Exhibit C: Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishery Management Plan
October 15, 2021
Caren BrabyMarine Resources Program Manager
Dungeness Crab PlanningBrittany Harrington
Bay Commercial & Recreational SectorFishery Managers
Steve RumrillMitch Vance
Liz Perotti1
Ocean Commercial Sector Fishery Managers
Troy BuellKelly Corbett
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Exhibit Overview
• Dungeness crab fishery sectors • Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Attachment 4)• Purpose, contents outline• Goals, objectives • Process and finalization
• Recommended regulatory modifications package (Attachment 3)
Dungeness Crab Fishery
• Fishery Sectors• Ocean commercial• Bay commercial• Recreational
• “3S” Management• Size, Sex, Season
OceanCommercial
BayCommercial
Recreational
• Average from 2008-2017• Estimated 17.0 million pounds per yr (avg)
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Dungeness Crab Fishery
RecreationalPopular, iconic fishery, drives tourism• ~160,000 annual licensees
(70,000 – 130,000 crabber trips/yr)• 0.970 – 1.1 million lbs/yr avg• $36 – $40 million/yr (indirect value)• Open year round in bays; open
Dec 1 – Oct 15 in ocean
Ocean commercialPrimary driver of coastal economics• 423 LE permits (~320 land into OR/yr)• 16.7 million lbs/yr avg• $60 million/yr (total ex-vessel)• Open Dec – Aug
Bay commercialFills marketing niche• 20 – 30 vessels/yr• 0.025 million lbs/yr avg• $0.10 – $0.15 million/yr (total ex-vessel)• Open Sep – Dec
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• Purpose: Management transparency & good governance• Scope: Ocean commercial, bay commercial, and recreational sectors• Key components:
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• Description of Oregon crab resource• Review of biological/ecological
information• Available data• Analysis of stock status• Threats to the resource• Sustainable harvest levels• Prioritized information gaps/needs
• Management goals, objectives, & priorities
• Fishery description• Current issues• Other social/cultural uses• Biological reference points• Evaluation of management tools• Recommended actions
Resource Analysis Harvest Management Strategy
Fishery Management Plan Overview
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Dungeness Crab Fishery Management Goals
DC-FMPSection B.I.I
p. 55
• Public involvement• Sector-specific public meetings (2020, 2021)• News release, 30-day public comment period• OFWC meetings for previous regulations, todayʼs meeting for modifications
• Regulations implement the FMP• Most of the regulations are already in statute and rule• Recommendations on modifications today• Proposed regulatory changes may be developed prior to the 10-year review
• Staff finalization of FMP narrative and posting• Will modify the contents, considering public comment, post on website• Will retain proposed ideas on regulatory changes for future public process
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Fishery Management Plan - Process
Public Comment Period - Summary
• 30-day public comment period – over 100 comments received (as of 10/13/2021)• Phone calls, electronic form, emails, letters• Heard from recreational, commercial, and unspecified
• General comments• Maintain sustainability of the crab resource, support plan• Too long and complicated of a document to read• Maintain current regulations • Improve enforcement *• Do not increase fees, increase fees only for non-residents
• Long-term regulation change comments (mentioned >1)• Increase/decrease limits, season lengths including opening ocean to sport year round• Prohibit bay commercial crabbing and ocean commercial crabbing in/around bays *• Increase green crab limits
8Attachment 7 and additional public comment * = common response
Implementing Regulations
ISSUE 2: Bay commercial logbooks ISSUE 3: Risk reduction – late-season buoy tagsISSUE 4: Biotoxins managementISSUE 5: Gear definition
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Issue 2: Bay Commercial Logbook
Sector: Bay commercial
2. Require logbook in permanent rule for bay commercial crab fishery• New data, accountability• Temporary rule Sept 2021
• Staff recommend making permanent logbook requirement
10(DC-FMP Section A.III.b, p. 18)
Issue 3: Risk Reduction for Entanglements
Sector: Ocean commercial
3a. Prohibit landing of crab after May 1 unless late-season buoy tags are purchased• Staff recommend prohibiting landing of crab unless late-season buoy
tags have been purchased (OAR 635-005-0480)
3b. Extend time to attach late-season tags to buoys• Staff recommend allowing late-season buoy tags to be attached
starting 3 weeks before the May 1 requirement (OAR 635-005-0480)
11(DC-FMP Section B.IIII.e)
Issue 4: Biotoxins Management
Sector: Ocean commercial
4a. Allow landing of crab from other states under evisceration• Staff recommend allowing provisions to land crab into Oregon for
evisceration if they are from an area in another state that is under an evisceration order (OAR 635-005-0466)
4b. Modify harvest area map (Attachment 6)• Staff recommend modifying the Dungeness crab harvest area map to
include finer scale areas in Washington (OAR 635-006-0201)
12(DC-FMP Section B.IV.b)
Issue 5: Marine Reserves Gear Prohibition
Sectors: For all fixed gear commercial fishing sectors
5a. Marine reserves gear definition clarified to include surface gear• Staff recommend defining that "fishing gear” include surface buoys
of bottom contact gear and as such are prohibited in marine reserves(OAR 635-12-0030)
13(DC-FMP Section B.III.e)
Summary
a. Adopt staff recommendations on regulatory changes (Attachment 3)ISSUE 2: require logbooks in the commercial bay sector
ISSUE 3: prohibit landing of commercial ocean crab if late-season buoy tags are not purchased; allow seasonal buoy tags to be attached earlier in season
ISSUE 4: commercial ocean crab may be landed in OR for evisceration, harvested from outside OR; modify harvest area map (Attachment 6)
ISSUE 5: definition of commercial fixed fishing gear to include surface buoys; prohibited in marine reserves
b. Alter staff recommendation
c. Status quo14
15Photo by Greg Krutzikowsky ODFW
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Questions?