Crab Rationalization

Crab being offloaded in Dutch Harbor

The BSAI Crab Rationalization program was implemented in 2005, as a voluntary cooperative IFQ program. The rationalization program applies to all Federal crab fisheries except for Norton Sound red king crab and Pribilof golden king crab. The program issued harvest quota shares (QS) to vessel owners (LLP holders) and captains, as well as processor quota shares (PQS) to processors. Of the QS, 90% are issued as Class A shares that require delivery to a processor holding PQS, and the other 10% as Class B shares that can be delivered to any processor. The amount and type of QS originally issued depended on the vessel catch history during certain qualifying years. For example, for snow crab QS, catch history was based on the best 4 of 5 seasons (1996-2000), but the vessel must have participated in the 2000-2002 fisheries to qualify. The program allocated 10% of the TAC of each stock to the CDQ Program and 3% of the quota share pool to vessel captains. Staff contact is Sarah Marrinan; 907-271-2814.

NOAA Fisheries: BSAI Crab Rationalization

Newsletter Articles

Co-op Reporting (4/17/2017)
Bristol Bay Red King Crab Savings Area (12/19/2016)

Documents and Motions by Year

Council Motions: Crab 10-Year Review; Arbitration Discussion Paper 6/16

Council Motion on Western Aleutian Island Red King Crab Stock Split 6/15
Western Aleutian Islands Golden King Crab Full Offload Exemption, RIR/IRFA Initial Review 6/15; Council Motion
Workplan for the 10-year Program Review; Council document 2/15 , SSC document 4/15

Allocation of PQS to Aleutia Corporation, RIR/IRFA Public Review 10/14; Council Motion
Crab Right of First Refusal Contract Terms, RIR/IRFA Public Review 10/14; Council Motion
Crab Right of First Refusal Contract Terms, RIR/IRFA Initial Review 6/14; Council Motion
Direction on Crab Cooperative Reporting 4/14; Council Motion

Modifications to Community Provisions (Right of First Refusal) RIR/IRFA for Public Review 2/13; Note on changes from Initial Review; Council Motion
Crab PSC and PSC limits; Council Motion
Letter to BSAI Crab Cooperatives on cooperative reports 2/27/13
BSAI Crab Cooperative Provisions for Crew Discussion Paper 2/13; Council Motion
BSAI Crab Active Participation Requirements RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 2/13; Council Motion

Golden King Crab Arbitration Workgroup Report, Discussion paper 10/12; Council Motion
Modifications to Community Provisions (Right of First Refusal) RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 10/12; Council Motion
BSAI Crab Active Participation Requirements RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 10/12; Council Motion
BSAI Crab Cooperative Provisions for Crew Discussion Paper 10/12; Council Motion
Council Motion on Modifications to the arbitration system 10/12
Council Motion on Crab Economic Data Reporting 10/12
Crab Economic Data Reporting RIR/IRFA for Public Review 2/12; Council Motion

Council Motion on Active Participation, lease rates, entry opportunities and crew provisions 12/11
Council Motion on Binding Arbitration 12/11
Council Motion on Modifications to Community Provisions (Right of First Refusal) 12/11
Modification to Crab Economic Data Reports RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 10/11; Council Motion
Crab Economic Data Collection Discussion Paper 4/11; Council Motion
Council Motion on Modification of cooperative, IFQ and IPQ application deadlines 4/11
Modification of cooperative, IFQ and IPQ application deadlines RIR/ IRFA for Initial Review 2/11; Council Motion
Modifications to Community Provisions (Right of First Refusal) RIR/IRFA for Public Review 2/11; Council Motion

Modifications to Community Provisions (Right of First Refusal) RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 12/10; Council Motion
Council Motion on BSAI Crab Program 5-year Review 12/10
Exemption to West-Region Landing Requirement for WAG RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 12/10; Council Motion
Crab Economic Data Reporting Discussion Paper 10/10; Council Motion
Council Motion Emergency Exemption for WAG 4/10
Council Motion Exemption to West-Region Landing Requirement for WAG 4/10
Modifications to Right of First Refusal RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 2/10; Council Motion
Exemption to West-Region Landing Requirement for WAG RIR/IRFA for Initial Review 2/10; Council Motion
Crab Economic Data Collection Discussion Paper 2/10; Council Motion

