Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Halibut Abundance-Based Management (ABM) of Amendment 80 Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) Limit

This document is the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The FEIS provides assessments of the environmental impacts of an action and its reasonable alternatives, as well as the economic benefits and costs of the action alternatives and their distribution. The FEIS was produced by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region to provide the analytical background for decision-making. This FEIS addresses the statutory requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the National Environmental Policy Act, and Presidential Executive Order 12866.

This document analyzes a proposed management measure to link the Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis)  PSC limit for the Amendment 80 commercial groundfish trawl fleet in the BSAI groundfish fisheries to halibut abundance. The objectives of linking the PSC limit are to minimize halibut PSC to the extent practicable and to continue achieving optimum yield in the BSAI groundfish fisheries on a continuing basis, as well as balance the requirements of all the MSA national standards. This proposed action would also be expected to provide incentives for the Amendment 80 fleet to minimize halibut mortality at all times. Achievement of these objectives could result in additional harvest opportunities in the commercial halibut fishery.

Appendix 1: Final Social Impact Assessment (PDF, 238 pages)