Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch Sharing Plan; Modify Pacific Halibut Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Vessel Use Caps in IFQ Regulatory Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E
- Published
- Sep 3, 2026
- Comments close
- Oct 5, 2026
- Citation
- 91 FR 56606
- Docket
- Docket No. 260817-0010
- Agencies
- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed rule; request for comments.
Summary
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to change the rules that limit how much Pacific halibut each fishing vessel can catch under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program in five specific management areas (4A‑4E). Under the proposal, a vessel’s harvest would be capped at 5 percent of the total commercial halibut allowance for those areas combined. Halibut caught from quota owned by a Community Quota Entity in Area 4B would be excluded from counting toward that 5‑percent limit, giving fishermen more flexibility when the fishery is difficult. The rule is issued by the Department of Commerce, through NMFS, and it applies to commercial halibut fishers who hold IFQs in Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E, as well as to Community Quota Entities that hold quota in Area 4B. The aim is to help participants manage their catches more effectively while still meeting the goals of the Pacific halibut IFQ program and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. The proposal was published in the Federal Register on September 3, 2026 (91 FR 56606). NMFS is seeking public input, with comments due by October 5, 2026. After the comment period, the agency will review the feedback and decide whether to adopt the changes, at which point the new vessel‑use caps would become part of the final halibut management regulations.
AI-generated summary — verify against the Federal Register text.
Official abstract
NMFS proposes regulations to modify the Pacific halibut (halibut) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program to revise vessel harvest limitations for IFQ halibut harvested in IFQ regulatory Areas (Areas) 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E by establishing a vessel harvest limit of five percent of the total annual commercial catch limit across Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E. This action would also exclude IFQ halibut harvest derived from quota held by a Community Quota Entity (CQE) in Area 4B from accruing under the proposed five percent vessel harvest limit across Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E. This action would provide additional flexibility for halibut IFQ Program fishery participants in Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E, where fishery conditions continue to be challenging. This action would promote the goals and objectives of the IFQ Program, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act), and other applicable laws.
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