Halibut Quota Caps Tightened for Big Vessels
Published Date: 9/3/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
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.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
New 5% Area 4 Vessel Cap
NMFS proposes a new vessel harvest limit of 5 percent for IFQ halibut across IFQ regulatory Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E. For example, using the 2026 management measures, a 5 percent Area 4 cap would have been 132,900 lb (60.3 mt), which is 63,360 lb (28.7 mt) greater than the 2026 Alaska coastwide cap of 69,540 lb (31.5 mt).
CQE 4B Quota Excluded from Area Cap
The proposal would exclude IFQ halibut derived from quota share (QS) held by a Community Quota Entity (CQE) in Area 4B from counting toward the proposed 5 percent Area 4 vessel limit. NMFS says this exclusion is intended to encourage vessels to harvest CQE-derived IFQ in Area 4B, which has been underexploited.
Area 4 Landings Adjusted vs Coastwide Cap
When the Area 4 5 percent cap exceeds the Alaska coastwide cap, the amount up to the difference between those caps would not count toward the Alaska coastwide vessel limit. Using 2026 figures, that difference is 63,360 lb (28.7 mt); the preamble gives an example where a vessel landing 100,000 lb in Area 4 could subtract that 63,360 lb before counting toward the coastwide cap, allowing additional harvesting (e.g., an extra 32,900 lb across Areas 2C, 3A, and 3B under the 2026 coastwide cap).
CQE Landings Still Count Toward Coastwide Cap
Although CQE-derived IFQ halibut in Area 4B would not count toward the proposed Area 4 5 percent limit, the proposal specifies that all CQE-derived IFQ halibut would continue to count toward the Alaska coastwide vessel limit. The CQE vessel limit of 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) also remains in place.
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Key Dates
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