The IPHC has recommended regulations that would govern the Pacific halibut fishery in 2025, pursuant to the Convention between Canada and the United States for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention), signed at Ottawa, Ontario, on March 2, 1953, as amended by a Protocol Amending the Convention (signed at Washington, DC, on March 29, 1979).
As provided by the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act), the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, may accept or reject, on behalf of the United States, regulations recommended by the IPHC in accordance with the Convention. 16 U.S.C. 773b. The Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, accepted the 2025 IPHC Fishery Regulations on March 14, 2025 thereby making them effective.
The Halibut Act provides the Secretary of Commerce with the authority and general responsibility to carry out the requirements of the Convention and the Halibut Act. The PFMC and NPFMC may develop, and the Secretary of Commerce may implement, regulations governing harvesting privileges among U.S. fishermen in U.S. waters that are in addition to, and not in conflict with, approved IPHC regulations. The NPFMC has exercised this authority in developing halibut management programs for three fisheries that harvest halibut off Alaska: the subsistence, sport, and commercial fisheries. The PFMC has exercised this authority by developing a catch sharing plan governing the allocation of halibut and management of sport (recreational) and commercial halibut fisheries on the U.S. West Coast.
The IPHC apportions catch limits for the Pacific halibut fishery among regulatory areas (Figure 1): Area 2A (Oregon, Washington, and California), Area 2B (British Columbia), Area 2C (Southeast Alaska), Area 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska), Area 3B (Western Gulf of Alaska), and Area 4 (which is further divided into 5 areas, 4A through 4E, in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands of Western Alaska).
Subsistence and sport halibut fishery regulations for Alaska, and Tribal, sport, and non-Tribal directed commercial halibut fishery regulations for Area 2A, are codified at 50 CFR part 300. Commercial halibut fisheries off Alaska are subject to regulations resulting from the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program, the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program (50 CFR part 679), and the area-specific catch sharing plans for Areas 2C, 3A, and Areas 4C, 4D, and 4E, respectively.
The NPFMC implemented a catch sharing plan among commercial IFQ and CDQ halibut fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4C, 4D, and 4E (Area 4, Western Alaska) through rulemaking, and the Secretary of Commerce approved the plan on March 20, 1996 (61 FR 11337). The Area 4 catch sharing plan regulations are codified at 50 CFR 300.65. New annual regulations pertaining to the Area 4 catch sharing plan also may be implemented through IPHC action, subject to acceptance by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce.
The NPFMC recommended and NMFS implemented through rulemaking a catch sharing plan for commercial IFQ and guided sport (charter) halibut fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A on January 13, 2014 (78 FR 75844, December 12, 2013). The Area 2C and 3A catch sharing plan regulations are codified at 50 CFR 300.65. The catch sharing plan defines an annual process for allocating halibut between the commercial and charter fisheries so that each sector’s allocation varies in proportion to halibut abundance, specifies a public process for setting annual management measures, and authorizes limited annual leases of commercial IFQ for use in the charter fishery as guided angler fish (GAF).
The IPHC held its annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, from January 27 through 31, 2025, and recommended a number of changes to the previous IPHC regulations (89 FR 19275, March 18, 2024). On March 14, 2025, the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, accepted the annual management measures, including the following changes to section 5, section 9, and section 28 of the 2025 IPHC Fishery Regulations:
1. New halibut catch limits in all regulatory areas. The catch limits are presented in two tables in section 5. They distinguish between limits resulting from Commission decisions and limits that result from domestic catch sharing plans that have been developed by the respective United States and Canada Governments;
2. New commercial fishery season dates and start time in section 9; and
3. New management measures for Area 2C and Area 3A guided sport fisheries in section 28.
Pursuant to regulations at 50 CFR 300.62, the 2025 annual management measures are published in the
in this action to provide notice of their regulatory effectiveness and to inform persons subject to the regulations of their restrictions and requirements. Because NMFS publishes the IPHC’s annual management measures in this action, and those measures are applicable to the entire Convention area, this action includes some provisions relating to Canadian fishing and fisheries. In separate actions, NMFS may implement more restrictive regulations for the U.S. halibut fishery or components of it; therefore, anglers are advised to check the current Federal and IPHC regulations prior to fishing.
