Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11599 

Dated: February 24, 2022. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

For the reasons set out in the 

preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is amended 

as follows: 

PART 660—FISHERIES OFF WEST 

COAST STATES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 660 

continues to read as follows: 

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

773 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. 

■ 2. In § 660.14, revise paragraph 

(d)(3)(ii)(B) and add paragraph 

(d)(3)(ii)(D) to read as follows: 

§ 660.14 Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) 

requirements. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(ii) * * * 

(B) Midwater trawl exemption. If a 

limited entry trawl vessel is fishing with 

midwater trawl gear under declarations 

in § 660.13(d)(4)(iv)(A), the mobile 

transceiver unit must transmit a signal 

at least once every hour. 

* * * * * 

(D) Pink shrimp trawl exemption. If a 

vessel is fishing for pink shrimp using 

non-groundfish trawl gear under 

declarations in § 660.13(d)(4)(iv)(A), the 

mobile transceiver unit must transmit a 

signal at least once every hour. 

* * * * * 

■ 3. In § 660.112, revise paragraph 

(b)(1)(x) to read as follows: 

§ 660.112 Trawl fishery—prohibitions. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(x) Use midwater groundfish trawl 

gear outside the Pacific whiting IFQ 

fishery primary season dates as 

specified at § 660.131(b). 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2022–04306 Filed 3–1–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 220216–0049; RTID 0648– 

XY118] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 

2022 and 2023 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 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch limits for the 

groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

establish harvest limits for groundfish 

during the remainder of the 2022 and 

the start of the 2023 fishing years and 

to accomplish the goals and objectives 

of the Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 

The 2022 harvest specifications 

supersede those previously set in the 

final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications, and the 2023 harvest 

specifications will be superseded in 

early 2023 when the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications are 

published. The intended effect of this 

action is to conserve and manage the 

groundfish resources in the GOA in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

DATES: Harvest specifications and 

closures are effective at 1200 hours, 

Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 2022, 

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

2023. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS), Record of Decision 

(ROD), and the annual Supplementary 

Information Reports (SIRs) to the EIS 

prepared for this action are available 

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

2021 Stock Assessment and Fishery 

Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 

groundfish resources of the GOA, dated 

November 2021, and SAFE reports for 

previous years are available from the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council) at 1007 West Third 

Avenue, Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 

99501, phone 907–271–2809, or from 

the Council’s website at https://

www.npfmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the GOA groundfish fisheries 

in the exclusive economic zone of the 

GOA under the FMP. The Council 

prepared the FMP under the authority of 

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

1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. 

fisheries and implementing the FMP 

appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 

680. 

The FMP and its implementing 

regulations require that NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, specify 

the total allowable catch (TAC) for each 

target species, the sum of which must be 

within the optimum yield (OY) range of 

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

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

679.20(c)(1) further requires that NMFS 

publish and solicit public comment on 

proposed annual TACs and 

apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut 

prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, 

and seasonal allowances of pollock and 

Pacific cod. Upon consideration of 

public comment received under 

§ 679.20(c)(1), NMFS must publish 

notice of final harvest specifications for 

up to two fishing years as annual TACs 

and apportionments, Pacific halibut PSC 

limits, and seasonal allowances of 

pollock and Pacific cod, per 

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

specifications set forth in Tables 1 

through 29 of this rule reflect the 

outcome of this process, as required at 

§ 679.20(c). 

The proposed 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

and Pacific halibut PSC limits were 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 6, 2021 (86 FR 68982). 

Comments were invited and accepted 

through January 5, 2022. NMFS did not 

receive any comments on the proposed 

harvest specifications. In December 

2021, NMFS consulted with the Council 

regarding the 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications. After considering public 

comment at public meetings, as well as 

biological and socioeconomic data that 

were available at the Council’s 

December 2021 meeting, NMFS is 

implementing the final 2022 and 2023 

harvest specifications, as recommended 

by the Council. For 2022, the sum of the 

TAC amounts is 448,118 mt. For 2023, 

the sum of the TAC amounts is 443,615 

mt. 

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and 

TAC Specifications 

In December 2021, the Council’s 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 


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

Council reviewed the most recent 

biological and harvest information about 

the condition of the GOA groundfish 

stocks. The Council’s GOA Groundfish 

Plan Team (Plan Team) compiled and 

presented this information in the 2021 

SAFE report for the GOA groundfish 

fisheries, dated November 2021 (see 

ADDRESSES). The SAFE report contains a 

review of the latest scientific analyses 

and estimates of each species’ biomass 

and other biological parameters, as well 

as summaries of the available 

information on the GOA ecosystem and 

the economic condition of the 

groundfish fisheries off Alaska. From 

these data and analyses, the Plan Team 

recommends, and the SSC sets, an 

overfishing level (OFL) and ABC for 

each species or species group. The 2021 

SAFE report was made available for 

public review during the public 

comment period for the proposed 

harvest specifications. 

In previous years, the greatest changes 

from the proposed to the final harvest 

specifications have been based on recent 

NMFS stock surveys, which provide 

updated estimates of stock biomass and 

spatial distribution, and changes to the 

models used for producing stock 

assessments. At the November 2021 

Plan Team meeting, NMFS scientists 

presented updated and new survey 

results, changes to stock assessment 

models, and accompanying stock 

assessment estimates for groundfish 

species and species groups that are 

included in the 2021 SAFE report per 

the stock assessment schedule found in 

the 2021 SAFE report introduction. The 

SSC reviewed this information at the 

December 2021 Council meeting. 

Changes from the proposed to the final 

2022 and 2023 harvest specifications are 

discussed below. 

The final 2022 and 2023 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best available 

biological information, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised methods used to 

calculate stock biomass, and the final 

2022 and 2023 TACs are based on the 

best available biological and 

socioeconomic information. The FMP 

specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be 

used to compute OFLs and ABCs. The 

formulas applicable to a particular stock 

or stock complex are determined by the 

level of reliable information available to 

fisheries scientists. This information is 

categorized into a successive series of 

six tiers to define OFL and ABC 

amounts, with Tier 1 representing the 

highest level of information quality 

available and Tier 6 representing the 

lowest level of information quality 

available. The Plan Team used the FMP 

tier structure to calculate OFL and ABC 

amounts for each groundfish species. 

The SSC adopted the final 2022 and 

2023 OFLs and ABCs recommended by 

the Plan Team for most groundfish 

species, with the exception of Pacific 

cod and demersal shelf rockfish. 

For Pacific cod, the SSC did not 

accept the Plan Team’s recommended 

model for the 2021 stock assessment. 

The Plan Team recommended the 2021 

stock assessment use a model that 

incorporated additional complexity over 

the model used in the 2020 stock 

assessment. However, the SSC 

recommended continuing to use the 

model that was used for the 2020 Pacific 

cod stock assessment (model 19.1), 

which resulted in higher Pacific cod 

2022 and 2023 ABCs than those that 

resulted from the Plan Team’s 

recommended model. The SSC 

concluded that the additional 

complexity included in the Plan Team’s 

recommended model is premature at 

this time without further explanation 

and exploration of the individual 

changes incorporated into it. Each 

change should be supported with a 

sufficient rationale and an assessment of 

model improvements. 

For demersal shelf rockfish, the SSC 

did not agree with the methodology 

used in the stock assessment for 

estimating the biomass for the demersal 

shelf rockfish complex. The SSC 

recommended that the assessment 

incorporate more standard methodology 

for estimating biomass, which resulted 

in higher 2022 and 2023 ABCs than 

recommended by the Plan Team. 

The Council adopted the SSC’s OFLs 

and ABCs and the AP’s TAC 

recommendations. The final TAC 

recommendations are based on the 

ABCs and are adjusted for other 

biological and socioeconomic 

considerations, including maintaining 

the sum of all TACs within the required 

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

The Council recommended 2022 and 

2023 TACs that are equal to ABCs for 

pollock in the Southeast Outside (SEO) 

District, sablefish, shallow-water flatfish 

in the Central GOA and the West 

Yakutat and SEO Districts, deep-water 

flatfish, rex sole, arrowtooth flounder in 

the Central GOA and the West Yakutat 

District, flathead sole in the West 

Yakutat and SEO Districts, Pacific ocean 

perch (a rockfish species), northern 

rockfish, shortraker rockfish, dusky 

rockfish, rougheye and blackspotted 

rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, 

thornyhead rockfish, ‘‘other rockfish’’ in 

the Western/Central GOA and West 

Yakutat District, big skate, longnose 

skate, other skates, sharks, and 

octopuses in the GOA. The Council 

recommended TACs for 2022 and 2023 

that are less than the ABCs for pollock 

for the combined Western and Central 

GOA and West Yakutat District area, 

Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish in the 

Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder in 

the Western GOA and the SEO District, 

flathead sole in the Western and Central 

GOA, Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ in the SEO District. 

The combined Western, Central, and 

West Yakutat pollock TAC and the GOA 

Pacific cod TACs are set to 

accommodate the State of Alaska’s 

(State’s) guideline harvest levels (GHLs) 

so that the ABCs for pollock and Pacific 

cod are not exceeded. The Western GOA 

shallow-water flatfish, Western GOA 

arrowtooth flounder, and Western GOA 

flathead sole TACs are set to allow for 

increased harvest opportunities for 

these target species while conserving 

the halibut PSC limit for use in other, 

more fully utilized fisheries. Similarly, 

the SEO District arrowtooth flounder 

TAC and the Central GOA flathead sole 

TAC are set lower than ABC to conserve 

halibut PSC limit for use in other 

fisheries or because there is limited 

commercial interest and participation in 

these fisheries. The Atka mackerel TAC 

is set to accommodate incidental catch 

amounts in other fisheries. The ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ TAC in the SEO District is set 

to reduce the amount of discards of the 

species in that complex. 

The final 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications approved by the Secretary 

of Commerce are unchanged from those 

recommended by the Council, and are 

consistent with the preferred harvest 

strategy alternative outlined in the FMP 

and EIS (see ADDRESSES). 

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 2021 SAFE report. 

NMFS also finds that the Council’s 

recommendations for TACs are 

consistent with the biological condition 

of groundfish stocks as adjusted for 

other biological and socioeconomic 

considerations, including maintaining 

the sum of all TACs within the OY 

range. NMFS reviewed the Council’s 

recommended TACs and 

apportionments, and NMFS approves 

these harvest specifications under 50 

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

of TAC amounts among gear types and 

sectors, processing sectors, and seasons 

is discussed below. 

Tables 1 and 2 list the final 2022 and 

2023 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area 

apportionments of groundfish in the 

GOA. The 2022 harvest specifications 

set in this final action supersede the 


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2022 harvest specifications previously 

set in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications (86 FR 10184, February 

19, 2021). The 2023 harvest 

specifications will be superseded in 

early 2023 when the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications are 

published. Pursuant to this final action, 

the 2022 harvest specifications therefore 

will apply for the remainder of the 

current year (2022), while the 2023 

harvest specifications are projected only 

for the following year (2023) and will be 

superseded in early 2023 by the final 

2023 and 2024 harvest specifications. 

Because this final action (published in 

early 2022) will be superseded in early 

2023 by the publication of the final 2023 

and 2024 harvest specifications, it is 

projected that this final action will 

implement the harvest specifications for 

the Gulf of Alaska for approximately 

one year. 

Specification and Apportionment of 

TAC Amounts 

NMFS’s apportionment of groundfish 

species is based on the distribution of 

biomass among the regulatory areas over 

which NMFS manages the species. 

Additional regulations govern the 

apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, 

and sablefish and are described below. 

The ABC for the pollock stock in the 

combined Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas and the West Yakutat 

(WYK) District of the Eastern Regulatory 

Area (the W/C/WYK) includes the 

amount for the GHL established by the 

State for the Prince William Sound 

(PWS) pollock fishery. The Plan Team, 

SSC, AP, and Council have 

recommended that the sum of all State 

water and Federal water pollock 

removals from the GOA not exceed ABC 

recommendations. For 2022 and 2023, 

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 

2021 Plan Team meeting, State fisheries 

managers recommended setting the 

PWS pollock GHL at 2.5 percent of the 

annual W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 

2022, this yields a PWS pollock GHL of 

3,327 mt, an increase of 684 mt from the 

2021 PWS pollock GHL of 2,643 mt. For 

2023, the PWS pollock GHL is 3,298 mt, 

an increase of 655 mt from the 2021 

PWS pollock GHL of 2,643 mt. After the 

GHL reductions, the 2022 and 2023 

pollock ABCs for the combined W/C/ 

WYK areas are then apportioned 

between four statistical areas (Areas 

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

and TACs, as described below and 

detailed in Tables 1 and 2. The total 

ABCs and TACs for the four statistical 

areas, plus the State PWS GHL, do not 

exceed the combined W/C/WYK ABC. 

Apportionments of pollock to the W/ 

C/WYK areas are considered to be 

‘‘apportionments of annual catch limits 

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

accurately reflects that such 

apportionments address management, 

rather than biological or conservation, 

concerns. In addition, apportionments 

of the ACL in this manner allow NMFS 

to balance any transfer of TAC among 

Areas 610, 620, and 630 pursuant to 

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

combined W/C/WYK ACL, ABC, and 

TAC are not exceeded. 

NMFS establishes pollock TACs in 

the Western (Area 610) and Central 

(Areas 620 and 630) Regulatory Areas 

and the West Yakutat (Area 640) and the 

SEO (Area 650) Districts of the GOA (see 

Tables 1 and 2). NMFS also establishes 

seasonal apportionments of the annual 

pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 

630. Additional detail on area 

apportionments and seasonal 

allowances is provided in a subsequent 

section in this rule, titled 

‘‘Apportionments of Pollock TAC 

Among Seasons and Regulatory Areas, 

and Allocations for Processing by 

Inshore and Offshore Components;’’ 

Tables 3 and 4 list these amounts. 

