Environmental Assessment for Issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit for the Purpose of Testing a Salmon Excluder Device in the Eastern Bering Sea Pollock Fishery

This Assessment analyzes alternatives on issuance of an exempted fishing permit for continued testing of a salmon excluder device in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery. The experiment would be conducted from fall 2011 through fall 2012.

The pollock trawl industry has experienced high numbers of salmon bycatch even though salmon bycatch measures are in place. A salmon excluder device would reduce salmon bycatch in the Alaska groundfish fisheries, reducing potential effects on the salmon stocks and the cost to the pollock fishing industry. This exempted fishing permit would allow the continued development and testing of a salmon excluder device. Efforts would be focused on reducing chum salmon bycatch and refinement to the Chinook salmon excluder device. The proposed action is not expected to have significant impacts on the human environment.