(a) Fee collection—(1) Charter halibut stamp. A charter halibut stamp is required for charter vessel anglers, 18 years of age or older, for each charter vessel fishing trip in a given calendar day, or each calendar day during a charter vessel fishing trip that spans multiple days, that the charter vessel angler intends to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel in IPHC regulatory area 2C or 3A, unless that charter vessel angler retains halibut as Guided Angler Fish, as described at 50 CFR 300.65 of this title, on days that are otherwise closed to halibut retention by the annual management measures published pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62 of this title. This includes charter vessel anglers on charter vessels operated under a charter halibut permit, community charter halibut permit, or military charter halibut permit issued pursuant to 50 CFR 300.67 of this title. A charter halibut permit holder is responsible for purchasing the required number of charter halibut stamps and for complying with all other requirements of this section. The required number of charter halibut stamps is equal to or greater than the number of charter halibut stamp validations (as defined at § 679.2) performed in a given fishing year for each charter halibut permit, community charter halibut permit, or military charter halibut permit.

(i) Validation of stamps. After determining the number of charter halibut stamps required under this paragraph (a)(1), the charter vessel guide must perform a charter halibut stamp validation as defined at § 679.2 before the charter vessel fishing trip begins, or prior to first deployment of fishing gear on each calendar day of a charter vessel fishing trip that spans multiple days.

(ii) Duration of validation. The charter halibut stamp that has received a charter halibut stamp validation, as defined at § 679.2, is in effect from the time, A.l.t, that it is validated until 2400 hours, A.l.t., the same day. For the purposes of charter halibut stamp validation, if a charter vessel fishing trip lasts more than one calendar day, a charter halibut stamp is required for each charter vessel angler for each calendar day of the charter vessel fishing trip as specified at § 679.46(a)(1).

(iii) Non-transferability. Charter halibut stamps are not transferable. This includes:

(A) After charter halibut stamp validation for an individual charter vessel angler, the charter halibut stamp may not be transferred to or used by any other person.

(B) Charter halibut stamps may only be used for charter halibut permits in a given NMFS-approved account and may not be transferred between approved accounts.

(iv) Rollover. A charter halibut stamp that has been purchased and has not received charter halibut permit validation does not expire. Such charter halibut stamps may be validated in a future fishing year.

(v) Charter halibut stamp validation reconciliation. If, by 2400 A.l.t. on December 31 of a given fishing year, a charter halibut permit holder, for one or more associated charter halibut permits in a NMFS-approved account, has not purchased a number of charter halibut stamps equal to or greater than the number of charter halibut stamps validated under that account for that same fishing year, the Regional Administrator will send a reconciliation notice to the charter halibut permit holder. The reconciliation notice will state the validated charter halibut stamp deficit, as determined by the number of charter halibut stamps validated for that fishing year in excess of the number of charter halibut stamps that have been purchased. A charter halibut permit holder has 30 days from the date of the notice to either purchase the outstanding number of validated stamps or demonstrate how the reconciliation determination is in error.

(vi) Validated Charter halibut stamp deficit. If a charter halibut permit holder does not purchase the outstanding number of validated charter halibut stamps or demonstrate how the reconciliation determination described in paragraph (a)(1)(v) of this section is erroneous within 30 days as outlined in this paragraph (a)(1)(vi) of this section, the Regional Administrator may:

(A) Issue an Initial Administrative Determination (IAD) upholding the reconciliation determination;

(B) Disapprove any application to transfer the charter halibut permit, associated charter halibut permits in a NMFS-approved account, GAF, IFQ, or QS to or from the charter halibut permit holder until the outstanding validated charter halibut stamps are purchased, except that NMFS may return unused GAF to the IFQ holder's account from which it was derived on or after the automatic GAF return date;

(C) Disapprove the annual registration application of the charter halibut permit, and all associated charter halibut permits in a NMFS-approved account, in accordance with 50 CFR 300.67(a) of this title, until the outstanding validated charter halibut stamps are purchased; and

(D) Invalidate the community charter halibut permit or military charter halibut permit until the outstanding validated charter halibut stamps associated with that permit are purchased.

(vii) Appeals. A charter halibut permit holder who receives an IAD for a validated charter halibut stamp deficit may appeal the IAD pursuant to 15 CFR part 906.

(2) [Reserved]

(b) Fee amount. (1) The fee for a charter halibut stamp is $20.

(2) The RQE may petition NMFS to increase or decrease the fee for a charter halibut stamp beginning on January 1, 2028. The fee for the charter halibut stamp may not increase by an amount more than 10 percent of the fee in the previous fishing year.

(3) The RQE may petition NMFS to suspend the fee at any time.

(c) Fee payment to NMFS—(1) Obtaining charter halibut stamps. Charter halibut permit holders must obtain charter halibut stamps from NMFS and pay applicable fees as specified at paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Charter vessel guide responsibilities. Before each charter vessel fishing trip begins, the charter vessel guide is responsible for charter halibut stamp validation for each charter vessel angler as specified at paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(3) Timing of charter halibut stamp reconciliation. Charter halibut stamp reconciliation must occur as specified at paragraph (a)(1)(v) of this section.

(d) RQE fee collection suspension. The Regional Administrator may suspend the RQE fee collection indefinitely, or until such a time that any identified RQE operational deficiencies are corrected, if:

(1) Through the issuance of an IAD and the opportunity to appeal the IAD under 15 CFR part 906, the Regional Administrator determines that the RQE is out of compliance with regulations in this title, the RQE's own by-laws, or other applicable law;

(2) The Regional Administrator approves a petition by the RQE to suspend the RQE fee collection; or

(3) Congress no longer provides authorization for the Secretary of Commerce to collect and spend fees.