest rates 

based on the most recent five years of 

harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 

through 3) or for the most recent five 

years of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 

through 6). This alternative is 

inconsistent with the objectives of this 

action, because it does not take account 

of the most recent biological 

information for this fishery. 

Alternative 4 would lead to 

significantly lower harvests of all 

species to reduce TACs from the upper 

end of the OY range in the GOA to its 

lower end of 116,000 metric tons. 

Overall this would reduce 2012 TACs 

by about 81 percent. This would lead to 

significant reductions in harvests of 

species harvested by small entities. 

While production declines in the GOA 

would undoubtedly be associated with 

price increases in the GOA, these 

increases would still be constrained by 

the availability of substitutes, and are 

very unlikely to offset revenue declines 

from smaller production. Thus, this 

action would have a detrimental 

economic impact on small entities. 

Alternative 5, which sets all harvests 

equal to zero, may also address 

conservation issues, but would have a 

significant adverse economic impact on 

small entities. 

In the 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications, yellowtail and widow 

rockfish have been moved from the 

pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR) species 

group to the other rockfish species 

group. This has been done to leave 

dusky rockfish alone in the PSR 

category. Dusky rockfish dominate the 

PSR category and support a valuable 

fishery in the Western and Central GOA. 

Dusky rockfish have been assessed with 

an age-structured model and are a Tier 

3a species, unlike yellowtail and widow 

rockfish, which are Tier 5 species. This 

separation allows managers to treat 

dusky rockfish like other rockfish 

species in Tier 3a with age-structured 

models and to have an OFL and ABC 

specific to this species. A discussion 

paper reviewing this action found that 

this management reorganization would 

have no adverse economic impact on 

commercial fishermen in the GOA. The 

discussion paper indicated that the PSR 

fishery rarely harvested the TAC. 

Therefore, a reduction in TACs 

associated with the shift in species 

would be inconsequential. The paper 

also concluded that it would not have 

an adverse impact on participants in the 

Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program 

(GOA FMP Amendment 88). The action 

has the effect of increasing the OFL and 

ABC for other rockfish. Thus, this action 

is not expected to have an adverse 

impact on small entities. 

Impacts on marine mammals resulting 

from fishing activities conducted under 

this rule are discussed in the EIS (see 

ADDRESSES). 

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

Acting 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 occurred in 

November 2011, and Council 

consideration and recommendations 

occurred in December 2011. 

Accordingly, NMFS review could not 

begin until January 2012. For all 

fisheries not currently closed because 

the TACs established under the final 

2011 and 2012 harvest specifications (76 

FR 11111, March 1, 2011) 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 time period. If implemented 

immediately, this rule would allow 

these fisheries to continue to fish 

because the new TACs implemented by 

this rule are higher than the ones under 

which they are currently fishing. 

Certain fisheries, such as those for 

pollock and Pacific cod are intensive, 

fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, 

such as those for sablefish, flatfish, 

rockfish, Atka mackerel, skates, squids, 

sharks, octopuses, and sculpins 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 this rule 

allowed for a 30-day delay in 

effectiveness and if a TAC is reached, 

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. Waiving the 30- 

day delay allows NMFS to prevent 

economic loss to fishermen that could 

otherwise occur should the 2012 TACs 

be reached. Determining which fisheries 

may close is impossible because these 

fisheries are affected by several factors 

that cannot be predicted in advance, 

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15226 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

sideboards, a failure to implement the 

updated sideboards before initial 

season’s end could deny the intended 

economic protection to the nonsideboarded sectors. Conversely, in 

fisheries with increasing sideboards, 

economic benefit could be denied to the 

sideboarded sectors. 

If the final harvest specifications are 

not effective by March 17, 2012, which 

is the start of the 2012 Pacific halibut 

season as specified by the IPHC, the 

hook-and-line 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 hookand-line sablefish and Pacific halibut 

are managed under the same IFQ 

program. Immediate effectiveness of the 

final 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications will allow the sablefish 

IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with 

the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also, the 

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 true for those species that 

have lower 2012 ABCs and TACs than 

those established in the 2011 and 2012 

harvest specifications (76 FR 11111, 

March 1, 2011). Immediate effectiveness 

also would give 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 

The following information 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 2012 and 2013 

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 2012 

and 2013 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 amounts of OFL, 

ABC, TAC, and PSC 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: March 7, 2012. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6057 Filed 3–13–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

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