Attachment A - NMFS PFMC Groundfish Plan

Attachment A
Referenced Excerpts from the
Pacific Fishery Management Council Pacific Coast Groundfish Plan
As Amended through Amendment 19 [July 2008]

6.2.3 Non-biological Issues—The Socioeconomic Framework
From time to time, non-biological issues may arise that require the Council to recommend
management actions to address certain social or economic issues in the fishery. Resource
allocation, seasons, or landing limits based on market quality and timing, safety measures, and
prevention of gear conflicts make up only a few examples of possible management issues with a
social or economic basis. In general, there may be any number of situations where the Council
determines that management measures are necessary to achieve the stated social and/or economic
objectives of the FMP.
Either on its own initiative or by request, the Council may evaluate current information and
issues to determine if social or economic factors warrant imposition of management measures to
achieve the Council’s established management objectives. Actions that are permitted under this
framework include all of the categories of actions authorized under the points of concern
framework with the addition of direct resource allocation. If the Council concludes that a
management action is necessary to address a social or economic issue, it will prepare a report
containing the rationale in support of its conclusion. The report will include the proposed
management measure, a description of other viable alternatives considered, and an analysis that
addresses the following criteria: (a) how the action is expected to promote achievement of the
goals and objectives of the FMP; (b) likely impacts on other management measures, other
fisheries, and bycatch; (c) biological impacts; (d) economic impacts, particularly the cost to the
fishing industry; (e) impacts on fishing communities; and (f) how the action is expected to
accomplish at least one of the following, or any other measurable benefit to the fishery:
1. Enable a quota, HG, or allocation to be achieved.
2. Avoid exceeding a quota, HG, or allocation.
3. Extend domestic fishing and marketing opportunities as long as practicable during the
fishing year, for those sectors for which the Council has established this policy.
4. Maintain stability in the fishery by continuing management measures for species that
previously were managed under the points of concern mechanism.
5. Maintain or improve product volume and flow to the consumer.
6. Increase economic yield.
7. Improve product quality.
8. Reduce anticipated bycatch and bycatch mortality.
9. Reduce gear conflicts, or conflicts between competing user groups.
10. Develop fisheries for underutilized species with minimal impacts on existing
domestic fisheries.
11. Increase sustainable landings.
12. Reduce fishing capacity.
13. Maintain data collection and means for verification.
14. Maintain or improve the recreational fishery.
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The Council, following review of the report, supporting data, public comment, and other relevant
information, may recommend management measures to the NMFS Regional Administrator
accompanied by relevant background data, information, and public comment. The
recommendation will explain the urgency in implementing the measure(s), if any, and reasons
therefore.
The NMFS Regional Administrator will review the Council’s recommendation, supporting
rationale, public comments, and other relevant information, and, if it is approved, will undertake
the appropriate method of implementation. Rejection of the recommendation will be explained in
writing.
The procedures specified in this chapter do not affect the authority of the Secretary to take
emergency regulatory action as provided for in Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act if
an emergency exists involving any groundfish resource, or to take such other regulatory action as
may be necessary to discharge the Secretary’s responsibilities under Section 305(d) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
If conditions warrant, the Council may designate a management measure developed and
recommended to address social and economic issues as a routine management measure, provided
that the criteria and procedures in Section 6.2.1 are followed.
Quotas, including allocations, implemented through this framework will be set for one-year
periods and may be modified inseason only to reflect technical corrections to an ABC. (In
contrast, quotas may be imposed at any time of year for resource conservation reasons under the
points of concern mechanism.)

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