Discussion paper on cooperative vessel use caps Bering Sea /Aleutian Islands crab DISCUSSION PAPER ON COOPERATIVE VESSEL USE CAPS

• Main Authors: North Pacific, Fishery Management Council
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Bering Sea; Tac; Red king crab; Aleutian Islands
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.81.4073; http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/current_issues/crab/crabcaps207.pdf

Fishery Management Council for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab fisheries. In recent years preceding implementation of the program, in excess of 200 vessels typically participated in the Bristol Bay red king crab, while over 150 vessels typically participated in the Bering Sea C. opilio fishery. In the first year of fishing under the new rationalization program, fewer than 100 vessels participated in each of these fisheries. Under the rationalization program, the amount of crab that may be caught by a vessel is limited to a percent of the annual TAC. Vessels fishing cooperative allocations, however, are exempt from the limit. The large, rapid drop in the number of participating vessels has caused concern for economic and social disruptions in coastal communities, as well as effects on crew employment. Community disruption could occur through a few different means. Fishery support business could lose revenues, if a decline in demand for their goods and services accompanies the decline in vessels in the crab fisheries. Overall economic activity in communities may decline, if local purchases by either resident or non-resident crewmembers decline. Reduction in crew jobs could also contribute to social disruptions in remote communities, if resident crew who lose jobs are unable to find alternative employment locally. Because the considered action relates to the recent change in management of the fishery, this paper must describe transitional changes in the fishery arising from that management change. The breadth of discussion at