FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Environmental Assessment / Regulatory Impact Review for Proposed Amendment 107 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area Establishing Transit Areas through Walrus Pr

• Main Authors: Peirce Northern Bristol Bay, Anne Marie Eich, National Marine, Fisheries Service
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Bering Sea; Round Island; Aleutian Islands; walrus*
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.699.991; http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/analyses/amd107/bsai107finalearir.pdf

Abstract: This document evaluates alternatives to allow vessels with Federal Fisheries Permits (FFPs) to transit walrus protection areas at Round Island and Cape Peirce from April 1 through August 15 while tendering herring or salmon or delivering groundfish to trampers or processors. The purpose of this action is to maintain suitable protection for walruses on Round Island and Cape Peirce, restore access to vessels with FFPs serving as tenders for the northern Bristol Bay herring and salmon fisheries to the routes used by tenders before implementation of GOA FMP Amendment 83, to allow vessels delivering groundfish access to the route north of Round Island, and to reduce the likelihood of disturbance to walrus on Hagemeister Island and Cape Peirce. Alternatives include: 1) no action – vessels with FFPs remain excluded from the walrus protection area, 2) open portion of the Round Island walrus protection area to transit with three options of increasing distance and 3) open portion of the Cape Peirce walrus protection area to transit. Three transit options are considered under Alternative 2: 1) open up to 3 nm from Round Island, 2) open up to 4.5 nm from Round Island, and 3) open up to 6 nm from