Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review for Proposed Amendment 110 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea Chinook Salmon and Chum Salmon Bycatch Management Measures
March 24, 2016
This Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review analyzes proposed management measures to address bycatch of Chinook salmon and chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.
The measures under consideration include:
- modifying chum salmon bycatch management within existing industry incentive plan agreements
- adding more incentives to avoid Chinook salmon
- modifying season lengths for the summer pollock fishery
- reducing the prohibited species catch limit and/or performance standard threshold implemented in the existing Chinook salmon bycatch management program
All of the alternatives were designed to improve the current management for chum salmon and Chinook salmon bycatch by providing pollock fishery participants opportunities for increased flexibility to respond to changing conditions. Alternatives also provide greater incentives to minimize bycatch of both salmon species, to the extent practicable.