The 2022 and 2023 Pacific cod TACs 

are set to accommodate the State’s GHLs 

for Pacific cod in State waters in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas, 

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

AP, and Council recommended that the 

sum of all State water and Federal water 

Pacific cod removals from the GOA not 

exceed ABC recommendations. The 

Council set the 2022 and 2023 Pacific 

cod TACs in the Western, Central, and 

Eastern Regulatory Areas to account for 

State GHLs. Therefore, the 2022 Pacific 

cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the 

following amounts: (1) Western GOA, 

2,983 mt; (2) Central GOA, 4,938 mt; 

and (3) Eastern GOA, 779 mt. The 2023 

Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs 

by the following amounts: (1) Western 

GOA, 2,610 mt; (2) Central GOA, 4,321 

mt; and (3) Eastern GOA, 682 mt. These 

amounts reflect the State’s 2022 and 

2023 GHLs in these areas, which are 30 

percent of the Western GOA ABC and 

25 percent of the Eastern and Central 

GOA ABCs. 

The Western and Central GOA Pacific 

cod TACs are allocated among various 

gear and operational sectors. NMFS also 

establishes seasonal apportionments of 

the annual Pacific cod TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas. 

The Pacific cod sector and seasonal 

apportionments are discussed in detail 

in a subsequent section, titled ‘‘Annual 

and Seasonal Apportionments of Pacific 

Cod TAC,’’ and in Tables 5 and 6 of this 

rule. 

The Council’s recommendation for 

sablefish area apportionments takes into 

account the prohibition on the use of 

trawl gear in the SEO District of the 

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

and makes available 5 percent of the 

combined Eastern Regulatory Area 

TACs to vessels using trawl gear for use 

as incidental catch in other trawl 

groundfish fisheries in the WYK District 

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

final 2022 and 2023 allocations of 

sablefish TAC to fixed gear and trawl 

gear in the GOA. 

Changes From the Proposed 2022 and 

2023 Harvest Specifications in the GOA 

In October 2021, the Council’s 

recommendations for the proposed 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications (86 FR 

68982, December 6, 2021) were based 

largely on information contained in the 

final 2020 SAFE report for the GOA 

groundfish fisheries, dated November 

2020. The final 2020 SAFE report for the 

GOA is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The Council proposed that 

the final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

established for the 2022 groundfish 

fisheries (86 FR 10184, February 19, 

2021) be used for the proposed 2022 and 

2023 harvest specifications (86 FR 

68982, December 6, 2021), pending 

completion and review of the 2021 

SAFE report at the Council’s December 

2021 meeting. 

As described previously, the SSC 

recommended the final 2022 and 2023 

OFLs and ABCs as recommended by the 

Plan Team, with the exception of the 

Pacific cod and demersal shelf rockfish 

OFLs and ABCs. The Council adopted 

as its recommendations the SSC’s OFL 

and ABC recommendations and the 

AP’s TAC recommendations for 2022 

and 2023. 

The final 2022 ABCs are higher than 

the proposed 2022 ABCs published in 

the proposed 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications (86 FR 68982, December 

6, 2021) for pollock, rex sole, flathead 

sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, dusky rockfish, demersal shelf 

rockfish, longnose skate, and other 

skates. The final 2022 ABCs are lower 

than the proposed 2022 ABCs for Pacific 

cod, sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, 

deep-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, shortraker rockfish, rougheye 

and blackspotted rockfish, and big skate. 

The final 2023 ABCs are higher than 

the proposed 2023 ABCs for pollock, rex 

sole, flathead sole, Pacific ocean perch, 

demersal shelf rockfish, longnose skate, 

and other skates. The final 2023 ABCs 


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are lower than the proposed 2023 ABCs 

for Pacific cod, sablefish, shallow-water 

flatfish, deep-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, northern rockfish, shortraker 

rockfish, dusky rockfish, rougheye and 

blackspotted rockfish, and big skate. For 

the remaining target species 

(thornyhead rockfish, other rockfish, 

Atka mackerel, sharks, and octopuses), 

the Council recommended the final 

2022 and 2023 ABCs that are the same 

as the proposed 2022 and 2023 ABCs. 

Additional information explaining the 

changes between the proposed and final 

ABCs is included in the final 2021 

SAFE report, which was not completed 

and available when the Council made 

its proposed ABC and TAC 

recommendations in October 2021. At 

that time, the most recent stock 

assessment information was contained 

in the final 2020 SAFE report. The final 

2021 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 2021 SAFE report in 

December 2021 when it made 

recommendations for the final 2022 and 

2023 harvest specifications. In the GOA, 

the total final 2022 TAC amount is 

448,118 mt, an increase of 9.6 percent 

from the total proposed 2022 TAC 

amount of 409,039 mt. The total final 

2023 TAC amount is 443,615 mt, an 

increase of 8.5 percent from the total 

proposed 2023 TAC amount of 409,039 

mt. Table 1a summarizes the difference 

between the proposed and final TACs. 

Annual stock assessments incorporate 

a variety of new or revised inputs, such 

as survey data or catch information, as 

well as changes to the statistical models 

used to estimate a species’ biomass and 

population trend. Changes to biomass 

and ABC estimates are primarily based 

on fishery catch updates to species’ 

assessment models. Some species, such 

as pollock and sablefish, have 

additional surveys conducted on an 

annual basis, which resulted in 

additional data being available for the 

2021 assessments for these stocks. 

The changes for individual species or 

species groups from the proposed 2022 

TACs to the final 2022 TACs are within 

a range of plus 42 percent or minus 35 

percent, and the changes from the 

proposed 2023 TACs to the final 2023 

TACs are within a range of plus 42 

percent or minus 36 percent. Based on 

changes in the estimates of overall 

biomass in the stock assessment for 

2022 and 2023, as compared to the 

estimates previously made for 2021 and 

2022, the species or species group with 

the greatest TAC percentage increases 

are pollock, rex sole, Pacific ocean 

perch, demersal shelf rockfish, and 

other skates. Based on changes in the 

estimates of biomass, the species or 

species group with the greatest TAC 

percentage decreases are Pacific cod, 

sablefish, rougheye and blackspotted 

rockfish, and big skate. For all other 

species and species groups, changes 

from the proposed 2022 TACs to the 

final 2022 TACs and changes from the 

proposed 2023 TACs to the final 2023 

TACs are less than a 10 percent change 

(either increase or decrease). These TAC 

changes correspond to associated 

changes in the ABCs and TACs, as 

recommended by the SSC, AP, and 

Council. 

Detailed information providing the 

basis for the changes described above is 

contained in the final 2021 SAFE report. 

The final TACs are based on the best 

scientific information available, 

including biological and socioeconomic 

information. These TACs are specified 

in compliance with the harvest strategy 

described in the proposed and final 

rules for the 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications. 

TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF PROPOSED AND FINAL 2022 AND 2023 GOA TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH LIMITS

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

Species 

2022 and 

2023 

proposed TAC 

2022 final TAC 

2022 final 

minus 2022 

proposed TAC 

Percentage 

difference 2023 final TAC 

2023 final 

minus 2023 

proposed TAC 

Percentage 

difference 

Pollock ........................................................... 99,784 141,117 41,333 41 139,977 40,193 40 

Pacific cod ..................................................... 27,961 24,111 ¥3,850 ¥14 21,096 ¥6,865 ¥25 

Sablefish ........................................................ 25,231 22,794 ¥2,437 ¥10 22,003 ¥3,228 ¥13 

Shallow-water flatfish .................................... 45,673 42,604 ¥3,069 ¥7 44,272 ¥1,401 ¥3 

Deep-water flatfish ........................................ 5,926 5,908 ¥18 0 5,818 ¥108 ¥2 

Rex sole ........................................................ 15,416 19,141 3,725 24 20,594 5,178 34 

Arrowtooth flounder ....................................... 95,454 96,501 1,047 1 95,512 58 0 

Flathead sole ................................................. 28,445 27,437 ¥1,008 ¥4 27,426 ¥1,019 ¥4 

Pacific ocean perch ....................................... 34,602 38,268 3,666 11 37,104 2,502 7 

Northern rockfish ........................................... 5,099 5,146 47 1 4,920 ¥179 ¥4 

Shortraker rockfish ........................................ 708 705 ¥3 0 705 ¥3 0 

Dusky rockfish ............................................... 5,295 5,372 77 1 5,181 ¥114 ¥2 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish ................... 1,221 788 ¥433 ¥35 781 ¥440 ¥36 

Demersal shelf rockfish ................................. 257 365 108 42 365 108 42 

Thornyhead rockfish ...................................... 1,953 1,953 0 0 1,953 0 0 

Other rockfish ................................................ 1,609 1,610 1 0 1,610 1 0 

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

Big skate ....................................................... 3,208 2,867 ¥341 ¥11 2,867 ¥341 ¥11 

Longnose skate ............................................. 2,587 2,712 125 5 2,712 125 5 

Other skates .................................................. 875 984 109 12 984 109 12 

Sharks ........................................................... 3,755 3,755 0 0 3,755 0 0 

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

Total ....................................................... 409,039 448,118 39,079 9.6 443,615 34,576 8.5 

The final 2022 and 2023 TAC 

amounts for the GOA are within the OY 

range established for the GOA and do 

not exceed the ABC for any species or 

species group. Tables 1 and 2 list the 

final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts for 

GOA groundfish for 2022 and 2023, 

respectively. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11603 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2022 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .......................................................... Shumagin (610) .............................................. n/a 23,714 23,714 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 69,250 69,250 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 30,068 30,068 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 6,722 6,722 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 .............................. 154,983 133,081 129,754 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 15,150 11,363 11,363 

Total ........................................................ 170,133 144,444 141,117 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 9,942 6,959 

C ..................................................................... n/a 19,752 14,814 

E ..................................................................... n/a 3,117 2,338 

Total ........................................................ 39,555 32,811 24,111 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,727 3,727 

C ..................................................................... n/a 9,965 9,965 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 3,437 3,437 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 5,665 5,665 

Subtotal TAC ........................................... n/a n/a 22,794 

Total ........................................................ 40,432 34,521 n/a 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 21,256 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 25,305 25,305 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,531 2,531 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,518 1,518 

Total ........................................................ 62,273 50,610 42,604 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 256 256 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,139 2,139 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,431 1,431 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,082 2,082 

Total ........................................................ 7,026 5,908 5,908 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 2,981 2,981 

C ..................................................................... n/a 12,076 12,076 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,361 1,361 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,723 2,723 

Total ........................................................ 23,302 19,141 19,141 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 33,658 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 68,394 68,394 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 6,707 6,707 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 11,020 6,900 

Total ........................................................ 143,100 119,779 96,501 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 14,755 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 22,033 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,511 1,511 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,876 1,876 

Total ........................................................ 48,928 40,175 27,437 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 2,602 2,602 

C ..................................................................... n/a 30,806 30,806 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,409 1,409 

W/C/WYK subtotal .................................. 41,470 34,817 34,817 

SEO ................................................................ 4,110 3,451 3,451 

Total ........................................................ 45,580 38,268 38,268 

Northern rockfish 8 .......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,944 1,944 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
11604 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1—FINAL 2022 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,202 3,202 

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

Total ........................................................ 6,143 5,146 5,146 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 51 51 

C ..................................................................... n/a 280 280 

E ..................................................................... n/a 374 374 

Total ........................................................ 940 705 705 

Dusky rockfish 10 ............................................. W .................................................................... n/a 269 269 

C ..................................................................... n/a 4,534 4,534 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 427 427 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 142 142 

Total ........................................................ 8,614 5,372 5,372 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 184 184 

C ..................................................................... n/a 235 235 

E ..................................................................... n/a 369 369 

Total ........................................................ 947 788 788 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 579 365 365 

Thornyhead rockfish 13 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 352 352 

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

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

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

Other rockfish 14 15 .......................................... W and C ......................................................... n/a 940 940 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 370 370 

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

Total ........................................................ 5,320 4,054 1,610 

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

Big skate 16 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 591 591 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,482 1,482 

E ..................................................................... n/a 794 794 

Total ........................................................ 3,822 2,867 2,867 

Longnose skate 17 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 151 151 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,044 2,044 

E ..................................................................... n/a 517 517 

Total ........................................................ 3,616 2,712 2,712 

Other skates 18 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 1,311 984 984 

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

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

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 626,738 520,038 448,118 

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

WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 133,081 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (3,327 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 129,754 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

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

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 3 (final 2022 seasonal biomass distribution 

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

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

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

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

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

5 lists the final 2022 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC are set Alaska-wide (40,432 mt and 34,521 mt, respectively). Additionally, sablefish is allocated to trawl and 

fixed gear in 2022 and trawl gear in 2023. Table 7 lists the final 2022 allocations of sablefish TACs. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11605 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TABLE 2—FINAL 2023 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Pollock 2 .......................................................... Shumagin (610) .............................................. n/a 23,506 23,506 

Chirikof (620) .................................................. n/a 68,642 68,642 

Kodiak (630) ................................................... n/a 29,803 29,803 

WYK (640) ...................................................... n/a 6,663 6,663 

W/C/WYK (subtotal) 2 .............................. 153,097 131,912 128,614 

SEO (650) ...................................................... 15,150 11,363 11,363 

Total ........................................................ 168,247 143,275 139,977 

Pacific cod 3 .................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 8,699 6,089 

C ..................................................................... n/a 17,282 12,962 

E ..................................................................... n/a 2,727 2,045 

Total ........................................................ 34,673 28,708 21,096 

Sablefish 4 ....................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,951 3,951 

C ..................................................................... n/a 9,495 9,495 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 3,159 3,159 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 5,398 5,398 

Subtotal TAC ........................................... n/a n/a 22,003 

Total ........................................................ 42,520 36,318 n/a 

Shallow-water flatfish 5 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 22,464 13,250 

C ..................................................................... n/a 26,743 26,743 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 2,674 2,674 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,605 1,605 

Total ........................................................ 65,676 53,486 44,272 

Deep-water flatfish 6 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 256 256 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,105 2,105 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,408 1,408 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,049 2,049 

Total ........................................................ 6,920 5,818 5,818 

Rex sole .......................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 3,222 3,222 

