In addition to discussing the relative priority and scheduling of previously tasked projects, the Council took the following actions and clarified direction and tasking for its committees: Initiated an analysis to adjust regulations implementing the Aleutian Islands Pacific cod set aside for catcher vessels delivering to shore-based processors in Aleutian Islands communities (implemented under BSAI… Read More →
Upcoming Meetings
Here is the revised Three-Meeting Outlook resulting from this Council meeting. Fishing Families Workshop, May 7, 5:15-7:15 pm Birch/Willow Room, Anchorage Hilton Crab Plan Team meeting, May 8-10, Anchorage, AK Social Science Planning Team meeting, May 8-9, Anchorage, AK OAC Subgroup teleconference, May 11, 9am-12pm EM Workgroup meeting, May 15, AFSC, Seattle, WA Observer Advisory… Read More →
Appointments
The Council appointed Davin Holen to the newly formed Bering Sea Ecosystem Plan Team. Holen is currently the Coastal Community Resilience Specialist at Alaska Sea Grant. Tyson Fick was appointed to the Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee (PNCIAC) as a non-voting member. Fick is based out of Juneau, and is currently the executive director… Read More →
Scallop SAFE and Plan Team Report
The Council reviewed the 2017 SAFE report for Alaska weathervane scallops. The Council’s SSC set the ABC at 1.161 million pounds of shucked scallops, a level equivalent to 90% of the OFL, and consistent with the ABC control rule for scallops. While the ABC is specified federally for the entire stock, guideline harvest levels (GHLs)… Read More →
Salmon FMP Amendment
The Council was presented with a discussion paper that provided a preliminary review of the steps needed to impose federal jurisdiction over portions of three traditional salmon net fishing areas currently managed by the State of Alaska. These net areas include federal waters in Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, and the South Alaska Peninsula. The… Read More →
Pollock ICA/IPA Reports and Salmon Genetics
The Council received genetics reports on the stock of origin of Chinook and chum salmon bycatch in the 2015 Bering Sea pollock fishery, the GOA pollock fishery, GOA rockfish (and arrowtooth) CV trawl fishery and the GOA non-pollock CP trawl fisheries. The Council requested that the salmon genetics inter-agency working group hold a public workshop… Read More →
Co-op Reporting
At the April meeting, the Council reviewed cooperative reports for the Amendment 80 Program, Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program, American Fisheries Act Program, and BSAI Crab Rationalization Program. As part of the cooperative programs, cooperatives have provided annual written reports detailing the use of the cooperative quota or addressing other specific areas of Council… Read More →
Central GOA Rockfish Program Review Workplan
The Council reviewed the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program work plan and recommended that staff proceed with the proposed development of an initial review document. The program review document will include recommendations outlined in the SSC and AP minutes and discussions to the extent possible. Currently the program review document is scheduled to be… Read More →
EFH Amendments
The Council took final action in April to modify the Council’s BSAI Groundfish, GOA Groundfish, BSAI King and Tanner Crab, Salmon, and Arctic FMPs to update descriptions and maps of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH), and to update recommendations for non-fishing activities that may affect EFH. The Council reviewed an Environmental Assessment (EA) that examined the… Read More →
Halibut Abundance-based PSC Limits
The Council has tasked an inter-agency workgroup of NMFS AKR, NMFS AFSC, IPHC, and Council staff to develop abundance-based approaches for BSAI halibut PSC limits, building upon previous work by IPHC staff. The workgroup has met numerous times and has produced two different discussion papers (in April 2016 and again in October 2016) to provide… Read More →
