NOAA Accepting Public Comments For Proposed Halibut Fee Collection

The following is courtesy of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration:

PHOTO BY CAL KELLOGG

Public Can Comment on Proposed Rule for Recreational Quota Entity Halibut Fee Collection

NOAA Fisheries proposes a new fee starting in 2025 to support the Recreational Quota Entity Program.

A 30-day public comment period is open now through December 2, 2024 for interested parties to share feedback on a proposed rule to require a charter halibut stamp for all adult charter vessel anglers for each day they intend to retain halibut on a charter vessel in International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Southcentral Alaska). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended this new program for implementation by NOAA Fisheries. Detailed information can be found in the Proposed Rule

The proposed fee for the stamp is $20.00 per person per day. If approved, the proposed fee would be implemented in early 2025 for the upcoming season. These funds would be used to help increase the amount of halibut available to charter vessel anglers as described below. 

Who would it affect?

Persons who hold Charter Halibut Permits (CHPs) would purchase halibut stamps electronically through the NOAA Fisheries eFish program. The stamps would be held in a CHP holder’s account until they are used (validated). Charter vessel guides (i.e., the persons on the charter vessel providing the sport fishing guide services using the CHP) would be required to validate a daily stamp for each adult charter vessel angler who intends to retain halibut on that particular charter fishing trip. The validation would occur on State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game saltwater logbooks.

All CHP holders would be subject to these proposed regulations, including Community Quota Entities and the U.S. Military Welfare and Recreation programs for service members. 

What would it do?

Funds collected by NOAA Fisheries from halibut stamp fees would be transferred to the Recreational Quota Entity (RQE), a non-profit organization that works on behalf of the charter halibut fishery. The RQE would use the fees to purchase and permanently hold halibut quota shares from the commercial halibut fishery. Each year, the pounds of halibut from the RQE quota would be added to the amount of halibut the charter fishery receives under a catch-sharing allocation with the commercial fishery. This provides a mechanism for compensated reallocation of a portion of commercial halibut quota to the charter fishery, with the goal of less restrictive annual management measures for the charter fishery.

How do I Comment on the Proposed Rule?

We encourage you to review the proposed rule and provide us with your comments. You can find instructions for commenting and additional details here: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-25229.

Comments are due by December 2, 2024.

Questions?

Contact Jennifer Angelo, Public Affairs Officer