Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska North Pacific Fishery Management Council 605 W. 4th Avenue, Suite 306 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 PHONE: (907) 271-2809 FAX: (907) 271-2817 February 2014 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 6 1.1 Amendments to the Fishery Management Plan ......................................................................... 6 1.2 Foreign Fishing.......................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 Management Policy and Objectives ........................................................................ 10 2.1 National Standards for Fishery Conservation and Management ............................................. 10 2.2 NPFMC Policy and Objectives ............................................................................................... 11 2.2.1 Management Goal ...................................................................................................... 11 2.2.2 Management Objectives ............................................................................................. 11 2.3 Procedures for FMP Implementation (Federal/State) .............................................................. 14 Chapter 3 Conservation and Fishery Management Measures ............................................... 15 3.1 Federal Management Measures ............................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Optimum Yield and Overfishing ................................................................................ 15 3.1.2 Limited Access Management ..................................................................................... 20 3.1.3 Essential Fish Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ................................ 21 3.2 Management Measures Delegated to the State of Alaska ....................................................... 23 3.2.1 Setting harvest limits .................................................................................................. 23 3.2.2 Guideline Harvest Ranges (GHRs) ............................................................................ 24 3.2.3 Gear Limitations ......................................................................................................... 25 3.2.4 Crew and Efficiency limits ......................................................................................... 25 3.2.5 Fishing Seasons .......................................................................................................... 25 3.2.6 Inseason Adjustments ................................................................................................. 25 3.2.7 Closed areas ................................................................................................................ 26 3.2.8 Notices of closure ....................................................................................................... 26 3.2.9 Prohibited Species and Bycatch Limits ...................................................................... 26 3.2.10 Crab bycatch limits (CBLs) ........................................................................................ 26 3.2.11 Observer Requirements and At-Sea Catch Sampling ................................................. 27 3.2.12 Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements ............................................................. 28 3.2.13 Other ........................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 4 Description of Stocks and Fishery .......................................................................... 29 4.1 Geographic description of the management area .................................................................... 29 4.1.1 Registration Areas, District, Subdistrict, and Section Boundaries ............................. 29 4.2 Physical characteristics of the management area .................................................................... 30 4.3 Description of Stocks and Fishery ........................................................................................... 31 4.3.1 General Biology ......................................................................................................... 31 4.3.2 Reproduction and early life history ............................................................................ 31 4.3.3 Longevity and natural mortality ................................................................................. 32 4.3.4 Stock Structure and Productivity ................................................................................ 32 4.4 Present Condition and Abundance .......................................................................................... 32 4.5 Ecological Relationships ......................................................................................................... 35 4.6 Habitat of managed stocks ...................................................................................................... 35 4.7 Fishing Activities Affecting the Scallop Stocks ...................................................................... 35 4.7.1 History of exploitation................................................................................................ 35 4.7.2 Commercial Fishery ................................................................................................... 37 4.7.3 Subsistence Fishery .................................................................................................... 39 4.7.4 Recreational Fishery ................................................................................................... 39 Scallop FMP i February 2014 4.8 Economic and Socioeconomic Characteristics ........................................................................ 39 4.9 Fishing Communities .............................................................................................................. 41 Chapter 5 Relationship to Applicable Law and Other Fisheries ........................................... 43 Chapter 6 Reference Material ................................................................................................... 44 6.1 Sources of Available Data ....................................................................................................... 44 6.2 Management & Enforcement Considerations ......................................................................... 44 6.2.1 Management and Enforcement Activities: Description and Cost Estimates ............. 45 6.3 Literature Cited........................................................................................................................ 46 Appendix A: History of the Alaska Scallop Fishery and FMP ................................................... 53 Appendix B: Geographical Coordinates of Areas Described in the FMP ................................. 55 Appendix C: Section 211 of AFA ................................................................................................... 57 Appendix D: Essential Fish Habitat and Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ....................... 58 5.0 Non-fishing Activities that may Adversely Affect Essential Fish Habitat.................................... 7 5.1 Upland Activities ....................................................................................................................... 8 5.1.1 Silviculture/Timber Harvest ......................................................................................... 9 5.1.2 Pesticides .................................................................................................................... 10 5.1.3 Urban and Suburban Development ............................................................................ 11 5.1.4 Road Building and Maintenance ................................................................................ 12 5.2 Riverine Activities ................................................................................................................... 13 5.2.1 Mining ........................................................................................................................ 13 5.2.2 Organic and Inorganic Debris .................................................................................... 15 5.2.3 Dam Operation ........................................................................................................... 18 5.2.4 Commercial and Domestic Water Use ....................................................................... 19 5.3 Estuarine Activities ................................................................................................................. 20 5.3.1 Dredging ..................................................................................................................... 20 5.3.2 Material Disposal and Filling Activities..................................................................... 21 5.3.3 Vessel Operations, Transportation, and Navigation ................................................... 22 5.3.4 Invasive Species ......................................................................................................... 23 5.3.5 Pile Installation and Removal (From NMFS 2005) ..................................................