The National Marine Fisheries Service’s 14-day comment period on a proposed rule to revise regulations for individual fishing quote in Pacific halibut fisheries would remove limits on the maximum of halibut IFQ that may be harvested by a vessel in Areas 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D.
The deadline for 14-day comment period is today, Wednesday, May 4.
NMFS officials say this action is needed to provide additional flexibility to IFQ participants this year to ensure allocations of halibut IFQ can be harvested by the limited number of vessels operating in all of these areas. Such action lies within the authority of the Secretary of Commerce to establish additional regulations governing the take of halibut that are in addition to, and not in conflict with those adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission.
The NMFS said the proposed action is intended to promote goals and objectives of the IFQ Program, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act) and other applicable laws.
Comments may be submitted electronically or by mail. For electronic submissions, go to regulations.gov, enter NOAA-NMFS-2022-0037 in the Search box. Click on the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields and enter or attach your comments.
Submit written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.