DFO 2020 Halibut Fishery Announcement & Regs

Whole in the Water

Whole in the Water

Well-Known Member
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0156-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut - Fishery Opening March 1, 2020
For 2020, the recreational halibut fishery allocation is 877,750 pounds.
The following measures will be in effect coast-wide as noted below:

Open time: Effective at 00:01 hours March 1, 2020 fishing for halibut will be opened coast-
wide until further notice.

Licensing:
The 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence,
are in effect until March 31, 2020. The 2020/2021 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing
Licences and Conditions of Licence are in effect on April 1, 2020 until March
31, 2021.

Limits and sizes:
Effective March 1, 2020 until further notice:
- The maximum length for halibut is 126 cm (97 cm head-off).
- The daily limit for halibut is one (1).
- The possession limit for halibut is either of:

- one (1) halibut measuring 90 cm to 126 cm in length (69 cm to 97 cm head-
off), OR
- two (2) halibut, each measuring under 90 cm in length (69 cm head-off).

- The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder per licence year, as
set out on the 2019/2020 & 2020/21 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.

- All halibut retained by the licence holder between March 1, 2020 and March
31, 2020 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.

- All halibut retained by the licence holder between April 1, 2020 and March
31, 2021 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2020/2021 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.

- Head-off measurements are made from the base of the pectoral fin at its most
forward point to the extreme end of the middle of the tail.

The exceptions to these openings are:

Areas 121:
No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121
outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees
34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at
a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125
degrees 01.687 minutes W.

Area 121:
Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a
line from 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.00 minutes W, thence to
48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.20 minutes W, thence to 48
degrees 29.62 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.40 minutes W, thence following the
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48 degrees 29.55 minutes
N and 124 degrees 56.20 minutes W, thence in a straight line to the point of
commencement.

Variation Orders 2020-RCT-062 (Close Time) and 2020-RFQ-63 (Quota)
Non-residents of Canada wishing to fish for and retain halibut in Management
Areas 121, 23 and 123 must purchase an electronic licence through a Canadian

Independent Access Provider (IAP). Find an IAP location from our web page:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/iap-fai-eng.html

Note: Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) and Glass Sponge Reef (GSR) closures
remain in effect - refer to the following web pages for descriptions:

1)RCAs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#rca
2)GSRs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#sponge

Anglers are reminded of the mandatory condition of licence for the release of
rockfish; all anglers in vessels shall immediately return all rockfish that are
not being retained to the water and to a similar depth from which they were
caught by use of an inverted weighted barbless hook or other purpose-built
descender device.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast - WCVI) – (250)756-7190, Erika Watkins
(South Coast- ECVI) - (250)286-5882, Darren Chow (North Coast) – (250)627-
3441, Greg Hornby (Regional Recreational Coordinator) - (250)286-5886
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0156

Sent February 25, 2020 at 10:03
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
 
Last edited:
I think it's worth having a discussion if it's possible to have in season adjustments to halibut regs given the covid situation. It's possible we could be rolling into july with significant quota available especially if these measures are continued into June.

index.php
 
Any news on this yet? i hear they can't do anything because they printed the regs on the licenses.

If so that really sucks, no way we are going to be even remotely close this year.
 
If the northern lodges are shutting down, which I have heard of art least 2 of the biggest, then there is going to be a lot of tac left in the water.
 
Make an edit...there is a way! Just need to push them to actually do it. SFI and SFAB should be all over em for this (no not blaming on sfab before people get their panties in a bunch...no one could see corona coming). And even if they let us carry over you know it will only be 10% of total TAC which is 89,000 lbs and we all know we are going to leave literally 200,000 + lbs in the water...so still ton of wasting opportunity.
 
Whole in the Water said:
Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0156-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut - Fishery Opening March 1, 2020
For 2020, the recreational halibut fishery allocation is 877,750 pounds.
The following measures will be in effect coast-wide as noted below:

Open time: Effective at 00:01 hours March 1, 2020 fishing for halibut will be opened coast-
wide until further notice.

Licensing:
The 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence,
are in effect until March 31, 2020. The 2020/2021 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing
Licences and Conditions of Licence are in effect on April 1, 2020 until March
31, 2021.

Limits and sizes:
Effective March 1, 2020 until further notice:
- The maximum length for halibut is 126 cm (97 cm head-off).
- The daily limit for halibut is one (1).
- The possession limit for halibut is either of:

- one (1) halibut measuring 90 cm to 126 cm in length (69 cm to 97 cm head-
off), OR
- two (2) halibut, each measuring under 90 cm in length (69 cm head-off).

- The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder per licence year, as
set out on the 2019/2020 & 2020/21 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.

- All halibut retained by the licence holder between March 1, 2020 and March
31, 2020 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.

- All halibut retained by the licence holder between April 1, 2020 and March
31, 2021 shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2020/2021 Tidal Waters
Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-
on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.

