Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review for Proposed Amendment 117 (BSAI) and 106 (GOA) to the Fishery Management Plans for Bering Sea Aleutian Islands Groundfish and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish - Reclassifying Squid Species in the BSAI and GOA
June 01, 2018
Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review of moving all species of squid to a non-target category in need of conservation and management or to the non-target ecosystem component category, not in need of conservation and management.
This document analyzes alternatives pertaining to an action that could move all species of squid in the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) to a non-target category in need of conservation and management or to the non-target ecosystem component category, not in need of conservation and management. (See Table 3-2 for list of species found in the BSAI and GOA). Options are included for a range of maximum retainable amount of squid per target groundfish catch should squid management be modified to non-target status or be moved to the EC in both FMPs. There are no significant (beneficial or adverse) impacts on squid stocks, salmon or herring prohibited species catch or significant (beneficial or adverse) socio-economic impacts on the groundfish fisheries.