Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
EFP-2 - Bristol Bay Red King Crab Savings Area
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STAFF CONTACT: Diana Stram
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review and approve EFP application for RKC Savings Area.
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BACKGROUND:
NMFS has received an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) to allow operators of up to five Alaska Seafood Cooperative (AKSC) non-pelagic trawl catcher/processors to test fish in two subareas of the Bering Sea that are closed to trawl directed fisheries: Reporting Area 516 of Zone 1 closed to all trawl gear and the Red King Crab Savings Area (RKCSA) closed to non-pelagic trawl gear. The purpose of the EFP is to collect data on crab bycatch rates during commercial fishing operations targeting primarily flatfish inside these closed areas as well as adjacent areas that are open to non-pelagic trawling. The objective of this EFP is to evaluate whether flatfish and other groundfish trawling in these closed areas under the existing PSC limits for crab would result in reductions in PSC rates for crab and other species, or a change in overall catch of target species compared with status quo. This study would begin in late January 2017 through the end of April 2017 and again from January 2018 through April 2018. The applicant, Mr. John Gauvin will be available to present the EFP application and study objectives.