0648-BG57 201804 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Regulatory Amendment to Authorize a Recreational Quota Entity

The proposed action would authorize a recreational quota entity in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A in the Gulf of Alaska to purchase a limited amount of commercial halibut quota share for use in the charter halibut fishery. The recreational quota entity would provide a mechanism for a compensated reallocation of a portion of commercial halibut quota share from the Pacific Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Program to the charter halibut fishery in order to promote long-term planning and greater stability in the charter halibut fishery. Any halibut quota share from Area 2C or Area 3A purchased by the recreational quota entity would augment the amount of halibut available for harvest in the charter halibut fishery in that area. Underlying allocations to the charter and commercial halibut sectors would not change.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No Deregulatory 50 CFR 300 50 CFR 679 16 U.S.C. 773 to 773k No NPRM 10/03/2017 82 FR 46016 NPRM Comment Period End 11/17/2017 Final Action 05/00/2018 Yes Businesses None No No Yes No James Balsiger Regional Administrator, Alaska Region 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 907 586-7221 jim.balsiger@noaa.gov 709 West Ninth Street, Juneau AK 99801