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Dear CHP holder,
In April 2018, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council took final action to require Charter Halibut Permits (CHPs) to be registered annually. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented regulations requiring CHPs to be registered annually before use beginning in 2020.
Annual registration of CHPs is intended to improve the enforcement of CHP transfer limitations and ownership caps, as well as provide additional information to NMFS and the Council on any changes in CHP ownership and participation.
The CHP annual registration process must be completed each calendar year before a CHP is used. A CHP received by permanent transfer must be registered by the transferee before use, even if it was previously registered by the transferor within the current calendar year.
A CHP annual registration application may be submitted with a CHP transfer form, and will be processed after the CHP transfer is approved. There is no application fee for CHP annual registration. The CHP owner of record or authorized representative is responsible for completing the CHP annual registration application. The CHP annual registration process must be completed before GAF is transferred to the CHP.
The CHP annual registration form is available here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-sport-charter-halibut-applications-and-reporting-forms.
RAM acquired new CHP permit paper that looks and feels different from previous years, the paper is the same size but it is light blue in color and cannot be copied or forged.
A CHP registration application can be submitted at any time during the year via email, fax, or USPS mail. After approving a CHP registration application, NMFS will print and mail a CHP that expires December 31 of the current calendar year to the CHP holder or authorized representative. A charter vessel operator that is catching and retaining halibut must have the newly issued original CHP onboard. Copies or electronic versions of the CHP are not acceptable.
The online list of CHPs, their registration status, and current version will be regularly updated and available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-sport-charter-halibut-applications-and-reporting-forms.
Previous year versions of the CHP are not valid. If the owner(s) or affiliate(s) of a CHP have changed and have not previously been reported to NMFS, then a CHP transfer form may need to be completed and approved by NMFS prior to CHP registration. Regulations regarding ownership and transfers of CHPs are available at: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-III/part-300/subpart-E/section-300.67.
NOTE: If you have already submitted your annual CHP Registration form, this letter is for informational purposes only.
Please feel free to contact NMFS/AKR/RAM staff with any questions you have regarding this letter at RAM.alaska@noaa.gov
About eFISH
eFISH access provides account holders with IFQ permit account balances, landings data, reports on quota share holdings, and the ability to print permits. Permit holders can find detailed information regarding the types of transactions they can complete in the on-line application in the eFISH User Guides.
In order to logon to eFISH, permit holders must have a valid email address on file. Users that have forgotten their passwords can use the Forgot Password? link located on the eFISH login page. If you don’t know what your NMFS Username is, please contact us at 1-800-304-4846 (select option #2) or send us an email at RAM.Alaska@noaa.gov.
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