Dan Hull, Chairman
David Witherell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
GOA Tanner crab observer/effort data - Discussion paper
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STAFF CONTACT: Jim Armstrong (NPFMC)
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
• Review discussion paper
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BACKGROUND:
Amendment 89 to the GOA Groundfish FMP established a Tanner crab protection area in Marmot Bay near Kodiak Island, AK and also put in place gear modifications to reduce unobserved mortality of Tanner crab that may occur from non-pelagic trawl gear used in the Central Gulf of Alaska (CGOA) flatfish fishery. The protection area and gear modifications were effective February 18, 2014. Analyses summarized in Rose et al. (2010) address the design and benefit of gear modifications that were put in place.
At its June 2017 meeting in Juneau, AK, the Council reviewed a discussion paper on the direct (i.e., Amendment 89) and indirect protections afforded to Tanner crab and Tanner crab habitat in the Central Management Area of the Gulf of Alaska. That paper also included ADF&G updates on Tanner crab abundance and distribution, harvest by the directed Tanner crab fishery, observer-based estimates of prohibited species catch (PSC) of Tanner crab in federally-permitted CGOA groundfish fisheries, and a brief discussion on observer coverage.
After reviewing the 2017 discussion paper, the Council directed staff to prepare a further discussion paper that would examine non-pelagic trawl and pot cod effort as well as observer program coverage in certain statistical areas around Kodiak Island, AK. The attached discussion paper provides that information and also updates Tanner crab abundance and PSC. A supplemental attachment provides greater detail in the flatfish effort information provided in the main discussion paper.