NOAA Fisheries

IFQ Resources

• Reports: Catch Reports, Cost Recovery, Licenses Issued, Quota Share, Caps, Transfers, Crewmember Statistics, and Publications
• eLandings: Make landings for IFQ/CDQ crab, halibut and sablefish IFQ, and groundfish
• NMFS Web Application: Check a vessel balance; report a landing (to be replaced by eLandings); print a receipt for a previous landing; make an ex-vessel volume and value report; renew an annual registered buyer permit; pay cost-recovery fees; view an IFQ landing ledger report; check a permit balance; view a registered buyer landing ledger report and a quota share holdings report.
• Registered Buyer Landings and Permits
• Permit and Quota Share Information
• Application Forms
• Cost Recovery Fee Payment
• Fishery Season Dates
• Loan Information
• Regulations
• Recordkeeping and Reporting Forms

IFQ Permits

An IFQ permit authorizes participation in fixed-gear harvests of Pacific halibut off Alaska, and most sablefish fisheries off Alaska. The permits are not specific to vessels. Permits are issued annually, at no charge, to persons holding fishable Pacific halibut and sablefish Quota Share (QS); or to those who are recipients of IFQ-only transfers from QS holders. Authorized pounds for annual IFQ permits are determined by the number of QS units held, the total number of QS units in the "pool" for a species and area, and the total amount of halibut or sablefish allocated for IFQ fisheries in a particular year. IFQ permits are authorized at 50 CFR Part 679.4(d).

• Permit Applications

Quota Share

Quota Share (QS) was initially issued to persons who owned or leased vessels that made legal commercial fixed-gear landings of Pacific halibut or sablefish during 1988-1990 off Alaska. QS is transferable to other initial issuees or to those who have become transferable eligible on NMFS' approval of an Application for Transfer Eligibility Certificate. Once issued to a person (at no charge), QS is held by that person until it is transferred, suspended, or revoked. QS permits are authorized at 50 CFR Part 679.4(d).

• QS Holders and Pools, TACS, Quota Share Use and Vessel Caps
• QS Applications

Registered Buyers

A Registered Buyer permit is required for any person who receives IFQ halibut or sablefish or CDQ halibut from the person that harvested the fish. The permit is also required of any person who harvests IFQ halibut or sablefish or CDQ halibut and transfers such fish in a dockside sale, outside of an IFQ regulatory area, or outside of the State of Alaska. Permits are non-transferable, issued annually, on request, and at no cost. The permit is authorized at 50 CFR Parts 679.4(d) and 679.5(L).

Current Registered Buyers

• List by Zip Code

Registered Buyer Landings, Permit Renewal and Online Services

• eLandings. Make landings for IFQ/CDQ crab, halibut and sablefish IFQ, and groundfish
• IFQ/CDQ Web Applications. Report a landing; check a vessel balance; print a receipt for a previous landing; make an ex-vessel volume and value report; renew an annual registered buyer permit; pay cost-recovery fees; print a landing ledger report; check a permit balance; change a password. NOTE: The landings feature of this web application is to be phased out and replaced by the eLandings web application.
• Permit Application and Renewal Form (PDF version)

Registered buyers must have a NMFS ID and password issued by RAM. To obtain a NMFS ID and/or password, please contact RAM.

Resources

• Landing Locations and Reporting Codes
• State of Alaska Statistical Area Charts (Required for landing reports submitted to NMFS for IFQ and CDQ halibut).
• IFQ Recordkeeping and Reporting Changes, August 9, 2007

IFQ Area Charts

• International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Regulatory Areas
• Sablefish Regulatory Areas
• Fishery Management Boundaries: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Groundfish Statistical Areas, National Marine Fisheries Service Reporting Areas, and International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Areas



IFQ Regulations

• Fisheries Regulations, Final and Proposed Rules, Notices (1994 to present)
  • 75 FR 51741, August 23, 2010. Proposed regulations to modify the Individual Fishing Quota Program for the Fixed-Gear Commercial Fisheries for Pacific Halibut and Sablefish in waters in and off Alaska by revoking quota share that have been inactive since they were originally issued in 1995. Comment period through September 22, 2010.

• IFQ regulations prior to 1994: (LARGE FILES)
  • 59 FR 51874, October 13, 1994. Correction to 58 FR 59375, November 9, 1993
  • 58 FR 59375, November 9, 1993. Final Rule IFQ, Amendment 20/15, establishing IFQ.
  • 57 FR 61870, December 29, 1992. Correction to 57 FR 57130, December 3, 1992.
  • 57 FR 57130, December 3, 1992. Proposed Rule IFQ, Amendment 20/15, establishing IFQ.
• Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Individual Fishing Quota Management Alternative for Fixed Gear Sablefish and Halibut Fisheries, September 15, 1992
• 51 FR 5392, February 13, 1986. Notice of a control date for entry into the GOA sablefish fishery

Related Programs and Services

• Community Development Quota CDQ Halibut Program and Permits
• Community Quota Program
• Joint Sablefish Log Collection Program
• North Pacific Fishery Management Council
  • Catch Sharing Plan for Areas 4C, 4D, and 4E
• Sitka Sound Local Area Management Plan (LAMP)
• Waiver of Halibut IFQ Debit for Landing of Halibut Tagged with Satellite Pop-up Tags

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