10250 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] 

RIN 0648–XD516 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 

2015 and 2016 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 2015 

and 2016 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 2015 and 2016 fishing years 

and to accomplish the goals and 

objectives of the Fishery Management 

Plan for Groundfish of the GOA. The 

intended effect of this action is to 

conserve and manage the groundfish 

resources in the GOA in accordance 

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act. 

DATES: Harvest specifications and 

closures are effective at 1200 hrs, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), February 25, 2015, 

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

2016. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS), Record of Decision 

(ROD), and the Supplementary 

Information Report (SIR) to the EIS 

prepared for this action are available 

from http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. 

The final 2014 Stock Assessment and 

Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 

groundfish resources of the GOA, dated 

November 2014, is available from the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council) at 605 West 4th 

Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99510–2252, phone 907–271–2809, or 

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

www.npfmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the GOA groundfish fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone of the 

GOA under the Fishery Management 

Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of 

Alaska (FMP). The Council prepared the 

FMP under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 

et seq. Regulations governing U.S. 

fisheries and implementing the FMP 

appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 

680. 

The FMP and its implementing 

regulations require NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, to 

specify the total allowable catch (TAC) 

for each target species, the sum of which 

must be within the optimum yield (OY) 

range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons 

(mt). Section 679.20(c)(1) further 

requires NMFS to publish and solicit 

public comment on proposed annual 

TACs, Pacific halibut prohibited species 

catch (PSC) limits, and seasonal 

allowances of pollock and Pacific cod. 

Upon consideration of public comment 

received under § 679.20(c)(1), NMFS 

must publish notice of final harvest 

specifications for up to two fishing years 

as annual target TAC, per 

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

specifications set forth in Tables 1 

through 36 of this document reflect the 

outcome of this process, as required at 

§ 679.20(c). 

The proposed 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

and Pacific halibut PSC limits were 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 8, 2014 (79 FR 72593). 

Comments were invited and accepted 

through January 7, 2015. NMFS did not 

receive any comments on the proposed 

harvest specifications. In December 

2014, NMFS consulted with the Council 

regarding the 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications. After considering public 

testimony, as well as biological and 

economic data that were available at the 

Council’s December 2014 meeting, 

NMFS is implementing the final 2015 

and 2016 harvest specifications, as 

recommended by the Council. For 2015, 

the sum of the TAC amounts is 536,158 

mt. For 2016, the sum of the TAC 

amounts is 590,161 mt. 

Other Actions Affecting the 2015 and 

2016 Harvest Specifications 

Amendment 97 to the FMP: Chinook 

Salmon Prohibited Species Catch Limits 

in the Non-Pollock Trawl Groundfish 

Fisheries 

In June 2013, the Council took final 

action to implement measures to control 

Chinook salmon PSC in all non-pollock 

trawl groundfish fisheries in the 

Western and Central GOA. This action, 

Amendment 97 to the FMP, would set 

an initial annual PSC limit of 7,500 

Chinook salmon apportioned among the 

sectors of trawl catcher/processors, 

trawl catcher vessels participating in the 

Central GOA Rockfish Program, and 

trawl catcher vessels not participating in 

the Central GOA Rockfish Program 

fishing for groundfish species other than 

pollock. The pollock directed fishery is 

not included in the Council’s 

recommended action, as that fishery is 

already subject to Chinook salmon PSC 

limits (§ 679.21(h)). 

NMFS published a notice of 

availability for Amendment 97 on June 

5, 2014 (79 FR 32525). On September 3, 

2014, the Secretary of Commerce 

(Secretary) approved Amendment 97. 

The proposed rule that would 

implement Amendment 97 published 

on June 25, 2014 (79 FR 35971), with 

public comments accepted through July 

25, 2014. The proposed rule contains a 

description of the affected management 

areas and groundfish fisheries, the nonpollock trawl groundfish fisheries and 

associated sectors, the history and goals 

of Amendment 97, and the provisions of 

the proposed action. Those provisions 

include proposed Chinook salmon PSC 

limits by sector, seasonal allocations, 

and other aspects associated with the 

implementation of Chinook salmon PSC 

limits for the non-pollock trawl 

groundfish fisheries in the Western and 

Central GOA. One provision that could 

affect the 2016 Chinook salmon PSC 

limits is the ‘‘incentive buffer.’’ This 

mechanism provides for an increased 

annual Chinook salmon PSC limit if 

sectors catch less than their limit of 

Chinook salmon in the previous year. 

The final rule to implement 

Amendment 97 published on December 

2, 2014 (79 FR 71350). The Chinook 

salmon PSC limits implemented by 

Amendment 97 were effective on 

January 1, 2015. Specific sector limits 

for the non-pollock groundfish fisheries 

are described later in this preamble. 

NMFS will monitor the Chinook salmon 

PSC in the non-pollock GOA groundfish 

fisheries and close an applicable sector 

if it reaches its 2015 Chinook salmon 

PSC limit. 

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and 

TAC Specifications 

In December 2014, the Council, its 

Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific 

and Statistical Committee (SSC) 

reviewed the most recent biological and 

harvest information about the condition 

of groundfish stocks in the GOA. This 

information was compiled by the 

Council’s GOA Groundfish Plan Team 

and was presented in the draft 2014 

SAFE report for the GOA groundfish 

fisheries, dated November 2014 (see 

ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a 

review of the latest scientific analyses 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10251 

and estimates of each species’ biomass 

and other biological parameters, as well 

as summaries of the available 

information on the GOA ecosystem and 

the economic condition of the 

groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From 

these data and analyses, the Plan Team 

estimates an overfishing level (OFL) and 

ABC for each species or species group. 

The 2014 report was made available for 

public review during the public 

comment period for the proposed 

harvest specifications. 

In previous years, the largest changes 

from the proposed to the final harvest 

specifications have been based on recent 

NMFS stock surveys, which provide 

updated estimates of stock biomass and 

spatial distribution, and changes to the 

models used for producing stock 

assessments. At the November 2014 

Plan Team meeting, NMFS scientists 

presented updated and new survey 

results, changes to stock assessment 

models, and accompanying stock 

assessment estimates for all groundfish 

species and species groups that are 

included in the final 2014 SAFE report. 

The SSC reviewed this information at 

the December 2014 Council meeting. 

Changes from the proposed to the final 

2015 and 2016 harvest specifications are 

discussed below. 

The final 2015 and 2016 OFLs, ABCs, 

and TACs are based on the best 

available biological and socioeconomic 

information, including projected 

biomass trends, information on assumed 

distribution of stock biomass, and 

revised methods used to calculate stock 

biomass. The FMP specifies the 

formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute 

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 2015 and 

2016 OFLs and ABCs recommended by 

the Plan Team for all groundfish 

species. The Council adopted the SSC’s 

OFL and ABC recommendations and the 

AP’s TAC recommendations. The final 

TAC recommendations were based on 

the ABCs as adjusted for other biological 

and socioeconomic considerations, 

including maintaining the sum of all 

TACs within the required OY range of 

116,000 to 800,000 mt. 

The Council recommended 2015 and 

2016 TACs that are equal to ABCs for 

sablefish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, 

Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, 

rougheye rockfish, demersal shelf 

rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, ‘‘other 

rockfish,’’ big skates, longnose skates, 

other skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, 

and octopuses in the GOA. The Council 

recommended TACs for 2015 and 2016 

that are less than the ABCs for pollock, 

Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish in the 

Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder, 

flathead sole in the Western and Central 

GOA, ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Southeast 

Outside district, and Atka mackerel. The 

Pacific cod TACs are set to 

accommodate the State’s guideline 

harvest levels (GHLs) for Pacific cod so 

that the ABCs are not exceeded. The 

shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, and flathead sole TACs are set 

to allow for increased harvest 

opportunities for these target species 

while conserving the halibut PSC limit 

for use in other, more fully utilized 

fisheries. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ TAC in 

the Southeast Outside District (SEO) is 

set to reduce the amount of discards. 

The Atka mackerel TAC is set to 

accommodate incidental catch amounts 

in other fisheries. 

The final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications approved by the Secretary 

are unchanged from those 

recommended by the Council and are 

consistent with the preferred harvest 

strategy alternative in the EIS (see 

ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the 

Council’s recommended OFLs, ABCs, 

and TACs are consistent with the 

biological condition of the groundfish 

stocks as described in the final 2014 

SAFE report. NMFS also finds that the 

Council’s recommendations for OFLs, 

ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the 

biological condition of groundfish 

stocks as adjusted for other biological 

and socioeconomic considerations, 

including maintaining the total TAC 

within the OY range. NMFS reviewed 

the Council’s recommended TAC 

specifications and apportionments, and 

approves these harvest specifications 

under 50 CFR 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The 

apportionment of TAC amounts among 

gear types and sectors, processing 

sectors, and seasons is discussed below. 

Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2015 and 

2016 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area 

apportionments of groundfish in the 

GOA. The sums of the 2015 and 2016 

ABCs are 685,597 mt and 731,049 mt, 

respectively, which are higher in 2015 

and 2016 than the 2014 ABC sum of 

640,675 mt (79 FR 12890, March 6, 

2014). 

Specification and Apportionment of 

TAC Amounts 

NMFS’ apportionment of groundfish 

species is based on the distribution of 

biomass among the regulatory areas over 

which NMFS manages the species. 

Additional regulations govern the 

apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, 

and sablefish. Additional detail on the 

apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, 

and sablefish are described below. 

The ABC for the pollock stock in the 

combined Western, Central, and West 

Yakutat Regulatory Areas (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 

recommended that the sum of all State 

and Federal water pollock removals 

from the GOA not exceed ABC 

recommendations. Based on genetic 

studies, fisheries scientists believe that 

the pollock in PWS is not a separate 

stock from the combined W/C/WYK 

population. Since 1996, the Plan Team 

has had a protocol of recommending 

that the GHL amount be deducted from 

the GOA-wide ABC. For 2015 and 2016, 

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 

2014 Plan Team meeting, State fisheries 

managers recommended setting the 

PWS GHL at 2.5 percent of the annual 

W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 2015, this 

yields a PWS pollock GHL of 4,783 mt, 

an increase of 620 mt from the 2014 

PWS GHL of 4,163 mt. For 2016, the 

PWS pollock GHL is 6,271 mt, an 

increase of 2,108 mt from the 2014 PWS 

pollock GHL. 

The Council also adopted the SSC’s 

recommendation to revise the 

terminology used when apportioning 

pollock in the Western, Central, and 

West Yakutat Regulatory Areas. The 

SSC recommended describing 

apportionments of pollock to the 

Western, Central, and West Yakutat 

Regulatory Areas as ‘‘apportionments of 

annual catch limit (ACLs)’’ rather than 

‘‘ABCs.’’ The SSC annually recommends 

a combined pollock ABC for the 

Western, Central, and West Yakutat 

Regulatory Areas based on factors such 

as scientific uncertainty in the estimate 

of the area-wide OFL, data uncertainty, 

and recruitment variability. Section 

3.2.3.3.2 of FMP specifies that the ACL 

is equal to the ABC. Historically, the 

SSC has recommended apportioning the 

combined Western, Central, and West 

Yakutat ABC between these three 

individual Regulatory Areas. However, 

the subarea ABCs have not been based 

on scientific uncertainty in the OFL, 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10252 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

data uncertainty, or other conservation 

or biological concerns, but rather on 

seasonal and spatial apportionment 

procedures established under the Steller 

sea lion protection measures for pollock 

TAC in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas. The SSC noted that 

describing subarea apportionments as 

‘‘apportionments of the ACL’’ more 

accurately reflects that such 

apportionments address management, 

rather than biological or conservation, 

concerns. In addition, apportioning the 

ACL in this manner allow NMFS to 

balance any transfer of TAC from one 

area to another pursuant to regulations 

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

area-wide ACL and ABC are not 

exceeded. The SSC noted that this 

terminology change is acceptable for 

pollock in the Western, Central, and 

West Yakutat Regulatory Areas only. 

There is one aggregate pollock OFL in 

these areas, and Steller sea lion 

protection measures provide a spatial 

and seasonal apportionment procedure 

for the pollock TAC in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. This change is 

not applicable for pollock in the 

Southeast Outside GOA Regulatory 

Area, which is managed as a separate 

stock. 

NMFS establishes pollock TACs in 

the Western, Central, West Yakutat 

Regulatory Areas, and the Southeast 

Outside District of the GOA (see Tables 

1 and 2). NMFS also establishes 

seasonal apportionments of the annual 

pollock TAC in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA among 

Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630. 

These apportionments are divided 

equally among each of the following 

four seasons: The A season (January 20 

through March 10), the B season (March 

10 through May 31), the C season 

(August 25 through October 1), and the 

D season (October 1 through November 

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

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A) and (B)). Additional 

detail is provided below; Tables 3 and 

4 list these amounts. 

The 2015 and 2016 Pacific cod TACs 

are set to accommodate the State’s GHL 

for Pacific cod in State waters in the 

Central and Western Regulatory Areas, 

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

AP, and Council recommended that the 

sum of all State and Federal water 

Pacific cod removals from the GOA not 

exceed ABC recommendations. 

Accordingly, the Council set the 2015 

and 2016 Pacific cod TACs in the 

Eastern, Central, and Western 

Regulatory Areas to account for State 

GHLs. Therefore, the 2015 and 2016 

Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs 

by the following amounts: (1) Eastern 

GOA, 707 mt; (2) Central GOA, 15,330 

mt; and (3) Western GOA, 11,611 mt. 

These amounts reflect the sum of the 

State’s 2015 and 2016 GHLs in these 

areas, which are 25 percent of the 

Eastern and Central ABCs, and 30 

percent of the Western GOA ABC. 

NMFS establishes seasonal 

apportionments of the annual Pacific 

cod TAC in the Central and Western 

Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the 

annual TAC is apportioned to the A 

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

gear from January 1 through June 10, 

and for trawl gear from January 20 

through June 10. Forty percent of the 

annual TAC is apportioned to the B 

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

gear from September 1 through 

December 31, and for trawl gear from 

September 1 through November 1 

(§§ 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)). The 

Central and Western GOA Pacific cod 

TACs are allocated among various gear 

and operational sectors. The Pacific cod 

sector apportionments are discussed in 

detail in a subsequent section of this 

preamble. 

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 and makes 

available 5 percent of the combined 

Eastern Regulatory Area ABCs to trawl 

gear for use as incidental catch in other 

groundfish fisheries in the WYK District 

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

final 2015 and 2016 allocations of 

sablefish TAC to hook-and-line and 

trawl gear in the GOA. 

