Surplus quota pound carryover for non-whiting

The trawl IFQ program allows up to 10 percent of a vessel’s quota pounds to be carried from one year to the next, either as a deficit covered with following year quota pounds or an unused surplus which can be fished in the following year. Concern that the surplus carryover provision might be interpreted as violating allowable catch limits has led National Marine Fisheries Service to not issue surplus carryover for some species in some years. The Council is considering solutions to this problem as part of deliberations on a multi-year catch policy, and discussed the action at the September 2018 Council meeting.