Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 2018 and 2019 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

As Enacted ( Federal Register)

Cited authorities 11

Cited in

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2018)

Rules and Regulations

Pages 8768-8801

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-04124

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

Docket No. 170816769-8162-02

RIN 0648-XF633

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 2018 and 2019 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule; harvest specifications and closures.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2018 and 2019 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 2018 and 2019 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

DATES: Harvest specifications and closures are effective at 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 1, 2018, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), the Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) prepared for this action are available from http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2017 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the GOA, dated November 2017, is available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's website at http://www.npfmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the GOA groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the GOA under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The Council prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600, 679, and 680.

The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species, the sum of which must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 116,000 to 800,000 metric tons (mt) (50 CFR 679.20(a)(1)(i)(B)). Section 679.20(c)(1) further requires NMFS to 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 Sec. 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 Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii). The final harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 30 of this rule reflect the outcome of this process, as required at Sec. 679.20(c).

The proposed 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA and Pacific halibut PSC limits were published in the Federal Register on December 8, 2017 (82 FR 57924). Comments were invited and accepted through January 8, 2018. NMFS received two letters of comment on the proposed harvest specifications; the comments are summarized and responded to in the ``Response to Comments'' section of this rule. In December 2017, NMFS consulted with the Council regarding

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the 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications. After considering public testimony, as well as biological and socioeconomic data that were available at the Council's December 2017 meeting, NMFS is implementing the final 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications, as recommended by the Council. For 2018, the sum of the TAC amounts is 427,512 mt. For 2019, the sum of the TAC amounts is 376,417 mt.

Other Actions Potentially Affecting the 2018 and 2019 Harvest Specifications

Amendment 106: Reclassify Squid as an Ecosystem Species

In June 2017, the Council recommended for Secretarial review Amendment 106 to the FMP. Amendment 106 would reclassify squid in the FMP as an ``Ecosystem Component Species,'' which is a category of non-

target species that are not in need of conservation and management. Currently, NMFS annually sets an Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), and TAC for squid in the GOA groundfish harvest specifications. Under Amendment 106, OFL, ABC, and TAC specifications would no longer be required. Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 106 would prohibit directed fishing for squid, require recordkeeping and reporting to monitor and report catch of squid species annually, and establish a squid maximum retainable amount when directed fishing for groundfish species at 20 percent to discourage retention, while allowing flexibility to prosecute groundfish fisheries. Further details will be available on publication of the proposed rule for Amendment 106. If Amendment 106 and its implementing regulations are approved by the Secretary of Commerce, Amendment 106 and its implementing regulations are anticipated to be effective by 2019. Until Amendment 106 is effective, NMFS will continue to publish OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for squid in the GOA groundfish harvest specifications.

ABC and TAC Specifications

In December 2017, the Council, its Advisory Panel (AP), and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) reviewed the most recent biological and harvest information about the condition of groundfish stocks in the GOA. This information was compiled by the Council's GOA Groundfish Plan Team and was presented in the draft 2017 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2017 (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 an OFL and ABC for each species or species group. The 2017 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 2017 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 final 2017 SAFE report per the stock assessment schedule found in the 2017 SAFE report introduction. The SSC reviewed this information at the December 2017 Council meeting. Changes from the proposed to the final 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications are discussed below.

The final 2018 and 2019 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are based on the best available biological and socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised methods used to calculate stock biomass. The FMP specifies the formulas, or tiers, to be used to compute OFLs and ABCs. The formulas applicable to a particular stock or stock complex are determined by the level of reliable information available to fisheries scientists. This information is categorized into a successive series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts, with Tier 1 representing the highest level of information quality available and Tier 6 representing the lowest level of information quality available. The Plan Team used the FMP tier structure to calculate OFL and ABC amounts for each groundfish species. The SSC adopted the final 2018 and 2019 OFLs and ABCs recommended by the Plan Team for all groundfish species. The Council adopted the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations and the AP's TAC recommendations, with one exception for the arrowtooth flounder TAC, discussed below. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the sum of all TACs within the required OY range of 116,000 to 800,000 mt.

