15484 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Areas 1B and 2 open on January 1 and 

Area 1A opens on June 1. The 

adjustments in this action reduce catch 

in Areas 1A and 1B and increase catch 

in Area 2. Putting in place the adjusted 

specifications as soon as possible will 

provide the fleet with an opportunity to 

develop their business plans in 

sufficient time to avoid an overharvest 

in Areas 1A and 1B and facilitate the 

harvest of additional catch in Area 2. 

This action is required by 50 CFR part 

648, subpart K and is exempt from 

review under Executive Order 12866. 

This final rule does not contain a 

collection-of-information requirement 

for purposes of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act. 

Because prior notice and opportunity 

for public comment are not required for 

this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other 

law, the analytical requirements of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 

et seq., are inapplicable. 

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

Dated: February 28, 2024. 

Samuel D. Rauch III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–04521 Filed 3–1–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 648 

[Docket No. 231215–0305; RTID 0648– 

XD770] 

Fisheries of the Northeastern United 

States; Summer Flounder Fishery; 

Quota Transfer From Virginia to 

Massachusetts 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 

Commonwealth of Virginia is 

transferring a portion of its 2024 

commercial summer flounder quota to 

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

This adjustment to the 2024 fishing year 

quota is necessary to comply with the 

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 

Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 

quota transfer provisions. This 

announcement informs the public of the 

revised 2024 commercial quotas for 

Virginia and Massachusetts. 

DATES: Effective March 1, 2024, through 

December 31, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Laura Deighan, Fishery Management 

Specialist, (978) 281–9184. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations governing the summer 

flounder fishery are found in 50 CFR 

648.100 through 648.111. These 

regulations require annual specification 

of a commercial quota that is 

apportioned among the coastal states 

from Maine through North Carolina. The 

process to set the annual commercial 

quota and the percent allocated to each 

state is described in § 648.102 and final 

2024 allocations were published on 

December 21, 2023 (88 FR 88266). 

The final rule implementing 

amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder 

FMP, as published in the Federal 

Register on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 

65936), provided a mechanism for 

transferring summer flounder 

commercial quota from one state to 

another. Two or more states, under 

mutual agreement and with the 

concurrence of the NMFS Greater 

Atlantic Regional Administrator, can 

transfer or combine summer flounder 

commercial quota under § 648.102(c)(2). 

The Regional Administrator is required 

to consider three criteria in the 

evaluation of requests for quota transfers 

or combinations: (1) the transfers or 

combinations would not preclude the 

overall annual quota from being fully 

harvested; (2) the transfers address an 

unforeseen variation or contingency in 

the fishery; and (3) the transfers are 

consistent with the objectives of the 

FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Regional 

Administrator has determined these 

three criteria have been met for the 

transfer approved in this notification. 

Virginia is transferring 8,186 pounds 

(lb; 3,713 kilograms (kg)) to 

Massachusetts through a mutual 

agreement between the States. This 

transfer was requested to repay landings 

made by an out-of-state permitted vessel 

under a safe harbor agreement. The 

revised summer flounder quotas for 

2024 are: Virginia, 1,879,801 lb (852,663 

kg); and Massachusetts, 607,693 lb 

(275,645 kg). 

Classification 

NMFS issues this action pursuant to 

section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 

648.102(c)(2)(i) through (iv), which was 

issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is 

exempted from review under Executive 

Order 12866. 

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

Dated: February 28, 2024. 

Everett Wayne Baxter, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–04524 Filed 3–1–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 240227–0061; RTID 0648– 

XD436] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 

2024 and 2025 Harvest Specifications 

for Groundfish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Final rule; harvest specifications 

and closures. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch limits for the 

groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

establish harvest limits for groundfish 

during the remainder of the 2024 and 

the start of the 2025 fishing years and 

to accomplish the goals and objectives 

of the Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 

The 2024 harvest specifications 

supersede those previously set in the 

final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications, and the 2025 harvest 

specifications will be superseded in 

early 2025 when the final 2025 and 

2026 harvest specifications are 

published. The intended effect of this 

action is to conserve and manage the 

groundfish resources in the GOA in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

DATES: Harvest specifications and 

closures are effective at 1200 hours, 

Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 4, 2024, 

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

2025. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Environmental Impact 

Statement (Final EIS), Record of 

Decision (ROD), and the annual 

Supplementary Information Reports 

(SIRs) to the EIS prepared for this action 

are available from https://

www.regulations.gov. The 2023 Stock 

Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15485 

(SAFE) report for the groundfish 

resources of the GOA, dated November 

2023, and SAFE reports for previous 

years are available from the North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

(Council) at 1007 West Third Avenue, 

Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone 

907–271–2809, or from the North Pacific 

Groundfish SAFE Report web page at 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/ 

population-assessments/north-pacificgroundfish-stock-assessments-andfishery-evaluation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Abby Jahn, 907–586–7416. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the GOA groundfish fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone of the 

GOA under the FMP. The Council 

prepared the FMP under the authority of 

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

1801 et seq.). Regulations governing 

U.S. fisheries and implementing the 

FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, 

and 680. 

The FMP and its implementing 

regulations require that NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, specify 

the total allowable catch (TAC) for each 

target species, the sum of which must be 

within the optimum yield (OY) range of 

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

(§ 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B) and § 679.20(a)(2)). 

Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires that 

NMFS publish and solicit public 

comment on proposed annual TACs and 

apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, 

and seasonal allowances of pollock and 

Pacific cod. Upon consideration of those 

public comments, NMFS must publish a 

notification of final harvest 

specifications for up to 2 fishing years 

as annual TACs and apportionments, 

Pacific halibut PSC limits, and seasonal 

allowances of pollock and Pacific cod, 

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

specifications set forth in tables 1 

through 27 of this rule reflect the 

outcome of this process, as required at 

§ 679.20(c). 

The proposed 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

and Pacific halibut PSC limits were 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 7, 2023 (88 FR 85184). 

Comments were invited and accepted 

through January 8, 2024. NMFS received 

2 letters raising 7 distinct comments 

during the public comment period for 

the proposed GOA groundfish harvest 

specifications. In December 2023, NMFS 

consulted with the Council regarding 

the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications. After considering public 

comment at public meetings and 

submitted for the proposed rule (88 FR 

85184), as well as current biological, 

ecosystem, and socioeconomic data, 

NMFS is implementing the final 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications, as 

recommended by the Council. For 2024, 

the sum of the TAC amounts is 520,020 

mt. For 2025, the sum of the TAC 

amounts is 483,700 mt. 

Other Actions Affecting the 2024 and 

2025 Harvest Specifications 

Amendment 122 to the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands FMP: Pacific Cod 

Trawl Cooperative Program 

NMFS published a final rule 

implementing Amendment 122 to the 

Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management 

Area (BSAI FMP) (88 FR 53704, August 

8, 2023), establishing the Pacific Cod 

Trawl Cooperative Program (PCTC 

Program) to allocate BSAI Pacific cod 

quota share to qualifying groundfish 

License Limitation Program (LLP) 

license holders and qualifying 

processors. The PCTC Program is a 

limited access privilege program for the 

harvest of Pacific cod in the BSAI trawl 

catcher vessel (CV) sector. 

The PCTC Program modifies existing 

GOA sideboard limits and associated 

GOA halibut PSC limits for non-exempt 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) CVs and 

LLP license holders and closes directed 

fishing where the revised sideboard 

limits are too small to support a directed 

fishery. All GOA non-exempt AFA CVs 

and associated AFA LLP licenses are 

sideboarded in aggregate for all GOA 

groundfish fishing activity and for GOA 

halibut PSC based on their GOA catch 

history during the qualifying years 2009 

through 2019, except when participating 

in the Central Gulf of Alaska (Central 

GOA) Rockfish Program. In addition, the 

ratio used to apportion GOA halibut 

PSC limits is modified, and the five 

seasonal apportionments based on that 

sideboard ratio is reduced to a single 

aggregate annual amount. Amendment 

122 also closes directed fishing to all 

GOA non-exempt AFA CVs and LLP 

licenses for the following species 

categories: Southeast Outside (SEO) 

District of the Eastern GOA pollock, 

Western GOA shallow-water flatfish, 

Central and Eastern GOA deep-water 

flatfish, Central GOA dusky rockfish, 

and Eastern GOA and Central GOA 

Pacific ocean perch. NMFS will no 

longer publish AFA Program sideboard 

limits for these specific species or 

species groups in the Federal Register 

as part of the annual groundfish harvest 

specifications, and instead table 56 to 50 

CFR part 679 lists that directed fishing 

for these species is prohibited to nonexempt AFA CVs. Amendment 122 and 

its implementing regulations affect the 

calculation and establishment of the 

groundfish sideboard limits and halibut 

PSC limits discussed below under the 

sections ‘‘American Fisheries Act (AFA) 

Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel 

Groundfish Harvest Limits’’ and ‘‘NonExempt AFA Catcher Vessel Halibut 

PSC Limits.’’ 

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and 

TAC Specifications 

In December 2023, the Council’s 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

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

Council reviewed the most recent 

biological, ecosystem, socioeconomic, 

and harvest information about the 

condition of the GOA groundfish stocks. 

The Council’s GOA Groundfish Plan 

Team (Plan Team) compiled and 

presented this information in the 2023 

SAFE report for the GOA groundfish 

fisheries, dated November 2023 (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 by 

including risk tables and information 

from the GOA Ecosystem Status Report 

(ESR). 

The ESRs compile and summarize 

information about the status of the 

Alaska marine ecosystems for the Plan 

Team, SSC, AP, Council, NMFS, and the 

public, and they are updated annually. 

These ESRs include ecosystem report 

cards, ecosystem assessments, and 

ecosystem status indicators (i.e., climate 

indices, sea surface temperature), which 

together provide context for ecosystembased fisheries management in Alaska. 

The ESRs inform stock assessments and 

are integrated in the annual harvest 

recommendations through inclusion in 

stock assessment-specific risk tables. 

The ESRs provide context for the SSC’s 

recommendations for OFLs and ABCs, 

as well as for the Council’s TAC 

recommendations. The SAFE reports 

and the ESRs are presented to the Plan 

Team and at the October and December 

Council meetings before the SSC, AP, 

and Council make groundfish harvest 

recommendations and aid NMFS in 

implementing these annual groundfish 

harvest specifications. 

The SAFE report also includes 

information on the economic condition 

of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska 

through the Economic Status Report. 

The SAFE report provides information 

to the Council and NMFS for 

recommending and setting, respectively, 

annual harvest levels for each stock, 

documenting significant trends or 

changes in the resource, marine 


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15486 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

ecosystems, and fisheries over time, and 

assessing the relative success of existing 

Federal fishery management programs. 

From these data and analyses, the Plan 

Team recommends, and the SSC sets, an 

overfishing level (OFL) and ABC for 

each species and species group. The 

2023 SAFE report was made available 

for public review during the public 

comment period for the proposed 

harvest specifications. 

In previous years, the greatest changes 

from the proposed to the final harvest 

specifications were based on recent 

NMFS stock surveys, which provide 

updated estimates of stock biomass and 

spatial distribution, and changes to the 

models used for producing stock 

assessments. At the November 2023 

Plan Team meeting, NMFS scientists 

presented updated and new survey 

results, changes to stock assessment 

models, and accompanying stock 

assessment estimates for groundfish 

species and species groups that are 

included in the 2023 SAFE report per 

the stock assessment schedule found in 

the 2023 SAFE report introduction. The 

SSC reviewed this information at the 

December 2023 Council meeting. 

Changes from the proposed to the final 

2024 and 2025 harvest specifications are 

discussed below. 

The final 2024 and 2025 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best scientific 

information available, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised methods used to 

calculate stock biomass, and the final 

2024 and 2025 TACs are based on the 

best scientific and socioeconomic 

information available. The FMP 

specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be 

used to compute OFLs and ABCs. The 

formulas applicable to a particular stock 

or stock complex are determined by the 

level of reliable information available to 

fisheries scientists. This information is 

categorized into a successive series of 

six tiers to define OFL and ABC 

amounts, with Tier 1 representing the 

highest level of information quality 

available and Tier 6 representing the 

lowest level of information quality 

available. The Plan Team used the FMP 

tier structure to calculate OFL and ABC 

amounts for each groundfish species. 

The SSC adopted the final 2024 and 

2025 OFLs and ABCs recommended by 

the Plan Team, with the exception of the 

ABC for pollock in the combined 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 

and the West Yakutat District of the 

Eastern Regulatory Area (the W/C/ 

WYK), and the ABC apportionments by 

area for shortraker rockfish and other 

rockfish. 

For pollock, the SSC did not accept 

the GOA Plan Team’s recommended 

ABC because of concerns about 

discrepancies between model predicted 

and survey trends. Instead, the SSC 

recommended a reduction from max 

ABC for 2024. 

For shortraker rockfish sub-area 

apportionments of ABC, the Plan Team 

deliberated on the author’s 

recommended model change because 

the new apportionment method of using 

both trawl and longline indices may 

constrain fisheries within the Central 

GOA. The Plan Team recommended 

accepting the new apportionment 

method but applying a stair-step 

between the methods to alleviate 

concerns highlighted by the public 

during the meeting. The SSC received 

public testimony that also highlighted 

allocation limitations. Public testimony 

asserted that there is a high probability 

that the reduction in a Central GOA subarea apportionment of ABC could result 

in fishery closure. Sub-area 

apportionments of ABCs may be a 

constraint when species are allocated to 

catch share programs or sectors through 

regulation. As there is no current 

conservation concern for shortraker 

rockfish, the SSC recommended the 

status quo apportionment method. The 

SSC acknowledges that this differs from 

the author and Plan Team 

recommendation for this stock as well 

as the SSC recommendation for GOA 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

which uses both trawl and longline 

indices for apportionment. 

For other rockfish sub-area 

apportionments of ABC, the Plan Team 

recommended that the W/C and WYK 

sub-area ABCs be combined for 2025. 

The Plan Team rationale for this 

recommendation is that these non-target 

species are poorly sampled by the trawl 

survey, there are no major changes in 

fishing behavior, good species-specific 

catch data is available, and most of the 

biomass is in the Southeast Outside 

(SEO) District of the Eastern Regulatory 

Area where trawling is prohibited. 

Further, recent analyses suggest there is 

little to no genetic structure in rockfish 

in general, and evidence of local 

depletion has not been observed. The 

Plan Team recommended that the 

Council engage in the Spatial 

Management Policy for this stock. After 

discussing this recommendation and 

considering related public testimony, 

the SSC agreed with the Plan Team 

recommendation for 2024. This change 

will align with the ABC apportionment 

for GOA Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR) 

when they are moved to a separate 

assessment for the 2025 fishery. 

For Pacific ocean perch, the Plan 

Team recommended specifying a GOAwide OFL for consistency with stock 

definition and stock status 

determination criteria. The SSC agreed 

with the Plan Team’s recommendation. 

The Council adopted the SSC’s OFLs 

and ABCs and the AP’s TAC 

recommendations. The final TAC 

recommendations are based on the 

ABCs and are adjusted for other 

biological and socioeconomic 

considerations, including maintaining 

the sum of all TACs within the required 

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

The Council recommended 2024 and 

2025 TACs that are equal to ABCs for 

pollock in the SEO District, sablefish, 

shallow-water flatfish in the Central 

GOA and WYK and SEO Districts, deepwater flatfish, rex sole, arrowtooth 

flounder in the Central GOA and WYK 

District, flathead sole in the Central 

GOA and WYK and SEO Districts, 

Pacific ocean perch; northern rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead 

rockfish, other rockfish in the W/C/ 

WYK, Atka mackerel, big skate, 

longnose skate, other skates, sharks, and 

octopuses in the GOA. The Council 

recommended TACs for 2024 and 2025 

that are less than the ABCs for pollock, 

Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area (Western 

GOA), arrowtooth flounder in the 

Western GOA and SEO District, flathead 

sole in the Western GOA, and other 

rockfish in the SEO District. For subarea apportionments of ABCs, refer to 

tables 1 and 2. 

The combined W/C/WYK pollock 

TAC and the GOA Pacific cod TACs are 

set to accommodate the State of Alaska’s 

(State’s) guideline harvest levels (GHLs) 

so that the ABCs for pollock and Pacific 

cod are not exceeded. The Western GOA 

shallow-water flatfish, Western GOA 

arrowtooth flounder, and Western GOA 

flathead sole TACs are set to allow for 

increased harvest opportunities for 

these target species while conserving 

the halibut PSC limit for use in other, 

more fully utilized fisheries. Similarly, 

the SEO District arrowtooth flounder 

TAC is set lower than ABC to conserve 

halibut PSC limit for use in other 

fisheries or because there is limited 

commercial interest and participation in 

this fishery. The other rockfish TAC in 

the SEO District is set to reduce the 

amount of discards of the species in that 

complex. 

The final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications approved by the Secretary 

of Commerce are unchanged from those 

recommended by the Council and are 

consistent with the preferred harvest 


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strategy alternative outlined in the FMP, 

as well as the Final EIS and ROD, 

because they were set through the 

harvest specifications process, none of 

the TACs exceed the recommended 

ABCs, and the sum of all TACs is within 

the OY range (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 2023 SAFE report, 

while also accounting for ecosystem and 

socioeconomic information presented in 

the 2023 SAFE report (which includes 

the GOA ESR). NMFS also finds that the 

Council’s recommendations for TACs 

are consistent with the biological 

condition of groundfish stocks as 

adjusted for other biological and 

socioeconomic considerations, 

including maintaining the sum of all 

TACs within the OY range. NMFS 

reviewed the Council’s recommended 

TACs and apportionments, and NMFS 

approves these harvest specifications 

under § 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 2024 and 

2025 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area 

apportionments of groundfish in the 

GOA. The 2024 harvest specifications 

set in this final action supersede the 

2024 harvest specifications previously 

set in the final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications (88 FR 13238, March 2, 

2023). The 2025 harvest specifications 

will be superseded in early 2025 when 

the final 2025 and 2026 harvest 

specifications are published. Pursuant 

to this final action, the 2024 harvest 

specifications therefore will apply for 

the remainder of the current year (2024), 

while the 2025 harvest specifications 

are projected only for the following year 

and will be superseded in early 2025 by 

the final 2025 and 2026 harvest 

specifications. Because this final action 

will be superseded in early 2025 by the 

publication of the final 2025 and 2026 

harvest specifications, it is projected 

that this final action will implement the 

harvest specifications for the GOA for 

approximately 1 year. 

