Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Squid to Ecosystem Component Category - Initial Review
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STAFF CONTACT: Diana Stram
ACTION REQUIRED: r
Initial Reviewecommended action
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BACKGROUND:
The Council will take initial review of an EA/RIR/IRFA to evaluate moving squid stocks in both the BSAI Groundfish FMP and the GOA groundfish FMP into the Ecosystem Component (EC) category. Under recently revised National Standard 1 guidelines, if a species does not require conservation and management, it may be moved into the "ecosystem component" (EC) category. Two alternatives are considered in this analysis:
Alternative 1 would continue to manage squids in both the BSAI and GOA groundfish FMPs as a target species. OFL, ABC, and TAC will continue to be set for squids in both areas. Stock assessments for squids would continue to be done annually. Directed fishing for squids is allowed, however given the low TAC established annually for both the BSAI and GOA groundfish specifications, NMFS has determined that existing TAC levels are not sufficient to support a directed fishery in either region and thus continues to place squids in both areas on bycatch-only status. Therefore squids are taken only as incidental catch in groundfish fisheries (primarily pollock fisheries) in both regions.
Under Alternative 1, MRAs for squids as an incidental catch species are established at 20%. This allows vessels fishing for groundfish to retain a quantity of squids equal to, but no more than, 20% percent of the round weight or round weight equivalent of groundfish species open to directed fishing that are retained on board the vessel at any time during a fishing trip.
Alternative 2 would move squid in both BSAI and GOA FMPs into the 'Ecosystem Component'. Catch specifications (OFL, ABC, TAC) will no longer be required. Under Alternative 2, regulations would prohibit directed fishing for squid, require recordkeeping and reporting to monitor...
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