Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review/ Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amendment 111 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Management Area Revise Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Limits January 2016

This document analyzes proposed management measures to reduce Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish fisheries. PSC limit reductions are considered for various sectors, including the BSAI trawl limited access sector, the Amendment 80 sector, longline catcher vessels, longline catcher processors, and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) sector (i.e., a reduction to the CDQ’s allocated prohibited species quota reserve). The objective of reducing PSC limits would be to minimize bycatch of halibut in the BSAI groundfish fisheries to the extent practicable, which may provide additional harvest opportunities in the directed halibut fishery. 2016 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) AKR (Alaska Region) OSF (Office of Sustainable Fisheries) Submitted Public Domain 1861