The Council recommended 2018 and 2019 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, flathead sole in the West Yakutat and SEO Districts, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, ``other rockfish'' in the Western and Central GOA and the West Yakutat District, big skate, longnose skate, other skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses in the GOA. The Council recommended TACs for 2018 and 2019 that are less than the ABCs for pollock in the Western and Central GOA and the West Yakutat District, Pacific cod, shallow-water flatfish in the Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole in the Western and Central GOA, ``other rockfish'' in the SEO District, and Atka mackerel. The combined Western, Central, and West Yakutat pollock TACs and the GOA Pacific cod TACs are set to accommodate the State of Alaska's (State's) guideline harvest levels (GHLs) for Pacific cod so that the ABCs are not exceeded. The shallow-water flatfish, arrowtooth flounder, and flathead sole TACs are set to allow for increased harvest opportunities for these target species while conserving the halibut PSC limit for use in other, more fully utilized fisheries. The ``other rockfish'' TAC in the SEO District is set to reduce the amount of discards of the species in that complex. The Atka mackerel TAC is set to accommodate incidental catch amounts in other fisheries.

As noted in the proposed 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications for the GOA, the 2018 and 2019 Pacific cod OFL, ABC, and TAC is significantly lower than the 2018 Pacific cod OFL, ABC, and TAC published in the final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications (82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). Based on the final 2017 Pacific cod stock assessment, the 2018 and 2019 Pacific cod OFL and ABC is much lower than previously estimated. The final 2018 Pacific cod ABC and TAC is 18,000 mt and 13,096 mt, respectively, and the final 2019 Pacific cod ABC and TAC is 17,000 mt and 12,368 mt, respectively. The TACs are the basis for numerous seasonal and sector apportionments of Pacific cod, and such apportionments are significantly decreased as well. The final seasonal and sector

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apportionments of Pacific cod TACs are provided in Tables 5 and 6 in this rule.

The final 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications approved by the Secretary are unchanged from those recommended by the Council and are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of the groundfish stocks as described in the final 2017 SAFE report. NMFS also finds that the Council's recommendations for OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the total TAC within the OY range. NMFS reviewed the Council's recommended TAC specifications and apportionments, and 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 2018 and 2019 OFLs, ABCs, TACs, and area apportionments of groundfish in the GOA. The sums of the 2018 and 2019 ABCs are 536,921 mt and 480,187 mt, respectively, which are lower than the 2017 ABC sum of 667,877 mt (82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). The 2018 harvest specifications set in this final action will supersede the 2018 harvest specifications previously set in the final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications (82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). The 2019 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2019 when the final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications are published. Pursuant to this final action, the 2018 harvest specifications therefore will apply for the remainder of the current year (2018), while the 2019 harvest specifications are projected only for the following year (2019) and will be superseded in early 2019 by the final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications. Because this final action (published in early 2018) will be superseded in early 2019 by the publication of the final 2019 and 2020 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' apportionment of groundfish species is based on the distribution of biomass among the regulatory areas over which NMFS manages the species. Additional regulations govern the apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, and sablefish. Additional detail on the apportionment of pollock, Pacific cod, and sablefish are described below.

The ABC for the pollock stock in the combined Western, Central, and West Yakutat Regulatory Areas (W/C/WYK) includes the amount for the GHL established by the State for the Prince William Sound (PWS) pollock fishery. The Plan Team, SSC, AP, and Council have recommended that the sum of all State and Federal water pollock removals from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. For 2018 and 2019, 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 2017 Plan Team meeting, State fisheries managers recommended setting the PWS GHL at 2.5 percent of the annual W/C/WYK pollock ABC. For 2018, this yields a PWS pollock GHL of 4,037 mt, a decrease of 1,057 mt from the 2017 PWS GHL of 5,094 mt. For 2019, the PWS pollock GHL is 2,664 mt, a decrease of 2,430 mt from the 2017 PWS pollock GHL of 5,094 mt. After the GHL reductions, the 2018 and 2019 pollock ABC for the combined W/C/WYK areas is 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 GHL, do not exceed the combined W/C/

WYK ABC.

