Agency releases new crab fishery management proposal

NOAA Fisheries has released the details of a proposed new crab fishery program to increase resource conservation, improve economic efficiency and improve safety in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island crab fisheries.

“Now we’re down to the gritty details of crab rationalization,” said NOAA Fisheries Administrator for Alaska, Dr. James Balsiger. “I hope people take time to find out about the proposed program, understand what it will mean for them, and give us their comments.”

Comments must be received no later than December 13, 2004.

Managers hope to have the program, called “crab rationalization,” in place for the fall 2005 crab fisheries. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council developed the program over a 6-year period. In January, 2004, Congress amended the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to establish the program, which allocates crab resources among harvesters, processors, and coastal communities. Since then NOAA Fisheries has been translating the program into proposed regulations, just published in the Federal Register.

The proposed rule is available on the internet at www.fakr.noaa.gov/prules/fr63200.pdf. More information can be found at www.fakr.noaa.gov or by calling 907-586-7228. General information on crab management in Alaska is at www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/crab.

NOAA Fisheries crab management experts will be holding public workshops in Anchorage and Seattle, designed to help people understand the proposed program and to encourage sharing of ideas and opinions. The Seattle workshop is November 11 starting at 10:00 a.m. in Room 204 at the Washington Trade and Convention Center. The Anchorage workshop is December 6 and 7 in the Dillingham-Katmai Room of the Hilton Hotel from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. each night.

Comments on the proposed rule can be sent to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall or submitted by several other methods described in the proposed rule.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, please visit our website at www.fakr.noaa.gov