Biological Assessment on the Effects of the FMP for the GOA and BSAI Groundfish Fisheries and the State of Alaska Parallel Groundfish Fisheries on the Endangered Short-tailed Albatross and Threatened Alaska-breeding Population of the Steller’s Eider

This biological assessment analyzes the Alaska federally managed groundfish fisheries as authorized by the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, and the parallel groundfish fisheries in State of Alaska waters.

The only threats on the Alaska-breeding population of the Steller’s eider or its critical habitat that may occur as an indirect effect of the Alaska groundfish fisheries are petroleum spills, vessel strikes, or pollution from seafood processing plant effluents. These indirect effects are expected to be discountable. Thus, no indirect effects from the Alaska groundfish fisheries are expected to adversely affect the threatened Alaska-breeding population of the Steller’s eider or its critical habitat.