C ..................................................................... n/a 13,054 13,054 

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

SEO ................................................................ n/a 2,879 2,879 

Total ........................................................ 25,049 20,594 20,594 

Arrowtooth flounder ......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 33,214 14,500 

C ..................................................................... n/a 67,493 67,493 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 6,619 6,619 


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11606 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2023 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 10,875 6,900 

Total ........................................................ 141,231 118,201 95,512 

Flathead sole .................................................. W .................................................................... n/a 14,708 8,650 

C ..................................................................... n/a 21,962 15,400 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,506 1,506 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 1,870 1,870 

Total ........................................................ 48,757 40,046 27,426 

Pacific ocean perch 7 ...................................... W .................................................................... n/a 2,523 2,523 

C ..................................................................... n/a 29,869 29,869 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 1,366 1,366 

W/C/WYK ....................................................... 40,211 33,758 33,758 

SEO ................................................................ 3,985 3,346 3,346 

Total ........................................................ 44,196 37,104 37,104 

Northern rockfish 8 .......................................... W .................................................................... n/a 1,859 1,859 

C ..................................................................... n/a 3,061 3,061 

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

Total ........................................................ 5,874 4,920 4,920 

Shortraker rockfish 9 ........................................ W .................................................................... n/a 51 51 

C ..................................................................... n/a 280 280 

E ..................................................................... n/a 374 374 

Total ........................................................ 940 705 705 

Dusky rockfish 10 ............................................. W .................................................................... n/a 259 259 

C ..................................................................... n/a 4,373 4,373 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 412 412 

SEO ................................................................ n/a 137 137 

Total ........................................................ 8,146 5,181 5,181 

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish 11 .......... W .................................................................... n/a 182 182 

C ..................................................................... n/a 234 234 

E ..................................................................... n/a 365 365 

Total ........................................................ 937 781 781 

Demersal shelf rockfish 12 ............................... SEO ................................................................ 579 365 365 

Thornyhead rockfish 13 .................................... W .................................................................... n/a 352 352 

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

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

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

Other rockfish 14 15 .......................................... W and C ......................................................... n/a 940 940 

WYK ............................................................... n/a 370 370 

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

Total ........................................................ 5,320 4,054 1,610 

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

Big skate 16 ...................................................... W .................................................................... n/a 591 591 

C ..................................................................... n/a 1,482 1,482 

E ..................................................................... n/a 794 794 

Total ........................................................ 3,822 2,867 2,867 

Longnose skate 17 ........................................... W .................................................................... n/a 151 151 

C ..................................................................... n/a 2,044 2,044 

E ..................................................................... n/a 517 517 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11607 

TABLE 2—FINAL 2023 OFLS, ABCS, AND TACS OF GROUNDFISH FOR THE WESTERN/CENTRAL/WEST YAKUTAT, WESTERN, CENTRAL, EASTERN REGULATORY AREAS, THE WEST YAKUTAT AND SOUTHEAST OUTSIDE DISTRICTS OF THE

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

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Area 1 OFL ABC TAC 

Total ........................................................ 3,616 2,712 2,712 

Other skates 18 ................................................ GW ................................................................. 1,311 984 984 

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

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

Total ......................................................... ......................................................................... 622,931 517,507 443,615 

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

WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-wide). 2The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 131,912 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (3,298 mt) of that ABC for the State’s 

pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 128,614 mt (for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas 

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

purposes. The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 4 (final 2023 seasonal biomass distribution 

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

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

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

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

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

6 lists the final 2023 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments and sector allocations. 4The sablefish OFL and ABC are set Alaska-wide (42,520 mt and 36,318 mt, respectively). Additionally, sablefish is allocated only to trawl 

gear for 2023. Table 8 lists the final 2023 allocation of sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 5 ‘‘Shallow-water flatfish’’ means flatfish not including ‘‘deep-water flatfish,’’ flathead sole, rex sole, or arrowtooth flounder. 6 ‘‘Deep-water flatfish’’ means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apportionment of Reserves 

Section 679.20(b)(2) requires NMFS to 

set aside 20 percent of each TAC for 

pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, sharks, and 

octopuses in reserve for possible 

apportionment at a later date during the 

fishing year. For 2022 and 2023, NMFS 

proposed reapportionment of all the 

reserves in the proposed 2022 and 2023 

harvest specifications published in the 

Federal Register on December 6, 2021 

(86 FR 68982). NMFS did not receive 

any public comments on the proposed 

reapportionments. For the final 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications, NMFS 

reapportions, as proposed, all the 

reserves for pollock, Pacific cod, flatfish, 

sharks, and octopuses back to the 

original TAC limit from which the 

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

This is being done because NMFS 

expects, based on recent harvest 

patterns, that such reserves are not 

necessary or that the entire TAC for 

each of these species will be caught. The 

TACs listed in Tables 1 and 2 reflect 

reapportionments of reserve amounts to 

the original TAC limit for these species 

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

for the above mentioned species or 

species groups contains the full TAC 

recommended by the Council. 

Apportionments of Pollock TAC Among 

Seasons and Regulatory Areas, and 

Allocations for Processing by Inshore 

and Offshore Components 

In the GOA, pollock is apportioned by 

season and area, and is further allocated 

for processing by inshore and offshore 

components. The pollock TACs in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA are apportioned among 

Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630. 

These apportionments are divided into 

two equal seasonal allowances of 50 

percent to the A season (January 20 

through May 31) and 50 percent to the 

B season (September 1 through 

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

679.23(d)(2)). 

Regulatory changes that were effective 

in 2021 revised the number of GOA 

pollock seasons to two seasons from 

four seasons (85 FR 38093, June 25, 

2020). The GOA pollock stock 

assessment continues to use a fourseason methodology to determine 

pollock distribution in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA to 

maintain continuity in the historical 

pollock apportionment time-series. 

Pollock TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA are 

apportioned among Statistical Areas 

610, 620, and 630 in proportion to the 

distribution of pollock biomass 

determined by the most recent NMFS 


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11608 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

surveys, pursuant to 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A). The pollock 

chapter of the 2021 SAFE report (see 

ADDRESSES) contains a comprehensive 

description of the apportionment and 

reasons for the minor changes from past 

apportionments. For purposes of 

specifying pollock TAC between two 

seasons for the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA, NMFS has 

summed the A and B season 

apportionments and the C and D season 

apportionments as calculated in the 

2021 GOA pollock assessment. This 

yields the seasonal amounts specified 

for the A season and the B season, 

respectively. 

Within any fishing year, the amount 

by which a pollock seasonal allowance 

is underharvested or overharvested may 

be added to, or subtracted from, 

subsequent seasonal allowances for the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 

in a manner to be determined by the 

Regional Administrator 

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

amount is limited to 20 percent of the 

subsequent seasonal TAC 

apportionment for the statistical area. 

Any unharvested pollock above the 20- 

percent limit could be further 

distributed to the other statistical areas, 

in proportion to the estimated biomass 

in the subsequent season in those 

statistical areas and in an amount no 

more than 20 percent of the seasonal 

TAC apportionment in those statistical 

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

TACs in the WYK and the SEO Districts 

of 6,722 mt and 11,363 mt, respectively, 

in 2022, and 6,663 mt and 11,363 mt, 

respectively, in 2023, are not allocated 

by season. 

Tables 3 and 4 list the final 2022 and 

2023 seasonal biomass distribution of 

pollock in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, 

and seasonal allowances. The amounts 

of pollock for processing by the inshore 

and offshore components are not shown. 

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

allocation of 100 percent of the pollock 

TAC in all GOA regulatory areas and all 

seasonal allowances to vessels catching 

pollock for processing by the inshore 

component after subtraction of pollock 

amounts projected by the Regional 

Administrator to be caught by, or 

delivered to, the offshore component 

incidental to directed fishing for other 

groundfish species. Thus, the amount of 

pollock available for harvest by vessels 

harvesting pollock for processing by the 

offshore component is that amount that 

will be taken as incidental catch during 

directed fishing for groundfish species 

other than pollock, up to the maximum 

retainable amounts allowed by 

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

incidental catch amounts of pollock are 

unknown and will be determined 

during the fishing year during the 

course of fishing activities by the 

offshore component. 

TABLE 3—FINAL 2022 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 1,132 52,304 8,080 61,516 

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 22,582 16,946 21,988 61,516 

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 23,714 69,250 30,068 123,032 

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

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

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

shown in this table. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2023 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton 1] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 1,122 51,845 8,009 60,976 

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 22,384 16,797 21,795 60,976 

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 23,506 68,642 29,803 121,952 

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

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

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

shown in this table. 

Annual and Seasonal Apportionments 

of Pacific Cod TAC 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(12)(i), NMFS 

seasonally allocates the 2022 and 2023 

Pacific cod TACs in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA 

among gear and operational sectors. In 

the Western and Central Regulatory 

Areas, a portion of the annual TAC is 

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

1 through June 10, and for trawl gear 

from January 20 through June 10, and a 

portion of the annual TAC is 

apportioned to the B season for jig gear 

from June 10 through December 31, for 

hook-and-line and pot gear from 

September 1 through December 31, and 

for trawl gear from September 1 through 

November 1 (§§ 679.20(a)(12) and 

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

Pacific cod TACs annually between the 

inshore (90 percent) and offshore (10 

percent) components in the Eastern 

Regulatory Area of the GOA 

(§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii)). 

In the Central GOA, the Pacific cod 

TAC is apportioned seasonally first to 


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vessels using jig gear, and then among 

catcher vessels (CVs) less than 50 feet in 

length overall using hook-and-line gear, 

CVs equal to or greater than 50 feet in 

length overall using hook-and-line gear, 

catcher/processors (CPs) using hookand-line gear, CVs using trawl gear, CPs 

using trawl gear, and vessels using pot 

gear (§ 679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)). In the 

Western GOA, the Pacific cod TAC is 

apportioned seasonally first to vessels 

using jig gear, and then among CVs 

using hook-and-line gear, CPs using 

hook-and-line gear, CVs using trawl 

gear, CPs using trawl gear, and vessels 

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

Excluding seasonal apportionments to 

the jig sector, NMFS seasonally 

apportions the remainder of the annual 

Pacific cod TACs in the Western GOA 

as 63.84 percent to the A season and 

36.16 percent to the B season, and in the 

Central GOA as 64.16 percent to the A 

season and 35.84 percent to the B 

season. 

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

or underage of the Pacific cod season 

allowance from the A season may be 

subtracted from, or added to, the 

subsequent B season allowance. In 

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

that is determined by NMFS as likely to 

go unharvested by a sector may be 

reallocated to other sectors for harvest 

during the remainder of the fishery year. 

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

(B), a portion of the annual Pacific cod 

TACs in the Western and Central GOA 

will be allocated to vessels with a 

Federal fisheries permit that use jig gear 

before the TACs are apportioned among 

other non-jig sectors. In accordance with 

the FMP, the annual jig sector 

allocations may increase to up to 6 

percent of the annual Western and 

Central GOA Pacific cod TACs, 

depending on the annual performance 

of the jig sector (see Table 1 of the 

rulemaking to implement Amendment 

83 to the FMP for a detailed discussion 

of the jig sector allocation process (76 

FR 74670, December 1, 2011)). Jig sector 

allocation increases are established for a 

minimum of two years. 

NMFS has evaluated the historical 

harvest performance of the jig sector in 

the Western and Central GOA, and is 

establishing the 2022 and 2023 Pacific 

cod apportionments to this sector based 

on its historical harvest performance 

through 2021. NMFS did not evaluate 

the 2020 performance of the jig sectors 

in the Western and Central GOA; since 

NMFS prohibited directed fishing for all 

Pacific cod sectors in 2020, the catch for 

the jig sectors could not reach 90 

percent of the annual allocation that is 

required for a performance increase in 

the following year’s allocation (86 FR 

68982, December 6, 2021; 84 FR 70438, 

December 23, 2019). For 2022 and 2023, 

NMFS allocates the jig sector 3.5 

percent of the annual Pacific cod TAC 

in the Western GOA. The 2022 and 2023 

allocations consist of a base allocation 

of 1.5 percent of the Western GOA 

Pacific cod TAC, and prior additional 

performance increases of 2.0 percent. 

For 2022 and 2023, NMFS allocates the 

jig sector 1.0 percent of the annual 

Pacific cod TAC in the Central GOA. 

The 2022 and 2023 allocations consist 

of a base allocation of 1.0 percent of the 

Central GOA Pacific cod TAC, and no 

additional performance increase in the 

Central GOA. 

For 2022 and 2023, NMFS is 

apportioning the jig sector allocations 

for the Western and Central GOA 

between the A season (60 percent) and 

the B season (40 percent), pursuant to 

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

sector seasonal apportionments 

implemented in prior groundfish 

harvest specifications for the GOA and 

is consistent with Amendment 83 to the 

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

Tables 5 And 6 list the seasonal 

apportionments and allocation of the 

2022 and 2023 Pacific Catch TACs. 

TABLE 5—FINAL 2022 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 244 N/A 146 N/A 97 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 94 0.70 47 0.70 47 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,330 10.90 732 8.90 598 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 2,579 31.54 2,118 6.86 461 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 161 0.90 60 1.50 101 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,552 19.80 1,330 18.20 1,222 

Total ....................................................................... 6,959 63.84 4,433 36.16 2,526 

Central GOA: 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 148 N/A 89 N/A 59 

Hook-and-line < 50 CV ................................................. 2,142 9.32 1,366 5.29 775 

Hook-and-line ≥ 50 CV ................................................. 984 5.61 823 1.10 161 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 749 4.11 602 1.00 146 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 6,099 25.29 3,710 16.29 2,389 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 616 2.00 294 2.19 322 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 4,078 17.83 2,615 9.97 1,463 

Total ....................................................................... 14,814 64.16 9,498 35.84 5,316 

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


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TABLE 5—FINAL 2022 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

2,338 2,104 234 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 564 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC, which 

is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 12. Final 2022 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central 

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

TABLE 6—FINAL 2023 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC) 

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

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (3.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 213 N/A 128 N/A 85 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 82 0.70 41 0.70 41 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,163 10.90 641 8.90 523 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 2,256 31.54 1,853 6.86 403 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 141 0.90 53 1.50 88 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,233 19.80 1,163 18.20 1,069 

Total ....................................................................... 6,089 63.84 3,879 36.16 2,210 

Central GOA: 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 130 N/A 78 N/A 52 

Hook-and-line < 50 CV ................................................. 1,874 9.32 1,195 5.29 678 

Hook-and-line ≥ 50 CV ................................................. 861 5.61 720 1.10 141 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 655 4.11 527 1.00 128 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 5,336 25.29 3,246 16.29 2,090 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 539 2.00 257 2.19 282 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 3,568 17.83 2,288 9.97 1,280 

Total ....................................................................... 12,962 64.16 8,311 35.84 4,651 

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

2,045 1,841 205 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperation receive 3.81 percet, or 494 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC, which is 

deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see Table 13. Final 2023 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA 

and Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). 

