NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/AKR-20 doi:10.25923/hgft-we56 Seabird Bycatch Estimates for Alaska Groundfish Fisheries 2018 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Please cite this document as: Krieger, J.R., Eich, A.M., and S.M. Fitzgerald. 2019. Seabird Bycatch Estimates for Alaska Groundfish Fisheries: 2018. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/AKR-20, 41 p. doi:10.25923/hqft-we56. Accessibility of this Document: Every effort has been made to make this document accessible to individuals of all abilities and compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The complexity of this document may make access difficult for some. If you encounter information that you cannot access or use, please email us at [email protected] or call us at 907-586-7228 so that we may assist you. 1 Contents Figures .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Tables ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Data Sources and Estimation Methods ........................................................................................................ 5 Data Sources .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Estimation Methods ................................................................................................................................... 7 Results and Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 8 All Gear Types and Fisheries ......................................................................................................................... 8 Albatross ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Demersal Longline Gear ............................................................................................................................. 10 Trawl Gear .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Pot Gear ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Annual Variation ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Fisheries ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................... 14 References .................................................................................................................................................. 15 Figures ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 Tables .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 2 Figures Figure 1 Boundary areas of Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska reporting areas. Aleutian Islands includes areas 541 through 543, Bering Sea includes areas north of the Alaska Peninsula, and Gulf of Alaska includes areas south of the Alaska Peninsula. ................................................................................ 18 Figure 2 Seabird bycatch in Alaska groundfish fisheries (demersal longline, trawl, and pot) from 1993 through 2018 and halibut fisheries from 2013 through 2018, noting bycatch estimates for all birds (left indices; black triangles) and for albatrosses only (right indices; hollow circles). Note the difference in scale. Different data analysis methodologies were used (data from 1993 through 2006 are described in Fitzgerald et al. 2008; data from 2007 through 2018 are from the CAS). The Observer Program was restructured for deployments beginning in 2013 where most C/Ps had 100 percent coverage, most CVs (regardless of length overall) were randomly selected, and the Pacific halibut fleet was incorporated into the program. 19 Figure 3 Estimated seabird bycatch in Alaska groundfish and halibut fisheries from 2010 through 2018, separated by region (Aleutian Islands [AI], Bering Sea [BS], and Gulf of Alaska [GOA]; halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only). ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 4 Estimated proportions of species / species groups of seabird bycatch in Alaska groundfish and halibut fisheries from 2010 through 2018 (halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only). ................................ 21 Figure 5 Estimated albatross bycatch in Alaska groundfish and halibut fisheries from 2010 through 2018 (halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only). Blacked-footed albatross denoted by black triangles, Laysan albatross by gray circles, short-tailed albatross by charcoal squares. ........................................................... 22 Figure 6 Estimated seabird bycatch of Northern fulmar, shearwaters, and gulls in Alaska demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, all fishery management plan areas combined, from 2010 through 2018 (halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only). ................................................................................................... 23 Figure 7 Estimated seabird bycatch of Northern fulmar, shearwaters, and gulls in Alaska trawl fisheries, all fishery management plan areas combined, from 2010 through 2018. ......................................................... 24 3 Tables Table 1 Species and species group categories used in this 2018 annual report1 and the individual species included in the grouping. ................................................................................................................................ 25 Table 2 Total estimated seabird bycatch in Alaska Federal groundfish and halibut fisheries, all gear types and fishery management plan areas combined, 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. The Observer Program was restructured in 2013. ............................................................................... 26 Table 3 Summary of estimated seabird bycatch in the Alaska demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, all fishery management plan areas combined, 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 Table 4 Estimated seabird bycatch in the Aleutian Islands area demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. .................................................... 28 Table 5 Estimated seabird bycatch in the Bering Sea area demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. .................................................... 28 Table 6 Estimated seabird bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska area demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. The Observer Program was restructured in 2013. ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Table 7 Estimated seabird bycatch in Alaska demersal longline groundfish and halibut fisheries, by catcher processors (CP) and catcher vessels (CV), 2010 through 2018. Halibut fisheries 2013 through 2018 only. 30 Table 8 Estimated seabird bycatch for Alaska groundfish fisheries using pelagic and non-pelagic trawl gear combined, all fishery management plan areas combined, 2010 through 2018. ........................................... 32 Table 9 Estimated seabird bycatch for the Alaska groundfish Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fishery management plan area, pelagic and non-pelagic trawl gear combined, 2010 through 2018. ...................... 33 Table 10 Estimated seabird bycatch for the Alaska groundfish Gulf of Alaska fishery management plan area, pelagic and non-pelagic trawl gear combined, 2010 through 2018. ..................................................... 33 Table 11 Estimated seabird bycatch for the Alaska groundfish pelagic (P) and non-pelagic (N) trawl gear types across all fishery management plan areas, 2010 through 2018. .......................................................... 34 Table 12 Estimated seabird bycatch for pot vessels fishing groundfish in Alaska Federal waters, all fishery management plan areas combined, 2010 through 2018. The Observer Program was restructured in 2013. .......................................................................................................................................................................