Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Guided Sport Charter Vessel Fishery for Halibut

Riepilogo

NMFS proposes regulations that would limit the harvest of Pacific halibut by guided sport charter vessel anglers in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Area 2C of Southeast Alaska to the guideline harvest level (GHL) for that area under two different scenarios. First, if the GHL remains unchanged in 2008, a suite of three management measures are proposed to be added to an existing two- halibut daily catch and size limit. These management measures include a prohibition on the harvest of halibut by charter vessel guides, operators, and crew; a limit on the number of fishing lines that may be used on a charter vessel of six or the number of charter vessel anglers onboard, whichever is less; and an annual catch limit of four halibut per charter vessel angler. Second, if the GHL decreases in 2008, then a one-halibut daily catch limit is proposed to be substituted for the existing two-halibut daily catch limit. The prohibition of halibut harvest by charter vessel guides, operators, and crew, and the 6-line limit also are proposed under the second scenario. This proposed regulatory change is necessary to reduce the halibut harvest in the charter vessel sector to the GHL for Ar