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The commercial groundfish integration program: management

The Commercial Groundfish Integration Program (CGIP) was developed in response to significant conservation concerns for inshore rockfish. Before the program was in place:

The Inshore Rockfish Conservation Strategy (2002) also identified significant conservation issues relating to inshore rockfish species (i.e.: yelloweye, quillback, etc). A sustainable management plan was necessary to address these concerns.

How was the program developed?

The Commercial Industry Caucus (CIC) developed a pilot proposal for a new program in 2005. Since 1997, the groundfish trawl fishery, which is multi-species, had operated under a fishing plan that addressed incidental catches. Given their experience with an integrated program, that sector played a key role in the development of the Program. The Commercial Groundfish Integration Program was permanently implemented in 2010.

The Commercial Groundfish Integration Program applies to all seven commercial fisheries including; Groundfish trawl, Halibut, Sablefish, Inside Rockfish, Outside Rockfish, Lingcod and Dogfish. The foundation of the program is a set of management arrangements based on the following principles:

  1. All groundfish catch must be accounted for.
  2. All groundfish catch is managed according to established groundfish management areas.
  3. Fish harvesters are individually accountable for their catch.
  4. All species and stocks of concern will be closely examined. Actions such as reducing TACs, and other catch limits, may be taken to achieve management objectives as required.
  5. New monitoring standards have been implemented to meet these objectives.

How does the program operate?

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