SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has completed the 102nd Session of the IPHC Annual Meeting (AM102) held in Bellevue, WA, USA (19-22 January 2026), with decisions on total mortality limits, fishing period dates, and other fishery regulation changes. The adopted report of the meeting may be found at the following link: IPHC-2026-AM102-R.
The Commission adopted the TCEY mortality limits for each IPHC Regulatory Area as shown in Table 1. The FCEY values resulting from the adopted TCEY mortality limits, are detailed in Table 2.
The total adopted mortality limits for 2026 represent a 1.3% decrease from 2025. For the Contracting Parties, this represents a 0.0% decrease for the USA and a 7.2% decrease for Canada.
Table 1. Adopted TCEY mortality limits for 2026
Contracting Party IPHC Regulatory Area | Mortality limit (TCEY) (mlbs) | Mortality limit (TCEY) (metric tonnes) | % change from 2025 |
| Canada Total: 2B | 5.06 | 2,295 | -7.2% |
| USA: 2A | 1.65 | 748 | 0.0% |
| USA: 2C | 5.22 | 2,368 | 0.0% |
| USA: 3A | 9.08 | 4,119 | 0.0% |
| USA: 3B | 2.86 | 1,297 | 0.0% |
| USA: 4A | 1.34 | 608 | 0.0% |
| USA: 4B | 1.04 | 472 | 0.0% |
| USA: 4CDE | 3.08 | 1,397 | 0.0% |
| United States of America Total | 24.27 | 11,009 | 0.0% |
Total (IPHC Convention Area) | 29.33 | 13,304 | -1.3% |
Table 2. Detailed 2026 projections, by sector, based on the adopted TCEY mortality limits from table 1 (IPHC Regulatory Area).
| Sector | IPHC Regulatory Area | |||||||||
| 2A | 2B | 2C | 3A | 3B | 4A | 4B | 4CDE | Total | ||
| 1 | Non-FCEY commercial discards | 0.06 | 0.16 | NA | NA | 0.21 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.55 |
| 2 | Non-FCEY O26 Non-directed discards | 0.05 | 0.23 | 0.04 | 0.27 | 0.16 | 0.26 | 0.12 | 1.38 | 2.50 |
| 3 | Non-FCEY recreational | NA | 0.03 | 1.36 | 0.90 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.30 |
| 4 | Non-FCEY subsistence | NA | 0.41 | 0.25 | 0.12 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.81 |
| 5 | Total Non-FCEY | 0.12 | 0.82 | 1.66 | 1.28 | 0.38 | 0.33 | 0.12 | 1.45 | 6.15 |
| 6 | Commercial discards | NA | NA | 0.10 | 0.36 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.46 |
| 7 | Recreational | 0.62 | 0.64 | 0.65 | 1.47 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.38 |
| 8 | Subsistence | 0.01 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.01 |
| 9 | Commercial landings | 0.90 | 3.61 | 2.81 | 5.96 | 2.48 | 1.01 | 0.92 | 1.63 | 19.32 |
| 10 | Total FCEY | 1.54 | 4.24 | 3.56 | 7.80 | 2.48 | 1.01 | 0.92 | 1.63 | 23.18 |
| 4C FCEY | 0.76 | |||||||||
| 4D FCEY | 0.76 | |||||||||
| 4E FCEY | 0.12 | |||||||||
| TCEY | 1.65 | 5.06 | 5.22 | 9.08 | 2.86 | 1.34 | 1.04 | 3.08 | 29.33 | |
| U26 Non-directed discards | 0.01 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.12 | 0.15 | 0.02 | 1.18 | 1.80 | |
| Total | 1.66 | 5.16 | 5.22 | 9.30 | 2.98 | 1.49 | 1.06 | 4.26 | 31.13 | |
1st row: Commercial discards include all discard mortality estimated due to the 32″ minimum size limit, lost gear, and legal-sized discards associated with quota attainment. Estimates not included in the FCEY due to the IPHC Regulatory Area Catch Sharing Plans/Agreements.
2nd row: Non-directed commercial discards (‘bycatch’) not included in any IPHC Regulatory Area Catch Sharing Plans/Agreements.
3rd row: Recreational mortality not included in IPHC Regulatory Area Catch Sharing Plans/Agreements, 2B: discards only, 2C and 3A: unguided landings and discard mortality, 3B-4CDE: Recreational landings and discard mortality.
4th row: 2B-4CDE: Includes personal use and subsistence.
5th row: rounded total of rows 1-4.
6th row: 2C and 3A: Commercial discard mortality is included in the Catch Sharing Plans for these areas.
7th row: 2A: All recreational landings and discard mortality, 2B: Recreational landings, 2C and 3A: Guided recreational landings and discard mortality.
8th row: 2A only: Ceremonial and subsistence mortality
10th row: All mortality included in IPHC Regulatory Area Catch Sharing Plans/Agreements.
The IPHC recommended an overall fishing period beginning at 06:00 local time on 26 March 2026 to 23:59 local time on 7 December 2026 for all directed commercial Pacific halibut fisheries in Canada and the USA.
In accordance with the IPHC Convention, the Fishery Regulations approved by the IPHC, including mortality limits, and fishing periods, will be recommended to the Contracting Parties for implementation according to their domestic laws and regulations.
The final report, and all meeting materials are available on the IPHC website: https://www.iphc.int/meetings/102nd-session-of-the-iphc-annual-meeting-am102/
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