Fishery summary as of May 18, 2012 NMFS Alaska Region Inseason Management Juneau: Patty Britza 907 586 7376 Obren Davis 907 586 7241 Mary Furuness 907 586 7447 Josh Keaton 907 586 7519 Steve Whitney 907 586 7269 (Rockfish Pilot Program, Amendment 80) Kodiak: Tom Pearson 907 481 1780 Dutch Harbor: Krista Milani 907 581 2062 2012 REPORTS The final 2012/2013 harvest specifications are at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/specs12_13/ Effort report (updated Tuesdays): http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/reports/aeffort.txt Status of Fisheries reports: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2012/status.htm 2012 catch is through May 12 and 2011 catch is through May 14 unless otherwise stated. BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS POLLOCK The 2012 TAC for Bering Sea pollock is 1,200,000 mt compared to 1,252,000 mt in 2011. NMFS reallocated pollock TAC from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea increasing the Bering Sea allocations by 1,900 mt for CDQ and 10,500 mt for inshore, C/P, and mothership directed fisheries. The B season opens at noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 10, 2012. The remaining Bering Sea pollock for the B season allocations are: inshore 319,154 metric tons (mt), C/P 253,956 mt, mothership 63,851 mt, and CDQ 73,173 mt. Salmon Bycatch in the pollock fishery In 2012, total non-CDQ Chinook salmon catch in the pollock fisheries is higher than in 2011. Chinook Salmon 2012 2011 CDQ 344 430 Non-CDQ 7,428 6,706 Non-Chinook Salmon 2012 2011 CDQ 1 11 Non-CDQ 10 111 Reports for the Bering Sea pollock fishery Annual http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2012/car180_bs_with_cdq.pdf Seasonal http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2012/car181_bs_with_cdq.pdf PACIFIC COD The 2012 BSAI Pacific cod TAC is 261,000 mt compared to 227,950 mt in 2011. Hook-and-line C/Ps The hook-and-line C/Ps operate a voluntary cooperative. The fishery is expected to be open all year. Week mt Week mt 1/01/2011 180 1/07/2012 2,114 1/08/2011 1,794 1/14/2012 3,116 1/15/2011 3,073 1/21/2012 3,257 1/22/2011 2,896 1/28/2012 3,132 1/29/2011 2,805 2/04/2012 3,965 2/05/2011 4,267 2/11/2012 4,355 2/12/2011 3,865 2/18/2012 3,704 2/19/2011 3,803 2/25/2012 4,117 2/26/2011 3,812 3/03/2012 3,521 3/05/2011 4,445 3/10/2012 3,889 3/12/2011 3,642 3/17/2012 3,318 3/19/2011 2,970 3/24/2012 2,108 3/26/2011 2,395 3/31/2012 2,491 4/02/2011 2,118 4/07/2012 2,024 4/09/2011 1,136 4/14/2012 2,126 4/16/2011 1,323 4/21/2012 1,663 4/23/2011 911 4/28/2012 1,067 4/30/2011 579 5/05/2012 708 5/07/2011 523 5/12/2012 468 5/14/2011 517 Total 51,144 Total 47,054 TAC 57,684 50,354 Remaining 6,540 3,300 CVs < 60 ft hook-and-line/pot NMFS prohibited directed fishing for Pacific cod February 17, 2012. The current allocation of 6,445 mt (includes a reallocation of 1,800 mt from the jig gear A season allocation) has been exceeded. In 2011, the <60 ft hook-and-line/pot fishery closed March 8, 2011 with six hook-and-line and 13 pot vessels reporting 5,931 mt from the Bering Sea (this included a 2011 reallocation of 1,500 mt from jig to <60's on March 1, 2011). In late April 2011, NMFS reallocated 470 mt from the 570 mt jig sector B season allocation that became available April 30 and 180 mt from the hook-and-line CVs >= 60 ft A season allocation. Also, NMFS reallocated 1,300 mt from the trawl catcher vessel B season allocation. Vessels fished during May 2011, and then moved to other fisheries in June. Jig gear Jig effort started during the week of May 12, 2012. The 2012 A+B season allocation is 811 mt after a reallocation of 1,800 mt from the jig gear A season allocation to the < 60 ft hook-and-line/pot CVs. For 2012 NMFS expects this fishery to be open all year. In 2011, fishing began during the week ending May 7. For 2011, 11 vessels reported 505 mt of Pacific cod. Trawl gear Pacific cod The C season allocations become available at noon, A.l.t., June 10, 2012. The annual allocations are 51,509 mt for trawl catcher vessels, 5,361 mt for AFA C/Ps, and 31,232 for the Amendment 80 cooperatives. In 2012, there are two Amendment 80 cooperatives, and no Amendment 80 limited access sector. NMFS prohibited directed fishing for trawl CV Pacific cod A season February 29, 2012. Thirty-three catcher vessels targeted Pacific cod during the B season that opened three days early, March 29, and closed the B season at noon, A.l.t., April 15, 2012 because the A+B season TAC was reached. As of today, about 7,722 mt remains for the C season allocation available at noon, A.l.t., June 10, 