Sport Halibut Management
Sport Halibut Fishing in Alaska
Hot Topics
- NPFMC Final Action on Halibut Catch Sharing Plan
- Mushy halibut syndrome
Sport fishing regulations for Pacific halibut in Alaska are developed on the international, federal and state levels by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), NOAA Fisheries (NMFS), and the State of Alaska's Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
Halibut and salmon are the major sport fish fisheries in Alaska. NMFS' recreational fisheries regulatory authority is limited to Pacific halibut. ADF&G does not have authority to manage halibut, but manages most of Alaska's recreational fisheries and has adopted some regulations that affect sport fishing for halibut. ADF&G issued 197,000 resident and 255,777 non-resident sport fish licenses in 2009.
Unguided Sport Halibut
UNGUIDED SPORT HALIBUT FISHING - Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E
- Regulation Summary for 2012
- Regulations for waters in and off Alaska are stated in the IPHC's 2012 annual management measures (See sections 25 and 28 for season dates, gear and possession information, and bag limits for most areas)
- IPHC Regulatory Areas and Federal Reporting Areas
Guided Sport Halibut
CHARTER HALIBUT LIMITED ACCESS PROGRAM - Areas 2C and 3A
The Charter Halibut Limited Access Program establishes new federal Charter Halibut Permits (CHPs) for operators in the charter halibut fishery in regulatory Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). Beginning February 1, 2011, all vessel operators in Areas 2C and 3A with charter anglers onboard catching and retaining Pacific halibut must have an original, valid CHP onboard during every charter vessel fishing trip. CHPs must be endorsed with the appropriate regulatory area and number of anglers.
Limited Access and Catch Sharing
- NPFMC Final Action on Halibut Catch Sharing Plan, October 2012
- Draft EA/RIR/IRFA for a Regulatory Amendment for a Catch Sharing Plan, September 2012
- News Release: NOAA announces 2012 charter and commercial halibut management measures
- Regulation Summary for 2012, March 26, 2012
- Frequently Asked Questions (Small Entity Compliance Guide - 2012)
- Regulations
- Annual management measures for the Pacific halibut fishery and notice of the guideline harvest levels for Areas 2C and 3A. Effective April 23, 2012.
Fishery Data
- Permits, Applications and Reports
- ADF&G Logbook
- ADF&G Charter and Non-Charter Halibut Harvest Data: preliminary 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
- Decision: Charter Operators of Alaska v. Rebecca Blank, February 2012
- Bench Order: Charter Operators of Alaska v. Gary Locke, April 2011
- Historical Litigation
Litigation
Additional Information
- Mushy Halibut Syndrome
- ADF&G sport fishing regulations
- IPHC regulatory information
- NPFMC halibut charter information
- NMFS' analyses
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