Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Amendment 96 to the Gulf of Alaska Fishery Management Plan; Management of Community Quota Entities

NMFS publishes regulations to implement Amendment 96 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) and an amendment to the Pacific halibut commercial fishery regulations for waters in and off Alaska. Amendment 96 to the FMP and the regulatory amendment modify the Individual Fishing Quota Program for the Fixed- Gear Commercial Fisheries for Pacific Halibut and Sablefish in Waters in and off Alaska (IFQ Program). This action will remove a regulation that prohibits a Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Community Quota Entity (CQE) from transferring and holding small blocks of halibut and sablefish quota share (QS). This action will allow CQEs to acquire additional QS and facilitate CQE community resident participation in the IFQ Program. This action promotes the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, the FMP, and other applicable law.