Programmatic environmental assessment to revise U.S. commercial fishing regulations for rebuilding Pacific bluefin tuna in the eastern Pacific ocean 150616_PIR_PEA_Pacific_Bluefin_Tuna_L.pdf Rebuilding Pacific Bluefin Tuna EA, April 2015

"This Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) analyzes conservation and management measures that are part of an international agreement to conserve Pacific bluefin tuna caught (PBF) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). The measures would only apply to vessels that commercially catch PBF in the EPO. The average annual PBF landings by U.S. vessels fishing in the EPO represent less than two percent of the average annual PBF landings by all fleets fishing in the EPO for 2007 through 2014. While the catch and trip limits pose restrictions for the U.S. fleet, the average annual PBF catch for the U.S. fleet is below the proposed catch limit, and more than 50 percent of the trips landing PBF in that time were within the proposed trip limit. Impacts to the human environment (e.g., effects of the proposed action alternatives on the natural environment and the socioeconomic environment) were found to be insignificant"--Cover letter summary.