West Coast Groundfish Quota Program
Workshop
1
PLANNING FOR A REVIEW OF THE
WEST COAST GROUNDFISH TRAWL
CATCH SHARE PROGRAM
CHUCK TRACY, PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
FRANK LOCKHART, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE WEST COAST REGION
2
Basis and Current Status of the
Fishery and Quota Share Program
Overview of the 5-Year Review
Proposal
3
Basis and Current Status of the
Fishery and Quota Share Program

Overview Of The Goals and Objectives

Things That Worked Well

Things We Are Concerned About Now and in Near Future

Current and Near-term (2016-2017) Activities
Amendment 20 Trawl Catch
Share Program - GOALS

Increase Net Economic Benefits

Create Individual Economic Stability

Full Utilization of Trawl Allocations

Consider Environmental Impacts

Establish Individual Accountability – Catch And
Bycatch
4
Amendment 20 Trawl Catch
Share Program - OBJECTIVES






Total Catch Accounting
Increase Viability, Profitability and Efficiency Of The Groundfish
Fishery
Bycatch and Discard Mortality Reduction
Ecological Impact Reduction
Operational Flexibility
Minimize Adverse Effects On

Communities

Other Fisheries
Economic and Employment Benefits
 Quality Consumer Products
 Safety

5
Amendment 20 Trawl Catch
Share Program – OTHER
PRINCIPLES

Biological Structure of Stocks

Mortality Within Catch Limits

Localized Concentrations of Fishing Effort

Account for Total Groundfish Mortality

Marketing Power Balance Between Harvesting and
Processing Sectors.

Excessive Quota Concentration

Monitoring and Enforcement

Program Review, Evaluation, and Modification

Management and Administrative Costs
6
West Coast Regional
Perspective
on the Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program
What has worked well?

Quota Share/Quota Pound online trading and
tracking database

100% at-sea and onshore monitoring

Managing to Annual Catch Limits
7
West Coast Regional
Perspective
on the Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program
What is causing us concern?

Costs to Industry – Buyback/Monitoring/Cost Recovery

Potential Costs of Electronic Monitoring to NMFS

Issues with Small Ports

Little Progress Increasing Attainment Rates

New Entrants
8
West Coast Regional
Perspective
on the Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program
Rulemakings
• Scale Changes
• Fall 2016
• Gear Modifications
• Fall 2016
• Pacific Whiting
• May 2016
• Electronic monitoring
• Fall 2016
• Widow reallocation
• Fall 2016
• Vessel Movement Monitoring
• January 2017
Other Trailing Actions
9
Overview of the Proposed
5-Year Review Process
10

MSA – Requires Review By Council And Secretary Of Commerce (303a(c)(1)(g))

FMP – Amendment 20 Requires Review By The Council (Section A.2.3.4)

Joint Council Family Review Process

NMFS, States, Tribes, Constituents

NMFS Approval Of Review Results (Secretarial Role)

Council is Seeking Funding for This Activity

Council Initiates Review at Its June 2016 Meeting

Review Report Finalized at April 2018 Council Meeting
The 5-Year Review

Reviewing Catch Share Program (Amendment 20)

Specification of the Management System to
Rationalize the Trawl Fishery

Consideration of Harvest Control Tools Such as IFQs
and Harvester Co-ops

Will Include Most of the Completed Trailing
Actions

Will Not Include Underlying Sector Allocations
(Amendment 21)
11
Review Elements and
Timeline
12
Set Calendar And Convene Project Team
 Summary of Existing Information (Preliminary Assessment).
 Community Advisory Board Preliminary Meeting
 Coastal Hearings on Areas of Program Success and Concern
 Council Review and Direction
 Project Team Work
 Presentation of Draft Review to Council
 Project Team – Document Revisions
 Public Comment Period and CAB Review
of Draft Report
 Council Finalizes Draft Review and Sends to NMFS for Approval
 Some Ongoing Omnibus Trailing Actions Concurrent with the Review

Community Advisory Board


Amendment 20 Requirement for Program
Review
About 20 Participants
Fishing Industry Sectors
 Coastal Communities
 Other Interests


Meets Outside of Council Meetings and Via
Webinars
13
Coastal Hearings
 Two
Sets of Hearings
 First
in Summer/Fall 2016
 Identify
 Second
 Public
9
14
Program Successes and Concerns
in Winter 2018
Review Draft of Report
+/- Coastal Ports
Outcomes and Improvements 15

Comparison With Goals and Objectives
Economics
 Utilization
 Bycatch
 Safety


Potential Improvements Identified
Prioritize Issues
 Adaptive Management Program
 Carryover Provisions
 Control Rules for Risk Pools


Program Revisions Start June 2018 (Omnibus)