143 



WHEH THE FACTORV TRAWLER FLEET TOOK lOO, OOO MT IN 22 

 DAYS OF EFFORT AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE ENTIRE SHORE- 

 SIDE industry/ THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STOPPED THE 

 OLYMPIC FISHERY LEAVING 12, OOO MT OF THE INITIAL 

 112,000 FOR SHORE-SIDE PARTICIPANTS. 



SHORE-SIDE WILL ULTIMATELY BE PERMITTED TO TAKE 

 APPROXIMATELY 42, OOO MT. LESS THAN 50% OF THE 

 REGIONAL COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION. 



The Pacific Fisheries Management Council goals and objectives in 

 regard to Pacific Whiting have been to develop the resource as an 

 addition to the economic base of coastal communities. These goals 

 and objectives were approved and have been recognized by the 

 Department of Commerce since 1S6S. The Fisheries Conservation and 

 Management Act of 1976 clearly states that fishery management plans 

 and regulatory ammendments are to be created by the Regional 

 Fishery Management Councils. The Councils' conduct, deliberations 

 and recommendations are governed by a Code of National Standards. 

 Regulations include specific definitions of the analyses and 

 documentation required for submission to the Secretary of 

 Commerce. 



In 1991 Point Adams Packing Company, based on the stated goals and 

 objectives of the Regional Council and the Council's recommendation 

 for the 1992 season's allocation, began to consider retooling an 

 existing facility for the specific purpose of handling Pacific 

 Whiting. Delays by the Department of Commerce in acceptance of 

 that plan and a subsequent last minute emergency rule, under vhlch 

 the 1992 season vas finally conducted^ made it impossible to commit 

 funds to retooling until the approximate opening date of the 1992 

 season. This problem was experienced to varying degrees by all of 

 the Shore-Side processing facilities planning to handle Pacific 

 Whiting, and as a result delayed shore plant start ups for that 

 season. These uncontrollable delays made it impossible for the 

 Shore-Side industry to take the allocation provided under the 

 emergency rule. Although the physical capacity existed to handle 

 the volume, the uncertainty created by Department of Commerce 

 delays resulted In a loss of three months production time and the 

 taking of only a portion of the shore side allocation. 



During the five month waiting period for the 1993 Pacific Whiting 

 allocation announcement, industry was routinely advised by the 

 Regional office of HMFS that they were confident that the plan 

 submitted by the Council was complete and met all of the 

 requirements of the act. 



