10 Changes in the Distribution of Halibut QS by State.

Tables 10-1 and 10-2show how the distribution of halibut QS holdings changed by US state from initial issuance through year-end 1996. The state of residence for QS holders is based upon NFMS-RAM Division records of current mailing addresses.1

At both initial issuance and at year-end 1996, persons from Alaska held the majority of the QS in Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4C, and 4E. In Area 4A, persons from Alaska held the highest percentage of the QS at both initial issuance and year-end 1996. Alaska residents showed slight increases of their QS holdings in Areas 2C, 3A, 4C, and 4D, and showed slight decreases of QS holdings in Areas 3B, 4A, and 4B.

The percentage of QS held by Washington residents in each area at the end of 1996 ranged from 11.6% in Area 2C to 69.5% in Area 4D. They held the majority of QS in Areas 4B and 4D.

In all areas, the QS holdings of persons from Oregon and other states were small relative to the QS holdings of persons from Washington and Alaska.

Table 10-2 indicates that in all areas except Area 4D the majority of QS holders were from Alaska, both at initial issuance and at year-end 1996.

Since initial issuance, the overall number of QS holders has dropped in all areas from 2C to 4B. With this drop in the number of QS holders there was a corresponding increase in the average size of QS holdings in each IFQ regulatory area for residents of most states. In Areas 4C, 4D, and 4E there were either small changes or no change at all in the number of QS holders.

Average QS holdings can vary considerably among persons from different states within a management area. In most areas, Alaska residents held smaller average amounts of QS than residents of Washington or Oregon. For example, at the end of 1996 in Area 3B, Alaska residents held an average of 44,323 QS units, while Oregon residents held an average of 101,835 QS units, and Washington residents held an average of 132,971 QS units. An exception to this occurs in Area 2C, where Alaskans held the highest average amounts of QS relative to persons from other states.

Table 10-1. Initial Allocation and Year-end 1996 QS Holdings by Area and State

Table 10-2. Initial Allocation and Year-end 1996 QS Holders by Area and State