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WANTED: LONGLINERS INTERESTED IN
CHARTER WORK WITH THE IPHC!
Charter Announcement:
IPHC Requests Bids for 2009 Stock Assessment Charters
The International Pacific Halibut Commission is seeking
commercial longline vessels to conduct survey fishing in 2009.
The purpose of the setline survey is to collect standardized
data used for halibut stock assessment. This information is used
to study aspects of the halibut resource such as growth,
distribution, biomass, age composition, sexual maturity, and
relative abundance of other species. The 2009 setline survey
will cover 27 regions, from the southern Oregon border to the
northern Bering Sea, including the Aleutian Islands. Survey
vessels will fish seven skates of standardized gear at each
station. The survey has been designed so that the average vessel
can fish 3 stations per day (a maximum of 4 per day will be
permitted). Most regions require 11 - 18 fishing days plus
additional days for running, loading and offloading gear and
fish, foul weather days etc. Depending on the region, total
charter duration can be expected to be 20 - 34 days. Vessels are
encouraged to bid for multiple areas. Survey fishing must be
completed between May 25th and August 31st 2009.
Four regions are available for two-year renewable contracts:
Area 2B (St. James, Charlotte) and Area 3A (Albatross, Shelikof).
Two regions are available for single year contracts: Area 2A
(Washington, Oregon). The remaining 21 regions are currently
held under multi-year contracts (3 yrs). We are asking that all
interested parties submit contingency bids on any areas that may
currently be under contract, in the event that a current
contract holder bids for and wins one of the currently open
areas. Contingency bids would be mutually renewable for two
years. These bids will only be assessed if a contract holder
gives up their current holding(s) to take on a new area.
For the setline survey charters, information such as age,
sex, maturity, length, location, and CPUE will be collected from
all halibut captured. Legal-sized halibut from all skates and
some bycatch will be retained and sold by the IPHC to offset
some charter expenses.
Interested vessel owners are invited to submit bids based
upon standard IPHC contract structure. Bids will be accepted
based upon a lump sum payment for the completion of a region.
Vessels may bid up to three regions. Charter Specifications and
Vessel Tender Forms for the above projects may be requested from
the Commission or downloaded from the IPHC web site.
Vessels need not be licensed for halibut fishing in Canada or
the U.S. to be eligible. The Commission is not restricted as to
nationality of the vessels it charters for operation in any area
as long as customs regulations are followed. The IPHC will
consider only those vessels with captains and crews that have
halibut fishing experience. Stock assessment surveys in Area 2B
require three Commission employees to conduct the work and all
other charter areas must have adequate deck space and suitable
accommodations for two Commission employees (who may be women).
Vessels must supply conventional fixed-hook setline gear built
to Commission Standards (see Charter Specifications) as well as
all associated equipment normally required for commercial
halibut fishing.
The IPHC will evaluate bids based on (1) the experience of
captain and crew with halibut fishing, (2) the characteristics
and safety features of the vessel, (3) vessel's availability,
and (4) IPHC operating costs. The lowest or any bid will not
necessarily be accepted, and the Commission will contract
according to its own best interests.
For further information please contact Claude Dykstra ((206)
634-1838 ext. 213), Tracee Geernaert (ext. 208), or Heather
Gilroy (ext. 206). Bids must be received at the IPHC office in
Seattle by 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on Wednesday,
March 11th, 2009.
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Bruce M. Leaman
Executive Director
Phone: (206) 634-1838
Fax: (206) 632-2983
Web: www.iphc.int |
