iphc – Fishermens News

IPHC Seeks Vessels for Fall Gear Comparison Study

14Jun

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IPHC Seeks Vessels for Fall Gear Comparison Study

The International Pacific Halibut Commission is looking to charter fixed gear and snap gear longline vessels for a gear comparison study to be conducted this fall, to collect standardized data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment. An initial review of submitted bids is to take place on July 3 and the request for tender is to remain open until filled. All submissions must be completed by July 2 in order to be considered during the initial review. Survey results would be used to provide further data for the multi-year gear comparison study that began in 2019, as well as to study aspects of the Pacific halibut resource such as growth, distribution biomass, age composition, sexual maturity and relative abundance of other species, the IPHC said. Legal-sized Pacific halibut and P...

IPHC Seeks Longline Vessels for Fishery-Independent Setline Survey

19Apr

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IPHC Seeks Longline Vessels for Fishery-Independent Setline Survey

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is accepting applications from charter longline vessels through May 21 for its Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) in FISS Charter Region Yakutat, to collect standardized data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment. Information gathered from the 36 planned stations will also be used to study growth, distribution, biomass, age composition, sexual maturity of Pacific halibut and relative abundance of other fish. Legal-sized Pacific halibut and Pacific halibut less than 32 inches in length that have been sampled, as well as incidentally caught fish (byproduct) that would die upon release would be retained, sampled for biological data, and sold by the IPHC to offset FISS expenses. The survey itself must be completed betwee...

Federal Fisheries Council Slated to Act on Shellfish Issues

8Feb

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Federal Fisheries Council Slated to Act on Shellfish Issues

Snow crab and Norton Sound red king crab issues are among the issues before the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which is meeting from Feb. 6-13 at the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle. Major issues and final action items include the snow crab rebuilding analysis, a presentation on Norton Sound red king crab, potential of extending a temporary rule to waive vessel use caps in the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s Area 4 in the Bering Sea and measures to reduce the likelihood of data loss in the pot gear catcher/processor fleet in erring Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries. The meeting agenda posted online at https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/2975 includes action memos and related documents, plus written comments submitted in advance of the council meet...

IPHC Adopts Reduced Catch Limits From California to Bering Sea

1Feb

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IPHC Adopts Reduced Catch Limits From California to Bering Sea

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has adopted reduced catch limits totaling 38.34 million pounds coastwide, a reduction of 10.3% or 4.25 million pounds of the popular white fish. The action came at this past week’s annual meeting of the IPHC in Vancouver, Canada and included new restrictions as well on the charter halibut fishery quotas in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. Kurt Iverson, a fishery management specialist with NOAA Fisheries in Juneau, said surveys showed 18% fewer fish coastwide and the catch per unit effort (CPUE) declined by 15%. Area 3A in the Central Gulf of Alaska, historically the largest area in terms of biomass, was the hardest hit, with its allowable catch dropping by 17%, or 2.47 million pounds. Last year’s total constant exploitation yield (...

30Nov

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IPHC Meets Virtually Nov. 30-Dec. 1

The 98th International Pacific Halibut Commission interim meeting is underway online Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, with all sessions to be webcast and open to the public. Topics up for discussion include fishery monitoring, stock status of Pacific halibut for 2022 and the 2023 harvest decision table, project updates on biological and ecosystem science research activities, a management strategy evaluation and proposals for the 2022-23 process regarding IPHC fishery regulations. Meeting discussions are expected to begin with an update on actions arising from the 98th session of the IPHC annual meeting, 2022 special sessions and intersessional decisions, plus the IPHC five-year program of integrated research and monitoring, and a report from the 23rd session of the IPHC research advisory board. ...

New Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Proposed for IPHC Area 2A

27Jul

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New Halibut Catch Sharing Plan Proposed for IPHC Area 2A

NOAA Fisheries has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to create a permitting system for the Pacific halibut commercial and recreational charter halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Regulatory Area 2A offshore of Washington Oregon and California. The action would also establish a regulatory framework for the Area 2A Pacific halibut directed commercial fishery that allows the National Marine Fisheries Service to determine each year dates and times the fishery is open and set harvest limits for those periods of time. The IPHC currently handles permitting and management activities for area 2A. Under the proposed action, NMFS would assume responsibility for issuing vessels permits to fish for Pacific halibut in commercial and recreational charte...

6Jul

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NMFS Extends Pacific Halibut Bycatch Retention in Oregon, Washington, California

The National Marine Fisheries Service, aka NOAA Fisheries, has agreed in consultation with the states of Oregon, Washington and California has agreed to new rules for retention of Pacific halibut incidental harvests in the commercial troll salmon season in those states. Under current regulations, retention of Pacific halibut bycatch continues past June 30. However all participants retaining those halibut must have applied for and received an incidental troll salmon halibut permit from the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Currently vessels are limited to one Pacific halibut for every two Chinook salmon, plus one Pacific halibut in possession, up to a maximum of 35 Pacific halibut per trip. All Chinook salmon must be landed with the Pacific halibut. Oregon Department of...