Changes From the Proposed 2015 and 

2016 Harvest Specifications in the GOA 

In October 2014, the Council’s 

recommendations for the proposed 2015 

and 2016 harvest specifications (79 FR 

72593, December 8, 2014) were based 

largely on information contained in the 

final 2013 SAFE report for the GOA 

groundfish fisheries, dated November 

2013 (see ADDRESSES). The Council 

proposed that the final OFLs, ABCs, and 

TACs established for the 2015 

groundfish fisheries (79 FR 12890, 

March 6, 2014) be used for the proposed 

2015 and 2016 harvest specifications, 

pending completion and review of the 

2014 SAFE report at its December 2014 

meeting. 

As described previously, the SSC 

adopted the final 2015 and 2016 OFLs 

and ABCs recommended by the Plan 

Team. The Council adopted the SSC’s 

OFL and ABC recommendations and the 

AP’s TAC recommendations for 2015 

and 2016. The final 2015 ABCs are 

higher than the proposed 2015 ABCs 

published in the proposed 2015 and 

2016 harvest specifications (79 FR 

72593, December 8, 2014) for pollock, 

Pacific cod, sablefish, shallow-water 

flatfish, deep-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, flathead sole, Pacific ocean 

perch, dusky rockfish, longnose skate, 

and ‘‘other skates.’’ The final 2015 ABCs 

are lower than the proposed 2015 ABCs 

for northern rockfish, rougheye rockfish, 

demersal shelf rockfish, and big skates. 

The final 2016 ABCs are higher than the 

proposed 2016 ABCs for pollock, Pacific 

cod, shallow-water flatfish, flathead 

sole, Pacific ocean perch, longnose 

skate, and ‘‘other skates.’’ The final 2016 

ABCs are lower than the proposed 2016 

ABCs for deep-water flatfish, rex sole, 

arrowtooth flounder, northern rockfish, 

dusky rockfish, rougheye rockfish, and 

big skates. For the remaining target 

species—Atka mackerel, sculpins, 

sharks, squids, and octopus—the 

Council recommended, and the 

Secretary approved, the final 2015 and 

2016 ABCs that are the same as the 

proposed 2015 and 2016 ABCs. 

Additional information explaining the 

changes between the proposed and final 

ABCs is included in the final 2014 

SAFE report, which was not available 

when the Council made its proposed 

ABC and TAC recommendations in 

October 2014. At that time, the most 

recent stock assessment information was 

contained in the final 2013 SAFE report. 

The final 2014 SAFE report contains the 

best and most recent scientific 

information on the condition of the 

groundfish stocks, as previously 

discussed in this preamble, and is 

available for review (see ADDRESSES). 

The Council considered the final 2014 

SAFE report in December 2014 when it 

made recommendations for the final 

2015 and 2016 harvest specifications. In 

the GOA, the total final 2015 TAC 

amount is 536,158 mt, an increase of 5 

percent from the total proposed 2015 

TAC amount of 511,599 mt. The total 

final 2016 TAC amount is 590,161 mt, 

an increase of 15 percent from the total 

proposed 2016 TAC amount of 511,599 

mt. The following table in this preamble 

summarizes the principle reason for the 

difference between the proposed and 

final TACs. 

Based on changes to the assessment 

method (model) used by stock 

assessment scientists, for 2015 and 2016 

the greatest TAC increase is for Pacific 

cod. Based on changes in the estimates 

of overall biomass, the greatest TAC 

increases are for shallow-water flatfish, 

longnose skate, other skates, and Pacific 

ocean perch. Based upon changes in the 

estimates of biomass, the greatest 

decreases in TACs are for rougheye 

rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and 

big skate. For all other species and 

species groups, changes from the 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10253 

proposed to the final TACs are within 

plus or minus five percent of the 

proposed TACs. These TAC changes 

correspond to associated changes in the 

ABCs and TACs, as recommended by 

the SSC, AP, and Council. 

Additionally, based upon the 

Council’s recommended changes in 

setting the TACs at amounts below 

ABCs, the greatest decreases in TACs 

are for shallow-water flatfish, 

arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, and 

‘‘other rockfish.’’ The Council believed, 

and NMFS concurs, that setting TACs 

for the three preceding flatfish species 

equal to ABCs would not reflect 

anticipated harvest levels accurately, as 

the Council and NMFS expect halibut 

PSC limits to constrain these fisheries in 

2015 and 2016. 

Detailed information providing the 

basis for the changes described above is 

contained in the final 2014 SAFE report. 

The final TACs are based on the best 

scientific information available. These 

TACs are specified in compliance with 

the harvest strategy described in the 

proposed and final rules for the 2015 

and 2016 harvest specifications. The 

changes in TACs between the proposed 

rule and this final rule are compared in 

the following table. 

COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2015 AND 2016 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS

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

Species 

2015 and 

2016 proposed TAC 

2015 Final 

TAC 

2015 Final 

minus 2015 

Proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

2016 

final TAC 

2016 final 

minus 2016 

proposed 

TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

Principle 

reason for 

difference 

Pollock .............................................................. 193,809 199,151 5,342 3 257,178 63,369 33 Model 1

Pacific cod ........................................................ 61,519 75,202 13,683 22 75,202 13,683 22 Model 

Sablefish ........................................................... 9,554 10,522 968 10 9,558 4 0 N/A 

Shallow-water flatfish ........................................ 32,027 35,381 3,354 10 32,877 850 3 Biomass 2

Deep-water flatfish ............................................ 13,303 13,334 31 0 13,177 ¥126 ¥1 Biomass 

Rex sole ............................................................ 9,155 9,150 ¥5 0 8,979 ¥176 ¥2 Biomass 

Arrowtooth flounder .......................................... 103,300 103,300 0 0 103,300 0 0 N/A 

Flathead sole .................................................... 27,726 27,756 30 0 27,759 33 0 N/A 

Pacific ocean perch .......................................... 19,764 21,012 1,248 6 21,436 1,672 8 Biomass 

Northern rockfish .............................................. 5,010 4,998 ¥12 0 4,721 ¥289 ¥6 Biomass 

Shortraker rockfish ........................................... 1,323 1,323 0 0 1,323 0 0 N/A 

Dusky rockfish .................................................. 5,081 5,109 28 1 4,711 ¥370 ¥7 Biomass 

Rougheye rockfish ............................................ 1,262 1,122 ¥140 ¥11 1,142 ¥120 ¥10 Biomass 

Demersal shelf rockfish .................................... 274 225 ¥49 ¥18 225 ¥49 ¥18 Biomass 

Thornyhead rockfish ......................................... 1,841 1,841 0 0 1,841 0 0 N/A 

Other rockfish ................................................... 1,811 1,811 0 0 1,811 0 0 N/A 

Atka mackerel ................................................... 2,000 2,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 N/A 

Big skate ........................................................... 3,762 3,255 ¥507 ¥13 3,255 ¥507 ¥13 Biomass 

Longnose skate ................................................ 2,876 3,218 342 12 3,218 342 12 Biomass 

Other skates ..................................................... 1,989 2,235 246 12 2,235 246 12 Biomass 

Sculpins ............................................................ 5,569 5,569 0 0 5,569 0 0 N/A 

Sharks ............................................................... 5,989 5,989 0 0 5,989 0 0 N/A 

Squids ............................................................... 1,148 1,148 0 0 1,148 0 0 N/A 

Octopuses ......................................................... 1,507 1,507 0 0 1,507 0 0 N/A 

Total ........................................................... 511,599 536,158 24,559 5 590,161 78,562 15 

1 Model—Change in assessment methodology. 

2Biomass—Change in estimate of biomass. 

The final 2015 and 2016 TAC 

recommendations for the GOA are 

within the OY range established for the 

GOA and do not exceed the ABC for any 

species or species group. Tables 1 and 

2 list the final OFL, ABC, and TAC 

amounts for GOA groundfish for 2015 

and 2016, respectively. 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2015 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 ................................................................ Shumagin (610) .................................................... n/a 31,634 31,634 

Chirikof (620) ........................................................ n/a 97,579 97,579 

Kodiak (630) ......................................................... n/a 52,594 52,594 

WYK (640) ............................................................ n/a 4,719 4,719 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) ............................................. 256,545 191,309 186,526 

SEO (650) ............................................................ 16,833 12,625 12,625 

Total ...................................................................... 273,378 203,934 199,151 

Pacific cod 3 .......................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 38,702 27,091 

C ........................................................................... n/a 61,320 45,990 

E ........................................................................... n/a 2,828 2,121 

Total ...................................................................... 140,300 102,850 75,202 

Sablefish 4 ............................................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 1,474 1,474 

C ........................................................................... n/a 4,658 4,658 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 1,708 1,708 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 2,682 2,682 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ............................... n/a 4,390 4,390 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10254 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2015 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Total ...................................................................... 12,425 10,522 10,522 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .......................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 22,074 13,250 

C ........................................................................... n/a 19,297 19,297 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 2,209 2,209 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 625 625 

Total ...................................................................... 54,207 44,205 35,381 

Deep-water flatfish 6 .............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 301 301 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,689 3,689 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 5,474 5,474 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 3,870 3,870 

Total ...................................................................... 15,993 13,334 13,334 

Rex sole ................................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 1,258 1,258 

C ........................................................................... n/a 5,816 5,816 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 772 772 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 1,304 1,304 

Total ...................................................................... 11,957 9,150 9,150 

Arrowtooth flounder .............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 30,752 14,500 

C ........................................................................... n/a 114,170 75,000 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 36,771 6,900 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 11,228 6,900 

Total ...................................................................... 226,390 192,921 103,300 

Flathead sole ........................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 12,767 8,650 

C ........................................................................... n/a 24,876 15,400 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 3,535 3,535 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 171 171 

Total ...................................................................... 50,792 41,349 27,756 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ............................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 2,302 2,302 

C ........................................................................... n/a 15,873 15,873 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 2,014 2,014 

W/C/WYK subtotal ................................................ 23,406 20,189 20,189 

SEO ...................................................................... 954 823 823 

Total ...................................................................... 24,360 21,012 21,012 

Northern rockfish 8 ................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 1,226 1,226 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,772 3,772 

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

Total ...................................................................... 5,961 4,998 4,998 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 92 92 

C ........................................................................... n/a 397 397 

E ........................................................................... n/a 834 834 

Total ...................................................................... 1,764 1,323 1,323 

Dusky rockfish 10 ................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 296 296 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,336 3,336 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 1,288 1,288 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 189 189 

Total ...................................................................... 6,246 5,109 5,109 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 ............... W .......................................................................... n/a 115 115 

C ........................................................................... n/a 632 632 

E ........................................................................... n/a 375 375 

Total ...................................................................... 1,345 1,122 1,122 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 .................................... SEO ...................................................................... 361 225 225 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 235 235 

C ........................................................................... n/a 875 875 

E ........................................................................... n/a 731 731 

Total ...................................................................... 2,454 1,841 1,841 

Other rockfish 13 14 ................................................. W and C ............................................................... n/a 1,031 1,031 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 580 580 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 2,469 200 

Total ...................................................................... 5,347 4,080 1,811 

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

Big skate 15 ........................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 731 731 

C ........................................................................... n/a 1,257 1,257 

E ........................................................................... n/a 1,267 1,267 

Total ...................................................................... 4,340 3,255 3,255 

Longnose skate 16 ................................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 152 152 

C ........................................................................... n/a 2,090 2,090 

E ........................................................................... n/a 976 976 

Total ...................................................................... 4,291 3,218 3,218 

Other skates 17 ...................................................... GW ....................................................................... 2,980 2,235 2,235 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10255 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2015 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Sculpins ................................................................ GW ....................................................................... 7,448 5,569 5,569 

Sharks ................................................................... GW ....................................................................... 7,986 5,989 5,989 

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

Octopus ................................................................. GW ....................................................................... 2,009 1,507 1,507 

Total ............................................................... ............................................................................... 870,064 685,597 536,158 

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 aggregate pollock ABC for the Western, Central, and West Yakutat Regulatory Areas is apportioned among four statistical areas after 

deducting 2.5 percent of the ABC for the State’s pollock GHL fishery. 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. In the 

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

percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the final 2015 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments. 4Sablefish is allocated to trawl and hook-and-line gear in 2015. Table 7 lists the final 2015 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 2 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 rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). 12 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

TABLE 2—FINAL 2016 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 ................................................................ Shumagin (610) .................................................... n/a 41,472 41,472 

Chirikof (620) ........................................................ n/a 127,936 127,936 

Kodiak (630) ......................................................... n/a 68,958 68,958 

WYK (640) ............................................................ n/a 6,187 6,187 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) ............................................. 321,067 250,824 244,553 

SEO (650) ............................................................ 16,833 12,625 12,625 

Total ...................................................................... 337,900 263,449 257,178 

Pacific cod 3 .......................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 38,702 27,091 

C ........................................................................... n/a 61,320 45,990 

E ........................................................................... n/a 2,828 2,121 

Total ...................................................................... 133,100 102,850 75,202 

Sablefish 4 ............................................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 1,338 1,338 

C ........................................................................... n/a 4,232 4,232 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 1,552 1,552 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 2,436 2,436 

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal) ............................... n/a 3,988 3,988 

Total ...................................................................... 11,293 9,558 9,558 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .......................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 19,577 13,250 

C ........................................................................... n/a 17,114 17,114 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 1,959 1,959 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 554 554 

Total ...................................................................... 48,407 39,204 32,877 

Deep-water flatfish 6 .............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 299 299 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,645 3,645 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 5,409 5,409 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 3,824 3,824 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10256 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2016 ABCS, TACS, AND OFLS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, AND IN THE WEST YAKUTAT, SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE, AND GULFWIDE

DISTRICTS OF THE GULF OF ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Total ...................................................................... 15,803 13,177 13,177 

Rex sole ................................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 1,234 1,234 

C ........................................................................... n/a 5,707 5,707 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 758 758 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 1,280 1,280 

Total ...................................................................... 11,733 8,979 8,979 

Arrowtooth flounder .............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 29,545 14,500 

C ........................................................................... n/a 109,692 75,000 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 35,328 6,900 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 10,787 6,900 

Total ...................................................................... 217,522 185,352 103,300 

Flathead sole ........................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 12,776 8,650 

C ........................................................................... n/a 24,893 15,400 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 3,538 3,538 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 171 171 

Total ...................................................................... 50,818 41,378 27,759 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ............................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 2,358 2,358 

C ........................................................................... n/a 16,184 16,184 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 2,055 2,055 

W/C/WYK ............................................................. 23,876 20,597 20,597 

SEO ...................................................................... 973 839 839 

Total ...................................................................... 24,849 21,436 21,436 

Northern rockfish 8 ................................................ W .......................................................................... n/a 1,158 1,158 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,563 3,563 

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

Total ...................................................................... 5,631 4,721 4,721 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 92 92 

C ........................................................................... n/a 397 397 

E ........................................................................... n/a 834 834 

