2013 Assessment of the Grenadier Stock Complex in the Gulf of Alaska, Eastern Bering Sea, and Aleutian Islands

April 22, 2013

Grenadiers are presently considered “nonspecified” by the NPFMC, which means they are technically not part of the NPFMC management process and are not assigned values for overfishing levels (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), or total allowable catch (TAC). Therefore, there are no limitations on catch or retention, no reporting requirements, and no official tracking of grenadier catch by management. However, at the June, 2012 NPFMC meeting a motion was passed that included a purpose and need statement for moving grenadiers into the FMPs and four alternatives for doing so. An Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review/ Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) for the proposed FMP amendments will be presented at the December, 2013 meeting with final action scheduled for February, 2014.