Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fishery Management Plan Amendment Action Summaries April 2019 The fishery management program in the North Pacific is widely considered to be among the best in the world, and has resulted in over 40 years of sustainable and profitable fisheries off Alaska. Program policies and measures are developed by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council through the preparation and maintenance of fishery management plans (FMPs) for groundfish, crab, and scallop fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, as well as for all future fisheries in the Arctic Ocean. The FMPs are frequently amended by the Council to respond to new scientific information, changes in the environment, changes in policy, and operational changes in the fisheries. The plan amendments, together with regulatory amendments, are developed through the Council’s open and transparent regulatory process and implemented by the NMFS Alaska Regional Office. The existing management program has evolved greatly over time, with the FMPs being built and modified meeting by meeting, amendment by amendment. To fully appreciate and understand this evolution, Council staff has prepared summaries of each amendment to the FMPs. These summaries provide an overview of the purpose and need, analysis, regulation, and results of each action, and are meant as a resource for anyone interested in understanding the development of a successful federal fishery management program in the North Pacific. The first volume of amendment summaries was completed for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands in May 2016. In this volume, we provide summaries of amendments to the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Groundfish FMP. Other volumes containing amendment action summaries for other FMPs are forthcoming. We hope you find them useful. For more information about the GOA Groundfish FMP or the Council process, I encourage you to visit the NPFMC website at www.npfmc.org. Sara Cleaver Fishery Analyst, NPFMC Diana Evans Deputy Director, NPFMC This report was prepared by Sara Cleaver and Diana Evans, with contributions from other Council staff including David Witherell, Jim Armstrong, Sam Cun- ningham, Elizabeth Figus, Steve MacLean, Sarah Marrinan, Jon McCracken, and Diana Stram. Maria Davis and Sarah LaBelle assisted with the layout and design. Printed April 2019. Front and back cover photos courtesy of Karla Bush Inside cover photo courtesy of Mark Fina Introduction Fishery Management Councils Each council was charged with preparing Magnuson-Stevens Act, the councils are Fishery Management Plans and the Management Process and maintaining Fishery Management Plans authorized to prepare and submit to the (FMPs) that reflect both the National Secretary of Commerce for approval, The FMPs are amended to respond to The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Standards and determine the management disapproval or partial approval, a FMP and changes in fishery participation and Conservation and Management Act of 1976 and conservation objectives and any necessary amendments, for each ecological concerns, and are continuously (MSA) assigned Federal fisheries specifications for each region. FMPs fishery under its authority that requires updated to reflect the best available management authority to eight regional delineate regional management priorities conservation and management. The science. FMPs are also amended to ensure councils: North Pacific, Western Pacific, and are responsive to unique challenges Council conducts public hearings so as to consistency with changes in federal policy Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, New England, Mid- and concerns of each region while fulfilling allow all interested persons an opportunity such as the Sustainable Fisheries Act in Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Caribbean. the goals defined in the MSA. Under the to be heard in the development of FMPs 1996 and the Magnuson-Stevens and amendments, Reauthorization Act of 2007. To fulfill the and reviews and intent of regional fishery management revises, as plans, Councils may further refine regions appropriate, the into smaller management areas which assessments and represent unique geographical areas within specifications with the region. Management areas are respect to the characterized by unique biodiversity, optimum yield physical characteristics, and fishery from each participation and dependence. fishery. Within the North Pacific there are three distinct Management Areas: Bering Sea/ Aleutian Islands (BSAI), Gulf of Alaska (GOA), and Arctic, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) manages fisheries relative to the specific management area. While there are similar management objectives, different FMPs for given management areas provide the NPFMC the flexibility to tailor fishery management and conservation strategies to address area-specific challenges. As such, the FMPs prepared and maintained by the NPFMC include BSAI and GOA groundfish, BSAI king and tanner crab, and an Arctic FMP. Additionally, joint management authority with the State of Alaska is provided through an Alaska Salmon FMP and Scallop FMP. Regional Fishery Management Councils as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. 