Pacific Council News Winter 2020: Halibut

A flatfish on the sea floor
Pacific halibut (NOAA)

Council adopts final changes to 2021 catch sharing plan, annual regulations

In November, the Council adopted final changes to the 2021 Halibut Catch Sharing Plan and annual fishing regulations consistent with the recommendations provided by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, including the recommendation allowing use of longleader gear for groundfish on the same trip during all-depth halibut fishing in Oregon. 

The season end date for the California recreational halibut fishery was extended by two weeks and will now be November 15 or until the quota is reached. The dates for the Washington recreational halibut fishery were set as following for Marine Areas 1 through 6:

Marine Areas 6 – 10: 

  • April 22 through May 22, three days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
  • Memorial Day weekend, open Friday through Sunday, May 28, 29, and 30
  • June 3 through June 26, three days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 

Marine Area 5: 

  • May 6 through May 22, two days per week, Thursday, and Saturday
  • Memorial Day weekend, open Friday through Sunday, May 28, 29, and 30
  • June 3 through June 26, three days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 

Marine Areas 3 and 4: 

  • May 6 through May 22, two days per week, Thursday and Saturday
  • Memorial Day weekend, open Friday and Sunday, May 28 and 30
  • June 3 through June 26, two days per week, Thursday and Saturday 

Marine Area 2: 

  • May 6 through May 23, two days per week, Thursday and Sunday
  • Memorial Day weekend, open Thursday, May 27
  • If sufficient quota remains, open June 17, 20, 24, 27 

Marine Area 1: 

  • May 6 through May 23, two days per week, Thursday and Sunday
  • Memorial Day weekend, open Thursday, May 27
  • June 3 through June 27, open two days per week, Thursday and Sunday

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) removed the Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas (YRCA) and the Westport Offshore YRCA for the South Coast Subareas, consistent with the groundfish regulation. WDFW will also allow the retention of yellowtail rockfish, widow rockfish, canary rockfish, redstriped rockfish, greenstriped rockfish, silvergray rockfish, chilipepper, bocaccio, and blue/deacon rockfish, Pacific cod, flatfish species, and lingcod north of the Washington-Oregon border on all-depth halibut days for the Columbia River Subarea, consistent with regulations to the north.

Transition of Area 2A halibut management continues

Since November 2019, the Council has worked to transfer permitting and management of the non-Indian commercial directed halibut fishery from the International Pacific Halibut Commission to the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This November, the Council adopted final alternatives from an updated range of alternatives

The alternatives focus on when the Council will consider changes to the fishery (i.e., setting vessel limits and season dates) and to whom and how NMFS will issue permits. Supporting analysis for this action will continue to be developed over the next year. The Council’s intent is to implement the directed fishery management framework in 2022 or 2023.

The final alternatives are:

  • Consider the directed fishery framework during the Catch Sharing Plan process in September and November; including any guidance for vessel limits and inseason changes for NMFS implementation. (4.1.2 Alternative 2)
  • Issue permits for all Area 2A halibut fisheries: commercial directed, incidental salmon troll, incidental sablefish, and recreational charter halibut fisheries. (4.2.1 Alternative 2)
  • Allow NMFS to determine the appropriate application deadlines for all commercial halibut applications, set to coincide with Council meetings and NMFS processing time. (4.2.2 Alternative 2)
  • Require proof of permit to be onboard fishing the vessel and made readily available upon request, regardless of the type of permit (e.g., paper or electronic). NMFS to provide access to permit in a printable format or send paper copy directly to the participant. (4.2.5 Alternative 1, revised status quo).

Council recommends seasons for 2021 commercial halibut 

In November, the Council recommended a season structure for the 2021 Area 2A non-tribal directed halibut fishery that includes a 58-hour fishing period beginning at 8 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday in June, and ending at 6 p.m. on the subsequent Thursday. This structure is similar to that used for the first time in 2020.

If sufficient quota remains, a second 58-hour period would be announced beginning on the Tuesday two weeks after the first period, and, if necessary, a third period of up to three fishing days would be allowed starting on the Tuesday four weeks after the first period. 

Openings will continue in this manner until November 15 or when the limit for the Area 2A non-treaty directed commercial fishery is taken, whichever comes first. This recommendation will be forwarded to the International Pacific Halibut Commission for consideration at its January 25-29 annual meeting.

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