Monday, October 4th, 2010
Scoping on Trailing Actions for the Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program
When the Council took final action on the trawl rationalization program, it recognized that there would be a number of follow-on actions (trailing actions) that it would want to consider. At its September 2010 meeting, the Council began scoping for these trailing actions and prioritized four for initial consideration. At its November 2010 meeting, the Council will review public comment on options that should be considered and impacts that should be analyzed with respect to these issues. At that time the Council is scheduled to provide guidance on option development and a timetable for consideration of each of these issues. The issues the Council identified for further consideration in November are:
- resubmission of its recommendation that the Amendment 21 intersector allocation action replace the allocations created when the Council recommended the groundfish license limited entry system (Amendment 6, implemented in 1994);
- cost recovery (how to set up a fee program to cover the costs of management, data collection and analysis, and enforcement activities);
- safe harbors for exceeding the quota share control rule (exceptions to the control rule limiting how much quota share can be accumulated by a single entity, with exceptions only allowed for community fishing associations (CFAs), bycatch risk pools, and quota used as collateral for financing); and
- severability of the mothership catcher-vessel endorsements from the permits.
In November the Council will also review historic data on trawl bycatch of Pacific halibut in order to consider whether a change to the halibut bycatch allocation to the groundfish trawl fishery should become a priority for trailing action. Other trailing actions may be considered in the future, but will not be taken up at the November Council meeting. Public comment on scoping for trailing actions should be submitted to the Council by the briefing book deadline for the November 2010 Council meeting. The first of these deadlines is October 15. For more information on the deadlines, please visit the November briefing book deadlines is available on the November briefing book public comment deadline webpage.
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Public Hearings
The Council will hold public hearings on development of CFA provisions for its groundfish trawl catch share plan. During the public hearing, comment will be solicited on the control limit exception for CFAs as well as other CFA provisions that might be added to the trawl rationalization program. Comment is sought on both alternatives and impacts to consider. At its November 2010 meeting, the only CFA issue the Council will be scoping is whether to provide CFAs with an exception to the control limit, however, other provisions for CFAs that are identified through these public hearings may be prioritized for later trailing actions.
The CFA hearings will be held at the following locations, dates, times, and places:
EUREKA, CA
Monday, October 25
7 p.m.
Red Lion Hotel Eureka
Evergreen Ballroom
1929 Fourth Street
Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: 707-441-4712
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PORTLAND, OR
Wednesday, October 27
2 p.m.
Sheraton Portland Airport
Mount Hood Room A
8235 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR 97220
Phone: 503-281-2500
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MONTEREY, CA
Thursday, October 28
Thursday
2 p.m.
Monterey Youth Center
777 Pearl Street
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: 831-646-3873
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If you have additional questions regarding the trawl rationalization program, please contact: Mr. Jim Seger at 503-820-2280 ext. 416.
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