NOAA Fisheries Adjusts Commercial Halibut Individual Fishing Quota System

NOAA Fisheries Service has published rules implementing changes to the commercial Individual Fishing Quota system established by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council for Pacific halibut and sablefish in Alaska.

“The new regulations become effective September 10, 2007. They are intended to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Individual Fishing Quota system,” said Doug Mecum, NOAA Fisheries Service Alaska Region Acting Administrator.

The changes will:

• Allow transfers of quota share for medical reasons;
• Require a vessel monitoring system for vessels harvesting sablefish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands;
• Amend the block program for halibut by
      (a) allowing a quota share holder to hold 3 blocks rather than 2,
      (b) dividing halibut blocks in Areas 3B and 4A that yield more than 20,000 lb (9.1 mt), based on the 2004 harvest figures, into a block of 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) and the remainder unblocked, and
      (c) increasing the halibut “sweep-up” level in Areas 2C and 3A to 5,000 lb (2.3 mt);
• Allow category D quota shares to be fished on vessels less than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) length over all in areas 3B and 4C; and
• Allow category B catcher vessel quota share for Area 2C halibut and Southeast Outside District sablefish, that currently must be fished on vessels greater than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall, to be fished on catcher vessels of any length.

A block is a combination of quota shares that must be held or transferred together and cannot be broken apart.

For details, please see: www.fakr.noaa.gov/frules/72fr44795.pdf.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, please visit our websites at: www.fakr.noaa.gov or at: www.afsc.noaa.gov.