NOAA to exclude tagged halibut and tagged sablefish catches from deduction from fishermen's IFQ

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Juneau, Alaska   

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule to exclude tagged halibut and tagged sablefish catches from deduction from fishermen's Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and from Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) accounts. The rule is designed to ensure that only halibut and sablefish that are tagged with an external research tag are excluded from IFQ deduction, and to extend the same exclusion to halibut and sablefish harvested under the CDQ Program. The rule will enhance the collection of scientific data from external tags. It takes effect July 27.

For more information, contact Becky.Carls@noaa.gov.