Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/ Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Regulatory Amendment to Limit Entry in the Halibut Charter Fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska

One of the alternatives considered in this analysis would take no action. The second alternative (the Council preferred alternative) would implement a moratorium on entry into the charter sector, as of December 9, 2005. It is intended as an interim step in the Council’s long range plan to limit charter halibut harvests. Permits would be issued to licensed fishing guide business owners based on minimum threshold levels of participation and a subset of eligible communities based on maximum threshold levels of charter halibut participation. Both types of entities would be subject to a limit on the number of permits they could hold and use and all permits would be subject to a halibut client endorsement. A higher participation threshold is required to receive a transferable permit.