Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amendment 100 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, and Amendment 91 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

The groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea  and  Aleutian  Islands  and  the  Gulf  of  Alaska  incidentally  catch  grenadiers  while  harvesting  target  groundfish.  This  action  would  amend  the  FMPs for  groundfish  of the  Bering  Sea  and  Aleutian  Islands  and  the Gulf  of  Alaska  to  include  grenadiers  in  the  FMPs  as  either  “in  the  fishery”  or  an  “ecosystem  component.” The purpose of this action is to improve the reporting and catch accounting of grenadiers in order to provide additional protection for grenadiers from the potential adverse effects of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. This proposed action is necessary to limit and monitor the incidental catch of grenadiers in the groundfish fisheries.