CENTRAL GOA RATIONALIZATION and
ROCKFISH PILOT PROGRAM

• Program Overview and Important Dates
• GOA Rockfish Entry Level Fishery Allocations and Other Questions
• Summary of Response to Key Issues
• Summary of Changes from Proposed to Final Rule
• Final Rule: November 20, 2006
• Fishery Management Plan Amendment

Online (Web) Applications

• Account Balances and Ledger Reports
• eLandings: Online reporting
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about eLandings

Participants

• Cooperatives with associated LLP licenses and vessels: 2008, 2007
• LLP Licenses: 2008, 2007
• Limited Access, CP-Opt Out and Entry Level Participants: 2008, 2007
• Vessels: 2008, 2007

Allocations

• Allocations for cooperatives, limited access and entry level fisheries: 2008, 2007
• Catcher Processor Sideboards: 2008, 2007

Related Information

• Catch Statistics
• Fishery Denominators for Initial Quota Share Issuance
• Initial Issuance of Quota to LLP Licenses
• Initial Issuance of Quota by Sector
• Preliminary Processor/LLP Associations for Catcher Vessel Rockfish Cooperatives
• Rockfish Cooperative Contact Information

Rockfish Program

• Entry Level Rockfish Fishery Application
• Rockfish Limited Access Fishery Application
• Cooperative Fishing Quota (CQ) Application
• Inter-Cooperative Transfer of CQ Application
• Application to Opt Out of Rockfish Fishery

• Information and Applications, for Flow Scales, Observer Sampling Stations, Bin Monitoring and CMCP
  

Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment

• 72 FR 37678, July 11, 2007. Final rule to clarify procedures and to correct discrepancies in71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006.
• 71 FR 67210, November 20, 2006. Final rule to implement Amendment 68.
• 71 FR 33040, June 7, 2006. Proposed rule implementing Amendment 68.
• 71 FR 27894, May 15, 2006. Notice of Availability of Amendment 68.
• Amendment 68



• Final Rule Analyses
      - Final EA/RIR, August 1, 2006
      - Final RFA, October 1, 2006
  
  
• Proposed Rule Analysis
      - EA/RIR/IRFA, May 1, 2006
  
  
• Rockfish Pilot Program - Council Information
      - Actions : Motions, Analyses, Alts., Community Profiles
  
  

Further Information

For GOA Rationalization or Rockfish Program information contact Glenn Merrill, (907) 586-7228, Glenn.Merrill@noaa.gov, or Mark Fina, (907) 271-2809, Mark.Fina@noaa.gov.

For Inseason Management Information contact Steve Whitney, (907) 586-7269, Steven.Whitney@noaa.gov.

Kodiak Harbor. Photo: NOAA Fisheries

While the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) considers a comprehensive limited access privilege program, commonly called a rationalization program, for all groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska, they recommended a smaller scale rationalization program to address specific concerns related to rockfish fisheries in the Central Gulf of Alaska. Specifically, several processing plants in Kodiak have closed, there is less work available for Kodiak’s residential workers due to shorter processing seasons, and the community’s fish tax revenues are decreasing as fish prices and port landings decrease. Congress recognized these problems and directed the Department of Commerce Secretary, in consultation with the Council, to implement a pilot rockfish rationalization program (Program).

The Program was designed to be short-term (5 years) to learn principles and lessons for developing future rationalization programs. The Program permits harvesters to form voluntary cooperatives and receive an exclusive harvest privilege to harvest certain groundfish species in the Central Gulf of Alaska. Processors can form associations with inshore harvester cooperatives for exclusive processing opportunities. Harvests during the 1996-2002 Central Gulf of Alaska rockfish fisheries were used as the basis for establishing catch history. Catch history was based on vessels with landings of Central Gulf of Alaska rockfish that gave rise to licenses issued through the license limitation program (LLP). Holders of LLP licenses have their licenses modified with an endorsement that specifies their catch history. Each year, LLP license holders choose to join a cooperative, limited access fishery, or opt-out of the program with their catch history. The Program became effective in 2006 and fishing under it began in 2007.

The Council is considering alternative management approaches to rationalize the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries west of 140 degrees longitude and rockfish bycatch east of 140 degrees longitude. The rationalization program includes policies and management measures intended to improve conservation, reduce bycatch, and provide greater economic stability for harvesters, processors, and fishery-dependent communities. Rationalization of Gulf of Alaska fisheries should eliminate the current derby-style “race for fish” by allocating privileges and providing economic incentives to consolidate operations, and control and reduce bycatch and gear conflicts. The rationalization program would not modify the individual fishing quota (IFQ) hook-and-line sablefish fishery, except for management of associated groundfish bycatch.