Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust Quota Bank

Know of any Q shares for sale?  Please let us know! 

The Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (ASFT) quota bank is a growing program that aims to provide fishery access opportunities to all Alaska fishermen while targeting increased fishery access for rural and indigenous communities. The cost of entry to Alaska’s fisheries has contributed to a “greying of the fleet,” with young fishermen challenged to afford entry. For rural and indigenous residents, these challenges are compounded by fisheries management systems that favor individuals with access to capital over residents with limited resources. Anchoring fisheries access in rural and indigenous communities is fundamental to creating a sustainable future for coastal Alaska.  Over the past 13 years, ASFT has worked to address these issues with a growing network of community partners.  Current partners include Sealaska, Catch Together, Rasmuson Foundation, the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Craft3 (a CDFI), and The Nature Conservancy, all of whom recognize the need and the opportunity to restore rural and indigenous access to fisheries as fundamental to both resource and community health. With a combination of grant funding and loans, ASFT has secured “A” share sablefish quota in Southeast, West Yakutat, and Central Gulf.  This quota is leased to coastal residents to provide lower cost/lower risk entry-level access, fostering jobs and economic opportunity in the harvesting sector.  Fish harvested with the leased quota is delivered to Gulf of Alaska communities to benefit shore-based businesses and families. ASFT is actively looking to grow the quota bank to include more sablefish as well as Halibut “A” shares. 

If you or anyone you know is looking to sell “A” share halibut quota in area 2C or 3A or “A” share sablefish quota in SE, WY or CG, please contact asft.director@gmail.com.

Help us to help the next generation of longline fishermen from rural Alaska gain access to IFQ.