Specification and Apportionment of 

TAC Amounts 

NMFS’s apportionment of groundfish 

species are based on the distribution of 

biomass among the regulatory areas over 

which NMFS manages the species. 

Additional regulations that govern the 

apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, 

and sablefish and are described below. 

The ABC for the pollock stock in the 

combined W/C/WYK includes the 

amount for the GHL established by the 

State for the Prince William Sound 

(PWS) pollock fishery. The Plan Team, 

SSC, AP, and Council have 

recommended that the sum of all State 

waters and Federal waters pollock 

removals from the GOA not exceed ABC 

recommendations. For 2024 and 2025, 

the SSC recommended and the Council 

approved the W/C/WYK pollock ABC, 

including the amount to account for the 

State’s PWS GHL. At the November 

2023 Plan Team meeting, State fisheries 

managers recommended setting the 

PWS pollock GHL at 2.5 percent of the 

annual W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 

2024, this yields a PWS pollock GHL of 

4,769 mt, an increase of 18 percent from 

the 2023 PWS pollock GHL of 4,027 mt. 

For 2025, the PWS pollock GHL is 3,942 

mt, a decrease of 17 percent from the 

2024 PWS pollock GHL of 4,769 mt. 

After the GHL reductions, the 2024 and 

2025 pollock ABCs for the combined W/ 

C/WYK areas are then apportioned 

between four statistical areas (Areas 

610, 620, 630, and 640) as both ABCs 

and TACs, as described below and 

detailed in tables 1 and 2. The ABCs 

and TACs for the four statistical areas, 

plus the State PWS GHL, do not exceed 

the combined W/C/WYK ABC. 

Apportionments of pollock to the W/ 

C/WYK areas are considered to be 

‘‘apportionments of annual catch limits 

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

accurately reflects that such 

apportionments address management, 

rather than biological or conservation, 

concerns. In addition, apportionments 

of the ACL in this manner allow NMFS 

to balance any transfer of TAC among 

Areas 610, 620, and 630 pursuant to 

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

combined apportionments of ACL and 

ABC for the W/C/WYK, as well as the 

W/C/WYK TAC, are not exceeded. 

NMFS establishes pollock TACs in 

the Western (Area 610) and Central 

(Areas 620 and 630) Regulatory Areas 

and the West Yakutat (Area 640) and the 

SEO (Area 650) Districts of the GOA (see 

tables 1 and 2). NMFS also establishes 

seasonal apportionments of the annual 

pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 

630. Additional detail on area 

apportionments and seasonal 

allowances is provided in the 

Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among 

Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and 

Allocations for Processing by Inshore 

and Offshore Components section of 

this rule; tables 3 and 4 list these 

amounts. 

The 2024 and 2025 Pacific cod TACs 

are set to accommodate the State’s GHLs 

for Pacific cod in State waters in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 

as well as in PWS (in the Eastern 

Regulatory Area). The Plan Team, SSC, 

AP, and Council recommended that the 

sum of all State waters and Federal 

waters Pacific cod removals from the 

GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. 

The Council recommended setting the 

2024 and 2025 Pacific cod TACs in the 

Western, Central, and Eastern 

Regulatory Areas to account for State 

GHLs. Therefore, the 2024 Pacific cod 

TACs are less than the ABCs by the 

following amounts: (1) Western GOA, 

2,624 mt; (2) Central GOA, 5,148 mt; 

and (3) Eastern GOA, 734 mt. The 2025 

Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs 

by the following amounts: (1) Western 

GOA, 2,291 mt; (2) Central GOA, 4,495 

mt; and (3) Eastern GOA, 641 mt. These 

amounts reflect the State’s 2024 and 

2025 GHLs in these areas, which are 30 

percent of the Western GOA ABC and 

25 percent of the Eastern and Central 

GOA ABCs. 

The Western and Central GOA Pacific 

cod TACs are allocated among various 

gear and operational sectors. NMFS also 

establishes seasonal apportionments of 

the annual Pacific cod TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas. 

The Pacific cod sector and seasonal 

apportionments are discussed in detail 

in the Annual and Seasonal 

Apportionments of Pacific Cod TAC 

section and in tables 5 and 6 of this rule. 

The Council’s recommendation for 

sablefish area apportionments takes into 

account the prohibition on the use of 

trawl gear in the SEO District of the 

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

and makes available 5 percent of the 

combined Eastern Regulatory Area 

TACs to vessels using trawl gear for use 

as incidental catch in other trawl 

groundfish fisheries in the WYK District 

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

final 2024 and 2025 allocations of 

sablefish TAC to fixed gear and trawl 

gear in the GOA. 

Changes From the Proposed 2024 and 

2025 Harvest Specifications in the GOA 

In October 2023, the Council’s 

recommendations for the proposed 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications (88 FR 

85184, December 7, 2023) were based 

largely on information contained in the 

final 2022 SAFE report for the GOA 

groundfish fisheries, dated November 

2022. The final 2022 SAFE report for the 

GOA is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that 

the final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

established for the 2024 groundfish 

fisheries (88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) 

be used for the proposed 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications (88 FR 85184, 

December 7, 2023) pending completion 


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15488 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

and review of the 2023 SAFE report at 

the Council’s December 2023 meeting. 

As described previously, the SSC 

recommended the final 2024 and 2025 

OFLs and ABCs as recommended by the 

Plan Team, with the exception of the 

2024 pollock ABC and the shortraker 

rockfish and other rockfish ABC 

apportionments by subareas. The 

Council adopted as its 

recommendations the SSC’s OFL and 

ABC recommendations and the AP’s 

TAC recommendations for 2024 and 

2025. 

The final 2024 TACs are higher than 

the proposed 2024 TACs published in 

the proposed 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications (88 FR 85184, December 

7, 2023) for pollock, Pacific cod, 

sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, deepwater flatfish, rex sole, arrowtooth 

flounder, flathead sole, Pacific ocean 

perch, northern rockfish, dusky 

rockfish, rougheye and blackspotted 

rockfish, other rockfish, and Atka 

mackerel. The final 2024 TACs are 

lower than the proposed 2024 TACs for 

shortraker rockfish, big skate, longnose 

skate, and other skates. 

The final 2025 TACs are higher than 

the proposed 2025 GOA TACs for 

Pacific cod, sablefish, shallow-water 

flatfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, 

arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, 

Pacific ocean perch, rougheye and 

blackspotted rockfish, other rockfish, 

and Atka mackerel. The final 2025 TACs 

are lower than the proposed 2025 TACs 

for pollock, northern rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, big 

skates, longnose skates, and other 

skates. For the remaining target species 

(i.e., demersal shelf rockfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, sharks, and 

octopus), the Council recommended the 

final 2024 and 2025 TACs that are the 

same as the proposed 2024 and 2025 

TACs. 

Additional information explaining the 

changes between the proposed and final 

ABCs is included in the final 2023 

SAFE report, which was not completed 

and available when the Council made 

its proposed ABC and TAC 

recommendations in October 2023. At 

that time, the most recent stock 

assessment information was contained 

in the final 2022 SAFE report. For the 

final specifications, the final 2023 SAFE 

report contains the best and most recent 

scientific information on the condition 

of the groundfish stocks, harvest 

information, and ecosystem and 

socioeconomic information, as 

previously discussed in this preamble, 

and is available for review (see 

ADDRESSES). The Council considered the 

2023 SAFE report in December 2023 

when it made recommendations for the 

final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications. In the GOA, the total 

final 2024 TAC amount is 520,020 mt, 

an increase of 9.1 percent from the total 

proposed 2024 TAC amount of 476,537 

mt. The total final 2025 TAC amount is 

483,700 mt, an increase of 1.5 percent 

from the total proposed 2025 TAC 

amount of 476,537 mt. Table 1a 

summarizes the difference between the 

proposed and final TACs. 

Annual stock assessments incorporate 

a variety of new or revised inputs, such 

as survey data or catch information, as 

well as changes to the statistical models 

used to estimate a species’ biomass and 

population trend. Changes to biomass 

and ABC estimates are primarily based 

on fishery catch updates to species’ 

assessment models. 

The changes for individual species or 

species groups from the proposed 2024 

TACs to the final 2024 TACs are within 

a range of plus 57 percent or minus 32 

percent, and the changes from the 

proposed 2025 TACs to the final 2025 

TACs are within a range of plus 57 

percent or minus 32 percent. Differences 

in TACs are based on changes in the 

estimates of overall biomass in the stock 

assessment for 2024 and 2025, as 

compared to the estimates previously 

made for 2023 and 2024. For 2024, the 

species or species group with TAC 

increases greater than 10 percent are 

pollock, Pacific cod, deep-water flatfish, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, and 

Atka mackerel. For 2025, the species or 

species group with TAC increases 

greater than ten percent are Pacific cod, 

deep-water flatfish, rougheye and 

blackspotted rockfish, and Atka 

mackerel. Based on changes in the 

estimates of biomass, the species group 

with TAC percentage decreases greater 

than ten percent are other skates for 

2024 and 2025. For all other species and 

species groups, changes from the 

proposed 2024 and 2025 TACs to the 

final 2024 and 2025 TACs are a 10 

percent or less change (either increase 

or decrease). These TAC changes 

correspond to associated changes in the 

OFLs and ABCs, as recommended by 

the SSC, AP, and Council. 

Detailed information providing the 

basis for the changes described above 

are contained in the final 2023 SAFE 

report. The final TACs are based on the 

best scientific information available, 

including biological and socioeconomic 

information. These TACs are specified 

in compliance with the harvest strategy 

from the FMP and Final EIS and as 

described in the proposed and final 

rules for the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications. 

TABLE 1a—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2024 AND 2025 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS

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

Species 2024 and 2025 

proposed TAC 

2024 

Final TAC 

2024 Final 

minus 2024 

proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

2025 

Final TAC 

2025 Final 

minus 2025 

proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

Pollock ................................................ 168,416 195,720 27,304 16 168,416 ¥4,922 ¥3 

Pacific cod .......................................... 16,668 23,766 7,098 43 16,668 4,089 25 

Sablefish ............................................ 21,095 22,596 1,501 7 21,095 1,600 8 

Shallow-water flatfish ......................... 45,425 45,478 53 0 45,425 666 1 

Deep-water flatfish ............................. 5,719 7,062 1,343 23 5,719 1,234 22 

Rex sole ............................................. 21,097 21,364 267 1 21,097 206 1 

Arrowtooth flounder ............................ 93,389 94,141 752 1 93,389 547 1 

Flathead sole ..................................... 35,839 35,880 41 0 35,839 548 2 

Pacific ocean perch ........................... 36,196 39,719 3,523 10 36,196 2,158 6 

Northern rockfish ................................ 4,741 4,815 74 2 4,741 ¥95 ¥2 

Shortraker rockfish ............................. 705 647 ¥58 ¥8 705 ¥58 ¥8 

Dusky rockfish .................................... 7,520 7,624 104 1 7,520 ¥295 ¥4 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish ........ 772 1,037 265 34 772 269 35 

Demersal shelf rockfish ..................... 283 283 0 0 283 0 0 

Thornyhead rockfish .......................... 1,628 1,628 0 0 1,628 0 0 

Other rockfish ..................................... 1,610 1,653 43 3 1,610 43 3 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15489 

TABLE 1a—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2024 AND 2025 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS—Continued 

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

Species 2024 and 2025 

proposed TAC 

2024 

Final TAC 

2024 Final 

minus 2024 

proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

2025 

Final TAC 

2025 Final 

minus 2025 

proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

Atka mackerel .................................... 3,000 4,700 1,700 57 3,000 1,700 57 

Big skate ............................................ 2,867 2,835 ¥32 ¥1 2,867 ¥32 ¥1 

Longnose skate .................................. 2,712 2,536 ¥176 ¥6 2,712 ¥176 ¥6 

Other skates ....................................... 984 665 ¥319 ¥32 984 ¥319 ¥32 

Sharks ................................................ 4,891 4,891 0 0 4,891 0 0 

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

Total ............................................ 476,537 520,020 43,483 9.1 483,700 7,163 1.5 

The final 2024 and 2025 TAC 

amounts for the GOA are within the OY 

range established for the GOA and do 

not exceed the ABC for any species or 

species group. The ABC does not exceed 

the OFL for any species or species 

group. Tables 1 and 2 list the final OFL, 

ABC, and TAC amounts for GOA 

groundfish for 2024 and 2025, 

respectively. 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2024 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .................................................................................... Shumagin (610) ...................................... n/a 38,882 38,882 

Chirikof (620) .......................................... n/a 90,937 90,937 

Kodiak (630) ............................................ n/a 50,587 50,587 

WYK (640) .............................................. n/a 5,565 5,565 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 ...................... 269,916 190,740 185,971 

SEO (650) ............................................... 12,998 9,749 9,749 

Total ................................................. 282,914 200,489 195,720 

Pacific cod 3 .............................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 8,745 6,121 

C .............................................................. n/a 20,590 15,442 

E .............................................................. n/a 2,937 2,203 

Total ................................................. 38,712 32,272 23,766 

Sablefish 4 ................................................................................ W ............................................................. n/a 4,699 4,699 

C .............................................................. n/a 9,651 9,651 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,926 2,926 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 5,320 5,320 

Subtotal TAC ................................... n/a n/a 22,596 

Total ................................................. 55,084 47,146 n/a 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 ............................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 23,337 13,250 

C .............................................................. n/a 27,783 27,783 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,778 2,778 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 1,667 1,667 

Total ................................................. 68,121 55,565 45,478 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 237 237 

C .............................................................. n/a 2,655 2,655 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 1,856 1,856 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,314 2,314 

Total ................................................. 8,387 7,062 7,062 

Rex sole ................................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 3,367 3,367 

C .............................................................. n/a 13,639 13,639 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 1,453 1,453 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,905 2,905 


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15490 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2024 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Total ................................................. 25,978 21,364 21,364 

Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 30,409 14,500 

C .............................................................. n/a 64,871 64,871 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 7,870 7,870 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 16,099 6,900 

Total ................................................. 142,485 119,249 94,141 

Flathead sole ............................................................................ W ............................................................. n/a 13,273 8,650 

C .............................................................. n/a 21,307 21,307 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 3,876 3,876 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,047 2,047 

Total ................................................. 49,414 40,503 35,880 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ............................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 1,787 1,787 

C .............................................................. n/a 28,757 28,757 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,110 2,110 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 7,065 7,065 

Total ................................................. 47,466 39,719 39,719 

Northern rockfish 8 .................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 2,535 2,535 

C .............................................................. n/a 2,280 2,280 

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

Total ................................................. 5,750 4,815 4,815 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 34 34 

C .............................................................. n/a 189 189 

E .............................................................. n/a 424 424 

Total ................................................. 863 647 647 

Dusky rockfish 10 ...................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 145 145 

C .............................................................. n/a 7,365 7,365 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 84 84 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 30 30 

Total ................................................. 9,281 7,624 7,624 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 ................................... W ............................................................. n/a 197 197 

C .............................................................. n/a 315 315 

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

Total ................................................. 1,555 1,037 1,037 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ........................................................ SEO ......................................................... 376 283 283

Thornyhead rockfish13 .............................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 314 314 

C .............................................................. n/a 693 693 

E .............................................................. n/a 621 621 

Total ................................................. 2,170 1,628 1,628 

Other rockfish 14 15 ................................................................... W/C/WYK ................................................ n/a 1,353 1,353 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,421 300 

Total ................................................. 4,977 3,774 1,653 

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

Big skate 16 ............................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 745 745 

C .............................................................. n/a 1,749 1,749 

E .............................................................. n/a 341 341 

Total ................................................. 3,780 2,835 2,835 

Longnose skate 17 .................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 104 104 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15491 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2024 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

C .............................................................. n/a 1,894 1,894 

E .............................................................. n/a 538 538 

Total ................................................. 3,380 2,536 2,536 

Other skates 18 ......................................................................... GW .......................................................... 887 665 665 

GW .......................................................... 6,521 4,891 4,891 

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

Total .................................................................................. ................................................................. 765,608 599,784 520,020 

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

WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 190,740 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (4,769 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 185,971 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

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

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in table 3 (final 2024 seasonal biomass distribution of 

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

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

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

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

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

5 lists the final 2024 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC are set Alaska-wide (55,084 mt and 47,146 mt, respectively), and the Alaska-wide totals are included in the total 

OFL and ABC in table 1. Additionally, sablefish TAC is allocated to trawl and fixed gear in 2024 and trawl gear in 2025. Table 7 lists the final 

2024 allocations of sablefish TACs. 5 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 6 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

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

helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). 13 ‘‘Thornyhead rockfish’’ means Sebastolobus species. 14 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri 

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

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

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

S. polyspinis. 15 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other rockfish and demersal shelf 

rockfish. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District only includes ‘‘other rockfish.’’ 16 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Beringraja binoculata. 17 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 18 ‘‘Other skates’’ mean Bathyraja spp. 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2025 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .................................................................................... Shumagin (610) ...................................... n/a 32,144 32,144 

Chirikof (620) .......................................... n/a 75,179 75,179 

Kodiak (630) ............................................ n/a 41,821 41,821 

WYK (640) .............................................. n/a 4,601 4,601 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 ...................... 182,891 157,687 153,745 

SEO (650) ............................................... 12,998 9,749 9,749 

Total ................................................. 195,889 167,436 163,494 

Pacific cod 3 .............................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 7,638 5,347 

C .............................................................. n/a 17,981 13,486 

E .............................................................. n/a 2,565 1,924 

Total ................................................. 33,970 28,184 20,757 


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15492 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2025 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Sablefish 4 ................................................................................ W ............................................................. n/a 4,719 4,719 

C .............................................................. n/a 9,693 9,693 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,940 2,940 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 5,343 5,343 

Subtotal TAC ................................... n/a n/a 22,695 

Total ................................................. 55,317 47,350 n/a 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 ............................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 23,782 13,250 

C .............................................................. n/a 28,311 28,311 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,831 2,831 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 1,699 1,699 

Total ................................................. 69,354 56,623 46,091 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 234 234 

C .............................................................. n/a 2,614 2,614 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 1,827 1,827 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,278 2,278 

Total ................................................. 8,257 6,953 6,953 

Rex sole ................................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 3,363 3,363 

