Pacific Whiting Harvest: Controversy Surrounding 1993 Allocation Between Processing Sectors

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Commerce's allocation of the 1993 Pacific whiting harvest between at-sea and shoreside processing sectors, focusing on: (1) whether the decisionmaking process complied with existing procedures and regulations; (2) whether the Pacific Fishery Management Council's allocation recommendation was adequately supported; (3) why the Secretary of Commerce's decision was made on the day before the allocation was to take effect, rather than earlier; and (4) the amount of nonwhiting fish caught during the whiting harvest.