Apportionments of pollock to the W/C/WYK management 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 Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B) to ensure that the area-

wide ACL and ABC are not exceeded.

NMFS establishes pollock TACs in the Western (Area 610) and Central (Areas 620 and 630) GOA 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 TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630. These apportionments are divided equally among each of the following four seasons: The A season (January 20 through March 10), the B season (March 10 through May 31), the C season (August 25 through October 1), and the D season (October 1 through November 1) (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), and 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(A) and (B)). Additional detail is provided in this rule; Tables 3 and 4 list these amounts.

The 2018 and 2019 Pacific cod TACs are set to accommodate the State's GHL 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 and Federal water Pacific cod removals from the GOA not exceed ABC recommendations. Accordingly, the Council set the 2018 and 2019 Pacific cod TACs in the Western, Central, and Eastern Regulatory Areas to account for State GHLs. Therefore, the 2018 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following amounts: (1) Western GOA, 2,425 mt; (2) Central GOA, 2,030 mt; and (3) Eastern GOA, 450 mt. The 2019 Pacific cod TACs are less than the ABCs by the following amounts: (1) Western GOA, 2,290 mt; (2) Central GOA, 1,917 mt; and (3) Eastern GOA, 425 mt. These amounts reflect the State's 2018 and 2019 GHLs in these areas, which are 30 percent of the Western GOA ABC and 25 percent of the Eastern and Central GOA ABCs.

NMFS establishes seasonal apportionments of the annual Pacific cod TAC in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas. Sixty percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the A season for hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear from January 1 through June 10, and for trawl gear from January 20 through June 10. Forty percent of the annual TAC is apportioned to the B season for 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 (Sec. Sec. 679.23(d)(3) and 679.20(a)(12)). The Western and Central GOA Pacific cod TACs are allocated among various gear and operational sectors. The Pacific cod sector apportionments are discussed in detail in a subsequent section 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 (Sec. 679.7(b)(1)) and makes available five percent of the combined Eastern Regulatory Area TACs to vessels using trawl gear for use as incidental catch in other groundfish fisheries in the WYK District (Sec. 679.20(a)(4)(i)). Tables 7 and 8 list the final 2018 and 2019 allocations of sablefish TAC to fixed gear and trawl gear in the GOA.

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Changes From the Proposed 2018 and 2019 Harvest Specifications in the GOA

In October 2017, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications (82 FR 57924, December 8, 2017) were based largely on information contained in the final 2016 SAFE report for the GOA groundfish fisheries, dated November 2016. The final 2016 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 2018 groundfish fisheries (82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017) be used for the proposed 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications (82 FR 57924, December 8, 2017), pending completion and review of the final 2017 SAFE report at its December 2017 meeting.

As described previously, the SSC adopted the final 2018 and 2019 OFLs and ABCs recommended by the Plan Team. The Council adopted the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations and the AP's TAC recommendations for 2018 and 2019, with one exception for the Central GOA arrowtooth flounder TAC. The AP recommended 2018 and 2019 arrowtooth flounder TACs of 73,480 mt and 70,700 mt, respectively. The Council revised this TAC recommendation to 48,000 mt for both 2018 and 2019. The Council's rationale included a concern that a higher arrowtooth flounder TAC would result in bycatch concerns, and that lower arrowtooth flounder TACs than those recommended by the AP are appropriate because catch rarely, if ever, approach the proposed ABCs or TACs. Also, the Council set this TAC to allow for increased harvest opportunities while conserving the halibut PSC limit for use in other, more fully utilized fisheries.

The final 2018 ABCs are higher than the proposed 2018 ABCs published in the proposed 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications (82 FR 57924, December 8, 2017) for pollock, sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dusky rockfish, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, and longnose skate. The final 2018 ABCs are lower than the proposed 2018 ABCs for Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, shortraker rockfish, other rockfish, big skate, other skates, sculpins, squids, and octopuses.

