Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
BSAI Halibut Abundance-based PSC Limits - Discussion Paper
end
STAFF CONTACT: Diana Stram
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review discussion paper and workshop report; action as necessary.
BACKGROUND:
The Council is examining abundance-based approaches to establishing halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) because current halibut PSC limits are a fixed amount of halibut mortality in metric tons. When halibut abundance declines, halibut PSC becomes a larger proportion of total halibut removals and can result in lower catch limits for directed halibut fisheries. Both the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) and the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) have expressed concern about impacts on directed halibut fisheries under the status quo and identified abundance-based halibut PSC limits as a potential management approach to address these concerns.
The Council tasked an inter-agency workgroup of NMFS AKR, NMFS AFSC, IPHC, UW and Council staff to develop abundance-based approaches for BSAI halibut PSC limits, building upon previous work by IPHC staff. An initial discussion paper was provided by the group at the April 2016 Council meeting. The Council's motion from that meeting including direction to the workgroup as well as a Purpose and Need statement for the analysis is attached (Item 1). This inter-agency group have met several times in person as well as via teleconference and via electronic collaboration since that time to coordinate efforts and provide the additional information and recommendations contained in this paper. The discussion paper is attached (Item 2) and was posted September 9th in order to be available per request prior to a public workshop held by the Council.
The Council held a public workshop to provide a presentation on the discussion paper on September 12th. The purpose of the workshop ...
Click here for full text