146 



1. Alaska Crab Coalition and the Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory 

 Committee have requested a review of recent changes to the Crab Observer Pro- 

 gram by the NPFMC Observer Oversight Committee. 



2. Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game is refusing to submit the program to timely 

 review before the NPFMC. 



3. The Board of Fisheries has recently made substantial changes to the pro- 



Sram, that raise questions of consistently with the PMP, MFCMA, and the 

 ouncil-approved future observer program. 



4. The Crab FMP and the Council -approved North Pacific Fisheries Research 

 Plan call for coordinated development of the crab observer program with the fu- 

 ture federal observer program. 



5. The State of Alaska is ignoring the intent of the FMP and the North Pa- 

 cific Fisheries Research Plan. 



6. Examples of problem areas in the Crab Observer Program are cited below 

 from "ADF&G Observer Manual for Alaskan Crab Processors," Edition: Feb- 

 ruary 1993. 



a. Page 2, observers have access to inspect not only catch, but also equip- 

 ment, gear, and operations of vessels. 



b. Page 17, para 1; unacceptable language concerning confidentiality of 

 observer information. 



c. Page 12, State has discretionary authority on final certification. 



d. A long standing requirement that catcher processors transporting 

 processed product to a non Alaskan port, must carry an onboard observer 

 to the destination. 



RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING CRAB FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE EEZ OF THE 



BERING SEA/ALEUTIAN ISLANDS 



The ACC recommends that the NPFMC initiate Crab FMP amendments to cover 

 major allocative issues and the Crab Observer Program. 



The ACC recommends that management measures regarding pot limits, trip lim- 

 its, vessel size classes, registration areas and fishing seasons be placed in category 

 one, subject to change only by plan amendment within the NPFMC. 



These measures, under the jurisdiction of the Board of Fisheries are starting to 

 preempt the comprehensive rationalization process (limited access, which is a man- 

 agement function reserved to the jurisdiction of the NPFMC). Further use of such 

 measures by the State will severely alter catch histories of the crab fleet and impact 

 the allocation scheme to the disadvantage of the larger non resident boats. 



The ACC also recommends that the State Observer Program be moved into Cat- 

 egory One of the FMP and that the NPPMC take the necessary steps to assimilate 

 the crab observer program into a federal observer program. 



[Miscellaneous articles and reports from the Alaska Crab Coalition may be found 

 in the committee's files.] 



Prepared Statement of Capt. Michael L. Dorsey, Commander, Coast Guard 



Group Ketchikan 



Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, it is a pleasure to appear before you 

 today representing the Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District, Rear Admi- 

 ral Roger T. Rufe, Jr. I appreciate the opportunity to report on the Coast Guard's 

 fisheries law enforcement program in Southeast Alaska from the perspective of a 

 local Coast Guard operational commander and to express our views on the reauthor- 

 ization of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation. and Management Act (MFCMA). 



Coast Guard Group Ketchikan, a subordinate unit of the Seventeenth Coast 

 Guard District, is tasked with maritime law enforcement and search and rescue, as 

 well as other Coast Guard missions, in Southeast Alaska. Group Ketchikan's 33,000 

 square miles of geographical area of responsibility, including 10,000 miles of coast- 

 line, is the largest of any Group in the Coast Guard. Our area of responsibility 

 stretches from the U.S. maritime boundary with Canada at Dixon Entrance north 

 to Skagway on the Inside Passage and to Icy Bay on the Gulf of Alaska. Approxi- 

 mately 5,000 U.S. fishing vessels are homeported or conduct fishing activities within 

 our area of responsibility at some time during each year. 



To accomplish our missions in this vast maritime area, Group Ketchikan has 

 operational and administrative control of three 110' patrol boats (WPBs), two shore 

 stations with a total of three 41' utility boats (UTBs), a 65' inland buoy tender, and 

 an aids to navigation team. The patrol boats and shore stations are primarily in- 



