HALIBUT COMMISSION COMPLETES ANNUAL MEETING

The International Pacific Halibut Commission completed its 71st Annual Meeting in Victoria, British Columbia, with Dr. Richard Beamish of Nanaimo, BC presiding as chairman. The Commission approved seasons for all areas and catch limits for Areas 3 and 4 for 1995. However, the Commission was unable to take final action to approve catch limits for Area 2.

The Canadian Delegation expressed its disappointment with recent progress in reducing halibut bycatch mortality in United States waters and announced that the Canadian Government would continue to pursue the issue of bycatch at a higher level of government. Because of their concern about the impact of bycatch on halibut stocks, the Canadian and U.S Commissioners were unable to reach agreement on catch limits in Area 2.

Officials of both the United States and Canada expressed their joint commitment to unilaterally adopt Area 2 catch limits for the 1995 halibut fishery, and a special 1995 bycatch meeting was scheduled for July.

In 1991 Canada implemented an individual quota system for Pacific halibut, which has been successful in providing the consumer with a high quality product. A similar system is being implemented for Alaska by the U.S. in 1995.

The Commission received regulatory proposals for 1995 from the scientific staff, Canadian and United States fishermen and processors, and other fishery agencies. The Commission will recommend to the governments the catch limits for 1995 in Area 3A (central Gulf), Area 3B (western Gulf), Area 4A (eastern Aleutians), Area 4B (western Aleutians), Area 4C (Pribilof Islands), Area 4D (northwestern Bering Sea), and Area 4E (Bering Sea flats). In Area 2A (California, Oregon, and Washington), Area 2B (British Columbia), Area 2C (southeastern Alaska): Canadian or U.S. Commissioners made motions concerning catch limits. Although the motions were not seconded, both governments anticipate adopting the catch limits for Area 2 that are shown below.

²Pending Canadian Government approval

The anticipated total catch limit of 48.66 million pounds is down from the 56.95 million pounds recommended in 1994. The reduction reflects a decline in halibut biomass and the Commission concern for the conservation of the resource.

In Area 2A, four 10-hour fishing periods for the non-treaty directed commercial fishery are recommended for 7/5, 7/18, 8/1 and 8/15. All fishing periods will begin at 8:00 am and end at 6:00 p.m. local time, and be further restricted by fishing period limits. Fishing dates for an incidental catch fishery will be established under United States domestic regulations established by NMFS, and will be concurrent with salmon troll fishing seasons in Area 2A.

The treaty Indian commercial fishery in Area 2A, the Canadian IVQ fishery in Area 2B, and the United States IFQ fisheries in Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E will all commence at 12 noon local time on March 15 and terminate at 12 noon local time on November 15.

The remainder of the Area 2A catch sharing plan including sport fishing seasons will be determined under regulations promulgated by NMFS.

New vessel licensing procedures for Area 2A have been established by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and adopted by IPHC. Starting in 1995 IPHC will issue a license valid for fishing only in Alaskan waters, sport charter fishing in Area 2B, and fishing only in Area 2A. A vessel planning to fish in area 2A may apply for ONLY ONE of three license options: 1) A license valid for operating in a directed commercial fishery; 2) A license valid for operating in an incidental commercial catch fishery concurrent with the salmon troll fishery; or 3) A license valid for operating in the sport charter boat fishery.

Licenses issued for options 1) or 2) above will not be issued to license applications postmarked after midnight on April 30.

Modifications in the vessel clearance requirements have been established for Area 4. Non-local vessels fishing in Area 4B will continue to be required to obtain a fishing clearance at Nazan Bay prior to fishing. However, the clearance required at the completion of fishing may now be obtained via VHF radio provided visual identification of the vessel can be confirmed from shore. Similarly vessel clearances required prior to fishing in Areas 4C and 4D will continue to be obtained at Akutan or Dutch Harbor. However, the clearance required after fishing must be obtained at St. George or St. Paul Islands. This latter clearance may be obtained via VHF radio provided visual identification of the vessel can be confirmed from shore. Clearance requirements for Area 4A are unchanged from 1994.

A new regulation in 1995 will require that all fish must be dressed (gills and viscera removed) prior to being offloaded from the catching vessel.

The Commission legalized the use of automated hook strippers in Alaska and broadened the regulation requiring careful release of all halibut that are not retained. The pace of the fisheries under individual quotas should be slow enough to allow fishermen time to carefully release halibut that are not retained. Legal sized halibut caught in the sablefish and Pacific cod fisheries may be retained by fishermen who have individual quota shares.

The recommended regulations for the 1995 halibut fishery will become official as soon as they are approved by the Canadian and United States Governments. The Commission will publish and distribute regulation pamphlets.

The next annual meeting of the Commission will be held in Seattle, Washington, from January 22 to 25, 1996. The United States Government commissioner, Steven Pennoyer was elected chairman for the coming year. Other United States commissioners are Kris Norosz and Ralph Hoard. Canadian commissioners are Richard Beamish, Allan Sheppard, and Brian Van Dorp. Donald McCaughran is director of the Commission and Stephen Hoag is assistant director.

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