The CATCH project is a collaboration between the Alaska Charter Association (ACA) and the South East Alaska Guides Organization (SEAGO) to develop an innovative catch share plan for Alaska's charter recreational fishery. Through this conceptual design, we aim to maintain or increase halibut fishing opportunities for guided recreational anglers in Alaska (Areas 2C and 3A), while keeping the sector within its allocation. Although the specific details of our plan apply to Alaska, we are developing this as a model for all recreational fisheries. 

CATCH Alaska Final Report:  View  Download
Research Group's economic analysis of the CATCH concept:  View   Download

News & Updates

* For the latest updates on the Council Review of the Recreational Quota Entity program Click Here.

December 12, 2015

NPFMC published an initial review draft of CATCH proposal and passes a motion to conduct further analysis of the proposal.

October 17, 2015

Initial Review of the CATCH proposal - i.e., the Halibut Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) Program - is on the agenda for the December 2015 Council meeting. http://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/meetings/threemeetingoutlook.pdf

October, 2014

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Recreational Quota Entity Committee was established in October, 2014 to contribute to the development of a Recreational Quota Entity program (i.e., CATCH) for analysis and review by the Council. The Committee meetings and agendas can be viewed here: http://www.npfmc.org/recreational-quota-entity-committee/

October 14, 2014

NORTH COUNCIL ADVANCES SECTOR "COMMON POOL" PROPOSAL FOR FORMAL ANALYSIS

(ANCHORAGE) - The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) voted unanimously to move forward, for formal analysis, the "Catch Accountability Through Compensate Halibut" (CATCH) proposal by Alaska's guided recreational sector. 

SouthEast Alaska Guide Organization (SEAGO) Executive Director, Heath Hilyard commented, "We're pleased that the Council recognized the merit of this proposal. There are still a number of important questions that need to be answered before this can become a reality, and our belief is that only a formal analysis can address those questions and concerns. By approving this motion, the Council has shown its willingness to consider a new and innovative approach that could resolve long standing allocation problems between two competing user groups. "

The proposal would allow the sector to purchase Quota Shares (QS) under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program as a means to supplement annual halibut allocations in an effort to allow guided recreational anglers to return to traditional bag limits.

The Alaska Charter Association (ACA) and the SouthEast Alaska Guides Organization (SEAGO), working jointly, spent the last 3 years and $250,000 in grant money from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) developing the proposal.

The proposal moved forward differs from the existing Guided Angler Fish (GAF) provision in that it is a purchase option rather than a lease option. In addition it would allow for the guided recreational sector, as a whole, to purchase QS rather than transactions between individual charter operators and individual IFQ holders.

Under the Catch Sharing Plan (CSP), implemented early this year, guided recreational anglers saw traditional bag limits dramatically reduced.

Late last week, the Advisory Panel (AP) took up the issue. Following the staff report and public comment, SEAGO Executive Director Heath Hilyard, who represents recreational fishing on the AP, presented a motion moving the proposal for analysis. Hilyard's motion was replaced with a substitute motion.

The following representatives of the guided recreational sector addressed key elements of the proposal and responded to other public comments:

Mel Grove - President of the Prince William Sound Charter Boat Association
Andy Mezirow - former AP member representing the Seward Charter Boat Association
Tom Ohaus - SEAGO President and CATCH Board member who is an operator in Sitka
Russell Thomas - CATCH Board President and SEAGO Board member who operates in Ketchikan
Richard Yamada - Principal author of the proposal, ACA and CATCH Board member

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