Final Environmental Assessment/regulatory Impact Review/initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis to Reduce Gulf of Alaska Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits

Final Environmental Assessment/regulatory Impact Review/initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis to Reduce Gulf of Alaska Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits
Author: Darrell Brannan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2013
Genre: Environmental impact analysis
ISBN:

"This document is an environmental assessment/regulatory impact review/initial regulatory flexibility analysis analyzing proposed management measures that would apply to the directed groundfish fishery in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The measures under consideration would set Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits in Federal regulation, decrease the annual GOA halibut PSC limits for trawl and hook-and-line groundfish fisheries, and implement additional halibut PSC management measures for the GOA groundfish fisheries. The purpose of this action is to minimize halibut bycatch in the GOA groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable and to promote the Jong-term conservation and abundance of halibut for all users of the resource. The proposed action is not expected to have significant impacts on the human environment"--Cover letter summary.

Final Environmental Assessment/ Final Regulatory Impact Review/ Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amendment 83 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

Final Environmental Assessment/ Final Regulatory Impact Review/ Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amendment 83 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 235
Release: 2011
Genre: Environmental impact analysis
ISBN:

"Amendment 83 would allocate the Western and Central Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) limits among various gear and operational sectors. Sector allocations would limit the amount of Western and Central GOA Pacific cod that each sector is authorized to harvest. This action would reduce competition among sectors and support stability in the Pacific cod fishery. This amendment would also limit access to the Federal Pacific cod TAC fisheries prosecuted in State waters, commonly known as the 'parallel fishery', adjacent to the Western and Central GOA. This action is intended to promote community participation and provide incentives for new entrants in the jig sector. It also promotes the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the fishery management plan, and other applicable laws"--Cover letter; Portfolio comprised of three related PDF documents digitized and organized by: NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration (PPI) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) staff.

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Regulatory Amendment to Limit Entry in the Halibut Charter Fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Regulatory Amendment to Limit Entry in the Halibut Charter Fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2009
Genre: Charter boat fishing
ISBN:

"This analysis examines two alternatives to limit entry into the Pacific halibut guided sport (charter) fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska. One alternative would take no action. The second alternative (the Council preferred alternative) would implement a moratorium on entry into the charter sector, as of December 9, 2005. It is intended as an interim step in the Council's long range plan to limit charter halibut harvests. Permits would be issued to licensed fishing guide business owners based on minimum threshold levels of participation and a subset of eligible communities based on maximum threshold levels of charter halibut participation in those communities. Both types of entities would be subject to a limit on the number of permits they could hold and use (use caps) and all permits would be subject to a halibut client endorsement. A higher participation threshold is required to receive a transferable permit"--Abstract (p. [i]).

Regulatory Amendment for a Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan for the Charter Sector and Commercial Setline Sector in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2C and Area 3A

Regulatory Amendment for a Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan for the Charter Sector and Commercial Setline Sector in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2C and Area 3A
Author: Jane DiCosimo
Publisher:
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2013
Genre: Environmental impact analysis
ISBN:

This analysis examines proposed changes to the management of Pacific halibut in the charter fisheries and commercial setline fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) identified a need to develop a catch sharing plan (CSP) for the charter and commercial sectors to address conservation and allocation concerns in both areas. These concerns resulted from: 1) increased harvests in the charter halibut fishery, and 2) decreased catch limits in the commercial setline fisheries. The Council considered five alternatives and adopted a Preferred Alternative from among proposed CSP elements. The Council adopted its Preferred Alternative using the proposed charter allocations under Alternative 3 for Area 2C and the proposed charter allocations under Alternative 4 for Area 3A. The Council also adopted revised elements for a Guided Angler Fish Program, in which Charter Halibut Permit holders would be allowed to lease commercial Individual Fishing Quota in order to provide charter anglers with harvesting opportunities, not to exceed limits in place for unguided anglers. Annual management measures would be implemented each year through a cooperative program among state and Federal agencies. The Council also would request that the IPHC: 1) annually set a combined charter and commercial setline catch limit, to which the allocation percentage for each area would be applied to establish the domestic harvest allowances for each sector and 2) implement separate accountability of halibut removals for each sector. Upon implementation, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game logbooks would be used as the primary data source for estimating charter halibut harvest. The Council intends that the CSP would be implemented by National Marine Fisheries Service for 2014, which is the earliest possible timeline.

