A public workshop to examine several issues related to Pacific halibut bycatch and life history is planned for April 24-25, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. The two-day workshop is jointly sponsored by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). The first day will consist of a series of presentations by staffs of IPHC, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and independent scientists and fishing industry representatives on topics related to bycatch estimation, management, and its effects on halibut harvest strategy, as well as halibut growth and migration. The second day will consist of discussions of the previous day’s topics by a science panel, including audience participation. Workshop materials will be posted on this page as they become available.

• Workshop News Release
• Workshop outline (January 2012)
• Workshop agenda
• Audio recordings of the proceedings
  • Day 1: Introductory remarks (incomplete recording) by Dr. James Balsiger and presentations by Steven Hare, Bruce Leaman, Kerim Aydin, Tim Loher, and Tom Jagielo
  • Day 1: Presentations by Jennifer Cahalan, Jennifer Mondragon, Steven Hare, and Steve Martell
  • Day 1: Presentations by Juan Valero and Tom Jagielo
  • Day 1: Presentations by John Gauvin, Julie Bonney, Kenny Down, Juan Valero, and Steve Martell
  • Day 1: Presentations by Martin Loefflad, Sarah Williams, Barry Ackerman, and Chantelle Caron
  • Day 2: Public Comment - Halibut ecology. Impacts and management of halibut bycatch
  • Day 2: Public Comment - Impacts and management of halibut bycatch continued. (1:18) Panel Discussion - Size at age.
  • Day 2: Panel Discussion - Causes of size at age decline; impacts of dropping the size limit on halibut ecology; future research
  • Day 2: Panel Discussion - Accuracy of bycatch estimates; biological impacts and migration; fishing practices to reduce bycatch; management program approaches to reduce bycatch; future research. Closing remarks by Dr. James Balsiger
• Workshop Summary Report

Workshop Reports and Presentations

Please note that paper copies of the presentations will be available at the meeting; however, we will not be providing copies of any reports. Attendees are advised to download and/or print copies for their own use.

General Background references

• Report of the 2010 Halibut Bycatch Work Group (in press)
• Report of the Halibut Bycatch Work Group (1992) (IPHC Tech Report 25)
• The Pacific halibut: Biology, fishery, and management (IPHC Tech Report 40)
• Incidental catch and mortality of Pacific halibut 1962-2011 (IPHC 2011 RARA)
• IPHC 2009 Bycatch Workshop summary and responses (IPHC 2009 RARA)
• NPFMC analysis about revising the Gulf of Alaska PSC limits (January 2012)
• NPFMC February 2012 motion to incorporate additions and revisions to the January 2012 analysis
• NPFMC discussion paper on Individual Bycatch Allowances (October 2011)
• NMFS Discussion paper on the process for modifying halibut PSC limits in the Gulf of AK groundfish fisheries
• NMFS report on percent coverage by fishery, gear, sector and area in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska, 2004-2007

Session 1: Halibut Ecology

• Historical overview and results of the 2011 halibut assessment by Dr. Steven R. Hare, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References:

  • Assessment of the Pacific halibut stock at the end of 2011 (2011 RARA)

 

• Review of IPHC halibut diet studies by Dr. Bruce M. Leaman, IPHC
  Presentation file

  References

  • Diet of Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (IPHC Technical Report 52)
  • Diet of juvenile Pacific halibut, 1957-1961 (IPHC Technical Report 43)
  • Pacific halibut as predator and prey (IPHC Technical Report 21)

 

• Halibut in an ecosystem context: 30 years of diet collections and food web modeling by Dr. Kerim Aydin, NMFS AFSC
  Presentation file
  

  References

 

• Growth and observed size-at-age in eastern Pacific halibut: Thoughts on potential mechanisms and investigation by Dr. Tim L. Loher, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References

 

• Synopsis of theoretical and empirical evidence concerning the causes of halibut slow growth and potential differences in natural mortality by sex by Mr. Tom Jagielo, TJC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Contributions for the Halibut Working Group

Session 2: Impacts of Halibut Bycatch

• Catch estimation in the Alaskan groundfish fisheries by Ms. Jennifer Cahalan, PSFMC and Ms. Jennifer Mondragon, NMFS Alaska Region
  New presentation file (updated Apr. 26)
  

  References

  • Catch sampling and estimation in the Federal groundfish fisheries off Alaska

 

• Estimation of commercial halibut fishery wastage, and accounting for bycatch and wastage mortality in the IPHC harvest policy by Dr. Steven R. Hare, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Potential modifications to the IPHC harvest policy (IPHC 2010 RARA)
  • Wastage of halibut in the commercial halibut fishery (IPHC 2011 RARA)

 

• Potential yield and female spawning biomass gains from proposed Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limit reductions in Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea groundfish fisheries by Dr. Steven R. Hare, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Potential yield and female spawning biomass gains from proposed Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limit reductions in Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries (IPHC 2011 RARA)
  • Evaluation of the impact of migration on lost yield, lost spawning biomass, and lost egg production due to U32 bycatch and wastage mortalities of Pacific halibut (IPHC 2010 RARA)

 

• Impacts of halibut bycatch and wastage in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea Aleutian Islands on halibut coastwide yield and spawning biomass by Dr. Steve Martell, UBC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Halibut Bycatch Management Research (updated Apr. 26)

 

• Current understanding of Pacific halibut migration patterns by Dr. Juan Valero, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Current understanding of Pacific halibut migration patterns (IPHC 2011 RARA)

 

• Current understanding of halibut migration by Mr. Tom Jagielo, TJC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Contributions for the Halibut Working Group

 

Session 3: Management of Halibut Bycatch

• Efficacy of changes in catch handling procedures to reduce halibut mortality rates by Mr. John Gauvin, Groundfish Forum and Mr. Kenny Down, Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Efficacy of changes in catch handling procedures to reduce halibut mortality limits (FLCC)

 

• Management programs and industry initiatives to reduce halibut mortality rates and amounts in North Pacific groundfish fisheries by Ms. Lori Swanson, Groundfish Forum, Ms. Julie Bonney, Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, and Mr. Kenny Down, Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Report - Groundfish Forum
  • Report - Alaska Groundfish Data Bank
  • Report - Freezer Longline Coalition

 

• Harvest policy considerations for re-evaluating the minimum size limit in the Pacific halibut commercial fishery by Dr. Juan Valero, IPHC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Harvest policy considerations for re-evaluating the minimum size limit in the Pacific halibut commercial fishery (IPHC 2011 RARA)

 

• Effects of reduced minimum-size limits on halibut biomass, yield, spawning biomass, and wastage by Dr. Steve Martell, UBC
  Presentation file
  

  References

  • Halibut Bycatch Management Research (updated Apr. 26)

 

• Planned Changes in the Alaskan Observer Program by Mr. Martin Loefflad and Dr. Craig Faunce, NMFS AFSC
  No PowerPoint presentation

  References

  • NPFMC actions and motions regarding a restructured program
  • Draft regulations (Proposed Rule) for the Restructured Observer Program off Alaska

 

• Halibut individual bycatch quota in the Northwest trawl Catch Shares Program by Ms. Sarah Williams, NMFS Northwest Region
  Presentation file

  References

 

• Management and monitoring of Pacific halibut bycatch in B.C.'s trawl commercial groundfish fishery by Mr. Barry Ackerman, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Mr. Bruce Turris, Pacific Fisheries Management, Inc.
  New presentation file (updated Apr. 26)
  

  References

 

• Management and monitoring of Pacific halibut bycatch in the Hook & Line/Trap commercial groundfish fishery in British Columbia by Ms. Chantelle Caron, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  Presentation file

  References