Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications 2015-2016

The action under consideration is adoption of harvest 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) recommended by the Council 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). This action is taken in accordance with the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) (Council 2014), recommended by the Council pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) (NMFS 2007c). 2014 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) AKR (Alaska Region) Submitted Public Domain 1862