The IPHC recommended to the governments of Canada and the United States a 2025 coastwide mortality limit, also called the Total Constant Exploitation Yield (TCEY), of 29,720,000 pounds (lb) (13,480 metric tons (mt)). The IPHC refers to catch limits as Fishery Constant Exploitation Yield (FCEY), which are derived from the TCEY by directed fisheries that are specified in the IPHC regulations and are subject to area-specific catch agreements among the domestic parties. Coastwide, the 2025 TCEY decreased 15.8 percent from the FCEY implemented in 2024. Except for Area 2A, which remained at the same level as has been in place since 2019, the FCEY in each regulatory area decreased relative to the 2024 mortality limit. A
For the upcoming 2025 halibut fishing year, the IPHC conducted its annual stock assessment using a range of updated data sources as described in detail in the IPHC overview of data sources for the Pacific halibut stock assessment, harvest policy, and related analyses (IPHC-2025-AM101-R; available at
). To evaluate the Pacific halibut stock, the IPHC uses an “ensemble” of 4 equally weighted models: 2 long time-series models incorporating data from 1888 to the present and 2 short time-series models incorporating data from 1992 to the present. For each time-series, the two models include data that are either divided by four geographical regions or aggregated into coastwide summaries. These models incorporate data through 2024 from the IPHC Fishery Independent Setline Survey (FISS); the commercial halibut fishery; the NMFS Eastern Bering Sea trawl survey; length and weight-at-age and male/female sex ratio estimates by region in the directed commercial fisheries and in the FISS; and age distribution information for bycatch, sport, and sublegal discard removals.
The results of the ensemble models are integrated and incorporate uncertainty in natural mortality rates, environmental effects on recruitment, and other structural and parameter categories, consistent with practices in place since 2012. The data and assessment models used by the IPHC are reviewed by the IPHC’s Scientific Review Board, comprised of non-IPHC scientists who provide an independent scientific review of the data and stock assessment to provide recommendations to IPHC staff and the Commissioners. The Scientific Review Board did not identify any substantive errors in the data or methods used in the 2024 stock assessment. NMFS believes the IPHC’s data and assessments models constitute the best available science on the status of the Pacific halibut resource.
The IPHC’s data, including the FISS, indicate that the Pacific halibut stock declined continuously from the late 1990s to around 2012, largely as a result of decreasing size at a given age (size-at-age), higher harvest rates in the early 2000s, and weaker recruitment than observed during the 1980s. In more recent years, from 2016 to 2024, the spawning biomass is estimated to have declined 32 percent, then increased by 3 percent, to 149,000,000 lb (65,771 mt) at the beginning of 2025, largely as a function of the maturing 2012 and 2016 year classes. The spawning biomass is currently estimated to be at 38 percent of its unfished state, and is near the lowest level observed since the 1970s. This estimate reflects updated calculations recommended during stock assessment external review and review by the Scientific Review Board, as well as developments in the IPHC Management Strategy Evaluation.
The IPHC accounts for the total mortality of halibut from all sources and employs a management procedure that establishes a coastwide reference level of fishing intensity so that the Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) is equal to 43 percent. Fishing intensity is expressed as an F value; therefore, the reference fishing intensity of 43 percent SPR (
F43) would allow a level of fishing intensity that is expected to result in approximately 43 percent of the spawning biomass per recruit compared to an unfished stock (
no fishing mortality). Lower F percentages would be expected to result in higher fishing intensity.
The IPHC harvest decision table (table 1 in IPHC-2025-AM101-13; available at
) provides a comparison of the relative risk of a decrease in stock biomass, stock status, or fishery metrics for a range of fishing intensities for 2025. The harvest decision table employs two metrics of fishing mortality: (1) the TCEY, which includes harvests and incidental discard mortality from directed commercial fisheries; mortality estimates from sport, subsistence, and personal use; and estimates of non-directed discard mortality of halibut over 26 inches (66.0 centimeters (cm)) (O26); and (2) Total Mortality, which includes all the above sources of mortality, plus estimates of non-directed discard mortality of halibut less than 26 inches (66.0 cm) (U26). Although U26 halibut mortality is factored into the stock assessment and harvest strategy calculations, there is currently no reliable tool for describing the annual coastwide distribution of U26 halibut.
For 2025, the IPHC adopted a TCEY totaling 29,720,000 lb (13,481 mt) coastwide. This corresponds to a fishing intensity of approximately F51 percent, which is similar to 2024 (F52 percent) and more conservative than the F43 percent reference level of fishing intensity used to establish TCEYs in years prior to 2023. The 2025 TCEY is 5,560,000 lb (2,522 mt), or 15.8 percent, less than the TCEY adopted in 2024.
In making its recommendation, the IPHC considered likely stock status and uncertainties, as well as the significant social and economic impacts of catch limits among areas. The IPHC noted in 2023 that a recent change in the treatment of the natural mortality rate, from the previously assumed value of 0.15 to an estimated value of to 0.21 in the short regional model, and its effect on the full ensemble, resulted in more optimistic projections due to the increase in the estimated productivity of the stock. The IPHC noted that, despite the positive outlook for the long-term status of the stock, the near term fishery will rely heavily on a single year class (2012), and also noted that the FISS and commercial fishery catch rates have been very low for three consecutive years and are currently at the lowest rates observed in over 30 years.
At a coastwide TCEY of 29,720,000 lb (13,481 mt), the IPHC considered the probability that the spawning biomass will decrease from 2026 to 2028 relative to 2025. Specifically, the IPHC estimated a 26 percent probability of stock decline through 2026, and a 30 percent probability of stock decline through 2027. The IPHC noted that if the recent reference level of fishing intensity was adopted, the probability of a spawning biomass decline was 57 percent by 2026 and 58 percent by 2027. The factors that the IPHC considered in making their TCEY recommendations are described in the 2025 Annual Meeting Report (IPHC-2025-AM101-R; available at
), and the key recommendations are briefly summarized here.
This final rule does not establish the combined commercial and recreational catch limit for Area 2B (British Columbia), which is subject to rulemaking by Canada and British Columbia. However, the IPHC’s recommendation for the Area 2B catch limit is directly related to the current and future U.S. catch limits established by this final rule and is therefore discussed herein. The IPHC recommended a 2025 TCEY of 5,450,000 (2,472 mt) for Area 2B, which equates to 18.3 percent of the total coastwide TCEY and is a 15.8 percent reduction from 2024. The IPHC made this recommendation after considering recent harvests in Area 2B, the equal 15.8 percent reduction recommended for the total U.S. areas, and similar factors associated with the stock conditions, commercial fishery and FISS performance, and stock assessment results described above in the 2025 Annual Meeting Report (IPHC-2025-AM101-R; available at
).
The IPHC adopted an allocation for Area 2A that would provide a TCEY of 1,650,000 lb (748 mt). Although the 2025 TCEY in Area 2A remained the same as 2024, the combined commercial, Tribal, and recreational
For Area 2A, the IPHC noted that a status quo TCEY does not pose a conservation concern for 2025. Additionally, the U.S. Government recognizes its trust responsibility to the 13 treaty tribes in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A that depend upon Pacific halibut. As such, the U.S. Commissioners have consistently supported a TCEY of 1,650,000 lb for Regulatory Area 2A since 2019. This allocation reflects the needs of West Coast Pacific halibut users, with minimal impact on the larger Pacific halibut biomass that is distributed to the north, and it remains a small fraction of the IPHC Biological Region 2 allocation. Stock assessment scientists at the IPHC have affirmed that under the current status of the Pacific halibut stock, a higher TCEY for Regulatory Area 2A than what may be indicated by the modeled stock distribution will not create a conservation concern.
After the allocations for Areas 2A and 2B are accounted for, the IPHC apportioned the remaining TCEY to the Alaska regulatory areas (Areas 2C through Area 4) after considering the distribution of harvestable biomass of halibut based on the FISS, as well as 2024 harvest rates, the recommendations from the IPHC’s advisory bodies, public input, and social and economic factors. All Alaska areas decreased in TCEY relative to 2024 (see table 1). The largest decreases were in Areas 3A (−20.1 percent) and 3B (−17.1 percent), while Areas 2C, 4A, 4B, and 4CDE received decreases ranging from −9.8 to −16.8 percent, relative to 2024. The IPHC determined that the 2025 catch limit recommendations are consistent with its conservation objectives for the halibut stock and its management objectives for the halibut fisheries.
The IPHC also considered the catch sharing plan for Area 4CDE developed by the NPFMC in its TCEY recommendation. The Area 4CDE catch limit is determined by subtracting estimates of the Area 4CDE subsistence harvests, commercial discard mortality, and non-directed discard mortality of halibut over 26 inches (66.0 cm) from the area TCEY. When the resulting Area 4CDE catch limit is greater than 1,657,600 lb (752 mt), a direct allocation of 80,000 lb (36 mt) is made to Area 4E to provide CDQ fishermen in that area with additional harvesting opportunity. After this 80,000 lb (36.29 mt) allocation is deducted from the catch limit, the remainder is divided among Areas 4C, 4D, and 4E according to the percentages specified in the catch sharing plan. Those percentages are 46.43 percent each to 4C and 4D and 7.14 percent to 4E. For 2025, after the adjustments for non-directed halibut discards were made, the IPHC recommended a catch limit for Area 4CDE of 1,610,000 lb (730 mt).
2024 total
2025 total
Change from
The IPHC considers advice from the IPHC’s two advisory bodies (the Conference Board and the Processor Advisory Board), as well as direct testimony from the public, when selecting opening and closing dates and times for the commercial halibut fishery. The 2025 commercial halibut fishery opening date for all IPHC regulatory areas is March 20, 2025. The closing date for the commercial halibut fisheries in all IPHC regulatory areas is December 7, 2025. The March 20 commercial season opening date is 5 days later than the March 15 opening in 2024, while the closing date of December 7 is consistent with the closing dates from 2021 through 2024, representing an extension of time beyond the mid-November closing common in the years prior to 2021. The extended season maintains harvesting and market flexibility that stakeholders have identified as important during the current period of uncertainty. The season dates allow for the anticipated time required to fully harvest the commercial halibut catch limits as well as adequate time for IPHC staff to review the complete record of 2025 commercial catch data for use in the stock assessment process. The IPHC also considered the time required for the administrative tasks that are linked to halibut regulations developed independently by the domestic partners when establishing these season dates.
The IPHC retained the time of day for opening the 2025 fishery at 06:00 local time, which is the same as the 2024 fishery. Opening the fishery at 06:00 was in response to recommendations from the IPHC’s 2 advisory bodies, which noted that allowing a full day of fishing on March 20 facilitates access to markets and improves fishing efficiency and opportunity.
The NMFS West Coast Region published a proposed rule (89 FR 104959, December 26, 2024), with public comments accepted for 30 days, to approve changes to the Pacific halibut catch sharing plan for Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California and implement annual management measures for the Area 2A recreational fishery, as recommended by the PFMC in the catch sharing plan. These annual management measures include recreational fishery subarea allocations and management measures that are not implemented through the IPHC. NMFS will address any comments received in a final rule.
NMFS West Coast Region will separately publish a proposed rule for annual management measures for the Area 2A non-Tribal directed commercial fishery. Management measures will include vessel catch limits, as well as
Once published, the proposed and final rules for Area 2A will be available on the NMFS West Coast Region’s website at
and also at
In 2014, NMFS implemented a catch sharing plan for Area 2C and Area 3A. The catch sharing plan defines an annual process for allocating halibut between the charter and commercial fisheries in Area 2C and Area 3A and establishes allocations for each fishery. Under the catch sharing plan, the IPHC adopted combined catch limits (CCL) for the commercial and charter halibut fisheries in Area 2C and Area 3A. Each CCL includes estimates of discard mortality for each fishery. The catch sharing plan was implemented to achieve the halibut fishery management goals of the NPFMC. More information is provided in the final rule implementing the catch sharing plan (78 FR 75844, December 12, 2013). Implementing regulations for the catch sharing plan are at 50 CFR 300.65. The Area 2C and Area 3A catch sharing plan allocations are located in tables 1 through 4 of subpart E of 50 CFR part 300. To allow additional flexibility for individual commercial and charter fishery participants, the catch sharing plan also authorizes annual transfers of commercial halibut IFQ as GAF to charter halibut permit holders for harvest in the charter fishery. Pacific halibut that are retained by charter vessel anglers as GAF are not subject to the annual charter halibut management measures specified in the 2025 IPHC Fishery Regulations. Under the catch sharing plan regulations, charter vessel anglers may use GAF to harvest up to two halibut of any size per day. Complete GAF regulations for the catch sharing plan are at 50 CFR 300.65.
At its January 2025 meeting, the IPHC adopted a CCL of 3,910,000 lb (1,774 mt) for Area 2C. Following the catch sharing plan allocations in tables 1 and 3 of subpart E of 50 CFR part 300, the charter fishery is allocated 720,000 (327 mt) of the CCL, and the remainder of the CCL, 3,190,000 lb (1,447 mt), is allocated to the commercial fishery. Discard mortality in the amount of 120,000 lb (54 mt) was deducted from the commercial allocation to obtain the commercial catch limit of 3,070,000 lb (1,393 mt). The commercial allocation (including discard mortality) decreased by 420,000 lb (191 mt), or 11.6 percent, from the 2024 allocation of 3,610,000 lb (1,637 mt). The 2025 Area 2C charter allocation of 720,000 lb (327 mt) is 90,000 lb (41 mt), or 11.1 percent less than the 2024 charter allocation of 810,000 lb (367 mt).
The IPHC adopted a CCL of 7,820,000 lb (3,547 mt) for Area 3A. Following the catch sharing plan allocations in tables 2 and 4 of subpart E of 50 CFR part 300, the charter fishery is allocated 1,480,000 lb (671 mt) of the CCL and the remainder of the CCL, 6,340,000 lb (2,876 mt), is allocated to the commercial fishery. Discard mortality in the amount of 450,000 lb (204 mt) was deducted from the commercial allocation to obtain the commercial catch limit of 5,890,000 lb (2,672 mt). The commercial allocation (including discard mortality) decreased by 1,760,000 lb (798 mt), or 21.7 percent, from the 2024 allocation of 8,100,000 lb (3,674 mt). The 2025 Area 3A charter allocation dropped 410,000 lb (186 mt), or 21.7 percent, from 2024.
Guided sport (charter) halibut anglers are managed under different regulations than unguided recreational halibut anglers in Areas 2C and 3A in Alaska. According to Federal regulations at 50 CFR 300.61, a charter vessel angler means a person, paying or non-paying, receiving sport fishing guide services for halibut. Sport fishing guide services means assistance, for compensation or with the intent to receive compensation, to a person who is sport fishing, to take or attempt to take halibut by accompanying or physically directing the sport fisherman in sport fishing activities during any part of a charter vessel fishing trip. A charter vessel fishing trip is the time period between the first deployment of fishing gear into the water from a charter vessel by a charter vessel angler and the offloading of one or more charter vessel anglers or any halibut from that vessel. The charter halibut management measures included in the 2025 IPHC Fishery Regulations described below apply only to charter vessel anglers receiving sport fishing guide services during a charter vessel fishing trip for halibut in Area 2C or Area 3A. These regulations do not apply to unguided recreational anglers in any regulatory area in Alaska, nor to charter vessel anglers in areas other than Areas 2C and 3A.
By way of background, to provide recommendations for annual management measures intended to limit charter harvest to the charter catch allocation, the NPFMC formed the Charter Halibut Management Committee (Committee) as a stakeholder advisory body. The Committee is composed of representatives from the charter fishing industry in Areas 2C and 3A who provide input on the preferred range of charter management measures each year. In October 2024, the Committee began their annual process by requesting analysis of management measures that would result in charter halibut removals within the range of expected allocations for each area. In addition, this annual analysis, which is prepared by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), includes information about charter harvests in the prior year. The Analysis of Management Options for the Area 2C and 3A Charter Halibut Fisheries for 2025 (charter halibut analysis) is available at
After reviewing the charter halibut analysis, the Committee made conservative recommendations for preferred management measures to the NPFMC for 2025. These recommendations were intended to provide equitable harvest opportunity across charter business arrangements and maintain total charter harvests within the 2025 allocations for both Areas 2C and 3A. The NPFMC considered the charter halibut analysis, the recommendations of the Committee, and public testimony to develop its recommendation to the IPHC. The NPFMC has used this process to select and recommend annual charter halibut management measures to the IPHC since 2012.
The IPHC recognizes the role of the NPFMC to develop policy and regulations that allocate the Pacific halibut resource among fishermen in and off Alaska and that NMFS has developed numerous regulations to support the NPFMC’s goals of limiting the charter halibut harvest to the charter catch allocation. The IPHC’s adopted recommendations are consistent with the recommendations of the NPFMC and the Committee. The IPHC determined that limiting charter harvests by implementing the management measures discussed below would meet conservation and allocation objectives.
For 2025 in Area 2C, the IPHC adopted the continuation of a 1-fish daily bag limit that has been in effect
The size limit prohibits from taking or possessing any halibut, with head on that is greater than 37 inches (94.0 cm) and less than 80 inches (203.2 cm). All charter halibut size limits referenced in this document are measured in a straight line from the tip of the lower jaw with mouth closed, passing over the pectoral fin, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail. The day of the week closures prohibit the retention of Pacific halibut by charter vessel anglers on Tuesdays from May 13 to September 9, 2025. The charter vessel and charter halibut permit trip limits are discussed further below.
These management measures are more restrictive than the measures implemented in 2024. To develop these measures, the Committee, the NPFMC, and IPHC considered the ADFG analysis that evaluated the performance of prior years’ measures, as well as projections of charter halibut fishing effort for 2025. With the above management measures in place, the projected charter harvest is expected to meet the 720,000 lb (327 mt) charter halibut allocation for Area 2C.
For 2025, the IPHC adopted the following management measures for Area 3A: (1) a two-fish daily bag limit that allows 1 fish of any size and a 27 inch (68.6 cm) maximum size limit for the other halibut; (2) a prohibition on halibut retention by charter vessel anglers on all Tuesdays and Wednesdays; and (3) a 1-trip per day limit for charter halibut permits and charter vessels for the entire season. Regarding the day closures, such closures in Area 3A have proven effective in decreasing the charter halibut harvest to help stay within the allocation. The charter vessel and charter halibut permit trip limits are discussed further below.
The Area 3A management measures for 2025 are more conservative than those imposed in 2024 and primarily reflect a 21.7 percent decrease in charter allocation from 2024 to 2025. The NPFMC and IPHC also considered information on charter removals in 2024 and for previous years, as well as the projections of charter harvest in 2025 to determine the management measures in Area 3A. The projected charter harvest for 2025 under the combination of recommended measures is 1,880,000 lb (852.8 mt), which is 10,000 lb (4.5 mt) and 0.5 percent below the charter allocation.
