This Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis/ Environmental Assessment examines proposed changes to the management of the Pacific halibut charter fisheries and commercial halibut setline fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska. The proposed measures seek to promote long-term planning, flexibility, and greater stability in the charter halibut fisheries, while minimizing the impact on halibut user groups. The action alternative allows for a recreational quota entity to be established in International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory Area 2C and 3A, to represent the common pool of charter anglers for the potential compensated reallocation of commercial halibut quota share in each area. Any halibut quota share purchased by a recreational quota entity would augment the apportioned pounds of halibut for the charter catch limit for that area in that year, which could be used to relax the annual charter management measures (e.g., bag limits and size restrictions) up to the allowance for the unguided recreational sector. Underlying allocations to the charter and commercial halibut sectors would not change.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

Alaska, Gulf of