Two new restrictions will go into affect for halibut charters this summer:
- No halibut may be caught and retained on charter vessels in Southcentral Alaska (Area 3A) on Thursdays between June 15 and August 31
- Charter vessel anglers are limited to five halibut or less for the duration of 2015.
Gary Alt owns Inlet Charters in Homer and said that second regulation could create a dilemma for charter operators.
Alt: “To use that as a regulation device and then expect us to enforce it, and we are liable if we do not, we can get fined, they can take your boat and tell them you were transporting illegally caught fish, I’m not sure where they’d start but I’m sure it would cost you some money.”
He said checking each of his customers’ licenses to see if they have caught more than five fish for the year is an additional pressure.
Alt added that he understands that reduction in halibut sizes over the last few years have spurred such measures and hopes that these will work to increase both halibut population and size.
Alt: “Catching fewer and fewer fish and they are smaller and smaller so we’re going to be within our guidelines here. If we get another year of some growth with some fish stocks then maybe we won’t have to deal with that five fish or that Thursday off or something, that’s what we’re hoping for.”
NOAA 2015 charter and commercial halibut management measures announced March 13
In Area 3A (Southcentral Alaska):
- Commercial catch limit (after deducting wastage): 7,790,000 pounds
- Charter fishery two-fish daily bag limit: one any size / one no more than 29 inches total length
- One charter halibut fishing trip in which halibut are retained per calendar day (charter vessel fishing trip ends when any anglers or halibut are offloaded, or at 11:59 p.m., whichever comes first). Applies to vessels only, not charter halibut permits
- If halibut are filleted at sea, the carcass of the halibut that is less than or equal to 29 inches must be retained onboard until landing
- No person may catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel in Area 3A on Thursdays between June 15 and August 31, 2015.
- Charter vessel anglers will be limited to harvesting no more than five halibut on charter vessel fishing trips in Area 3A during 2015.
