October 28, 2020 — Federal fisheries managers aiming to limit incidental halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea are moving forward with alternative options to resolve allowable bycatch based on abundance of the species.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council noted in a revised purpose and need statement approved during its October meeting that the Amendment 80 sector, in the Bering Sea, a fleet of trawl catcher-processors targeting rock sole, yellowfin sole and flathead sole, is accountable for the bulk of the annual halibut prohibited species catch in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries. The meeting was virtual, due to safety concerns prompted by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
While the Amendment 80 fleet has reduced halibut mortality in recent years, the continuing decline in the halibut stock requires consideration of additional measures for bycatch management, the council said.
When halibut abundance in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands declines, prohibited species catch by these trawl catcher-processors can result in a larger proportion of total halibut removals, particularly in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4CDE, which includes the Pribilof Islands. To that end, the council intends to establish an abundance-based halibut prohibited species catch management program in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands for the Amendment 80 sector that meets requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management Act, particularly to minimize halibut prohibited species catch to the extent practicable under National Standard 9 and to achieve optimum yield in the area groundfish fisheries on a continuing basis under National Standard 1.