Limited Access Management of Federal Fisheries In and Off of Alaska; Individual Fishing Quota Program

Zusammenfassung

NMFS issues an interim rule to allow vessels subject to existing Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program recordkeeping and observer coverage requirements to fish for sablefish and Pacific halibut in a regulatory area in which persons aboard the vessel hold IFQ, even when the amount of IFQ held for the area is less than the total amount of IFQ species on board the vessel. This action is necessary to allow persons who hold IFQ for more than one IFQ regulatory area to harvest IFQ species in those areas during the same fishing trip and is intended to facilitate more efficient harvesting by IFQ holders.