C .............................................................. n/a 13,624 13,624 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 1,439 1,439 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,877 2,877 

Total ................................................. 25,900 21,303 21,303 

Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 30,323 14,500 

C .............................................................. n/a 64,688 64,688 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 7,848 7,848 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 16,053 6,900 

Total ................................................. 142,074 118,912 93,936 

Flathead sole ............................................................................ W ............................................................. n/a 13,521 8,650 

C .............................................................. n/a 21,702 21,702 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 3,949 3,949 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,086 2,086 

Total ................................................. 50,322 41,258 36,387 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ............................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 1,726 1,726 

C .............................................................. n/a 27,768 27,768 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 2,038 2,038 

SEO ......................................................... .................. 6,822 6,822 

Total ................................................. 45,835 38,354 38,354 

Northern rockfish 8 .................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 2,446 2,446 

C .............................................................. n/a 2,200 2,200 

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

Total ................................................. 5,548 4,646 4,646 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ................................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 34 34 

C .............................................................. n/a 189 189 

E .............................................................. n/a 424 424 

Total ................................................. 863 647 647 

Dusky rockfish 10 ...................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 137 137 

C .............................................................. n/a 6,979 6,979 

WYK ........................................................ n/a 81 81 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 28 28 

Total ................................................. 8,796 7,225 7,225 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15493 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2025 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 ................................... W ............................................................. n/a 198 198 

C .............................................................. n/a 317 317 

E .............................................................. n/a 526 526 

Total ................................................. 1,566 1,041 1,041 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ........................................................ SEO ......................................................... 376 283 283

Thornyhead rockfish 13 ............................................................. W ............................................................. n/a 314 314 

C .............................................................. n/a 693 693 

E .............................................................. n/a 621 621 

Total ................................................. 2,170 1,628 1,628 

Other rockfish 14 15 ................................................................... W/C/WYK ................................................ n/a 1,353 1,353 

SEO ......................................................... n/a 2,421 300 

Total ................................................. 4,977 3,774 1,653 

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

Big skate 16 ............................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 745 745 

C .............................................................. n/a 1,749 1,749 

E .............................................................. n/a 341 341 

Total ................................................. 3,780 2,835 2,835 

Longnose skate 17 .................................................................... W ............................................................. n/a 104 104 

C .............................................................. n/a 1,894 1,894 

E .............................................................. n/a 538 538 

Total ................................................. 3,380 2,536 2,536 

Other skates 18 ......................................................................... GW .......................................................... 887 665 665 

Sharks ...................................................................................... GW .......................................................... 6,521 4,891 4,891 

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

Total .................................................................................. ................................................................. 673,289 562,224 483,700 

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

WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 157,687 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (3,942 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 153,745 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

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

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in table 4 (final 2025 seasonal biomass distribution of 

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

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

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

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

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

6 lists the final 2025 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC are set Alaska-wide (55,317 mt and 47,350 mt, respectively), and the Alaska-wide totals are included in the total 

OFL and ABC in table 2. Additionally, sablefish TAC is allocated only to trawl gear for 2025. Table 8 lists the final 2025 allocation of sablefish 

TACs to trawl gear. 5 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 6 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

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

helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye). 13 ‘‘Thornyhead rockfish’’ means Sebastolobus species. 14 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio), S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri 

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

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

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

S. polyspinis. 


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15 In 2024 and prior years, ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District meant other rockfish 

and demersal shelf rockfish, and the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the SEO District only included ‘‘other rockfish.’’ Starting with the 2024 

stock assessment for the 2025 harvest specifications, the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group will be specified GOA-wide (as one GOA-wide species 

group), and the demersal shelf rockfish species group will be specified for the Western and Central Regulatory Areas/West Yakutat District and 

for the SEO District (as two separate species groups). 16 ‘‘Big skate’’ means Beringraja binoculata. 17 ‘‘Longnose skate’’ means Raja rhina. 18 ‘‘Other skates’’ mean 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, sharks, and 

octopuses in reserve for possible 

apportionment at a later date during the 

fishing year. For 2024 and 2025, NMFS 

proposed reapportionment of all the 

reserves in the proposed 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications published in the 

Federal Register on December 7, 2023 

(88 FR 85184). NMFS did not receive 

any public comments on the proposed 

reapportionments. For the final 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications, NMFS 

reapportions, as proposed, all the 

reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, 

sharks, and octopuses back to the 

original TAC limit from which the 

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

This is being done because NMFS 

expects, based on recent harvest 

patterns, that such reserves are not 

necessary or that the entire TAC for 

each of these species will be caught. The 

TACs listed in tables 1 and 2 reflect 

reapportionments of reserve amounts to 

the original TAC limit for these species 

and species groups, i.e., each final TAC 

for the above-mentioned species or 

species groups contains the full TAC 

recommended by the Council. 

Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among 

Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and 

Allocations for Processing by Inshore 

and Offshore Components 

In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by 

season and area and is further allocated 

for processing by inshore and offshore 

components. The pollock TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA are apportioned among 

Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630. 

These apportionments are divided into 

two equal seasonal allowances of 50 

percent to the A season (January 20 

through May 31) and 50 percent to the 

B season (September 1 through 

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

679.23(d)(2)). 

Effective in 2021, regulatory changes 

revised the number of GOA pollock 

seasons to two seasons from four 

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

The GOA pollock stock assessment 

continues to use a four-season 

methodology to determine pollock 

distribution in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA to 

maintain continuity in the historical 

pollock apportionment time-series. 

Pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630 in proportion to the 

distribution of pollock biomass 

determined by the most recent NMFS 

surveys, pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). The pollock 

chapter of the 2023 SAFE report (see 

ADDRESSES) contains a comprehensive 

description of the apportionment and 

reasons for the minor changes from past 

apportionments. For purposes of 

specifying pollock TAC between two 

seasons for the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA, NMFS has 

summed the A and B season 

apportionments and the C and D season 

apportionments, using the four-season 

methodology, as calculated in the 2023 

GOA pollock assessment. This yields 

the seasonal amounts specified for the A 

season and the B season, respectively. 

Within any fishing year, the amount 

by which a pollock seasonal allowance 

is underharvested or overharvested may 

be added to, or subtracted from, the 

subsequent seasonal allowance for the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 

in a manner to be determined by the 

Regional Administrator 

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

amount is limited to 20 percent of the 

subsequent seasonal TAC 

apportionment for the statistical area. 

Any unharvested pollock above the 20- 

percent limit could be further 

distributed to the other statistical areas, 

in proportion to the estimated biomass 

in the subsequent season in those 

statistical areas and in an amount no 

more than 20 percent of the seasonal 

TAC apportionment in those statistical 

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

TACs in the WYK and the SEO Districts 

of 5,565 mt and 9,749 mt, respectively, 

in 2024, and 4,601 mt and 9,749 mt, 

respectively, in 2025, are not allocated 

by season. 

Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2024 and 

2025 seasonal biomass distribution of 

pollock in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, 

and seasonal allowances. The amounts 

of pollock for processing by the inshore 

and offshore components are not shown. 

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

allocation of 100 percent of the pollock 

TAC in all GOA regulatory areas and all 

seasonal allowances to vessels catching 

pollock for processing by the inshore 

component after subtraction of pollock 

amounts projected by the Regional 

Administrator to be caught by, or 

delivered to, the offshore component 

incidental to directed fishing for other 

groundfish species. Thus, the amount of 

pollock available for harvest by vessels 

harvesting pollock for processing by the 

offshore component is that amount that 

will be taken as incidental catch during 

directed fishing for groundfish species 

other than pollock, up to the maximum 

retainable amounts allowed by 

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

incidental catch amounts of pollock are 

unknown and will be determined 

during the fishing year during the 

course of fishing activities by the 

offshore component. 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2024 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 5,422 70,918 13,863 90,203 

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 33,460 20,019 36,724 90,203 


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TABLE 3—FINAL 2024 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 38,882 90,937 50,587 180,406 

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

2As established by § 679.23(d)(2), directed fishing for pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas is authorized only during the following two seasons: January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by 

the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 3The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs 

shown in this table. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2025 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 4,483 58,629 11,460 74,572 

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 27,661 16,550 30,361 74,572 

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 32,144 75,179 41,821 149,144 

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

2As established by § 679.23(d)(2), directed fishing for pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas is authorized only during the following two seasons: January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by 

the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 3The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs 

shown in this table. 

Annual and Seasonal Apportionments 

of Pacific Cod TAC 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(12)(i), NMFS 

seasonally allocates the 2024 and 2025 

Pacific cod TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among gear and operational sectors. In 

the Western and Central Regulatory 

Areas, a portion of the annual TAC is 

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

1 through June 10, and for trawl gear 

from January 20 through June 10, and a 

portion of the annual TAC is 

apportioned to the B season for jig gear 

from June 10 through December 31, for 

hook-and-line and pot gear from 

September 1 through December 31, and 

for trawl gear from September 1 through 

November 1 (§§ 679.20(a)(12) and 

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

Pacific cod TACs annually between the 

inshore (90 percent) and offshore (10 

percent) components in the Eastern 

Regulatory Area of the GOA 

(§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii)). 

In the Central GOA, the Pacific cod 

TAC is apportioned seasonally first to 

vessels using jig gear, then among CVs 

less than 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) in 

length overall using hook-and-line gear, 

then among CVs equal to or greater than 

50 feet (15.2 m) in length overall using 

hook-and-line gear, then among catcher/ 

processors (CPs) using hook-and-line 

gear, then among CVs using trawl gear, 

then among CPs using trawl gear, and 

then among vessels using pot gear 

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

GOA, the Pacific cod TAC is 

apportioned seasonally first to vessels 

using jig gear, then among CVs using 

hook-and-line gear, then among CPs 

using hook-and-line gear, then among 

CVs using trawl gear, then among CPs 

using trawl gear, and then among 

vessels using pot gear 

(§ 679.20(a)(12)(i)(A)). Excluding 

seasonal apportionments to the jig 

sector, NMFS seasonally apportions the 

remainder of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western GOA as 63.84 

percent to the A season and 36.16 

percent to the B season, and in the 

Central GOA as 64.16 percent to the A 

season and 35.84 percent to the B 

season. 

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

or underage of the Pacific cod season 

allowance from the A season may be 

subtracted from, or added to, the 

subsequent B season allowance. In 

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

that is determined by NMFS as likely to 

go unharvested by a sector may be 

reallocated to other sectors for harvest 

during the remainder of the fishing year 

consistent with the reallocation 

priorities prescribed in regulation and 

the capability of a sector to harvest the 

remaining TAC. 

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

(B), a portion of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western and Central GOA 

will be allocated to vessels with a 

Federal fisheries permit that use jig gear 

before the TACs are apportioned among 

other non-jig sectors. In accordance with 

the FMP, the annual jig sector 

allocations may increase to up to 6 

percent of the annual Western and 

Central GOA Pacific cod TACs, 

depending on the annual performance 

of the jig sector (see table 1 in the final 

rule implementing Amendment 83 to 

the FMP for a detailed discussion of the 

jig sector allocation process (76 FR 

74670, December 1, 2011)). Jig sector 

allocation increases are established for a 

minimum of 2 years. Jig sector 

allocation decreases are established for 

1 year. 

NMFS has evaluated the historical 

harvest performance of the jig sector in 

the Western and Central GOA and is 

establishing the 2024 and 2025 Pacific 

cod apportionments to this sector based 

on its historical harvest performance 

through 2023. NMFS did not evaluate 

the 2020 performance of the jig sectors 

in the Western and Central GOA 

because directed fishing was prohibited 

for all Pacific cod sectors in 2020 (84 FR 

70438, December 23, 2019). Because of 

the closure, catch for the jig sectors 

could not reach 90 percent of the annual 

allocation that is required for a 


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performance increase in the following 

year’s allocation (87 FR 74102, 

December 2, 2022). For 2024 and 2025, 

NMFS allocates the jig sector 3.5 

percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC 

in the Western GOA. The 2024 and 2025 

allocations consist of a base allocation 

of 1.5 percent of the Western GOA 

Pacific cod TAC and performance 

increases of 2.0 percent. For 2024 and 

2025, NMFS allocates the jig sector 2.0 

percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC 

in the Central GOA. The 2024 and 2025 

allocations consist of a base allocation 

of 1.0 percent of the Central GOA 

Pacific cod TAC and a performance 

increase of 1.0 percent. The 2025 

allocations of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western and Central GOA 

to jig gear may change based on the 

harvest performance of the sector in 

2024, which NMFS will evaluate in the 

2025 and 2026 harvest specifications. 

For 2024 and 2025, NMFS is 

apportioning the jig sector allocations 

for the Western and Central GOA 

between the A season (60 percent) and 

the B season (40 percent), pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(i). This is the same jig 

sector seasonal apportionment 

implemented in prior groundfish 

harvest specifications for the GOA and 

is consistent with Amendment 83 to the 

FMP (76 FR 44700, July 26, 2011). 

Tables 5 and 6 list the seasonal 

apportionments and allocations of the 

2024 and 2025 Pacific cod TACs. 

TABLE 5—FINAL 2024 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 214 n/a 129 n/a 86 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 83 0.70 41 0.70 41 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,170 10.9 644 8.90 526 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 2,268 31.54 1,863 6.86 405 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 142 0.90 53 1.50 89 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,245 19.80 1,170 18.20 1,075 

Total ....................................................................... 6,121 63.84 3,899 36.16 2,222 

Central GOA: 

Jig (2.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 309 n/a 185 n/a 124 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................................................. 2,210 9.32 1,410 5.29 800 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................................................. 1,015 5.61 849 1.10 166 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 772 4.11 622 1.00 151 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 6,293 25.29 3,828 16.29 2,465 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 635 2.00 303 2.19 332 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 4,208 17.83 2,698 9.98 1,510 

Total ....................................................................... 15,442 64.16 9,894 35.84 5,548 

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

2,203 1,983 220 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 588 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC (see 

table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). This apportionment is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see table 12: Final 2024 Apportionments 

of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel and Catcher/Processor Cooperatives). 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2025 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 187 N/A 112 N/A 75 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 72 0.70 36 0.70 36 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,022 10.9 562 8.90 459 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 1,981 31.54 1,627 6.86 354 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 124 0.90 46 1.50 77 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 1,961 19.80 1,022 18.20 939 


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TABLE 6—FINAL 2025 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual 

non-jig TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Total ....................................................................... 5,347 63.84 3,406 36.16 1,941 

Central GOA: 

Jig (2.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 270 N/A 162 N/A 108 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................................................. 1,930 9.32 1,231 5.29 699 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................................................. 886 5.61 741 1.10 145 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 675 4.11 543 1.00 132 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 5,496 25.29 3,343 16.29 2,153 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 555 2.00 265 2.19 290 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 3,675 17.83 2,356 9.98 1,318 

Total ....................................................................... 13,486 64.16 8,641 35.84 4,845 

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

1,924 1,731 192 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 514 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC (see 

table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). This apportionment is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see table 13: Final 2025 Apportionments 

of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel and Catcher/Processor Cooperatives). 

Allocations of the Sablefish TAC 

Amounts to Vessels Using Fixed and 

Trawl Gear 

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

allocations of sablefish TACs for each of 

the regulatory areas and districts to 

fixed and trawl gear. In the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent of 

each TAC is allocated to fixed gear, and 

20 percent of each TAC is allocated to 

trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory 

Area, 95 percent of the TAC is allocated 

to fixed gear, and 5 percent is allocated 

to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation 

in the Eastern Regulatory Area may only 

be used to support incidental catch of 

sablefish using trawl gear while directed 

fishing for other target species 

(§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). 

In recognition of the prohibition 

against trawl gear in the SEO District of 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council 

recommended, and NMFS approves, 

specifying for incidental catch the 

allocation of 5 percent of the combined 

Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC 

to trawl gear in the WYK District of the 

Eastern Regulatory Area. The remainder 

of the WYK District sablefish TAC is 

allocated to vessels using fixed gear. 

NMFS allocates 100 percent of the 

sablefish TAC in the SEO District to 

vessels using fixed gear. This results in 

2024 allocations of 412 mt to trawl gear 

and 2,514 mt to fixed gear in the WYK 

District, a 2024 allocation of 5,320 mt to 

fixed gear in the SEO District, and a 

2025 allocation of 414 mt to trawl gear 

in the WYK District. Table 7 lists the 

allocations of the 2024 sablefish TACs 

to fixed and trawl gear. Table 8 lists the 

allocations of the 2025 sablefish TACs 

to trawl gear. 

The Council recommended that a 

trawl sablefish TAC be established for 2 

years so that retention of incidental 

catch of sablefish by trawl gear could 

commence in January in the second year 

of the groundfish harvest specifications. 

Both the 2024 and 2025 trawl 

allocations are specified in these final 

harvest specifications in tables 7 and 8, 

respectively. 

The Council also recommended that 

the fixed gear sablefish TAC be 

established annually to ensure that this 

Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery 

is conducted concurrently with the 

halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the 

most recent survey information. Since 

there is an annual assessment for 

sablefish and since the final harvest 

specifications are expected to be 

published before the IFQ season begins 

in March 2024, NMFS specifies the 

fixed gear sablefish TAC annually, 

rather than for 2 years, to ensure that the 

sablefish IFQ fishery is conducted 

concurrently with the halibut IFQ 

fishery. Concurrent sablefish and 

halibut IFQ fisheries reduce the 

potential for discards of halibut and 

sablefish in those fisheries. Accordingly, 

table 7 lists the 2024 fixed gear 

allocations, and the 2025 fixed gear 

allocations will be specified in the 2025 

and 2026 harvest specifications. 

With the exception of the trawl gear 

allocations that are provided to the 

Rockfish Program (see table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679), directed fishing for 

sablefish with trawl gear in the GOA is 

closed during the fishing year. Also, 

fishing for groundfish with trawl gear is 

prohibited prior to January 20 

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

that the sablefish allocation to trawl gear 

will be reached before the effective date 

of these final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications. 


