2023 Halibut season discussions

For those of you who might be interested in the discussions for the 2023 Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, N. California) halibut season, the following information was provided by Lorna Wargo, WDFW Intergovernmental Ocean Policy Coordinator, last week.

Additionally, the Makah Tribe, through the NWIFC has submitted a proposal to the IPHC to continue the 1.65M lb TCEY baseline quota that we've had for the past four years. We're hopeful that the IPHC will continue that baseline amount for Area 2A. It will provide much needed stability for our halibut fishery for the businesses that depend on the fishing community.
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Hello,

This email provides information regarding the recreational Pacific fishery halibut that may be of interest to you.

Just Concluded

At its November 2022 meeting, the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted the proposed catch sharing plan changes for 2023 submitted by Washington, Oregon, and California.

The Washington season dates can be found here: Halibut seasons and subarea quotas | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife The dates are also copied below my signature line.

Meeting materials for the November 2022 Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting can be found here: November 2-8, 2022 Council Meeting - Pacific Fishery Management Council (pcouncil.org)

Note some items are not yet available as the meeting just concluded November 8.

If interested, the meeting materials, including the recording, for the WDFW October 4, 2022 public meeting have been posted: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut

Looking Forward

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Interim meeting is scheduled for November 30 and December 1. This meeting will be conducted online.

https://www.iphc.int/venues/details/98th-session-of-the-iphc-interim-meeting-im098



And, the IPHC annual meeting is scheduled for January 23-27, 2023. This meeting will be held in person in Victoria, BC and will be webcast.

https://www.iphc.int/venues/details/99th-session-of-the-iphc-annual-meeting-am099

Thank you,

Lorna Wargo

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Preliminary 2023 Pacific Halibut Season Dates



Puget Sound Subarea

Marine Areas 5, 6 - 10:

April 6 through May 22, five days per week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Memorial Day weekend, open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 26, 27, and 28

June 1 through June 30, seven days per week

If quota remains after June 30, consider August and September dates up to seven days per week

North Coast Subarea

Marine Areas 3 - 4

May 4 through May 20, two days per week, Thursday and Saturday,

Memorial Day weekend, open Friday and Sunday, May 26 and May 28,

June 1 through June 24, two days per week, Thursday and Saturday, and Thursday, June 29.

If quota remains after June 30, consider August and September dates up to seven days per week.

South Coast Subarea

Marine Area 2

May 4 through May 23, three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday,

Memorial Day weekend, open Thursday, May 25, and Tuesday May 30

If sufficient quota remains, the following open dates would be considered depending on available quota: June 15, 18, 22, 25.

If quota remains after June 30, consider August and September dates up to seven days per week.

Columbia River Subarea:

Marine Area 1

May 4 through May 21, two days per week, Thursday and Sunday,

Memorial Day weekend, open Thursday, May 25

June 1 through June 25, open two days per week, Thursday and Sunday, and Thursday, June 29.

If quota remains after June 30, consider August and September dates up to seven days per week.

Thanks.
That's a lot of fishing.
To what do we owe the pleasure of such increased hali opportunity?
Increased hali abundance?
New reg where we have to pay/declare a hali catch card reworking WDFW's rec catch math?
Less TAC in Canadia?
All of the above?
Thanks in advance,
fb

As I read it, those are proposed seasons with as yet no actual quota. Hence the "until quota taken". That also may be why the Makah have already proposed a number.

You can thank the Makah Tribe.

They put together the background data four years ago that a 1.65Mlb baseline quota was sustainable for Area 2A. Their proposal, made at the IPHC meeting in Victoria, was supported by representatives on behalf of Puget Sound Anglers and the Coastal Conservation Association who were in attendance. Additional support came from Oregon and N. California sport anglers and the non-tribal commercial fleet, and the WA, OR, and CA fish and wildlife agencies.

The Makah Tribe has submitted a request to continue the 1.65Mlb baseline quota going forward. It has support from the above groups.

If the IPHC surveys would show an increase in the biomass, that baseline quota could grow but hopefully never drop below. Early communications indicate that the proposal has a good chance for acceptance by the IPHC. We'll know by the end of the session in Victoria in January.

As the surveys go, so goes the fishery. The TAC for the commercial fleets in Canada and Alaska fluctuates. The 2B (Canada) and 2C (Southeast Alaska) fisheries can be problematical. We hope that any issues there don't impair our 2A proposal.

Here's a couple of links to the IPHC website:

https://iphc.int/the-commission

https://iphc.int/data/landings-2022

Thanks! I like fishing for halibut in shorts and flip flops!
fb

Yes, those are proposals. The unknown is whether or not the IPHC will set our 2A baseline at 1.65Mlbs. Indications are that they will. Last year our quota was less than 5% of the total IPHC quota for the US and Canada.