The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) new allocation policy to divide fishing grounds between recreational and commercial use has some worried about overburdening its regional fishery management councils.

The new policy -- which applies to fisheries that contain allocations across jurisdictions as well as across and within sectors -- is meant to "provide a mechanism to ensure fisheries allocations are periodically evaluated to remain relevant to current conditions", according to a policy directive issued by NOAA earlier this summer.

The policy consists of three documents. The first describes in broad terms the responsibility of the councils and other players involved. It also outlines the development of triggers -- thresholds that could prompt changes -- and the review of allocations.

The other two documents are procedural and discuss the development of criteria for initiating allocation reviews and provide a way to ensure that allocations are periodically evaluated.

The councils will be given the task of determining which triggers apply to each of their fishery management plans, which one attendee of a NOAA conference call Tuesday said may overwhelm the councils.

"Reading through the... things the councils are supposed to administer in this process, it just looks like a pretty overwhelming task that you're asking the council to take on," he said, asking how the process can be made manageable.

In response, Alan Risenhoover, director of NOAA's Office of Sustainable Fisheries, who was speaking during the call, said that NOAA took this extra workload into account when establishing the policy.

"I do know that the councils have a very heavy and high work load, we're tried to help with that by giving them three years to develop these triggers," he said, but added that for the most part, the councils already have similar processes in place.

"Yes it's going to be a work load, but I think the majority [of] the councils around the country are dealing with allocation in one way or another, and our hope is that this guidance helps them do that a little more efficiently and effectively."

NOAA has given the regional councils three years to identify these triggers, as well as a clear process to periodically determine if a trigger has been met.

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service regional administrators and science center directors will be responsible for engaging with the councils to support the development of trigger.