Tag: iphc

IPHC Invites Queries From Potential Management Strategy Advisory Board Members
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IPHC Invites Queries From Potential Management Strategy Advisory Board Members

The International Pacific Halibut Commission is inviting inquiries to fill eight vacancies on its Management Strategy Advisory Board (MSAB). The MSAB currently meets at least once annually, in May, for two to four days, with an additional one -to- three -day meeting in October, if needed. Board members serve without compensation from the halibut commission, but travel expenses to board meetings and associated per diem are fully paid for non-government members. The primary role of the MSAB is to advise the commission on the management strategy evaluation (MSE) process. The MSE is a stakeholder-informed, scientifically driven process that supports development of a revised IPHC harvest strategy policy. Primary objectives of the advisory board include recommending clear measurable...
IPHC Seeks Longline Tenders For 2024 Catch Protection Study
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IPHC Seeks Longline Tenders For 2024 Catch Protection Study

The International Pacific Halibut Commission is seeking tenders by March 25 for its 2024 IPHC Catch Protection Study, which has a goal of reducing marine mammal depredation of catch from longline gear. According to a notice posted online Feb. 28, the IPHC is considering only vessels with captains and crews with experience within the past five years in longline fishing, and that vessel inspection may be required prior. There is no nationality requirement of the vessels it charters for operation in any region, as long as customs and immigration regulations are followed. The IPHC is not obligated to accept the tender with the lowest bid or any tender received and intends to contract according to its best interests. The announcement stated that vessels would be rated using several...
IPHC Plans 2024 Setline Survey in 5 of 8 Regulatory Areas
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IPHC Plans 2024 Setline Survey in 5 of 8 Regulatory Areas

A Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) across three of four bioregions and five of eight regulatory areas are planned by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) to begin in late May, with the intent of sampling a total of 525 stations. The IPHC said in a Feb. 15 announcement that it expects first hooks to be in the water by May 25. Financial woes for the IPHC, whose funds are directly related to halibut sales, have resulted in fewer stations being scheduled this year, compared to 2022, which the survey planned for 958 stations and completed sampling of just 864. The overall allowable coastwide catch of halibut in Alaska for 2024 is down about 5% and prices are also lower, all of which impacts IPHC income. A list of stations to be surveyed, by regulatory are...
IPHC Approves Coastwide Decrease in Halibut Catch, Down 4.57% From 2023
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IPHC Approves Coastwide Decrease in Halibut Catch, Down 4.57% From 2023

The International Pacific Halibut Commission wrapped up its 100th annual meeting in Anchorage on Jan. 26, after lowering by 4.57% from 2023 the overall allowable rate of harvest for commercial fishermen and charter operators. The decision came after extensive discussion, with a number of those participating in the meeting urging deeper cuts. The adopted total constant exploitation yield (TCEY) for regulatory areas of Canada and the United States included: Area 2B (British Columbia) 6.47 million pounds;  Area 2A (Washington, Oregon and California) 1.65 million pounds; Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) 5.79 million pounds; Area 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska) 11.36 million pounds; Area 3B (Western Gulf of Alaska) 3.45 million pounds;  Area 4 (subdivided into 5 areas, 4A through 4E, in the Ber...
IPHC Seeks Vessels for Fall Gear Comparison Study
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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
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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
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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
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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 (...
IPHC Meets Virtually Nov. 30-Dec. 1
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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
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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...