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TABLE 7—FINAL 2024 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO FIXED AND TRAWL

GEAR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Fixed gear allocation Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western .................................................................................................................... 4,699 3,759 940 

Central 1 ................................................................................................................... 9,651 7,721 1,930 

West Yakutat 2 ......................................................................................................... 2,926 2,514 412 

Southeast Outside ................................................................................................... 5,320 5,320 0 

Total .................................................................................................................. 22,596 19,313 3,283 

1The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (993 mt). See 

table 28c to 50 CFR part 679 and table 12: Final 2024 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel 

and Catcher/Processor Cooperatives. This results in 937 mt being available for the non-Rockfish Program trawl fisheries. 2The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

TABLE 8—FINAL 2025 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO TRAWL GEAR 1

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Fixed gear allocation Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western .................................................................................................................... 4,719 n/a 944 

Central 2 ................................................................................................................... 9,693 n/a 1,939 

West Yakutat 3 ......................................................................................................... 2,940 n/a 414 

Southeast Outside ................................................................................................... 5,343 n/a 0

Total .................................................................................................................. 22,695 0 3,297 

1The Council recommended that the final 2025 harvest specifications for the fixed gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries not be 

specified in the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications. The final 2025 harvest specifications for fixed gear will be specified in the 2025 and 

2026 harvest specifications. 2The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (997 mt). See 

table 28c to 50 CFR part 679 and table 13: Final 2025 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel 

and Catcher/Processor Cooperatives. This results in 942 mt being available for the non-Rockfish Program trawl fisheries. 3The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

Allocations, Apportionments, and 

Sideboard Limits for the Rockfish 

Program 

These final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications for the GOA include the 

fishery cooperative allocations and 

sideboard limitations established by the 

Rockfish Program. Rockfish Program 

participants are primarily trawl CVs and 

trawl CPs, with limited participation by 

vessels using longline gear. The 

Rockfish Program assigns quota share 

and cooperative quota to participants for 

primary species (Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish) 

and secondary species (Pacific cod, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

sablefish, shortraker rockfish, and 

thornyhead rockfish), allows a 

participant holding a LLP license with 

rockfish quota share to form a rockfish 

cooperative with other persons, and 

allows holders of CP LLP licenses to opt 

out of the fishery. The Rockfish Program 

also has an entry-level fishery for 

rockfish primary species for vessels 

using longline gear. Longline gear 

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

handline gear. 

Under the Rockfish Program, rockfish 

primary species in the Central GOA are 

allocated to participants after deducting 

for incidental catch needs in other 

directed groundfish fisheries 

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

Rockfish Program also receive a portion 

of the Central GOA TAC of specific 

secondary species. In addition to 

groundfish species, the Rockfish 

Program assigns a portion of the halibut 

PSC limit (191.4 mt) from the third 

season deep-water species fishery 

allowance for the GOA trawl fisheries to 

Rockfish Program participants 

(§ 679.81(d) and table 28d to 50 CFR 

part 679). The Rockfish Program also 

establishes sideboard limits to restrict 

the ability of harvesters operating under 

the Rockfish Program to increase their 

participation in other, non-Rockfish 

Program fisheries. These restrictions 

and halibut PSC limits are discussed in 

the Rockfish Program Groundfish 

Sideboard and Halibut PSC Limitations 

section of this rule. 

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

to 50 CFR part 679 require allocations 

of 5 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 5 mt of 

northern rockfish, and 50 mt of dusky 

rockfish to the entry-level longline 

fishery in 2024 and 2025. The 

allocations for the entry-level longline 

fishery may increase incrementally each 

year if the catch in the previous year 

exceeds 90 percent of the allocation of 

a species. The incremental increase in 

the allocation would continue each year 

until it reaches the maximum percent of 

the TAC assigned to the Rockfish 

Program for that species. In 2023, the 

catch of Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and dusky rockfish did not 

attain the 90 percent threshold, and the 

final allocations for 2024 therefore 

remain the same as the 2023 allocations. 

The remainder of the TACs for the 

rockfish primary species are allocated to 

the CV and CP cooperatives 

(§ 679.81(a)(2)(iii)). Table 9 lists the 

allocations of the 2024 and 2025 TACs 

for each rockfish primary species to the 

entry-level longline fishery, the 

potential incremental increases for 

future years, and the maximum percent 

of the TACs assigned to the Rockfish 

Program that may be allocated to the 

rockfish entry-level longline fishery. 


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TABLE 9—FINAL 2024 AND INITIAL 2025 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA

Rockfish primary species 

2024 and 2025 

allocations 

(metric tons) 

Incremental increase 

in 2025 if >90% 

of 2024 allocation 

is harvested 

(metric tons) 

Up to maximum 

percent of TAC 

(%) 

Pacific ocean perch ................................................................................................. 5 5 1 

Northern rockfish ..................................................................................................... 5 5 2 

Dusky rockfish ......................................................................................................... 50 20 5 

Section 679.81 requires allocations of 

rockfish primary species among various 

sectors of the Rockfish Program. Tables 

10 and 11 list the final 2024 and 2025 

allocations of rockfish primary species 

in the Central GOA to the entry-level 

longline fishery, and rockfish CV and 

CP cooperatives in the Rockfish 

Program. NMFS also is setting aside 

incidental catch amounts (ICAs) for 

other directed fisheries in the Central 

GOA of 3,500 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 

300 mt of northern rockfish, and 250 mt 

of dusky rockfish. These amounts are 

based on recent average incidental 

catches of these species in the Central 

GOA by other groundfish fisheries. 

Allocations among vessels belonging 

to CV or CP cooperatives are not 

included in these final harvest 

specifications. Rockfish Program 

applications for CV cooperatives and CP 

cooperatives are not due to NMFS until 

March 1 of each calendar year; 

therefore, NMFS cannot calculate 2024 

and 2025 allocations in conjunction 

with these final harvest specifications 

(§ 679.81(f)). After receiving the 

Rockfish Program applications, NMFS 

will calculate the 2024 allocations for 

CV and CP cooperatives, as set forth in 

§ 679.81(b), (c), and (e). NMFS will 

announce the 2024 allocations after 

March 1. 

TABLE 10—FINAL 2024 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish primary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1 fishery 

Allocation to 

the rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ................................................... 28,757 3,500 25,257 5 25,252 

Northern rockfish ........................................................ 2,280 300 1,980 5 1,975 

Dusky rockfish ............................................................ 7,365 250 7,115 50 7,065 

Total .................................................................... 38,402 4,050 34,352 60 34,292 

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

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

TABLE 11—FINAL 2025 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish primary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1 fishery 

Allocation to 

the rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ................................................... 27,768 3,500 24,268 5 24,263 

Northern rockfish ........................................................ 2,200 300 1,900 5 1,895 

Dusky rockfish ............................................................ 6,979 250 6,729 50 6,679 

Total .................................................................... 36,947 4,050 32,837 60 32,837 

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

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

Section 679.81(c) and table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679 require allocations of 

rockfish secondary species to CV and CP 

cooperatives in the Central GOA. CV 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

Pacific cod, sablefish from the trawl gear 

allocation, and thornyhead rockfish. CP 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

sablefish from the trawl gear allocation, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, and thornyhead 

rockfish. Tables 12 and 13 list the 

apportionments of the 2024 and 2025 

TACs of rockfish secondary species in 

the Central GOA to CV and CP 

cooperatives. 


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TABLE 12—FINAL 2024 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage 

of TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) Percentage 

of TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ................................................................................ 15,442 3.81 588 0.00 0 

Sablefish .................................................................................. 9,651 6.78 654 3.51 339 

Shortraker rockfish ................................................................... 189 0.00 0 40.00 76 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .............................................. 315 0.00 0 58.87 185 

Thornyhead rockfish ................................................................ 693 7.84 54 26.50 184 

TABLE 13—FINAL 2025 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage 

of TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) Percentage 

of TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ................................................................................ 13,486 3.81 514 0.00 0 

Sablefish .................................................................................. 9,693 6.78 657 3.51 340 

Shortraker rockfish ................................................................... 189 0.00 n/a 40.00 76 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .............................................. 317 0.00 n/a 58.87 187 

Thornyhead rockfish ................................................................ 693 7.84 54 26.50 184 

Halibut PSC Limits 

Section 679.21(d) establishes annual 

halibut PSC limit apportionments to 

trawl gear and hook-and-line gear and 

authorizes the establishment of 

apportionments for pot gear. In 

December 2023 the Council 

recommended and NMFS approves 

halibut PSC limits of 1,705 mt for trawl 

gear, 256 mt for hook-and-line gear, and 

9 mt for the demersal shelf rockfish 

(DSR) rockfish fishery in the SEO 

District for both 2024 and 2025, 

consistent with § 679.21. 

The DSR fishery in the SEO District 

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

fishery is apportioned 9 mt of the 

halibut PSC limit in recognition of its 

small-scale harvests of groundfish 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(i)(A)). The separate 

halibut PSC limit for the DSR fishery is 

intended to prevent that fishery from 

being impacted from the halibut PSC 

incurred by other GOA fisheries. NMFS 

estimates low halibut bycatch in the 

DSR fishery because: (1) the duration of 

the DSR fishery and the gear soak times 

are short; (2) the DSR fishery occurs in 

the winter when there is less overlap in 

the distribution of DSR and halibut; and 

(3) the directed commercial DSR fishery 

has a low DSR TAC. The State of Alaska 

sets the commercial GHL for the DSR 

fishery after deducting estimates of DSR 

incidental catch in all fisheries 

(including halibut and subsistence) and 

allocation to the sport DSR fishery. In 

2023, the commercial GHL fishery for 

DSR was closed due to concerns about 

declining DSR biomass. 

The FMP authorizes the Council and 

NMFS to exempt specific gear from the 

halibut PSC limits. NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, exempts 

pot gear, the sablefish IFQ fixed gear 

fishery categories, and jig gear from the 

non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2024 

and 2025. The Council recommended, 

and NMFS approves, these exemptions 

because: (1) the pot gear fisheries have 

low annual halibut bycatch mortality; 

(2) IFQ program regulations prohibit 

discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ 

permit holder on board a catcher vessel 

holds unused halibut IFQ for that vessel 

category and the IFQ regulatory area in 

which the vessel is operating 

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

fishermen hold halibut IFQ permits and 

are therefore required to retain the 

halibut they catch while fishing 

sablefish IFQ; and (4) NMFS estimates 

negligible halibut mortality for the jig 

gear fisheries given the small amount of 

groundfish harvested by jig gear, the 

selective nature of jig gear, and the high 

survival rates of halibut caught and 

released with jig gear. 

The best information available on 

estimated halibut bycatch consists of 

data collected by fisheries observers 

during 2023. The estimated halibut 

bycatch mortality through December 31, 

2023 is 289 mt for trawl gear and 37 mt 

for hook-and-line gear for a total halibut 

mortality of 326 mt. The estimated 

halibut bycatch mortality was calculated 

using groundfish and halibut catch data 

from the NMFS Alaska Region’s catch 

accounting system. This accounting 

system contains historical and recent 

catch information compiled from each 

Alaska groundfish fishery. 

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

authorize NMFS to seasonally apportion 

the halibut PSC limits after consultation 

with the Council. The FMP and 

regulations require that the Council and 

NMFS consider the following 

information in seasonally apportioning 

halibut PSC limits: (1) seasonal 

distribution of halibut; (2) seasonal 

distribution of target groundfish species 

relative to halibut distribution; (3) 

expected halibut bycatch needs on a 

seasonal basis relative to changes in 

halibut biomass and expected catch of 

target groundfish species; (4) expected 

bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; (5) 

expected changes in directed groundfish 

fishing seasons; (6) expected actual start 

of fishing effort; and (7) economic 

effects of establishing seasonal halibut 

allocations on segments of the target 

groundfish industry. The Council 

considered information from the 2023 

SAFE report, NMFS catch data, State of 

Alaska catch data, International Pacific 

Halibut Commission (IPHC) stock 

assessment and mortality data, and 


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public testimony when apportioning the 

halibut PSC limits. NMFS concurs with 

the Council’s recommendations listed in 

table 14, which shows the final 2024 

and 2025 Pacific halibut PSC limits, 

allowances, and apportionments. 

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

specify that any unused amounts, or 

overages, of a seasonal apportionment of 

a halibut PSC limit will be added to, or 

deducted from, the next respective 

seasonal apportionment within the 

fishing year. 

TABLE 14—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND

APPORTIONMENTS

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

January 20–April 1 .................. 30.5 520 January 1–June 10 ................. 86 220 January 1–December 31 ........ 9 

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

July 1–August 1 ...................... 27.0 460 September 1–December 31 ... 12 31 ................................................. ..................

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

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

Total ................................. .................. 1,705 ................................................. .................. 256 ................................................. 9 

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

other than the DSR fishery. The fixed gear sablefish IFQ 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 listed in § 679.21(d)(3)(iii). 

The annual apportionments are based 

on each category’s proportional share of 

the anticipated halibut bycatch 

mortality during the fishing year and 

optimization of the total amount of 

groundfish harvest under the halibut 

PSC limit. The fishery categories for the 

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

sablefish, rockfish, deep-water flatfish, 

rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and 

(2) a shallow-water species fishery, 

composed of pollock, Pacific cod, 

shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, 

Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ 

(sharks and octopuses) 

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

incurred while directed fishing for 

skates with trawl gear accrues towards 

the shallow-water species fishery 

halibut PSC limit (69 FR 26320, May 12, 

2004). 

NMFS will combine available trawl 

halibut PSC limit apportionments 

during a portion of the second season 

deep-water and shallow-water species 

fisheries for use in either fishery from 

May 15 through June 30 

(§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(D)). This is intended 

to maintain groundfish harvest while 

minimizing halibut bycatch by these 

sectors to the extent practicable. This 

provides the deep-water and shallowwater species trawl fisheries additional 

flexibility and the incentive to 

participate in fisheries at times of the 

year that may have lower halibut PSC 

rates relative to other times of the year. 

Table 15 lists the final 2024 and 2025 

apportionments of trawl halibut PSC 

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

categories. 

Table 28d to 50 CFR part 679 specifies 

the amount of the trawl halibut PSC 

limit that is assigned to the CV and CP 

sectors that are participating in the 

Rockfish Program. This includes 117.3 

mt of halibut PSC limit to the CV sector 

and 74.1 mt of halibut PSC limit to the 

CP sector. These amounts are assigned 

from the trawl deep-water species 

fishery’s halibut PSC third seasonal 

apportionment. After the combined CV 

and CP halibut PSC limit allocation of 

191.4 mt to the Rockfish Program, 148.6 

mt remains for the trawl deep-water 

species fishery’s halibut PSC third 

seasonal apportionment. 

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

amount of the halibut PSC limit 

assigned to Rockfish Program 

participants that could be reapportioned to the last seasonal 

apportionment for the general GOA 

trawl fisheries during the current fishing 

year to no more than 55 percent of the 

unused annual halibut PSC limit 

apportioned to Rockfish Program 

participants. The remainder of the 

unused Rockfish Program halibut PSC 

limit is unavailable for use by any 

person for the remainder of the fishing 

year (§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C)). 

TABLE 15—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH LIMITS BETWEEN

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

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

January 20–April 1 ..................................................................................................................... 385 135 520 

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

July 1–August 1 ......................................................................................................................... 120 340 460 

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

Subtotal January 20–October 1 ......................................................................................... 643 806 1,449 

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

Total ............................................................................................................................. .......................... ........................ 1,705 

1Vessels participating in cooperatives in the Central GOA Rockfish Program will receive 191.4 mt of the third season (July 1 through August 1) 

deep-water species fishery halibut PSC apportionment (see table 28d to 50 CFR part 679. 


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

December 31). 

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

the ‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ 

halibut PSC limit apportionment to 

vessels using hook-and-line gear must 

be apportioned between CVs and CPs in 

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

conjunction with these harvest 

specifications. The halibut PSC 

apportionment is based on the Western 

and Central GOA Pacific cod 

allocations, which vary annually based 

on the proportion of the Pacific cod 

biomass between the Western, Central, 

and Eastern GOA. Updated information 

in the final 2023 SAFE report describes 

this distributional calculation, which 

apportions ABC among GOA regulatory 

areas on the basis of the three most 

recent stock surveys. For 2024 and 2025, 

the distribution of the total GOA Pacific 

cod ABC is 27.1 percent to the Western 

GOA, 63.8 percent to the Central GOA, 

and 9.1 percent to the Eastern GOA. 

Therefore, the calculations made in 

accordance with § 679.21(d)(2)(iii) 

incorporate the most recent information 

on GOA Pacific cod distribution and 

allocations with respect to establishing 

the annual halibut PSC limits for the CV 

and CP hook-and-line sectors of the 

‘‘other hook-and-line fishery.’’ 

Additionally, the annual halibut PSC 

limits for both the CV and CP sectors of 

the ‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ are 

divided into three seasonal 

apportionments, using seasonal 

percentages of 86 percent, 2 percent, 

and 12 percent. 

For 2024 and 2025, NMFS apportions 

halibut PSC limits of 149 mt and 107 mt 

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

lists the final 2024 and 2025 

apportionments of halibut PSC limits 

between the hook-and-line CV and the 

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

hook-and-line fishery.’’ 

No later than November 1 of each 

year, NMFS will calculate the projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit by 

either of the CV or CP hook-and-line 

sectors that comprise the two sectors of 

the ‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ for the 

remainder of the year. The projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit is 

made available to the other sector for 

the remainder of that fishing year 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(iii)(C)), if NMFS 

determines that an additional amount of 

halibut PSC is necessary for that sector 

to continue its directed fishing 

operations. 

TABLE 16—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERY’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS

[Values are in metric tons] 

‘‘Other than 

DSR’’ 

allowance 

Hook-and-line 

sector 

Sector annual 

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector seasonal 

amount 

256 ................ Catcher Vessel .................... 149 January 1–June 10 .................................... 86 128 

June 10–September 1 ................................ 2 3 

September 1–December 31 ....................... 12 18 

Catcher/Processor ............... 107 January 1–June 10 .................................... 86 92 

June 10–September 1 ................................ 2 2 

September 1–December 31 ....................... 12 13 

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock 

Condition 

The IPHC annually assesses the 

abundance and potential yield of the 

Pacific halibut stock using all available 

data from the commercial and sport 

fisheries, other removals, and scientific 

surveys. Additional information on the 

Pacific halibut stock assessment may be 

found in the IPHC’s 2023 Pacific halibut 

stock assessment (December 2023), 

available on the IPHC website at https:// 

www.iphc.int. The IPHC considered the 

2023 Pacific halibut stock assessment at 

its January 2024 annual meeting when 

it set the 2024 commercial halibut 

fishery catch limits. 

