Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Specifications 2013-2014
January 15, 2013
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) for the groundfish harvest specifications in the Gulf of Alaska for the years 2013 and 2014.
This FRFA evaluates the potential economic impacts on directly regulated small entities of alternative proposed harvest specifications for the groundfish fisheries managed under the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.
The action under consideration is adoption of specifications pursuant to the harvest strategy for the groundfish fishery in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) management area adopted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) in December 2006. The harvest strategy is one in which total allowable catches (TACs) fall within the range of acceptable biological catches (ABCs), recommended by the Council’s GOA Groundfish Plan Team, and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), and TACs recommended by the Council.
This FRFA addresses the statutory requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601-612).