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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 44 / Tuesday, March 9, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
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36.0 percent, indicating that the management measures were effective at limiting harvest by charter vessel anglers to the charter allocation, but given the sharp drop in angler effort in 2020, could have been less restrictive than the revised measures. The two primary management measures in Area 2C in 2020 were a daily bag limit of 1
halibut per charter angler, and size limits where retained halibut were required to be less than or equal to 38
inches 96.5 cm, which was revised in June to 45 inches 114.3 cm, or greater than or equal to 80 inches 203.2 cm.
The effect of these regulations was to limit both the number and pounds of retained halibut. The analysis also indicates that in most years since 2014
when the CSP was implemented, the Area 2C harvest has been less than the allocation. When these considerations were balanced with the combined increase in charter allocation in 2021
and a reduced charter angler effort relative to the pre-2020 period, the IPHC
concluded that less restrictive management measures for Area 2C in 2021 are appropriate.
Specifically, for 2021 in Area 2C, the IPHC recommended the continuation of a one-fish daily bag limit with a reverse slot limit that prohibits a person on board a charter vessel referred to in 50
CFR 300.65 and fishing in Area 2C from taking or possessing any halibut, with head on, that is greater than 50 inches 127.0 cm and less than 72 inches 182.9 cm, as measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw with mouth closed, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail. These measures, combined with a reduction in fishing effort that is estimated to be 35 percent below the pre-2020 levels, are projected to yield 786,000 lb 356.52 mt of charter removals, which is 24,000 lb 10.87 mt and 3.0 percent below the charter allocation.
Management Measures for Charter Vessel Fishing in Area 3A
The preliminary estimate of charter removals in Area 3A in 2020 was below the charter allocation by 113,303 lb 51.39 mt, or 6.6 percent. Starting in 2014, charter vessel anglers in Area 3A
have been limited to a two-fish daily bag limit with a maximum size limit on one fish. One effect of the maximum size limit has been that the number of fish harvested per angler has steadily decreased, but the average weight of harvested fish has increased as many anglers opted to maximize the size of retained fish.
This final rule changes the revised management measures adopted by the
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IPHC for the charter halibut fishery in Area 3A in 2020. The NPFMC and IPHC
considered information on charter removals in 2020 and for previous years, as well as the projections of charter harvest, and increase in the charter allocation, and a consideration for a reduction in effort in 2021. With this information, the NPFMC and IPHC
determined that slightly more restrictive management measures in Area 3A, relative to the revised 2020 measures, were appropriate to limit charter removals to the 2021 allocation.
For 2021, the IPHC recommended the following management measures for Area 3A: 1 A two-fish bag limit with a 32-inch 81.3 cm maximum size limit on one of the halibut; 2 a one-trip per day limit for charter vessels and for charter halibut permits for the entire season; and, 3 prohibition on halibut retention by charter vessel anglers on all Wednesdays. The projected charter harvest for 2021 under this combination of recommended measures is 1,853,000
lb 840.51 mt, which is 97,000 lb 44.0
mt and 5.0 percent below the charter allocation. Each of these management measures is described in more detail below.
Size Limit for Halibut Retained on a Charter Vessel in Area 3A
The 2021 charter halibut fishery in Area 3A will be managed under a twofish daily bag limit in which one of the retained halibut may be of any size and one of the retained halibut must be 32
inches or less, as measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw to the extreme end of the middle of the tail. This is the same as the revised regulations adopted in June 2020, and an increase from a 28
inch 71.1 cm maximum size limit that was in place from 2016 through 2019.
This daily bag and size limit will be combined with additional restrictions to limit charter halibut removals to the 2021 allocation.
Trip Limit for Charter Vessels Harvesting Halibut in Area 3A
Charter halibut permits and charter vessels in 2021 are only authorized for use to catch and retain halibut on one charter halibut fishing trip per day in Area 3A. If no halibut are retained during a charter vessel fishing trip, the charter halibut permit and vessel may be used to take an additional trip to catch and retain halibut that day. These regulations have been in place each year since 2016, and have proven to be effective in controlling halibut harvests.
For purposes of the trip limit in Area 3A in 2021, a charter vessel fishing trip will end when anglers or halibut are
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offloaded, or at the end of the calendar day, whichever occurs first. Charter operators are still able to conduct overnight trips and anglers may retain a bag limit of halibut on two calendar days, but operators are not allowed to begin another overnight trip until the day after the trip ends. GAF halibut are exempt from the trip limit. Therefore, GAF could be used to harvest halibut on a second trip in a day, but only if exclusively GAF halibut were harvested on that trip.
Day-of-Week Closures in Area 3A
The NPFMC and the IPHC
recommended a closure on retaining halibut by charter vessel anglers on all Wednesdays for Area 3A in 2021. Only the retention of GAF halibut will be allowed on charter vessels on Wednesdays; all other halibut that are caught while fishing on a charter vessel must be released. The Wednesday closures are expected to effectively decrease the charter halibut harvest, relative to previous years.
Other Regulatory Amendments Minor Revisions To Address Changes for the Application of Halibut Fishing Season Dates As noted above, the regulatory text in Section 9 establishes the opening and closing dates of the commercial halibut fishery. Subsections 123 and 124
address when the fishery shall close, and formerly named a specific date of November 15. The text in subsections 123 and 124 now refers back to the fishery closure dates established in Section 9, so that the dates in Section 9 and Section 12 are aligned.
Clarifying That IPHC May Obtain Samples During Halibut Offloads and Weighing To ensure regulatory compliance, Section 22 authorizes officers to supervise the offloading and weighing of halibut from fishing vessels. Section 22 is amended by adding subsection 222 to clarify that authorized representatives of the IPHC may also access the offloading and weighing of halibut in order to obtain biological samples.
Annual Halibut Management Measures The following annual management measures for the 2021 Pacific halibut fishery are those recommended by the IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce.
1. Short Title These Regulations may be cited as the International Pacific Halibut
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