

The Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program allocates a percentage of all Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands quotas for groundfish, prohibited species, halibut, and crab to eligible communities.
The Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program was established to (i) to provide eligible western Alaska villages with the opportunity to participate and invest in fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; (ii) to support economic development in western Alaska; (iii) to alleviate poverty and provide economic and social benefits for residents of western Alaska; and (iv) to achieve sustainable and diversified local economies in western Alaska.
Section 305(i)(1)(H) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that during calendar year 2012 and every 10 years thereafter, the State of Alaska shall evaluate the performance of each entity participating in the CDQ Program. The decennial review includes an evaluation of performance relative to four criteria which generally relate to socioeconomic characteristics, financial performance, workforce employment and scholarships opportunities, and implementation of community development plans. Under section 305(i)(1)(H), NOAA Fisheries has no role in the evaluation and determination stages of the decennial review.
In 2023, the State of Alaska determined that each CDQ entity has maintained or improved performance over the evaluation period, 2011 through 2020. Specific information on the CDQ Program's 2022 Decennial Review can be found below. The next decennial review will be in 2032. 2022 State of Alaska's CDQ Program Decennial Review reports available here.