December 2005: NOAA Fisheries Service released its final environmental impact statement (EIS) evaluating a comprehensive strategy to conserve and enhance groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH). It includes identification of EFH and implementation of measures to minimize adverse impacts from fishing.
This EIS is the primary supporting document for Amendment 19
to the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This amendment provides for a comprehensive program to describe and protect essential fish habitat for Pacific coast groundfish. The proposed management measures were intended to minimize, to the extent practicable, adverse effects to EFH from fishing. The measures included fishing gear restrictions and prohibitions, areas that would be closed to bottom trawl, and areas that would be closed to all fishing that contacts the bottom. NOAA Fisheries Service accepted comments on the proposed rule to implement Amendment 19 through Feb. 27, 2006.
Cover Graphic– (PDF 288KB)
Cover Sheet, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Chapter 1- Purpose and Need, and Chapter 2– Alternatives (Text - PDF 1.4MB). Chapter 1– Figures (PDF 440KB) and Chapter 2– Figures (PDF 1.7MB)
Chapter 3- Affected Environment (Text - PDF 834KB) and Figures (PDF 4.5MB)
Chapter 4-Environmental Consequences (Text - PDF 360KB) and Figures (PDF 1.9MB) and Habitat Tables (PDF 418KB) and Socio-Economic Tables (PDF 47KB)
Chapter 5– Consistency with the Groundfish FMP, Chapter 6– Cross-Cutting Mandates, Chapter 7– List of Preparers, Chapter 8– Agencies, Organizations, and Persons to Whom Copies of this Statement Were Sent, Chapter 9– Acronyms and Glossary, and Chapter 10– Literature Cited (PDF 148KB)
Chapter 11– Public Comment (PDF 8.6MB)*
Appendices
Appendix A -Risk Assessment for the Pacific Groundfish (Page 1-220 - PDF 7MB*, pages 221-440 - PDF 4.9MB*, pages 441-660 - PDF 15.7MB*)
Appendix B -Preliminary Report on Occurrences of Structure-Forming Megafaunal Invertebrates off the West Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (PDF 2.7MB)
Appendix C -Comprehensive Collaborative Alternative Protecting Essential Fish Habitat in the Pacific while maintaining Fisheries (PDF 5.1MB)*
Appendix D -Essential Fish Habitat Meeting Summaries (PDF 770KB)
Appendix E -Additional Socioeconomic Tables and Figures (PDF 1.7MB)
Appendix F -Buyout and Establishment of No-Trawl Zones off the Central California Coast (PDF 1.2MB)
Appendix G -Alternative 10 Draft Environmental Assessment (PDF 2.8MB)
Appendix H -Updated Groundfish Life Histories Descriptions (can be found in Appendix I)
Appendix I –Groundfish FMP Amendment 19 (PDF 1.4MB)
FMP Appendix A – Description of the Groundfish Fishery (available from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council)
FMP Appendix B1 – Assessment Methodology for Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat (PDF 2.3MB)
FMP Appendix B2 – Groundfish Life History Descriptions (PDF 2.1MB)
FMP Appendix B3 – Essential Fish Habitat Text Descriptions (PDF 2.1MB)
FMP Appendix B4 – Habitat Suitability Probability Maps for Individual Groundfish Species and Life History Stages (PDF 50.7MB)*
FMP Appendix B5 – Research Needs and Data Gaps Analysis for Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat (PDF 243KB)
FMP Appendix C1 – Description of the Impacts Model for Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat (PDF 322KB)
FMP Appendix C2 – The Effects of Fishing on Habitat: West Coast Perspective (available as an Appendix to the Risk Assessment above, Appendix A to this EIS, or from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council)
FMP Appendix D – Nonfishing Effects on West Coast Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat and Recommended Conservation Measures (available as an Appendix to the Risk Assessment above, Appendix A to this EIS, or from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council)
Appendix J –Regulatory Impact Review/ Regulatory Flexibility Act/ Magnuson-Stevens Act 303(a)(7) (Practicability) Analysis (PDF 432KB)
*Some files are very large. We've tried to minimize size and maximize availability. If you have problems downloading these files, please contact Maryann Nickerson, 206-526-4490, to request a CD of the Final EIS.
