Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for an Amendment to the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish FMP to Move Skates From the “Other Species” Category to the “Target Species” Category

The objective of this action is to increase the control managers have over skate removals, in order to prevent overfishing, maintain healthy stocks of skate species, and make a sustainable fishery more likely. The regulatory amendment will clarify the maximum retainable amounts (MRAs) of skates in other groundfish directed fisheries and the MRAs for other groundfish in the directed fishery for skates.  No changes are made to the MRA amounts that apply to skates or to other groundfish from the MRAs that apply to the “other species” complex.  This action will allow for the consistent management of incidental harvest in the directed fisheries during the fishing year.