Dan Hull, Chairman
David Witherell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Western GOA Pacific Cod A Season Halibut PSC Rates - Discussion Paper
end
STAFF CONTACT: Jim Armstrong and Sam Cunningham (NPFMC)
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
• Review discussion paper
• Decide what further action is warranted
BACKGROUND:
In December 2016 the Council requested that staff evaluate the temporal distribution of halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) during the Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA) trawl Pacific cod A season. The Council asked staff to focus on describing changes in the halibut PSC rate as the A season progresses.
The discussion paper describes the management landscape for the Pacific cod in the Gulf, including allocation of cod by area and sector, the apportionment of halibut PSC to the Pacific cod fishery, and monitoring of cod and halibut through catch accounting. The analysis contrasts PSC rates for vessels +/- 58’ LOA and explores inter-annual patterns.