Draft Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Considerations for a Final Rule to Prohibit the Use of Hired Masters for Sablefish Catcher Vessel Quota Shares Received by Transfer After February 12, 2010

This document was prepared in response to a November 16, 2016, order from the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, regarding a 2014 Final Rule issued by NOAA Fisheries (Fairweather Fish, Inc. et al. vs. Pritzker et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-05685-BHS). The Final Rule prohibits initial quota share recipients from using a hired master to harvest individual fishing quota derived from catcher vessel quota share received by transfer after February 12, 2010. NOAA Fisheries has determined that the Final Rule is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act National Standards, subject to further consideration after public comment. This document describes the factors NOAA Fisheries considered in this determination.