Details:

Personal Author:
Rivera, Kim S. ; Karp, William A ; Terry, Joseph M.
Rivera, Kim S. ; Karp, William A ; Terry, Joseph M. Less -
NOAA Program & Office:
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) Less -
Description:
At its December 1995 meeting, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended that the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan (Research Plan) be repealed by the beginning of 1997. At the same meeting, the Council directed that a new observer plan be developed for final Council action at its April 1996 meeting that would supersede the Research Plan. Under this new plan, fishing operations required to obtain observers would continue to pay coverage costs, but payment would be made to a Prime Contractor. The Prime Contractor would enter into subcontracts with observer companies and direct them to respond to industry requests for observers. Payments received by the Prime Contractor would be used to cover administrative costs and pay subcontractors for providing observer services. NMFS would enter into a no-cost contractual arrangement with the Prime Contractor and would direct the Prime Contractor’s activities. NMFS would maintain functions necessary for the management of observer data, including debriefing. Briefing and training of observers would be carried out by NMFS staff and certified trainers at the University of Alaska Anchorage Observer Training Center. Because sufficient quantifiable potential cost information on this modified program was not available at its April 1996 meeting, the Council withheld final action on the modified program until those costs could be further defined. Because current observer coverage requirements expire December 31, 1996, the Council adopted an interim groundfish observer program that would supersede the Research Plan and authorize mandatory groundfish observer coverage requirements through 1997 (Alternative 2, option 1). The interim groundfish observer program would extend 1996 groundfish observer coverage requirements as well as vessel and processor responsibilities relating to the observer program. The interim groundfish observer program would remain effective through December 31, 1997, unless superseded by a long-term program that addresses concerns about observer data integrity, equitable distribution of observer coverage costs, observer compensation and working conditions, and other concerns raised by the Council's OAC. The Council is scheduled to receive more information on a long-term replacement to the Research Plan at its September 1996 meeting.
Keywords:
[+]
Alaskan King Crab Federal Fishery Management Plan Groundfishes Tanner Crabs
Document Type:
Environmental Assessment
Place as Subject:
Alaska, Gulf of ; Aleutian Islands (Alaska) ; Bering Sea
Alaska, Gulf of ; Aleutian Islands (Alaska) ; Bering Sea Less -
Rights Information:
Public Domain
Compliance:
Library
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:e00563bb3a0dbb8a20a5db5d22500de3e0b5788383658c16c017698e56ed3bff
Download URL:
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/18192/noaa_18192_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• 	NOAA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) home page	htm
  	Final Rule	htm
  	Proposed Rule	htm
  	Notice of Availability	htm

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