IFQ Halibut/ Sablefish Fishing Year 2025
 Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries
*CORRECTION: 2025 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) was issued for Halibut Area 4E in error. This has now been corrected. Community Development Quota (CDQ) remains issued for Area 4E. All other areas remain the same as originally issued for the 2025 fishing year.
Dear Quota Share (QS) Holder:
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) permits for the 2025 halibut and sablefish fishery were issued today, March 18, 2025.
The 2025 Pacific halibut IFQ program fishery will open at 06:00am, Alaska Local Time (ALT) on March 20, 2025 and close at 11:59pm, ALT on December 7, 2024.
The 2025 sablefish IFQ program fishery will open at 12:00pm (noon), ALT on March 20, 2025 and close at 12:00pm (noon), ALT on December 7, 2024.
Under NMFS regulations, the IFQ sablefish fishery opens at 12:00pm (noon) on March 20. Therefore, if halibut gear is deployed in the commercial fishery before 12:00pm (noon) on March 20, then sablefish caught from that deployment may not be retained. If a vessel operator holds both halibut and sablefish IFQ, and the operator intends to retain sablefish on March 20, then the vessel should deploy its commercial fishing gear after 12:00pm (noon).
There are also different closing times of day for IFQ halibut and IFQ sablefish. Therefore, if gear is deployed to fish for halibut in the commercial fishery off Alaska after 12:00pm (noon), ALT on December 7, 2025, then available IFQ and CDQ sablefish caught from that deployment may only be retained up to the Maximum Retainable Amount (MRA). If a vessel operator holds both halibut and sablefish IFQ or CDQ, and the operator intends to retain sablefish on December 7, 2025, after 12:00pm (noon) ALT, then the vessel may only retain IFQ or CDQ sablefish in accordance with the MRA regulations at § 679.20(e).
Permit holders can access their permits through the following mechanisms:
- Login to eFISH and print your IFQ permit(s): https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/webapps/efish/login
- Contact Restricted Access Management (RAM) staff toll-free at (800) 304-4846 (select option 2) or by e-mail at RAM.Alaska@noaa.gov and request that we email the permit to a valid email address.
- Due to availability of permits in eFISH, RAM will not be mailing out Pacific halibut and/or sablefish IFQ permits for the 2025 fishing season, unless requested by an individual permit holder.
If you believe there is an error in your 2025 IFQ permit account, you must submit a written request for review of your account to the mailing address below, no later than May 19, 2025 to:
NOAA Fisheries/AKR/RAM
PO Box 21668
Juneau AK 99802-1668
Additionally, 2025 Quota Share Pools and TACs and 2025 Quota Share Use Caps and Vessel IFQ Cap reports can be found at the following link:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/sustainable-fisheries/alaska-fisheries-management-reports
Contact Us
If you have any questions or need additional information on the IFQ Program, please contact RAM staff toll-free at (800) 304-4846 (select option 2), or by e-mail at: RAM.Alaska@noaa.gov.
Please note that we’ve undergone recent changes to our phone system and individual staff at the NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region have new phone numbers that can be found in the Alaska Regional Office Staff Directory. RAM is best reached through our 800 number or by email.
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