Environmental Assessment Specification of Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Main Hawaiian Islands Non-deep 7 Bottomfish Fisheries in Fishing Years 2015 Through 2018

Download or read book Environmental Assessment Specification of Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Main Hawaiian Islands Non-deep 7 Bottomfish Fisheries in Fishing Years 2015 Through 2018 written by Nikhil Mehta and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended that NMFS specify multi-year annual catch limits (ACL) and accountability measures (AM) effective in fishing years 2015-2018, the environmental effects of which are analyzed in this document. NMFS proposes to implement the specifications for fishing year 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 separately prior to each fishing year. The specifications pertain to ACLs for non-Deep 7 bottomfish fisheries in federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ; generally 3-200 nautical miles or nm) around the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), and a post-season accountability measure (AM) to correct the overage of the ACL if it occurs. For the purpose of ACLs, MHI non-Deep 7 bottomfish include uku (Aprion virescens), white ulua (Caranx ignoblis), black ulua (Caranx lugubris), yellowtail kalekale (Pristipomoides auricilla), and butaguchi (Pseudocaranx dentex). The proposed ACL is associated with a less than a 30 percent probability of overfishing. 2 The fishing year for MHI non-Deep 7 bottomfish begins January 1 and ends December 31 annually. Unless modified by NMFS, the ACL and AM would be applicable in fishing years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Each fishing year, non-Deep 7 bottomfish catches from both local state/territorial waters (generally from the shoreline to three miles offshore), and federal waters of the EEZ around the MHI would be counted towards the specified ACL.