For those of you who lean towards procrastination, you have a few days left to cram in a cash quota purchase before RAM stops processing quota transfers for the season. They'll pick back up again in February or March. 

The NPFMC finished up a very busy December meeting this week. First up, the groundfish TACs. Drumroll please! For 2023 sablefish: BS is up 52%, AI is up 31%, WG is up 20%, CG is down .4%, WY is down 7%, and SE is down 1%. Find the full BSAI groundfish numbers here and the GOA groundfish numbers here.

The Council denied an emergency request to protect Bristol Bay red king crab, opting instead for more research and more papers (that's a good article, please read it). For a snow crab rebuilding plan, the Council opted for Alternative 2, "Set target rebuilding time frame for the number of years necessary to rebuild the stock to the BMSY level at a probability ≥50%. The stock will be considered “rebuilt” once it reaches BMSY" and Option 2: "Allow the directed fishery to open based on the state harvest strategy while the stock is rebuilding." On the Cook Inlet salmon FMP, the Council recommended "releasing the analysis for a new amendment to the Salmon FMP for public review and anticipated final action at the April 2023 Council meeting," and did not select a preferred alternative. The Council issued 2023 Charter halibut annual management measures. 

The Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force released their final report last week, which was discussed by the Council. The Council directed the Salmon Bycatch Committee to "develop recommendations for potential regulatory and non-regulatory chum salmon bycatch management measures, including a cap." 

Friendly reminder: if you have quota held by a corporation or business entity, you need to fill out a Quota Share Holder Identification of Ownership Interest form before you will be issued 2023 permits. Find that form here.