Crab being offloaded in Dutch Harbor
The Council established four Economic Data Reporting (EDR) programs in federally managed groundfish and crab fisheries in the North Pacific. The EDRs are mandatory data collections which gather various levels of ownership, revenue, cost, vessel operations, and employment information from the harvesting and processing sectors who participate in these fisheries.
These data collections include:
- The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program EDR, implemented in 2005;
- Trawl Catcher/Processor (CP) EDR implemented in 2007 for Amendment 80 vessels, and in 2015 for CPs operating in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish fisheries;
- Bering Sea (BS) Chinook salmon bycatch management program EDR for participants in the BS pollock fishery, implemented in 2012; and
- GOA trawl EDRs for trawl catcher vessels operating in the GOA and processors taking deliveries from these vessels, implemented in 2015
In general, the purpose of the EDR requirements is to gather information to improve the Council’s ability to analyze the economic effects of catch share or rationalization programs, to understand the economic performance of participants in these programs, and to help estimate impacts of future issues, problems, or proposed revisions to the programs covered by the EDRs. These data collection programs substantially reduce the analytical difficulties that were encountered in the past when attempting to examine the effects of the halibut/sablefish IFQ program and the American Fisheries Act.
Upcoming Stakeholder Discussions
The Council will be holding a series of facilitated stakeholder discussions to explore potential revisions to the four existing EDR programs. The purpose of the EDR stakeholder discussions is generate input and ideas that can inform the Council’s consideration of potential revisions to the four existing EDR programs. Specifically, these discussions will help focus and inform the SSPT’s development of alternatives for the Council’s consideration.
The objectives include:
- Discuss the Council’s existing EDR programs, including their objectives, the use of EDR information to support decision-making, and the relationship between the data elements collected, economic performance metrics, and the management questions they can inform.
- Generate ideas for improving the usability, efficiency, and consistency of existing EDR programs while minimizing their cost and burden to industry and the government.
Who will attend and how can the public participate?
The Council hopes to hear from a wide range of perspectives and all interested stakeholders are welcome to participate.
Interested participants may include those who complete EDR forms and participate in the fisheries with EDR requirements, including industry, community, and processing sector representatives; business owners, crew members, accountants and other employees involved in the completion of EDR forms. Additional participants may include Council members, Council staff, NOAA Fisheries staff, members of the Council’s Social Science Planning Team (SSPT), and others who are familiar with EDR requirements and data.
What outcomes or next steps may result from the EDR stakeholder discussions?
While no decisions will be made during these discussions, they will generate specific ideas and suggestions that can help inform the Council and SSPT’s consideration of revisions to the four existing EDR programs. A summary will be available following the meetings.
About the issue
The Council has initiated two actions related to the EDR programs. On one track, the Council has been considering an amendment package for some fine-scale changes to EDRs (i.e., limiting the use of third-party audits and modifying data confidentiality requirements to align them with Federal fishery requirements). However, that package was delayed to include broader consideration of the utility of the EDR programs, with alternatives that would change the frequency of the EDR collections or remove requirements to submit EDRs altogether. On a separate track, the Council had requested a holistic review of the EDR programs considering Council purpose and needs statements for the original data collections, and ways to improve the usability, efficiency, and consistency of existing economic data collection programs while minimizing the cost and burden to industry and the government.
The EDR stakeholder discussions are intended to inform both directives related to EDRs. The intended scope of the meetings will cover both the utility of EDR programs relative to their cost and burden, as well as details of what the ideal program could look like if economic data continues to be collected.
Updates
Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19, these discussions will be held virtually. The date and times are to be determined. Information will be updated at this site. Staff contact is Sarah.
Documents and Motions Related to EDRs
Initial Review analysis on EDR changes; Motion – Feb 2020
Social Science Planning Team Report – Nov 2019
Discussion paper on EDR changes ; Motion – April 2019
Motion for EDR discussion paper – April 2018
Additional Resources
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) is the Data Collection Agent for the EDRs. More information can be found on the PSMFC website.
The PSMFC web page for BSAI Crab EDRs can be found here.
The PSMFC web page for the Amendment 80 EDR collection can be found here.
The PSMFC web page for Amendment 91 EDR can be found here.
Information on the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Trawl Economic Data Report Program can be found at the PSMFC web site.
Staff contact is Sarah Marrinan.
