1. Federal Fisheries in the North Aleutian Basin Diana Evans North Pacific Fishery Management Council November 27, 2006

2. Plan for talk  Background the Council the Council Federal fisheries management Federal fisheries management  Fishery distribution within the proposed Sale 92 area of the North Aleutian Basin Groundfish Groundfish Halibut Halibut Crab Crab Scallop Scallop

3. Fishery Management Process Council recommends management measures for each fishery (Fishery Management Plan and amendments) Secretary of Commerce approves or disapproves Council recommendation NMFS implements management measures through regulation NMFS monitors fishery and enforces management measures

4. What is the Council? Responsibilities under MSA: 1. Prepare a Fishery Management Plan for each fishery under its authority 2. Submit amendments to FMPs as necessary 3. Conduct public hearings to allow all interested persons to be heard regarding FMPs and their implementation 4. Review stock assessments and harvest specifications

5. Council membership  11 voting members (1) NMFS RA; (1) NMFS RA; (3) WA, OR, AK State Fishery Dept heads; (3) WA, OR, AK State Fishery Dept heads; (5) AK ‘at large’ seats appointed by AK governor; (5) AK ‘at large’ seats appointed by AK governor; (2) WA ‘at large’ seats appoint by WA governor (2) WA ‘at large’ seats appoint by WA governor  4 non-voting members (USFWS, USCG, PSMFC, Dept of State)

6. Council Structure Council Scientific and Statistical Committee Plan Teams Advisory Panel Committees Public Comment

7. Fishery Management Plans (FMPs)  BSAI Groundfish  GOA Groundfish  BSAI King and Tanner Crab  Alaska-wide Scallop  Alaska-wide Salmon  Halibut

8. Setting Harvest Levels Optimum Yield 1 and Overfishing Levels Actual annual harvest levels GroundfishCouncil CrabCouncilState of Alaska ScallopCouncilState of Alaska Halibut International Pacific Halibut Commission 1 expressed as a range

9. North Aleutian Basin area

10. Pink polygon represents Sale 92

11. Groundfish

12. Overlap with N. Aleutian Basin

13. Groundfish fisheries  Target fisheries occurring in the area: TrawlLonglinePot Pollock Pacific cod Flatfish - Yellowfin sole - Rock sole - Flathead sole Pacific cod

14. Fishery Harvest - 2005 Harvested in 509, 516, 512 % of total BSAI harvest Pollock trawl 317,08921% Pacific cod trawl 26,02340% Pacific cod longline 13,30011% Pacific cod pot 4,72728% Yellowfin sole trawl 6,6747% Flathead sole trawl 2,29255% Rock sole trawl 20,41814%

15. Based on 2005 fishery observer data 2005 Pelagic Trawl Fishery pollock target

16. Based on 2005 fishery observer data

17. 2005 Bottom Trawl Fisheries Pacific cod, flatfish targets Based on 2005 fishery observer data

18. 2005 Bottom Trawl Fisheries Pacific cod, flatfish targets Based on 2005 fishery observer data

19. 2005 Longline Fishery Pacific cod target Based on 2005 fishery observer data

20. 2005 Longline Fishery Pacific cod target Based on 2005 fishery observer data

21. 2005 Pot Fishery Pacific cod target Based on 2005 fishery observer data

22. 2005 Pot Fishery Pacific cod target Based on 2005 fishery observer data

23. Halibut

24. Halibut Fishery Sale 92 area is closed to commercial fishing

25. BSAI King and Tanner Crab

26. General location of BSAI commercial shellfish fisheries in 1998 Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab FMP

27. General location of BSAI commercial shellfish fisheries in 1998 Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab FMP

28. Bristol Bay Red King Crab Fishery 2005/06 Blue box represents vast majority of 2005 landings Fishery season: 10/23/05 – 1/7/06 (intensive in Nov) Crab rationalization changed fishery patterns Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

29. Bristol Bay Red King Crab Fishery 2005/06 By week, anywhere from 1-51 vessels participating 2.5 million crabs harvested, 16.5 million lbs Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

30. Bering Sea Tanner crab  Fishery closed 1997-2004  2005 – no overlap Fishery occurred west of the North Aleutian Basin Fishery occurred west of the North Aleutian Basin  Early/mid-1990s, some incidental harvest of Tanner crab in BBRKC fishery Source: BSAI King and Tanner Crab SAFE report

31. Weathervane Scallop

32. Scallop fishery in 2004/05  ADF&G trawl survey stations  Stations with scallops Closed to scallop fishing Scallop fishing effort  NMFS trawl survey stations Bering Sea Unimak I North Pacific Ocean Source: Scallop SAFE report

33. Scallop fishery in 2004/05  ADF&G trawl survey stations  Stations with scallops Closed to scallop fishing Scallop fishing effort  NMFS trawl survey stations Bering Sea Unimak I North Pacific Ocean Source: Scallop SAFE report

34. Bering Sea scallop fishery  Fishery occurs north of Unimak Island stock occurs over a wide area at low densities stock occurs over a wide area at low densities  Fishing season: July 1 – February 15  Voluntary cooperative since 2000 1 vessel fished in 2004/5 1 vessel fished in 2004/5 Source: Scallop SAFE report

35. Bering Sea Area scallop fishery summary statistics Season Number vessels GHR ceiling (lbs meat) Dredge hours a Catch a (lbs meat) Duration of fishery 2000/013200,0003,355205,520 2001/023200,0003,072140,8717/1-11/1 2002/032105,0002,038 92,2409/5-1/6 2003/042105,0001,02042,5907/1-7/18 2004/051105,00027510,0507/1-7/13 2005/0612/13-1/11 a Confidential data released by vessel operators 2% of total Alaska scallop catch for 2004/5 Source: Scallop SAFE report