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates 

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality 

allowances and apportionments, the 

Regional Administrator uses observed 

halibut incidental catch rates, halibut 

discard mortality rates (DMRs), and 

estimates of groundfish catch to project 

when a fishery’s halibut bycatch 

mortality allowance or seasonal 

apportionment is reached. Halibut 

incidental catch rates are based on 

observed estimates of halibut incidental 

catch in the groundfish fishery. DMRs 

are estimates of the proportion of 

incidentally caught halibut that do not 

survive after being returned to the sea. 

The cumulative halibut mortality that 

accrues to a particular halibut PSC limit 

is the product of a DMR multiplied by 

the estimated halibut PSC. DMRs are 

estimated using the best scientific 

information available in conjunction 

with the annual GOA stock assessment 

process. The DMR methodology and 

findings are included as an appendix to 

the annual GOA groundfish SAFE 

report. 

In 2016, the DMR estimation 

methodology underwent revisions per 

the Council’s directive. An interagency 

halibut working group (IPHC, Council, 

and NMFS staff) developed improved 

estimation methods that have 

undergone review by the GOA Plan 

Team, SSC, and the Council. A 

summary of the revised methodology is 

contained in the GOA proposed 2017 

and 2018 harvest specifications (81 FR 

87881, December 6, 2016), and the 

comprehensive discussion of the 

working group’s statistical methodology 

is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The DMR working group’s 

revised methodology is intended to 

improve estimation accuracy, 

transparency, and transferability in the 

methodology used for calculating DMRs. 

The working group will continue to 

consider improvements to the 

methodology used to calculate halibut 

mortality, including potential changes 

to the reference period (the period of 

data used for calculating the DMRs). 

The new methodology continues to 

ensure that NMFS is using DMRs that 

accurately reflect halibut mortality, 

which will inform the sectors of their 

estimated halibut mortality and allow 

sectors to respond with methods that 

could reduce mortality and, eventually, 

the DMR for that sector. 


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At the December 2023 meeting, the 

SSC, AP, and Council concurred with 

the revised DMR estimation 

methodology, and NMFS adopts for 

2024 and 2025 the DMRs calculated 

under the revised methodology, which 

uses an updated 2-year and 4-year 

reference period depending on data 

availability. The final 2024 and 2025 

DMRs in this rule are unchanged from 

the DMRs in the proposed 2024 and 

2025 harvest specifications (88 FR 

85184, December 7, 2023). Table 17 lists 

these final 2024 and 2025 DMRs. 

TABLE 17—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Sector Groundfish fishery 

Halibut discard 

mortality rate 

(percent) 

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

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

Non-pelagic trawl ............................ Catcher vessel ..................................................... Rockfish Program .......................... 56 

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

Mothership and catcher/processor ...................... All ................................................... 83 

Hook-and-line .................................. Catcher/processor ................................................ All ................................................... 11 

Catcher vessel ..................................................... All ................................................... 10 

Pot ................................................... Catcher vessel and catcher/processor ................ All ................................................... 26 

Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species 

Catch Limits 

There are Chinook salmon PSC limits 

for the directed pollock trawl fishery in 

the Western and Central GOA. NMFS is 

required to close the directed pollock 

fishery in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA if the 

applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit in 

that regulatory area will be reached 

(§ 679.21(h)(8)). The annual Chinook 

salmon PSC limits in the directed 

pollock fishery of 6,684 salmon in the 

Western GOA and 18,316 salmon in the 

Central GOA are set at § 679.21(h)(2). 

There is also an established initial 

annual PSC limit of 7,500 Chinook 

salmon for the trawl non-pollock 

groundfish fisheries in the Western and 

Central GOA. This limit is apportioned 

among the 3 sectors that conduct 

directed fishing for groundfish species 

other than pollock: 3,600 Chinook 

salmon to trawl CPs; 1,200 Chinook 

salmon to trawl CVs participating in the 

Rockfish Program; and 2,700 Chinook 

salmon to trawl CVs not participating in 

the Rockfish Program (§ 679.21(h)(4)). 

NMFS will monitor the Chinook salmon 

PSC in the trawl non-pollock groundfish 

fisheries and close an applicable sector 

if it will reach its Chinook salmon PSC 

limit. 

The Chinook salmon PSC limit for 

two sectors, trawl CPs and trawl CVs not 

participating in the Rockfish Program, 

may be increased in subsequent years 

based on the performance of these two 

sectors and their ability to minimize 

their use of their respective Chinook 

salmon PSC limits during a calendar 

year. If either or both of these 2 sectors 

limited its use of Chinook salmon PSC 

to the specified threshold amount (3,120 

for trawl CPs and 2,340 for NonRockfish Program trawl CVs), that sector 

will receive an incremental increase to 

its Chinook salmon PSC limit 

(§ 679.21(h)(4)). In 2023, the trawl CP 

sector did not exceed 3,120 Chinook 

salmon PSC; therefore, the 2024 trawl 

CP sector Chinook salmon PSC limit 

will be 4,080 Chinook salmon. In 2023, 

the Non-Rockfish Program trawl CV 

sector did not exceed 2,340 Chinook 

salmon PSC; therefore, the 2024 NonRockfish Program trawl CV sector 

Chinook salmon PSC limit will be 3,060 

Chinook salmon. 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/ 

Processor and Catcher Vessel 

Groundfish Harvest Limits 

Section 679.64 establishes groundfish 

harvesting and processing sideboard 

limitations on AFA CPs and CVs in the 

GOA. These sideboard limits are 

necessary to protect the interests of 

fishermen and processors who do not 

directly benefit from the AFA as 

compared to those fishermen and 

processors who receive exclusive 

harvesting and processing privileges 

under the AFA. Section 679.7(k)(1)(ii) 

prohibits listed AFA CPs and CPs 

designated on a listed AFA CP permit 

from harvesting any species of 

groundfish in the GOA. Additionally, 

§ 679.7(k)(1)(iv) prohibits listed AFA 

CPs and CPs designated on a listed AFA 

CP permit from processing any pollock 

harvested in a directed pollock fishery 

in the GOA and any groundfish 

harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the 

GOA. 

AFA CVs that are less than 125 feet 

(38.1 meters) length overall, have 

annual landings of pollock in the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands of less than 

5,100 mt, and have made at least 40 

landings of GOA groundfish from 1995 

through 1997 are exempt from GOA CV 

groundfish sideboard limits 

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

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on their traditional harvest levels 

of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered 

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

establishes the CV groundfish sideboard 

limits in the GOA based on the 

aggregate retained catch by non-exempt 

AFA CVs of each sideboard species from 

2009 through 2019 divided by the TAC 

for that species available to catcher 

vessels from 2009 through 2019. Under 

the PCTC Program, NMFS modified the 

calculation of the sideboard ratios for 

non-exempt AFA CVs, using the 

qualifying years of 2009 through 2019 

(88 FR 53704, August 8, 2023). 

Previously, sideboard limits were based 

on the ratio of catch to the TAC during 

the years 1995 through 1997. 

Non-exempt AFA CVs are prohibited 

in regulation from directed fishing for 

specific groundfish species or species 

groups subject to sideboard limits 

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

CFR part 679) (84 FR 2723, February 8, 

2019). Under the PCTC Program, NMFS 

also promulgated regulations to prohibit 

non-exempt AFA CVs from directed 

fishing for additional groundfish species 

or species groups subject to sideboard 

limits (88 FR 53704, August 8, 2023). 

All of these prohibitions are found in 

the revised Table 56 to 50 CFR part 679. 

Sideboard limits for species or species 

groups not listed in Table 56 continue 

to be calculated and included in the 

GOA annual harvest specifications. 

Tables 18 and 19 list the final 2024 

and 2025 groundfish sideboard limits 

for non-exempt AFA CVs. NMFS will 

deduct all targeted or incidental catch of 

sideboard species made by non-exempt 

AFA CVs from the sideboard limits 

listed in tables 18 and 19. 


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15504 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2024 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD

LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/gear Area/component 

Ratio of 2009–2019 

non-exempt AFA CV 

retained catch to 

2009–2019 TAC 

Final 2024 

TACs 3

Final 2024 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ............................... A Season: January 20–May 31 ......................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.057 

0.064 

0.091 

5,422 

70,918 

13,862 

309 

4,539 

1,261 

B Season: September 1–November 1 ............... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.057 

0.064 

0.091 

33,460 

20,019 

36,725 

1,907 

1,281 

3,342 

Annual ................................................................ WYK (640) ...................... 0.026 5,565 145 

Pacific cod ......................... A Season: 1 January 1–June 10 ........................ W ....................................

C .....................................

0.009 

0.011 

3,899 

9,894 

35 

109 

B Season: 2 September 1–December 31 ........... W ....................................

C .....................................

0.009 

0.011 

2,222 

5,548 

20 

61 

Flatfish, shallow-water ....... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.011 27,783 306 

Rex sole ............................ Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.014 13,639 191 

Arrowtooth flounder ........... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.011 64,871 714 

Flathead sole ..................... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.007 21,307 149 

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

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

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

TABLE 19—FINAL 2025 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD

LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/gear Area/component 

Ratio of 2009–2019 

non-exempt AFA CV 

retained catch to 

2009–2019 TAC 

Final 2025 

TAC 3

Final 2025 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ............................... A Season: January 20–May 31 ......................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.057 

0.064 

0.091 

4,483 

58,629 

11,460 

256 

3,752 

1,043 

B Season: September 1–November 1 ............... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.057 

0.064 

0.091 

27,661 

16,550 

30,361 

1,577 

1,059 

2,763 

Annual ................................................................ WYK (640) ...................... 0.026 4,601 120 

Pacific cod ......................... A Season: 1 January 1–June 10 ........................ W ....................................

C .....................................

0.009 

0.011 

3,406 

8,641 

31 

95 

B Season: 2 September 1–December 31 ........... W ....................................

C .....................................

0.009 

0.011 

1,941 

4,845 

17 

53 

Flatfish, shallow-water ....... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.011 28,311 311 

Rex sole ............................ Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.014 13,624 191 

Arrowtooth flounder ........... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.011 64,688 712 

Flathead sole ..................... Annual ................................................................ C ..................................... 0.007 21,702 152 

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

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

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

Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel 

Halibut PSC Limits 

The non-exempt AFA catcher vessels 

and the associated LLP licenses PSC 

limit for halibut in the GOA will be an 

annual amount based on a static ratio of 

0.072, which was derived from the 

aggregate retained groundfish catch by 

non-exempt AFA CVs in each PSC target 

category from 2009 through 2019 

(§ 679.64(b)(4)(ii)). This change was 

implemented with the PCTC Program 

(88 FR 53704, August 8, 2023). Prior to 

the PCTC Program, the halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for non-exempt AFA 

CVs in the GOA were 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. Table 20 lists the final 

2024 and 2025 non-exempt AFA CV 

halibut PSC sideboard limits for vessels 

using trawl gear in the GOA. 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) SIDEBOARD

LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA 

Ratio 

(percent) 

Annual trawl gear 

halibut PSC limit 

(mt) 

Annual non-exempt 

AFA CV halibut PSC limit 

(mt) 

0.072 1,705 123 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15505 

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish 

Harvest Limitations 

Section 680.22 establishes groundfish 

catch limits for vessels with a history of 

participation in the Bering Sea snow 

crab fishery to prevent these vessels 

from using the increased flexibility 

provided by the Crab Rationalization 

(CR) Program to expand their level of 

participation in the GOA groundfish 

fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these 

vessels’ catch to their collective 

historical landings in each GOA 

groundfish fishery (except the fixed-gear 

sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also 

apply to catch made using an LLP 

license derived from the history of a 

restricted vessel, even if that LLP 

license is used on another vessel. 

The basis for these sideboard limits is 

described in detail in the final rules 

implementing the major provisions of 

the CR Program, including Amendments 

18 and 19 to the Fishery Management 

Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 

King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) (70 

FR 10174, March 2, 2005), Amendment 

34 to the Crab FMP (76 FR 35772, June 

20, 2011), Amendment 83 to the GOA 

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

Amendment 45 to the Crab FMP (80 FR 

28539, May 19, 2015), and a rulemaking 

to prohibit non-AFA crab vessels from 

directed fishing for all groundfish 

species or species groups subject to 

sideboard limits, except for Pacific cod 

apportioned to CVs using pot gear in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 

(§ 680.22(e)(1)(iii)) (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019). 

Tables 21 and 22 list the final 2024 

and 2025 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 21—FINAL 2024 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996–2000 

non-AFA crab vessel 

catch to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2024 

TACs 

Final 2024 

non-AFA 

crab vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pacific cod ............ A Season: January 1–June 10 ...................... Western Pot CV ..............................

Central Pot CV ................................

0.0997 

0.0474 

3,899 

9,894 

389 

469 

B Season: September 1–December 31 ........ Western Pot CV ..............................

Central Pot CV ................................

0.0997 

0.0474 

2,222 

5,548 

221 

263 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2025 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996–2000 

non-AFA crab vessel 

catch to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2025 

TACs 

Final 2025 

non-AFA 

crab vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pacific cod ............ A Season: January 1–June 10 ...................... Western Pot CV ..............................

Central Pot CV ................................

0.0997 

0.0474 

3,406 

8,641 

340 

410 

B Season: September 1–December 31 ........ Western Pot CV ..............................

Central Pot CV ................................

0.0997 

0.0474 

1,941 

4,845 

193 

230 

Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard 

and Halibut PSC Limitations 

The Rockfish Program establishes 

three classes of sideboard provisions: 

CV groundfish sideboard restrictions, 

CP rockfish sideboard restrictions, and 

CP opt-out vessel sideboard restrictions 

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

intended to limit the ability of rockfish 

harvesters to expand into other GOA 

groundfish fisheries. 

CVs participating in the Rockfish 

Program may not participate in directed 

fishing for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean 

perch, and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

July 1 through July 31. Also, CVs may 

not participate in directed fishing for 

arrowtooth flounder, deep-water 

flatfish, and rex sole in the GOA from 

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

CPs participating in Rockfish Program 

cooperatives are restricted by rockfish 

and halibut PSC sideboard limits. These 

CPs are prohibited from directed fishing 

for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, 

and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

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

Prior to 2021, CPs participating in 

Rockfish Program cooperatives were 

restricted by rockfish sideboard limits in 

the Western GOA. A final rule that 

implemented Amendment 111 to the 

FMP (86 FR 11895, March 1, 2021) 

removed from regulation the Western 

GOA rockfish sideboard limits for 

Rockfish Program CPs. That rule also 

revised and clarified the establishment 

of the West Yakutat District rockfish 

sideboard ratios in regulation. The 

rockfish sideboard ratio for each 

rockfish fishery in the West Yakutat 

District is an established percentage of 

the TAC for CPs in the directed fishery 

for dusky rockfish and Pacific ocean 

perch (§ 679.82(e)(4)). These percentages 

are confidential. 

Holders of CP-designated LLP licenses 

that opt out of participating in a 

Rockfish Program cooperative will be 

able to access that portion of each 

rockfish sideboard limit that is not 

assigned to rockfish cooperatives 

(§ 679.82(e)(7)). 

Under the Rockfish Program, the CP 

sector is subject to halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for the trawl deepwater and shallow-water species 

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

PSC sideboard ratios by fishery are set 

forth in § 679.82(e)(5). The CP sector 

halibut PSC sideboard limits are 

effective from July 1 through July 31 

(§ 679.82(c)(4), (e)(6)). No halibut PSC 

sideboard limits apply to the CV sector, 

as CVs participating in cooperatives 

receive a portion of the annual halibut 

PSC limit. CPs that opt out of the 

Rockfish Program are able to access that 

portion of the deep-water and shallowwater species fishery halibut PSC 

sideboard limit not assigned to CP 

rockfish cooperatives. The sideboard 

provisions for CPs that elect to opt out 

of participating in a rockfish cooperative 

are described in § 679.82(c), (e), and (f). 

Sideboard limits are linked to the catch 

history of specific vessels; however, 

some of these vessels may choose to opt 

out of the Rockfish Program. After 

March 1, NMFS will determine which 

CPs have opted-out of the Rockfish 


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15506 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Program in 2024, and NMFS will know 

the ratios and amounts used to calculate 

opt-out sideboard ratios. NMFS will 

then calculate any applicable opt-out 

sideboards for 2024 and announce these 

limits after March 1. Table 23 lists the 

final 2024 and 2025 Rockfish Program 

halibut PSC sideboard limits for the CP 

sector. 

TABLE 23—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR

SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Sector 

Shallow-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

Deep-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

2024 and 2025 

halibut 

mortality limit 

(mt) 

Annual shallowwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit 

(mt) 

Annual deepwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit 

(mt) 

Catcher/processor .................................. 0.1 2.5 1,705 2 43 

Amendment 80 Program Groundfish 

and PSC Sideboard Limits 

Amendment 80 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

Management Area (Amendment 80 

Program) established a limited access 

privilege program for the non-AFA trawl 

CP sector. The Amendment 80 Program 

established groundfish and halibut PSC 

catch limits for Amendment 80 Program 

participants to limit the ability of 

participants eligible for the Amendment 

80 Program to expand their harvest 

efforts in the GOA. 

Section 679.92 establishes groundfish 

harvesting sideboard limits on all 

Amendment 80 program vessels, other 

than the fishing vessel (F/V) ‘‘Golden 

Fleece’’, to amounts no greater than the 

limits listed in table 37 to 50 CFR part 

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

Fleece’’ is prohibited from directed 

fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific 

ocean perch, dusky rockfish, and 

northern rockfish in the GOA. 

Groundfish sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels 

operating in the GOA are based on their 

average aggregate harvests from 1998 

through 2004 (72 FR 52668, September 

14, 2007). Tables 24 and 25 list the final 

2024 and 2025 groundfish sideboard 

limits for Amendment 80 Program 

vessels. NMFS will deduct all targeted 

or incidental catch of sideboard species 

made by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels from the sideboard limits in 

tables 24 and 25. 

TABLE 24—FINAL 2024 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 

2024 TAC 

(mt) 

2024 Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Pollock 1 ............................... A Season: January 20–May 31 ............................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

5,422 

70,918 

13,862 

16 

142 

28 

B Season: September 1–November 1 .................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

33,460 

20,019 

36,725 

100 

40 

73 

Annual ...................................................................... WYK (640) ...................... 0.002 5,565 11 

Pacific cod ........................... A Season 2: January 1–June 10 .............................. W ....................................

