EA/RIR/FRFA for Amendment 97 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species Catch in the Gulf of Alaska Non-Pollock Trawl Fisheries

This document analyzes proposed management measures that would apply to all groundfish trawl fisheries in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except the directed pollock fishery. The measures under consideration include:

• setting prohibited species catch limits in the Central and Western GOA for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), which would close fisheries in those regulatory areas once attained
• full retention of all salmon species

Implementation of the management measures evaluated in this analysis would require an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, as well as amendments to implementing regulations