Environmental Assessment for Experimental Fishing Permit 98-01 to Test a Halibut Excluder Device Installed on Trawl Gear used to Fish for Deep Water Flatfish in the Gulf of Alaska

This action authorizes the Groundfish Forum to conduct an experiment in the Gulf of Alaska to test the effectiveness of a halibut excluder device for flatfish trawls in reducing Pacific halibut bycatch rates without lowering significantly the catch rates of flatfish. Results will be used to develop methods for trawl vessel targeting flatfish to reduce halibut bycatch rates and mortality. The Groundfish Forum estimates that 650 metric tons of groundfish may be taken by participating vessels and about 25 metric tons of halibut bycatch mortality.