The final 2019 ABCs are higher than the proposed ABCs for sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, deep-water flatfish, rex sole, flathead sole, Pacific ocean perch, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, thornyhead rockfish, and longnose skate. The final 2019 ABCs are lower than the proposed 2019 ABCs for pollock, Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, dusky rockfish, other rockfish, big skates, other skates, sculpins, squids, and octopuses. For the remaining target species (Atka mackerel and sharks), the Council recommended the final 2018 and 2019 ABCs that are the same as the proposed 2018 and 2019 ABCs.

Additional information explaining the changes between the proposed and final ABCs is included in the final 2017 SAFE report, which was not available when the Council made its proposed ABC and TAC recommendations in October 2017. At that time, the most recent stock assessment information was contained in the final 2016 SAFE report. The final 2017 SAFE report contains the best and most recent scientific information on the condition of the groundfish stocks, as previously discussed in this preamble, and is available for review (see ADDRESSES). The Council considered the final 2017 SAFE report in December 2017 when it made recommendations for the final 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications. In the GOA, the total final 2018 TAC amount is 427,512 mt, a decrease of 8 percent from the total proposed 2018 TAC amount of 465,832 mt. The total final 2019 TAC amount is 376,417 mt, a decrease of 19 percent from the total proposed 2019 TAC amount of 465,832 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. The biennial GOA trawl survey was conducted in 2017. Thus, changes to biomass and ABC estimates are based on survey biomass information, as well as fishery catch updates to species' assessment models. Some species, such as pollock and sablefish, have additional surveys conducted on an annual basis, which result in additional data being available for the assessments for these stocks.

The changes from the proposed 2018 TACs to the final 2018 TACs are within a range of plus 83 percent or minus 80 percent, and the changes from the proposed 2019 TACs to the final 2019 TACs are within a range of plus 73 percent or minus 80 percent. Based on changes in the estimates of overall biomass made by stock assessment scientists for 2018 and 2019, as compared to the estimates previously made for 2017 and 2018, the species or species group with the greatest TAC percentage increases are sablefish, shallow-water flatfish, rex sole, Pacific ocean perch, rougheye and blackspotted rockfish, demersal shelf rockfish, and longnose skates. Based on changes in the estimates of biomass, the species or species group with the greatest decreases in TACs are Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder, shortraker rockfish, big skate, other skates, and octopuses. For all other species and species groups, changes from the proposed 2018 TACs to the final 2018 TACs and changes from the proposed 2019 TACs to the final 2019 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 2017 SAFE report. The final TACs are based on the best scientific information available. These TACs are specified in compliance with the harvest strategy described in the proposed and final rules for the 2018 and 2019 harvest specifications. The changes in TACs between the proposed rule and this final rule are compared in Table 1a.

Table 1a--Comparison of Proposed and Final 2018 and 2019 GOA Total Allowable Catch Limits

Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentage

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2018 Final 2019 Final

Species 2018 and 2019 2018 Final TAC minus 2018 Percentage 2019 Final TAC minus 2019 Percentage

Proposed TAC proposed TAC difference proposed TAC difference

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Pollock................................. 163,479 166,228 2,749 2 112,678 -50,801 -31

Pacific cod............................. 40,069 13,096 -26,973 -67 12,368 -27,701 -69

Sablefish............................... 10,207 11,505 1,298 13 16,194 5,987 59

Shallow-water flatfish.................. 36,979 42,732 5,753 16 43,128 6,149 17

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Deep-water flatfish..................... 9,382 9,385 3 0 9,499 117 1

Rex sole................................ 8,421 15,373 6,952 83 14,529 6,108 73

Arrowtooth flounder..................... 103,300 76,300 -27,000 -26 76,300 -27,000 -26

Flathead sole........................... 27,920 26,388 -1,532 -5 26,487 -1,433 -5

