Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
GOA Trawl Bycatch Management - Preliminary analysis
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STAFF CONTACT: Sam Cunningham
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review staff papers and EIS Scoping Report
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BACKGROUND:
Since 2012, the Council has been engaged in the development of a revised management structure for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) groundfish trawl fisheries. The motivation for this action is to provide the fleet with a structure under which it can minimize prohibited species catch (PSC), better utilize the allowed amount of PSC to harvest more groundfish, create additional value from the resource, and provide stability for dependent GOA fishing communities. The Council first established a Purpose & Need Statement and a list of program Goals & Objectives in October 2012. The Goals & Objectives were most recently revised in June 2016 with the addition of an "overarching objective," which cites a desire to minimize economic barriers for new participants by limiting harvest privileges that may be allocated (Section 1.1.4).
The Council currently has four alternatives on which to base a preferred policy recommendation. Alternative 1 is a 'no action' alternative, which would retain the existing management structure of the fishery under the License Limitation Program ("limited access"). Alternative 2 defines a catch share program wherein groundfish harvest and PSC use privileges are allocated to voluntary cooperatives based upon the fishing history associated with the Federal License Limitation Program licenses that are enrolled in each cooperative. The specified elements include measures that are intended to promote stability in trawl-dependent fishing communities (consolidation limits, quota regionalization, and active participation requirements). Alternative 3 (added in October 2015) defines a program wherein PSC limits are set for voluntary cooperatives and, potentially, a limited access fishery but groundfish quotas ...
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