NPFMC Plans Hybrid Fall Meeting

Members of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council are scheduled to take final action in October in Anchorage on the issue of Bering Sea/Aleutian Island Pacific cod trawl catcher vessel limited access privilege programs (LAPP).

During its online meeting in June, the council conducted a second review of the analysis of the proposed LAPP and recommended, after making several revisions, that the analysis be released for final action in October.

Council staff note that the proposed program considers allocations of quota shares to groundfish LLP licenses based on the harvest of targeted Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Pacific cod during qualifying years.

Also under consideration is allocating harvest shares to processors based on processing history of BSAI Pacific cod during qualifying years. Harvesters and processors could then assign the quota share to cooperatives on an annual basis as an exclusive harvest privilege allocation.

According to the council, the purpose of such action is to improve prosecution of the fishery with the intent of promoting safety and stability in the harvesting and processing sectors. Other benefits, the council said would be increased value of the fishery, minimizing bycatch to the extent practicable, providing for sustained participation of fishery-dependent communities and ensuring sustainability and viability of the resource.

A complete summary of the preliminary preferred alternative, along with adjustments to the elements and options of the proposed plan are detailed in the council’s June newsletter, which is online at https://www.npfmc.org/June-2021-newsletter/

The council meetings are scheduled for Sept. 30 through Oct. 15. The Advisory Panel will meet Oct. 4-8 and Scientific & Statistical Committee plans to meet on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and again from Oct. 4-6, both via web conference only. The council is to meet via web conference on Oct. 6 and again from Oct. 10-15, at the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage and via web conference.

All meeting dates and locations are tentative and subject to change. The council has said that it will continue to update the webpage with the most current information available. A short summary of agenda items will be posted, as well as meeting documents. The comment period opens on Sept. 17 and the deadline for written comments is 5 p.m. Alaska time Sept. 29.

All information provided through the eAgenda posted online is part of the public record. To sign up for text alerts for all three meetings, text NPFMC to 81411.