2 July 2020
SEATTLE – The 2020 IPHC Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) successfully launched with first hooks hitting the water on 27 June 2020. This year, 898 stations are to be fished between now and 31 August 2020.
The Secretariat undertook virtual training of IPHC Setline Survey Specialists (Field) from 22-25 June 2020, who immediately deployed following strict testing and quarantine procedures put in place by the IPHC Secretariat in response to COVID-19.
Currently, nine (9) FISS vessels are actively fishing in the IPHC Convention Area, with a total of 11 to be deployed over the course of the FISS season.
The primary purpose of the FISS is to collect standardized fishery-independent data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment. These data are also used to study aspects of the Pacific halibut resource such as growth, distribution, biomass, age composition, sexual maturity, and relative abundance of other species.
The first trips are anticipated to be offloaded 4 to 6 July 2020. The IPHC will be selling Pacific halibut caught and sampled to offset costs associated with conducting the FISS, in accordance with the Convention between Canada and the United States of America. To learn more about the IPHC FISS program visit https://bit.ly/IPHC2020FISS.
IPHC Secretariat
International Pacific Halibut Commission
2320 W. Commodore Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98199-1287
206-634-1838 | www.iphc.int
