Halibut season length - any rumblings?

G

GDW

Well-Known Member
Just wondering if anyone has heard any rumblings on how the rec sector is doing this year as far as our TAC is concerned.

The implementation of an oversize slot limit was projected to extend the season through December. DFO should provide an in season estimate to let the rec sector know how its going but I've heard or read nothing. Years past a closure would have been announced by now so no news is good news but it would still be nice to have an estimated end date from DFO for this season or at least an idea of how much they think we have caught.

Don't turn this into a slot debate or quota purchase please there will be plenty of time to re visit that later. Really we don't know if the slot worked until the season ends keeping in mind the goal of the SFAB was to extend the season.

I'm cautiously optimistic that we will have our first fall fishery in years and for that I am excited.
 
I'm cautiously optimistic that we will have our first fall fishery in years and for that I am excited.
Click to expand...

Same here, somewhat skeptical after the last 2 seasons of early shutdown.
anticipate about a weeks notice from DFO, just short enough notice that you can't plan around it.
 
Halibut fishing in December would be sweet!!! Here I am telling my lady don't worry fishing season is ending soon honey got to strike while the irons hot il be home more often no fishing soon.how much notice do they usually give before the end of the season?
 
I bet they shut it down.... But with the slot limit and the annual limit in place they shouldn't. If they do its going to be a interesting few months ahead of us... :)

Certain people on certain organizations should already be on top of this making sure that they understand that we are all saying NO WAY. Oh but they are likely to busy fishing halibut... :)

If they do shut it down time to disregard the limits imposed this year and fight to get our resources back from the commercial fisheries so that we two can feed our families. Feed our families with fish we caught not from the money from the fish or quota we sold unlike the commercial guys. What a joke.
 
Besides the slot, which was a hold over from years past, this year they added: a two-week delay to the season start, a max size limit and a seasonal limit so ... the season should be at least two-weeks longer, LOL!!!

Seriously, though those reporting on the deal that was struck this year were adamant that the wording was that these various regs were "an experiment", which leads to the assumption, if you can suspend your skepticism about the whole affair, that there must have been a lot more rigorous data collected this season. As such, there should be harvest numbers/estimates readily available if the right folks with the SFI, SFAC, SFAB and/or SVIAC request them, which will tell us where the rec sector is at in relation to our TAC. Any chance anyone with any of those groups can access and provide a status update on the experiment for us? Thanks in advance if you can!

Ukee
 
A quick check of the Int'l Pacific Halibut Commission page shows that, as of Landing Report #6 posted on Aug 16th, Canada (Area 2B) has landed 3.9 million of our 5.96 million pound TAC. I'm not sure if this includes the rec catch or not but assume it does as Canada gets one TAC from the IPHC for com and rec then allocates it out themselves. At first I thought that seemed like a lot of remaining TAC but, it represents 66% of the TAC landed by this date when the same time last year 63% had been landed. I point that out because, as we all know all too well, despite their being TAC available right to the end of the year in the last two seasons, our halibut rec sector has been shut down the week following the Labour Day weekend two years running (2011 without a slot and 2012 despite the slot) - the argument being the rec sector had used more than their allocation of the total TAC.

If the IPHC has numbers from DFO to be able to post 6 in-season landing reports by mid-August, there have to be rec harvest numbers (actually estimates) available to report to our sector.

Ukee
 
Nice find ukee thanks for sharing. Maybe some commercial guys know if they have been harvesting more or less to this point this year vs. last year.

I'm still hopeful but that doesn't sound good.
 
They used to... It was probably all a sham though.

The first meeting I ever went to re: rec fishing the SFAB was talking about extra halibut quota from previous years was sold to the commies and built a trust fund. SFAB was using this trust find to buy commercial quota and extend that season through Dec 31 at 2 per day.

OOPS! I guess SFAB never saw how quickly the commies would turn that around I thought buying commercial quota to extend that season was a bone head move then and it's quickly brought us to where we are now. It's true our own SFAB set the precedent for quota transfer from rec to commercial in exchange for $.

It benefited the rec sector for a year or two and now it will bite us for eternity or until the Green Party is elected.
 
thanks for finding and sharing that el pereh. Things look promising for that we will at least be fishing through September.

For those that don't like clicking on links......

DFO/ SFAB Halibut Committee meets monthly throughout the season to review estimated catches. At the most recent meeting, it was determined that the
recreational harvest to July 31, 2013 is approx. 530,000 pounds of the
recreational fisheries Total Allowable Catch of 1,080,450 pounds. This leaves a
balance of approximately 550,000 pounds.


As a result, recreational fishing for halibut will continue under the current
regulations until further notice.


The Committee's next in-season meeting will be held September 18, 2013. An
update from that meeting will be provided later that week.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:


Glenn Lario
250-720-4447


Neil Davis
604-666-9033
 
you boys will like this
: FN0786-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut: 2013 Recreational Fishery Update

The DFO/ SFAB Halibut Committee meets monthly throughout the season to review
estimated catches. At the most recent meeting, it was determined that the
recreational harvest to July 31, 2013 is approx. 530,000 pounds of the
recreational fisheries Total Allowable Catch of 1,080,450 pounds. This leaves a
balance of approximately 550,000 pounds.

As a result, recreational fishing for halibut will continue under the current
regulations until further notice.

The Committee’s next in-season meeting will be held September 18, 2013. An
update from that meeting will be provided later that week.
 
sounds like there's lots of fish left as of a month ago and most commercial(charter/lodges) operations will be done shortly. Maybe we get the old late fall halibut fishery this year?
 
Yeehaw!

Oh shoot did I even leave a slot on my license? Lol yes one left I'll have to fill my boat with friends to enjoy the fall fishing!
 
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