Pacific Halibut. Pacific Halibut. Pacific Halibut. Range. Life Cycle

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1 Pacific Halibut Pacific Halibut Pacific Halibut Called haly-butte in Middle English, meaning the flatfish to be eaten on holy days The largest of all flatfish, except the rare Atlantic halibut Largest ever recorded for the northern Pacific: 225 kg, caught off SE Alaska Range Covers continental shelf from northern California to the Aleutian Islands and throughout the Bering Sea Also found along western North Pacific continental shelf of Russia, Japan, and Korea (not managed by same agency) Due to complicated, wide geographical-ranging life cycle, need international agency Life Cycle Spawn in winter, off continental shelf edge in deep waters Males become sexually mature at 7-8, and females at 8-12 years Mature females lay 2-3 million eggs annually, released into water column, caught by ocean currents Free-floating larvae float for up to 6 months, transported 100s of km by North Pacific currents Young fish rise to the surface, carried to shallower waters (bays, inlets) by currents In shallower waters, begin life as bottom dwellers; spend 5-7 years in rich, shallow nursery grounds Younger halibut, up to 10 years old, are highly migratory; in the Gulf of Alaska, migrate in a clockwise direction Older age classes are less migratory, have smaller home ranges than younger fish 1

2 Population Structure May be small, localized spawning populations in deep waters However, because of eggs and larvae are free-floating and juvenile from throughout Gulf of Alaska mixing during rearing, there is only one known genetic stock of halibut in the northern Pacific Longevity and Growth Halibut are long-lived Females grow faster and live longer than males Oldest recorded female: 42 years old, oldest male: 27 years old The Fishery The Fishery Most fish caught when aged years Minimum size limit of 32 inches 8-12 years old when fish reach the size limit Males become sexually mature at 7-8, and females at 8-12 years 2003: commercial landing of 33 million kg, US$200 million ex-vessel value Dressing Fish Harvest Methods Caught off the west coast of Canada and Alaska with bottom longlines (commonly called skates ) Bottom longlining causes little habitat damage, has low bycatch; the principal problem is sea birds attracted to boats by the offal and to the baits before they sink 2

3 The Fishery: History Fishery Management through the Years Commercial fishing began 1888 when 3 sailing ships from New England fished off Washington state Today, halibut caught with versatile boats used in multiple fisheries (e.g., refitted for salmon, pollock, cod, crab) Year Pre Post-1995 Biological sustainability Good marginal Good-marginal poor Good-marginal Good Economics Okay Marginal poor Poor Good 1800s-1970s: Basically a Self-Limiting Fishery 1970s-1990s: Growth of a Derby Fishery Weather Distant location Brutal work Lack of navigation and fish-finding tools Community of exclusion New, modern fleet from crab and salmon fisheries Loran and GPS User-friendly gear Good markets Catchability pre-1923 Controls proposed in 1914 to prevent overproduction and depression of market prices (not for conservation) Biological concerns re decline, need for control reported Closed winter season proposed Recognition of the need for conservation Fishery Management Halibut Treaty: signed between Canada and U.S. in 1923 The first international treaty Canada independently negotiated and signed (i.e., without involving Britain); a key step to independent diplomatic action Established the International Fisheries Commission (which morphed into the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC)) 3

4 IPHC Management Overview Bering Sea Jointly manages Pacific halibut populations off Alaska and Canada Comprised of U.S. and Canadian scientists, Mandate is on research and management of Pacific halibut stocks IPHC scientists perform own research (unlike other commissions, e.g., southern bluefin tuna) Pioneered use of stock assessment Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) named by an IPHC scientist EEZ IPHC Structure Consists of 3 government-appointed commissioners for each country Located at University of Washington, nonprofit organization Each year, conducts own population assessment and reviews independent assessments to set catch limits TACs (total allowable catch) then allocated among licensed fishing vessels as ITQs First regulation of harvests: a three- month closing intended to protect spawning From s, managed effort by controlling length of season (not rights-based): economic problems throughout as harvesting was not cost effective, poor management in terms of optimal exploitation rate Famous 1954 paper about how halibut fishery was economic failure (race for fish, input/capital stuffing ) 1977: Canada established 200 mile EEZ 1979: U.S. excluded from Canadian waters in Canada 1980: 2 month season, 1990: 6 days (productivity and capacity increased 30 percent) 4

