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IPHC News Release 2018-019 2018 Pacific Halibut Landing Report No. 3

2 August 2018

IPHC NEWS RELEASE 2018-019

IPHC REGULATORY AREA 2A NON-TREATY DIRECTED COMMERCIAL PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY: CLOSED

The International Pacific Halibut Commission reports that the total catch limit for the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A non-treaty directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery has been reached following the 25 July 2018 fishing period. Therefore, the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A non-treaty directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery is closed for the remainder of 2018.

2018 PACIFIC HALIBUT LANDING REPORT NO. 3

IPHC Regulatory AreaFishery limits (net weight)Landings (net weight)
Pounds (lb)Tonnes (t)Pounds (lb)Tonnes (t)
Area 2A (California, Oregon, and Washington)1,190,000539,78
  Non-treaty directed commercial (south of Pt. Chehalis201,84591.56217,82598.80
  Non-treaty incidental catch in salmon troll fishery35,62016.1630,45613.81
  Non-treaty incidental catch in sablefish fishery (north of Pt. Chehalis)50,00022.6813,6756.20
  Treaty Indian commercial389,500176.68408,703185.38
  Treaty Indian ceremonial and subsistence (year-round)27,00012.25no datano data
  Recreational – Washington225,366102.22222,260100.82
  Recreational – Oregon229,730104.20141,81964.33
  Recreational – California30,94014.0313,8366.28
Area 2B (British Columbia)6,223,9852,823.18
  Commercial fishery5,295,9952,402.253,413,8611,548.50
  Recreational fishery927,990420.93no datano data
Area 2C (southeastern Alaska)4,450,0002,018.51
  Commercial fishery (IFQ)3,570,0001,619.322,287,0691,037.40
  Guided recreational fishery810,000367.41no datano data
Area 3A (central Gulf of Alaska)9,450,0004,286.49
  Commercial fishery7,350,0003,333.914,694,0572,129.19
  Guided recreational fishery1,790,000811.94no datano data
Area 3B (western Gulf of Alaska)2,620,0001,188.411,052,189477.26
Area 4A (eastern Aleutians)1,370,000621.42440,679199.89
Area 4B (central/western Aleutians)1,050,000476.24588,300266.85
Areas 4CDE1,580,000716,68 482,3931 218.811
  Area 4C (Pribilof Islands)733,500332.7111
  Area 4D (northwestern Bering Sea)733,500332.71 1 1
  Area 4E (Bering Sea flats)113,00051.2611
Total227,553,98612,498.2814,007,1226,353.53
1Total landings in IPHC Regulatory Area 4CDE are combined to meet confidentiality requirements.
2Totals do not include Regulatory Area 2C and 3A discard mortality.

QUOTA SHARE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES UPDATE

The 2018 quota share Pacific halibut fisheries opened on 24 March 2018. It is estimated that the following commercial landings, by weight and number of landings, occurred in the Alaskan Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and Community Development Quota (CDQ) fisheries and in the British Columbian Individual Vessel Quota (IVQ) fishery through 30 July 2018.

IPHC Regulatory AreaCatch LimitLandingsProportionNumber of Landings
‘000s lbTonnes‘000s lbTonnes
2C3,5701,6192,2871,03764.06688
3A7,3503,3344,6942,12963.86879
3B2,6201,188  1,05247740.15137
4A1,37062144120032.1959
4B1,05047658826756.0055
4CDE1,58071748221930.51352
USA total17,5407,9559,5454,32954.422,170
2B (Canada) total5,2962,4023,4141,54964.46347
Grand Total22,83610,35812,9595,87856.752,517

Totals may differ from area sums due to rounding

Canada: The landings from IPHC Regulatory Area 2B (British Columbia) waters represent ~64% of the 2018 commercial fishery catch limit. For comparison, 3.5 Mlb, 1,588 t, or ~57% of the 2017 catch limit, had been landed from IPHC Regulatory Area 2B by this same date in 2017. Also, during the first 128 days of the 2017 IVQ fishery, 3.2 Mlb, 1,451 t, or 51% of the catch limit, had been landed.

