Alaska Pacific Halibut Fisheries: Subsistence

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Regional Office (AKRO), requests extension of this currently approved information collection. This information collection is necessary for NMFS to manage the Alaska Subsistence Halibut Program. This program is intended to allow eligible persons to practice the long-term customary and traditional harvest of Pacific halibut for food in a non-commercial manner. This program provides NMFS the opportunity to enhance estimates of subsistence removals for stock assessment purposes. Before fishing under subsistence halibut regulations, a Subsistence Halibut Registration Certificate (SHARC) must be obtained. This information collection contains the applications for SHARCs; the application for a Community Harvest Permit, a Ceremonial Permit, or an Educational Permit; the harvest logs for community, ceremonial, and educational permits; an appeal process for denied permits; and gear marking requirements for subsistence halibut fishery setline gear. Each of these instruments is designed to minimize the reporting burden on subsistence halibut fishermen while collecting essential information. The SHARCs and permits are designed to work in conjunction with other halibut harvest assessment measures. The time and cost burden to mark buoys has been increased based on recent comment received for another NMFS AKR information collection. Minor editorial changes to the forms were made to increase clarity and consistency with other NMFS AKR forms.

The latest form for Alaska Pacific Halibut Fisheries: Subsistence expires 2027-05-31 and is listed under ICR 202401-0648-001.

Special Subsistence Permits

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Natural Resources - Conservation, Marine and Land Management

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