Total ...................................................................... 1,764 1,323 1,323 

Dusky rockfish 10 ................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 273 273 

C ........................................................................... n/a 3,077 3,077 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 1,187 1,187 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 174 174 

Total ...................................................................... 5,759 4,711 4,711 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 ............... W .......................................................................... n/a 117 117 

C ........................................................................... n/a 643 643 

E ........................................................................... n/a 382 382 

Total ...................................................................... 1,370 1,142 1,142 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 .................................... SEO ...................................................................... 361 225 225 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 235 235 

C ........................................................................... n/a 875 875 

E ........................................................................... n/a 731 731 

Total ...................................................................... 2,454 1,841 1,841 

Other rockfish 13 14 ................................................. W and C ............................................................... n/a 1,031 1,031 

WYK ..................................................................... n/a 580 580 

SEO ...................................................................... n/a 2,469 200 

Total ...................................................................... 5,347 4,080 1,811 

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

Big skate 15 ........................................................... W .......................................................................... n/a 731 731 

C ........................................................................... n/a 1,257 1,257 

E ........................................................................... n/a 1,267 1,267 

Total ...................................................................... 4,340 3,255 3,255 

Longnose skate 16 ................................................. W .......................................................................... n/a 152 152 

C ........................................................................... n/a 2,090 2,090 

E ........................................................................... n/a 976 976 

Total ...................................................................... 4,291 3,218 3,218 

Other skates 17 ...................................................... GW ....................................................................... 2,980 2,235 2,235 

Sculpins ................................................................ GW ....................................................................... 7,448 5,569 5,569 

Sharks ................................................................... GW ....................................................................... 7,986 5,989 5,989 

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

Octopus ................................................................. GW ....................................................................... 2,009 1,507 1,507 

Total ............................................................... ............................................................................... 910,895 731,049 590,161 

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). 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10257 

2The aggregate pollock ABC for the Western, Central, and West Yakutat Regulatory Areas is apportioned among four statistical areas after 

deducting 2.5 percent of the ABC for the State’s pollock GHL fishery. 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. In the 

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

percent for processing by the offshore component. Table 6 lists the final 2016 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments. 4Sablefish is only allocated to trawl gear for 2016. Table 8 lists the final 2016 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 2 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 rockfish’’ means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). 12 ‘‘Demersal shelf rockfish’’ means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper), S. maliger (quillback), S. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apportionment of Reserves 

Section 679.20(b)(2) requires NMFS to 

set aside 20 percent of each TAC for 

pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, sculpins, 

sharks, squids, and octopuses in reserve 

for possible apportionment at a later 

date during the fishing year. For 2015 

and 2016, NMFS proposed 

reapportionment of all the reserves in 

the proposed 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications published in the Federal 

Register on December 8, 2014 (79 FR 

72593). NMFS did not receive any 

public comments on the proposed 

reapportionments. For the final 2015 

and 2016 harvest specifications, NMFS 

reapportioned, as proposed, all the 

reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, 

sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. 

The TACs listed in Tables 1 and 2 

reflect reapportionments of reserve 

amounts for these species and species 

groups. 

Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among 

Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and 

Allocations for Processing by Inshore 

and Offshore Components 

In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by 

season and area, and is further allocated 

for processing by inshore and offshore 

components. Pursuant to 

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

TAC specified for the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 

apportioned into four equal seasonal 

allowances of 25 percent. As established 

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

B, C, and D season allowances are 

available from January 20 to March 10, 

March 10 to May 31, August 25 to 

October 1, and October 1 to November 

1, respectively. 

Pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630, pursuant to 

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

seasons, the apportionments are in 

proportion to the distribution of pollock 

biomass based on the four most recent 

NMFS winter surveys. In the C and D 

seasons, the apportionments are in 

proportion to the distribution of pollock 

biomass based on the four most recent 

NMFS summer surveys. However, for 

2015 and 2016, the Council 

recommended, and NMFS approves, 

averaging the winter and summer 

distribution of pollock in the Central 

Regulatory Area for the A season instead 

of using the distribution based on only 

the winter surveys. The average is 

intended to reflect the migration 

patterns and distribution of pollock, and 

the anticipated performance of the 

fishery, in that area during the A season 

for the 2015 and 2016 fishing years. For 

the A season, the apportionment is 

based on an adjusted estimate of the 

relative distribution of pollock biomass 

of approximately 8 percent, 67 percent, 

and 25 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 

620, and 630, respectively. For the B 

season, the apportionment is based on 

the relative distribution of pollock 

biomass at 8 percent, 83 percent, and 9 

percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, 

and 630, respectively. For the C and D 

seasons, the apportionment is based on 

the relative distribution of pollock 

biomass at 27 percent, 32 percent, and 

41 percent in Statistical Areas 610, 620, 

and 630, respectively. 

Within any fishing year, the amount 

by which a seasonal allowance is 

underharvested or overharvested may be 

added to, or subtracted from, 

subsequent seasonal allowances in a 

manner to be determined by the 

Regional Administrator 

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

amount is limited to 20 percent of the 

subsequent seasonal apportionment for 

the statistical area. Any unharvested 

pollock above the 20-percent limit could 

be further distributed to the other 

statistical areas, in proportion to the 

estimated biomass in the subsequent 

season in those statistical areas 

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

in the WYK and SEO District of 4,719 

mt and 12,625 mt, respectively, in 2015, 

and 6,187 mt and 12,625 mt, 

respectively, in 2016, are not allocated 

by season. 

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

allocation of 100 percent of the pollock 

TAC in all regulatory areas and all 

seasonal allowances to vessels catching 

pollock for processing by the inshore 

component after subtraction of amounts 

projected by the Regional Administrator 

to be caught by, or delivered to, the 

offshore component incidental to 

directed fishing for other groundfish 

species. Thus, the amount of pollock 

available for harvest by vessels 

harvesting pollock for processing by the 

offshore component is that amount that 

will be taken as incidental catch during 

directed fishing for groundfish species 

other than pollock, up to the maximum 

retainable amounts allowed by 

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

incidental catch amounts of pollock are 

unknown and will be determined 

during the fishing year during the 

course of fishing activities by the 

offshore component. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10258 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2015 and 

2016 seasonal biomass distribution of 

pollock in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, 

and seasonal allowances. The amounts 

of pollock for processing by the inshore 

and offshore components are not shown. 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2015 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA; 

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

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

Season 1 Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total 2

A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ................................... 3,632 (7.99%) 30,503 (67.11%) 11,316 (24.90%) 45,452 

B (Mar 10–May 31) .................................. 3,632 (7.99%) 37,820 (83.21%) 4,000 (8.80%) 45,452 

C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ..................................... 12,185 (26.81%) 14,628 (32.18%) 18,639 (41.01%) 45,452 

D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ....................................... 12,185 (26.81%) 14,628 (32.18%) 18,639 (41.01%) 45,452 

Annual Total ...................................... 31,634 .................... 97,579 .................... 52,594 .................... 181,806 

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

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

TABLE 4—FINAL 2016 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA; 

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

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

Season 1 Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total 2

A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ................................... 4,760 (7.99%) 39,992 (67.11%) 14,839 (24.90%) 59,592 

B (Mar 10–May 31) .................................. 4,760 (7.99%) 49,586 (83.21%) 5,245 (8.80%) 59,592 

C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ..................................... 15,975 (26.81%) 19,179 (32.18%) 24,437 (41.01%) 59,592 

D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ....................................... 15,975 (26.81%) 19,179 (32.18%) 24,437 (41.01%) 59,592 

Annual Total ...................................... 41,472 .................... 127,936 .................... 68,958 .................... 238,366 

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

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

Annual and Seasonal Apportionments 

of Pacific Cod TAC 

Section 679.20(a)(12)(i) requires the 

allocation of the Pacific cod TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA among gear and operational 

sectors. Section 679.20(a)(6)(ii) requires 

the allocation of the Pacific cod TACs in 

the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA 

between the inshore and offshore 

components. NMFS allocates the 2015 

and 2016 Pacific cod TAC based on 

these sector allocations annually 

between the inshore and offshore 

components in the Eastern GOA; 

seasonally between vessels using jig 

gear, catcher vessels (CVs) using hookand-line gear, catcher/processors (C/Ps) 

using hook-and-line gear, CVs using 

trawl gear, and vessels using pot gear in 

the Western GOA; seasonally between 

vessels using jig gear, CVs less than 50 

feet in length overall using hook-andline gear, CVs equal to or greater than 

50 feet in length overall using hook-andline gear, C/Ps using hook-and-line gear, 

CVs using trawl gear, C/Ps using trawl 

gear, and vessels using pot gear in the 

Central GOA. The overall seasonal 

apportionments in the Western and 

Central GOA are 60 percent of the 

annual TAC to the A season and 40 

percent of the annual TAC to the B 

season. 

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

or underage of the Pacific cod allowance 

from the A season will be subtracted 

from, or added to, the subsequent B 

season allowance. In addition, any 

portion of the hook-and-line, trawl, pot, 

or jig sector allocations that NMFS 

determines is likely to go unharvested 

by a sector may be reapportioned to 

other sectors for harvest during the 

remainder of the fishery year. 

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

(B), a portion of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western and Central GOA 

will be allocated to vessels with an FFP 

that use jig gear before TAC is 

apportioned among other non-jig 

sectors. In accordance with the FMP, the 

annual jig sector allocations may 

increase to up to 6 percent of the annual 

Western and Central GOA Pacific cod 

TACs, depending on the annual 

performance of the jig sector (See Table 

1 of Amendment 83 to the FMP for a 

detailed discussion of the jig sector 

allocation process (76 FR 74670, 

December 1, 2011)). Jig sector allocation 

increases are established for a minimum 

of 2 years. NMFS has evaluated the 2014 

harvest performance of the jig sector in 

the Western and Central GOA, and is 

revising the 2015 and 2016 Pacific cod 

apportionments to this sector as follows. 

NMFS allocates the jig sector 3.5 

percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC 

in the Western GOA, a 1.0 percent 

increase from the 2014 jig sector 

allocation. The 2015 and 2016 

allocations include a base allocation of 

1.5 percent, an addition of 1.0 percent 

and an additional 2.0 percent because 

this sector harvested greater than 90 

percent of its initial 2012 and 2014 

allocations in the Western GOA. NMFS 

also allocates the jig sector 1.0 percent 

of the annual Pacific cod TAC in the 

Central GOA, a 1.0 percent decrease 

from the 2014 jig sector allocation. The 

2015 and 2016 allocations consist of a 

base allocation of 1.0 percent. The 

Central GOA jig sector harvested greater 

than 90 percent of its initial 2012 

allocation in the Central GOA and 

received an additional 1.0 percent of the 

Central GOA Pacific cod TAC in 2013 

and 2014. However, in both 2013 and 

2014, the jig sector harvested less than 

90 percent of the annual Central GOA 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10259 

Pacific cod allocation, resulting in the 

loss of this sector’s performance-based 

1.0 percent increase. Tables 5 and 6 list 

the seasonal apportionments and 

allocations of the 2015 and 2016 Pacific 

cod TACs. 

TABLE 5—FINAL 2015 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

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

allocation amount] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 948 N/A 569 N/A 379 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 366 0.70 183 0.70 183 

Hook-and-line C/P ........................................................ 5,176 10.90 2,850 8.90 2,327 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 10,039 27.70 7,242 10.70 2,797 

Trawl C/P ...................................................................... 627 0.90 235 1.50 392 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ................................................ 9,934 19.80 5,176 18.20 4,758 

Total ....................................................................... 27,091 60.00 16,255 40.00 10,837 

Central GOA: 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 460 N/A 276 N/A 184 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................................................. 6,648 9.32 4,241 5.29 2,407 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................................................. 3,054 5.61 2,554 1.10 500 

Hook-and-line C/P ........................................................ 2,324 4.11 1,870 1.00 454 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 18,933 21.14 9,623 20.45 9,310 

Trawl C/P ...................................................................... 1,911 2.00 912 2.19 999 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ................................................ 12,660 17.83 8,118 9.97 4,542 

Total ....................................................................... 45,990 60.00 27,594 40.00 18,396 

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

2,121 1,909 212 

1Trawl vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent of the annual Central GOA TAC (see Table 28c to 50 CFR 

part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 12). 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

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

allocation amount.] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 948 N/A 569 N/A 379 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 366 0.70 183 0.70 183 

Hook-and-line C/P ........................................................ 5,176 10.90 2,850 8.90 2,327 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 10,039 27.70 7,242 10.70 2,797 

Trawl C/P ...................................................................... 627 0.90 235 1.50 392 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ................................................ 9,934 19.80 5,176 18.20 4,758 

Total ....................................................................... 27,091 60.00 16,255 40.00 10,837 

Central GOA: 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 460 N/A 276 N/A 184 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................................................. 6,648 9.32 4,241 5.29 2,407 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................................................. 3,054 5.61 2,554 1.10 500 

Hook-and-line C/P ........................................................ 2,324 4.11 1,870 1.00 454 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 18,933 21.14 9,623 20.45 9,310 

Trawl C/P ...................................................................... 1,911 2.00 912 2.19 999 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P ................................................ 12,660 17.83 8,118 9.97 4,542 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10260 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2016 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS—Continued 

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

allocation amount.] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Total ....................................................................... 45,990 60.00 27,594 40.00 18,396 

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

2,121 1,909 212 

1Trawl vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent of the annual Central GOA TAC (see Table 28c to 50 CFR 

part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 13). 

Allocations of the Sablefish TACs 

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

allocations of sablefish TACs for each of 

the regulatory areas and districts to 

hook-and-line and trawl gear. In the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 

80 percent of each TAC is allocated to 

hook-and-line gear, and 20 percent of 

each TAC is allocated to trawl gear. In 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, 95 percent 

of the TAC is allocated to hook-and-line 

gear, and 5 percent is allocated to trawl 

gear. The trawl gear allocation in the 

Eastern Regulatory Area may only be 

used to support incidental catch of 

sablefish in directed fisheries for other 

target species (§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). 

In recognition of the prohibition 

against trawl gear in the SEO District of 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council 

recommended and NMFS approves the 

allocation of 5 percent of the combined 

Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC 

to trawl gear in the WYK District, 

making the remainder of the WYK 

sablefish TAC available to vessels using 

hook-and-line gear. NMFS allocates 100 

percent of the sablefish TAC in the SEO 

District to vessels using hook-and-line 

gear. This action results in a 2015 

allocation of 220 mt to trawl gear and 

1,489 mt to hook-and-line gear in the 

WYK District, a 2015 allocation of 2,682 

mt to hook-and-line gear in the SEO 

District, and a 2016 allocation of 199 mt 

to trawl gear in the WYK District. Table 

7 lists the allocations of the 2015 

sablefish TACs to hook-and-line and 

trawl gear. Table 8 lists the allocations 

of the 2016 sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 

The Council recommended that the 

hook-and-line sablefish TAC be 

established annually to ensure that this 

Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) fishery 

is conducted concurrently with the 

halibut IFQ fishery and is based on 

recent sablefish survey information. The 

Council also recommended that only a 

trawl sablefish TAC be established for 

two years so that retention of incidental 

catch of sablefish by trawl gear could 

commence in January in the second year 

of the groundfish harvest specifications. 

