Charlie Pierce, Mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, has contacted Governor Mike Dunleavy, Congressman Don Young, and Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan requesting help easing halibut fishing regulations. The increases aim to help restore tourism to the area, after regulations on halibut sport fishing were released earlier this year.
In February, the International Pacific Halibut Commission set catch limits for each regulatory area in the U.S. and Canada. Charter operators in South Central Alaska are unable to book trips for halibut on Tuesdays or Wednesdays all season long. Daily bag limits will be one halibut of any size, and a second fish must be less than 26 inches. The annual limit per charter angler will be four halibut.
Mayor Pierce emphasized the overall suffering that the Peninsula will face due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting tourism. The pandemic has led to the closure of cruise ship ports in Homer and Seward, B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, and service groups. The Mayor argues that the impact on these tourism-fueled industries directly impacts halibut fishing in the area, and that action must be taken to rectify the economic damage being done to the community’s livilihood.
He then implored the aforementioned officials to request the International Halibut Commission to restore South Central 2020/21 Halibut Sport Fishing regulations to:
- Two halibuts per day, per person – removing the 26 inch restriction for the second fish as well as the four halibut annual limit.
- Seven day-a-week fishing for charters, with multiple trips per day, removing the Tuesday and Wednesday weekly closures of charter halibut trips.
He requests that the state’s Congressional Delegation seek President Donald Trump’s assistance in making these changes, to help protect Alaska from further economic damage, given the economic damage that a blow to tourism would mean to the Kenai Peninsula.
Mayor Pierce: “All of us will be remembered by the actions we take to restore the prosperity of the United States. The restoration of our economy following the COVID-19 Pandemic is critical and affects all Alaskans.”
The full letter can be read below:
