The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) allows any person, who at any time catches a sablefish bearing a research tag, to retain and land the tagged fish in accordance with sablefish research programs, according to Steven Pennoyer, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
To encourage the aid of fishermen in scientific research on sablefish, the groundfish and IFQ regulations codified at 50 CFR part 679.40(g) allow fishermen with or without sablefish IFQ to retain and land tagged sablefish at any time. Furthermore, a fisherman who has sablefish IFQ and lands a tagged sablefish in accordance with a sablefish research program will not have the tagged fish calculated as part of his IFQ harvest or debited against his sablefish IFQ.
This information bulletin provides a reminder of regulations governing the capture of tagged sablefish. Do not rely upon it to guide you in complying with the regulations.
IB 99-29: NMFS Notifies Fishermen that Landing Tagged Sablefish is Allowed Under Groundfish and IFQ Regulations
March 05, 1999 - 7:10 a.m.
Notice of a fishery management action.
