Overview of the Conservation Impacts of the Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA)
The following is a list of the management actions required under the Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA), for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) and Aleutian Islands (AI) and the impact of those actions in terms of Steller sea lions protected, portions of critical habitat and important foraging areas closed to pollock, Pacific cod and Atka mackerel fishing, resultant TAC reductions, and seasonal releases:
| 1. Increase the Protection on Sea Lion Forage Base | |
| Management Action | Conservation Impacts of the Action |
| Modify the control rule for the overall fishery harvest of the three primary prey species to rapidly reduce the harvest rate should any stock fall below the target reference level. Close the directed fishery on any stock at 20% of its unfished biomass. |
* Rapidly reduces the impact of the fishery on the forage base for sea lions even if the reduction in prey species is due to non-fishing factors (i.e., environmental variability). * Reduces the maximum ABC for GOA pollock by 19,000 mt in 2001. * Reduces the maximum ABC for EBS cod by 8,800 mt in 2001. *Reduces the maximum ABC for AI Pacific cod by 1,100 mt in 2001. |
| 2. Increase the Protection for Critical Habitat Areas Through the Use of Closures | |
| Management Actions | Conservation Impacts of the Actions |
|
Create 3 nm no-fishing zones around 78 rookeries and haulouts in the GOA, 11 in the EBS and 50 in the AI. Pollock and Pacific cod fishery exclusion zones in 80,926 km2 (56% of 144,511 km2) of the critical habitat area in the GOA. Pollock, Pacific cod and Atka mackerel fishery exclusion zones in 91,844 km2 (82% of 112,005 km2 ) of the critical habitat area in the EBS. Pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel fishery exclusion zones in 62,570 km2 (63% of 99,318 km2) of the critical habitat area in the AI. No fishing in critical habitat for Pollock and Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod from November 1 to January 20, and no trawling for those species during this period anywhere. |
* Protects all pups and non-pups in the GOA, the EBS, and the AI from fishing effects and disturbance out to 3 nm from rookeries and haulouts. * Further protects 4,068 pups and 9,016 non-pups in the GOA, 411 pups and 1,508 non-pups in the EBS, and 2,425 pups and 3,588 non-pups in the AI from fishing effects and disturbance 3-20 nm from rookeries and haulouts in closed critical habitat. * Closes areas where approximately 16% of GOA pollock and 28% of GOA Pacific cod catches, 23% of EBS pollock, 24% of EBS Pacific cod, and 2% of BSAI Atka mackerel, 53% of AI pollock, 21% of AI Pacific cod, and 44% of BSAI Atka mackerel catches have occurred (1998-99) . * Greatly reduces the interactions between fisheries and sea lions from November 1 to January 20 (22% of the year). |
| 3. Increase the Temporal Dispersion of the Catch to Minimize the Risk of Localized Depletion of Prey Species | |
| Management Actions | Conservation Impacts of the Actions |
The remaining fishing in critical habitat areas is divided into four seasons beginning January 20, April 1, June 11, and August 22. The seasonal harvest limits in critical habitat are roughly evenly distributed throughout the year and are proportional to biomass distribution. Outside of critical habitat, fishing is apportioned into two seasons, beginning January 20 and June 11, with 40% and 60% of the available ABC allocated respectively. |
* Reduction in the proportion of Pacific cod taken during the winter in the GOA from 58% to 40%, in the EBS from 52% to 40% and in the AI from 64% to 40% compared to 1998. * Reduction in the proportion of the Atka mackerel catch taken in winter in the AI from 54% to 40% compared to 1998. * Protect against excessive harvest rates which may rapidly deplete concentrations of prey in and near critical habitat. |
| 4. Spatial Distribution and Further Reduction of the Harvest of the Three Primary Prey Species Within Critical Habitat | |
| Management Action | Conservation Impacts of the Action |
The allocation of ABC to the remaining open area inside critical habitat and outside critical habitat is based on the best available information on the biomass distribution between these areas. |
* Reduction in percentage of pollock caught in critical habitat from 80% to 42% in the GOA, from 45% to 14% in the EBS, and from 74% to 2% compared to 1998. * Reduction in percentage of Pacific cod caught in critical habitat from 48% to 21% in the GOA, 39% to 17% in the EBS and 79% to 17% in the AI compared to 1998. * Reduction in percentage of Atka mackerel caught in critical habitat from 66% to 8% in the AI compared to 1998. |
| 5. Provide a Basis for Developing Better Information on the Impacts of Area Closures and Other Measures | |
| Management Action | Conservation Impacts of the Action |
| Select area closures to provide contrast between complete closures and restricting fishing areas within critical habitat. | *Provide a stronger experimental statistical basis for the evaluation of area closures on sea lion recovery. *Provide a stronger monitoring capability through experimental design. |
← Biological Opinion for Listed Species In the BSAI Groundfish FMP and the GOA Groundfish FMP