Fish News – Dec. 8, 2011 – 5 p.m. from AEB

Download Fish News – Dec. 8, 2011 – 5 p.m. from AEB as a PDF

Contents:
Latest Advisory Panel to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council Recommendations:

The Advisory Council (AP) wrapped up its December 2011 meeting at the Anchorage Hilton today. Yesterday (Dec. 7, 2011), during Day Two, the AP recommended that the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC or Council) accept the Groundfish Plan Teams Safe reports, and the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) team’s specifications. The AP recommended a total allowable catch (TAC) of 1,205,600 ton for Pollock in the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI), along with a TAC for all other groundfish species adding up to 2,000,000 in the BSAI.

In other issues:

– The AP recommended that the Council approve the Salmon Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council did, in fact, take final action and approved Amendment 12: Revisions to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the Coast of Alaska.

– The AP recommended the Council accept an industry cooperative solution to cap lease rates on BSAI at 65% voluntarily, and otherwise take no action.
Fish News Published by the Aleutians East Borough Dec. 8, 2011 Page 2

– The AP recommended the Council move the Community protections package (crab) forward, adding an alternative requiring PQS holders to provide information on transfers to agencies. The AP also recommended that the Council request stakeholder committee meetings and come up with a final recommendation in April.
– The AP recommended the Council move forward establishing a CQE in Adak, and to bring back the analysis to allow D shares in Area 4A & 4B be ‘fished up’. The AP recommended the Council not pursue further analysis regarding change of A season of Pacific Cod.

The Council meets tomorrow morning (Friday, Dec. 9, 2011), beginning at 8 a.m. The NPFMC will continue discussing GOA and BSAI Groundfish Harvest Specifications, and is expected to take final action.

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