The primary objectives of the Alaska halibut and sablefish IFQ Program are to eliminate gear conflicts, address safety concerns, and improve product quality.
The Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program is the largest catch share program in the U.S., and was adopted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under Amendment 15 to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Fishery Management Plan and Amendment 20 to the Gulf of Alaska Fishery Management Plan in October 1992. The final rule was published on November 9, 1993.
Participation in the IFQ Program is limited to persons that hold Quota Share (QS), although there are several very limited provisions for “leasing” of annual IFQ. QS is a transferable permit that was initially issued to persons who owned or leased vessels that made legal commercial fixed-gear landings of Pacific halibut or sablefish in the waters off Alaska during 1988-1990.
Annually, NOAA Fisheries issues eligible QS holders an IFQ fishing permit that authorizes participation in the IFQ fisheries. Those to whom IFQ permits are issued may harvest their annual allocation at any time during the eight plus-month IFQ halibut and sablefish seasons.
In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) requested NOAA Fisheries promulgate several emergency or expedited changes to Federal fishing regulations.
This Questions and Answers page provides more information about these previous actions.
This program information constitutes the Small Entity Compliance Guide required under section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
Bering Sea snow crab support a valuable commercial fishery. Photo: NOAA Fisheries.
Alaska salmon troller Bay of Pillars in Chatham Strait. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
A Southeast Alaska trolling vessel. Credit ASMI