C .....................................

0.020 

0.044 

3,899 

9,894 

78 

435 

B Season 3: September 1–December 31 ................ W ....................................

C .....................................

0.020 

0.044 

2,222 

5,548 

44 

244 

Annual ...................................................................... WYK ............................... 0.034 2,203 75 

Pacific ocean perch ............. Annual ...................................................................... W ....................................

WYK ...............................

0.994 

0.961 

1,787 

2,110 

1,776 

2,028 

Northern rockfish ................. Annual ...................................................................... W .................................... 1.000 2,535 2,535 

Dusky rockfish ..................... Annual ...................................................................... W ....................................

WYK ...............................

0.764 

0.896 

145 

84 

111 

75 

1The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs. 

2The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

3The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2025 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 

2025 TAC 

(mt) 

2025 Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Pollock 1 ............................... A Season: January 20–May 31 ............................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

4,483 

58,629 

11,460 

83 

33 

61 

B Season: September 1–November 1 .................... Shumagin (610) ..............

Chirikof (620) ..................

Kodiak (630) ...................

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

27,661 

16,550 

30,361 

96 

150 

84 

Annual ...................................................................... WYK (640) ...................... 0.002 4,601 9 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15507 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2025 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species 

Apportionments and 

allocations by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 80 

sector vessels 

1998–2004 

catch to TAC 

2025 TAC 

(mt) 

2025 Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ........................... A Season 2: January 1–June 10 .............................. W ....................................

C .....................................

0.020 

0.044 

3,406 

8,641 

68 

150 

B Season 3: September 1–December 31 ................ W ....................................

C .....................................

0.020 

0.044 

1,941 

4,845 

39 

213 

Annual ...................................................................... WYK ............................... 0.034 1,924 65 

Pacific ocean perch ............. Annual ......................................................................

..................................................................................

W ....................................

WYK ...............................

0.994 

0.961 

1,726 

2,038 

1,716 

1,959 

Northern rockfish ................. Annual ...................................................................... W .................................... 1.000 2,446 2,446 

Dusky rockfish ..................... Annual ...................................................................... W ....................................

WYK ...............................

0.764 

0.896 

137 

81 

105 

73 

1The Western and Central GOA and WYK District area apportionments of pollock are considered ACLs. 

2The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20. 

3The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1. 

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels in the 

GOA are based on the historic use of 

halibut PSC by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels in each PSC target category from 

1998 through 2004. These values are 

slightly lower than the average historic 

use to accommodate two factors: 

allocation of halibut PSC cooperative 

quota under the Rockfish Program and 

the exemption of the F/V Golden Fleece 

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

Table 26 lists the final 2024 and 2025 

halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels. These 

tables incorporate the maximum 

percentages of the halibut PSC 

sideboard limits that may be used by 

Amendment 80 Program vessels as 

contained in table 38 to 50 CFR part 

679. Any residual amount of a seasonal 

Amendment 80 halibut PSC sideboard 

limit may carry forward to the next 

season limit (§ 679.92(b)(2)). 

TABLE 26—FINAL 2024 AND 2025 HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE

GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 80 

use of the annual 

halibut PSC 

limit catch 

(ratio) 

2024 and 2025 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

(mt) 

2024 and 2025 

Amendment 80 

vessel halibut 

PSC limit 

1 ........................ January 20–April 1 ................................. shallow-water .........

deep-water .............

0.0048 

0.0115 

1,705 

1,705 

8 

20 

2 ........................ April 1–July 1 ......................................... shallow-water .........

deep-water .............

0.0189 

0.1072 

1,705 

1,705 

32 

183 

3 ........................ July 1–August 1 ..................................... shallow-water .........

deep-water .............

0.0146 

0.0521 

1,705 

1,705 

25 

89 

4 ........................ August 1–October 1 ............................... shallow-water .........

deep-water .............

0.0074 

0.0014 

1,705 

1,705 

13 

2 

5 ........................ October 1–December 31 ....................... shallow-water .........

deep-water .............

0.0227 

0.0371 

1,705 

1,705 

39 

63 

Total ........... ................................................................ ................................ .................................. ............................ 474 

Directed Fishing Closures 

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

Regional Administrator determines (1) 

that any allocation or apportionment of 

a target species or species group 

allocated or apportioned to a fishery 

will be reached; or (2) with respect to 

pollock and Pacific cod, that an 

allocation or apportionment to an 

inshore or offshore component or sector 

allocation will be reached, then the 

Regional Administrator may establish a 

directed fishing allowance (DFA) for 

that species or species group. If the 

Regional Administrator establishes a 

DFA and that allowance is or will be 

reached before the end of the fishing 

season or year, NMFS will prohibit 

directed fishing for that species or 

species group in the specified GOA 

subarea, regulatory area, or district 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the TACs for the 

species and species groups listed in 

table 27 are necessary to account for the 

incidental catch of these species in 

other anticipated groundfish fisheries 

for the 2024 and 2025 fishing years. 


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TABLE 27—2024 AND 2025 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA 

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

Target Area/component/gear Incidental catch amount and year 

(if amounts differ by year) 

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

Sablefish 2 ............................................................. all/trawl ........................................................ 3,283 (2024). 

3,297 (2025). 

Pacific cod ............................................................ Western, CV, HAL ......................................

Western, CP, trawl ......................................

Central, CP, trawl ........................................

83 (2024), 72 (2025). 

142 (2024), 124 (2025). 

635 (2024), 555 (2025). 

Shortraker rockfish 2 ............................................. All ................................................................ 647. 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish.2 ........................ All ................................................................ 1,037 (2024). 

1,041 (2025). 

Thornyhead rockfish 2 ........................................... All ................................................................ 1,628. 

Other rockfish ....................................................... All ................................................................ 1,653. 

Atka mackerel ....................................................... All ................................................................ 4,700. 

Big skate ............................................................... All ................................................................ 2,853. 

Longnose skate .................................................... All ................................................................ 2,536. 

Other skates ......................................................... All ................................................................ 665. 

Sharks ................................................................... All ................................................................ 4,891. 

Octopuses ............................................................. All ................................................................ 980. 

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

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

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

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the DFA for 

the species or species groups listed in 

table 27 as zero mt. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 

those species and species groups, areas, 

gear types, and components in the GOA 

listed in table 27 effective at 1200 hours, 

A.l.t., March 4, 2024, through 2400 

hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. 

Closures implemented under the 2023 

and 2024 GOA harvest specifications for 

groundfish (88 FR 13238, March 2, 

2023) remain effective under authority 

of these final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications and until the date 

specified in those closure notifications. 

Closures are posted at the following 

website under the Alaska filter for 

Management Areas: https://www.

fisheries.noaa.gov/rules-andannouncements/bulletins. 

While these closures are in effect, the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

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

during a fishing trip. These closures to 

directed fishing are in addition to 

closures and prohibitions found at 50 

CFR part 679. NMFS may implement 

other closures during the 2024 and 2025 

fishing years as necessary for effective 

conservation and management. 

Comments and Responses 

NMFS received two comment letters 

with seven unique comments during the 

public comment period for the proposed 

GOA groundfish harvest specifications 

(88 FR 85184, December 7, 2023). One 

comment letter was from an individual 

and the other was from a nongovernmental organization. NMFS’s 

responses to the seven unique 

comments raised in the comment letters 

are addressed below. 

Comment 1: The GOA harvest 

specifications do not consider the 

impact of offshore wind on the marine 

environment. 

Response: This is outside of the scope 

of the harvest specifications. The final 

rule implementing the harvest 

specifications sets the OFL, ABC, and 

TAC for target species in the GOA, but 

does not regulate or authorize offshore 

wind. There is no current or planned 

offshore wind project in Alaska State 

waters or EEZ waters off of Alaska. 

Comment 2: Salmon are important for 

the cultural well-being of Alaska native 

tribes. Climate change is negatively 

affecting salmon and additive pressure 

from the pollock fishery is exacerbating 

their declines. Maintaining the status 

quo TAC for pollock harvest will result 

in continued bycatch and impacts to 

salmon and halibut as the pollock 

industry catches more individual 

salmon and halibut as bycatch than 

directed and subsistence fishermen of 

Alaska are allocated for their survival 

and livelihoods. 

Response: NMFS recognizes that 

salmon are paramount to the cultural 

well-being for indigenous peoples of 

Alaska. NMFS also recognizes that 

climate change is affecting the survival 

of western Alaska Chinook and chum 

salmon in their freshwater and marine 

life stages. 

The annual TAC setting process is a 

robust, expansive process that involves 

significant scientific input and includes 

consideration of current environmental 

and ecosystem factors (like climate 

change) and other marine resources (like 

salmon and halibut). Scientists from the 

AFSC prepare the assessment using 

statistical analyses of fish populations 

and draft the written assessment for a 

species or species group, which for GOA 

pollock is a full assessment updated 

annually. The assessments for the GOA 

are informed by the most recent survey 

and harvest data available, including 

multiple surveys conducted annually 

and biennially in the GOA. The stock 

assessment then undergoes rigorous 

review by the scientists and resource 

managers on the Plan Team and SSC. 

During this annual TAC setting 

process, the Plan Team, SSC, AP, and 

Council review several sources 

comprising the best scientific 

information available—the ESR, ESPs, 

stock assessments, and Plan Team 

reports—and use all these materials as 

reference in their OFL and ABC (the 

biological reference points), and TAC 

(the harvest target/limit), 

recommendations to NMFS. NMFS 

reviews the same information for its 

annual decision to implement the OFL, 

ABC, and TAC for GOA groundfish. 

Updates on salmon abundance 

estimates, commercial salmon catch, 

and the physical environment are 

included in the ESR and ESP. For an 

overview of the ESR and ESP, refer to 

the response to Comment 3. 

The stock assessment author and Plan 

Team make a recommendation for OFL 

and ABC for each species and species 

group, and the SSC may concur with 

this recommendation or make a 


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different recommendation. Ultimately, 

the SSC recommends the OFL and ABC 

that inform the setting of the TAC for 

each species and species group since 

TAC cannot exceed ABC (Section 

3.2.3.4.1 of the FMP; 50 CFR 

600.310(g)(4)). This ensures that TAC 

for each species and species group does 

not exceed the scientific 

recommendations for ABC and OFL. 

OFL and ABC are calculated using 

prescribed methods set forth in the 

FMP. The FMP specifies a series of six 

tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts 

based on the level of reliable 

information available to fishery 

scientists. Tier 1 represents the highest 

level of information quality available, 

while Tier 6 represents the lowest. The 

methods for calculating OFL and ABC 

(including the ABC control rule) become 

more precautionary depending on the 

tier and stock status. For example, with 

less reliable information the larger the 

buffer between OFL and ABC. As stock 

status declines the OFL and ABC are 

reduced. 

The specification of ABC is informed 

by the ecosystem, environmental, and 

socioeconomic factors presented in the 

stock assessment and the ESRs, 

specifically the stock-specific risk table 

prepared for each stock as well as an 

additional ecosystem considerations 

section prepared for full/operational 

assessments. For GOA pollock, the 

ecosystem considerations section is 

included in the ESP prepared with the 

stock assessment, and the GOA pollock 

assessment also includes an overview of 

bycatch of salmon and halibut in the 

GOA pollock fishery. The 2023 ESRs for 

the Alaska ecosystems provide 

information on the status of salmon in 

the GOA ecosystem including updated 

information on the abundance of 

salmon, fish condition, and run sizes. 

The specification of the pollock TAC is 

therefore based on the best scientific 

information available on the status of 

the pollock stock and accounts for 

ecosystem, environmental, and 

socioeconomic factors, including 

bycatch of non-target species like 

salmon. 

In the groundfish fisheries, salmon 

and halibut are a non-target species and 

are considered a prohibited species. For 

the GOA pollock fisheries, there are 

separate Chinook salmon PSC limits for 

the Western GOA (6,684 salmon) and 

Central GOA (18,316 salmon). There is 

also a trawl non-pollock limit for 

Chinook salmon in the Western and 

Central GOA. The limit is 7,500 

Chinook and is further apportioned to 

trawl CPs (3,600), trawl CVs 

participating in the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program (1,200), and trawl CVs 

not participating in the Rockfish 

Program (2,700). NMFS monitors 

Chinook PSC and will close a sector or 

fishery if the PSC limit is reached. For 

halibut, the regulations set a halibut 

PSC limit for trawl gear of 1,705 mt, and 

the estimated halibut bycatch mortality 

through December 31, 2023 is 289 mt for 

trawl gear. NMFS also posts weekly PSC 

reports on the web page at https://www.

fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercialfishing/fisheries-catch-and-landingsreports-alaska. 

Additionally, NMFS releases a report 

of the genetic stock composition of 

Chinook salmon in the GOA trawl 

fisheries on an annual basis. The latest 

report was presented to the Council in 

April 2023 using data from the 2021 and 

2022 pollock trawl fisheries. The report 

showed that the majority of Chinook 

salmon encountered and sampled 

originate from South and East of the 

Alaska Peninsula. That report is 

available at https://meetings.npfmc.org/ 

CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=

a5e7366b-bb9f-429a-b1b2- 

636ecfd1f442.pdf&fileName=

C2a%20GOA%20Chinook%20

Genetics%202021-2022.pdf. 

Ultimately, NMFS manages bycatch in 

the GOA pollock fishery through a 

variety of tools. These tools include the 

PSC limits (which are announced in 

these annual harvest specifications), and 

a comprehensive monitoring program to 

collect data on bycatch, including 

salmon bycatch. The information from 

this monitoring program is used to 

estimate how many Chinook and chum 

salmon are caught as bycatch from trawl 

vessels, where those fish came from, 

and whether a potential violation of law 

occurred. 

NMFS acknowledges the western 

Alaska salmon crisis and the impact it 

is having on culture and food security 

throughout western Alaska. Science 

indicates climate change as the primary 

driver of poor salmon returns in western 

Alaska. Scientists from NMFS continue 

to study the impacts of climate change 

on salmon and halibut. For example, 

scientists from NMFS and the State of 

Alaska found that recent heat wave 

events created conditions where energy 

allocation and prey quality was affected 

and added stress to western Alaska 

chum salmon at critical life stages, see 

https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ 

meps/v726/p149-160/. 

The Council and NMFS are 

committed to continued improvements 

in bycatch management with a goal of 

minimizing bycatch at all levels of 

abundance for target species (pollock) 

and PSC. NMFS and the Council are 

currently engaged in a comprehensive 

process to evaluate existing measures 

and develop alternatives that may be 

necessary to further reduce chum 

salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea 

pollock fishery. More information on 

this process can be found at https://

www.npfmc.org/fisheries-issues/ 

bycatch/salmon-bycatch/. However, the 

Chinook salmon and Pacific halibut PSC 

limits and the conditions that affect the 

limits are set in regulations, and 

changes to those regulations are outside 

of the scope of the annual harvest 

specification process. NMFS believes 

that changes to bycatch management of 

all prohibited species, including 

Chinook salmon, chum salmon, and 

Pacific halibut, are best accomplished 

through the Council process to 

recommend FMP amendments and 

regulations that NMFS would 

implement if consistent with the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and 

other applicable law. 

Comment 3: Management of fisheries, 

including TAC setting and PSC limits, 

should include ecosystem based fishery 

management. 

Response: The annual process for 

specifying TAC for groundfish in the 

GOA is a scientifically-driven process 

informed by the best available 

information on the status of the marine 

ecosystems off Alaska. Each year, an 

ESR is prepared for the GOA ecosystem 

(as well as for the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands ecosystems). The intent 

of the ESRs is to provide the Plan Team, 

SSC, AP, Council, and NMFS, as well as 

the public, with a broad overview of the 

current status of the marine ecosystems. 

The ESRs are drafted by scientists and 

staff from NOAA, other Federal and 

state agencies, academic institutions, 

tribes, and non-profits, and they 

compile and summarize information 

about the status of the Alaska marine 

ecosystems and represent the best 

scientific information available. 

The ESRs include information on the 

physical environment and 

oceanography, climate data, biological 

data, marine resources, and socioecological dimensions to provide 

context for the specification of OFL, 

ABC, and TAC. For example, the 2024 

ESR for the GOA includes a synthesis of 

ecosystem status indicators in the 

physical environment (such as sea 

surface temperature, sea level pressure 

anomalies, and ocean transport); habitat 

(including ocean acidification); analysis 

of primary production (such as 

phytoplankton) and zooplankton; trends 

for non-target species and discards, 

including sea jellies, forage fish like 

herring and eulachon, and squid; 

updated information on salmon; 

groundfish condition and distribution; 

benthic communities; a seabird 


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synthesis and seabird-derived forage 

fish indicators; marine mammals, 

including humpback whales and Steller 

sea lions; ecosystem and community 

indicators; and fishing indicators, 

including a sustainability index. The 

2024 GOA ESR is available at https://

apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/REFM/ 

docs/2023/GOAecosys.pdf. 

Information from the ESRs are 

integrated in stock assessments, 

primarily through the risk tables that are 

prepared for each stock. The risk table 

includes evaluation of four 

considerations: assessment-related, 

population dynamics, and 

environmental/ecosystem, and fishery 

performance. The risk table is meant to 

inform the specification of ABC by 

accounting for additional scientific 

uncertainty that is not addressed in the 

stock assessment model used to 

calculate OFL and ABC based on the 

stock’s tier and the corresponding OFL 

and ABC control rules in the FMP. 

Because TAC cannot exceed ABC, 

reductions in ABC based on the risk 

table result in additional precaution in 

the catch limits for groundfish of the 

GOA. The risk table can highlight 

changes in ecosystem conditions. For 

example, in the 2019 Pacific cod SAFE 

report, the risk table assessed three 

considerations that were elevated to 

level 2. As a result of the elevated risk, 

authors recommending setting the ABC 

below the maximum. Further, because 

the 2019 GOA Pacific cod stock was 

estimated to be below 20 percent of the 

projected unfished spawning biomass 

(B20%), directed fishing was prohibited 

during the 2020 fishing year for the 

conservation of western Distinct 

Population Segment Steller sea lions (84 

FR 70438, December 23, 2019). This 

prohibition is set in regulations 

(§ 679.20(d)(4)). 

