Regulatory Impact Review for Regulatory Amendment - Halibut Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Leasing by Community Development Quota (CDQ) Groups

This Regulatory Impact Review Analysis examines a regulatory amendment that would apply exclusively to the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) for Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), and Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups fishing in the BSAI. The action under consideration in this analysis would allow CDQ groups to lease Area 4B, 4C, and 4D halibut IFQ from quota shareholders in times of low halibut catch limits in Area 4B and Area 4CDE. Under this action, leased halibut IFQ could be harvested on vessels less than or equal to 51 feet length overall, subject to the CDQ group’s internal halibut management. The intent is that IFQ would be leased from non-residents for use by residents in the CDQ communities. The purpose of this action is to allow CDQ residents to continue fishing in years where the halibut CDQ may not be large enough to present a viable fishery for participants.