NOAA Fisheries News Alert
NEWS ALERT
June 11, 2008
Sheela McLean, Public Affairs
(907) 586-7032
Southeast Alaska sport charter halibut fishery reverts to two-fish bag limit
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has imposed a temporary restraining order against new regulations in Southeast Alaska for sport charter halibut fishing, reinstating a two-fish bag limit in the area.
With the temporary restraining order in place, halibut harvest on a charter vessel in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) is limited to no more than two halibut per person per calendar day provided that at least one of the harvested halibut has a head-on length of no more than 32 inches (81.3 cm). If a person sport fishing on a charter vessel in Area 2C retains only one halibut in a calendar day, that halibut may be of any length.
The suspended regulations would have limited sport charter vessel anglers to keeping one halibut per calendar day in Area 2C. The purpose of the suspended regulations was to keep halibut harvests in Area 2C within the guideline harvest level established in federal regulations, as recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
All other requirements and limitations that were published with the suspended regulations are still in effect. These requirements and limitations include the maximum line limits and the prohibition of retention of halibut by a guide, operator, or crew. Please refer to 50 CFR sec. 300.65 and 300.66 for details.
The court has scheduled a hearing for June 20, 2008, to consider whether to grant a preliminary injunction that would maintain the two-fish bag limit until the court rules on a lawsuit filed by several charter boat operators.