Allocations of the Sablefish TAC 

Amounts to Vessels Using Fixed and 

Trawl Gear 

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

allocations of sablefish TACs for each of 

the regulatory areas and districts to 

fixed and trawl gear. In the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas, 80 percent of 

each TAC is allocated to fixed gear, and 

20 percent of each TAC is allocated to 

trawl gear. In the Eastern Regulatory 

Area, 95 percent of the TAC is allocated 

to fixed gear, and 5 percent is allocated 

to trawl gear. The trawl gear allocation 

in the Eastern Regulatory Area may only 

be used to support incidental catch of 

sablefish using trawl gear while directed 

fishing for other target species 

(§ 679.20(a)(4)(i)). 

In recognition of the prohibition 

against trawl gear in the SEO District of 

the Eastern Regulatory Area, the Council 

recommended and NMFS approves 

specifying for incidental catch the 

allocation of 5 percent of the combined 

Eastern Regulatory Area sablefish TAC 

to trawl gear in the WYK District of the 

Eastern Regulatory Area. The remainder 

of the WYK District sablefish TAC is 

allocated to vessels using fixed gear. 

NMFS allocates 100 percent of the 

sablefish TAC in the SEO District to 

vessels using fixed gear. This action 

results in 2022 allocations of 455 mt to 

trawl gear and 2,982 mt to fixed gear in 

the WYK District, a 2022 allocation of 

5,665 mt to fixed gear in the SEO 

District, and a 2023 allocation of 428 mt 

to trawl gear in the WYK District. Table 

7 lists the allocations of the 2022 

sablefish TACs to fixed and trawl gear. 


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Table 8 lists the allocations of the 2023 

sablefish TACs to trawl gear. 

The Council recommended that a 

trawl sablefish TAC be established for 

two years so that retention of incidental 

catch of sablefish by trawl gear could 

commence in January in the second year 

of the groundfish harvest specifications. 

Both the 2022 and 2023 trawl 

allocations are specified in these final 

harvest specifications, in Tables 7 and 8, 

respectively. 

The Council also recommended that 

the fixed gear sablefish TAC be 

established annually to ensure that this 

Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery 

is conducted concurrently with the 

halibut IFQ fishery and is based on the 

most recent survey information. Since 

there is an annual assessment for 

sablefish and since the final harvest 

specifications are expected to be 

published before the IFQ season begins 

in March 2022, the Council 

recommended that the fixed gear 

sablefish TAC be set annually, rather 

than for two years, so that the best 

scientific information available could be 

considered in establishing the sablefish 

TACs. Accordingly, Table 7 lists the 

2022 fixed gear allocations, and the 

2023 fixed gear allocations will be 

specified in the 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications. 

With the exception of the trawl 

allocations that are provided to the 

Rockfish Program (see Table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679), directed fishing for 

sablefish with trawl gear in the GOA is 

closed during the fishing year. Also, 

fishing for groundfish with trawl gear is 

prohibited prior to January 20 

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

that the sablefish allocation to trawl gear 

would be reached before the effective 

date of these final 2022 and 2023 

harvest specifications. 

TABLE 7—FINAL 2022 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO FIXED AND TRAWL

GEAR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Fixed gear 

allocation 

Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 3,727 2,982 745 

Central 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 9,965 7,972 1,993 

West Yakutat 2 ............................................................................................................................. 3,437 2,982 455 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 5,665 5,665 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 22,794 19,601 3,194 

1The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (1,025 mt). See 

Table 12: Final 2022 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA. This results in 968 mt being available for the nonRockfish Program trawl fisheries. 2The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

TABLE 8—FINAL 2023 SABLEFISH TAC AMOUNTS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AND ALLOCATIONS TO TRAWL GEAR 1

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area/district TAC Fixed gear 

allocation 

Trawl gear 

allocation 

Western ........................................................................................................................................ 3,951 n/a 790 

Central 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 9,495 n/a 1,899 

West Yakutat 3 ............................................................................................................................. 3,159 n/a 428 

Southeast Outside ....................................................................................................................... 5,398 n/a 0 

Total ...................................................................................................................................... 22,003 n/a 3,117 

1The Council recommended that the final 2023 harvest specifications for the fixed gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota fisheries not be 

specified in the final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications. 2The trawl allocation of sablefish in the Central Regulatory Area is further apportioned to the Rockfish Program cooperatives (977 mt). See 

Table 13: Final 2023 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA. This results in 922 mt being available for the nonRockfish Program trawl fisheries. 3The trawl allocation is based on allocating 5 percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area (West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts) sablefish TAC as incidental catch to trawl gear in the West Yakutat District. 

Allocations, Apportionments, and 

Sideboard Limits for the Rockfish 

Program 

These final 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications for the GOA include the 

fishery cooperative allocations and 

sideboard limitations established by the 

Rockfish Program. Rockfish Program 

participants are primarily trawl CVs and 

trawl CPs, with limited participation by 

vessels using longline gear. The 

Rockfish Program assigns quota share 

and cooperative quota to participants for 

primary species (Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish) 

and secondary species (Pacific cod, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

sablefish, shortraker rockfish, and 

thornyhead rockfish), allows a 

participant holding a license limitation 

program (LLP) license with rockfish 

quota share to form a rockfish 

cooperative with other persons, and 

allows holders of CP LLP licenses to opt 

out of the fishery. The Rockfish Program 

also has an entry level fishery for 

rockfish primary species for vessels 

using longline gear. Longline gear 

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

handline gear. 

Under the Rockfish Program, rockfish 

primary species in the Central GOA are 

allocated to participants after deducting 

for incidental catch needs in other 

directed groundfish fisheries 

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

Rockfish Program also receive a portion 

of the Central GOA TAC of specific 

secondary species. In addition to 

groundfish species, the Rockfish 

Program allocates a portion of the 

halibut PSC limit (191 mt) from the 


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third season deep-water species fishery 

allowance for the GOA trawl fisheries to 

Rockfish Program participants 

(§ 679.81(d) and Table 28d to 50 CFR 

part 679). The Rockfish Program also 

establishes sideboard limits to restrict 

the ability of harvesters operating under 

the Rockfish Program to increase their 

participation in other, non-Rockfish 

Program fisheries. These restrictions 

and halibut PSC limits are discussed in 

a subsequent section in this rule titled 

‘‘Rockfish Program Groundfish 

Sideboard and Halibut PSC 

Limitations.’’ 

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

to 50 CFR part 679 require allocations 

of 5 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 5 mt of 

northern rockfish, and 50 mt of dusky 

rockfish to the entry level longline 

fishery in 2022 and 2023. The 

allocations for the entry level longline 

fishery may increase incrementally each 

year if the catch exceeds 90 percent of 

the allocation of a species. The 

incremental increase in the allocation 

would continue each year until it 

reaches the maximum percent of the 

TAC for that species. In 2021, the catch 

of Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and dusky rockfish did not 

attain the 90 percent threshold, and 

those final allocations for 2022 remain 

the same as the 2021 allocations. The 

remainder of the TACs for the rockfish 

primary species are allocated to the CV 

and CP cooperatives (§ 679.81(a)(2)(iii)). 

Table 9 lists the allocations of the 2022 

and 2023 TACs for each rockfish 

primary species to the entry level 

longline fishery, the potential 

incremental increases for future years, 

and the maximum percent of the TACs 

assigned to the Rockfish Program that 

may be allocated to the rockfish entry 

level longline fishery. 

TABLE 9—FINAL 2022 AND INITIAL 2023 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES TO THE ENTRY LEVEL LONGLINE

FISHERY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA

Rockfish primary species 2022 and 2023 allocations Incremental increase in 2023 if > 90% 

of 2022 allocation is harvested 

Up to maximum 

percent of TAC 

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

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

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

Section 679.81 requires allocations of 

rockfish primary species among various 

sectors of the Rockfish Program. Tables 

10 and 11 list the final 2022 and 2023 

allocations of rockfish primary species 

in the Central GOA to the entry level 

longline fishery, and rockfish CV and 

CP cooperatives in the Rockfish 

Program. NMFS also is setting aside 

incidental catch amounts (ICAs) for 

other directed fisheries in the Central 

GOA of 2,500 mt of Pacific ocean perch, 

300 mt of northern rockfish, and 250 mt 

of dusky rockfish. These amounts are 

based on recent average incidental 

catches of these species in the Central 

GOA by other groundfish fisheries. 

Allocations among vessels belonging 

to CV or CP cooperatives are not 

included in these final harvest 

specifications. Rockfish Program 

applications for CV cooperatives and CP 

cooperatives are not due to NMFS until 

March 1 of each calendar year; 

therefore, NMFS cannot calculate 2022 

and 2023 allocations in conjunction 

with these final harvest specifications 

(§ 679.81(f)). After receiving the 

Rockfish Program applications, NMFS 

will calculate the 2022 allocations for 

CV and CP cooperatives, as set forth in 

§ 679.81(b), (c), and (e); NMFS will post 

the 2022 allocations on the Alaska 

Region website at https://www.fisheries.

noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/ 

alaska-fisheries-managementreports#central-goa-rockfish when they 

become available after March 1. 

TABLE 10—FINAL 2022 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish primary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 30,806 2,500 28,306 5 28,301 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,202 300 2,902 5 2,897 

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 4,534 250 4,284 50 4,234 

Total .............................................................................. 38,542 3,050 35,492 60 35,432 

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

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

TABLE 11—FINAL 2023 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish primary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................. 29,869 2,500 27,369 5 27,364 

Northern rockfish .................................................................. 3,061 300 2,761 5 2,756 


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TABLE 11—FINAL 2023 ALLOCATIONS OF ROCKFISH PRIMARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF ALASKA TO THE ENTRY

LEVEL LONGLINE FISHERY AND ROCKFISH COOPERATIVES IN THE ROCKFISH PROGRAM—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish primary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Incidental 

catch 

allowance 

TAC minus 

ICA 

Allocation to 

the entry level 

longline 1

fishery 

Allocation to 

the rockfish 

cooperatives 2

Dusky rockfish ...................................................................... 4,373 250 4,123 50 4,073 

Total .............................................................................. 37,303 3,050 34,253 60 34,193 

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

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

Section 679.81(c) and Table 28c to 50 

CFR part 679 require allocations of 

rockfish secondary species to CV and CP 

cooperatives in the Central GOA. CV 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

Pacific cod, sablefish from the trawl gear 

allocation, and thornyhead rockfish. CP 

cooperatives receive allocations of 

sablefish from the trawl gear allocation, 

rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, 

shortraker rockfish, and thornyhead 

rockfish. Tables 12 and 13 list the 

apportionments of the 2022 and 2023 

TACs of rockfish secondary species in 

the Central GOA to CV and CP 

cooperatives. 

TABLE 12—FINAL 2022 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel 

cooperatives 

Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 14,814 3.81 564 0.00 0 

Sablefish .............................................................................. 9,965 6.78 676 3.51 350 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 280 0.00 - 40.00 112 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .......................................... 235 0.00 - 58.87 138 

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

TABLE 13—FINAL 2023 APPORTIONMENTS OF ROCKFISH SECONDARY SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL GOA TO CATCHER

VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR COOPERATIVES

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Rockfish secondary species Central GOA 

annual TAC 

Catcher vessel 

cooperatives 

Catcher/processor 

cooperatives 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Percentage of 

TAC 

Apportionment 

(mt) 

Pacific cod ............................................................................ 12,962 3.81 494 0.00 0 

Sablefish .............................................................................. 9,495 6.78 644 3.51 333 

Shortraker rockfish ............................................................... 280 0.00 0 40.00 112 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish .......................................... 234 0.00 0 58.87 138 

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

Halibut PSC Limits 

Section 679.21(d) establishes annual 

halibut PSC limit apportionments to 

trawl gear and hook-and-line gear, and 

authorizes the establishment of 

apportionments for pot gear. In 

December 2021, the Council 

recommended halibut PSC limits of 

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

shelf (DSR) rockfish fishery in the SEO 

District for both 2022 and 2023, 

consistent with § 679.21. 

The DSR fishery in the SEO District 

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

fishery is apportioned 9 mt of the 

halibut PSC limit in recognition of its 

small-scale harvests of groundfish 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(i)(A)). The separate 

halibut PSC limit for the DSR fishery is 

intended to prevent that fishery from 

being impacted from the halibut PSC 

incurred by other GOA fisheries. NMFS 

estimates low halibut bycatch in the 

DSR fishery because (1) the duration of 

the DSR fishery and the gear soak times 

are short, (2) the DSR fishery occurs in 

the winter when there is less overlap in 

the distribution of DSR and halibut, and 

(3) the directed commercial DSR fishery 

has a low DSR TAC. The Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game sets the 

commercial GHL for the DSR fishery 

after deducting estimates of DSR 

incidental catch in all fisheries 

(including halibut and subsistence) and 

allocation to the DSR sport fishery. In 

2021, the commercial fishery for DSR 

was closed due to concerns about 

declining DSR biomass. 