1 Gulf of Alaska Groundfish fishery. After the foreign fleet was -alone document to understand a particular amendment level, they are also compiled to Fishery Management Plan adequately addressed, the Council’s focus issue, or the development of a subject over demonstrate the prominent role the FMPs changed from the regulation of mainly the course of multiple FMP amendments. play in the national fisheries policy foreign fisheries to the management of fully discussion. Each amendment to the GOA The GOA Groundfish FMP was adopted by The GOA Groundfish FMP amendment domestic groundfish fisheries. In more FMP, while addressing a seemingly isolated the Council in and implemented in 1978. summaries consist of five main parts: 1) the recent years, the Council has adopted problem, has national – sometimes The FMP management area is the United date when the action was adopted by the amendments to streamline catch share international – implications; each serves as States (U.S.) exclusive economic zone Council, the proposed rule, final rule, and programs and address other science and a case study to inform policy change at the (EEZ) of the North Pacific Ocean, exclusive effective date(s) of implementation; 2) management challenges. macro level. The amendments should not of the Bering Sea, between the eastern purpose and need, a brief background of be interpreted as linear change over time, Aleutian Islands at 170° W longitude and the reason the action was initiated; 3) To illustrate the evolution of the GOA but a complex web of management action. Dixon Entrance at 132° W 40' longitude. regulation summary, which summarizes the Groundfish FMP, summaries of each Each amendment influenced, and was The FMP covers fisheries for all stocks of regulation as it appears in the FMP; 4) amendment were prepared and compiled influenced by, a number of other finfish except salmon, steelhead, Pacific analysis summary; and 5) results, which into a comprehensive reference document. amendments within the FMP. No change halibut, Pacific herring, and tuna. describes quantified changes that resulted This volume is meant to serve as a research happened in isolation, and drawing those from the amendment, and later FMP Over time, the FMP has been amended tool for a general audience and to illustrate connections is critical to understanding the amendments that resulted from the action. many times to meet the changing fishery how fisheries management adapts and complexity of fisheries management. management needs. The first several changes over time. Each amendment The GOA Amendments are presented amendments implemented in the GOA summary serves as a guide for sequentially to show how the FMP has Groundfish FMP specifically dealt with understanding the GOA Groundfish FMP. changed over time. While these summaries foreign fishing fleet participation in the Each summary can also be used as a stand are meant to be informative at the Alaska EEZ has management areas in two oceans: the Pacific and the Arctic. Gulf of Alaska Management Area 2 Amendments by Council Action Date Am. Title Page Am. Title Page Am. Title Page 1978 1983 August June December 22 Authorize EFPs, Rescind GOA 30 Statistical Area 68, Define Groundfish 3 Foreign Apportionment of Pacific Cod in 11 13 Increase Pollock OY, Adjust Pollock 21 Pot Chirikof Area Management Areas September August 25 Establish Sea Lion Buffer Zones, 33 1 Extend OY, TALFF, and U.S. Capacity 9 1985 Modify Pollock Management Districts Estimates December 2 Joint Venture Reserve: Increase Pollock 10 May Reserve 14 Sablefish Gear, Area and Seasonal 22 20 Establish Sablefish IFQs 28 Allocation 24 Delay Fisheries Start Date, Expand 32 1979 Vessel Incentive Program April 1986 4 Removal of Gear and Area Restrictions, 12 September 1992 Adjust OY 15 Revise FMP Policy, Kodiak Bottom Trawl 23 January June Closures 27 Establish Trawl Gear Test Zones 35 5 Establish Species Category for 13 June Grenadiers 1987 26 Permanent Kodiak Crab Protection 34 6 Reduction of Domestic Annual Harvest 14 September Zones August 30 Development of an Observer Program 38 16 CP Reporting Requirements 24 7 Extend the FMP, Adjust OY for Pacific 15 Research Plan (not fully implemented) Cod, 1980 1988 1993 1980 June April May 17 Federal Permit and Reporting 25 33 Kodiak Pelagic Trawl Closures 41 (withdrawn) 8 Establish OY and Species Categories, 16