Halibut Charter Recreational Quota Entity

This action proposes changes to the management of the Pacific halibut charter fisheries and commercial setline fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska to promote long-term planning and greater stability in the charter halibut fishery. The alternative under consideration would allow a recreational quota entity (RQE) to be established to represent the common pool of charter anglers in each IPHC regulatory Area 2C and 3A for the potential compensated reallocation of commercial halibut QS. Any halibut QS purchased by an RQE would augment the pounds of halibut for the charter catch limit for that area in that year. Underlying allocations to the charter and commercial halibut sectors would not change.