Unalaska, AK – The National Marine Fisheries Service is now accepting applications for its Crab Individual Fishing Quota loan program. These loans allow crews on crab vessels to borrow up to 80 percent of the cost of a crab quota share, and they can also be used to refinance IFQ loans that had been made previously.

The Bering Sea Aleutian Island Crab IFQ loan program was finalized in December, and NMFS is making $8 million available. The program is open to all current and former skippers and crewmen.