The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) will be conducting research operations off British Columbia and Alaska during 1999 and will be landing halibut caught during the operations to offset costs associated with conducting the research programs. This news release is intended to notify the industry of IPHC's plans and seeks offers for other fish sales arrangements, including brokering large segments of the research landings.

Our intent is to base our operations for British Columbia (Area 2B) and Southeast Alaska (Area 2C) in Prince Rupert, B.C. and our operations for the Gulf of Alaska (Areas 3A and 3B) in Homer, Alaska. We will probably sell our fish to the highest bidder in these ports but will consider alternative sales arrangements. During 1998, we used the Auction Block in Homer and B.C. Packers in Prince Rupert to assist us in selling fish to the highest bidder, as well as arranging bait storage and other logistical needs. Some of our research fishing is a long distance from these ports, so we will also consider proposals for offloading at other ports that may be closer to or within a vessel’s area of operation.

Further, we are specifically requesting proposals for other sale arrangements for fish that are caught in the Bering Sea-Aleutians (west of Dutch Harbor), western Gulf of Alaska (Dutch Harbor to Sand Point) and also the eastern Gulf of Alaska (Cordova to Sitka). There are several days of running time to either Homer or Prince Rupert from these areas, and unloading in a local port might be in the best interest of the IPHC.

We anticipate landing over 2 million pounds of halibut and perhaps 100,000 pounds of rockfish and Pacific cod between May and September 1999. Approximately 15 vessels may be involved in the survey, and average trip size usually ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 pounds. All of the fish will be well iced, and we will attempt to keep all of the fish less than 6 days old.

All proposals should include information on sales arrangements (including fish price or brokering charges), landing requirements (such as location, quantity, schedules, age of fish), and ancillary benefits (such as ice, bait, or other services).

For further information please contact Steve Hoag or Dan Randolph.

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