The FMP authorizes the Council to 

exempt specific gear from the halibut 

PSC limits. NMFS, after consultation 


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with the Council, exempts pot gear, the 

sablefish IFQ fixed gear fishery 

categories, and jig gear from the nontrawl halibut PSC limit for 2022 and 

2023. The Council recommended, and 

NMFS approves, these exemptions 

because: (1) The pot gear fisheries have 

low annual halibut bycatch mortality; 

(2) IFQ program regulations prohibit 

discard of halibut if any halibut IFQ 

permit holder on board a catcher vessel 

holds unused halibut IFQ for that vessel 

category and the IFQ regulatory area in 

which the vessel is operating 

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

fishermen hold halibut IFQ permits and 

are therefore required to retain the 

halibut they catch while fishing 

sablefish IFQ; and (4) NMFS estimates 

negligible halibut mortality for the jig 

gear fisheries given the small amount of 

groundfish harvested by jig gear, the 

selective nature of jig gear, and the high 

survival rates of halibut caught and 

released with jig gear. 

The best available information on 

estimated halibut bycatch consists of 

data collected by fisheries observers 

during 2021. The calculated halibut 

bycatch mortality through December 31, 

2021, is 360 mt for trawl gear and 68 mt 

for hook-and-line gear for a total halibut 

mortality of 428 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) 

authorize NMFS to seasonally apportion 

the halibut PSC limits after consultation 

with the Council. The FMP and 

regulations require that the Council and 

NMFS consider the following 

information in seasonally apportioning 

halibut PSC limits: (1) Seasonal 

distribution of halibut; (2) seasonal 

distribution of target groundfish species 

relative to halibut distribution; (3) 

expected halibut bycatch needs on a 

seasonal basis relative to changes in 

halibut biomass and expected catch of 

target groundfish species; (4) expected 

bycatch rates on a seasonal basis; (5) 

expected changes in directed groundfish 

fishing seasons; (6) expected actual start 

of fishing effort; and (7) economic 

effects of establishing seasonal halibut 

allocations on segments of the target 

groundfish industry. The Council 

considered information from the 2021 

SAFE report, NMFS catch data, State of 

Alaska catch data, International Pacific 

Halibut Commission (IPHC) stock 

assessment and mortality data, and 

public testimony when apportioning the 

halibut PSC limits. NMFS concurs with 

the Council’s recommendations listed in 

Table 14, which shows the final 2022 

and 2023 Pacific halibut PSC limits, 

allowances, and apportionments. 

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

specify that any unused amounts, or 

overages, of a seasonal apportionment of 

a halibut PSC limit will be added to or 

deducted from the next respective 

seasonal apportionment within the 

fishing year. 

TABLE 14—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) LIMITS, ALLOWANCES, AND

APPORTIONMENTS

[Values are in metric tons] 

Trawl gear Hook-and-line gear 1

Season Percent Amount 

Other than DSR DSR 

Season Percent Amount Season Amount 

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

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

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

31.

12 31 

August 1–October 1 ......... 7.5 128 

October 1–December 31 .. 15.0 256 

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

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

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

for all groundfish fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 

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

further apportionment of the trawl 

halibut PSC limit to trawl fishery 

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

The annual apportionments are based 

on each category’s proportional share of 

the anticipated halibut bycatch 

mortality during the fishing year and 

optimization of the total amount of 

groundfish harvest under the halibut 

PSC limit. The fishery categories for the 

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

sablefish, rockfish, deep-water flatfish, 

rex sole, and arrowtooth flounder; and 

(2) a shallow-water species fishery, 

composed of pollock, Pacific cod, 

shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole, 

Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ 

(sharks and octopuses) 

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

incurred while directed fishing for 

skates with trawl gear accrues towards 

the shallow-water species fishery 

halibut PSC limit (69 FR 26320, May 12, 

2004). 

NMFS will combine available trawl 

halibut PSC limit apportionments 

during a portion of the second season 

deep-water and shallow-water species 

fisheries for use in either fishery from 

May 15 through June 30 

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

to maintain groundfish harvest while 

minimizing halibut bycatch by these 

sectors to the extent practicable. This 

provides the deep-water and shallowwater species trawl fisheries additional 

flexibility and the incentive to 

participate in fisheries at times of the 

year that may have lower halibut PSC 

rates relative to other times of the year. 

Table 15 lists the final 2022 and 2023 

apportionments of trawl halibut PSC 

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

categories. 

Table 28d to 50 CFR part 679 specifies 

the amount of the trawl halibut PSC 

limit that is assigned to the CV and CP 

sectors that are participating in the 

Rockfish Program. This includes 117 mt 

of halibut PSC limit to the CV sector and 

74 mt of halibut PSC limit to the CP 

sector. These amounts are allocated 

from the trawl deep-water species 

fishery’s halibut PSC third seasonal 


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apportionment. After the combined CV 

and CP halibut PSC limit allocation of 

191 mt to the Rockfish Program, 150 mt 

remains for the trawl deep-water species 

fishery’s halibut PSC third seasonal 

apportionment. 

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

amount of the halibut PSC limit 

allocated to Rockfish Program 

participants that could be reapportioned to the general GOA trawl 

fisheries during the current fishing year 

to no more than 55 percent of the 

unused annual halibut PSC limit 

apportioned to Rockfish Program 

participants. The remainder of the 

unused Rockfish Program halibut PSC 

limit is unavailable for use by any 

person for the remainder of the fishing 

year (§ 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C)). 

TABLE 15—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 APPORTIONMENT OF PACIFIC HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH LIMITS BETWEEN

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

[Values are in metric tons] 

Season Shallow-water Deep-water 1 Total 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

December 31). 

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

the ‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ 

halibut PSC limit apportionment to 

vessels using hook-and-line gear must 

be apportioned between CVs and CPs in 

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

conjunction with these harvest 

specifications. A comprehensive 

description and example of the 

calculations necessary to apportion the 

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

PSC limit between the hook-and-line CV 

and CP sectors were included in the 

proposed rule to implement 

Amendment 83 to the FMP (76 FR 

44700, July 26, 2011) and are not 

repeated here. 

Pursuant to § 679.21(d)(2)(iii), the 

hook-and-line halibut PSC limit for the 

‘‘other hook-and-line fishery’’ is 

apportioned between the CV and CP 

sectors in proportion to the total 

Western and Central GOA Pacific cod 

allocations, which vary annually based 

on the proportion of the Pacific cod 

biomass between the Western, Central, 

and Eastern GOA. Pacific cod is 

apportioned among these three 

management areas based on the 

percentage of overall biomass per area, 

as calculated in the 2021 Pacific cod 

stock assessment. Updated information 

in the final 2021 SAFE report describes 

this distributional calculation, which 

allocates ABC among GOA regulatory 

areas on the basis of the three most 

recent stock surveys. For 2022 and 2023, 

the distribution of the total GOA Pacific 

cod ABC is 29 percent to the Western 

GOA, 61 percent to the Central GOA, 

and 10 percent to the Eastern GOA. 

Therefore, the calculations made in 

accordance with § 679.21(d)(2)(iii) 

incorporate the most recent information 

on GOA Pacific cod distribution and 

allocations with respect to establishing 

the annual halibut PSC limits for the CV 

and CP hook-and-line sectors. 

Additionally, the annual halibut PSC 

limits for both the CV and CP sectors of 

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

divided into three seasonal 

apportionments, using seasonal 

percentages of 86 percent, 2 percent, 

and 12 percent. 

For 2022 and 2023, NMFS apportions 

halibut PSC limits of 150 mt and 107 mt 

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

lists the final 2022 and 2023 

apportionments of halibut PSC limits 

between the hook-and-line CV and the 

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

hook-and-line fishery.’’ 

No later than November 1 of each 

year, NMFS will calculate the projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit by 

either of the CV or CP hook-and-line 

sectors that comprise the two sectors of 

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

remainder of the year. The projected 

unused amount of halibut PSC limit is 

made available to the other sector for 

the remainder of that fishing year 

(§ 679.21(d)(2)(iii)(C)), if NMFS 

determines that an additional amount of 

halibut PSC is necessary for that sector 

to continue its directed fishing 

operations. 

TABLE 16—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERY’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS

[Values are in metric tons] 

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

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

257 ......................................... Catcher Vessel ..................... 150 January 1–June 10 ............... 86 129 

June 10–September 1 .......... 2 3 

September 1–December 31 12 18 


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TABLE 16—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 APPORTIONMENTS OF THE ‘‘OTHER HOOK-AND-LINE FISHERY’’ ANNUAL HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCE BETWEEN THE HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR CATCHER VESSEL AND CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTORS—Continued 

[Values are in metric tons] 

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

amount Season Seasonal percentage 

Sector 

seasonal 

amount 

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

June 10–September 1 .......... 2 2 

September 1–December 31 12 13 

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock 

Condition 

The IPHC annually assesses the 

abundance and potential yield of the 

Pacific halibut stock using all available 

data from the commercial and sport 

fisheries, other removals, and scientific 

surveys. Additional information on the 

Pacific halibut stock assessment may be 

found in the IPHC’s 2021 Pacific halibut 

stock assessment (December 2021), 

available on the IPHC website at 

www.iphc.int. The IPHC considered the 

2021 Pacific halibut stock assessment at 

its January 2022 annual meeting when 

it set the 2022 commercial halibut 

fishery catch limits. 

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates 

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality 

allowances and apportionments, the 

Regional Administrator uses observed 

halibut incidental catch rates, halibut 

discard mortality rates (DMRs), and 

estimates of groundfish catch to project 

when a fishery’s halibut bycatch 

mortality allowance or seasonal 

apportionment is reached. Halibut 

incidental catch rates are based on 

observers’ estimates of halibut 

incidental catch in the groundfish 

fishery. DMRs are estimates of the 

proportion of incidentally caught 

halibut that do not survive after being 

returned to the sea. The cumulative 

halibut mortality that accrues to a 

particular halibut PSC limit is the 

product of a DMR multiplied by the 

estimated halibut PSC. DMRs are 

estimated using the best scientific 

information available in conjunction 

with the annual GOA stock assessment 

process. The DMR methodology and 

findings are included as an appendix to 

the annual GOA groundfish SAFE 

report. 

In 2016, the DMR estimation 

methodology underwent revisions per 

the Council’s directive. An interagency 

halibut working group (IPHC, Council, 

and NMFS staff) developed improved 

estimation methods that have 

undergone review by the GOA Plan 

Team, SSC, and the Council. A 

summary of the revised methodology is 

contained in the GOA proposed 2017 

and 2018 harvest specifications (81 FR 

87881, December 6, 2016), and the 

comprehensive discussion of the 

working group’s statistical methodology 

is available from the Council (see 

ADDRESSES). The DMR working group’s 

revised methodology is intended to 

improve estimation accuracy, 

transparency, and transferability in the 

methodology used for calculating DMRs. 

The working group will continue to 

consider improvements to the 

methodology used to calculate halibut 

mortality, including potential changes 

to the reference period (the period of 

data used for calculating the DMRs). 

Future DMRs may change based on 

additional years of observer sampling, 

which could provide more recent and 

accurate data and which could improve 

the accuracy of estimation and progress 

on methodology. The new methodology 

will continue to ensure that NMFS is 

using DMRs that more accurately reflect 

halibut mortality, which will inform the 

different sectors of their estimated 

halibut mortality and allow specific 

sectors to respond with methods that 

could reduce mortality and, eventually, 

the DMR for that sector. 

At the December 2021 meeting, the 

SSC, AP, and the Council concurred 

with the revised DMR estimation 

methodology, and NMFS adopts for 

2022 and 2023 the DMRs calculated 

under the revised methodology, which 

uses an updated 2-year reference period. 

The final 2022 and 2023 DMRs in this 

rule are unchanged from the DMRs in 

the proposed 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications (86 FR 68982, December 

6, 2021). Table 17 lists these final 2022 

and 2023 DMRs. 

TABLE 17—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR VESSELS FISHING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

[Values are percent of halibut assumed to be dead] 

Gear Sector Groundfish fishery 

Halibut discard 

mortality rate 

(percent) 

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

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

Non-pelagic trawl ................... Catcher vessel ....................................................................... Rockfish Program .................. 66 

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

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

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

Catcher vessel ....................................................................... All ........................................... 12 

Pot ......................................... Catcher vessel and catcher/processor .................................. All ........................................... 29 

Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species 

Catch Limits 

Amendment 93 to the FMP (77 FR 

42629, July 20, 2012) established 

separate Chinook salmon PSC limits in 

the Western and Central GOA in the 

directed pollock trawl fishery. These 

limits require that NMFS close the 

pollock directed fishery in the Western 

and Central Regulatory Areas of the 

GOA if the applicable Chinook salmon 

PSC limit in that regulatory area is 


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reached (§ 679.21(h)(8)). The annual 

Chinook salmon PSC limits in the 

pollock directed fishery of 6,684 salmon 

in the Western GOA and 18,316 salmon 

in the Central GOA are set at 

§ 679.21(h)(2)(i) and (ii). 

Amendment 97 to the FMP (79 FR 

71350, December 2, 2014) established an 

initial annual PSC limit of 7,500 

Chinook salmon for the trawl nonpollock groundfish fisheries in the 

Western and Central GOA. This limit is 

apportioned among the three sectors 

that conduct directed fishing for 

groundfish species other than pollock: 

3,600 Chinook salmon to trawl CPs; 

1,200 Chinook salmon to trawl CVs 

participating in the Rockfish Program; 

and 2,700 Chinook salmon to trawl CVs 

not participating in the Rockfish 

Program (§ 679.21(h)(4)). NMFS will 

monitor the Chinook salmon PSC in the 

trawl non-pollock groundfish fisheries 

and close an applicable sector if it 

reaches its Chinook salmon PSC limit. 

