Tradex: Pacific Halibut Harvest Reaches Historic Low
A new report published Dec. 9 by seafood company Tradex says the Pacific halibut fishery closed on Dec. 7 with a preliminary catch total indicating that the 2024 harvest may rank among the lowest since the 1970s.
“Sourcing frozen Pacific halibut was tough this year and will get harder with the new season closed until March,” the publication reported. “Catches and sizes have shown long-term declines, with catches dropping steadily and average sizes significantly smaller compared to earlier decades.”
This year’s catch limit is also one of the lowest on record in recent decades, with spawning biomass nearing the lowest levels since the 1970s, according to the report.
Harvest totals at the end of November showed net weight landings of about 21.4 million pounds, potentially marking...