Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries are among the few remaining limited access (not rationalized) fisheries in Alaska. Of these fisheries, Pacific cod is the predominant groundfish species targeted by the fixed gear sectors in the GOA. Implemented in 2012, the Council added gear-specific (pot, hook-and-line, or jig) Pacific cod endorsements to GOA fixed gear licenses that met a minimum catch threshold during 2002-2008. The action also reduced the number of fixed gear licenses eligible to access the GOA Pacific cod fisheries, so that the number of participants in the directed GOA Pacific cod fisheries are permanently capped at the number of available licenses, and new entrants will have to purchase an existing license if they wish to fish in federal waters. Staff contact is Jim Armstrong: 907-271-2805.
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands
In the BSAI, Pacific cod over the past two decades has undergone several changes. One of those changes has been sector allocations. Since 1999, allocations of BSAI Pacific cod between the different harvesting sectors has occurred in four separate amendment packages, with the most recent being Amendment 85, which was implemented in 2008. The nine non-CDQ fishery sectors and the percentage of the combined BSAI non-CDQ TAC allocated to each sector are shown in the table below.
| · Hook-and-line C/Ps – 48.7 percent
· Trawl CVs – 22.1 percent · Amendment 80 trawl C/Ps – 13.4 percent · Pot CVs greater than or equal to 60 feet LOA – 8.4 percent · American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl C/Ps – 2.3 percent · Hook-and-line and pot CVs less than 60 feet LOA – 2 percent · Pot C/Ps – 1.5 percent · Jig vessels – 1.4 percent · Hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal 60 feet LOA – 0.2 percent |
Management of BSAI Pacific cod stock also changed starting in 2014. Prior to 2014, the BSAI Pacific cod was managed as a single stock throughout the BSAI management area. Starting in 2014, Pacific cod stock was split into an AI stock and a BS stock. While separate OFLs, ABCs, and TACs, have been created for the AI and for the BS, the actual sector allocations (except CDQ allocations) remain BSAI-wide allocations.
The State of Alaska has also managed a guideline harvest (GHL) fishery for Pacific cod in State water in the AI subarea since 2006 and in the BS since 2014. The AI GHL is 27% of the AI ABC, with annual step up provisions if the AI GHL is fully harvested. The BS GHL is 6.4% of the BS ABC.
Starting in 2016, Amendment 113 set aside a portion of the AI Pacific cod TAC for harvest by vessels directed fishing for AI Pacific cod and delivering their catch to a shoreside processor located on land west of 170ºW. longitude in the AI. This harvest set-aside provides the opportunity for vessels, AI shoreplants, and the communities where AI shoreplants are location to receive benefits from a portion of the AI Pacific cod fishery.
Staff contact is Jon McCracken: 907-271-1282
Newsletter Articles
- AI Pacific Cod Set-Aside (4/12/2019)
- Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod Set-Aside Adjustment (12/14/2018)
- AI Pacific Cod Set-Aside Adjustment (10/11/2018)
- BSAI Pcod Mothership Limitation and Trawl CV Allocation (6/15/2018)
- GOA Pollock and Pacific Cod Season Allocations (6/15/2018)
- Bering Sea Pacific cod Trawl CV Participation (12/14/2017)
- GOA Pollock and Pacific Cod Management (12/14/2017)
Documents and Council Motions
- BSAI Pcod Trawl CV Participation Discussion Paper, Council Motion 12/17
- AI Pcod Allocation Final Action, Council Motion 10/15
- AI Pcod Allocation Initial Review, Council motion 2/15
- AI Pcod Allocation Initial Review, Council motion 10/14
- AI Pcod Allocation Discussion Paper, Council Motion 2/14
- GOA Pcod information on State BOF proposals 10/13
- Discussion Paper: AI Pcod CV Allocation with Regional Delivery 10/13
- Freezer longline GOA cod sideboards motion 6/13
- Public review Revising FLL GOA Pacific cod Sideboards 6/13
- Aleutian Islands Cod Allocation and Delivery Requirement motion 4/13
- Discussion paper BS and AI Pacific cod ABC/TAC split 4/13
- Initial review of GOA Pacific cod sideboards for FLL 2/13
- Final action on freezer longline vessel replacement (MLOA adjustment) 10/12
- Freezer Longline MLOA revised problem statement and alternatives 6/12
- Freezer Longline vessel replacement 6/12
- Freezer Longline GOA Pcod sideboards 6/12
- Agenda for Alaska Jig Association: Pacific cod jig info mtg 6/12
- Limiting Gear on Pcod Jig Vessels discussion paper 6/12
- Joint Plan Team Pcod workshop minutes; Recruitment discussion paper (SSC agenda only) 6/12
- GOA Pcod jig management report 2/12;
- GOA Pacific cod A Season discussion paper 2/12
- Freezer Longline Vessel Replacement motion 12/11
- GOA Pcod management report; GOA Pcod A Season Opening Date Change Disc. Paper 12/11
- BSAI Freezer Longline Vessel Replacement RIR/IRFA 11/11
- BSAI Pacific cod Sector Split discussion paper 10/11
- GOA Pcod motion, April 2011
- GOA Pcod jig EA, April 2011
- BSAI Pacific cod Sector Split discussion paper 2/11
- GOA Pcod Jig discussion paper 12/10
- GOA Allocation of Pacific cod among sectors final analysis, motion12/09
- GOA Pacific Cod Sector Allocations Discussion Paper 12/07
- GOA Pacific Cod Sector Allocations Motion 12/07
- GOA Pacific Cod Sector Allocations EA/RIR/IRFA 10/07
- GOA Pacific Cod Sector Allocations Motion 10/07
- GOA Fixed Gear Recency Motion 4/07
- Notice of Availability of BSAI FMP Amendment 85 to the FMP. Comment period through February 5, 2007
- BSAI Pacific cod split discussion paper 10/06
- BSAI Amendment 85 public review draft, 3/06
- Council motion on BSAI AM 85 4/06
