If you’re going charter fishing in Alaska this year, you'll need a charter halibut stamp if you plan on bringing halibut home.
New Halibut Stamp Requirements
Beginning in 2026, adult anglers fishing aboard a charter vessel need a charter halibut stamp for each day they intend to catch and retain halibut. This applies to fishing in International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Southcentral Alaska). If you are fishing without a guide, you do not need a halibut stamp.
The stamps cost $20—your fishing guide will take care of this for you. All you have to do is let them know that you plan to keep any halibut you catch before you start fishing for the day. Some guides might bundle the price into the total cost of the trip, while others might charge separately for it. If you’re just planning to catch and release, you don’t need a stamp!
Stamp Fees Will Support Charter Industry
Money collected from halibut stamps will fund the Recreational Quota Entity, a non-profit organization that supports the charter industry. To help improve halibut fishing for charter anglers, the RQE will purchase quota shares from the commercial halibut fishery. Quota shares are the privilege to harvest a certain amount of halibut.
The poundage of halibut from the RQE’s quota shares will ultimately increase the amount of halibut that charter anglers can harvest in Alaska. NOAA Fisheries and the International Pacific Halibut Commission carefully manage halibut for sustainability. The creation of the RQE doesn’t increase the overall harvest of halibut. It allows commercial and guided recreational fishermen to voluntarily transfer the amounts they can responsibly catch between each other with market-based transactions.
As the RQE acquires more halibut quota over time, charter halibut management measures could be relaxed. What would that mean for you? The possibility of retaining larger halibut, a higher bag limit, or additional days you could fish for halibut off a charter vessel in future years.
For more information, read the FAQ and final rule implementing this requirement. If you have additional questions, contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (907) 586-7228.
