Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review of a Regulatory Amendment Providing Standard Allowances for Ice and Slime Found on Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program

Regulations implementing the IFQ program provided that the accurate scale weight of Pacific halibut and sablefish should be reported at the time of landing. Information provided by the fishing industry indicated that inaccurate reporting was occurring under the guise of allowances for ice and slime. This action provides for a standard 2 percent allowance for unwashed halibut and sablefish based on long-standing industry convention.