Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
Review of the Halibut/Sablefish IFQ Program Review
end
STAFF CONTACT: Sarah Marrinan
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
Review 20-year IFQ Program review; take action as necessary
BACKGROUND:
In order to satisfy the requirements of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Council and NMFS must provide systematic reviews of all Limited Access Privilege Programs (LAPPs) that have been approved by the Secretary of Commerce, including those programs approved prior to the enactment of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council and NMFS have the flexibility to evaluate whatever information they deem necessary to evaluate the Program. Thus, this document aims to satisfy these Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements as the first comprehensive review of the halibut and sablefish IFQ Program.
The scope of this review was established through a number of guidance documents, as well as with input from the Council process at two meetings: comments from the Council and the AP in December 2015 and February 2016, comments from the IFQ Implementation Committee in December 2015, comments from the SSC in February 2016, and public comments throughout these meetings. It was determined that the review would focus on the 10 original objectives of the IFQ Program, as well as entry-level opportunities, as a way to address many of the elements and issues highlighted in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NOAA Catch Share Policy, other LAPP reviews, and comments received by the public.
The Council’s 10 original objectives for the IFQ Program and the objective of providing entry
opportunities are broad and do not include specific, measurable targets. In addition, many of these
objectives overlap while others are inherently conflicting. As a result, this review was limited to making general statements about trends, and how this information may be consistent with programmatic objectives. The review relies on both quantitative and qualitative data, and draws in relevant literature when available.
There are appendices following many sections of the review, in particular, to include more disaggregated data in support of a section. There are also 3 larger appendices following the document, including:
• 2.7A Community Indices, provided by Alaska Fisheries Science Center
• 2.8A Assessment of Occupational Hazards in the Alaskan Halibut/ Sablefish Fleet, provided by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and
• 2.12A Native Village of Eyak Proposal for Distribution of IFQ Shares.
The program review and its appendices are considered to be in draft form, with the intention that at least minor edits would be made to the working document following the October 2016 meeting. Based on feedback from public testimony, the SSC, and the AP, the Council should determine whether additional evaluation is necessarily for the completion of the review. Based on the extent and complexity of any additional evaluation, the Council should also determine if the final draft of the review would return for additional feedback at a subsequent Council meeting.
If the Council determines that specific issues warrant a consideration of action (based on issues identified in the review and/or public testimony), these may be more suited for further evaluation as a discussion paper or amendment analysis. For example, within the review, NMFS has provided specific recommendations to consider addressing issues identified with the medical lease provision and the definition of “immediate family member” under the beneficiary lease provision. NMFS has also recommended Council consideration of regulatory amendments to the IFQ administrative appeals regulations and the initial QS issuance regulations.