The Chinook salmon PSC limit for 

two sectors, trawl CPs and trawl CVs not 

participating in the Rockfish Program, 

may be increased in subsequent years 

based on the performance of these two 

sectors and their ability to minimize 

their use of their respective Chinook 

salmon PSC limits. If either or both of 

these two sectors limits its use of 

Chinook salmon PSC to a specified 

threshold amount in 2021 (3,120 for 

trawl CPs and 2,340 for Non-Rockfish 

Program trawl CVs), that sector will 

receive an incremental increase to its 

2022 Chinook salmon PSC limit 

(§ 679.21(h)(4)). In 2021, the trawl CP 

sector did not exceed 3,120 Chinook 

salmon PSC; therefore, the 2022 trawl 

CP sector Chinook salmon PSC limit 

will be 4,080 Chinook salmon. In 2021, 

the Non-Rockfish Program trawl CV 

sector exceeded 2,340 Chinook salmon 

PSC; therefore, the 2022 Non-Rockfish 

Program trawl CV sector Chinook 

salmon PSC limit will be 2,700 Chinook 

salmon. 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) Catcher/ 

Processor and Catcher Vessel 

Groundfish Harvest Limits 

Section 679.64 establishes groundfish 

harvesting and processing sideboard 

limitations on AFA CPs and CVs in the 

GOA. These sideboard limits are 

necessary to protect the interests of 

fishermen and processors who do not 

directly benefit from the AFA as 

compared to those fishermen and 

processors who receive exclusive 

harvesting and processing privileges 

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

prohibits listed AFA CPs and CPs 

designated on a listed AFA CP permit 

from harvesting any species of 

groundfish in the GOA. Additionally, 

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

CPs and CPs designated on a listed AFA 

CP permit from processing any pollock 

harvested in a directed pollock fishery 

in the GOA and any groundfish 

harvested in Statistical Area 630 of the 

GOA. 

AFA CVs that are less than 125 feet 

(38.1 meters) length overall, have 

annual landings of pollock in the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) less 

than 5,100 mt, and have made at least 

40 GOA groundfish landings from 1995 

through 1997 are exempt from GOA CV 

groundfish sideboard limits under 

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

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on their traditional harvest levels 

of TAC in groundfish fisheries covered 

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

establishes the CV groundfish sideboard 

limitations in the GOA based on the 

aggregate retained catch of non-exempt 

AFA CVs of each sideboard species or 

species group from 1995 through 1997 

divided by the sum of the TACs for that 

species or species group available to 

CVs over the same period. NMFS 

published a final rule (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019) that implemented 

regulations to prohibit non-exempt AFA 

CVs from directed fishing for specific 

groundfish species or species groups 

subject to sideboard limits 

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

CFR part 679). Sideboard limits not 

subject to the final rule (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019) continue to be 

calculated and included in the GOA 

annual harvest specifications. 

Tables 18 and 19 list the final 2022 

and 2023 groundfish sideboard limits 

for non-exempt AFA CVs. NMFS will 

deduct all targeted or incidental catch of 

sideboard species made by non-exempt 

AFA CVs from the sideboard limits 

listed in Tables 18 and 19. 

TABLE 18—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD

LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 

1995–1997 

non-exempt 

AFA CV catch 

to 1995–1997 

TAC 

Final 2022 

TACs 3

Final 2022 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ....................... A Season—January 20–May 31 .................. Shumagin (610) ........ 0.6047 1,132 685 

Chirikof (620) ............ 0.1167 52,304 6,104 

Kodiak (630) ............. 0.2028 8,080 1,639 

B Season—September 1–November 1 ........ Shumagin (610) ........ 0.6047 22,582 13,655 

Chirikof (620) ............ 0.1167 16,946 1,978 

Kodiak (630) ............. 0.2028 21,988 4,459 

Annual .......................................................... WYK (640) ................ 0.3495 6,722 2,349 

SEO (650) ................. 0.3495 11,363 3,971 

Pacific cod ................. A Season 1—January 1–June 10 ................. W ............................... 0.1331 4,433 590 

C ............................... 0.0692 9,498 657 

B Season 2—September 1–December 31 ... W ............................... 0.1331 2,526 336 

C ............................... 0.0692 5,316 368 

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

C ............................... 0.0587 25,305 1,485 

Flatfish, deep-water ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0647 2,139 138 

E ................................ 0.0128 3,513 45 

Rex sole .................... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0384 12,076 464 

Arrowtooth flounder ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0280 68,394 1,915 

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

Pacific ocean perch ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0748 30,806 2,304 


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TABLE 18—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD

LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 

1995–1997 

non-exempt 

AFA CV catch 

to 1995–1997 

TAC 

Final 2022 

TACs 3

Final 2022 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

E ................................ 0.0466 4,860 226 

Northern rockfish ....... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0277 3,202 89 

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

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

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

TABLE 19—FINAL 2023 GOA NON-EXEMPT AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL (CV) GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD

LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments by season Area 

Ratio of 

1995–1997 

non-exempt 

AFA CV catch 

to 1995–1997 

TAC 

Final 2023 

TACs 3

Final 2023 

non-exempt 

AFA CV 

sideboard limit 

Pollock ....................... A Season—January 20–May 31 .................. Shumagin (610) ........ 0.6047 1,122 679 

Chirikof (620) ............ 0.1167 51,845 6,050 

Kodiak (630) ............. 0.2028 8,009 1,624 

B Season—September 1–November 1 ........ Shumagin (610) ........ 0.6047 22,384 13,535 

Chirikof (620) ............ 0.1167 16,797 1,960 

Kodiak (630) ............. 0.2028 21,795 4,420 

Annual .......................................................... WYK (640) ................ 0.3495 6,663 2,329 

SEO (650) ................. 0.3495 11,363 3,971 

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

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

0.1331 

0.0692 

3,879 

8,311 

516 

575 

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

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

0.1331 

0.0692 

2,210 

4,651 

294 

322 

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

C ............................... 0.0587 26,743 1,570 

Flatfish, deep-water ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0647 2,105 136 

E ................................ 0.0128 3,457 44 

Rex sole .................... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0384 13,054 501 

Arrowtooth flounder ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0280 67,493 1,890 

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

Pacific ocean perch ... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0748 29,869 2,234 

E ................................ 0.0466 4,712 220 

Northern rockfish ....... Annual .......................................................... C ............................... 0.0277 3,061 85 

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

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

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

Non-Exempt AFA Catcher Vessel 

Halibut PSC Limits 

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

non-exempt AFA CVs in the GOA are 

based on the aggregate retained 

groundfish catch by non-exempt AFA 

CVs in each PSC target category from 

1995 through 1997 divided by the 

retained catch of all vessels in that 

fishery from 1995 through 1997 

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

final 2022 and 2023 non-exempt AFA 

CV halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

vessels using trawl gear in the GOA. 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) SIDEBOARD

LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV retained 

catch to total 

retained catch 

2022 and 

2023 Halibut 

PSC limit 

2022 and 2023 

non-exempt 

AFA CV Halibut 

PSC limit 

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

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


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11619 

TABLE 20—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 NON-EXEMPT AFA CV HALIBUT PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH (PSC) SIDEBOARD

LIMITS FOR VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN THE GOA—Continued 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Ratio of 1995– 

1997 non-exempt 

AFA CV retained 

catch to total 

retained catch 

2022 and 

2023 Halibut 

PSC limit 

2022 and 2023 

non-exempt 

AFA CV Halibut 

PSC limit 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total, all season and categories 1,706 328 

Non-AFA Crab Vessel Groundfish 

Harvest Limitations 

Section 680.22 establishes groundfish 

catch limits for vessels with a history of 

participation in the Bering Sea snow 

crab fishery to prevent these vessels 

from using the increased flexibility 

provided by the Crab Rationalization 

(CR) Program to expand their level of 

participation in the GOA groundfish 

fisheries. Sideboard limits restrict these 

vessels’ catch to their collective 

historical landings in each GOA 

groundfish fishery (except the fixed-gear 

sablefish fishery). Sideboard limits also 

apply to catch made using an LLP 

license derived from the history of a 

restricted vessel, even if that LLP 

license is used on another vessel. 

The basis for these sideboard limits is 

described in detail in the final rules 

implementing the major provisions of 

the CR Program, including Amendments 

18 and 19 to the Fishery Management 

Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 

King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) (70 

FR 10174, March 2, 2005), Amendment 

34 to the Crab FMP (76 FR 35772, June 

20, 2011), Amendment 83 to the GOA 

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

and Amendment 45 to the Crab FMP (80 

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

published a final rule (84 FR 2723, 

February 8, 2019) that implemented 

regulations to prohibit non-AFA crab 

vessels from directed fishing for all 

groundfish species or species groups 

subject to sideboard limits, except for 

Pacific cod apportioned to CVs using 

pot gear in the Western and Central 

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

Accordingly, the GOA annual harvest 

specifications will include the non-AFA 

crab vessel groundfish sideboard limits 

for only Pacific cod apportioned to CVs 

using pot gear in the Western and 

Central Regulatory Areas. 

Tables 21 and 22 list the final 2022 

and 2023 groundfish sideboard 

limitations for non-AFA crab vessels. 

All targeted or incidental catch of 

sideboard species made by non-AFA 

crab vessels or associated LLP licenses 

will be deducted from these sideboard 

limits. 

TABLE 21—FINAL 2022 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel catch 

to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2022 

TACs 

Final 2022 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pacific cod ................ A Season—January 1–June 10 ................. Western Pot CV ....... 0.0997 4,433 442 

Central Pot CV ......... 0.0474 9,498 450 

B Season—September 1–December 31 .... Western Pot CV ....... 0.0997 2,526 252 

Central Pot CV ......... 0.0474 5,316 252 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2023 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel catch 

to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2023 

TACs 

Final 2023 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Pacific cod ................ A Season—January 1–June 10 ................. Western Pot CV ....... 0.0997 3,879 387 

Central Pot CV ......... 0.0474 8,311 394 

B Season—September 1–December 31 .... Western Pot CV ....... 0.0997 2,210 220 


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11620 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 22—FINAL 2023 GOA NON-AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CRAB VESSEL GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Species Season Area/gear 

Ratio of 1996– 

2000 non-AFA 

crab vessel catch 

to 1996–2000 

total harvest 

Final 2023 

TACs 

Final 2023 

non-AFA crab 

vessel 

sideboard limit 

Central Pot CV ......... 0.0474 4,651 220 

Rockfish Program Groundfish Sideboard 

and Halibut PSC Limitations 

The Rockfish Program establishes 

three classes of sideboard provisions: 

CV groundfish sideboard restrictions, 

CP rockfish sideboard restrictions, and 

CP opt-out vessel sideboard restrictions 

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

intended to limit the ability of rockfish 

harvesters to expand into other GOA 

groundfish fisheries. 

CVs participating in the Rockfish 

Program may not participate in directed 

fishing for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean 

perch, and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

July 1 through July 31. Also, CVs may 

not participate in directed fishing for 

arrowtooth flounder, deep-water 

flatfish, and rex sole in the GOA from 

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

CPs participating in Rockfish Program 

cooperatives are restricted by rockfish 

and halibut PSC sideboard limits. These 

CPs are prohibited from directed fishing 

for dusky rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, 

and northern rockfish in the West 

Yakutat District and Western GOA from 

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

Holders of CP-designated LLP licenses 

that opt out of participating in a 

Rockfish Program cooperative will be 

able to access that portion of each 

rockfish sideboard limit that is not 

assigned to rockfish cooperatives 

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

each fishery in the West Yakutat District 

and the Western GOA is set forth in 

§ 679.82(e)(3) and (4). Tables 23 and 24 

list the final 2022 and 2023 Rockfish 

Program CP sideboard limits in the West 

Yakutat District and the Western GOA. 

Due to confidentiality requirements 

associated with fisheries data, the 

sideboard limits for the West Yakutat 

District are not displayed. 

TABLE 23—FINAL 2022 ROCKFISH PROGRAM SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE WESTERN GOA AND WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT

BY FISHERY FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery CP sector 

(percent of TAC) 

Final 2022 

TACs Final 2022 CP limit 

Western GOA .............................. Dusky rockfish ............................. 72.3 ............................................. 269 194 

Pacific ocean perch ..................... 50.6 ............................................. 2,602 1,317 

Northern rockfish ......................... 74.3 ............................................. 1,944 1,444 

West Yakutat District ................... Dusky rockfish ............................. Confidential 1 ............................... 427 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ..................... Confidential.1 ............................... 1,409 Confidential.1

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

TABLE 24—FINAL 2023 ROCKFISH PROGRAM SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE WESTERN GOA AND WEST YAKUTAT DISTRICT

BY FISHERY FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Area Fishery CP sector 

(percent of TAC) 

Final 2023 

TACs Final 2023 CP limit 

Western GOA .............................. Dusky rockfish ............................. 72.3 ............................................. 259 187. 

Pacific ocean perch ..................... 50.6 ............................................. 2,523 1,277. 

Northern rockfish ......................... 74.3 ............................................. 1,859 1,381. 

West Yakutat District ................... Dusky rockfish ............................. Confidential 1 ............................... 412 Confidential.1

Pacific ocean perch ..................... Confidential 1 ............................... 1,366 Confidential.1

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

Under the Rockfish Program, the CP 

sector is subject to halibut PSC 

sideboard limits for the trawl deepwater and shallow-water species 

fisheries from July 1 through July 31 

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

sideboard ratios by fishery are set forth 

in § 679.82(e)(5). No halibut PSC 

sideboard limits apply to the CV sector, 

as CVs participating in cooperatives 

receive a portion of the annual halibut 

PSC limit. CPs that opt out of the 

Rockfish Program are able to access that 

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

assigned to CP rockfish cooperatives. 

The sideboard provisions for CPs that 

elect to opt out of participating in a 

rockfish cooperative are described in 

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

are linked to the catch history of 

specific vessels that may choose to opt 

out. After March 1, NMFS will 

determine which CPs have opted-out of 

the Rockfish Program in 2022, and 

NMFS will know the ratios and amounts 

used to calculate opt-out sideboard 

ratios. NMFS will then calculate any 

applicable opt-out sideboards for 2022 

and post these limits on the Alaska 

Region website at https://www.fisheries.

noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/ 

alaska-fisheries-managementVerDate Sep<11>2014 16:19 Mar 01, 2022 Jkt 256001 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\02MRR1.SGM 02MRR1

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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11621 

reports#central-goa-rockfish. Table 25 

lists the final 2022 and 2023 Rockfish 

Program halibut PSC sideboard limits 

for the CP sector. 