Since there is an annual assessment for 

sablefish and the final harvest 

specifications are expected to be 

published before the IFQ season begins 

March 14, 2015, the Council 

recommended that the hook-and-line 

sablefish TAC be set on an annual basis, 

rather than for two years, so that the 

best scientific information available 

could be considered in establishing the 

sablefish ABCs and TACs. With the 

exception of the trawl allocations that 

were provided to the Rockfish Program 

cooperatives, directed fishing for 

sablefish with trawl gear is closed 

during the fishing year. Also, fishing for 

groundfish with trawl gear is prohibited 

prior to January 20. Therefore, it is not 

likely that the sablefish allocation to 

trawl gear would be reached before the 

effective date of the final 2015 and 2016 

harvest specifications. 

TABLE 7—FINAL 2015 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA AND ALLOCATIONS TO HOOK-AND-LINE AND TRAWL

GEAR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Hook-and-line 

allocation 

Trawl 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 1,474 1,179 295 

Central ......................................................................................................................................... 4,658 3,726 932 

West Yakutat 1 ............................................................................................................................. 1,708 1,489 220 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 2,682 2,682 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 10,522 9,076 1,446 

1The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside combined) sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10261 

TABLE 8—FINAL 2016 SABLEFISH TAC SPECIFICATIONS IN THE GOA AND ALLOCATION TO TRAWL GEAR 1

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Hook-and-line 

allocation 

Trawl 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 1,338 n/a 268 

Central ......................................................................................................................................... 4,232 n/a 846 

West Yakutat 2 ............................................................................................................................. 1,552 n/a 199 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 2,436 n/a 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 9,558 n/a 1,313 

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

year. 2The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside combined) sablefish TAC to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR) 

The recommended 2015 and 2016 

DSR TAC is 225 mt, and management of 

DSR is delegated to the State. The 

Alaska Board of Fish has apportioned 

the annual SEO District DSR TACs 

between the commercial fishery (84 

percent) and the sport fishery (16 

percent) after deductions were made for 

anticipated subsistence harvests (7 mt). 

This results in 2015 and 2016 

allocations of 183 mt to the commercial 

fishery and 35 mt to the sport fishery. 

The State deducts estimates of 

incidental catch of DSR in the 

commercial halibut fishery and test 

fishery mortality from the DSR 

commercial fishery allocation. In 2014, 

this resulted in 32 mt being available for 

the directed commercial DSR fishery 

apportioned in one DSR district. The 

State estimated that there was not 

sufficient DSR quota available to have 

orderly fisheries in the three other DSR 

districts. DSR harvest in the halibut 

fishery is linked to the annual halibut 

catch limits; therefore the State can only 

estimate potential DSR incidental catch 

because halibut catch limits are 

established by the International Pacific 

Halibut Commission (IPHC). Federally 

permitted CVs using hook-and-line or 

jig gear fishing for groundfish and 

Pacific halibut in the SEO District of the 

GOA are required to retain all DSR 

(§ 679.20(j)). 

Apportionments to the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program 

These final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications for the GOA include the 

various fishery cooperative allocations 

and sideboard limitations established by 

the Central GOA Rockfish Program. 

Program participants are primarily trawl 

CVs and trawl C/Ps, with limited 

participation by vessels using longline 

gear. The Rockfish Program assigns 

quota share and cooperative quota to 

participants for primary and secondary 

species, allows participants holding a 

license limitation program (LLP) license 

with rockfish quota share to form a 

rockfish cooperative, and allows holders 

of C/P LLP licenses to opt out of the 

fishery. The Rockfish Program also has 

an entry level fishery for rockfish 

primary species for vessels using 

longline gear. 

Under the Rockfish Program, rockfish 

primary species (Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish) 

in the Central GOA are allocated to 

participants after deducting for 

incidental catch needs in other directed 

groundfish fisheries. Participants in the 

Rockfish Program also receive a portion 

of the Central GOA TAC of specific 

secondary species (Pacific cod, 

rougheye rockfish, sablefish, shortraker 

rockfish, and thornyhead rockfish). 

Additionally, the Rockfish Program 

establishes sideboard limits to restrict 

the ability of harvesters operating under 

the Rockfish Program to increase their 

participation in other, non-Rockfish 

Program fisheries. Besides groundfish 

species, the Rockfish Program allocates 

a portion of the trawl halibut PSC limit 

(191 mt) from the third season deepwater species fishery allowance for the 

GOA trawl fisheries to Rockfish Program 

participants (§ 679.81(d)), which 

includes 117 mt to the trawl CV sector 

and 74 mt to the trawl C/P sector. 

Section 679.81(a)(2)(ii) requires 

allocations of 5 mt of Pacific ocean 

perch, 5 mt of northern rockfish, and 30 

mt of dusky rockfish to the entry level 

longline fishery in 2015 and 2016. The 

allocation for the entry level longline 

fishery would increase incrementally 

each year if the catch exceeds 90 

percent of the allocation of a species. 

The incremental increase in the 

allocation would continue each year 

until it is the maximum percent of the 

TAC for that species. In 2014, the catch 

did not exceed 90 percent of any 

allocated rockfish species. Therefore, 

NMFS is not increasing the entry level 

longline fishery 2015 and 2016 

allocations in the Central GOA. 

Longline gear includes hook-and-line, 

jig, troll, and handline gear. The 

remainder of the TACs for the rockfish 

primary species would be allocated to 

the CV and C/P cooperatives. Table 9 

lists the allocations of the 2015 and 

initial 2016 TACs for each rockfish 

primary species to the entry level 

longline fishery, the incremental 

increase for future years, and the 

maximum percent of the TAC for the 

entry level longline fishery. 

TABLE 9—FINAL 2015 AND INITIAL 2016 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA

Rockfish primary species 2015 and 2016 allocations Incremental increase in 2016 if ≥90% of 

2015 allocation is harvested 

Up to maximum % of 

TAC 

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

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

Dusky rockfish ......................................... 30 metric tons .......................................... 20 metric tons .......................................... 5 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10262 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

Section 679.81(a)(2) requires 

allocations of the rockfish primary 

species among various sectors of the 

Rockfish Program. Tables 10 and 11 list 

the final 2015 and 2016 allocations of 

rockfish primary species in the Central 

GOA to the entry level longline fishery 

and Rockfish CV and C/P Cooperatives 

in the Rockfish Program. NMFS also is 

setting aside incidental catch amounts 

(ICAs) for other directed fisheries in the 

Central GOA of 2,000 mt of Pacific 

ocean perch, 200 mt of northern 

rockfish, and 250 mt of dusky rockfish. 

These amounts are based on recent 

average incidental catches in the Central 

GOA by other groundfish fisheries. 

Allocations between vessels belonging 

to CV or C/P cooperatives are not 

included in these final harvest 

specifications. Rockfish Program 

applications for CV cooperatives and 

C/P cooperatives are not due to NMFS 

until March 1 of each calendar year, 

therefore, NMFS cannot calculate 2015 

and 2016 allocations in conjunction 

with these final harvest specifications. 

NMFS will post these allocations on the 

Alaska Region Web site at (http://

alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/

sustainablefisheries/rockfish/) when 

they become available after March 1. 

TABLE 10—FINAL 2015 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 TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the Rockfish 

Cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 15,873 2,000 13,873 5 13,868 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,772 200 3,572 5 3,567 

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 3,336 250 3,086 30 3,056 

Total .............................................................................. 22,981 2,450 20,531 40 20,491 

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

2 Rockfish Cooperatives include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives. 

TABLE 11—FINAL 2016 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 TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the Rockfish 

Cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 16,184 2,000 14,184 5 14,179 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,563 200 3,363 5 3,358 

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 3,077 250 2,827 30 2,797 

Total .............................................................................. 22,824 2,450 20,374 40 20,334 

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

2 Rockfish Cooperatives include vessels in CV and C/P cooperatives. 

Section 679.81(c) requires allocations 

of rockfish secondary species to CV and 

C/P cooperatives in the Central GOA. 

CV cooperatives receive allocations of 

Pacific cod, sablefish from the trawl gear 

allocation, and thornyhead rockfish. C/ 

P cooperatives receive allocations of 

sablefish from the trawl allocation, 

rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish, 

and thornyhead rockfish. Tables 12 and 

13 list the apportionments of the 2015 

and 2016 TACs of rockfish secondary 

species in the Central GOA to CV and 

C/P cooperatives. 

TABLE 12—FINAL 2015 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 Annual central 

GOA TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/processor cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 45,990 3.81 1,752 0.00 ........................

Sablefish .............................................................................. 4,658 6.78 316 3.51 163 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 397 0.00 ........................ 40.00 159 

Rougheye rockfish ............................................................... 632 0.00 ........................ 58.87 372 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................................ 875 7.84 69 26.50 232 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10263 

TABLE 13—FINAL 2016 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Annual central 

GOA TAC 

Catcher vessel cooperatives Catcher/processor cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 45,990 3.81 1,752 0.00 ........................

Sablefish .............................................................................. 4,232 6.78 287 3.51 149 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 397 0.00 ........................ 40.00 159 

Rougheye rockfish ............................................................... 643 0.00 ........................ 58.87 379 

Thornyhead rockfish ............................................................ 875 7.84 69 26.50 232 

Halibut PSC Limits 

Section 679.21(d) establishes the 

annual halibut PSC limit 

apportionments to trawl and hook-andline gear, and authorizes the 

establishment of apportionments for pot 

gear. Amendment 95 to the FMP (79 FR 

9625, February 20, 2014) implemented 

measures establishing GOA halibut PSC 

limits in Federal regulations and 

reducing the halibut PSC limits in the 

GOA trawl and hook-and-line 

groundfish fisheries. These reductions 

are incorporated into the final 2015 and 

2016 halibut PSC limits. For most gear 

and operational types, the halibut PSC 

limit reductions are phased-in over 3 

years, beginning in 2014 and ending in 

2016. 

In December 2014, the Council 

incorporated these reductions into its 

recommended final 2015 and 2016 

harvest specifications. The Council 

recommended 2015 halibut PSC limits 

of 1,759 mt for trawl gear, 261 mt for 

hook-and-line gear, and 9 mt for the 

DSR fishery. The Council also 

recommended 2016 halibut PSC limits 

of 1,706 mt for the trawl sector, 256 mt 

for the hook-and-line sector, and 9 mt 

for the DSR fishery. 

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. 

NMFS estimates low halibut bycatch in 

the DSR fishery because 1) the duration 

of the DSR fisheries and the gear soak 

times are short, 2) the DSR fishery 

occurs in the winter when less overlap 

occurs in the distribution of DSR and 

halibut, and 3) the directed commercial 

DSR fishery has a low DSR TAC. 

The FMP authorizes the Council to 

exempt specific gear from the halibut 

PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation 

with the Council, exempts pot gear, jig 

gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-andline gear fishery categories from the 

non-trawl halibut PSC limit for 2015 

and 2016. 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 

(§ 679.7(f)(11)); 3) sablefish IFQ 

fishermen typically hold halibut IFQ 

permits and are therefore required to 

retain the halibut they catch while 

fishing sablefish IFQ; and 4) NMFS 

estimates negligible halibut mortality for 

the jig gear fisheries. NMFS estimates 

that halibut mortality is negligible in the 

jig gear fisheries given the small amount 

of groundfish harvested by jig gear, the 

selective nature of jig gear, and the high 

survival rates of halibut caught and 

released with jig gear. 

The best available information on 

estimated halibut bycatch consists of 

data collected by fisheries observers 

during 2014. The calculated halibut 

bycatch mortality through December 20, 

2014, is 1,394 mt for trawl gear and 199 

mt for hook-and-line gear for a total 

halibut mortality of 1,593 mt. This 

halibut mortality was calculated using 

groundfish and halibut catch data from 

the NMFS Alaska Region’s catch 

accounting system. This accounting 

system contains historical and recent 

catch information compiled from each 

Alaska groundfish fishery. 

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

authorizes NMFS to seasonally 

apportion the halibut PSC limits after 

consultation with the Council. The FMP 

and regulations require the Council and 

NMFS to consider the following 

information in seasonally apportioning 

halibut PSC limits: 1) Seasonal 

distribution of halibut; 2) seasonal 

distribution of target groundfish species 

relative to halibut distribution; 3) 

expected halibut bycatch needs on a 

seasonal basis relative to changes in 

halibut biomass and expected catch of 

target groundfish species; 4) expected 

bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; 5) 

expected changes in directed groundfish 

fishing seasons; 6) expected actual start 

of fishing effort; and 7) economic effects 

of establishing seasonal halibut 

allocations on segments of the target 

groundfish industry. The Council 

considered information from the 2014 

SAFE report, NMFS catch data, State of 

Alaska catch data, IPHC stock 

assessment and mortality data, and 

public testimony when apportioning the 

halibut PSC limits. NMFS concurs with 

the Council’s recommendations listed in 

Tables 14 and 15, which respectively 

shows the final 2015 and 2016 Pacific 

halibut PSC limits, allowances, and 

apportionments. 

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

specify that any underages or overages 

of a seasonal apportionment of a PSC 

limit will be deducted from or added to 

the next respective seasonal 

apportionment within the fishing year. 

TABLE 14—FINAL 2015 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

January 20–April 1 ........... 27.5 484 January 1–June 10 ......... 86 225 January 1–December 31 9 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10264 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 14—FINAL 2015 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS—Continued 

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

April 1–July 1 .................... 20 352 June 10–September 1 ..... 2 5 .......................................... ................

July 1–September 1 ......... 30 528 September 1–December 

31.

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

September 1–October 1 ... 7.5 132 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

October 1–December 31 .. 15 264 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

Total .......................... ................ 1,759 .......................................... ................ 261 .......................................... 9 

1The Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and 

fisheries other than DSR. The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits, as are pot and jig gear for all groundfish fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 

TABLE 15—FINAL 2016 PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND APPORTIONMENTS

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

January 20–April 1 ........... 27.5 469 January 1–June 10 ......... 86 220 January 1–December 31 9 

April 1–July 1 .................... 20 341 June 10–September 1 ..... 2 5 .......................................... ................

July 1–September 1 ......... 30 512 September 1–December 

31.

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

September 1–October 1 ... 7.5 128 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

October 1–December 31 .. 15 256 .......................................... ................ ................ .......................................... ................