5 in U.S. By 1970s and 1980s, generally declining stocks due to fishing pressure By 1990s, Alaska halibut fishery in serious decline Managers instituted aggregate catch limits, which decreased season length, but failed to stop the race for fish ( derby fishery ) in Canada 1980: 2 month season, 1990: 6 days (productivity and capacity increased 30 percent) In 1990 Canadian halibut vessel owners approaches Fisheries and Oceans Canada for assistance in developing an IQ system Individual vessel quota (IVQ) system implemented experimentally in years later, survey found 90 percent in favor of system, meeting conservation and management goals U.S. By 1970s and 1980s, generally declining stocks due to fishing pressure By 1990s, Alaska halibut fishery in serious decline Managers instituted aggregate catch limits, which decreased season length, but failed to stop the race for fish ( derby fishery ) 1995: Alaska adopted IFQs (based on Canada s) Alaska Halibut Season in Area 3,1994: Last Year of Derbies Noon, June 6 to Noon, June 7 Noon, September 12 to Noon, September hours total One imperative: LAND AS MANY FISH AS YOU CAN IN THE TIME ALLOWED Alaska 1994 Season maximum crew: labor stuffing maximum gear, machinery, and bait: capital stuffing as fishers overequipped their vessels with redundant gear to limit downtime minimum consideration for weather minimum consideration for bycatch little sleep before, no sleep during, and often deadly sleep afterwards menu for a day on one ship: 75 peanut butter sandwiches; 4 basic food groups : caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and cholesterol Alaska Halibut Season in Area 3, 1995: First Year of IFQs Noon, March 15 to Noon, November days total The new imperative: OPTIMIZE 5

6 Alaska 1995 Season optimum crew size: and complaints of displacement optimum use of boats: and complaints of coupon clipping optimum use of gear: set only what you need; before, gear losses were excessive as fishers typically would set more lines than they could retrieve in order to maximize catch in the single-day season no need to fish in bad weather sleep and stopping for meals no longer cost money sea bird bycatch almost completely avoidable with less time pressure (particularly re the short-tailed albatross) Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) Designated as an endangered species by the U.S. and Japanese governments Once abundant, feather hunting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries decimated the population, which was thought to be extinct until the 1950 s The global population of short-tailed albatross is estimated at individuals The species is particularly threatened due to its limited breeding range; only 176 pairs nest on Torishima and 20 pairs nest in the Senkaku Islands (Japan) Incidental take in longline fisheries is a pressing concern for conservation of the shorttailed albatross NMFS Regulations for Longline Fishery Seabird avoidance measures are required Use of paired streamer lines Streamer lines provided free of charge to fishing vessel owners and operators When a short-tailed albatross is observed following a fishing vessel, every effort should be made to minimize the possibility of the bird becoming entangled with the gear Change the vessel's heading or speed, to discourage the bird from following Avoid initiating a set while the bird is in sight Avoid offal discharge in the presence of short-tailed albatross to discourage their association with the fishing vessel If a short-tailed albatross appears to be attacking baited hooks despite the use of required bird avoidance mechanisms, gear should be deployed without bait, or gear deployment should be suspended, until the albatross discontinues attacks on the gear. NMFS requests that fishermen continue to report all observations of short-tailed albatross to the USFWS via their reporting forms Any gear-related mortalities of this endangered species are to be reported (USFWS anticipates that up to four birds could be takenevery two years) IFQs gave fishermen and managers the tool to solve the problem: time Post-IQ Overview: Positives Improved safety at sea Improved quality Higher ex-vessel prices Higher catch per unit of effort (CPUE) Decreased bycatch Stability of landings; price more constant through season Better conservation (decreased ghost fishing ) Increase in season length: now fishery is managed on a nearly 9-month season Without the glut of landings in a short period, processors can reduce size of processing/freezing facilities Melvin (2000) 6

7 Fresh Halibut as a Percentage of Total Halibut Production (Alaska), 1984 through 2001 Catch and Price (Alaska) Post-IQ Overview: Negatives Alaskan Halibut and Sablefish Quota Holders, 1995 through 2001 (GAO 2002) Net loss of crew jobs Higher initial investment Reduced number of fishing boats: from 1995 through 2001, the number of Alaskan halibut quota holders decreased by about 27 percent despite regulations which limit individual halibut quota holdings to from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent, depending on the fishing area (GAO 2002) Difficult to find and purchase right amount of quota additional need for troll and trawl fisheries trying to buy ITQs so they can keep halibut bycatch Processors disadvantaged: prices increased with ITQ system Halibut IFQ Holders Did IFQs restore the halibut fishery? No. Did IFQs make the halibut fishery sensibly sustainable? Yes. 7