Categorical Exclusion (CE) for a Regulatory Amendment to Allow Community Quota Entity Individual Fishing Quota Fish Up in Area 3A.
July 30, 2020
A "fish up” provision in the halibut and sablefish IFQ Program to allow CQEs located in IFQ regulatory Area 3A holding Area 3A category D halibut quota share to have the associated IFQ harvested on category C vessels beginning August 15.
Analysis of regulations for a “fish up” provision in the halibut and sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program to allow Community Quota Entities (CQEs) located in IFQ regulatory Area 3A (Southcentral Alaska) holding Area 3A category D halibut quota share (QS) to have the associated IFQ harvested on category C vessels beginning August 15 of each IFQ fishing season.
Modifying the regulations to allow harvesting on larger vessels near the end of the season would provide more flexibility to CQE participants to fully harvest their category D quota in Area 3A. Allowing CQEs located within 3A to fish category D IFQ on category C vessels in Area 3A will further the Council’s intent of facilitating the ability of CQE communities to secure and maintain long-term opportunities to access halibut. By limiting use of the exemption to the end of the season as a contingency plan, this action is also consistent with the intent of the IFQ program to maintain the historical vessel size character of the fleet.