Comments on the draft rule for catch share plan for halibut stocks in Southeast Alaska and the Central Gulf of Alaska are due to federal fisheries officials by Sept. 6. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has recommended this draft rule to establish a clear allocation between the commercial and charter sectors that harvest halibut in these areas. Both the commercial setline and the charter halibut fisheries are managed under different programs. The commercial halibut fishery has been managed under a catch limit program since 1995. The charter sector has been managed under a different harvest guideline since 2003. That guideline harvest level gives charters a number of fish they can catch per guided angler per day, but does not ensure that the overall catch stays within a definitive catch limit. The proposed catch share plan, scheduled to be in place in 2012, is designed to foster a sustainable fishery by preventing overharvesting of halibut and would introduce provisions that provide flexibility for charter boats and the setline fishermen. Under the draft rule the total commercial and charter catch limit for each management area would be allocated between the commercial and charter sectors. Allocations to the charter and commercial sectors would vary with changes in the number of halibut available for harvest. The catch share plan would authorize transfers of commercial halibut individual fishing quota to charter halibut permit holders for harvest by sport anglers in the charter halibut fishery.
Send comments to Glenn Merrill, assistant regional administrator, Sustainable fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian.
Comments should be identified by 0648-BA37 by any of the following methods:
* Via the Federal eRulemaking Portal web site: http://www.regionations.gov
* P.I. Box 21668, Juneau, AK. 99802-1668
* fax: 907-586-7557
* hand delivery" 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, Alaska.
All comments received are part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov
More information is online at:
http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries