13 May 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) will be conducting its annual fishery-independent setline survey operations. The survey will be conducted off British Columbia, Oregon, Washington and Alaska during the 2021 fishing period and will be selling Pacific halibut caught and sampled during these operations to offset costs associated with conducting the research, in accordance with The Convention between Canada and the United States of America for the preservation of the [Pacific] halibut fishery of the Northern Pacific ocean and Bering sea (Article III, paragraph 2).

This news release is intended to notify processors of the IPHC plan to sell fish and to update lists of interested buyers in ports where IPHC-chartered vessels will offload catch. 

Approximately 13 vessels will be involved in the IPHC fishery-independent setline survey, with landings between early June and early September. Average trip poundage for Pacific halibut will range from 5,000 to 35,000 pounds, plus lesser amounts of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) and Pacific cod.  The condition of fish prior to each landing will be communicated in the individual sales announcement.

Sales will be awarded based on the IPHC’s objectives of achieving a fair market price. Sale agreements will be based on prices at the time of the sale. The IPHC will not enter into any consignment or profit-sharing arrangements. The IPHC plans to contact interested Pacific halibut buyers prior to each landing. Preferences will be given to buyers with a history of successfully marketing Pacific halibut and following ethical business practices. In awarding sales, the IPHC will consider: (1) price; (2) the number of years buyers have been buying and marketing Pacific halibut; (3) how fish are graded at the dock, including the determination of No. 2 Pacific halibut and chalky fish; and (4) promptness in settlements following deliveries. Obtaining a fair market price will be a primary consideration in awarding fish sales. The IPHC will also attempt to distribute sales among as many qualified buyers as possible, subject to fair market value.

All buyers (including those with past IPHC sales history) interested in purchasing IPHC fishery-independent setline survey fish in 2021 should complete the Interested Buyer Form. Replying to this news release will ensure you are kept informed of purchasing opportunities throughout our field season.  For further information, please contact IPHC secretariat at (206) 634-1838 or via email at Secretariat@iphc.int.

IPHC Secretariat
International Pacific Halibut Commission
2320 W. Commodore Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98199-1287
206-634-1838 | www.iphc.int

8 April 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) continues to collect information regarding the presence of Pacific halibut with chalky flesh in directed commercial landings to update information coast wide and is asking for your participation.

Why?

The IPHC has recommended an update to information first collected in the late 1990s to better understand the spatial extent, temporal occurrence, and rate of incidence of this condition in directed commercial landings. This will be the third year for this effort, recognizing that due to the pandemic, information has been limited thus far.

Results from previous collections

The table below summarizes the results from the 1990s along with the previous two years. Low participation in the recent effort does not allow for enough data to arrive at conclusions.

2021 Efforts

IPHC Fisheries Data Specialists are again contacting processors to request participation and detailed summaries.

Click image to download

Your participation will provide valuable information to this project. Should you have any questions, please contact your local IPHC Fisheries Data Specialist or the IPHC Secretariat at secretariat@iphc.int.

IPHC Secretariat
International Pacific Halibut Commission
2320 W. Commodore Way, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98199-1287
206-634-1838 | www.iphc.int

5 April 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is seeking to charter longline vessels using fixed gear to conduct its Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) in 2021 in the FISS Charter Region of 4CDE North, Central and South only. The primary purpose of the FISS is to collect standardised data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment. 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 FISS expenses.

The 2021 FISS in the 4CDE charter regions, North, Central and South, within the IPHC Convention Area with a standard grid of stations, 140 total stations (40 stations north, 40 stations central and 60 stations south) with four skates at each station. The FISS must be completed between 25 May and 31 August 2021.

The IPHC will consider only those vessels with captains and crews that have recent (within five years) Pacific halibut fishing experience. The IPHC may require an inspection of the vessel prior to awarding the charter.

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 2021 IPHC Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) 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.

No submission greater than US$80,000 for 4CDE North, US$70,000 for 4CDE Central or US$90,000 for 4CDE South shall be considered. Submissions must be completed no later than 23:59 (Pacific) on 15 April 2021.

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

2 April 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has officially published the IPHC Annual Report 2020 (IPHC-2021-AR2020R). The report is available for download from the IPHC website via the following link:

https://www.iphc.int/uploads/pdf/ar/iphc-2021-ar2020-r.pdf

Data in this report have been updated using all information received by the IPHC through 31 December 2020 and reported at the 97^th Session of the IPHC Annual Meeting (AM097) in 2021. Some data may have been subsequently updated and readers are encouraged to access the IPHC website for the latest information: https://www.iphc.int/.

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

25 March 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is seeking to charter longline vessels using snap gear to conduct its Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) in 2021 in the FISS Charter Region of Seward only. The primary purpose of the FISS is to collect standardised data for use in the Pacific halibut stock assessment. 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 FISS expenses.

The 2021 FISS with snap gear covers a single charter region, Seward, within the IPHC Convention Area with a standard grid of stations, 52 total stations (all fished after the vessel fishing fixed gear has fished 26 of the stations). The FISS must be completed between 15 June and 31 July 2021.

