9 June 2023
SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is seeking to charter both fixed gear and snap gear longline vessels to conduct a gear comparison study in the fall months of 2023 in the following charter regions:
Option 1: IPHC Charter Regions Albatross & Trinity
Option 2: IPHC Charter Region Charlotte
The primary purpose of this study is to collect standardised data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment and to also provide further data for the multi-year gear comparison study started in 2019. This information is 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. Legal-sized Pacific halibut and Pacific halibut less than 32 inches in length that have been sampled, as well as incidentally caught fish (byproduct) that will die upon release will be retained, sampled for biological data, and sold by the IPHC to offset charter expenses.
Initial review of bid submissions will take place on 3 July 2023 and the request for tender will remain open until filled. In order to be considered in the initial review, submissions must be completed no later than 23:59 (Pacific) on 2 July 2023.
This work will be completed in the fall months, with a start date after 15 September 2023. In addition to the charter regions listed above, vessels are welcome to submit bids on charter regions in the surrounding areas for each option. Vessels need not be licensed for Pacific halibut fishing in Canada or the USA to be eligible. The IPHC is not restricted as to nationality of the vessels it charters for operation in any region as long as customs and immigration regulations are followed.
Interested vessel owners are invited to submit tenders based upon the 2023 Gear Comparison Study Vessel Tender Specifications. The Tender Specifications and Vessel Tender Forms for this project may be downloaded and accessed directly from the IPHC website: Vessel Recruiting | IPHC.
The IPHC will not be obligated to accept the tender with the lowest bid, or any tender received and will contract according to its best interests.
Vessels will be rated using the following criteria:
1) seaworthiness and general condition of the vessel and its equipment,
2) the vessel’s availability within the schedule determined solely by the IPHC Secretariat,
3) the vessel captain’s experience and fishing record,
4) the qualifications of the selected crew,
5) IPHC operating costs (tender amounts)
6) Previous interactions with the IPHC and its Secretariat, experience with the IPHC FISS, scheduling flexibility, and ability to take additional Secretariat are other factors to be potentially considered in the decision-making process.
***Both fixed gear and snap gear vessel participation is needed in order to complete this study***
All IPHC Secretariat personnel are required to be vaccinated – proof is available to vessel captains upon request.
Initial review of bid submissions will take place on 3 July 2023 and the request for tender will remain open until filled. In order to be considered in the initial review, submissions must be completed no later than 23:59 (Pacific) on 2 July 2023.
For further information please contact the IPHC Secretariat at secretariat@iphc.int or 206.634.1838.
IPHC Secretariat
International Pacific Halibut Commission
2320 W. Commodore Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98199-1287
206-634-1838 | www.iphc.int