United States of America: The landings from IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, 3, and 4 (Alaska) represent ~54% of the 2018 quota share commercial fishery catch limit. For comparison, 11.0 Mlb, 4,990 t, or ~57% of the 2017 catch limit, were landed in the Alaskan fishery by this same date in 2017; however, the opening date of the 2017 fishery occurred 13 days earlier in the year than that of the 2018 fishery. For comparison, using a similar fishing period length, during the first 128 days of the 2017 Alaska commercial Pacific halibut fishery, 10.1 Mlb, 4,581 t, or 52% of the catch limit, were landed.

IPHC REGULATORY AREA 2A COMMERCIAL TREATY INDIAN FISHERIES

In 2018, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) allocated 389,500 lbs, 177 t of Pacific halibut for commercial use to the Treaty Indian tribes of IPHC Regulatory Area 2A. A total of 408,703 lbs, 185 t, of Pacific halibut have been reported landed.

IPHC REGULATORY AREA 2A INCIDENTAL COMMERCIAL PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY DURING THE SALMON TROLL SEASON

The total allowable incidental commercial catch of Pacific halibut allocated to the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A salmon troll fishery is 35,620 lbs, 16.16 t. Incidental catch of Pacific halibut in the salmon troll fishery was allowed beginning 01 April 2018. It is estimated 30,456 lbs, 13.81 t of Pacific halibut have been landed through 24 July 2018. Landing limits effective 26 July 2018 are as follows: one Pacific halibut per each three Chinook, except one Pacific halibut may be possessed or landed without meeting the ratio requirement, and no more than 10 Pacific halibut may be possessed or landed per trip. For details on incidental fishery retention information, call the NMFS hotline (1 800-662-9825 press 7 for Pacific halibut information).

IPHC REGULATORY AREA 2A INCIDENTAL COMMERCIAL PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY DURING THE LIMITED ENTRY, FIXED-GEAR SABLEFISH FISHERY

The total allowable incidental commercial catch of Pacific halibut allocated to the limited entry, fixed-gear sablefish fishery, which operates in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A north of Point Chehalis, Washington, is 50,000 lbs, 22.7 t. Incidental catch of Pacific halibut in the sablefish fishery was permitted beginning 01 April 2018. Preliminary landing estimates indicate that 13,675 lbs, 6.2 t of Pacific halibut have been landed through 05 June 2018. For further incidental fishery retention information, call the NMFS hotline (1-800-662-9825 press 7 for Pacific halibut information).

ANNETTE ISLANDS RESERVE FISHERY IN IPHC REGULATORY AREA 2C

The Metlakatla Indian Community has been authorized by the Government of the United States of America to conduct a commercial Pacific halibut fishery within the Annette Islands Reserve. The following table lists Pacific halibut catch and numbers of participating vessels by fishing period.

Fishing Period DatesPoundsTonnesNumber of Vessels
23 – 25 March1,8770.855
06 – 08 April7480.344
20 – 22 April1,6450.756
04 – 06 May2,5521.168
25 – 27 May1,0870.496
08 – 10 June1,5190.695
22 – 24 June1,5880.725
06 – 08 July1,5350.704
20 – 22 July1,9990.914

The total landed weight of Pacific halibut reported to date is 14,550 lbs, 6.6 t. The Metlakatla Indian Community and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will announce future Pacific halibut openings.

ONGOING SUBSCRIPTION TO IPHC NEWS RELEASES

Dear Reader: The IPHC is moving towards fully electronic information distribution. As such, if you would like to continue to receive IPHC news in the future, please click the following link to subscribe: https://www.iphc.int/form/news-letter. Hard copies of news releases and similar bulletins will cease in the coming months.

– END –

David T. Wilson, Ph.D.
Executive Director, IPHC
Phone: (206) 634-1838
Fax:     (206) 632-2983
Web:  www.iphc.int

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IPHC-2018-NR019

2018 Pacific Halibut Landing Report No. 3

2 August 2018

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