Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Limited Access for Guided Sport Charter Vessels in Alaska

Résumé

This rule clarifies regulations that apply to vessels operating in the guided sport (charter) fishery for halibut in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) and Area 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). Under regulations implementing the charter halibut limited access program, operators of a vessel in Area 2C or Area 3A with one or more charter vessel anglers onboard that catch and retain halibut must have an Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Saltwater Charter Logbook onboard which specifies the person named on the charter halibut permit(s) being used onboard the vessel, and the charter halibut permit number(s) being used onboard the vessel. This interpretation clarifies that a charter operator may use the ADF&G Saltwater Charter Logbook issued for the vessel to record the charter halibut permit information. A charter vessel operator is not required to have a separate ADF&G Saltwater Charter Logbook issued in the name of the charter halibut permit holder.