- Head-off measurements are made from the base of the pectoral fin at its most
forward point to the extreme end of the middle of the tail.

The exceptions to these openings are:

Areas 121:
No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121
outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees
34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at
a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125
degrees 01.687 minutes W.

Area 121:
Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a
line from 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.00 minutes W, thence to
48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.20 minutes W, thence to 48
degrees 29.62 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.40 minutes W, thence following the
International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48 degrees 29.55 minutes
N and 124 degrees 56.20 minutes W, thence in a straight line to the point of
commencement.

Variation Orders 2020-RCT-062 (Close Time) and 2020-RFQ-63 (Quota)
Non-residents of Canada wishing to fish for and retain halibut in Management
Areas 121, 23 and 123 must purchase an electronic licence through a Canadian

Independent Access Provider (IAP). Find an IAP location from our web page:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/iap-fai-eng.html

Note: Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) and Glass Sponge Reef (GSR) closures
remain in effect - refer to the following web pages for descriptions:

1)RCAs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#rca
2)GSRs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#sponge

Anglers are reminded of the mandatory condition of licence for the release of
rockfish; all anglers in vessels shall immediately return all rockfish that are
not being retained to the water and to a similar depth from which they were
caught by use of an inverted weighted barbless hook or other purpose-built
descender device.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast - WCVI) – (250)756-7190, Erika Watkins
(South Coast- ECVI) - (250)286-5882, Darren Chow (North Coast) – (250)627-
3441, Greg Hornby (Regional Recreational Coordinator) - (250)286-5886
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0156

Sent February 25, 2020 at 10:03
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Click to expand...

RCA and GSR This what I get... "404 File not found"
 
SerengetiGuide said:
Make an edit...there is a way! Just need to push them to actually do it. SFI and SFAB should be all over em for this (no not blaming on sfab before people get their panties in a bunch...no one could see corona coming). And even if they let us carry over you know it will only be 10% of total TAC which is 89,000 lbs and we all know we are going to leave literally 200,000 + lbs in the water...so still ton of wasting opportunity.
Click to expand...

And what if the SFAB was already a step ahead of you? Imagine that.
 
I heard there is a possibility that they could allow 2 large ones in possession but the size limit they could not change.

Just a rumour tho but always fun to speculate
 
I spoke with a guy who is a commercial halibut fisherman. He said 80% of their market is restaurants so they are sidelined for now lots of fish will be left in the water.
 
Wonder if any news on this front. With all the lodges and way less US boats up. Could easily see 250,000-300,000 lbs left in the water :(:confused:
 
SerengetiGuide said:
Wonder if any news on this front. With all the lodges and way less US boats up. Could easily see 250,000-300,000 lbs left in the water :(:confused:
Click to expand...

The reason they have apparently cited for not allowing carry over is that our numbers are estimates. BS excuse i know because they use the numbers to close us down.

That said if there is a large amount of carryover its reasonable even tho our numbers are estimates to allow some portion of carry over. DFO are lier's and unreasonable so who knows.

That said Halibut comes up in all the SFAB notes so its being worked on and our reps will try. Don't think anything has happened tho other then discussing it.
 
wildmanyeah said:
View attachment 52340
Click to expand...
Staggering lack of halibut landed in Alaska
The market just isn’t there and a lot of those guys fish Bristol day in the summer months.
The Cdn fleet has done surprising good considering the poor market conditions.
It will be interesting to see with the delay in the prawn opening how this affects guys targeting halibut as they usually plan out their season with a May opening.

My guess is the rec sector will leave tons in the water this year and get screwed on the carry over in 2021.
 
I think the SFAB/SFI, and other groups should just be more focused on the chinook fishery at the moment. That really is the priority, and I think the most important. Not to mention when things start opening up how will guides operate? These seem like big things to do first.

No one really has time to look at this right now. But feel free to contact your reps, and put your hand up. I am sure a few could use the help if your willing.;)

Not saying it isn't important but it would be on low list of priorities.
 
Last edited:
SpringVelocity said:
I think the SFAB/SFI, and other groups should just be more focused on the chinook fishery at the moment. That really is the priority, and I think the most important. Not to mention when things start opening up how will guides operate? These seem like big things to do first.

No one really has time to look at this right now. But feel free to contact your reps, and put your hand up. I am sure a few could use the help if your willing.;)

Not saying it isn't important but it would be on low list of priorities.
Click to expand...
With the reduced or non existence of the Chinook opening in the inside waters what makes that a priority? People will target what they can and with outside waters allowing more options we should be considering what is best for all in every situation. While the Chinook inside fishery could be adjusted the overall fishery both Chinook and halibut need to be looked at for the over all fishery on the inside waters and outside waters of B.C. as well as the northern waters north of Van isle. People must remember that fishing goes on throughout the coast and not just in the Georgia straight down to Victoria border waters.
 
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