The International Pacific Halibut Commission released its halibut catch recommendations January 22. The catch limit for Alaska waters declines 5 percent, from 55.4 million pounds in 2006 to 52.4 million pounds in 2007.

The IPHC catch limits are an important news item for the bulletin, but there is at least one significant halibut story still developing at this time. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting February 5-13 and will address proposed restrictions on charter harvest, recommended by IPHC to resolve the ongoing problem with that fleet exceeding it’s Guideline Harvest Level.

The combined charter GHL in areas 2C and 3A is 5 million pounds, but charter landings have grown from 4 million pounds in 2002 to over 6 million pounds in 2006. Charter harvest in 3A was slightly above the GHL (9 percent) and the 2C charter harvest exceeded GHL by 47 percent in 2006.

We will be following this development with an eye toward potential impacts to the commercial quota and if significant action is taken by the council will address it either as an update to the February bulletin or in a later bulletin.