Pacific ocean perch..................... 23,454 29,236 5,782 25 28,605 5,151 22

Northern rockfish....................... 3,508 3,681 173 5 3,347 -161 -5

Shortraker rockfish..................... 1,286 863 -423 -33 864 -422 -33

Dusky rockfish.......................... 3,954 3,957 3 0 3,668 -286 -7

Rougheye rockfish....................... 1,318 1,444 126 10 1,427 109 8

Demersal shelf rockfish................. 227 250 23 10 250 23 10

Thornyhead rockfish..................... 1,961 2,038 77 4 2,038 77 4

Other rockfish.......................... 2,308 2,305 -3 0 2,305 -3 0

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

Big skate............................... 3,814 2,848 -966 -25 2,848 -966 -25

Longnose skate.......................... 3,206 3,572 366 11 3,572 366 11

Other skates............................ 1,919 1,384 -535 -28 1,384 -535 -28

Sculpins................................ 5,591 5,301 -290 -5 5,301 -290 -5

Sharks.................................. 4,514 4,514 0 0 4,514 0 0

Squids.................................. 1,137 1,137 0 0 1,137 0 0

Octopuses............................... 4,878 975 -3,903 -80 975 -3,903 -80

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Total............................... 465,832 427,512 -38,320 -8 376,418 -89,414 -19

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The final 2018 and 2019 TAC recommendations for the GOA are within the OY range established for the GOA and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group. Tables 1 and 2 list the final OFL, ABC, and TAC amounts for GOA groundfish for 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Table 1--Final 2018 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat, Western, Central,

Eastern Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat, Southeast Outside, and Gulfwide Districts of the Gulf of

Alaska

Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton

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Species Area \1\ OFL ABC TAC

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Pollock \2\.............................. Shumagin (610).................. n/a 30,188 30,

188

Chirikof (620).................. n/a 79,495 79,

495

Kodiak (630).................... n/a 40,939 40,

939

WYK (640)....................... n/a 6,833 6,8

W/C/WYK (subtotal) \2\.......... 187,059 161,492 157

,45

SEO (650)....................... 11,697 8,773 8,7

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Total........................ 198,756 170,265 166

,22

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Pacific cod \3\.......................... W............................... n/a 8,082 5,6

C............................... n/a 8,118 6,0

E............................... n/a 1,800 1,3

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Total........................ 23,565 18,000 13,

096

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Sablefish \4\............................ W............................... n/a 1,544 1,5

C............................... n/a 5,158 5,1

WYK............................. n/a 1,829 1,8

SEO............................. n/a 2,974 2,9

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal)...... n/a 4,803 4,8

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Total........................ 22,703 11,505 11,

505

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Shallow-water flatfish \5\............... W............................... n/a 25,206 13,

250

C............................... n/a 25,315 25,

315

WYK............................. n/a 2,242 2,2

SEO............................. n/a 1,925 1,9

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Total........................ 67,240 54,688 42,

732

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Deep-water flatfish \6\.................. W............................... n/a 413 413

C............................... n/a 3,400 3,4

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WYK............................. n/a 3,239 3,2

SEO............................. n/a 2,332 2,3

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Total........................ 11,294 9,385 9,3

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Rex sole................................. W............................... n/a 3,086 3,0

C............................... n/a 8,739 8,7

WYK............................. n/a 1,737 1,7

SEO............................. n/a 1,811 1,8

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Total........................ 18,706 15,373 15,

373

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Arrowtooth flounder...................... W............................... n/a 37,253 14,

500

C............................... n/a 73,480 48,

000

WYK............................. n/a 16,468 6,9

SEO............................. .............. 23,744 6,9

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Total........................ 180,697 150,945 76,

300

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Flathead sole............................ W............................... n/a 12,690 8,6

C............................... n/a 20,238 15,

400

WYK............................. n/a 1,932 1,9

SEO............................. n/a 406 406

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Total........................ 43,011 35,266 26,

388

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Pacific ocean perch \7\.................. W............................... n/a 3,312 3,3

C............................... n/a 20,112 20,

112

WYK............................. n/a 3,371 3,3

W/C/WYK subtotal................ 31,860 26,795 26,

795

SEO............................. 2,902 2,441 2,4

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Total........................ 34,762 29,236 29,

236

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Northern rockfish \8\.................... W............................... n/a 420 420

C............................... n/a 3,261 3,2

E............................... n/a 4 ...