Crab Amendment Package 12/09
Council motion on BSAI Crab issues 6/09
6/09 Discussion Papers: WAI GKC fishery modifications; ROFR modifications; Extinguishing processor shares; Leasing Practices in the Crab fisheries
BSAI Crab emergency exemption from regional landing requirements 2/09; Crab Emergency Exemption Motion 2/09

Exemption from Regional Landing Requirements Motion 10/08
Crab management motion 6/08
BSAI Crab Management Motion 4/08
St. George cooling off period and first refusal 4/08
Arbitration package 4/08
Requirements for C shares 4/08
Crab Motion 2/08
Strawman elements and options for revision of 90/10 A share B share split 2/08
Analysis of Crab loan program 2/08

Council motion from the December 2007 meeting on the Crab Rationalization Program (revised 12/27)
Crab Advisory Committee appointed; Meets Dec 17-18
December 2007:
- AM24 –Overfishing Definitions
- AM26 – C Share Split
- AM27 – Custom Processing Use Cap Exemption
- AM28 – Post Delivery Transfer
Crab Motion 11/07
KTC Post delivery transfer of shares; KTC processor use cap exemptions; KTC C-share exemptions
Crab Motion; October 2007
Crab Motion; 6/07
BSAI Crab C shares
Crab processing caps
Crab, rockfish post delivery transfers
Crab 18 month review motion 4/07
Confidentiality and Data Quality Protocols for BSAI Crab Economic Data 4/07
Binding Arbitration Report 4/07
18 Month Review of Crab Rationalization Program 4/07
Crab 18 month review motion

Crab Coop vessel use caps 10/06
Council motion on vessel use caps 10/06

Post-Buyback Harvester Denominators and instructions 1/05

Council Comments to NMFS on Crab Rationalization proposed rule 12/04
WHAT IS CRAB RATIONALIZATION? Information, regulations, and rules
Crab arbitration system legal opinion 5/04
BSAI Crab DEIS 3/04

BSAI Crab EIS 11/03
April 2003 Crab Rationalization Motion
April 2003: Calculating allocations under Crab Rationalization Harvesters Captains,
Crab Rationalization Trailing Amendments, April 03: Community Protection, Binding Arbitration February 2003
Crab Rationalization Motion

Crab Rationalization Motion 12/02
Crab Trailing Amendments Captain’s QS and Sideboards12/02
Crab Rationalization Motion 10/02
Report to Council from Crab Arbitration Committee and Crab Captains QS Committee 10/02
BSAI Crab Rationalization Trailing Amendments: Community Protection, Binding Arbitration, Captain QS, Sideboards 10/02
Council Crab Motion 6/02

Reviews of BSAI Crab Rationalization Program

10-year Program Review 02/17; Appendix A – Social Impact Assessment (Exec. Summ. to Appendix A); Appendix B – Community Fishery Engagement Indices; Appendix C – Assessment of Safety in the Crab Fleet
5-year Program Review 12/10; Executive Summary (only), Executive Summary to Appendix A (Social Impact Assessment); Appendix B
3-year Program Review 11/08; Appendix
18-month Program Review 3/07

Program Implementation and Amendments

BSAI KTC AM30: Modify the Arbitration System and Categorical Exclusion; RIR/IRFA dated: June 15, 2011
BSAI KTC AM37: An Exemption to West Region Landing Requirement in the Western Aleutian Islands Golden King Crab Fishery. January 5, 2011
RIR: Emergency Rule to Relieve Regional Delivery Requirements for the Western Aleutian Islands Golden King Crab Fishery, January 5, 2010
RIR/FRFA: Online transfers and crab individual processing quota transfers through automated, online submittals. July 17, 2009
BSAI KTC AM28: RIR/FRFA Provision allowing post delivery transfers, May 21, 2009
BSAI KTC AM27: RIR/IRFA Custom Processing Exemption
BSAI KTC AM26: Exempting C Shares from Processor Share and Regional Landing Requirements, February 1, 2008
RIR: Regulatory Amendment to the Crab Rationalization Program, December 3, 2007
BSAI KTC AM21: Binding Arbitration, February 1, 2006
BSAI KTC AM20: Bairdi crab split, July 1, 2005
FRFA: Crab Rationalization Program, February 1, 2005
Social Impact Assessment: EIS for the BSAI Crab Fisheries – Overview and Community Profiles, August 1, 2004
RIR/IRFA: Voluntary Three-Pie Cooperative Program for the BSAI Crab Fisheries, August 1, 2004
Final EIS for the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crab Fisheries, August 1, 2004