Proposed Rule to Implement Amendment 113 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program Adjustments

In response to a recommendation by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, this proposed action would implement Amendment 113 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action would modify specific provisions of the Central Gulf of Alaska (CGOA) Rockfish Program (RP). This action includes four amendments to the RP: 1) change the season start date from May 1 to April 1; 2) eliminate the Catcher Vessel (CV) cooperative holding cap of 30 percent; 3) increase the processing cap to 40 percent of the CV quota share pool (for sablefish, Pacific cod, and/or other primary rockfish); and 4) revise the CV aggregated primary rockfish (Pacific Ocean perch (POP), dusky rockfish, and northern rockfish) harvesting cap by capping only POP harvest at 8 percent of the CV POP share pool.
This action would provide enhanced flexibility to vessel operators and processing plants participating in the RP.
This action includes provisions that would provide increased flexibility and efficiency, improve functionality, and add protection against unforeseen circumstances for the fishery by allowing more time to harvest and land CGOA rockfish Total Allowable Catch in Kodiak as intended, while still maintaining the intent of the RP. Section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the rulemaking authority.