Total .......................... ................ 1,706 .......................................... ................ 256 .......................................... 9 

1The Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for hook-and-line gear is allocated to the demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) fishery and 

fisheries other than DSR. The hook-and-line sablefish fishery is exempt from halibut PSC limits, as are pot and jig gear for all groundfish fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 

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

further apportionment of the trawl 

halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery 

categories. The annual apportionments 

are based on each category’s 

proportional share of the anticipated 

halibut bycatch mortality during the 

fishing year and optimization of the 

total amount of groundfish harvest 

under the halibut PSC limit. The fishery 

categories for the trawl halibut PSC 

limits are 1) a deep-water species 

fishery, composed of sablefish, rockfish, 

deep-water flatfish, rex sole, and 

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

pollock, Pacific cod, shallow-water 

flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel, 

skates, and ‘‘other species’’ (sculpins, 

sharks, squids, and octopuses) 

(§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)). Tables 16 and 17 

list, respectively, the final 2015 and 

2016 apportionments of halibut PSC 

trawl limits between the trawl gear 

deep-water and the 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 C/ 

P sectors that are participating in the 

Central GOA Rockfish Program. This 

includes 117 mt of halibut PSC limit to 

the CV sector and 74 mt of halibut PSC 

limit to the C/P sector. These amounts 

are allocated from the trawl deep-water 

species fishery’s halibut PSC third 

seasonal apportionment. 

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

amount of the halibut PSC limit 

allocated to Rockfish Program 

participants that could be reapportioned to the general GOA trawl 

fisheries to no more than 55 percent of 

the unused annual halibut PSC 

apportioned to Rockfish Program 

participants. The remainder of the 

unused Rockfish Program halibut PSC 

limit is unavailable for use by vessels 

directed fishing with trawl gear for the 

remainder of the fishing year. 

TABLE 16—FINAL 2015 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL GEAR DEEPWATER 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 ..................................................................................... 396 88 ..................................................... 484 

April 1–July 1 ............................................................................................. 88 264 ................................................... 352 

July 1–September 1 ................................................................................... 176 352 ................................................... 528 

September 1–October 1 ............................................................................ 132 Any remainder ................................. 132 

Subtotal January 20–October 1 ................................................................. 792 704 ................................................... 1,496 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10265 

TABLE 16—FINAL 2015 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL GEAR DEEPWATER SPECIES FISHERY AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES FISHERY CATEGORIES—Continued 

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

October 1–December 31 2 ......................................................................... ........................ .......................................................... 264 

Total .................................................................................................... ........................ .......................................................... 1,760 

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

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

December 31). 

TABLE 17—FINAL 2016 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PSC TRAWL LIMITS BETWEEN THE TRAWL GEAR DEEPWATER SPECIES FISHERY AND THE SHALLOW-WATER SPECIES FISHERY CATEGORIES

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

January 20–April 1 ..................................................................................... 384 85 ..................................................... 469 

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

July 1–September 1 ................................................................................... 171 341 ................................................... 512 

September 1–October 1 ............................................................................ 128 Any remainder ................................. 128 

Subtotal January 20–October 1 ................................................................. 768 682 ................................................... 1,450 

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

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

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

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

December 31). 

Section 679.21(d)(2)(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 C/Ps 

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

conjunction with these harvest 

specifications. A comprehensive 

description and example of the 

calculations necessary to apportion the 

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

PSC limit between the hook-and-line CV 

and C/P sectors were included in the 

proposed rule to implement 

Amendment 83 (76 FR 44700, July 26, 

2011) and are not repeated here. 

For 2015, NMFS apportions halibut 

PSC limits of 145 mt and 116 mt to the 

hook-and-line CV and hook-and-line C/ 

P sectors, respectively. For 2016, NMFS 

apportions halibut PSC limits of 140 mt 

and 116 mt to the hook-and-line CV and 

hook-and-line C/P sectors, respectively. 

Tables 18 and 19 list, respectively, the 

final 2015 and 2016 apportionments of 

halibut PSC limits between the hookand-line CV and hook-and-line C/P 

sectors. 

Pursuant to § 679.21(d)(2)(iii), the 

hook-and-line halibut PSC limit is 

apportioned between the CV and C/P 

sectors in proportion to the total 

Western and Central GOA Pacific cod 

allocations, which vary annually based 

on the proportion of the Pacific cod 

biomass. Pacific cod is apportioned 

among these two management areas 

based on the percentage of overall 

biomass per area, as calculated in the 

2014 Pacific cod stock assessment. 

Updated information in the final 2014 

SAFE report describes this 

distributional change, which is based on 

allocating ABC among regulatory areas 

on the basis of the three most recent 

stock surveys. The distribution of the 

total GOA Pacific cod ABC has changed 

to 36 percent Western GOA, 61 percent 

Central GOA, and 3 percent Eastern 

GOA. Therefore, the calculations made 

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

incorporate the most recent change in 

GOA Pacific cod distribution with 

respect to establishing the annual 

halibut PSC limits for the CV and C/P 

hook-and-line sectors. The annual 

halibut PSC limits are divided into three 

seasonal apportionments, using seasonal 

percentages of 86 percent, 2 percent, 

and 12 percent. 

No later than November 1 of each 

year, NMFS will calculate the projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit by 

either of the hook-and-line sectors for 

the remainder of the year. The projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit is 

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

fishing year if NMFS determines that an 

additional amount of halibut PSC is 

necessary for that sector to continue its 

directed fishing operations 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(iii)(C)). 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2015 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERIES’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PSC 

ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS

[Values are in metric tons] 

‘‘Other than 

DSR’’ 

allowance 

Hook-and-line sector Sector annual 

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

261 .................. Catcher Vessel ................................. 145 January 1–June 10 .......................... 86 125 

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

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10266 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2015 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERIES’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PSC 

ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS—Continued 

[Values are in metric tons] 

‘‘Other than 

DSR’’ 

allowance 

Hook-and-line sector Sector annual 

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

.......................................................... ........................ September 1–December 31 ............. 12 17 

Catcher/Processor ........................... 116 January 1–June 10 .......................... 86 100 

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

.......................................................... ........................ September 1–December 31 ............. 12 14 

TABLE 19—FINAL 2016 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERIES’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PSC 

ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS

[Values are in metric tons] 

‘‘Other than 

DSR’’ 

allowance 

Hook-and-line sector Sector annual 

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

256 .................. Catcher Vessel ................................. 140 January 1–June 10 .......................... 86 120 

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

.......................................................... ........................ September 1–December 31 ............. 12 17 

Catcher/Processor ........................... 116 January 1–June 10 .......................... 86 100 

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

.......................................................... ........................ September 1–December 31 ............. 12 14 

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock 

Condition 

The IPHC annually assesses the 

abundance and potential yield of the 

Pacific halibut 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 2014 Pacific halibut stock 

assessment (December 2014), available 

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

The IPHC considered the 2014 Pacific 

halibut stock assessment at its January 

2015 annual meeting when it set the 

2015 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, discard 

mortality rates (DMRs), and estimates of 

groundfish catch to project when a 

fishery’s halibut bycatch mortality 

allowance or seasonal apportionment is 

reached. The DMRs are based on the 

best information available, including 

information contained in the annual 

SAFE report. 

NMFS is implementing the Council’s 

recommendation that the halibut DMRs 

developed and recommended by the 

IPHC for the 2013 through 2015 GOA 

groundfish fisheries be used for 

monitoring the final 2015 and 2016 

halibut bycatch mortality allowances 

(see Tables 14 through 19). The IPHC 

developed the DMRs for the 2013 

through 2015 GOA groundfish fisheries 

using the 10-year mean DMRs for those 

fisheries. Long-term average DMRs were 

not available for some fisheries, so rates 

from the most recent years were used. 

For the skate, sculpin, shark, squid, and 

octopus target fisheries, where not 

enough halibut mortality data are 

available, the mortality rate of halibut 

caught in the Pacific cod fishery for that 

gear type was recommended as a default 

rate. The IPHC will analyze observer 

data annually and recommend changes 

to the DMRs when a fishery DMR shows 

large variation from the mean. A 

discussion of the DMRs and how the 

IPHC establishes them is available from 

the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 20 

lists the final 2015 and 2016 DMRs. 

These DMRs are unchanged from the 

proposed 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications (79 FR 72593, December 

8, 2014). 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Target fishery Mortality rate 

(%) 

Hook-and-line .............................................................................. Other fisheries 1 ......................................................................... 11 

Skates ........................................................................................ 11 

Pacific cod .................................................................................. 11 

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

Trawl ........................................................................................... Arrowtooth flounder .................................................................... 73 

Deep-water flatfish ..................................................................... 43 

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

Non-pelagic pollock .................................................................... 60 

Other fisheries 1 ......................................................................... 62 

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

Pelagic pollock ........................................................................... 71 

Rex sole ..................................................................................... 69 

Rockfish ..................................................................................... 66 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10267 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2015 AND 2016 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF

ALASKA—Continued 

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Target fishery Mortality rate 

(%) 

Sablefish .................................................................................... 71 

Shallow-water flatfish ................................................................. 67 

Pot ............................................................................................... Other fisheries 1 ......................................................................... 17 

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

1Other fisheries includes all gear types for skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, octopuses, and hook-and-line sablefish. 

Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species 

Catch Limits 

In 2012, NMFS issued a final rule to 

implement Amendment 93 to the GOA 

FMP (77 FR 42629, July 20, 2012). 

Amendment 93 established separate 

Chinook salmon PSC limits in the 

Western and Central GOA in the 

directed pollock fishery. These limits 

require NMFS to close the pollock 

directed fishery in the Western and 

Central regulatory areas of the GOA if 

the applicable limit is reached 

(§ 679.21(h)(6)). The annual Chinook 

salmon PSC limits in the pollock 

directed fishery of 6,684 salmon in the 

Western GOA and 18,316 salmon in the 

Central GOA are set in regulation at 

§ 679.21(h)(2)(i) and (ii). In addition, all 

salmon (regardless of species) taken in 

the pollock directed fisheries in the 

Western and Central GOA must be 

retained until an observer at the 

processing facility that takes delivery of 

the catch is provided an opportunity to 

count the number of salmon and to 

collect any scientific data or biological 

samples from the salmon 

(§ 679.21(h)(4)). 

As described earlier in this preamble, 

NMFS issued a final rule to implement 

Amendment 97 to the FMP (79 FR 

71350, December 2, 2014). That action 

established an initial annual PSC limit 

of 7,500 Chinook salmon for the nonpollock groundfish fisheries. This limit 

is apportioned among three sectors: 

3,600 Chinook salmon to trawl catcher/ 

processors, 1,200 Chinook salmon to 

trawl catcher vessels participating in the 

Central GOA Rockfish Program, and 

2,700 Chinook salmon to trawl catcher 

vessels not participating in the Central 

GOA Rockfish Program that are fishing 

for groundfish species other than 

pollock (§ 679.21(i)(3)). NMFS will 

monitor the Chinook salmon PSC in the 

non-pollock GOA groundfish fisheries 

and close an applicable sector if it 

reaches its Chinook salmon PSC limit. 

The Chinook salmon PSC limit for 

two sectors, trawl catcher/processors 

and trawl catcher vessels not 

participating in the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program, may be increased in 

subsequent years based on the 

performance of these two sectors and 

their ability to minimize their use of 

their respective Chinook salmon PSC 

limits. If either or both of these two 

sectors limits its use of Chinook salmon 

PSC to a certain threshold amount in 

2015, that sector will receive an 

incremental increase to its 2016 

Chinook salmon PSC limit 

(§ 679.21(i)(3)). 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) C/P and 

CV Groundfish Harvest and PSC Limits 

Section 679.64 establishes groundfish 

harvesting and processing sideboard 

limitations on AFA C/Ps and CVs in the 

GOA. These sideboard limits are 

necessary to protect the interests of 

fishermen and processors who do not 

directly benefit from the AFA from 

those fishermen and processors who 

receive exclusive harvesting and 

processing privileges under the AFA. 

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

AFA C/Ps from harvesting any species 

of groundfish in the GOA. Additionally, 

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

Ps from processing any pollock 

harvested in a directed pollock fishery 

in the GOA and any groundfish 

harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the 

GOA. 

AFA CVs that are less than 125 ft 

(38.1 meters) length overall, have 

annual landings of pollock in the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands less than 5,100 

mt, and have made at least 40 

groundfish landings from 1995 through 

1997 are exempt from GOA sideboard 

limits under § 679.64(b)(2)(ii). 

Sideboard limits for non-exempt AFA 

CVs in the GOA are based on their 

traditional harvest levels of TAC in 

groundfish fisheries covered by the 

FMP. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii) 

establishes the groundfish sideboard 

limitations in the GOA based on the 

retained catch of non-exempt AFA CVs 

of each sideboard species from 1995 

through 1997 divided by the TAC for 

that species over the same period. 

Tables 21 and 22 list the final 2015 

and 2016 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 21 and 22. 

TABLE 21—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season, January 20– 

March 10.

Shumagin (610) ....................

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

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

0.6047 

0.1167 

0.2028 

3,632 

30,503 

11,316 

2,196 

3,560 

2,295 

B Season, March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) ....................

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

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

0.6047 

0.1167 

0.2028 

3,632 

37,820 

4,000 

2,196 

4,414 

811 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10268 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 21—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

C Season, August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) ....................

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

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

0.6047 

0.1167 

0.2028 

12,185 

14,628 

18,639 

7,368 

1,707 

3,780 

D Season, October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) ....................

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

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

0.6047 

0.1167 

0.2028 

12,185 

14,628 

18,639 

7,368 

1,707 

3,780 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................

SEO (650) .............................

0.3495 

0.3495 

4,719 

12,625 

1,649 

4,412 

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

10.

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

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

0.1331 

0.0692 

16,255 

27,594 

2,164 

1,910 

B Season, 2 September 1– 

December 31.

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

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

0.1331 

0.0692 

10,837 

18,396 

1,442 

1,273 

Annual ................................... E inshore ...............................

E offshore .............................

0.0079 

0.0078 

1,909 

212 

15 

2 

Sablefish ............................... Annual, trawl gear ................. W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0000 

0.0642 

0.0433 

295 

932 

220 

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

60 

10 

Flatfish, Shallow-water .......... Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0156 

0.0587 

0.0126 

13,250 

19,297 

2,834 

207 

1,133 

36 

Flatfish, deep-water .............. Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0000 

0.0647 

0.0128 

301 

3,689 

9,344 

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

239 

120 

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0007 

0.0384 

0.0029 

1,258 

5,816 

2,076 

1 

223 

6 

Arrowtooth flounder ............... Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0021 

0.0280 

0.0002 

14,500 

75,000 

13,800 

30 

2,100 

3 

Flathead sole ........................ Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0036 

0.0213 

0.0009 

8,650 

15,400 

3,706 

31 

328 

3 

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

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

E ............................................

