Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis For a Regulatory Amendment to Provide a Two-Week Trawl Closure Near Unimak Pass to Facilitate an Experiment Investigating the Effects of Commercial Fishing on Local Abundance of Pacific Cod
February 01, 2003
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis on a Two-Week Trawl Closure near Unimak Pass
This Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis provides an analysis of a final regulatory amendment. Approval of the regulatory amendment would impose a two-week ban on trawl, hook-and-line and pot fishing in the specified area near Unimak Pass in the eastern Bering Sea. This short-term closure would be in effect between March 15 and March 31 in the years 2003 - 2006.
The changes in fishing regulations are needed to permit NOAA Fisheries to conduct unimpeded experiments on the effects of commercial trawling on local abundance of Pacific cod, as part of a comprehensive research program on sea lion/fishery interactions. The FRFA provides an analysis of the expected impacts of the proposed action on small entities.