Bycatch Reduction

Salmon Bycatch

February 2009 Council meeting:  Salmon Bycatch incentive program proposal review (C-3)  draft materials (powerpoints, handouts and reports) in conjunction with C-3 Salmon Bycatch: review of ICA proposals.  Information is included on two such proposals, one by Catcher Vessels (Legacy program and rolling hotspots; Legacy allocations and ITECs, ITECs), the other by Catcher Processors (The Undercatch Incentive Program; Incentive Based Avoidance Proposal). 

These industry-proposed programs are a work-in-progress thus final written proposals are not yet available.  Instead, conceptual frameworks are presented (for CVs a ppt, for CPs a written report) with accompanying materials on how these concepts would be modified for ICA agreements within these sectors.  Industry representatives will provide the SSC with presentations on February 2 under this agenda item.  Additional information (written and/or powerpoints) will be available at that time.

Nome meeting January 22, 2009 at the Nome Eskimo Community Hall, 9-12pm; AGENDA; Powerpoint

The Salmon Bycatch Workgroup meeting will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage January 20th, 2009, 10am-5pm.  The main purpose of the meeting is to review the industry ICA proposals for incentive-based programs for salmon bycatch reduction and provide comments as necessary to the Council for their February 2009 meeting review. Report

Environmental Impact Statement on Salmon Bycatch Reduction Measures in the BSAI
NOAA Fisheries, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on salmon bycatch reduction measures in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The proposed action would replace the current Chinook and Chum Salmon Savings Areas in the BSAI with new regulatory closures, salmon bycatch limits, or a combination of both. These management measures could incorporate current or new bycatch reduction methods. The scope of the EIS will be to determine the impacts to the human environment resulting from these salmon bycatch reduction measures. NMFS will accept written comments from the public to determine the issues of concern and the appropriate range of management alternatives for analysis in the EIS.  More info.

Chinook salmon bycatch DEIS 11/08
Salmon and Crab bycatch in the GOA fisheries 12/08

Letter to Interested parties regarding Chinook Salmon Bycatch in the Pollock Fishery 1/09

Nome meeting January 22, 2009 at the Nome Eskimo Community Hall, 9-12pm

Notice on participation in community meetings on Salmon Bycatch 1/09

October 2008 Outreach Powerpoint; December 2008 Yukon River Panel Outreach Powerpoint.

Letter to Council from NMFS regarding Salmon Bycatch 10/08
Chum bycatch Alternatives 10/08
GOA salmon/crab bycatch discussion paper 6/08
BSAI Salmon bycatch motion 6/08;
BSAI Salmon bycatch EIS, RIR, IRFA, Appendix C 6/08
BSAI Salmon bycatch motion 4/08 (revised)
BSAI Salmon Bycatch Description of Alternatives 4/08
BSAI Salmon Bycatch Motion 2/08 Salmon Bycatch Management and Monitoring in the Bering Sea Pollock Fisheries 2/08
BSAI Salmon Bycatch discussion paper 1/08;
BSAI AM 84:  Modifying existing Chum and Chinook Salmon Savings Areas (final rule, 10/07)
Salmon Bycatch Motion 12/07
Salmon Bycatch Motion 10/07
NPFMC Salmon Bycatch Workgroup meeting: November 2, 2007 Ballroom B, Hawthorne Suites, 1110 West 8^th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 9:00-2:00 AGENDA workgroup report
Salmon bycatch discussion paper 10/07
BSAI Salmon bycatch motion 6/07, Salmon bycatch workgroup report August 2007
Salmon bycatch workshop, March 2007  AGENDA
Agenda; abstracts, amendment 84B alternatives, presentations: 
Gruver, Ianelli, Haflinger, Sandone

February 2007:  Salmon bycatch discussion paper

SSC Salmon bycatch workshop 4/06:  Workshop Agenda, Abstracts, SSC report
PowerPoints:  BSAI Salmon; Overview; Gene; Haynie, Ianelli, Murphy, Seebs, Wilmont

Salmon bycatch motion 10/05
BSAI Salmon bycatch motion 6/05
BSAI Salmon Bycatch EA/RIR, maps 6/05
BSAI Salmon Bycatch Motion 2/05

Improved Retention/Improved Utilization

IRIU AM80, appendices  Errata 5/25/06, Motion motion 6/06
IRIU Amendment 80 Motion, February 2006
BSAI Amendment 80, IRIU large file (5MB) 10/05
BSAI Amendment 80 Council motion, elements and options 6/05
BSAI Amendment 79, IRIU Trailing Amendment C:  Minimum Groundfish Retention Standard 5/05 1.14MB
IRIU Amendment 80 motion February 2005
IRIU Motion from the December 2004 Council meeting
Amendment 80 Components and Options June 2004
IRIU Discussion Paper  May 2004
IRIU Motion from the April 2004 Council Meeting
IRIU Motion from the February 2004 Council Meeting
IRIU Motion from the December 2003 Council meeting
IRIU Motion from the October 2003 Council meeting

IRIU Committee Membership
Committee Minutes
      May 2004
      November 2003
      August 2003

Assessment of changes in IRIU flatfish requirements 5/02

When the Council approved full retention requirements for pollock and cod in 1996, that action included a delayed implementation of similar requirements for specified flatfish species, which can have a high discard rate in the North Pacific fisheries. Full retention requirements for flatfish were scheduled for implementation in January 2003. In 2002 the Council approved a further delay of these requirements until June 2004, to provide an opportunity to develop alternative requirements which would allow the affected sectors to remain economically viable, and still reduce discards. An overall minimum groundfish retention standard was approved by the Council in June 2003, with increasing retention standards being phased in starting in 2005. Concurrently, the Council is developing a fishery cooperative for the sectors targeting flatfish species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, a program designed to provide this sector with the operational tools to adhere to the increased retention standards. These measures are expected to further reduce the overall discards of groundfish in the North Pacific fisheries.

Improved Retention/Improved Utilization - In 1998, Groundfish FMP Amendments 49/49 were implemented, requiring 100% retention of all pollock and Pacific cod in all fisheries, regardless of gear type. This provided incentive for fishermen to avoid catching these species if they were not targeted, and also required that they be retained for processing if they were caught. Alternative retention measures for other Bering Sea groundfish have recently been adopted by the Council for implementation in 2005, pending NOAA Fisheries approval.