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PACIFIC COAST GROUNDFISH PLAN - ALLOCATION 



6.2.3 Non-Biological Issues — The Socio-Economic Framework 



From time to time non-biological issues may arise which require the 

 Council to recommend management actions to address certain social 

 or economic issues in the fishery. Resource allocation, seasons, 

 or landing limits based on market quality and timing, safety 

 measures, and prevention of gear conflicts make up only a few 

 examples of possible management issues with a social or economic 

 basis. In general, there may be any niomber of situations where the 

 Council determines that management measures are necessary to 

 achieve the stated so.cial and/or economic objectives of the FMP. 



Either on its own initiative or by request, the Council may 

 evaluate current information and issues to determine if social or 

 economic factors warrant imposition of management measures to 

 achieve the Council's established management objectives. Actions 

 that are permitted under this framework include all of the 

 categories of actions authorized under the "points of concern" 

 frame-work with the addition of direct resource allocation. 



If the Council concludes that a management action is necessary to 

 address a social or economic issue, it will prepare a report 

 containing the rationale in support of its conclusion. The report 

 will include the proposed management measxire, a description of 

 other viable alternatives considered, eind an analysis that address 

 the following criteria: (a) how the action is expected to promote 

 achievement of the goals and objectives of the FMP; (b) likely 

 impacts on other management measures and other fisheries; (c) 

 biological impacts; (d) economic impacts, particularly at least one 

 of the following: 



1. enable a c[uota, harvest guideline, or allocation to be 

 achieved; 



2. avoid exceeding a quota, harvest guideline, or allocation; 



3. extend domestic fishing and marketing opportunities as long as 

 practiccible during the fishing year, for those sectors for 

 which the Council has established this policy; 



4. maintain stability in the fishery by continuing management 

 measures for species that previously were managed under the 

 points of concern mechanism; 



5. maintain or improve product volume and flow to consumer; 



6. increase economic yield; 



7. improve product quality; 



8. reduce anticipated discards; 



9. reduce gear conflicts, or conflicts between competing groups; 



10 . develop fisheries for underutilized species with minimal 

 impacts on existing domestic fisheries; 



11. increase sustainable landings; 



12. increase fishing efficiency; 



13. maintain data collection and means for verification; 



14. maintain or improve the recreational fishery; or, 



15. any other measurable benefit to the fishery. 



