The proposal to limit the sport charter fleet clients to one halibut each or purchase quota shares leaves questions that need to be addressed before federal regulators will set the plan in statute.
That was the message Sept. 28 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the National Marine Fisheries Management Council, just one week after the close of public comments.
NOAA Fisheries conducted a preliminary review of the thousands of public comments received on the proposed rule to implement a halibut catch sharing plan in southeast. When the time for public testimony closed Sept. 21, NOAA had received 4,185 comments, said Julie Speegle, the public affairs person for NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service.