2004 PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY UNDERWAY

Vancouver - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that the halibut Integrated Fishery Management Plan (IFMP) for the 2004/2005 fishing season has been released and the halibut fishery on the Pacific coast is now in full swing.

The commercial halibut fishery started on February 29, 2004, one day earlier than last year.  This year’s halibut fishery includes similar fishing opportunities for First Nations, commercial and recreational anglers as in previous years.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) recommended a Canadian total allowable catch (TAC) of 13.8 million pounds for the commercial-recreational fishing sectors for the 2004/2005 fishing season.  This is an increase over last year’s TAC allocation. 

According to the IPHC, the Pacific halibut population remains at historic high levels.  The halibut fishery is one of western Canada’s oldest fisheries, with commercial roots reaching back to the late 1800s.  After more than 100 years of fishing, this dominating ocean predator continues to be a high value and important species for British Columbian fishermen. 

In October 2003, the former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced an allocation framework for the commercial and recreational sectors for the Pacific halibut fishery.  The framework outlined that a 12 per cent recreational catch “ceiling” will be allocated to the recreational sector until both parties can develop an acceptable mechanism that will allow for adjustment of the recreational share through acquisition of additional quota from the commercial sector. 

Preliminary discussions have been held with both the commercial and recreational sectors on implementation of the allocation framework, including the development of the mechanism to adjust shares over time.  For the 2004/2005 halibut fishing season, an interim arrangement will be implemented to allow the commercial and recreational sectors flexibility to continue work to develop an allocation adjustment mechanism. 

The initial commercial halibut hook and line fishery allocation is 12.141 million pounds.  The projected recreational catch for the 2004 fishing season is 1.25 million pounds.  This year, the commercial halibut fleet will continue to have 100 per cent dockside monitoring and partial at-sea observer coverage.  The at-sea observer coverage level for 2004 will be 19 per cent of the sea days of the fleet.  To improve the catch monitoring strategy and the at-sea sampling program involving on-board observers, an electronic monitoring component will be implemented as part of the overall observer coverage.  

As in previous years, consultations between DFO and stakeholders are continuing on the use of selective fishing techniques and other initiatives to reduce seabird by-catch in the commercial fishery.  For the 2004/2005 fishing season, all halibut vessels are required to use mandatory seabird avoidance devices and adopt measures to avoid the incidental catch of seabirds.  The seabird avoidance measures have been revised slightly from last year to ensure enforceability and better compliance. 

The coastwide recreational fishery began on February 1, 2004, and will continue until December 31, 2004. The daily limit is two halibut, with a possession limit of three.

In 2003, DFO launched a consultation process with First Nations, commercial and recreational harvesters, conservation groups and other interested parties.  The process reviewed the 28 existing Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) and evaluated more than 100 new candidate RCA sites for implementation.  A total of 89 RCAs will be implemented, as of April 1, 2004, for the 2004 fishing season.  These RCAs will replace the existing Rockfish Protection Areas and Interim Areas of Restricted Fishing.  Fishing activity that causes rockfish mortality is restricted within the closed area.  A list of permitted fishing activity in the closed areas is available on-line at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The 2004 halibut IFMP was developed in consultation with the Halibut Advisory Board. Through collaboration with First Nations, the recreational and commercial sectors, the Provincial Government, environmental organizations, and other interested parties, DFO is striving to manage fisheries in a sustainable manner for today and for future generations.

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For more information:

Michelle Imbeau
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
604-666-2872