Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendments 20 and 21; Trawl Rationalization Program

NMFS proposes specific measures for the implementation of Amendments 20 and 21 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 20 would establish a trawl rationalization program for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery, which would consist of: An individual fishing quota (IFQ) program for the shorebased trawl fleet (including whiting and non-whiting); and cooperative (coop) programs for the at-sea (whiting only) mothership (MS) and catcher/ processor (C/P) trawl fleets. The trawl rationalization program is intended to increase net economic benefits, create individual economic stability, provide full utilization of the trawl sector allocation, consider environmental impacts, and achieve individual accountability of catch and bycatch. Amendment 21 would establish fixed allocations for limited entry (LE) trawl participants. These allocations are intended to improve management under the rationalization program by streamlining its administration, providing stability to the fishery, and addressing halibut bycatch. On August 9, 2010, NMFS made its decision to partially approve Amendments 20 and 21. Accordingly, this rule proposes the key components that would be necessary to implement the trawl rationalization program at the start of the 2011 fishery. NMFS previously published a proposed rule on June 10, 2010 that would restructure and clarify the Pacific Coast groundfish regulations to more closely track the organization of the proposed measures (the initial issuance proposed rule). The proposed rule and references to the groundfish regulations in the preamble for this proposed rule cite to the applicable sections of in the initial issuance proposed rule. The initial issuance proposed rule would also establish the allocations set forth under Amendment 21 and procedures for initial issuance of permits, endorsements, quota shares (QS), and catch history assignments under the IFQ and coop programs. This rule supplements the prior initial issuance proposed rule, and provides additional details, including: Program components applicable to IFQ gear switching, observer programs, retention requirements, equipment requirements, catch monitors, catch weighing requirements, coop permits, coop agreement requirements, first receiver site licenses, quota share accounts, vessel quota pound accounts, further tracking and monitoring components, and economic data collection requirements. NMFS is also planning a future “cost recovery” rule based on a recommended methodology yet to be developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (the Council).