TABLE 25—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 ROCKFISH PROGRAM HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE CATCHER/PROCESSOR

SECTOR

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Sector 

Shallow-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

Deep-water 

species fishery 

halibut PSC 

sideboard ratio 

(percent) 

2022 and 2023 

halibut mortality 

limit 

(mt) 

Annual shallowwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit (mt) 

Annual deepwater species 

fishery halibut 

PSC sideboard 

limit (mt) 

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

Amendment 80 Program Groundfish 

and PSC Sideboard Limits 

Amendment 80 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

Management Area (Amendment 80 

Program) established a limited access 

privilege program for the non-AFA trawl 

CP sector. The Amendment 80 Program 

established groundfish and halibut PSC 

catch limits for Amendment 80 Program 

participants to limit the ability of 

participants eligible for the Amendment 

80 Program to expand their harvest 

efforts in the GOA. 

Section 679.92 establishes groundfish 

harvesting sideboard limits on all 

Amendment 80 program vessels, other 

than the fishing vessel (F/V) Golden 

Fleece, to amounts no greater than the 

limits listed in Table 37 to 50 CFR part 

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

Fleece is prohibited from directed 

fishing for pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific 

ocean perch, dusky rockfish, and 

northern rockfish in the GOA. 

Groundfish sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels 

operating in the GOA are based on their 

average aggregate harvests from 1998 

through 2004 (72 FR 52668, September 

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

2022 and 2023 groundfish sideboard 

limits for Amendment 80 Program 

vessels. NMFS will deduct all targeted 

or incidental catch of sideboard species 

made by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels from the sideboard limits in 

Tables 26 and 27. 

TABLE 26—FINAL 2022 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments and allocations 

by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 80 

sector vessels 

1998–2004 

catch to TAC 

2022 TAC 

(mt) 

2022 

Amendment 80 

vessel 

sideboard 

limit (mt) 

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

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

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

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

1,132 

52,304 

8,080 

3 

105 

16 

B Season—September 1—November 1.Shumagin (610) ..............

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

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

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

22,582 

16,946 

21,988 

68 

34 

44 

Annual ....................................... WYK (640) ...................... 0.002 6,722 13 

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

10.

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

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

0.020 

0.044 

4,433 

9,498 

89 

418 

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

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

0.020 

0.044 

2,526 

5,316 

51 

234 

Annual ....................................... WYK ................................ 0.034 2,338 79 

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

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

0.994 

0.961 

2,602 

1,409 

2,586 

1,354 

Northern rockfish .............. Annual ....................................... W ..................................... 1.000 1,944 1,944 

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

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

0.764 

0.896 

269 

427 

206 

383 

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

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

TABLE 27—FINAL 2023 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 

2023 TAC 

(mt) 

2023 

Amendment 80 

vessel 

sideboard 

limit (mt) 

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

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

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

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

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

1,122 

51,845 

8,009 

3 

104 

16 


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11622 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 27—FINAL 2023 GOA GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Species Apportionments and allocations 

by season Area 

Ratio of 

Amendment 80 

sector vessels 

1998–2004 

catch to TAC 

2023 TAC 

(mt) 

2023 

Amendment 80 

vessel 

sideboard 

limit (mt) 

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

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

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

0.003 

0.002 

0.002 

22,384 

16,797 

21,795 

67 

34 

44 

Annual ....................................... WYK (640) ...................... 0.002 6,663 13 

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

10.

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

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

0.020 

0.044 

3,879 

8,311 

78 

366 

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

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

0.020 

0.044 

2,210 

4,651 

44 

205 

Annual ....................................... WYK ................................ 0.034 2,045 70 

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

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

0.994 

0.961 

2,523 

1,366 

2,508 

1,313 

Northern rockfish .............. Annual ....................................... W ..................................... 1.000 1,859 1,859 

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

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

0.764 

0.896 

259 

412 

198 

369 

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

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

The halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels in the 

GOA are based on the historic use of 

halibut PSC by Amendment 80 Program 

vessels in each PSC target category from 

1998 through 2004. These values are 

slightly lower than the average historic 

use to accommodate two factors: 

Allocation of halibut PSC cooperative 

quota under the Rockfish Program and 

the exemption of the F/V Golden Fleece 

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

Table 28 lists the final 2022 and 2023 

halibut PSC sideboard limits for 

Amendment 80 Program vessels. These 

tables incorporate the maximum 

percentages of the halibut PSC 

sideboard limits that may be used by 

Amendment 80 Program vessels as 

contained in Table 38 to 50 CFR part 

679. Any residual amount of a seasonal 

Amendment 80 halibut PSC sideboard 

limit may carry forward to the next 

season limit (§ 679.92(b)(2)). 

TABLE 28—FINAL 2022 AND 2023 HALIBUT PSC SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR AMENDMENT 80 PROGRAM VESSELS IN THE

GOA 

[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton] 

Season Season dates Target fishery 

Historic 

Amendment 

80 

use of the 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

catch (ratio) 

2022 and 

2023 

annual halibut 

PSC limit 

(mt) 

2022 and 

2023 

Amendment 

80 

vessel halibut 

PSC limit 

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

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

0.0048 

0.0115 

1,706 

1,706 

8 

20 

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

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

0.0189 

0.1072 

1,706 

1,706 

32 

183 

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

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

0.0146 

0.0521 

1,706 

1,706 

25 

89 

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

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

0.0074 

0.0014 

1,706 

1,706 

13 

2 

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

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

0.0227 

0.0371 

1,706 

1,706 

39 

63 

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

Directed Fishing Closures 

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

Regional Administrator determines (1) 

that any allocation or apportionment of 

a target species or species group 

allocated or apportioned to a fishery 

will be reached; or (2) with respect to 

pollock and Pacific cod, that an 

allocation or apportionment to an 

inshore or offshore component or sector 

allocation will be reached, then the 

Regional Administrator may establish a 

directed fishing allowance (DFA) for 

that species or species group. If the 

Regional Administrator establishes a 

DFA and that allowance is or will be 

reached before the end of the fishing 

season or year, NMFS will prohibit 

directed fishing for that species or 

species group in the specified GOA 

subarea, regulatory area, or district 

(§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the TACs for the 

species listed in Table 29 are necessary 

to account for the incidental catch of 

these species in other anticipated 

groundfish fisheries for the 2022 and 

2023 fishing years. 


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TABLE 29—2022 AND 2023 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES IN THE GOA 

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

Target Area/component/gear Incidental catch amount and year 

(if amounts differ by year) 

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

Sablefish 2 .......................................................... all/trawl ............................................................. 3,194 (2022). 

3,117 (2023). 

Pacific cod ......................................................... Western, CP, trawl ...........................................

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

161 (2022), 141 (2023). 

616 (2022), 539 (2023). 

Shortraker rockfish 2 .......................................... all ...................................................................... 705. 

Rougheye/blackspotted rockfish 2 ..................... all ...................................................................... 788 (2022). 

781 (2023). 

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

Other rockfish .................................................... all ...................................................................... 1,610. 

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

Big skate ............................................................ all ...................................................................... 2,867. 

Longnose skate ................................................. all ...................................................................... 2,712. 

Other skates ...................................................... all ...................................................................... 984. 

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

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

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

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

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

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the DFA for 

the species or species groups listed in 

Table 29 as zero mt. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 

those species, areas, gear types, and 

components in the GOA listed in Table 

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

2, 2022, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., 

December 31, 2023. 

Closures implemented under the 2021 

and 2022 GOA harvest specifications for 

groundfish (86 FR 10184, February 19, 

2021) remain effective under authority 

of these final 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications and until the date 

specified in those closure notices. 

Closures are posted at the following 

website under the Alaska filter for 

Management Areas: https://

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

While these closures are in effect, the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

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

during a fishing trip. These closures to 

directed fishing are in addition to 

closures and prohibitions found at 50 

CFR part 679. NMFS may implement 

other closures during the 2022 and 2023 

fishing years as necessary for effective 

conservation and management. 

Comments and Responses 

NMFS did not receive any comments 

during the public comment period for 

the proposed groundfish harvest 

specifications. 

Classification 

NMFS has determined that the final 

harvest specifications are consistent 

with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act and other applicable 

laws. 

This final rule is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

NMFS prepared an EIS for the Alaska 

groundfish harvest specifications and 

alternative harvest strategies (see 

ADDRESSES) and made it available to the 

public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 

1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS 

issued the ROD for the EIS. In January 

2022, NMFS prepared a SIR for this 

action to provide a subsequent 

assessment of the action and to address 

the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS 

(SEIS; 40 CFR 1501.11(b); 

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

and annual SIRs for this action are 

available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). 

The Final EIS analyzes the 

environmental, social, and economic 

consequences of the groundfish harvest 

specifications and alternative harvest 

strategies on resources in the action 

area. Based on the analysis in the Final 

EIS, NMFS concluded that the preferred 

Alternative (Alternative 2) provides the 

best balance among relevant 

environmental, social, and economic 

considerations and allows for continued 

management of the groundfish fisheries 

based on the most recent, best scientific 

information. The preferred alternative is 

a harvest strategy in which TACs are set 

at a level within the range of ABCs 

recommended by the Council’s SSC; the 

sum of the TACs must achieve the OY 

specified in the FMP. While the specific 

numbers that the harvest strategy 

produces may vary from year to year, 

the methodology used for the preferred 

harvest strategy remains constant. 

The annual SIR evaluates the need to 

prepare a SEIS for the 2022 and 2023 

groundfish harvest specifications. An 

SEIS should be prepared if (1) the 

agency makes substantial changes in the 

proposed action that are relevant to 

environmental concerns, or (2) 

significant new circumstances or 

information exist relevant to 

environmental concerns and bearing on 

the proposed action or its impacts (40 

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

information contained in the SIR and 

SAFE report, the Regional 

Administrator has determined that (1) 

approval of the 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications, which were set according 

to the preferred harvest strategy in the 

EIS, does not constitute a substantial 

change in the action; and (2) there are 

no significant new circumstances or 

information relevant to environmental 

concerns and bearing on the action or its 

impacts. Additionally, the 2022 and 

2023 harvest specifications will result in 

environmental, social, and economic 

impacts within the scope of those 

analyzed and disclosed in the EIS. 

Therefore, an SEIS is not necessary to 

implement the 2022 and 2023 harvest 

specifications. 

Section 604 of the Regulatory 

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

requires that, when an agency 

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

553, after being required by that section, 

or any other law, to publish a general 

notice of proposed rulemaking, the 

agency shall prepare a final regulatory 

flexibility analysis (FRFA). The 


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following constitutes the FRFA 

prepared in the final action. 

Section 604 of the RFA describes the 

required contents of a FRFA: (1) A 

statement of the need for, and objectives 

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

significant issues raised by the public 

comments in response to the initial 

regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), a 

statement of the assessment of the 

agency of such issues, and a statement 

of any changes made in the proposed 

rule as a result of such comments; (3) 

the response of the agency to any 

comments filed by the Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration in response to the 

proposed rule, and a detailed statement 

of any change made to the proposed rule 

in the final rule as a result of the 

comments; (4) a description of and an 

estimate of the number of small entities 

to which the rule will apply or an 

explanation of why no such estimate is 

available; (5) a description of the 

projected reporting, recordkeeping, and 

other compliance requirements of the 

rule, including an estimate of the classes 

of small entities which will be subject 

to the requirement and the type of 

professional skills necessary for 

preparation of the report or record; and 

(6) a description of the steps the agency 

has taken to minimize the significant 

economic impact on small entities 

consistent with the stated objectives of 

applicable statutes, including a 

statement of the factual, policy, and 

legal reasons for selecting the alternative 

adopted in the final rule and why each 

one of the other significant alternatives 

to the rule considered by the agency that 

affect the impact on small entities was 

rejected. 

A description of this action, its 

purpose, and its legal basis are 

contained at the beginning of the 

preamble to this final rule and are not 

repeated here. 

NMFS published the proposed rule on 

December 6, 2021 (86 FR 68982). NMFS 

prepared an IRFA to accompany the 

proposed action, and included the IRFA 

in the proposed rule. The comment 

period closed on January 5, 2022. No 

comments were received on the IRFA or 

on the economic impacts of the rule 

more generally. The Chief Counsel for 

Advocacy of the Small Business 

Administration did not file any 

comments on the proposed rule. 

The entities directly regulated by this 

action are: (1) Entities operating vessels 

with groundfish Federal fishing permits 

(FFPs) catching FMP groundfish in 

Federal waters; (2) all entities operating 

vessels, regardless of whether they hold 

groundfish FFPs, catching FMP 

groundfish in the State-waters parallel 

fisheries; and (3) all entities operating 

vessels fishing for halibut inside 3 miles 

(5.6 km) of the shore (whether or not 

they have FFPs). 

For RFA purposes only, NMFS has 

established a small business size 

standard for businesses, including their 

affiliates, whose primary industry is 

commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). 

A business primarily engaged in 

commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) 

is classified as a small business if it is 

independently owned and operated, is 

not dominant in its field of operation 

(including its affiliates), and has 

combined annual gross receipts not in 

excess of $11 million for all its affiliated 

operations worldwide. 

Using the most recent data available 

(2020), the estimated number of directly 

regulated small entities includes 

approximately 699 individual catcher 

vessel and CP entities with gross 

revenues meeting small entity criteria. 

