Deeper Dive
WHO MANAGES THE WILD PACIFIC HALIBUT FISHERY
Wild Pacific halibut is a highly migratory fish species that transcends borders and is jointly managed by Canada and the US. Since 1923 the wild Pacific Halibut resource has been jointly managed under an international convention between Canada and the USA, through what is now called the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC).
Each year IPHC staff undertake scientific projects and research on wild Pacific halibut biology, including:
standardized setline fishing surveys from northern California to the end of the Aleutian Islands and into the Bering Sea
biological sampling in major fishing ports
stock assessments
biomass estimates
harvest advice
The IPHC Annual Meeting held in late January or early February reviews and approves research plans, biomass estimates, harvest advice, catch limits and regulatory proposals.
Following the IPHC Annual Meeting, each country then manages the halibut fisheries within their waters to the approved catch limits and according to IPHC and domestic regulations. In Canada, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is responsible for the management of the wild Pacific halibut fishery. More information about DFO and the domestic management of Canada’s wild Pacific halibut fisheries can be found on the DFO Pacific Region Groundfish Management website.
Canadian wild Pacific halibut harvesters participate fully in the IPHC process at all levels, including participation in the Annual Meeting and various IPHC stakeholder advisory bodies, as well as serving as one of the Canadian Commissioners. More information on the IPHC, its processes and the scientific work it undertakes is available on the International Pacific Halibut Commission website.
