Eric Olson, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: Title
Bering Sea Chinook/Chum Salmon Bycatch - Review Discussion Paper
end
ESTIMATED TIME:
8 hours
ACTION REQUIRED: Recommended Action
Review discussion paper
Body
BACKGROUND
The Council has been iteratively addressing Bering Sea Chinook and chum salmon bycatch management revisions in recent years. The Bering Sea Chinook bycatch management program, implemented in 2011 under Amendment 91 to the BSAI groundfish FMP, established a system of PSC limits (divided by sector and season) and provided for industry-developed incentive plan agreements (IPAs) by sector in order to have increased flexibility in operations and management of incentives within sectors. Since 2011 three IPAs have been in operation, each designed to keep Chinook PSC levels below the performance standard implemented under Amendment 91 (47,591 Chinook salmon annually) while allowing for sectors to reach the sector-specific portion of the higher (60,000 fish) cap in 2 of 7 years as needed in years of high bycatch. Neither the sector-specific performance standards nor overall PSC limits have been approached since the program's inception in 2011.
The Council last reviewed Chinook salmon bycatch management in October 2013 after requesting a detailed staff analysis of fleet, sector and vessel performance under Amendment 91 as well an updated analysis of adult equivalence (AEQ) with particular emphasis on western Alaskan AEQ and impact rates of the fishery on WAK stocks. Overall bycatch has been much lower than historical levels in recent years. However, given continuing concerns regarding poor returns to western Alaskan Chinook salmon stocks, the Council continues to focus on potential improvements to Chinook bycatch management in the Bering Sea. Additionally, the Council is interested in moving forward with a more comprehensive concurrent management of Chinook and chum salmon bycatch management in the Berin...
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