Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish

Overview

The groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) are managed through two separate but complementary fishery management plans (FMPs): the BSAI Groundfish FMP and the GOA Groundfish FMP. These FMPs establish management measures that are consistent with the ten National Standards established through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act as well as other required and discretionary provisions for FMPs. Both FMPs contain the Council’s Groundfish Management Policy “to apply judicious and responsible fisheries management practices, based on sound scientific research and analysis, proactively rather than re-actively, to ensure the sustainability of fishery resources and associated ecosystems for the benefit of future, as well as current generations.”

Annually, the Council develops harvest specifications based on information from the Groundfish Plan Teams, Scientific and Statistical Committee, Advisory Panel, the public, and any other relevant information. Harvest specifications may be effective for up to two fishing years. Final harvest specifications are implemented by mid-February each year to replace those already in effect for that year, and based on new information contained in the latest groundfish SAFE reports.

Harvest Specifications (OFL, ABC, TAC)

Final Council-Approved BSAI Groundfish Specifications for 2020-2021 (scroll down in attachment)

Final Council-Approved GOA Groundfish Specifications for 2020-2021 (scroll down in attachment)

OFL Control Rule (Tier System)

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Specification of OFL begins with the Maximum Fishing Mortality Threshold (MFMT), also known as the OFL control rule. The MFMT is prescribed through a set of six tiers which are listed below in descending order of preference, corresponding to descending order of information availability. The SSC will have final authority for determining whether a given item of information is “reliable” for the purpose of this definition, and may use either objective or subjective criteria in making such determinations.

For tier (1), a “pdf” refers to a probability density function. For tiers 1 and 2, if a reliable pdf of B_MSY is available, the preferred point estimate of B_MSY is the geometric mean of its pdf. For tiers 1 to 5, if a reliable pdf of B is available, the preferred point estimate is the geometric mean of its pdf. For tiers 1 to 3, the coefficient a is set at a default value of 0.05. This default value was established by applying the 10 percent rule suggested by Rosenberg et al. (1994) to the 1/2 B_MSY reference point. However, the SSC may establish a different value for a specific stock or stock complex as merited by the best available scientific information. For tiers 2 to 4, a designation of the form “F_X%” refers to the fishing mortality rate (F) associated with an equilibrium level of spawning per recruit equal to X% of the equilibrium level of spawning per recruit in the absence of any fishing. If reliable information sufficient to characterize the entire maturity schedule of a species is not available, the SSC may choose to view spawning per recruit calculations based on a knife-edge maturity assumption as reliable. For tier 3, the term B_40% refers to the long-term average biomass that would be expected under average recruitment and F=F_40%.

Tier 1 Information available: reliable point estimates of B and B_MSY and reliable pdf of F_MSY .
1a) Stock status: B/B_MSY > 1
      F_OFL = mA , the arithmetic mean of the pdf
1b) Stock status: a < B/B_MSY ≤ 1
      F_OFL = mA × (B/B_MSY – a)/(1 – a)
1c) Stock status: B/B_MSY ≤ a
      F_OFL = 0
Tier 2 Information available: reliable point estimates of B, B_MSY , F_MSY , F_35% , and F_40% .
2a) Stock status: B/B_MSY > 1
F_OFL = F_MSY2b) Stock status: a < B/B_MSY ≤ 1
      F_OFL = F_MSY × (B/B_MSY – a)/(1 – a)
2c) Stock status: B/B_MSY ≤ a
      F_OFL = 0
Tier 3 Information available: reliable point estimates of B, B_40% , F_35% , and F_40% .
3a) Stock status: B/B_40% > 1
      F_OFL = F_35%3b) Stock status: a < B/B_40% ≤ 1
      F_OFL = F_35% × (B/B_40% – a)/(1 – a)
3c) Stock status: B/B_40% ≤ a
      F_OFL = 0
Tier 4 Information available: reliable point estimates of B, F_35% , and F_40% .
      F_OFL = F_35%Tier 5 Information available: reliable point estimates of B and natural mortality rate M.
      F_OFL = M
Tier 6 Information available: reliable catch history from 1978 through 1995.
OFL = the average catch from 1978 through 1995, unless an alternative value is established by the SSC on the basis of the best available scientific information

Newsletter Articles

BSAI Groundfish Specifications (12/13/2019)
GOA Groundfish Final Harvest Specifications (12/13/2019)
Groundfish Management Objectives (2/15/2019)
Assessment Modeling Workshop (2/20/2018)
Groundfish Management Policy (2/20/2018)
Groundfish Specifications (10/17/2017)
Stock Assessment Prioritization (2/13/2017)
BSAI Harvest Specifications for 2017/2018 (12/19/2016)
GOA Specifications for 2017/2018 (12/19/2016)

Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish

The Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI Groundfish FMP, Appendices) includes all species of groundfish (pollock, cod, flatfish, sablefish, rockfish, etc.) fished commercially by vessels using trawl, longline, pot, and jig gear. This FMP has been amended over 100 times and an overview of those amendments is now available: BSAI Amendment Action Summaries There are hyperlinks in the document to additional information such as the supporting analyses, Federal Register notices, and regulation summaries.

Staff contact is Steve MacLean, 907-271-3235.

Gulf of Alaska Groundfish

The Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA Groundfish FMP, Appendices) includes the major groundfish species targeted by trawl, hook-and-line, pot, and jig gear in the Gulf, with the exception of a few that are managed by the State of Alaska. A summary of the amendments to the GOA Groundfish FMP, similar to that prepared for the BSAI, was published in 2019.

Staff contact is Sara Cleaver, 907-271-2804.

Groundfish Management Policy, Programmatic Review

In 2004, the Council published a programmatic review of the BSAI and GOA groundfish fisheries (the Alaska Groundfish Fisheries Programmatic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement), and revised its BSAI and GOA groundfish management policy. The policy contains a management approach and 45 objectives, which are categorized by goal statements. In order to implement the management policy the Council developed a groundfish work plan that integrates the management objectives with recent, current, ongoing and pending Council actions and statements. The status of this work plan is updated at every meeting, and is reviewed under the “Staff Tasking” agenda item. The work plan includes cumulative actions taken by the Council under the policy since 2004. The addition of actions over the course of each year contributes to that list and facilitates mandatory annual review of the policy.

In 2014, the Council reviewed and approved a Supplemental Information Report (SIR) for the 2004 Alaska Groundfish Programmatic EIS. The SIR provides a review of management actions under the FMP since 2004, as well as new information about the impacts of the groundfish fisheries on the environment. Through the SIR, it has been determined that the 2004 Programmatic EIS continues to adequately frame the environmental consequences of fishing activities permitted through the groundfish FMPs.

Staff contact is Jim Armstrong, 907-271-2805.