What is the IFQ program and how does it work?
The Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program restructured the management of the halibut and sablefish fishery in 1995. Rather than holding a short fishing season in which numerous permit holders competed simultaneously for fish, quota shares were awarded to fishermen with historical involvement. IFQ owners today can fish anytime within an extended season, typically from March through December, and may sell or lease their IFQ to other fishermen. The program decreases the physical risk to fishermen, increases the value of the fish through better handling, and provides the market with fresh halibut for most of the year. One negative effect of the program, however, has been an out migration of deliveries to those communities that lack consistent, affordable airfreight deliveries. The ability to target product to the fresh markets and fetch higher prices results in direct deliveries to ports with frequent air service or to ports that have access to the road system.
