§ 660.413 - Overfished species rebuilding plans.

§ 660.413 Overfished species rebuilding plans.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 35013, May 1, 2024.

For each overfished salmon stock with an approved rebuilding plan, annual management measures will be established using the standards in this section, specifically the target date for rebuilding the stock to its maximum sustainable yield (MSY) level (generally expressed as S_MSY) and the harvest control rule to be used to rebuild the stock.

(a) Klamath River Fall-run Chinook Salmon (KRFC). KRFC was declared overfished in 2018. The target year for rebuilding the KRFC stock is 2020. The harvest control rule during the rebuilding period for the KRFC stock is the de minimis control rule specified in the FMP and at § 660.410(c), which allows for limited fishing impacts when abundance falls below S_MSY. The control rule describes maximum allowable exploitation rates at any given level of abundance. The control rule is presented in Figure 1 of subpart H of this part.

(1) The KRFC control rule uses reference points F_ABC MSST, S_MSY, and two levels of de minimis exploitation rates, F = 0.10 and F = 0.25. The maximum allowable exploitation rate, F, in a given year, depends on the pre-fishery ocean abundance in spawner equivalent units, N. At high abundance, the control rule caps the exploitation rate at F_ABC; at moderate abundance, the control rule specifies an F that results in S_MSY spawners; and at low abundance (i.e. when expected escapement is below S_MSY), the control rule allows for de minimis exploitation rates with the abundance breakpoints defined as: A = MSST/2; B = (MSST + S_MSY)/2; C = S_MSY/(1—0.25); D = S_MSY/(1—F_ABC), as shown in Figure 1 of subpart H of this part. For N between 0 and A, F increases linearly from 0 at N = 0, to 0.10 at N = A. For N between A and MSST, F is equal to 0.10. For N between MSST and B, F increases linearly from 0.10 at N = MSST, to 0.25 at N = B. For N between B and C, F is equal to 0.25. For N between C and D, F is the value that results in S_MSY spawners. For N greater than D, F is equal to F_ABC.

(2) [Reserved]

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Juan de Fuca coho. The Juan de Fuca coho salmon stock was declared overfished in 2018. The target year for rebuilding Juan de Fuca coho is 2023. The harvest control rule during the rebuilding period for Juan de Fuca coho is the abundance-based stepped harvest rate as shown in table 1 to this paragraph (c).

Table 1 to Paragraph (c)

Juan de Fuca coho stepped harvest rates
Abundance category	Age-3 ocean abundance	Total allowable exploitation rate (percent)
Normal	Greater than 27,445	60
Low	Between 11,679 and 27,445	40
Critical	11,679 or less	20

(d) Queets coho. The Queets coho salmon stock was declared overfished in 2018. The target year for rebuilding Queets coho is 2019. The harvest control rule during the rebuilding period for Queets coho is the abundance-based stepped harvest rate as shown in table 2 to this paragraph (d).

Table 2 to Paragraph (d)

Queets coho stepped harvest rates
Abundance category	Age-3 abundance	Total allowable exploitation rate (percent)
Normal	Greater than 9,667	65
Low	Between 7,250 and 9,667	40
Critical	Less than 7,250	20

(e) Snohomish coho.

(1) The Snohomish coho salmon stock was declared overfished in 2018. The target year for rebuilding Snohomish coho is 2020. The harvest control rule during the rebuilding period for Snohomish coho is the abundance-based stepped harvest rate as shown in table 3 to this paragraph (e).

Table 3 to Paragraph (e)(1)

Snohomish coho stepped harvest rates Abundance category Age-3 abundance Total allowable exploitation rate (percent) NormalGreater than 137,00060 LowBetween 51,667 and 137,00040 CriticalLess than 51,66720

(2) In years when Snohomish coho abundance is forecast to exceed 137,000, the total allowable exploitation rate will be limited to target achieving a spawning escapement of 55,000 Snohomish coho.

[85 FR 75921, Nov. 27, 2020, as amended at 86 FR 9302, Feb. 12, 2021; 87 FR 25430, Apr. 29, 2022; 89 FR 35013, May 1, 2024]