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Proposed Amendment 89 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Proposed Amendment 89 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 133
Release: 2013
Genre: Bycatches (Fisheries)
ISBN:

This EA/RIR/IRFA analyzes the impacts of four alternatives to close specific areas of the Central Gulf of Alaska Regulatory Area (Central GOA) to the use of trawl gear and pot gear or as a suboption, in lieu of a closure to require additional observer coverage in these areas. Based on the Council's recommendation, NMFS determined that increased observer coverage in specific areas of the Central GOA would interfere with the goals and objectives of the restructured observer program and is not necessary. The intent to improve Tanner crab bycatch information is addressed in the restructured observer program, which was implemented in 2013. The Council's preferred alternative is to close a portion of Marmot Bay northeast of Kodiak Island to the use of trawl gear, except for the use of pelagic trawl gear to target pollock. The Council's preferred alternative for the Marmot Bay Protection Area trawl closure will be combined with the Council's preferred alternative requiring modified nonpelagic trawl gear to be used when targeting flatfish in Central Gulf of Alaska Regulatory Area to form a suite of management measures for the protection and conservation of Tanner crab and reduce the potential for adverse impacts by nonpelagic gear on benthic habitat.

Environmental Assessment/regulatory Impact Review/final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Environmental Assessment/regulatory Impact Review/final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 64
Release: 2011
Genre: Environmental impact analysis
ISBN:

"This Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis analyzes Amendment 34 which amends the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationali zation Program to exempt additional recipients of crab quota share from Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod and pollock harvest limits, called sideboards. Sideboards apply to some vessels and license limitation program licenses that are used to participate in these fisheries. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council determined that these recipients demonstrated a sufficient level of historical participation in Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod or pollock fisheries and should be exempt from the Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod and pollock sideboards. This action is necessary to give these recipients an opportunity to participate in the Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod and pollock fisheries at historical levels. This final rule revises regulations governing exemptions from and calculations of sideboard harvest limits in the Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod and pollock fisheries and revises Tables 17 and 18 that establish the 20II - 2012 Gulf of Alaska ground fish harvest sideboard limits. To fully implement Amendment 34 NMFS will reissue Federal fisheries permits and license limitation program licenses to all participants that are affected by the action."--Cover letter; Portfolio comprised of three related PDF documents digitized and organized by: NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration (PPI) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) staff.

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review and Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Fishing Capacity Reduction Program in the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery

Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review and Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Fishing Capacity Reduction Program in the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 20
Release: 2011
Genre: Environmental impact analysis
ISBN:

"This is an analysis of the environmental, economic, and social effects of implementing a fishing capacity reduction program for the purse seine salmon fishery occurring in Southeast Alaska. The capacity reduction program would be implemented pursuant to authorizing legislation and applicable provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a (b-e)). Two alternatives have been considered: (1) no buyback program and (2) an industry funded buyback program. The environmental issues associated include: the biological environment including the water column and substrate; amount of fish removed, environmental impacts of the gear used to fish, and any incidental taking of a marine mammal, seabird, or prohibited species by the Southeast AK purse seine salmon fishery. Under the buyback program potential impact to the physical and biological environment would not change from the status quo because the amount of fish harvested and gear used to harvest fish would not change. Under the proposed program fewer total vessels would be harvesting fish, however each vessel participating would be using the same gear and would be spending more time at sea so fishing effort would not change"--Cover letter; Portfolio comprised of three related PDF documents digitized and organized by: NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration (PPI) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) staff.