Regulatory Impact Review for Amendment 32: Groundfish of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Management Plan and Amendment 36: Gulf of Alaska Management Plan to Allow Halibut/Sablefish Community Development Quota, Compensation Quota Share and Block Exemption

This amendment addresses two issues related to Community Development Quota compensation shares for reductions in the amount of Pacific halibut and sablefish available for harvest with IFQs in CDQ areas, which resulted from allocations of those fishery resources to the CDQ program. This document analyzes the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the status quo and the proposed management actions for modifying the halibut and sablefish CDQ compensation system by allowing a block exemption and one-time transfer of shares.

This document is intended to comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and Executive Order 12866.