Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amendment 111 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Revise Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits
January 01, 2016
This document analyzes proposed management measures to reduce Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.
Prohibited species catch limit reductions are considered for various sectors, including the Bering Strait and AIeutian Islands trawl limited access sector, the Amendment 80 sector, longline catcher vessels, longline catcher processors, and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) sector (i.e., a reduction to the CDQ’s allocated prohibited species quota reserve). The objective of reducing prohibited species catch limits would be to minimize bycatch of halibut in the Bering Strait and Aleutian Island groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable. This may provide additional harvest opportunities in the directed halibut fishery.