Some stock assessments, GOA 

pollock, GOA Pacific cod, and AK 

Sablefish, also include an ESP. The ESP 

was developed as a framework for 

organizing and evaluating ecosystem 

and socioeconomic information about 

an individual stock. The ESP informs 

environmental and ecosystem 

considerations, population dynamics, 

and fisheries performance in the risk 

table on pollock. For example, the ESP 

for GOA pollock is cited in the pollock 

SAFE for both temperature and catch 

per unit effort (CPUE). Temperature is 

within the optimal range for pollock life 

history stages in 2023 and CPUE is 

consistent with the abundance trend of 

exploitable biomass. The GOA pollock 

ESP is available at https://apps-afsc.

fisheries.noaa.gov/Plan_Team/2023/ 

GOApollock_appA.pdf. 

The information from the ESRs, stock 

assessments, and ESPs allows the Plan 

Team, SSC, AP, Council, and NMFS to 

respond to ecosystem changes and stock 

changes in the GOA and to adjust the 

harvest specifications as necessary. This 

is consistent with the FMP and the 

preferred harvest strategy analyzed in 

the Final EIS and implemented each 

year for the specification of TAC. The 

Final EIS contemplated that ABCs could 

be reduced based on ecosystem 

considerations (Chapter 11 of Final EIS). 

The harvest strategy is designed such 

that the most recent information would 

be used each year in setting the annual 

harvest specification. The process is 

flexible to incorporate current 

information on stock abundance and 

environmental, ecosystem, and 

socioeconomic factors (like physical and 

ecosystem changes associated with 

climate change). Similarly, the FMP 

contemplates ongoing consideration of 

relevant factors, like ecosystem 

considerations and climate change, 

through the development of SAFE 

reports (Section 3.2 of the FMP). The 

use of the most recent, best available 

information in the SAFE reports allows 

the Council and NMFS to respond to 

changes in stock condition and 

environmental, ecosystem, and 

socioeconomic factors in the GOA and 

to adjust the harvest specifications as 

appropriate, which is also consistent 

with National Standard 2 of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act to use the best 

scientific information available (16 

U.S.C. 1851(a)(2)). 

NMFS is committed to supporting 

science and research to continue to 

move the process into effective 

ecosystem-based management by 

refining the existing tools and 

developing new tools for incorporating 

ecosystem and socioeconomic 

information. 

As noted in response to Comment 2, 

PSC limits and the conditions that affect 

the limits are set in regulations, and 

changes to those regulations are outside 

of the scope of the annual harvest 

specification process. 

Comment 4: NMFS must account for 

climate change in its decision making. 

Response: Climate change is 

accounted for in NMFS’s 

decisionmaking on the annual 

implementation of the harvest 

specifications, consistent with the 

harvest strategy in the FMP and 

analyzed in the Final EIS. The Final EIS 

analyzed alternatives for an 

implementing framework for the BSAI 

and GOA harvest strategy and evaluated 

the potential effects of those alternatives 

on the human environment (see 

response to Comment 6). The Final EIS 

examined existing physical and 

oceanographic conditions in the BSAI 

and GOA, and addressed regime shifts, 

warming and loss of sea ice, and 

acidification (Chapter 3.5 of the Final 

EIS), as well as systemic ecosystem 

impacts. (Chapter 11 of the Final EIS). 

Moreover, the framework process for 

the preferred harvest strategy under the 

Final EIS allows for the effects of 

climate change to be considered in the 

annual process for setting the harvest 

specifications. As addressed in response 

to Comment 3, the annual ESR is part 

of the SAFE reports that the Council and 

its Plan Teams, SSC, and AP annually 

review prior to the review of the stock 

assessments and advancing 

recommendations to NMFS for the 

annual OFLs, ABCs, and TACs. The 

purpose of the ESRs is to provide the 

Council, scientific community, and the 

public, as well as NMFS, with annual 

information about ecosystem status and 

trends, and they include physical 

oceanography, biological data, and 

socio-ecological dimensions, primarily 

collected from AFSC surveys with 

collaboration from a range of 

government and non-government 

partners. The ESRs provide the 

scientific review body (the SSC) with 

context for the annual biological 

reference points (OFLs and ABCs), and 

for the Council’s final TAC 

recommendations for groundfish (which 

are constrained by those biological 

reference points). Information from the 

ESRs are also integrated into the annual 

harvest recommendations through 

inclusion in stock assessment-specific 

risk tables. There are many examples of 

climate change considerations presented 

in the GOA ESR, including: sea surface 

temperatures and marine heatwaves 

driven by long-term climate change; 

status and trends of key physical 

indicators of climate change that could 

impact the survival and condition of 

certain species like salmon, such as 

ocean temperatures; deoxygenation from 

climate change and patterns and trends 

in oxygen in the GOA; implications 

from ocean acidification for sensitive 

species and fisheries, including Tanner 

crab and salmon; shifting migration 

dates for salmon in terms of juvenile 

and adult migration patterns; and trends 

in zooplankton population and lipid 

content, as well as juvenile salmon size 

and condition, in Southeast Alaska as 

part of an effort to investigate how 

climate change may affect nearshore 

ecosystems in relation to juvenile 

salmon and associated biophysical 

factors. 

In some instances, the Plan Teams 

and SSC have recommended ABC 

reductions based on climate change 


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considerations. As explained in 

response to Comment 3, stock 

assessments use a stock-assessment 

specific risk table that is applied by 

evaluating the severity of four types of 

considerations that could be used to 

support a scientific recommendation to 

reduce the ABC (assessment-related, 

population dynamics, environmental/ 

ecosystem, and fishery performance). 

For example, for the 2019 stock 

assessment for Pacific cod, patterns in 

distribution, growth, and size were 

associated with warmer ocean 

conditions and the cumulative effects 

from a series of recent warm years. As 

a result, environmental and ecosystem 

considerations were assigned a level 2 

in the risk table. 

Finally, the FMP indicated that the 

ongoing consideration of factors like 

climate change would be addressed 

annually in the SAFE reports (Section 

3.2.2.2 of the FMP), as is currently the 

case with both individual stock 

assessments and the ESRs. As a result, 

the annual harvest specifications 

process, which implements the 

preferred harvest strategy under the 

Final EIS, allows for the consideration 

of the best scientific information 

available on climate change (16 U.S.C. 

1851(a)(2)). 

Comment 5: The TAC for pollock 

should reflect the true environmental 

cost of trawling. 

Response: The SAFE report chapter 

for GOA pollock evaluates annually the 

GOA pollock fishery’s effects on the 

ecosystem, as well as ecosystem effects 

on the pollock stock (see section titled 

‘‘Environmental/Ecosystem 

considerations’’ in the SAFE report 

chapter: https://apps-afsc.fisheries.

noaa.gov/Plan_Team/2023/ 

GOApollock.pdf). In addition, 

ecosystem considerations, as well as the 

impact on communities and 

incidentally caught species, are 

considered and updated annually in the 

ESRs and ESPs, including the GOA 

pollock ESP. The Final EIS supporting 

the harvest specifications also evaluated 

environmental and ecosystem 

considerations, and the environmental 

impacts of the GOA pollock fishery have 

been analyzed in a number of 

subsequent NEPA documents, including 

the EA for Amendment 93 to the GOA 

FMP. 

Comment 6: The Alaska Groundfish 

Harvest Specifications EIS is outdated 

and NMFS must prepare a new or 

supplemental EIS on the harvest 

specifications. 

Response: Groundfish harvests are 

managed subject to annual limits on the 

retained and discarded amounts of each 

species and species group. The ‘‘harvest 

strategy’’ is the method used to calculate 

these annual limits, referred to as 

‘‘harvest specifications,’’ and the 

process of establishing them is referred 

to as the ‘‘specifications process.’’ 

NMFS prepared the Alaska Groundfish 

Harvest Specifications Final EIS to 

analyze the environmental, social, and 

economic impacts of alternatives 

harvest strategies used to determine the 

annual harvest specifications for the 

federally managed groundfish fisheries 

in the GOA and BSAI management 

areas. 

The purpose of the harvest strategy is 

to provide for orderly and controlled 

commercial fishing for groundfish; 

promote sustainable incomes to the 

fishing, fish processing, and support 

industries; support sustainable fishing 

communities; and provide sustainable 

flows of fish products to consumers. 

The harvest strategy balances 

groundfish harvest in the fishing year 

with ecosystem needs (such as nontarget fish stocks, marine mammals, 

seabirds, and habitat). Importantly, the 

harvest strategy and specification 

process are designed to use the best 

available scientific information 

developed each year through the annual 

SAFE (including the ESR process) to 

calculate the status determination 

criteria, assess the status of each stock, 

and set the TACs. 

In a ROD, NMFS selected one of the 

alternative harvest strategies: to set 

TACs that fall within the range of ABCs 

recommended through the harvest 

specifications process that includes 

review by the Plan Team and SSC. 

NMFS concluded that the preferred 

harvest strategy analyzed in the Final 

EIS and selected in the ROD provides 

the best balance among relevant 

environmental, social, and economic 

considerations and allows for continued 

management of the groundfish fisheries 

based on the most recent, best scientific 

information. While the specific numbers 

that the harvest strategy produces may 

vary from year to year, the methodology 

used for the preferred harvest strategy 

remains constant. NMFS has not 

changed the harvest strategy or 

specifications process from what was 

analyzed in the Final EIS. 

Each year the harvest strategy uses the 

best scientific information available in 

the annual SAFE reports to derive the 

annual harvest specifications, which 

include TACs and PSC limits. Through 

this process, each year, the Council’s 

Groundfish Plan Teams use updated 

stock assessments to calculate biomass, 

OFLs, and ABCs for each species and 

species group for specified management 

areas. The OFLs and ABCs are 

published with the harvest 

specifications, and provide the 

foundation for the Council and NMFS to 

develop the TACs. The OFLs and ABCs 

reflect fishery science, applied in light 

of the requirements of the FMPs. The 

Council bases its TAC recommendations 

on those of its AP, which are consistent 

with the SSC’s OFL and ABC 

recommendations (meaning, the TAC 

recommendations cannot exceed the 

SSC’s ABC and OFL recommendations). 

The Final EIS evaluates the 

consequences of alternative harvest 

strategies on ecosystem components and 

on the ecosystem as a whole. The Final 

EIS evaluates the alternatives for their 

effects within the action area. The 

environmental consequences of each 

alternative were considered for target 

species, non-specified species, forage 

species, prohibited species, marine 

mammals, seabirds, Essential Fish 

Habitat, ecosystem relationships, the 

economy, and environmental justice. 

These considerations were evaluated 

based on the conditions as they existed 

at the time the Final EIS was developed, 

but the Final EIS also anticipated 

potential changes in these conditions 

that could be incorporated, as 

appropriate, through the annual 

implementation of the harvest strategy. 

Each year since 2007 relevant changes 

(new information, changed 

circumstances, potential changes to the 

action) are considered with the primary 

purpose of evaluating the need to 

supplement the Final EIS. 

NEPA implementing regulations at 40 

CFR 1502.9(d) instruct agencies to 

prepare supplements to either draft or 

final environmental impact statements if 

there remains a major Federal action left 

to occur and: (i) The agency makes 

substantial changes to the proposed 

action that are relevant to 

environmental concerns; or (ii) There 

are significant new circumstances or 

information relevant to environmental 

concerns and bearing on the proposed 

action or its impacts. Ultimately, an 

agency is required ‘‘to take a ‘hard look’ 

at the new information to assess 

whether supplementation might be 

necessary.’’ Norton v. S. Utah 

Wilderness All., 542 U.S. 55, 72–73 

(2004). 

A SIR for the Final EIS is prepared 

each year to take that ‘‘hard look’’ and 

document the evaluation and decision 

whether an SEIS is necessary to 

implement the annual groundfish 

harvest specifications, consistent with 

NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(d)) 

and NOAA’s Policy and Procedures for 

Compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act and Related 

Authorities (Companion Manual for 

NOAA Administrative Order 216–6A). 


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The Companion Manual authorizes the 

use of a SIR to document a review of 

new information or circumstances and 

determine the sufficiency of the existing 

NEPA analysis for implementing a 

component or step of the action 

analyzed in that existing analysis. 

The SIR prepared each year for the 

annual harvest specifications analyzes 

the information contained in the most 

recent SAFE reports and all information 

available to NMFS and the Council to 

determine whether an SEIS should be 

prepared. The SAFE reports represent 

the best scientific information available 

for the harvest specifications. Included 

in the SAFE reports are the groundfish 

stock assessments and any ESPs, the 

ESRs, and the Economic Status Report. 

To date, no annual SIR to the Final EIS 

has concluded that an SEIS is necessary. 

The SIR recognizes the preferred 

harvest strategy analyzed in the Final 

EIS and selected in the ROD was built 

on an annual process to compile and 

utilize the most recent, best scientific 

information available on species 

abundance and condition, harvest and 

survey data, environmental and 

ecosystem factors, and socio-economic 

conditions. The Final EIS contemplated 

the annual process included flexibility 

that allows for the implementation of 

annual harvest specifications that reflect 

new information and changing 

circumstances in the context of the 

considerations in the Final EIS. NMFS 

has determined that the 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications for the BSAI and 

GOA are consistent with the preferred 

alternative harvest strategy analyzed in 

the Harvest Specifications EIS because 

they were set through the harvest 

specifications process, are within the 

optimum yield established for both the 

BSAI and the GOA, and do not set TAC 

to exceed the ABC for any single species 

or species group. 

The SIR assessed new information 

and circumstances. Based on the SIR, 

NMFS concluded that the best available, 

most recent information presented on 

species abundance and condition, 

environmental and ecosystem factors, 

and socio-economic conditions and 

used to set the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications does not represent a 

significant change relative to the 

environmental impacts of the preferred 

harvest strategy analyzed in the Harvest 

Specifications EIS. 

The Harvest Specifications EIS 

identified reasonably foreseeable future 

actions, which inform the analysis in 

the SIR regarding new circumstances 

and which include catch share 

management, traditional fisheries 

management tools, ecosystem-sensitive 

management, and actions by other 

Federal, state, and international 

agencies and private actions. This 

section of the SIR assessed information 

and circumstances regarding bycatch 

management of salmon, crab, and 

halibut; habitat impacts; seabirds; and 

marine mammals, including ESA-listed 

species like Steller sea lions, humpback 

whales, sperm whales, and fin whales, 

and unlisted species like northern fur 

seals and killer whales. In this 

assessment, the SIR relied on the 2023 

SAFE reports, other analyses prepared 

to support NMFS management actions, 

updated catch and bycatch data, and 

other best available scientific 

information to conclude any new 

information and circumstances do not 

present a seriously different picture of 

the likely environmental harms of the 

action to occur—the annual 

implementation of the 2024 and 2025 

groundfish harvest specifications— 

beyond what was considered in the 

Harvest Specifications EIS. More details 

are provided in the SIR (see ADDRESSES). 

Based on the SIR prepared in 

conjunction with these harvest 

specifications, NMFS determined that 

the 2024 and 2025 groundfish harvest 

specifications do not constitute a 

substantial change in the proposed 

action analyzed in the Final EIS and 

will not affect the human environment 

in a significant manner or to a 

significant extent not already 

considered in the Harvest Specifications 

EIS. Accordingly, supplementation of 

the Final EIS was not required for 

NMFS to approve and implement the 

2024 and 2025 groundfish harvest 

specifications of the BSAI and GOA. 

Comment 7: NMFS should develop a 

programmatic EIS and initiate a NEPA 

analysis that includes government-togovernment consultation with Alaska 

Native Tribes, or otherwise supplement 

the Alaska Groundfish Programmatic 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement. 

Response: As outlined in response to 

response to Comment 6, NMFS prepared 

the Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Final EIS to analyze 

alternatives to implement the FMP’s 

harvest strategy and specifications 

process, which outlines the method and 

process used to determine the annual 

harvest specifications for the federally 

managed groundfish fisheries in the 

GOA and BSAI management areas. 

NMFS also must specify PSC 

allowances in the annual harvest 

specifications. The Final EIS evaluates 

the consequences of alternative harvest 

strategies on ecosystem components and 

on the ecosystem as a whole, as well as 

their effects within the action area. 

Ultimately, from the analysis in the 

Final EIS, NMFS selected a preferred 

harvest strategy that NMFS uses each 

year for the specifications process. Each 

year, NMFS also evaluates whether 

supplementation of that Final EIS is 

required, consistent with NEPA 

regulations, to implement the harvest 

specifications. Based on the SIR 

prepared in conjunction with these 

harvest specifications, NMFS 

determined that supplementation of the 

Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Final EIS was not 

required. NMFS therefore implements 

these harvest specifications consistent 

with the Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Final EIS. 

Separate from the Final EIS for the 

Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications, the Council and NMFS 

prepared the Alaska Groundfish 

Programmatic Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(PSEIS). The PSEIS evaluated 

alternative policies and objectives for 

the management of the groundfish 

fisheries in the BSAI and GOA. The 

action analyzed in the PSEIS is different 

from the action analyzed in the Alaska 

Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final 

EIS, and as explained above NMFS 

implements the harvest specifications 

consistent with the Final EIS analyzing 

that action. In addition to the 

preparation of the Harvest 

Specifications Final EIS, since the 

PSEIS the Council and NMFS have 

prepared for FMP amendments and 

regulatory changes the appropriate 

NEPA analyses to support the 

implementation of those specific FMP 

or regulatory changes. 

Finally, the Council and NMFS are 

now considering a new action to revise 

the management policies and objectives 

for the groundfish fisheries, as well as 

for all Council-managed fisheries, off 

Alaska. The Council requested that 

NMFS initiate the development of a 

Programmatic EIS to analyze 

alternatives for the revisions of policies, 

objectives, and goals for all Councilmanaged fisheries in June of 2023. In 

2024–2025, the Council and NMFS will 

decide on the direction and structure of 

alternatives analyzed under a 

Programmatic EIS, and NMFS will begin 

the NEPA scoping process. There will 

be multiple public meetings, in addition 

to Council-hosted workshops, to 

support the development and analysis 

of alternatives, and NMFS will work 

with Alaska Native Tribes to ensure 

meaningful and timely government-togovernment consultation consistent 

with Executive Order 13175 and NOAA 

Procedures for Government-toGovernment Consultation with 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 15513 

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal 

Governments. 

Classification 

NMFS is issuing this final rule 

pursuant to section 305(d) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act. Through 

previous actions, the FMP and 

regulations are designed to authorize 

NMFS to take this action. See 50 CFR 

part 679. The NMFS Assistant 

Administrator has determined that the 

final harvest specifications are 

consistent with the FMP and with the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 

applicable laws. 

