Final Regulatory Impact Review for an Emergency Rule - Increase the 2015 Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species Catch Apportionment to the Gulf of Alaska Non-Pollock, Non-Rockfish Trawl Catcher Vessel Sector

The Council and NOAA Fisheries recently discovered significant differences between the new catch data showing much higher removals of Chinook salmon PSC by small trawl catcher vessels in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA (Western GOA) as compared with historic data on Chinook salmon PSC use by these vessels.

In June 2015, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended an emergency action to the Secretary of Commerce to “allocate 1,600 Chinook salmon to the PSC limit established for the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector for the remainder of 2015” to allow for these operations to continue fishing for flatfish and Pacific cod in the GOA until December 31, 2015, or until the PSC limit of 1,600 is reached, whichever occurs earlier.

This document will refer to the non-pollock, Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector as the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector.