GROUNDFISH MANAGEMENT TEAM (GMT) REPORT ON BIG SKATE CATCH AND THE ECOSYSTEM COMPONENT DESIGNATION

The Groundfish Management Team (GMT) discussed inseason issues at its February 2015 meeting in Seattle. Comments are provided in this report on big skate landings and discussion of tracking catch of Ecosystem Component (EC) species. Big Skate Catch and its Designation as an Ecosystem Component Species The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended bringing all endemic skates into the groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) under the 2015-2016 biennial harvest specifications and management measures process. In addition, the Council recommended removing skates, except longnose skate, from the Other Fish complex and designating all remaining skates in the FMP as EC species. Sorting has been required for longnose skate since 2009, when the species was managed to stock-specific harvest specifications, and the Council recommended continuing stock-specific management for longnose skate. Some of the criteria for EC species shown in National Standard 1 (NS1) Guidelines include: (a) not targeted, (b) generally not retained for sale or personal use, (c) not subject to overfishing, and (d) not determined to be overfished or approaching the overfishing limit. EC species are monitored, but they do not require specification of an annual catch limit or status determination criteria