Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Am 80 Halibut PSC Measures - Industry reports
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STAFF CONTACT: Jon McCraken
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Am 80 Coop Reports on 2017 Halibut PSC Management Plans
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BACKGROUND:
At the June 2015 meeting, the Council requested the Amendment 80 cooperatives provide halibut bycatch management plans to the Council at the December meetings. The Council noted that these plans should be designed not just to accommodate the revised PSC mortality limit, but to bring savings to levels below the hard cap. The plans are to include:
1. halibut avoidance practices on the grounds,
2. increased communication between participating harvesters,
3. sharing data for performance tracking,
4. use and development of excluders,
5. deck sorting,
6. performance measurement and assessment at the boat and company level,
7. incentives for continuous efforts to minimize bycatch, and
8. consequences for substandard performance.
Representatives from the Amendment 80 cooperatives will provide a report to the Council outlining their 2017 avoidance measures and their 2016 halibut performance. Written copies of the of the 2017 avoidance measures and 2016 performance reports will be provided at the Council meeting.