MOODY MARINE LTD Authors: Joe Powers, Geoff Tingley, Susan Hanna, Paul Knapman Public Comment Draft Report for THE GULF OF ALASKA NORTHERN ROCK SOLE TRAWL FISHERY Client: Best Use Coalition Certification Body: Client Contact: Moody Marine Ltd John Gauvin Moody International Certification Best Use Coalition 28 Fleming Drive c/o Groundfish Forum Halifax 4241 21st Ave West Nova Scotia Suite 200 Canada Seattle B3P 1A9 Washington, 98199 Tel: +1 902 489 5581 +1 206 213 5270 FN 82050 Northern Rock Sole GOA V3 January 2010 Page 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................................4 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................6 1.1 THE FISHERY PROPOSED FOR CERTIFICATION .........................................................................................6 1.2 REPORT STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................................................7 1.3 INFORMATION SOURCES USED................................................................................................................8 2 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND SOME DEFINITIONS USED IN THE REPORT...................................................................................................................................13 3 BACKGROUND TO THE FISHERY .................................................................................................15 3.1 BIOLOGY OF THE SPECIES ....................................................................................................................15 3.2 HISTORY OF THE FISHERY....................................................................................................................16 3.3 THE FLEET...........................................................................................................................................17 3.4 THE FISHING GEAR AND THE FISHING OPERATION...............................................................................19 4 STOCK ASSESSMENT........................................................................................................................21 4.1 MANAGEMENT UNITS ..........................................................................................................................21 4.2 MONITORING OF STOCK STATUS..........................................................................................................21 4.3 ASSESSMENT MODELLING ...................................................................................................................22 4.4 HARVEST REFERENCE POINTS .............................................................................................................22 4.5 CURRENT STATUS................................................................................................................................23 5 FISHERY LOCATION, ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES, AND RESPONSIBILITY...........25 5.1 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTEXT AND LEGISLATION....................................................................................25 5.2 GOA MANAGEMENT AREA .................................................................................................................25 5.3 US WATERS ........................................................................................................................................26 5.4 INTERNATIONAL WATERS....................................................................................................................26 5.5 FOREIGN FISHING.................................................................................................................................26 6 FISHERY LOCATION, ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES, AND RESPONSIBILITY...........27 6.1 THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR GROUNDFISH OF THE GOA MANAGEMENT AREA .................27 6.2 NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT.........................................27 6.3 THE NPFMC MANAGEMENT APPROACH.............................................................................................28 6.4 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................................28 6.5 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ROLES............................................................................................................31 6.6 CONSULTATIONS..................................................................................................................................31 6.7 FISHERIES MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................33 6.8 CONSERVATION, PROTECTION, AND COMPLIANCE...............................................................................37 7 ECOSYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS.................................................................................................41 7.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................41 7.2 HABITAT..............................................................................................................................................41 7.3 THE FOOD WEB...................................................................................................................................43 7.4 PROTECTED, ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES ......................................................................44 7.5 BYCATCH ............................................................................................................................................45 8 OTHER FISHERIES RELEVANT TO THIS ASSESSMENT .........................................................48 9 STANDARD USED ...............................................................................................................................49 9.1 PRINCIPLE 1.........................................................................................................................................49 9.2 PRINCIPLE 2.........................................................................................................................................49 9.3 PRINCIPLE 3.........................................................................................................................................50 10 BACKGROUND TO THE EVALUATION........................................................................................52 10.1 EVALUATION TEAM ........................................................................................................................52 FN 82050 Northern Rock Sole GOA V3 January 2010 Page 2 10.2 PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EVALUATIONS .......................................................................................53 10.3 INSPECTIONS OF THE FISHERY.........................................................................................................53 11 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION .................................................................................................55 11.1 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION.......................................................................................................55 11.2 STAKEHOLDER ISSUES ....................................................................................................................55 12 OBSERVATIONS AND SCORING ....................................................................................................56 12.1 INTRODUCTION TO SCORING METHODOLOGY .................................................................................56 12.2 EVALUATION RESULTS....................................................................................................................56 13 LIMIT OF IDENTIFICATION OF LANDINGS FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA NORTHERN ROCK SOLE TRAWL FISHERY........................................................................................................57 13.1 TRACEABILITY ................................................................................................................................57 13.2 TRACEABILITY REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE FISHERY......................................................................57 13.3 AT-SEA PROCESSING.......................................................................................................................57 13.4 POINTS OF LANDING ........................................................................................................................57 13.5 ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER CHAIN OF CUSTODY.....................................................................................57 13.6 TARGET ELIGIBILITY DATE ..............................................................................................................58 14 CERTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION .......................................................................................59 14.1 CERTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................59 14.2 SCOPE OF CERTIFICATION ...............................................................................................................59 14.3 CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTIFICATION ....................................59 15 APPENDICES........................................................................................................................................63 APPENDIX A: SCORING TABLE ......................................................................................................................63