Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis For Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska

Amendment 4 would provide a license limitation program (LLP) for the scallop fishery to replace the Federal vessel moratorium scheduled to expire June 30, 2000 The scallop fishery has been characterized as an overcapitalized fishery Under this LLP a total of nine licenses would be issued Licenses would be issued to holders of either Federal or State moratorium permits who used their permits to make legal landings of scallops in each of any two calendar years beginning January 1 1996 through October 9 1998 However licenses based on legal landings of scallops harvested only from Cook Inlet during the qualifying period would have a gear endorsement that would limit allowable gear to a single six-foot dredge when fishing for scallops in any area No increase in vessel length would be allowed No person, corporation or entity could own more than two scallop licenses which would limit excessive shares The LLP is intended to prevent further deterioration of economic benefits in the scallop fishery because the potential fleet size is less than under the moratorium 2000 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) Library Public Domain 1861