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Total........................ 4,380 3,685 3,6

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Shortraker rockfish \9\.................. W............................... n/a 44 44

C............................... n/a 305 305

E............................... n/a 514 514

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Total........................ 1,151 863 863

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Dusky rockfish \10\...................... W............................... n/a 146 146

C............................... n/a 3,502 3,5

WYK............................. n/a 232 232

SEO............................. n/a 77 77

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Total........................ 4,841 3,957 3,9

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Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish \11\.. W............................... n/a 176 176

C............................... n/a 556 556

E............................... n/a 712 712

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Total........................ 1,735 1,444 1,4

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Demersal shelf rockfish \12\............. SEO............................. 394 250 250

Thornyhead rockfish...................... W............................... n/a 344 344

C............................... n/a 921 921

E............................... n/a 773 773

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Total........................ 2,717 2,038 2,0

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Other rockfish 13 14..................... W and C......................... n/a 1,737 1,7

WYK............................. n/a 368 368

SEO............................. n/a 3,489 200

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Page 8774

Total........................ 7,356 5,594 2,3

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Atka mackerel............................ GW.............................. 6,200 4,700 3,0

Big skate \15\........................... W............................... n/a 504 504

C............................... n/a 1,774 1,7

E............................... n/a 570 570

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Total........................ 3,797 2,848 2,8

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Longnose skate \16\...................... W............................... n/a 149 149

C............................... n/a 2,804 2,8

E............................... n/a 619 619

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Total........................ 4,763 3,572 3,5

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other skates \17\........................ GW.............................. 1,845 1,384 1,3

Sculpins................................. GW.............................. 6,958 5,301 5,3

Sharks................................... GW.............................. 6,020 4,514 4,5

Squids................................... GW.............................. 1,516 1,137 1,1

Octopus.................................. GW.............................. 1,300 975 975

------------------------------------

Total............................... ................................ 655,707 536,921 427

,51

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 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).

\2\ The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 161,492 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (4,037 mt)

of that ABC for the State's pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 157,455 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 2018 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.

\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area is allocated

90 percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component.

Table 5 lists the final 2018 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.

\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and fixed gear in 2018. Table 7 lists the final 2018 allocations of

sablefish TACs.

\5\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or

arrowtooth flounder.

\6\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole.

\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.

\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 4 mt apportionment of ABC to

the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ``other rockfish'' species group.

\9\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.

\10\ ``Dusky rockfish'' means Sebastes variabilis.

\11\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).

\12\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),

S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).

\13\ ``Other rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),

S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.

wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani

(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus

(vermilion), S. reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA

only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.

\14\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other

rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The ``other rockfish'' species group in the SEO District only includes

other rockfish.

\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.

\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.

\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja and Raja spp.

Table 2--Final 2019 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat, Western, Central,

Eastern Regulatory Areas, and in the West Yakutat, Southeast Outside, and Gulfwide Districts of the Gulf of

Alaska

Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Species Area \1\ OFL ABC TAC

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pollock \2\........................ Shumagin (610)............. n/a 19,921 19,921

Chirikof (620)............. n/a 52,459 52,459

Kodiak (630)............... n/a 27,016 27,016

WYK (640).................. n/a 4,509 4,509

W/C/WYK (subtotal) \2\..... 131,170 106,569 103,905

SEO (650).................. 11,697 8,773 8,773

-----------------------------------------------

Page 8775

Total................... 142,867 115,341 112,678

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pacific cod \3\.................... W.......................... n/a 7,633 5,343

C.......................... n/a 7,667 5,750

E.......................... n/a 1,700 1,275

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 21,412 17,000 12,368

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sablefish \4\...................... W.......................... n/a 2,174 2,174

