July 1, 2019 — SEAFOOD NEWS — After a couple years of exchanging ideas with the International Pacific Halibut Commission about management of the non-Indian commercial halibut fishery in Area 2A — Washington, Oregon and California — the Pacific Fishery Management Council plans to take incremental steps to take over management of the fishery.
Commercial fishermen have gone to IPHC meetings and pushed for individual quota systems and the IPHC has gone to the Council to propose longer seasons than single 10-hour openings. The Council and its advisory bodies have struggled with how to transition from IPHC management to U.S. management.
The Council decided last week when it met in San Diego to continue to work closely with the IPHC and stakeholders. And instead of a workshop, the Council will fold ideas into its traditional two-meeting catch-sharing plan discussion that takes place during September and November meetings. At the next Council meetings, in Boise, Idaho in September and in Costa Mesa, Calif., in November, the Council will consider small changes for the 2020 season.
Fishermen will likely see little change to the fishery in the next two years as the Council, NMFS and the IPHC work on background issues to support a management transition.
The Council also decided that:
– for 2020-2021, and maybe beyond, the Council would request IPHC continue to issue commercial licenses for the Area 2A fishery while NMFS works on development of new permitting regulations;
– it will request the IPHC and NMFS/Council share data regarding the 2A licensing system and commercial logbook data;
– it will reach out to fishery participants to let them know the Council’s intent to not consider major changes to the fishery for the next few years.
This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.