The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was enacted in 1970 to set a national policy on how human activities regulated by the federal government should be evaluated and understood with respect to their effects on the environment. Recommendations from the Pacific Fishery Management Council on federal fisheries management actions are analyzed for the council and the public according to the requirements of the NEPA and its implementing regulations. There are several other laws governing the analysis of federal fisheries actions, including:

• Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
• Endangered Species Act
• Marine Mammal Protection Act 
• Regulatory Flexibility Act

NOAA Fisheries Service and council staff usually analyze potential fishery management actions in a NEPA document, such as an environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment (EA). The council maintains a Website for NEPA Documents generated from its office.

NEPA Documents on Groundfish Actions

• June 2008: FINAL - A Limited Entry Program for the Non-Tribal Sectors of the Pacific Whiting Fishery (PDF 425KB)
  
  
• September 2007: Final EA on Expanded Coverage of the Program to Monitor Time-Area Closure in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery (PDF 949KB)
  
  
• May 2007: Draft EA on Implementing Amendment 10, Maximized Retention and Monitoring Program for Pacific Whiting Shoreside Fishery (PDF 268KB)
  
  
• May 2007: Final EA on Emergency Rule to Prohibit Entry of New Vessels into Pacific Whiting Fishery (large file--PDF 6MB)
  
  
• April 2007: Draft EA for Catch Accounting requirements for Processors/First Receivers participating in the Pacific Whiting Shoreside Fishery (PDF 668KB)
  
  
• October 2006: Final EIS on Groundfish 2007-2008 Harvest Specifications and Management Measures (links to Pacific Fishery Management Council Website)
  
  
• December 2005: Final EIS on Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat 
  
  
• November 2005: Final EA of Management Measures for Spiny Dogfish and Pacific Cod (PDF 308KB)
  
• September 2004: Final EIS on Bycatch Mitigation
  
  
• July 2004: Final EIS on Amendment 16-3 (Rebuilding Plans for Bocaccio, Cowcod, Widow Rockfish and Yelloweye Rockfish) (links to Pacific Fishery Management Council Website)
  
  
• August 2003: Final EA on 30-fathom Boundary Line (PDF 4.3MB)
  
  
• July 2003: Final EA on Pacific Coast Groundfish Buyback (PDF 269KB)
  
  
• July 2003: Final EA on Vessel Monitoring Program (PDF 840KB)
  
  
• July 2003: Final EA on Amendment 17 (Multi-Year Management) (links to Pacific Fishery Management Council Website)
  
  
• June 2003: Final EA on Observer Program for At-Sea Processing Vessels (PDF 521KB)