Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis/Environmental Assessment for a Regulatory Amendment to Allow a Recreational Quota Entity to Hold Commercial Halibut Quota Share for Use by Halibut Charter Anglers

The proposed measures seek to promote long-term planning, flexibility, and greater stability in the charter halibut fisheries while minimizing the impact on halibut user groups. The action alternative allows for a recreational quota entity to be established in International Pacific Halibut Commission regulatory Area 2C and 3A. This entity would represent the common pool of charter anglers for the potential compensated reallocation of commercial halibut quota share in each area. Any halibut quota share purchased by a recreational quota entity would augment the apportioned pounds of halibut for the charter catch limit for that area in that year. This type of purchase could be used to relax the annual charter management measures (e.g., bag limits and size restrictions) up to the allowance for the unguided recreational sector. Underlying allocations to the charter and commercial halibut sectors would not change.