EA/RIR/RFA for Amendments 65/65/12/7/8 to the BSAI Groundfish FMP (#65), GOA Groundfish FMP (#65), BSAI Crab FMP (#12), Scallop FMP (#7), and Salmon FMP (#8) and Regulatory Amendments to Provide Habitat Areas of Particular Concern

This Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis evaluates alternatives to designate and conserve Habitat Areas of Particular Concern. These designated areas are site-specific Essential Fish Habitat of managed species. Identification of Habitat Areas of Particular Concern provides focus for additional conservation efforts for those sites that are:

• ecologically important
• sensitive to disturbance
• exposed to development activities
• rare

This Environmental Assessment evaluates alternatives for designating Habitat Areas of Particular Concern in the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. It also evaluates alternatives for implementing associated fisheries management measures to provide additional conservation of specified Habitat Areas of Particular Concern.

Three separate actions are considered in this Assessment:

1. Habitat Areas of Particular Concern designation and conservation of seamounts
2. Habitat Areas of Particular Concern designation and conservation of hard coral areas in the Gulf of Alaska
3. Habitat Areas of Particular Concern designation and conservation of hard coral areas in the Aleutian Islands