The IPHC will consider only those vessels with captains and crews that have recent (within five years) Pacific halibut fishing experience. The IPHC may require an inspection of the vessel prior to awarding the charter.

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 2021 IPHC Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) 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.

No submission greater than US$84,050 shall be considered. Submissions must be completed no later than 23:59 (Pacific) on 1 April 2021.

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

25 March 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) will require approximately 77 tonnes (170,000 pounds) of fish for the 2021 Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS).

Due to the scientific nature of the study, IPHC quality requirements and standardisation exceed those normally provided by industry as bait chum.

Chum salmon requirements:

• Headed and gutted (H&G)
• Individually quick frozen (IQF).
• Minimum grade is semi-bright #2s (ASMI grade A-E).
• 2 to 3 kg (4 to 6 lb) and 3 to 4 kg (6 to 9 lb) preferred; >4 kg (>9 lb) considered.
• Fish will be inspected by the IPHC Secretariat prior to purchase to ensure that the flesh is firm and has been processed in a manner that maintains the required quality.
• Fish must be toted in ~0.5 tonne (1,200 lb) fiber totes.
• Information on the month of capture, the run for each unit/tote of fish purchased, and tote weight is required. Also, the labeling of totes as IPHC specific product before shipment preferred.
• Must have been caught and processed no earlier than June 2020.

The IPHC will consider quantity offered, size, quality, price and preseason storage or supply location when making purchases. To be included in purchase negotiations, complete the form at the following location: 2021-013 RFT Submission Form by 11:59pm Pacific on 5 April 2021. Purchase agreements will be released to the parties by 15 April 2021.  

Chum salmon will be needed at the following locations (maximum amounts needed at each port for the season are indicated, the total amount purchased in-season will not exceed the additional ~77 tonnes (~170,000 pounds) needed):

• Adak- 9.80 tonnes (21,600 pounds)
• Dutch Harbor- 20.68 tonnes (45,600 pounds)
• Homer/Seward- 38.10 tonnes (84,000 pounds)
• Juneau- 7.08 tonnes (15,600 pounds)
• Ketchikan- 6.53 tonnes (14,400 pounds)
• Kodiak- 25.58 tonnes (56,400 pounds)
• Petersburg- 7.08 tonnes (15,600 pounds)
• Yakutat- 15.24 tonnes (33,600 pounds)
• Newport- 2.72 tonnes (6,000 pounds)
• Bellingham- 2.18 tonnes (4,800 pounds)
• Prince Rupert, BC- 19.60 tonnes (43,200 pounds)
• Port Hardy, BC- 9.80 tonnes (21,600 pounds)

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

05 March 2021

SEATTLE – The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is seeking Pacific halibut charter fishing operations to conduct a Recreational Discard Mortality Study (RDMS) in May and/or early June 2021 investigating Pacific halibut release practices and associated mortality. The purpose of the charter is to (1) evaluate the effects of fish handling practices on injury levels and their association with the physiological condition of captured Pacific halibut, and (2) investigate the effects of fish handling methods and associated injury level and physiological condition on post-release survival of Pacific halibut in the guided recreational fishery. This project will help refine current estimates of discard mortality rates (DMRs) in the guided recreational Pacific halibut fishery by investigating the relationship between hook release methods, injury levels, physiological condition, and survival post-release.

The 2021 IPHC Recreational Discard Mortality Study will require 5-7 days of guided recreational fishing in each of IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, and 3A. For IPHC Regulatory Area 2C, operations are expected to occur out of Juneau, Sitka, or Ketchikan, and for IPHC Regulatory Area 3A, operations are expected to occur out of Homer or Seward. Vessels must be capable of carrying up to six (6) anglers. Crew will assist anglers (1 IPHC Secretariat, and up to 5 volunteer anglers) with gear setup and fish management aboard the vessel.

A minimum sample size of 240 Pacific halibut from each site is being targeted, which is expected to take five to seven days of fishing. All Pacific halibut will be measured, weighed, evaluated for injuries, sampled for blood and fat content, scored a survival viability (as per the standards used by the NOAA Fisheries observer program), and subsequently tagged and released. All released Pacific halibut will be tagged with a conventional wire cheek tag and 80 of the wire-tagged Pacific halibut will also be tagged with an archival pop-up satellite reporting tag at one of the sites. All other species that are caught will be required to be released with minimal injury. No fish will be retained for consumption or otherwise. The RDMS must be completed before 30 June 2021.

The IPHC will consider only those vessels with captains and crews that have recent (within three years) Pacific halibut guided recreational fishing experience. The IPHC may require an inspection of the vessel prior to awarding the charter.

Interested vessel owners are invited to submit tenders based upon the 2021 IPHC Recreational Discard Mortality Study (RDMS) Vessel Tender Specifications. The Tender Specifications and Vessel Tender Forms for this project may be downloaded and accessed directly from the IPHC website: Opportunities | IPHC (click on IPHC Research Charters).

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 operating as a charter vessel, scheduling flexibility, and ability to take additional Secretariat are other factors to be potentially considered in the decision-making process.

Submissions must be completed no later than 16:59 (Pacific) on 19 March 2021.

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