

Eligible communities can form nonprofit entities called Community Quota Entities (CQEs). If a CQE represents a community eligible for privileges under a management program, the CQE may request no-cost community permits or purchase commercial Quota Share.
Under the CHLAP eligible Community Quota Entities (CQEs) may request community charter halibut permits for use in International Pacific Halibut Commission Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). A CQE may apply at any time for community CHPs, issued at no cost. The CQE designates charter operators to use its community CHPs, although the CHP itself is retained by the CQE. A charter vessel operator using a Community CHP is subject to all charter fishing regulations and must either begin or end the charter vessel fishing trip within the community designated on the permit. More information is available below and on the sport halibut management web page which includes Frequently Asked Questions about the CHLAP and community permits.
The LLP authorizes CQEs for eligible communities to request non-trawl groundfish LLP licenses endorsed for Pacific cod in the central or western Gulf of Alaska. Information is available below, and on the LLP web page. The CQE must annually, in an Authorization Letter, assign each community LLP to a user and vessel and must provide a copy of the authorization letter, and any subsequent amendment to that authorization letter that is made by the CQE to both NMFS and the vessel operator prior to use by the person(s) designated. There are residency and other requirements for community LLP Users, and the CQEs have an annual reporting requirement on permit use.
The IFQ Program authorizes CQEs to purchase commercial halibut and sablefish Quota Share (QS) for lease to residents of the eligible community. This privilege includes a CQE annual reporting requirement.
The Crab Rationalization Community Protection Measures were established to protect the interests of nine communities that were historically dependent on crab revenues and fishing activity. The Community Protection Measures authorize NMFS-approved non-profit organizations that represent Eligible Crab Communities (ECCs) to exercise special privileges. These include the right to acquire Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands king and Tanner crab Quota Share (QS) for lease of the resulting Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) to residents of the ECC on whose behalf the QS is held; and the Right of First Refusal on sale of some Processor Quota Shares (PQS) and use of annual Individual Processing Quota (IPQ).
The governing body of the Eligible Crab Communities (ECC) must designate the non-profit organization, which then must be approved by NMFS as an Eligible Crab Community Organization (ECCO).
The nine ECCs and their governing bodies are:
Under regulations at 50 CFR 680.41(j) and (k), ECCOs may apply to acquire crab QS by transfer:
Each year, the ECCO may transfer (lease) its crab IFQ to one or more eligible community residents of the ECC. Caps limit the amount of crab QS that can be held on behalf of each community and crab IFQ used by each resident. Eligible community resident means, for purposes of the Crab QS program, any individual who:
Under 50 CFR 680.5, annually by June 30, each ECCO must submit a complete annual report for the prior crab fishing year. The ECCO must submit a copy of the report to the governing body of each ECC it represents and to the Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region. Report content includes the ECCO's nonprofit governance, QS holdings, IFQ recipient selection, landings, and other relevant information.
Eligible crab community (ECC) entity means a non-profit organization specified under 50 CFR 680.41(j)(2) that is designated by the governing body of an ECC, other than Adak, to represent it for the purposes of engaging in the ROFR of transfer of crab PQS or IPQ outside the ECC under contract provisions set forth under Section 313(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The ROFR comes into play as part of transfer of PQS and IPQ and is governed by civil contracts between PQS holders and eligible communities. Relevant transfer regulations are at: 50 CFR 680.41.