Three species of squid from the family Gonatidae: Gonatopsis borealis, Berryteuthis magister, and Gonatus sp. caught in a single haul in the Bering Sea greenbelt. These specimens range from 18 to 60 cm in length and are examples of prey items critical to marine mammal diets throughout the Bering Sea.
The Council took final action on an EA/RIR/IRFA to reclassify squid species under the BSAI and GOA groundfish fishery management plans. Options for classification and management of non-target stocks under National Standard 1 guidelines for FMPs include identification of the species as “non-target species in need of conservation and management,” or as “non-target ecosystem component species, not in need of conservation and management.” Squid are caught incidentally in the prosecution of directed fishing for other groundfish species and are not the target of any fishery, nor open to target fishing in either the BSAI or GOA. The Council discussed that squid are short-lived, highly productive, and an important prey species, however no conservation concerns exist for squid populations in the BSAI and GOA. Although limited life-history information exists, the best available scientific information suggests that squid biomass estimates are substantial underestimates of true biomass. The Council moved to designate squid in both BSAI and GOA FMPs as non-target ‘Ecosystem Component Species.’ As such, establishment of OFL, ABC, and TAC will no longer be required and regulations referring to squid as target species will be removed. Additional regulations for the groundfish fishery will be implemented that 1) prohibit directed fishing for squid, 2) establish a squid maximum retainable amount (MRA) when directed fishing for other fisheries at 20% to discourage retention while allowing flexibility to prosecute other fisheries, and 3) require recordkeeping and reporting to monitor and report catch and discards of squid species annually. Staff contact is Diana Stram.
