IPHC Halibut Forecast - further declines

What is your preference if Canada gets less halibut TAC?

  • Keep 2 under 90cm or choice of 1 under 126 cm and March start with early close in August?

    Votes: 24 17.6%
  • Keep same regs as 2019, but start season later in June to protect summer season June - Aug?

    Votes: 35 25.7%
  • Move to only 1 fish from 2, but keep larger size (126cm) - March start with possible early close?

    Votes: 62 45.6%
  • Move to only 1 fish, but keep larger size (126cm) - late start (June) - protect summer season?

    Votes: 11 8.1%
  • Keep 2 fish option, but lower size limit - 2 at 90cm with March start and possible early close

    Votes: 2 1.5%
  • Keep 2 fish option, but lower size limit - 2 at 90cm with late start (June) to protect summer season

    Votes: 2 1.5%

  • Total voters
    136
That isn't what I am implying. Your asking to open the season early. I am in agreement. What I am saying is South island can't say to rest of North I want it open early and then want it open in fall with same sizes. That isn't going to work. I say close it down late August and be done with it. Both sides would have to compromise on that.

Only other choices are smaller halibut sizes again, and South VI will not want that.

This "South VI" halibut fisherman is ok with the same maximum size halibut this season, as are all the fishermen I know.
No need to up the size limit if quota is going to be a problem.
I favor a March 1 opening and close as necessary.
 
Did you let your SFAC know that at your last fall meeting?

It's not too late to send your preference to your chair! You can find out who your chair is by contacting the below people and you can also send them your answers to the questions below to be forwarded to the chair!

Contact us
Meeting materials are available upon request. To receive copies please contact:

Brad Beaith
250-713-0437
South Coast Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Vancouver Island

Barbara Mueller
604-666-2370
Fraser Recreational Fisheries Manager


the Halibut Committee is requesting your guidance regarding your preferences for this next year, while understanding we do not yet know exactly what the TAC will be.



1. Does your SFAC have any thoughts of how the 2019 hybrid model satisfied your expectations or would you prefer changes?

2. As part of your discussion please also consider options around the decision for the first discussion (1) re scenario. Our guiding principles initially stated:

a. Conservation of the stock and ensuring responsible fishing practices.

b. Halibut are managed on a coast wide basis.

c. Maximizing the length of the season to include Feb 1st to Dec 31st each year.

d. Ensuring certainty and stability for the fishery by creating a management regime that minimizes the likelihood of in season closures.

e. A minimum daily limit of one and a possession limit of two.

f. An annual limit of some kind is an acceptable way to limit catch



As you are aware, changes have occurred in our TAC that has already moderated some of the guidelines, however, we are asking for your thoughts re which will be more important for your deliberations as we face declining TACs which affect type of management scenario, size limits, annual limits, and season length for our fishery to stay within TAC.



Do you favour a potential larger fish over a longer season?

Do you favour a longer season over a potential larger fish?

Do you favour a later start to the season to have a potential for an extension into the fall?

Do you favour an early start to the season which may mean a closure by end of summer?



As we all know, we do have the overage provision in place, however, this is only in place as a safety valve and not to be used in our decision. The option chosen has to be one that fits our TAC with degrees of uncertainty included. Seeing as our guiding principles need updating since we are in these low biomass years, there will be an agenda item on the SFAB Mainboard meeting in April to update the principles.
 
It's really to late at this point to submit your thoughts...All the chairs were asked to submit there area's recommendations just before the IPHC meeting.. the SFAB Main Board meeting is next week..
 
According to the IPHC presentation yesterday, the 819,000 lbs caught by the rec sector in 2019 includes 17,000 lbs from the XRQ program, meaning we actually only caught 802,000 lbs...

If you go to about 4hr 47min on link you'll see according to DFO numbers we were 74,000 lbs under this year, whether or not that includes wastage (i think it does but may not, looking at this chart I think it does), that means we have a nice buffer even if TAC drops a little (again, calmest season ever so don't even need the buffer).
 
Canada allowed 50% u26 by catch instead of 100%. At 100% it would of gave us an additional half a million pounds or so and had rec sector at around 1.1 mill lbs if I’m not mistaken.

as I write this a Canadian commissioner says he will not agree or support the catch limits this year due to us backing out of their 100% by catch agreement.
 
Alaska kept their 2C and 3A higher than wanted "to ensure economic stability" for their charter fleet....can you ever imagine DFO doing the same? At least they are protecting and realize the value of the rec sector to their economy. Wish DFO would do the same...

The US sure is reluctant to be responsible for their by catch, by the sounds of it they dug their heels in, which is a joke, but at least got 50% U26...still should be 100%.
 
The Canadian negotiators in 2017 and 2018 kept our tac higher then what was recommended. So they clearly recognized the importance as well.

That being said with how long halibut live all your really doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul.

There betting that the 5 and 6 year class that’s now starting to move into the fishery will be big. Certainly seems to be some science to support that.
 
Yes. From the meeting they said next theee years most likely flat level and be lean, but the science is showing a good healthy age class moving in after that. But. Believe it when we see it
 
PHC MEETING RESULTS FOR 2020 HALIBUT SEASON
From Anchorage Alaska

Season dates: March 14, 2020 to November 15, 2020
b) Area 2B (B.C) TCEY (this includes all 026 mortalities - First Nations FSC, trawl, commercial, recreational): 6.83 million pounds. This is the same as 2019

Thanks to Lyle Pierce and Angus Grout and all other Canadian commercial and sports fisherman who went up there to secure a fair number for Canada.

 
For reference here are the 2019 values, Slight decrease in coast wide TCEY from 2019. However still above the 2020 reference tcey of 31.9. 3A should of been allocated around 9.6 but they negotiated 12.2. Its a bit of a bet managers have placed that the biomass will start to see an increase by 2022-2023. I will imagine that both sides will walk away fairly happy.

upload_2020-2-7_17-22-46.png
 
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