0.0023 

0.0748 

0.0466 

2,302 

15,873 

2,837 

5 

1,187 

132 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

0.0003 

0.0277 

1,226 

3,772 

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

104 

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0000 

0.0218 

0.0110 

92 

397 

834 

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

9 

9 

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

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

E ............................................

0.0001 

0.0000 

0.0067 

296 

3,336 

1,477 

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

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

10 

Rougheye rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0000 

0.0237 

0.0124 

115 

632 

375 

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

15 

5 

Demersal shelf rockfish ........ Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0020 225 ........................

Thornyhead rockfish ............. Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0280 

0.0280 

0.0280 

235 

875 

731 

7 

25 

20 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0034 

0.1699 

0.0000 

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

1,031 

780 

.

175 

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

Big skates ............................. Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0063 

0.0063 

0.0063 

731 

1,257 

1,267 

5 

8 

8 

Longnose skates ................... Annual ................................... W ...........................................

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

E ............................................

0.0063 

0.0063 

0.0063 

152 

2,090 

976 

1 

13 

6 

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 2,235 14 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 5,569 35 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 5,989 38 

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

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10269 

TABLE 21—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/

gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0063 1,507 9 

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

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

TABLE 22—FINAL 2016 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2016 

TACs 

Final 2016 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................ A Season, January 20–March 10 Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 4,760 2,879 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 39,992 4,667 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.2028 14,839 3,009 

B Season, March 10–May 31 ..... Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 4,760 2,879 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 49,586 5,787 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.2028 5,245 1,064 

C Season, August 25–October 1 Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 15,975 9,660 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 19,179 2,238 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.2028 24,437 4,956 

D Season, October 1–November 

1.

Shumagin (610) ................. 0.6047 15,975 9,660 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.1167 19,179 2,238 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.2028 24,437 4,956 

Annual WYK (640) ......................... 0.3495 6,187 2,162 

SEO (650) .......................... 0.3495 12,625 4,412 

Pacific cod .......................... A Season 1, January 1–June 10 W ........................................ 0.1331 16,255 2,164 

C ........................................ 0.0692 27,594 1,910 

B Season 2, September 1–December 31.W ........................................ 0.1331 10,837 1,442 

C ........................................ 0.0692 18,396 1,273 

Annual ......................................... E inshore ............................ 0.0079 1,909 15 

E offshore .......................... 0.0078 212 2 

Sablefish ............................ Annual, trawl gear ....................... W ........................................ 0.0000 268 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0642 846 54 

E ......................................... 0.0433 199 9 

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

C ........................................ 0.0587 17,114 1,005 

E ......................................... 0.0126 2,513 32 

Flatfish, deep-water ........... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0000 299 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0647 3,645 236 

E ......................................... 0.0128 9,233 118 

Rex sole ............................. Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0007 1,234 1 

C ........................................ 0.0384 5,707 219 

E ......................................... 0.0029 2,038 6 

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

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

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

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

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

E ......................................... 0.0009 3,709 3 

Pacific ocean perch ........... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0023 2,358 5 

C ........................................ 0.0748 16,184 1,211 

E ......................................... 0.0466 2,894 135 

Northern rockfish ................ Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0003 1,158 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0277 3,563 99 

Shortraker rockfish ............. Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0000 92 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0218 397 9 

E ......................................... 0.0110 834 9 

Dusky rockfish .................... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0001 273 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0000 3,077 ........................

E ......................................... 0.0067 1,361 9 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10270 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2016 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH HARVEST

SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season/gear Area/component 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt AFA CV 

catch to 1995– 

1997 TAC 

Final 2016 

TACs 

Final 2016 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Rougheye rockfish ............. Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0000 117 ........................

C ........................................ 0.0237 643 15 

E ......................................... 0.0124 382 5 

Demersal shelf rockfish ..... Annual ......................................... SEO ................................... 0.0020 225 ........................

Thornyhead rockfish .......... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0280 235 7 

C ........................................ 0.0280 875 25 

E ......................................... 0.0280 731 20 

Other rockfish ..................... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0034 ........................ ........................

C ........................................ 0.1699 1,031 175 

E ......................................... 0.0000 780 - 

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

Big skates .......................... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0063 731 5 

C ........................................ 0.0063 1,257 8 

E ......................................... 0.0063 1,267 8 

Longnose skates ................ Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.0063 152 1 

C ........................................ 0.0063 2,090 13 

E ......................................... 0.0063 976 6 

Other skates ....................... Annual ......................................... Gulfwide ............................. 0.0063 2,235 14 

Sculpins .............................. Annual ......................................... Gulfwide ............................. 0.0063 5,569 35 

Sharks ................................ Annual ......................................... Gulfwide ............................. 0.0063 5,989 38 

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

Octopuses .......................... Annual ......................................... Gulfwide ............................. 0.0063 1,507 9 

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

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

Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel 

Halibut PSC Limits 

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on the aggregate retained 

groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA 

CVs in each PSC target category from 

1995 through 1997 divided by the 

retained catch of all vessels in that 

fishery from 1995 through 1997 

(§ 679.64(b)(4)). Tables 23 and 24 list the 

final 2015 and 2016 non-exempt AFA 

CV halibut PSC limits for vessels using 

trawl gear in the GOA, respectively. The 

2015 and 2016 seasonal apportionments 

of trawl halibut PSC limits between the 

deep-water and shallow-water species 

fisheries categories proportionately 

incorporate reductions made to the 

annual trawl halibut PSC limits and 

associated seasonal apportionments (see 

Tables 14 and 15). 

TABLE 23—FINAL 2015 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING

TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Ratio of 1995–1997 non-exempt AFA CV retained 

catch to total retained catch 

2015 PSC limit 

2015 non-exempt AFA CV 

PSC limit 

1 ............................ January 20–April 1 ............. shallow-water ..................... 0.340 .................................. 396 135 

deep-water ......................... 0.070 .................................. 88 6 

2 ............................ April 1–July 1 ..................... shallow-water ..................... 0.340 .................................. 88 30 

deep-water ......................... 0.070 .................................. 264 18 

3 ............................ July 1–September 1 ........... shallow-water ..................... 0.340 .................................. 176 60 

deep-water ......................... 0.070 .................................. 352 25 

4 ............................ September 1–October 1 ..... shallow-water ..................... 0.340 .................................. 132 45 

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

5 ............................ October 1–December 31 .... all targets ............................ 0.205 .................................. 264 54 

Total ............... ............................................. ............................................. ............................................. 1,760 373 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10271 

TABLE 24—FINAL 2016 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING

TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Ratio of 1995–1997 nonexempt AFA CV retained 

catch to total retained 

catch 

2016 PSC limit 

2016 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

PSC limit 

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

deep-water ...................... 0.070 ............................... 85 6 

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

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

3 ....................................... July 1–September 1 ....... shallow-water .................. 0.340 ............................... 171 58 

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

4 ....................................... September 1–October 1 shallow-water .................. 0.340 ............................... 128 44 

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

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

Total .......................... ......................................... ......................................... ......................................... 1,706 361 

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish 

Harvest Limitations 

Section 680.22 establishes groundfish 

catch limits for vessels with a history of 

participation in the Bering Sea snow 

crab fishery to prevent these vessels 

from using the increased flexibility 

provided by the Crab Rationalization 

Program to expand their level of 

participation in the GOA groundfish 

fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these 

vessels’ catch to their collective 

historical landings in each GOA 

groundfish fishery (except the fixed-gear 

sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also 

apply to catch made using 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 

Amendments 18 and 19 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Bering Sea/

Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs 

(70 FR 10174, March 2, 2005), 

Amendment 34 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Bering Sea/

Aleutian Island King and Tanner Crabs 

(76 FR 35772, June 20, 2011), and 

Amendment 83 to the GOA FMP (76 FR 

74670, December 1, 2011). 

Tables 25 and 26 list the final 2015 

and 2016 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 25—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total harvest 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season, January 20– 

March 10.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 3,632 36 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 30,503 95 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 11,316 2 

B Season, March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 3,632 36 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 37,820 117 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 4,000 1 

C Season, August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 12,185 119 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 14,628 45 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 18,639 4 

D Season, October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 12,185 119 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 14,628 45 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 18,639 4 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.0000 4,719 ........................

SEO (650) ............................. 0.0000 12,625 ........................

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

10.

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 16,255 ........................

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 16,255 7 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0018 16,255 29 

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 16,255 1,621 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 16,255 127 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 16,255 11 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 27,594 ........................

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 27,594 3 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 27,594 33 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10272 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total harvest 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 27,594 1,308 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 27,594 375 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 27,594 33 

B Season 2 ............................ W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 10,837 ........................

Jig Gear: June 10–December 31.W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 10,837 4 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0001 10,837 20 

All other gears: ..................... W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 10,837 1,080 

September 1–December 31 W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 10,837 85 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 10,837 8 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 18,396 ........................

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 18,396 2 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 18,396 22 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 18,396 872 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 18,396 250 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 18,396 22 

Annual ................................... E inshore .............................. 0.0110 1,909 21 

E offshore ............................. 0.0000 212 ........................

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear ................ W .......................................... 0.0000 295 ........................

C ........................................... 0.0000 932 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 220 ........................

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

C ........................................... 0.0001 19,297 2 

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,834 ........................

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 301 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,689 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 9,344 ........................

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 1,258 ........................

C ........................................... 0.0000 5,816 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,076 ........................

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

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

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

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

C ........................................... 0.0004 15,400 6 

E ........................................... 0.0000 3,706 ........................

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 2,302 ........................

C ........................................... 0.0000 15,873 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,837 ........................

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0005 1,226 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,772 ........................

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0013 92 0 

C ........................................... 0.0012 397 0 

E ........................................... 0.0009 834 1 

Dusky rockfish ....................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0017 296 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,336 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,477 ........................

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0067 115 1 

C ........................................... 0.0047 632 3 

E ........................................... 0.0008 375 0 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0000 225 ........................

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0047 235 1 

C ........................................... 0.0066 875 6 

E ........................................... 0.0045 731 3 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 ........................ ........................

C ........................................... 0.0033 1,031 3 

E ........................................... 0.0000 780 ........................

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

Big skate ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 731 29 

C ........................................... 0.0159 1,257 20 

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,267 ........................

Longnose skate ..................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 152 6 

C ........................................... 0.0159 2,090 33 

E ........................................... 0.0000 976 ........................

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 2,235 39 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10273 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2015 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total harvest 

Final 2015 

TACs 

Final 2015 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,569 98 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,989 105 

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

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,507 27 

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

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

TABLE 26—FINAL 2016 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total harvest 

Final 2016 

TACs 

Final 2016 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ................................... A Season, January 20– 

March 10.

Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 4,760 47 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 39,992 124 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 14,839 3 

B Season, March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 4,760 47 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 49,586 154 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 5,245 1 

C Season, August 25–October 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 15,975 157 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 19,179 59 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 24,437 5 

D Season, October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.0098 15,975 157 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.0031 19,179 59 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.0002 24,437 5 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.0000 6,187 ........................

SEO (650) ............................. 0.0000 12,625 ........................

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

10.

W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 16,255 ........................

W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 16,255 7 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0018 16,255 29 

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 16,255 1,621 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 16,255 127 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 16,255 11 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 27,594 ........................

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 27,594 3 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 27,594 33 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 27,594 1,308 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 27,594 375 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 27,594 33 

B Season 2 ............................ W Jig ..................................... 0.0000 10,837 ........................

Jig Gear: June 10–December 31.W Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0004 10,837 4 

W Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0018 10,837 20 

All other gears: September 

1–December 31.

W Pot CV .............................. 0.0997 10,837 1,080 

W Pot C/P ............................. 0.0078 10,837 85 

W Trawl CV .......................... 0.0007 10,837 8 

C Jig ..................................... 0.0000 18,396 ........................

C Hook-and-line CV ............. 0.0001 18,396 2 

C Hook-and-line C/P ............ 0.0012 18,396 22 

C Pot CV .............................. 0.0474 18,396 872 

C Pot C/P ............................. 0.0136 18,396 250 

C Trawl CV ........................... 0.0012 18,396 22 

Annual ................................... E inshore .............................. 0.0110 1,909 21 

E offshore ............................. 0.0000 212 ........................

Sablefish ................................ Annual, trawl gear ................ W .......................................... 0.0000 268 ........................

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10274 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 26—FINAL 2016 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH HARVEST SIDEBOARD LIMITS— 

Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season/gear Area/component/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel 

catch to 1996– 

2000 total harvest 

Final 2016 

TACs 

Final 2016 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

C ........................................... 0.0000 846 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 199 ........................

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

C ........................................... 0.0001 17,114 2 

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,513 ........................

Flatfish, deep-water ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 299 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,645 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 9,233 ........................

Rex sole ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 1,234 ........................

C ........................................... 0.0000 5,707 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,038 ........................

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

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

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

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

C ........................................... 0.0004 15,400 6 

E ........................................... 0.0000 3,709 ........................

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0000 2,358 ........................

C ........................................... 0.0000 16,184 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 2,894 ........................

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0005 1,158 1 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,563 ........................

Shortraker rockfish ................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0013 92 0 

C ........................................... 0.0012 397 0 

E ........................................... 0.0009 834 1 

Dusky rockfish ....................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0017 273 0 

C ........................................... 0.0000 3,077 ........................

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,361 ........................

Rougheye rockfish ................. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0067 117 1 

C ........................................... 0.0047 643 3 

E ........................................... 0.0008 382 0 

Demersal shelf rockfish ......... Annual ................................... SEO ...................................... 0.0000 225 ........................

Thornyhead rockfish .............. Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0047 235 1 

C ........................................... 0.0066 875 6 

E ........................................... 0.0045 731 3 

Other rockfish ........................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0035 ........................ ........................

C ........................................... 0.0033 1,031 3 

E ........................................... 0.0000 780 ........................

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

Big skate ................................ Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 731 29 

C ........................................... 0.0159 1,257 20 

E ........................................... 0.0000 1,267 ........................

Longnose skate ..................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.0392 152 6 

C ........................................... 0.0159 2,090 33 

E ........................................... 0.0000 976 ........................

Other skates .......................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 2,235 39 

Sculpins ................................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,569 98 

Sharks ................................... Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 5,989 105 

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

Octopuses ............................. Annual ................................... Gulfwide ................................ 0.0176 1,507 27 

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. 

Rockfish Program Groundfish 

Sideboard and Halibut PSC Limitations 

The Rockfish Program establishes 

three classes of sideboard provisions: 

CV groundfish sideboard restrictions, C/ 

P rockfish sideboard restrictions, and C/ 

P opt-out vessel sideboard restrictions. 

