INITIAL REVIEW DRAFT Environmental Assessment / Regulatory Impact Review for Proposed Regulatory Amendment to Adjust the Partial Coverage Observer Fee

This Environmental Assessment analyzes an incremental increase in the fee assessed to support observer and electronic monitoring deployment in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish and Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepsis) fisheries not in the partial coverage category under the Observer Program. Alternatives consider an incremental increase to the existing 1.25 percernt fee up to the statutory maximum of 2 percent. This action would increase the funding available for an existing data collection program. No adverse environmental impacts have been identified.