The AKFIN, PacFIN and RecFIN databases will be taken offline around 7:00 AM PST on 11/29/2018 to perform server maintenance. We expect the system will be back up around 9:00 AM PST, but in the event of complications, the databases may not be up until noon.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced 4 changes to the groundfish fishery. They are
- an increase in sablefish trip limits for limited entry fixed gear north of 36° N latitude, and for open access fixed gear
- an increase in bocaccio trip limits for limited entry fixed gear between 40°10′ N latitude and 34°27′ N latitude
- moving set-asides for Pacific Ocean Perch (POP) and darkblotched rockfish from incidental open access to the appropriate sectors to account for unforseen catch
- an increase in incidental halibut retention limits for the fixed gear limited entry sablefish primary fishery
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in consultation with tribal fisheries managers, is moving 40,000 metric tons allocated to the tribal sector to the non-tribal commercial sector. The updated allocations are:
- Tribal: 37,251 mt
- Catcher/processor: 136,912 mt
- Mothership: 96,644 mt
- Shorebased: 169,127 mt
The National Marine Fisheries service (NMFS) is seeking comments on rule changes for bottom and midwater trawl gear for vessels participating in the trawl rationalization plan
The proposed changes would alter multiple restriction on net configuration, change gear location restrictions and alter regulations that affect operations on a single trip. The proposed changes can be found here and comments can be left here.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is requesting industry assistance to minimize sablefish bycatch in the at-sea whiting fishery. Areas north of 36° N. latitude are at greater than half of their set aside for 2018. The current set aside is 50 metric tons (mt), and the at-sea sector has landed ~ 26 mt of sablefish.
Please see here or here for further details.
Announcement # NMFS-SEA-18-11
NMFS has released the 2018 harvest specifications and allocations for Pacific whiting.
- Tribal Allocation: 77,251 mt
- Research and Bycatch set-aside: 1,500 mt
- Harvest Guideline (HG): 362,682 mt
Allocation of the HG are as follows :
- Catcher/Processor Coop Program: 123,312 mt (34%)
- Mothership Coop Program: 87,044 mt (24%)
- Shorebased IFQ Program: 152,327 mt (42%)
The final rule was published on May 15th, 2018 (Link).