Eric Olson, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: Title
Discussion paper on GOA pot gear for sablefish.
end
ESTIMATED TIME:
8 hours (all Other Issues)
ACTION REQUIRED: Recommended Action
Review discussion paper to allow sablefish pots in the GOA and take action as necessary.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In October 2013, the Council reviewed recommendations from its Gulf of Alaska Sablefish Gear Committee on a range of issues to allow the use of pot gear in the GOA sablefish IFQ fishery. Options for area management (entire GOA or Southeast area only) and pot gear restrictions (single pots or pot longlines; gear configurations; gear markings) are under consideration. While many committee recommendations were unanimous (allow pot longline gear only in entire GOA), whether to require pot gear to be removed from the fishing grounds when not being fished requires additional consideration. The committee comments and recommendations were incorporated into an expanded version of a May 2013 discussion paper, which also addresses halibut bycatch issues, whale depredation, acoustic deterrent devices, social/economic effects in the context of the original design of the program, and lessons learned from the use of pot gear in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, British Columbia, and the west coast. The status of the GOA sablefish stock is addressed under Agenda item C-6.
The paper has been available since early November 2013 and was mailed out in a Council Mailing.