Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review for Proposed Amendment 121 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 110 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska: Reclassifying Sculpin Species in the BSAI and GOA

This document analyzes alternatives pertaining to an action that could move all species of sculpins in the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska to the non-target ecosystem component category. Options are included for a range of the maximum retainable amount of sculpins per metric ton of target groundfish catch, should sculpin management be moved to the ecosystem component in both FMPs. There are no significant (beneficial or adverse) impacts on sculpin stocks or prohibited species catch. The preferred alternative could provide economic benefits to participants in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries by removing the sculpins harvest from accrual against the 2.0 million metric ton optimum yield cap, thereby allowing larger harvests of other, presently more valuable groundfish target species.