The International Pacific Halibut Commission, set the following catch limits for the 2010 season.

Area 2A — 810,000 pounds (760,000 pounds)

Area 2B — 7.5 million pounds (6.59 million pounds)

Area 2C — 4.4 million pounds (3.71 million pounds)

Area 3A — 19.99 million pounds (19.99 million pounds)

Area 3B — 9.9 million pounds (9.9 million pounds)

Area 4A — 2.33 million pounds (2.33 million pounds)

Area 4B — 2.16 million pounds (2.16 million pounds)

Area 4CDE — 3.58 million pounds (3.58 million pounds)

TOTAL — 50.67 million pounds (49.02 million pounds)

Put up or shut up

Along the Alaska coast, the federal government is preparing to put hundreds of mom-and-pop fishing companies out of business. Click on the title for more.

NOAA sets application period for sport charter halibut fishing permits

Sport charter halibut fishing operators in Southeast Alaska and the central Gulf of Alaska must apply for a permit to operate in the new limited license program between February 4 and April 5, 2010.

NMFS issues regulations creating a limited access system for charter vessels

Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: NMFS issues regulations creating a limited access system for charter vessels in the guided sport fishery for Pacific halibut in waters of International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska).

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

Denying petition to overturn the 1 fish rule in Area 2C.

Judge Collyer with the DC District Court issued an opinion today denying our petition to overturn the 1 fish rule in Area 2C.