Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review for an Emergency Interim Rule to Implement Requirements of the American Fisheries Act Related to the Community Development Quota Program

This Assessment/Review analyzes the impact of an emergency interim rule that temporarily amends NOAA Fisheries regulations to:

1. allow pollock bycatch in the non-pollock groundfish Community Development Quota (CDQ) fisheries to accrue against the allowance for incidental catch of pollock established by section 206(b)
2. remove the allocation of squid from the CDQ Program to allow CDQ groups to fully harvest the pollock CDQ directed fishing allowance

The CDQ groups will be required to examine the catch composition by vessels using trawl gear and determine whether the haul or delivery meets the definition of directed fishing for pollock CDQ. If the haul or delivery meets this definition, then the CDQ group is required to report this pollock catch to NOAA Fisheries on their CDQ catch report. NOAA Fisheries will subtract this pollock catch from the amount available under the pollock CDQ allocation. If the haul or delivery does not meet the definition of directed fishing for pollock CDQ, the CDQ group is required to not report any pollock catch on the CDQ report for that particular haul or delivery. NOAA Fisheries will examine observer data from all CDQ vessels to:

1. verify the accuracy of the CDQ catch report
2. add up the pollock caught by CDQ vessels that were not directed fishing for pollock CDQ and subtract that amount from the pollock bycatch set aside