The Dec. 7-9 meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) will decide the final action for the proposed Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) for guided halibut sport fishing operators. The program has been under discussion since 2014.
If established, the RQE would purchase and hold commercial quota (IFQs) for the charter fleet. Commercial fishermen are currently allocated 81.7 percent of the halibut to be fished in a given year and the guided sport fishery is allocated 18.3 percent. The RQE would shift halibut into the guided sport fishery.