This final rule is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866 because it 

only implements annual catch limits in 

the GOA. 

NMFS prepared an EIS for the Alaska 

groundfish harvest specifications and 

alternative harvest strategies (see 

ADDRESSES) and made it available to the 

public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS 

issued the ROD for the Final EIS 

identifying the selected alternative 

(Alternative 2). NMFS prepared a SIR 

for this action to provide a subsequent 

assessment of the action and to address 

the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS 

(SEIS; 40 CFR 1501.11(b); 

§ 1502.9(d)(1)). Copies of the Final EIS, 

ROD, and annual SIRs for this action are 

available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). 

The Final EIS analyzes the 

environmental, social, and economic 

consequences of the groundfish harvest 

specifications and alternative harvest 

strategies on resources in the action 

area. Based on the analysis in the Final 

EIS, NMFS concluded that the preferred 

Alternative (Alternative 2) provides the 

best balance among relevant 

environmental, social, and economic 

considerations and allows for continued 

management of the groundfish fisheries 

based on the most recent, best scientific 

information. The preferred alternative is 

a harvest strategy in which TACs are set 

at a level within the range of ABCs 

recommended through the Council 

harvest specifications process by the 

Council’s SSC. The sum of the TACs 

also must achieve the OY specified in 

the FMP and regulations. While the 

specific numbers that the harvest 

strategy produces may vary from year to 

year, the methodology used for the 

preferred harvest strategy remains 

constant. 

The annual SIR evaluates the need to 

prepare a SEIS for the 2024 and 2025 

groundfish harvest specifications. An 

SEIS must be prepared if a major 

Federal action remains to occur and: (1) 

the agency makes substantial changes to 

the proposed action that are relevant to 

environmental concerns; or (2) 

significant new circumstances or 

information exist relevant to 

environmental concerns and bearing on 

the proposed action or its impacts (40 

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

most recent, best available information, 

including the information contained in 

the SIR and SAFE report, the Regional 

Administrator has determined that (1) 

the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications, which were set according 

to the preferred harvest strategy, do not 

constitute a substantial change in the 

action; and (2) the information 

presented does not indicate that there 

are significant new circumstances or 

information relevant to environmental 

concerns and bearing on the proposed 

action or its impacts. Any new 

information and circumstances do not 

present a seriously different picture of 

the likely environmental harms of the 

action to occur—the implementation of 

these harvest specifications—beyond 

what was considered in the Final EIS, 

and the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications will result in 

environmental, social, and economic 

impacts within the scope of those 

analyzed and disclosed in the Final EIS. 

Therefore, a SEIS is not necessary to 

implement the 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications. 

Section 604 of the Regulatory 

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

requires that, when an agency 

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

553, after being required by that section 

or any other law, to publish a general 

notice of proposed rulemaking, the 

agency shall prepare a final regulatory 

flexibility analysis (FRFA). The 

following constitutes the FRFA 

prepared for these final 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications. 

Section 604 of the RFA describes the 

required contents of a FRFA: (1) a 

statement of the need for, and objectives 

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

significant issues raised by the public 

comments in response to the initial 

regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), a 

statement of the assessment of the 

agency of such issues, and a statement 

of any changes made in the proposed 

rule as a result of such comments; (3) 

the response of the agency to any 

comments filed by the Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration in response to the 

proposed rule, and a detailed statement 

of any change made to the proposed rule 

in the final rule as a result of the 

comments; (4) a description of and an 

estimate of the number of small entities 

to which the rule will apply or an 

explanation of why no such estimate is 

available; (5) a description of the 

projected reporting, recordkeeping, and 

other compliance requirements of the 

rule, including an estimate of the classes 

of small entities which will be subject 

to the requirement and the type of 

professional skills necessary for 

preparation of the report or record; and 

(6) a description of the steps the agency 

has taken to minimize the significant 

economic impact on small entities 

consistent with the stated objectives of 

applicable statutes, including a 

statement of the factual, policy, and 

legal reasons for selecting the alternative 

adopted in the final rule and why each 

one of the other significant alternatives 

to the rule considered by the agency that 

affect the impact on small entities was 

rejected. 

A description of this action, its 

purpose, and its legal basis are 

contained at the beginning of the 

preamble to this final rule and are not 

repeated here. 

NMFS published the proposed rule on 

December 7, 2023 (88 FR 85184). NMFS 

prepared an IRFA to accompany the 

proposed action and included the IRFA 

in the proposed rule. The comment 

period closed on January 8, 2024. No 

comments were received on the IRFA or 

on the economic impacts of the rule 

more generally. The Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration did not file any 

comments on the proposed rule. 

The entities directly regulated by this 

action are: (1) entities operating vessels 

with groundfish Federal fishing permits 

(FFPs) catching FMP groundfish in 

Federal waters; (2) all entities operating 

vessels, regardless of whether they hold 

groundfish FFPs, catching FMP 

groundfish in the State-waters parallel 

fisheries; and (3) all entities operating 

vessels fishing for halibut inside 3 miles 

(5.6 km) of the shore (whether or not 

they have FFPs). 

For RFA purposes only, NMFS has 

established a small business size 

standard for businesses, including their 

affiliates, whose primary industry is 

commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). 

A business primarily engaged in 

commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) 

is classified as a small business if it is 

independently owned and operated, is 

not dominant in its field of operation 

(including its affiliates), and has 

combined annual gross receipts not in 

excess of $11 million for all its affiliated 

operations worldwide. 

Using the most recent data available 

(2022), the estimated number of directly 

regulated small entities includes 

approximately 677 individual CV and 

CP entities with gross revenues meeting 

the small entity criteria. This includes 

an estimated 674 small CV entities and 


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3 small CP entities in the GOA 

groundfish sector. The determination of 

entity size is based on vessel revenues 

and affiliated group revenues. This 

determination also includes an 

assessment of fisheries cooperative 

affiliations, although actual vessel 

ownership affiliations have not been 

completely established. However, the 

estimate of these 677 CVs and CPs may 

be an overstatement of the number of 

small entities because of the complexity 

of analyzing the linkages and affiliations 

across these vessels, particularly since 

many of them conduct operations in 

Federal and State fisheries. The CVs had 

average gross revenues that varied by 

gear type. Average gross revenues for 

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

trawl gear CVs are estimated to be 

$450,000, $860,000, and $1.38 million, 

respectively. Average gross revenues for 

hook-and-line CPs and pot gear CPs are 

estimated to be $7.40 million and $6.87 

million, respectively. Trawl gear CP 

entity revenue data are confidential. 

This final rule contains no 

information collection requirements 

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. 

This action implements the final 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and halibut PSC limits 

for the groundfish fishery of the GOA. 

This action is necessary to establish 

harvest limits for groundfish during the 

2024 and 2025 fishing years and is taken 

in accordance with the FMP prepared 

by the Council pursuant to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 

establishment of the final harvest 

specifications is governed by the 

Council and NMFS’s harvest strategy for 

the catch of groundfish in the GOA. The 

harvest strategy was selected previously 

from among five alternatives, with the 

preferred alternative harvest strategy 

being one in which the TACs fall within 

the range of ABCs recommended 

through the Council harvest 

specifications process by the SSC. 

Under this preferred alternative harvest 

strategy, TACs are recommended to 

NMFS by the Council, utilizing 

recommendations from the AP, and are 

within the range of ABCs recommended 

by the SSC. The sum of the TACs must 

achieve the OY specified in the FMP. 

While the specific TAC numbers that 

the harvest strategy produces may vary 

from year to year, the methodology used 

for the preferred harvest strategy 

remains constant. This final action 

implements the preferred alternative 

harvest strategy previously chosen by 

the Council and NMFS to set TACs that 

fall within the range of ABCs 

recommended through the Council 

harvest specifications process and as 

recommended by the Council, after 

considerations from the Council’s AP. 

This TAC determination method is 

consistent with previous years. 

The final 2024 and 2025 TACs 

associated with preferred harvest 

strategy are those recommended by the 

Council in December 2023. OFLs and 

ABCs for the species were based on 

recommendations prepared by the 

Council’s Plan Team, and reviewed and 

recommended by the Council’s SSC. 

The Council based its TAC 

recommendations on those of its AP, 

and those recommendations are 

consistent with the SSC’s OFL and ABC 

recommendations. The sum of all TACs 

remains within the OY for the GOA 

consistent with § 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B). 

The final 2024 and 2025 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best available 

biological information, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised technical methods 

to calculate stock biomass. The final 

2024 and 2025 TACs are based on the 

best available biological and 

socioeconomic information. The final 

2024 and 2025 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

are consistent with the biological 

condition of groundfish stocks as 

described in the 2023 SAFE report, 

which is the most recent, completed 

SAFE report, as well as the ecosystem 

and socioeconomic information 

presented in the 2023 SAFE report 

(including the GOA ESR). Accounting 

for the most recent information to set 

the final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs is 

consistent with the objectives for this 

action, as well as National Standard 2 of 

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

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

on the best scientific information 

available. The SAFE report also 

includes information on the economic 

condition of the groundfish fisheries off 

Alaska through the Economic Status 

Report. Data are available through 2022. 

Under this action, the final ABCs 

reflect harvest amounts that are less 

than the specified overfishing levels. 

The final TACs are within the range of 

final ABCs recommended by the SSC 

and do not exceed the biological limits 

recommended by the SSC (the ABCs 

and overfishing levels). For most species 

and species groups in the GOA, the 

Council recommended, and NMFS sets, 

final TACs equal to final ABCs, which 

is intended to maximize harvest 

opportunities in the GOA, unless other 

conservation or management reasons 

support setting TAC amounts less than 

the ABCs. 

For the following species and species 

groups, the Council recommended, and 

NMFS sets, TACs that are less than the 

ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, shallowwater flatfish in the Western GOA, 

arrowtooth flounder in the Western 

GOA and SEO District, flathead sole in 

the Western GOA, and other rockfish in 

the SEO District. These specific 

reductions were reviewed and 

recommended by the Council’s AP, and 

the Council in turn adopted the AP’s 

recommendations for the final 2024 and 

2025 TACs. 

Increasing TACs for some species may 

not result in increased harvest 

opportunities for those species. This is 

due to a variety of reasons. There may 

be a lack of commercial or market 

interest in some species. Additionally, 

there are fixed, and therefore 

constraining, PSC limits associated with 

the harvest of the GOA groundfish 

species that can lead to an underharvest 

of flatfish TACs. For this reason, the 

shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, and flathead sole TACs in the 

Western GOA are set to allow for 

harvest opportunities for these target 

species while conserving the halibut 

PSC limit for use in other fisheries, 

including other groundfish fisheries or 

the halibut IFQ directed fishery. 

Similarly, the arrowtooth flounder TAC 

in the SEO District is set lower than 

ABC to conserve halibut PSC limit for 

use in other fisheries or because there is 

limited commercial interest in this 

fishery. The other rockfish TAC in the 

SEO District is set to support incidental 

catch in other fisheries. Finally, the 

TACs for two species (pollock and 

Pacific cod) cannot be set equal to ABC, 

as the TAC must be reduced to account 

for the State’s GHLs in these fisheries. 

The W/C/WYK Regulatory Area pollock 

combined TAC and the GOA Pacific cod 

TACs are therefore set to account for the 

State’s GHLs for the State waters pollock 

and Pacific cod fisheries so that the 

ABCs are not exceeded. 

Based upon the best available 

scientific data, and in consideration of 

the Council’s objectives of this action, 

there are no significant alternatives to 

the final rule that have the potential to 

accomplish the stated objectives of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act and any other 

applicable statutes and that have the 

potential to minimize any significant 

adverse economic impact of the final 

rule on small entities. This action is 

economically beneficial to entities 

operating in the GOA, including small 

entities. The action specifies TACs for 

commercially valuable species in the 

GOA and allows for the continued 

prosecution of the fishery, thereby 

creating the opportunity for fishery 

revenue. After public process, during 

which the Council and NMFS solicited 

input from stakeholders, the Council 


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concluded and NMFS likewise 

determines that these final harvest 

specifications would best accomplish 

the stated objectives articulated in the 

preamble for this final rule and in 

applicable statutes and would minimize 

to the extent practicable adverse 

economic impacts on the universe of 

directly regulated small entities. 

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

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in the date of effectiveness 

for this rule because delaying this rule 

is contrary to the public interest. The 

Plan Team review of the 2023 SAFE 

report occurred in November 2023, and, 

based on the 2023 SAFE report, the 

Council considered and recommended 

the final harvest specifications in 

December 2023. Accordingly, NMFS’s 

review of the final 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications could not begin 

until after the December 2023 Council 

meeting and after the public comment 

period closed on January 8, 2024. 

For all fisheries not currently closed 

because the TACs established under the 

final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications (88 FR 13238, March 2, 

2023) have not yet been reached, it is 

possible that they would be closed prior 

to the expiration of a 30-day delayed 

effectiveness period, because those 

fisheries have nearly reached those 

previously set TACs. Some affected 

fisheries therefore could close soon, as 

they are already close to reaching their 

TACs, and such closures would cause 

unnecessary economic harm to the 

fisheries in the cases where this final 

rule increases some of the groundfish 

TACs. If implemented immediately, this 

final rule would allow these fisheries to 

continue fishing, because some of the 

new TACs implemented by this rule are 

higher than the TACs under which they 

are currently fishing. 

In addition, immediate effectiveness 

of this action is required to provide 

consistent management and 

conservation of fishery resources based 

on the best available scientific 

information. This is particularly 

pertinent for those species that have 

lower 2024 ABCs and TACs than those 

established in the final 2023 and 2024 

harvest specifications (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023). If implemented 

immediately, this rule would ensure 

that NMFS can properly manage those 

fisheries for which this rule sets lower 

2024 ABCs and TACs, which are based 

on the most recent biological 

information on the condition of stocks. 

The changes between the proposed 2024 

ABCs and TACs are discussed earlier in 

the Changes from the Proposed 2024 

and 2025 Harvest Specifications in the 

GOA section of this rule. 

Certain fisheries, such as those for 

pollock, are intensive, fast-paced 

fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those 

for sablefish, flatfish, rockfish, Atka 

mackerel, skates, sharks, and octopuses, 

are critical either as directed fisheries or 

as incidental catch in other fisheries. 

Thus, for those species that have higher 

2024 TACs than under the final 2023 

and 2024 harvest specifications (88 FR 

13238, March 2, 2023) than the TACs 

established by this final rule, there is 

some risk of exceeding these TAC 

limits. U.S. fishing vessels have 

demonstrated the capacity to catch the 

TAC allocations in many of these 

fisheries. If the date of effectiveness of 

this rule were to be delayed 30 days and 

a TAC was reached during those 30 

days, NMFS would be required to close 

directed fishing or prohibit retention for 

the applicable species. Such closures 

and unnecessary discards would cause 

confusion to the industry and potential 

economic harm to fishermen, 

undermining the intent of this rule. 

Waiving the 30-day delay in the date of 

effectiveness allows NMFS to prevent 

this potential economic harm that could 

occur, should the previously set 2024 

TACs (as set under the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications) be reached 

during such a delay. In addition, 

determining which fisheries may close 

in advance is nearly impossible because 

these fisheries are affected by several 

factors, including fishing effort, 

weather, movement of fishery stocks, 

and market price, which cannot be 

predicted. Furthermore, the closure of 

one fishery has a cascading effect on 

other fisheries; the closure would free 

up fishing vessels, allowing them to 

move from closed fisheries to open 

fisheries, thereby increasing the fishing 

capacity in those open fisheries, and 

potentially causing them to close 

sooner. 

In fisheries subject to declining 

sideboard limits, a failure to implement 

the updated sideboard limits before the 

initial season’s end could deny the 

intended economic protection to the 

sectors that do not have sideboards. 

Conversely, in fisheries with increasing 

sideboard limits, economic benefit 

could be denied to the sideboardlimited sectors. 

If the final harvest specifications are 

not effective by March 15, 2024, which 

is the start of the 2024 Pacific halibut 

season as specified by the IPHC, the 

fixed gear sablefish fishery will not 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. This would result in 

confusion for the industry and 

economic harm from unnecessary 

discard of sablefish that are caught 

along with Pacific halibut, as both fixed 

gear sablefish and Pacific halibut are 

managed under the same IFQ program. 

Immediate effectiveness of these final 

2024 and 2025 harvest specifications 

will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. 

Finally, immediate effectiveness also 

provides the fishing industry the earliest 

possible opportunity to plan and 

conduct its fishing operations with 

respect to new information about TACs. 

Therefore, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

553(d)(3), NMFS finds good cause to 

waive the 30-day delay in the date of 

effectiveness for this rule. 

Small Entity Compliance Guide 

Section 212 of the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 

1996 states that, for each rule or group 

of related rules for which an agency is 

required to prepare a FRFA, the agency 

shall publish one or more guides to 

assist small entities in complying with 

the rule, and shall designate such 

publications as ‘‘small entity 

compliance guides.’’ The tables 

contained in this final rule are provided 

online and serve as the 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 2024 and 2025 

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 2024 

and 2025 fishing years, and to 

accomplish the goals and objectives of 

the FMP. This action affects all 

fishermen who participate in the GOA 

fisheries. The specific OFL, ABC, TAC, 

and PSC amounts are provided in tables 

in this final rule to assist the reader. 

This final rule also contains plain 

language summaries of the underlying 

relevant regulations supporting the 

harvest specifications and the harvest of 

groundfish in the GOA that the reader 

may find helpful. 

Information to assist small entities in 

complying with this final rule is 

provided online. The OFL, ABC, TAC, 

and PSC tables are individually 

available online at https://www.

fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainablefisheries/alaska-groundfish-harvestspecifications. Explanatory information 

on the relevant regulations supporting 

the harvest specifications is also found 

in footnotes to the tables. Harvest 

specification changes are also available 


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15516 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 43 / Monday, March 4, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

from the same online source, which 

includes applicable Federal Register 

notices, information bulletins, and other 

supporting materials. NMFS will 

announce closures of directed fishing in 

the Federal Register and information 

bulletins released by the Alaska Region. 

Affected fishermen should keep 

themselves informed of such closures. 

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

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

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

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

Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L 109–479. 

Dated: February 28, 2024. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–04516 Filed 3–1–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES