Dan Hull, Chairman
David Witherell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Halibut Abundance-based PSC Limits - Discussion paper
end
STAFF CONTACT: Diana Stram
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review discussion paper; action as necessary
BACKGROUND:
In 2015, in conjunction with actions to reduce current BSAI halibut PSC limits in groundfish fisheries (Amendment 111), the Council requested that Council and IPHC staff evaluate possible approaches to link BSAI halibut PSC limits to data or model-based abundance estimates of halibut.
Since December 2015, beginning with a paper authored by IPHC staff, multiple discussion papers have been presented with information therein compiled by analysts from within the different agencies (IPHC, NMFS AFSC, NMFS RO and NPFMC staff). The purpose of these papers have been to provide requested information on appropriate indices for use in indexing halibut abundance to PSC in the Bering Sea groundfish fisheries. This discussion paper both summarizes and augments information presented iteratively in those focused papers spanning from 2015 to 2017. The intent of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of all relevant information pertinent to the development of abundance based management (ABM) alternatives for indexing PSC to halibut abundance and to provide a framework to enable the Council to construct draft alternatives. In this manner, the analysts have assembled all relevant and requested information in a comprehensive manner to allow for the Council process of the development of alternatives for this action to begin.
A summary of the discussion paper structure and contents by section is provided below.
.
1. Background: The Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) resource is utilized in Alaska for subsistence and personal use as well as recreational (sport) and commercial fisheries. Halibut have significant social, cultural, and economic importance to fishery participants and fishing communities throughout ...
Click here for full text