The Council took final action to adjust Amendment 113 such that the prosecution of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Pacific cod fishery aligns with the Council’s original objective of providing stability to Aleutian Islands (AI) shoreplant operations, AI harvesters, and AI fishing communities dependent on AI Pacific cod harvesting and shoreside processing activity. The Council selected Alternative 4 and Option 2 as its preferred alternative.
Alternative 4 changes how the unrestricted fishery harvested in the AI is deducted from the trawl catcher vessel (CV) BSAI allocation in order to provide the full AI set-aside for shoreside deliveries. Option 2 maintains the March 21 end date for the Bering Sea (BS) trawl CV limitation, but changes the restriction on the limitation after March 15 so that during the March 15 to March 21 period, AI Pacific cod deliveries by the trawl CV sector can be delivered to any processor.
The final motion is available here. Staff contact is Jon McCracken.