Tholepin: The Death Rate for Halibut is Federally Guaranteed

Tholepin: The Death Rate for Halibut is Federally Guaranteed

RUMOR HAS IT, Halibut charter limited entry is dead.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council proposed a limited entry program for the halibut sport charter industry operating in southeast and southcentral Alaska to be implemented in 2010. The rumor is that the IPHC has recommended a delay until 2011. It looks like bag limit reduction is the only option for regulating the charter catch.
We will work on getting the whole scoop ASAP.

The scientific staff of the International Pacific Halibut Commission has released its recommended catch limits.

Here's a full rundown of recommended limits in all regulatory areas, including those off the West Coast, British Columbia and Alaska:

Area 2A — 760,000 pounds, down 20 percent

Area 2B — 6.6 million pounds, down 13.6 percent

Area 2C — 3.7 million pounds, down 26 percent

Area 3A — 20 million pounds, down 7.9 percent