Pacific halibut season is off and running statewide in Alaska, with U.S. fishermen having an 82.3 percent or 23.4 million-pound share of the 2019 total catch of 29.4 million pounds, up 8.2 percent from a year ago.
Alaska’s total catch share was set at 22 million pounds, up nearly 1.5 million pounds from 2018.
The agreement reached during the annual meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission on Feb. 1 covers the fishery through its closure on Nov. 14.
“While the overall quota for 2019 is a slight increase over 2018, the catch limits agreed to at the meeting reflect a sensible, conservative approach that will secure the future of this iconic and economically important species,” said Chris Oliver, administrator for NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Commissioner to the IPHC. The increase in allocations impacted all areas except for 3B, the western Gulf of Alaska.
Charter operators in Southeast Alaska got a one-fish daily bag limit per angler, with a reverse slot limit that prohibits retention of any halibut greater than 38 inches and less than 80 inches.
In Southcentral Alaska, charter operators got a two fish bag limit per angler with a maximum size of 28 inches for one halibut and an annual limit of four halibut.
Unguided halibut sport harvesters in Alaska kept a daily bag limit of two fish of any size per person a day.