These sideboards are intended to limit 

the ability of rockfish harvesters to 

expand into other fisheries. 

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)). 

Catcher/processors participating in 

Rockfish Program cooperatives are 

restricted by rockfish and halibut PSC 

sideboard limits. These C/Ps are 

prohibited from directed fishing for 

dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, and 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10275 

northern rockfish in the West Yakutat 

district and Western GOA from July 1 

through July 31. Holders of C/Pdesignated LLP licenses that opt out of 

participating in a Rockfish Program 

cooperative will be able to access that 

portion of each sideboard limit that is 

not assigned to rockfish cooperatives. 

Tables 27 and 28 list the final 2015 and 

2016 Rockfish Program C/P sideboard 

limits in the West Yakutat district and 

the Western GOA. Due to confidentiality 

requirements associated with fisheries 

data, the sideboard limits for the West 

Yakutat district are not displayed. 

TABLE 27—FINAL 2015 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN

GOA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery C/P sector 

(% of TAC) 

Final 2015 

TACs Final 2015 C/P limit 

West Yakutat District .............. Dusky rockfish ....................... Confidential 1 .......................... 1,288 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ............... Confidential 1 .......................... 2,014 Confidential.1

Western GOA ......................... Dusky rockfish ....................... 72.3 ........................................ 296 214. 

Pacific ocean perch ............... 50.6 ........................................ 2,302 1,165. 

Northern rockfish ................... 74.3 ........................................ 1,226 911. 

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

TABLE 28—FINAL 2016 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HARVEST LIMITS BY SECTOR FOR WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT AND WESTERN

GOA BY THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery C/P sector 

(% of TAC) 

Final 2016 

TACs Final 2016 C/P limit 

West Yakutat District .............. Dusky rockfish ....................... Confidential 1 .......................... 1,187 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ............... Confidential 1 .......................... 2,055 Confidential.1

Western GOA ......................... Dusky rockfish ....................... 72.3 ........................................ 273 197. 

Pacific ocean perch ............... 50.6 ........................................ 2,358 1,193. 

Northern rockfish ................... 74.3 ........................................ 1,158 860. 

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

Under the Rockfish Program, the C/P 

sector is subject to halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for the trawl deepwater and shallow-water species 

fisheries from July 1 through July 31. No 

halibut PSC sideboard limits apply to 

the CV sector, as vessels participating in 

cooperatives receive a portion of the 

annual halibut PSC limit. C/Ps that opt 

out of the Rockfish Program would be 

able to access that portion of the deepwater and shallow-water halibut PSC 

sideboard limit not assigned to C/P 

rockfish cooperatives. The sideboard 

provisions for C/Ps that elect to opt out 

of participating in a rockfish cooperative 

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

Sideboard limits are linked to the catch 

history of specific vessels that may 

choose to opt out. After March 1, NMFS 

will determine which C/Ps have optedout of the Rockfish Program in 2015, 

and will know the ratios and amounts 

used to calculate opt-out sideboard 

ratios. NMFS will then calculate any 

applicable opt-out sideboards and post 

these allocations on the Alaska Region 

Web site at http://

alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/

sustainablefisheries/rockfish/. Tables 29 

and 30 list the 2015 and 2016 Rockfish 

Program halibut PSC limits for the 

catcher/processor sector. These halibut 

PSC limits proportionately incorporate 

reductions made to the annual trawl 

halibut PSC limits and associated 

season apportionments (see Tables 14 

and 15). 

TABLE 29—FINAL 2015 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY 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) 

2015 halibut 

mortality limit 

(mt) 

Annual 

shallow-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Annual 

deep-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Catcher/processor ................................................................ 0.10 2.50 1,759 2 44 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10276 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 30—FINAL 2016 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT MORTALITY 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) 

2016 halibut 

mortality limit 

(mt) 

Annual 

shallow-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

Annual 

deep-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard limit 

(mt) 

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

Amendment 80 Program Groundfish 

and PSC Sideboard Limits 

Amendment 80 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

Management Area (Amendment 80 

Program) established a limited access 

privilege program for the non-AFA trawl 

C/P 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 F/V GOLDEN FLEECE, to 

amounts no greater than the limits listed 

in Table 37 to 50 CFR part 679. Under 

regulations at § 679.92(d), the F/V 

GOLDEN FLEECE is prohibited from 

directed fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, 

Pacific ocean perch, 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. Tables 31 and 32 list the 

final 2015 and 2016 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 31 and 

32. 

TABLE 31—FINAL 2015 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 

2015 TAC 

(mt) 

2015 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................... A Season, January 20–February 25.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 3,632 11 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 30,503 61 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 11,316 23 

B Season, March 10–May 31 Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 3,632 11 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 37,820 76 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 4,000 8 

C Season, August 25–September 15.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 12,185 37 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 14,628 29 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 18,639 37 

D Season, October 1–November 1.Shumagin (610) .................... 0.003 12,185 37 

Chirikof (620) ........................ 0.002 14,628 29 

Kodiak (630) ......................... 0.002 18,639 37 

Annual ................................... WYK (640) ............................ 0.002 4,719 9 

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

10.

W .......................................... 0.020 16,255 325 

C ........................................... 0.044 27,594 1,214 

B Season 2, September 1– 

December 31.

W .......................................... 0.020 10,837 217 

C ........................................... 0.044 18,396 809 

Annual ................................... WYK ...................................... 0.034 2,121 72 

Pacific ocean perch ............... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.994 2,302 2,288 

WYK ...................................... 0.961 2,014 1,935 

Northern rockfish ................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 1.000 1,226 1,226 

Dusky rockfish ....................... Annual ................................... W .......................................... 0.764 296 226 

WYK ...................................... 0.896 1,288 1,154 

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. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10277 

TABLE 32—FINAL 2016 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 

2016 TAC 

(mt) 

2016 

Amendment 

80 

vessel 

sideboards 

(mt) 

Pollock ................................ A Season, January 20–February 

25.

Shumagin (610) ................. 0.003 4,760 14 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.002 39,992 80 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.002 14,839 30 

B Season, March 10–May 31 ..... Shumagin (610) ................. 0.003 4,760 14 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.002 49,586 99 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.002 5,245 10 

C Season, August 25–September 15.Shumagin (610) ................. 0.003 15,975 48 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.002 19,179 38 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.002 24,437 49 

D Season, October 1–November 

1.

Shumagin (610) ................. 0.003 15,975 48 

Chirikof (620) ..................... 0.002 19,179 38 

Kodiak (630) ...................... 0.002 24,437 49 

Annual ......................................... WYK (640) ......................... 0.002 6,187 12 

Pacific cod .......................... A Season 1, January 1–June 10 W ........................................ 0.020 16,255 325 

C ........................................ 0.044 27,594 1,214 

B Season 2, September 1–December 31.W ........................................ 0.020 10,837 217 

C ........................................ 0.044 18,396 809 

Annual ......................................... WYK ................................... 0.034 2,121 72 

Pacific ocean perch ........... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.994 2,358 2,344 

WYK ................................... 0.961 2,055 1,975 

Northern rockfish ................ Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 1.000 1,158 1,158 

Dusky rockfish .................... Annual ......................................... W ........................................ 0.764 273 209 

WYK ................................... 0.896 1,187 1,064 

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

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

The PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels in the 

GOA are based on the historic use of 

halibut PSC by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels in each PSC target category from 

1998 through 2004. These values are 

slightly lower than the average historic 

use to accommodate two factors: 

Allocation of halibut PSC cooperative 

quota under the Central GOA Rockfish 

Program and the exemption of the F/V 

GOLDEN FLEECE from this restriction 

(§ 679.92(b)(2)). Tables 33 and 34 list the 

final 2015 and 2016 halibut PSC limits 

for Amendment 80 Program vessels, 

respectively. 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. These halibut PSC limits 

proportionately incorporate the 

reductions made to the annual trawl 

halibut PSC limits and associated 

seasonal apportionments (see Tables 14 

and 15). Additionally, residual amounts 

of a seasonal Amendment 80 sideboard 

halibut PSC limit may carry forward to 

the next season limit (§ 679.92(b)(2)). 

TABLE 33—FINAL 2015 HALIBUT PSC LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 

80 use of the 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

catch 

(ratio) 

2015 annual PSC limit 

(mt) 

2015 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

PSC limit 

1 ..................... January 20–April 1 ............... shallow-water ........................ 0.0048 1,759 ..................................... 8 

deep-water ............................ 0.0115 1,759 ..................................... 20 

2 ..................... April 1–July 1 ........................ shallow-water ........................ 0.0189 1,759 ..................................... 33 

deep-water ............................ 0.1072 1,759 ..................................... 189 

3 ..................... July 1–September 1 ............. shallow-water ........................ 0.0146 1,759 ..................................... 26 

deep-water ............................ 0.0521 1,759 ..................................... 92 

4 ..................... September 1–October 1 ....... shallow-water ........................ 0.0074 1,759 ..................................... 13 

deep-water ............................ 0.0014 1,759 ..................................... 2 

5 ..................... October 1–December 31 ...... shallow-water ........................ 0.0227 1,759 ..................................... 40 

deep-water ............................ 0.0371 1,759 ..................................... 65 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10278 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 33—FINAL 2015 HALIBUT PSC LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE GOA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 

80 use of the 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

catch 

(ratio) 

2015 annual PSC limit 

(mt) 

2015 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

PSC limit 

Total: ..................................... 488 

TABLE 34—FINAL 2016 HALIBUT PSC LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 

80 use of the 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

catch 

(ratio) 

2016 annual PSC limit 

(mt) 

2016 

Amendment 

80 vessel 

PSC limit 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Directed Fishing Closures 

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

Regional Administrator determines (1) 

that any allocation or apportionment of 

a target species or species group 

allocated or apportioned to a fishery 

will be reached; or (2) with respect to 

pollock and Pacific cod, that an 

allocation or apportionment to an 

inshore or offshore component or sector 

allocation will be reached, the Regional 

Administrator may establish a directed 

fishing allowance (DFA) for that species 

or species group. If the Regional 

Administrator establishes a DFA and 

that allowance is or will be reached 

before the end of the fishing year, NMFS 

will prohibit directed fishing for that 

species or species group in the specified 

GOA regulatory area or district 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the TACs for the 

species listed in Table 35 are necessary 

to account for the incidental catch of 

these species in other anticipated 

groundfish fisheries for the 2015 and 

2016 fishing years. 

TABLE 35—2015 AND 2016 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 ........................................... 1,446 (2015). 

1,313 (2016). 

Pacific cod ............................................................................................... Western, catcher/processor, trawl 627. 

Central, catcher/processor, trawl ... 1,911. 

Shortraker rockfish 2 ................................................................................ all ................................................... 1,323. 

Rougheye rockfish 2 ................................................................................ all ................................................... 1,122 (2015) 

1,142 (2016). 

Thornyhead rockfish ................................................................................ all ................................................... 1,841. 

Other rockfish .......................................................................................... all ................................................... 1,811. 

Atka mackerel .......................................................................................... all ................................................... 2,000. 

Big skate .................................................................................................. all ................................................... 3,255. 

Longnose skate ....................................................................................... all ................................................... 3,218. 

Other skates ............................................................................................ all ................................................... 2,235. 

Sharks ..................................................................................................... all ................................................... 5,989. 

Squids ...................................................................................................... all ................................................... 1,148. 

Octopuses ............................................................................................... all ................................................... 1,507. 

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

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

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10279 

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the DFA for 

the species or species groups listed in 

Table 35 as zero mt. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 

those species, areas, gear types, and 

components in the GOA listed in Table 

35. These closures will remain in effect 

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

2016. 

Section 679.64(b)(5) provides for 

management of AFA CV groundfish 

harvest limits and PSC bycatch limits 

using directed fishing closures and PSC 

closures according to procedures set out 

at §§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), 679.21(d)(6), and 

679.21(e)(3)(v). The Regional 

Administrator has determined that, in 

addition to the closures listed above, 

many of the non-exempt AFA CV 

sideboard limits listed in Tables 21 and 

22 are necessary as incidental catch to 

support other anticipated groundfish 

fisheries for the 2015 and 2016 fishing 

years. In accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional 

Administrator sets the DFAs for the 

species and species groups in Table 36 

at zero mt. Therefore, in accordance 

with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing by nonexempt AFA CVs in the GOA for the 

species and specified areas listed in 

Table 36. These closures will remain in 

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

31, 2016. 

TABLE 36—2015 AND 2016 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR ALL GEAR TYPES IN

THE GOA 

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

Species Regulatory area/district Incidental catch amount 

Pacific cod .............................................................. Eastern .................................................................. 15 (inshore) and 2 (offshore). 

Shallow-water flatfish ............................................. Eastern .................................................................. 36 in 2015, 32 in 2016. 

Deep-water flatfish ................................................. Western ................................................................. 0. 

Rex sole ................................................................. Eastern and Western ............................................. 6 and 1 (2015), 5 and 1 (2016). 

Arrowtooth flounder ................................................ Eastern and Western ............................................. 3 and 30. 

Flathead sole .......................................................... Eastern and Western ............................................. 3 and 31. 

Pacific ocean perch ................................................ Western ................................................................. 5. 

Northern rockfish .................................................... Western ................................................................. 0. 

Dusky rockfish ........................................................ Entire GOA ............................................................ 10 in 2015, 9 in 2016. 

Demersal shelf rockfish .......................................... SEO District ........................................................... 0. 

Sculpins .................................................................. Entire GOA ............................................................ 35. 

Squids ..................................................................... Entire GOA ............................................................ 7. 

Section 680.22 provides for the 

management of non-AFA crab vessel 

sideboards using directed fishing 

closures in accordance with 

§ 680.22(e)(2) and (3). The Regional 

Administrator has determined that the 

non-AFA crab vessel sideboards listed 

in Tables 25 and 26 are insufficient to 

support a directed fishery and has set 

the sideboard DFA at zero mt, with the 

exception of Pacific cod pot CV sector 

apportionments in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. Therefore, 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by 

non-AFA crab vessels in the GOA for all 

species and species groups listed in 

Tables 25 and 26, with the exception of 

the Pacific cod pot CV sector 

apportionments in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. 

Closures implemented under the 2014 

and 2015 GOA harvest specifications for 

groundfish (79 FR 12890, March 6, 

2014) remain effective under authority 

of these final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications, and are posted at the 

following Web site: http://

www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/cm/info_

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 in 

regulations at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS 

may implement other closures during 

the 2015 and 2016 fishing years as 

necessary for effective conservation and 

management. 

Comments and Response 

NMFS did not receive any comments 

in response to the proposed 2015 and 

2016 harvest specifications (79 FR 

72593, December 8, 2014). 