2012. The halibut bycatch mortality was 49 mt for the B season compared to 361 mt for the A season. During the 2011 A season, 47 trawl CVs targeted Pacific cod reporting 31,930 mt and the fishery closed March 26. The 2011 B season opened April 1-4, April 9-12, and April 15-November 1, 2011. BSAI FLATFISH Catch for all sectors including CDQ 2012 2011 Alaska plaice 5,451 13,737 Arrowtooth flounder 4,659 3,927 Kamchatka flounder 1,161 3,854 Flathead sole 5,214 5,776 Greenland turbot 88 227 Rock sole 66,499 47,825 Yellowfin sole 51,053 55,925 Arrowtooth flounder, Greenland turbot, and Kamchatka flounder Directed fishing opened May 1. NMFS expect participation by the hook-and-line C/Ps concentrating on Greenland turbot and trawl C/Ps concentrating on Arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder. HALIBUT PSC LIMIT The 2012 trawl halibut mortality is at 1,222 mt compared to 1,070 mt for the same time period in 2011. In 2012, the C/Ps account for 667 mt and the CVs 555 mt. "Other" includes Atka mackerel, Alaska plaice, Flathead sole, Kamchatka flounder, and Rockfish targets. All trawl gear by target. Arrowtooth Pacific Pollock Rock Yellowfin Other Total flounder cod sole sole 2012 113 429 285 274 84 37 1,222 2011 30 244 208 352 135 101 1,070 GULF OF ALASKA POLLOCK The B season closed for Area 610 April 1, 2012, Area 620 March 17, 2012, and Area 630 March 24, 2012. The C season pollock fisheries open at noon, A.l.t., August 25, 2012. PACIFIC COD Crab vessel sideboards The B season allocations become available at noon, A.l.t., September 1, 2012, except for the jig allocations which become available at noon, A.l.t., June 10, 2012. Central GOA •Hook-and-line C/Ps - closed February 23, 2012. •Hook-and-line CVs <50 ft - closed March 4, 2012. •Hook-and-line CVs >=50 ft - closed March 20, 2012. •Jig - closed March 6, 2012. The B season allocation becomes available at noon, A.l.t., June 10, 2012. •Pot CV/CP - closed February 10. •Trawl CV - closed March 26 on trawl shallow-water halibut mortality limit. Pacific cod directed fishing remains closed until noon, A.l.t., September 1, 2012. •Trawl C/P - closed April 8, 2012. The 2011 A season inshore allocation was 21,795 mt and offshore allocation was 2,422 mt. In 2011, the A season inshore fishery closed January 14 and offshore fishery closed June 10. The A season non-AFA crab sideboard fisheries closed January 14 for inshore and June 10 for offshore. Western GOA •Hook-and-line C/Ps - 8 vessels have reported 1,958 mt. Setting aside 55 mt for incidental catch 245 mt remains. Catch rates have decreased and at the current rate a closure is not projected. •Hook-and-line CVs - closed April 2, 2012. •Jig – 20 vessels have reported 115 mt and 74 mt remains. Effort is low. At this time, no closure date is projected for the federal fishery. The B season allocation becomes available at noon, A.l.t., June 10, 2012 •Pot CV/CP - closed February 6, 2012. •Trawl CV - closed February 22, 2012. •Trawl C/P - closed February 14, 2012. The 2011 A season inshore allocation was 12,304 mt and offshore allocation was 1,367 mt. In 2011, the A season inshore fishery closed February 16 and offshore fishery closed June 10. The A season non-AFA crab sideboard fisheries closed June 10 for inshore and offshore. SALMON Chinook 2012 2011 Pollock 3,767 2,976 All fisheries 5,249 7,782 Non-Chinook 2012 2011 Pollock 40 0 All fisheries 130 72 HALIBUT MORTALITY Halibut PSC limit The 2012 trawl halibut mortality is at 983 mt compared to 694 mt for the same time period in 2011. The 2012 hook-and-line halibut mortality is at 97 mt compared to 79 mt for the same time period in 2011. Deep and Shallow Water Trawl Fishery Categories for Halibut PSC The 2nd season halibut mortality allowances became available April 1, 2012. NMFS prohibited directed fishing deep-water species by vessels using trawl gear effective April 19, 2012. The shallow-water fisheries remain open. As of May 12, for deep-water species, 456 mt of halibut mortality has accrued to the current 400 mt limit. For shallow-water fisheries, 521 mt of halibut mortality has accrued to the current 550 mt limit. The 3rd season allowances become available July 1, 2012. Halibut mortality for the hook-and-line C/Ps is 26 mt of the 101 mt first season allowance, and the hook-and-line CVs is 70 mt of the 149 first season allowance. The 2nd season allowances become available June 10, 2012. Fishing for cooperatives under the new Rockfish Program in the Central GOA started May 1, 2012. For more information on the Program see http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/rockfish/