This estimate does not account for 

corporate affiliations among vessels, and 

for cooperative affiliations among 

fishing entities, since some of the 

fishing vessels operating in the GOA are 

members of AFA inshore pollock 

cooperatives, GOA rockfish 

cooperatives, or BSAI CR Program 

cooperatives. Vessels that participate in 

these cooperatives are considered to be 

large entities within the meaning of the 

RFA because the aggregate gross receipts 

of all participating members exceed the 

$11 million threshold. After accounting 

for membership in these cooperatives, 

there are an estimated 696 small CV 

entities and 3 small CP entities 

remaining in the GOA groundfish 

sector. However, the estimate of these 

696 CVs may be an overstatement of the 

number of small entities. This latter 

group of vessels had average gross 

revenues that varied by gear type. 

Average gross revenues for hook-andline CVs, pot gear CVs, and trawl gear 

CVs, are estimated to be $340,000, 

$650,000, and $1.71 million, 

respectively. Average gross revenues for 

CP entities are confidential. 

This final rule contains no 

information collection requirements 

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. 

This action implements the final 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and halibut PSC limits 

for the groundfish fishery of the GOA. 

This action is necessary to establish 

harvest limits for groundfish during the 

2022 and 2023 fishing years and is taken 

in accordance with the FMP prepared 

by the Council pursuant to the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 

establishment of the final harvest 

specifications is governed by the 

Council’s harvest strategy for the catch 

of groundfish in the GOA. The harvest 

strategy was selected previously from 

among five alternatives, with the 

preferred alternative harvest strategy 

being one in which the TACs fall within 

the range of ABCs recommended by the 

SSC. Under this preferred alternative 

harvest strategy, TACs are set within the 

range of ABCs recommended by the 

SSC; the sum of the TACs must achieve 

the OY specified in the FMP; and while 

the specific TAC numbers that the 

harvest strategy produces may vary from 

year to year, the methodology used for 

the preferred harvest strategy remains 

constant. This final action implements 

the preferred alternative harvest strategy 

previously chosen by the Council to set 

TACs that fall within the range of ABCs 

recommended through the Council 

harvest specifications process and as 

recommended by the Council. This is 

the method for determining TACs that 

has been used in the past. 

The final 2022 and 2023 TACs 

associated with preferred harvest 

strategy are those recommended by the 

Council in December 2021. OFLs and 

ABCs for the species were based on 

recommendations prepared by the 

Council’s Plan Team, and reviewed by 

the Council’s SSC. The Council based 

its TAC recommendations on those of 

its AP, which were consistent with the 

SSC’s OFL and ABC recommendations. 

The sum of all TACs remains within the 

OY for the GOA consistent with 

§ 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B). 

The final 2022 and 2023 OFLs and 

ABCs are based on the best available 

biological information, including 

projected biomass trends, information 

on assumed distribution of stock 

biomass, and revised technical methods 

to calculate stock biomass. The final 

2022 and 2023 TACs are based on the 

best available biological and 

socioeconomic information. The final 

2022 and 2023 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs 

are consistent with the biological 

condition of groundfish stocks as 

described in the 2021 SAFE report, 

which is the most recent, completed 

SAFE report. Accounting for the most 

recent biological information to set the 

final OFLs, ABCs, and TACs is 

consistent with the objectives for this 

action, as well as National Standard 2 of 

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

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

on the best scientific information 

available. 

Under this action, the final ABCs 

reflect harvest amounts that are less 

than the specified overfishing levels. 

The final TACs are within the range of 

final ABCs recommended by the SSC 

and do not exceed the biological limits 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 11625 

recommended by the SSC (the ABCs 

and overfishing levels). For most species 

and species groups in the GOA, the 

Council recommended, and NMFS sets, 

final TACs equal to final ABCs, which 

is intended to maximize harvest 

opportunities in the GOA, unless other 

conservation or management reasons 

support setting TAC amounts less than 

the ABCs. 

For the following species and species 

groups, the Council recommended and 

NMFS sets TACs that are less than the 

ABCs: For pollock for the combined 

Western and Central GOA and West 

Yakutat District area; Pacific cod; 

shallow-water flatfish in the Western 

GOA; arrowtooth flounder in the 

Western GOA and the SEO District; 

flathead sole in the Western and Central 

GOA, Atka mackerel; and ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ in the SEO District. These 

specific reductions were reviewed and 

recommended by the Council’s AP, and 

the Council in turn adopted the AP’s 

recommendations for the final 2022 and 

2023 TACs. 

Moreover, increasing TACs for some 

species may not result in increased 

harvest opportunities for those species. 

This is due to a variety of reasons. There 

may be a lack of commercial or market 

interest in some species. Additionally, 

there are fixed, and therefore 

constraining, PSC limits associated with 

the harvest of the GOA groundfish 

species that can lead to an underharvest 

of flatfish TACs. For this reason, the 

shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth 

flounder, and flathead sole TACs are set 

to allow for increased harvest 

opportunities for these target species 

while conserving the halibut PSC limit 

for use in other fisheries. The Atka 

mackerel TAC is set to accommodate 

incidental catch amounts in other 

fisheries. The ‘‘other rockfish’’ TAC in 

the SEO District is set to reduce the 

amount of discards of the species in that 

complex. Finally, the TACs for two 

species (pollock and Pacific cod) cannot 

be set equal to ABC, as the TAC must 

be reduced to account for the State’s 

GHLs in these fisheries. The W/C/WYK 

Regulatory Area pollock TAC and the 

GOA Pacific cod TACs are therefore set 

to account for the State’s GHLs for the 

State water pollock and Pacific cod 

fisheries so that the ABCs are not 

exceeded. 

Based upon the best available 

scientific data, and in consideration of 

the Council’s objectives of this action, 

there are no significant alternatives to 

the final rule that have the potential to 

accomplish the stated objectives of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act and any other 

applicable statutes and that have the 

potential to minimize any significant 

adverse economic impact of the final 

rule on small entities. This action is 

economically beneficial to entities 

operating in the GOA, including small 

entities. The action specifies TACs for 

commercially-valuable species in the 

GOA and allows for the continued 

prosecution of the fishery, thereby 

creating the opportunity for fishery 

revenue. After public process, during 

which the Council solicited input from 

stakeholders, the Council concluded 

that these final harvest specifications 

would best accomplish the stated 

objectives articulated in the preamble 

for this final rule and in applicable 

statutes and would minimize to the 

extent practicable adverse economic 

impacts on the universe of directly 

regulated small entities. 

Adverse impacts on marine mammals, 

or endangered or threatened species, 

resulting from fishing activities 

conducted under this rule are discussed 

in the Final EIS and its accompanying 

annual SIRs (see ADDRESSES). 

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

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in the date of effectiveness 

for this rule because delaying this rule 

is contrary to the public interest. The 

Plan Team review of the 2021 SAFE 

report occurred in November 2021, and, 

based on the 2021 SAFE report, the 

Council considered and recommended 

the final harvest specifications in 

December 2021. Accordingly, NMFS’s 

review of the final 2022 and 2023 

harvest specifications could not begin 

until after the December 2021 Council 

meeting, and after the public had time 

to comment on the proposed action. 

Thus, some affected fisheries could 

close soon, as they are already close to 

reaching their TACs, and such closures 

would cause unnecessary economic 

harm to the fisheries in the cases where 

this final rule increases some of the 

groundfish TACs. 

For all fisheries not currently closed 

because the TACs established under the 

final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications (86 FR 10184, February 

19, 2021) have not yet been reached, it 

is possible that they would be closed 

prior to the expiration of a 30-day 

delayed effectiveness period, because 

those fisheries have nearly reached 

those previously set TACs. If 

implemented immediately, this final 

rule would allow these fisheries to 

continue fishing, because some of the 

new TACs implemented by this rule are 

higher than the TACs under which they 

are currently fishing. 

In addition, immediate effectiveness 

of this action is required to provide 

consistent management and 

conservation of fishery resources based 

on the best available scientific 

information. This is particularly 

pertinent for those species that have 

lower 2022 ABCs and TACs than those 

established in the 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications (86 FR 10184, 

February 19, 2021), including target 

species such as sablefish. If 

implemented immediately, this rule 

would ensure that NMFS can properly 

manage those fisheries for which this 

rule sets lower 2022 ABCs and TACs, 

which are based on the most recent 

biological information on the condition 

of stocks. The changes between the 

proposed 2022 ABCs and TACs are 

discussed earlier in the section titled 

‘‘Changes from the Proposed 2022 and 

2023 Harvest Specifications in the 

GOA.’’ 

Certain fisheries, such as those for 

pollock, are intensive, fast-paced 

fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those 

for sablefish, flatfish, rockfish, Atka 

mackerel, skates, sharks, and octopuses, 

are critical either as directed fisheries or 

as incidental catch in other fisheries. 

Thus, for those species that have higher 

2022 TACs under the final 2021 and 

2022 harvest specifications (86 FR 

10184, February 19, 2021) than the 

TACs established by this final rule, 

there is some risk of exceeding some of 

these TAC limits. U.S. fishing vessels 

have demonstrated the capacity to catch 

the TAC allocations in many of these 

fisheries. If the date of effectiveness of 

this rule were to be delayed 30 days and 

a TAC was reached during those 30 

days, NMFS would be required to close 

directed fishing or prohibit retention for 

the applicable species. Such closures 

and unnecessary discards would cause 

confusion to the industry and potential 

economic harm to fishermen, 

undermining the intent of this rule. 

Waiving the 30-day delay in the date of 

effectiveness allows NMFS to prevent 

this potential economic harm that could 

occur should the previously set 2022 

TACs (as set under the 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications) be reached 

during such a delay. In addition, 

determining which fisheries may close 

in advance is nearly impossible because 

these fisheries are affected by several 

factors, including fishing effort, 

weather, movement of fishery stocks 

and market price, which cannot be 

predicted. Furthermore, the closure of 

one fishery has a cascading effect on 

other fisheries; the closure would free 

up fishing vessels, allowing them to 

move from closed fisheries to open 

fisheries, thereby increasing the fishing 

capacity in those open fisheries, and 


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potentially causing them to close 

sooner. 

In fisheries subject to declining 

sideboard limits, a failure to implement 

the updated sideboard limits before the 

initial season’s end could deny the 

intended economic protection to the 

non-sideboarded sectors. Conversely, in 

fisheries with increasing sideboard 

limits, economic benefit could be 

denied to the sideboard-limited sectors. 

If the final harvest specifications are 

not effective by March 6, 2022, which is 

the start of the 2022 Pacific halibut 

season as specified by the IPHC, the 

fixed gear sablefish fishery will not 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. This would result in 

confusion for the industry and 

economic harm from unnecessary 

discard of sablefish that are caught 

along with Pacific halibut, as both fixed 

gear sablefish and Pacific halibut are 

managed under the same IFQ program. 

Immediate effectiveness of these final 

2022 and 2023 harvest specifications 

will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to 

begin concurrently with the Pacific 

halibut IFQ season. 

Finally, immediate effectiveness also 

provides the fishing industry the earliest 

possible opportunity to plan and 

conduct its fishing operations with 

respect to new information about TACs. 

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

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

waive the 30-day delay in the date of 

effectiveness. 

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 2022 and 2023 

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 2022 

and 2023 fishing years, and to 

accomplish the goals and objectives of 

the FMP. This action affects all 

fishermen who participate in the GOA 

fisheries. The specific OFL, ABC, TAC, 

and PSC amounts are provided in tables 

in this rule to assist the reader. These 

tables also are individually available 

online at https://www.fisheries.

noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/ 

alaska-groundfish-harvestspecifications. 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, 2022. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–03844 Filed 3–1–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 220223–0054] 

RIN 0648–XY119 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands; Final 2022 and 2023 

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 2022 

and 2023 harvest specifications, 

apportionments, and prohibited species 

catch allowances for the groundfish 

fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands management area (BSAI). This 

action is necessary to establish harvest 

limits for groundfish during the 

remainder of the 2022 and the start of 

the 2023 fishing years and to 

accomplish the goals and objectives of 

the Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Management Area 

(FMP). The 2022 harvest specifications 

supersede those previously set in the 

final 2021 and 2022 harvest 

specifications, and the 2023 harvest 

specifications will be superseded in 

early 2023 when the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications are 

published. The intended effect of this 

action is to conserve and manage the 

groundfish resources in the BSAI in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

DATES: Harvest specifications and 

closures are effective from 1200 hours, 

Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 2022, 

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

2023. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the 

Alaska Groundfish Harvest 

Specifications Final Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS), Record of 

Decision (ROD), and the annual 

Supplementary Information Reports 

(SIRs) to the Final EIS prepared for this 

action are available from https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska. 

The 2021 Stock Assessment and Fishery 

Evaluation (SAFE) report for the 

groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated 

November 2021, as well as the SAFE 

reports for previous years, are available 

from the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) at 1007 

West Third Ave., Suite 400, Anchorage, 

AK 99501, phone 907–271–2809, or 

from the Council’s website at https://

www.npfmc.org/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal 

regulations at 50 CFR part 679 

implement the FMP and govern the 

groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The 

Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS 

approved it, under the MagnusonStevens Act. General regulations 

governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 

50 CFR part 600. 

The FMP and its implementing 

regulations require NMFS, after 

consultation with the Council, to 

specify annually the total allowable 

catch (TAC) for each target species 

category. The sum of all TAC for all 

groundfish species in the BSAI must be 

within the optimum yield (OY) range of 

1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons 

(mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)(A)). This final 

rule specifies the sum of the TAC at 

1,871,000 mt for 2022 and 2.0 million 

mt for 2023. NMFS also must specify 

apportionments of TAC; prohibited 

species catch (PSC) allowances and 

prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves 

established by § 679.21; seasonal 

allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and 

Atka mackerel TAC; American Fisheries 

Act allocations; Amendment 80 

allocations; Community Development 

Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts 

established by § 679.20(b)(1)(ii); and 

acceptable biological catch (ABC) 

surpluses and reserves for CDQ groups 

and any Amendment 80 cooperatives for 

flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin 

sole. The final harvest specifications set 

forth in Tables 1 through 22 of this 

action satisfy these requirements. 

Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires 

that NMFS consider public comment on 

the proposed harvest specifications and, 

after consultation with the Council, 

publish final harvest specifications in 


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