Ennvironmental Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review for Fishery Plan Amendments to Prohibit Use of Halibut Catcher Vessel Quota Share and Allow Freezing of Non-IFQ Species on Freezer Vessels : Bering Sea / Aleutian Islands Plan Amendment 33 and Gulf of Alaska Plan Amendment 37

This amendment addresses two related issues of the halibut and sablefish Individual Transferable Quota (IFQ) programs in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. This document analyzes the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the status quo (Halibut Catcher Vessel Quota Share, Alternative 1 and Freezing of Non-IFQ Species, Alternative 1) and the proposed management actions for modifying the halibut and sablefish IFQ programs by prohibiting the use of halibut catcher vessel QS on freezer vessels (Halibut Catcher Vessel Quota Share, Alternative 2) and allowing the freezing of non-IFQ species, such as Pacific cod and rockfish, while harvesting sablefish catcher vessel QS on a freezer vessel (Freezing of Non-IFQ Species, Alternative 2).