C.......................... n/a 7,260 7,260

WYK........................ n/a 2,573 2,573

SEO........................ n/a 4,187 4,187

E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal). n/a 6,760 6,760

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 35,989 16,194 16,194

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shallow-water flatfish \5\......... W.......................... n/a 25,544 13,250

C.......................... n/a 25,655 25,655

WYK........................ n/a 2,272 2,272

SEO........................ n/a 1,951 1,951

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 68,114 55,422 43,128

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep-water flatfish \6\............ W.......................... n/a 416 416

C.......................... n/a 3,442 3,442

WYK........................ n/a 3,279 3,279

SEO........................ n/a 2,361 2,361

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 11,431 9,499 9,499

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rex sole........................... W.......................... n/a 2,909 2,909

C.......................... n/a 8,236 8,236

WYK........................ n/a 1,657 1,657

SEO........................ n/a 1,727 1,727

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 17,692 14,529 14,529

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arrowtooth flounder................ W.......................... n/a 35,844 14,500

C.......................... n/a 70,700 48,000

WYK........................ n/a 15,845 6,900

SEO........................ n/a 22,845 6,900

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 173,872 145,234 76,300

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flathead sole...................... W.......................... n/a 13,222 8,650

C.......................... n/a 21,087 15,400

WYK........................ n/a 2,013 2,013

SEO........................ n/a 424 424

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 44,822 36,746 26,487

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pacific ocean perch \7\............ W.......................... n/a 3,240 3,240

C.......................... n/a 19,678 19,678

WYK........................ n/a 3,298 3,298

W/C/WYK.................... 31,170 26,216 26,216

SEO........................ 2,840 2,389 2,389

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 34,010 28,605 28,605

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern rockfish \8\.............. W.......................... n/a 382 382

C.......................... n/a 2,965 2,965

E.......................... n/a 3 ..............

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 3,984 3,350 3,347

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shortraker rockfish \9\............ W.......................... n/a 44 44

C.......................... n/a 305 305

E.......................... n/a 514 514

-----------------------------------------------

Page 8776

Total................... 1,151 863 863

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dusky rockfish \10\................ W.......................... n/a 135 135

C.......................... n/a 3,246 3,246

WYK........................ n/a 215 215

SEO........................ n/a 72 72

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 4,488 3,668 3,668

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish W.......................... n/a 174 174

\11\.

C.......................... n/a 550 550

E.......................... n/a 703 703

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 1,715 1,427 1,427

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demersal shelf rockfish \12\....... SEO........................ 394 250 250

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thornyhead rockfish................ W.......................... n/a 344 344

C.......................... n/a 921 921

E.......................... n/a 773 773

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 2,717 2,038 2,038

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other rockfish 13 14............... W and C.................... n/a 1,737 1,737

WYK........................ n/a 368 368

SEO........................ n/a 3,488 200

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 7,356 5,593 2,305

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big skate \15\..................... W.......................... n/a 504 504

C.......................... n/a 1,774 1,774

E.......................... n/a 570 570

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 3,797 2,848 2,848

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Longnose skate \16\................ W.......................... n/a 149 149

C.......................... n/a 2,804 2,804

E.......................... n/a 619 619

-----------------------------------------------

Total................... 4,763 3,572 3,572

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other skates \17\.................. GW......................... 1,845 1,384 1,384

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sculpins........................... GW......................... 6,958 5,301 5,301

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharks............................. GW......................... 6,020 4,514 4,514

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Squids............................. GW......................... 1,516 1,137 1,137

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octopus............................ GW......................... 1,300 975 975

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total.......................... ........................... 604,413 480,187 376,417

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 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).

\2\ The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 106,569 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (2,664 mt)

of that ABC for the State's pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 103,905 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 2019 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.

\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod in the Eastern Regulatory Area is allocated 90

percent for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent for processing by the offshore component. Table

6 lists the final 2019 Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.

\4\ Sablefish is only allocated to trawl gear for 2019. Table 8 lists the final 2019 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 3 mt apportionment of ABC to

the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ``other rockfish'' species group.

Page 8777