Classification 

NMFS has determined that these final 

harvest specifications are consistent 

with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws. 

This action is authorized under 50 

CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Orders 12866 and 

13563. 

NMFS prepared an EIS for this action 

(see ADDRESSES) and made it available to 

the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS 

issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for 

the EIS. In January 2015, NMFS 

prepared a Supplemental Information 

Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of 

the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are 

available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). 

The EIS analyzes the environmental 

consequences of the groundfish harvest 

specifications and alternative harvest 

strategies on resources in the action 

area. The EIS found no significant 

environmental consequences of this 

action and its alternatives. The preferred 

alternative is a harvest strategy in which 

TACs are set at a level that falls within 

the range of ABCs recommended by the 

Council’s SSC; the sum of the TACs 

must achieve the OY specified in the 

FMP. The SIR evaluates the need to 

prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for 

the 2015 and 2016 groundfish harvest 

specifications. 

An SEIS should be prepared if 1) the 

agency makes substantial changes in the 

proposed action that are relevant to 

environmental concerns, or 2) 

significant new circumstances or 

information exist relevant to 

environmental concerns and bearing on 

the proposed action or its impacts (40 

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

information contained in the SIR and 

SAFE reports, the Regional 

Administrator has determined that 1) 

approval of the 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications, which were set according 

to the preferred harvest strategy in the 

EIS, do not constitute a substantial 

change in the action; and 2) there are no 

significant new circumstances or 

information relevant to environmental 

concerns and bearing on the action or its 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10280 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

impacts. Additionally, the 2015 and 

2016 harvest specifications will result in 

environmental impacts within the scope 

of those analyzed and disclosed in the 

EIS. Therefore, supplemental National 

Environmental Policy Act 

documentation is not necessary to 

implement the 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications. 

Section 604 of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act requires that, when an 

agency promulgates a final rule under 

section 553 of Title 5 of the United 

States Code, 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). 

Section 604 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, 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; 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 

which 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 8, 2014 (79 FR 72593). NMFS 

prepared an Initial Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) to 

accompany this action, and included a 

summary in the proposed rule. The 

comment period closed on January 7, 

2015. No comments were received on 

the IRFA or the economic impacts of the 

rule more generally. 

The entities directly regulated by this 

action include a) entities operating 

vessels with groundfish FFPs catching 

FMP groundfish in Federal waters; b) all 

entities operating vessels, regardless of 

whether they hold groundfish FFPs, 

catching FMP groundfish in the statewaters parallel fisheries; and c) all 

entities operating vessels fishing for 

halibut inside three miles of the shore 

(whether or not they have FFPs). 

On June 12, 2014, the Small Business 

Administration issued an interim final 

rule revising the small business size 

standards for several industries effective 

July 14, 2014 (79 FR 33647, June 12, 

2014). The rule increased the size 

standard for Finfish Fishing from $19.0 

million to $20.5 million, Shellfish 

Fishing from $ 5.0 million to $5.5 

million, and Other Marine Fishing from 

$7.0 million to $7.5 million. 

Based on data from 2013 fishing 

activity, there were 1,156 individual 

catcher vessel entities with gross 

revenues meeting small entity criteria. 

Of these entities, 1,075 used hook-andline gear, 116 used pot gear, and 33 used 

trawl gear (some of these entities used 

more than one gear type, thus the counts 

of entities using the different gear types 

do not sum to the total number of 

entities above). Three individual 

catcher/processors met the small entity 

criterion; two used hook-and-line gear, 

and one used trawl gear. Catcher/

processor gross revenues were not 

reported for confidentiality reasons, 

however hook-and-line small entities 

had average gross revenues of $380,000, 

small pot entities had average gross 

revenues of $960,000, and small trawl 

entities had average gross revenues of 

$2.8 million. 

Some of these vessels are members of 

AFA inshore pollock cooperatives, of 

GOA rockfish cooperatives, or of BSAI 

crab rationalization cooperatives and, 

therefore, under the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (RFA) it is the aggregate 

gross receipts of all participating 

members of the cooperative that must 

meet the threshold. Vessels that 

participate in these cooperatives are 

considered to be large entities within 

the meaning of the RFA. These 

relationships are accounted for, along 

with corporate affiliations among 

vessels, to the extent that they are 

known, in the estimated number of 

small entities. If affiliations exist of 

which NMFS is unaware, or if entities 

had non-fishing revenue sources, the 

estimates above may overstate the 

number of directly regulated small 

entities. 

This action does not modify 

recordkeeping or reporting 

requirements. 

NMFS considered other, alternative 

harvest strategies when choosing the 

preferred harvest strategy (Alternative 2) 

in December 2006. These included the 

following: 

• Alternative 1: Set TACs to produce 

fishing mortality rates, F, that are equal 

to maxFABC, unless the sum of the 

TACs is constrained by the OY 

established in the FMPs. This is 

equivalent to setting TACs to produce 

harvest levels equal to the maximum 

permissible ABCs, as constrained by 

OY. The term ‘‘maxFABC’’ refers to the 

maximum permissible value of FABC 

under Amendment 56 to the groundfish 

FMPs. Historically, the TAC has been 

set at or below the ABC, therefore, this 

alternative represents a likely upper 

limit for setting the TAC within the OY 

and ABC limits. 

• Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 

2, and 3, set TAC to produce F equal to 

the most recent 5-year average actual F. 

For species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC 

equal to the most recent 5-year average 

actual catch. For stocks with a high 

level of scientific information, TACs 

would be set to produce harvest levels 

equal to the most recent 5-year average 

actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks 

with insufficient scientific information, 

TACs would be set equal to the most 

recent 5-year average actual catch. This 

alternative recognizes that for some 

stocks, catches may fall well below 

ABCs, and recent average F may provide 

a better indicator of actual F than FABC 

does. 

• Alternative 4: 1) Set TACs for 

rockfish species in Tier 3 at F75%. Set 

TACs for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F 

= 0.5M. Set spatially explicit TACs for 

shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the 

GOA. 2) Taking the rockfish TACs as 

calculated above, reduce all other TACs 

by a proportion that does not vary 

across species, so that the sum of all 

TACs, including rockfish TACs, is equal 

to the lower bound of the area OY 

(116,000 mt in the GOA). This 

alternative sets conservative and 

spatially explicit TACs for rockfish 

species that are long-lived and late to 

mature and sets conservative TACs for 

the other groundfish species. 

• Alternative 5: (No Action) Set TACs 

at zero. 

These four alternatives do not meet 

the objectives of this action although 

they have a smaller adverse economic 

impact on small entities than the 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 10281 

preferred alternative. The Council 

rejected these alternatives as harvest 

strategies in 2006, and the Secretary did 

so in 2007. 

Alternative 1 selected harvest rates 

that will allow fishermen to harvest 

stocks at the level of ABCs, unless total 

harvests are constrained by the upper 

bound of the GOA OY of 800,000 metric 

tons. The sums of ABCs in 2015 and 

2016 are 685,597 mt and 731,049 mt, 

respectively. The sums of the TACs in 

2015 and 2016 are 536,158 mt and 

590,161 mt, respectively. Thus, 

although the sum of ABCs in each year 

is less than 800,000 metric tons, the 

sums of the TACs in each year are less 

than the sums of the ABCs. 

In most cases, the Council has set 

TACs equal to ABCs. The divergence 

between aggregate TACs and aggregate 

ABCs reflects a variety of special 

species- and fishery-specific 

circumstances: 

• Pacific cod TACs are set equal to 70 

percent in the Western GOA and 75 

percent in the Central GOA of the 

Pacific cod ABCs in each year to 

account for the guideline harvest levels 

(GHL) set by the State of Alaska for its 

GHL Pacific cod fisheries (30 and 25 

percent, respectively, of the Western 

and Central GOA ABCs). Thus, the 

difference between the Federal TACs 

and ABCs does not actually reflect a 

Pacific cod harvest below the Pacific 

cod ABC, as the balance is available for 

the State’s cod GHL fisheries. 

• Shallow-water flatfish and flathead 

sole TACs are set below ABCs in the 

Western and Central GOA regulatory 

areas. Arrowtooth flounder TACs are set 

below ABC in all GOA regulatory areas. 

Catches of these flatfish species rarely, 

if ever, approach the proposed ABCs or 

TACs. Important trawl fisheries in the 

GOA take halibut PSC, and are 

constrained by limits on the allowable 

halibut PSC mortality. These limits 

routinely force the closure of trawl 

fisheries before they have harvested the 

available groundfish ABC. Thus, actual 

harvests of groundfish in the GOA 

routinely fall short of some ABCs and 

TACs. Markets can also constrain 

harvests below the TACs, as has been 

the case with arrowtooth flounder, in 

the past. These TACs are set to allow for 

increased harvest opportunities for 

these targets while conserving the 

halibut PSC limit for use in other, more 

fully utilized, fisheries. 

• The other rockfish TAC is set below 

the ABC in the Southeast Outside 

district based on several factors. In 

addition to conservation concerns for 

the rockfish species in this group, there 

is a regulatory prohibition against using 

trawl gear east of 140° W. longitude. 

Because most species of other rockfish 

are caught exclusively with trawl gear, 

the catch of such species with other gear 

types, such as hook-and-line, is low. 

The commercial catch of other rockfish 

in the Eastern regulatory area, which 

includes the West Yakutat and 

Southeast Outside districts, has ranged 

from approximately 70 mt to 248 mt per 

year over the last decade. 

• The GOA-wide Atka mackerel TAC 

is set below the ABC. The estimates of 

survey biomass continue to be 

unreliable in the GOA. Therefore, the 

Council recommended and NMFS 

agrees that the Atka mackerel TAC in 

the GOA be set at an amount to support 

incidental catch in other directed 

fisheries. 

Alternative 3 selects harvest rates 

based on the most recent 5 years of 

harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 

through 3) or for the most recent 5 years 

of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 

through 6). This alternative is 

inconsistent with the objectives of this 

action, because it does not take account 

of the most recent biological 

information for this fishery. 

Alternative 4 would lead to 

significantly lower harvests of all 

species to reduce TACs from the upper 

end of the OY range in the GOA to its 

lower end of 116,000 mt. Overall, this 

would reduce 2015 TACs by about 78 

percent. This would lead to significant 

reductions in harvests of species by 

small entities. While production 

declines in the GOA would 

undoubtedly be associated with price 

increases in the GOA, these increases 

would still be constrained by the 

availability of substitutes, and are very 

unlikely to offset revenue declines from 

smaller production. Thus, this action 

would have a detrimental economic 

impact on small entities. 

Alternative 5, which sets all harvests 

equal to zero, may also address 

conservation issues, but would have a 

significant adverse economic impact on 

small entities. 

Impacts on marine mammals resulting 

from fishing activities conducted under 

this rule are discussed in the EIS and 

SIR (see ADDRESSES). 

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

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in effectiveness for this 

rule because delaying this rule would be 

contrary to the public interest. The Plan 

Team review occurred in November 

2014, and Council consideration and 

recommendations occurred in December 

2014. Accordingly, NMFS’ review could 

not begin until January 2015. For all 

fisheries not currently closed because 

the TACs established under the final 

2014 and 2015 harvest specifications (79 

FR 12890, March 6, 2014) were not 

reached, it is possible that they would 

be closed prior to the expiration of a 30- 

day delayed effectiveness period, 

because their TACs could be reached 

within that period. If implemented 

immediately, this rule would allow 

these fisheries to continue because the 

new TACs implemented by this rule are 

higher than the ones under which they 

are currently fishing. 

Certain fisheries, such as those for 

pollock and Pacific cod, are intensive, 

fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, 

such as those for sablefish, flatfish, 

rockfish, Atka mackerel, skates, 

sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses, 

are critical as directed fisheries and as 

incidental catch in other fisheries. U.S. 

fishing vessels have demonstrated the 

capacity to catch the TAC allocations in 

many of these fisheries. If this rule 

allowed for a 30-day delay in 

effectiveness and if a TAC were reached 

during those 30 days, NMFS would 

close directed fishing or prohibit 

retention for the applicable species. Any 

delay in allocating the final TACs in 

these fisheries would cause confusion to 

the industry and potential economic 

harm through unnecessary discards, 

thus undermining the intent of the rule. 

Waiving the 30-day delay allows NMFS 

to prevent economic loss to fishermen 

that could otherwise occur should the 

2015 TACs be reached. Determining 

which fisheries may close is impossible 

because these fisheries are affected by 

several factors that cannot be predicted 

in advance, including fishing effort, 

weather, movement of fishery stocks, 

and market price. Furthermore, the 

closure of one fishery has a cascading 

effect on other fisheries by freeing-up 

fishing vessels, allowing them to move 

from closed fisheries to open ones, 

increasing the fishing capacity in those 

open fisheries, and causing them to 

close at an accelerated pace. 

In fisheries subject to declining 

sideboard limits, a failure to implement 

the updated sideboard limits before 

initial season’s end could deny the 

intended economic protection to the 

non-sideboarded sectors. Conversely, in 

fisheries with increasing sideboard 

limits, economic benefit could be 

denied to the sideboard limited sectors. 

If the final harvest specifications are 

not effective by March 14, 2015, which 

is the start of the 2015 Pacific halibut 

season as specified by the IPHC, the 

hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. This would result in 

confusion for the industry and 

economic harm from unnecessary 

discard of sablefish that are caught 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2

10282 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

along with Pacific halibut, as both hookand-line sablefish and Pacific halibut 

are managed under the same IFQ 

program. Immediate effectiveness of the 

final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications will allow the sablefish 

IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with 

the Pacific halibut IFQ season. 

In addition, the immediate 

effectiveness of this action is required to 

provide consistent management and 

conservation of fishery resources based 

on the best available scientific 

information. This is particularly true for 

those species that have lower 2015 

ABCs and TACs than those established 

in the 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications (79 FR 12890, March 6, 

2014). Immediate effectiveness also 

would give the fishing industry the 

earliest possible opportunity to plan and 

conduct its fishing operations with 

respect to new information about TACs. 

Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to 

waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness 

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

Small Entity Compliance Guide 

This final rule is a plain language 

guide to assist small entities in 

complying with this final rule as 

required by the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 

1996. This final rule’s primary purpose 

is to announce the final 2015 and 2016 

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 2015 

and 2016 fishing years, and to 

accomplish the goals and objectives of 

the FMP. This action affects all 

fishermen who participate in the GOA 

fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL, 

ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in 

tables to assist the reader. NMFS will 

announce closures of directed fishing in 

the Federal Register and information 

bulletins released by the Alaska Region. 

Affected fishermen should keep 

themselves informed of such closures. 

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

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

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

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

Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L 109–479. 

Dated: February 17, 2015. 

Samuel D. Rauch III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–03896 Filed 2–24–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2