As noted above, in both Area 2C and Area 3A, charter halibut permits and charter vessels in 2025 are authorized for use to catch and retain halibut on one charter halibut fishing trip per day. These regulations have been in place each year since 2016 in Area 3A, and have proven effective in controlling halibut harvests. In 2025, these regulations will apply to both Areas 2C and 3A.
The 2025 IPHC Fishery Regulations contain a definition of charter vessel fishing trip that differs from the definition of that term at 50 CFR 300.61. Namely, for purposes of the trip limits in Areas 2C and 3A in 2025, a charter vessel fishing trip begins the first time Pacific halibut are caught and retained. If no halibut are retained during a charter vessel fishing trip, the charter halibut permit and charter vessel may be used to take an additional trip to catch and retain halibut that day. A charter vessel fishing trip will end at the end of the calendar day, when any angler is offloaded, or when any halibut is offloaded, whichever comes first. A charter halibut permit or charter vessel may conduct overnight trips since charter vessel anglers may retain a bag limit of halibut on two calendar days. But a charter halibut permit or charter vessel cannot be used to begin another overnight trip until the day after the previous charter vessel fishing trip ends.
Also, GAF are exempt from the management measures for charter vessel fishing, including trip limits. Therefore, a charter halibut permit and a charter vessel may be used to harvest GAF on a second charter vessel fishing trip in a day, but only if exclusively GAF are harvested on that trip. Additionally, retention of GAF halibut is allowed on charter vessels on days that are otherwise closed to halibut retention; as noted above, in 2025 these closed days include all Tuesdays from May 13 to September 9 in Area 2C and all Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Area 3A.
The following annual management measures for the 2025 Pacific halibut fishery are those recommended by the IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce.
These Regulations may be cited as the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Fishery Regulations (2025).
(1) These Regulations apply to persons and vessels fishing for Pacific halibut in, or possessing Pacific halibut taken from, the maritime area as defined in Section 3.
(2) Sections 3 to 8 and 29 apply generally to all Pacific halibut fishing.
(3) Sections 9 to 22 apply to commercial fishing for Pacific halibut.
(4) Section 23 applies to Indigenous fisheries in British Columbia.
(5) Section 24 applies to customary and traditional fishing in Alaska.
(6) Sections 25 to 28 apply to recreational (also called sport) fishing for Pacific halibut.
(7) These Regulations do not apply to fishing operations authorized or conducted by the Commission for research purposes.
(1) In these Regulations,
(a) “authorized officer” means any State, Federal, or Provincial officer authorized to enforce these Regulations including, but not limited to, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Oregon State Police (OSP), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW);
(b) “authorized clearance personnel” means an authorized officer of the United States of America, an authorized representative of the Commission, or a designated fish processor;
(c) “authorized representative of the Commission” means any IPHC employee or contractor authorized to perform any task described in these Regulations.
(d) “charter vessel” outside of Alaska waters means a vessel used for hire in recreational (sport) fishing for Pacific halibut, but not including a vessel without a hired operator, and in Alaska waters means a vessel used while providing or receiving recreational (sport) fishing guide services for Pacific halibut;
(e) “commercial fishing” means fishing, the resulting catch of which is sold or bartered; or is intended to be sold or bartered, other than i)
(f) “Commission” or “IPHC” means the International Pacific Halibut Commission;
(g) “daily bag limit” means the maximum number of Pacific halibut a person may take in any calendar day from Convention waters;
(h) “fishing” means the taking, harvesting, or catching of fish, or any activity that can reasonably be expected to result in the taking, harvesting, or catching of fish, including specifically the deployment of any amount or component part of gear anywhere in the maritime area;
(i) “fishing period limit” means the maximum amount of Pacific halibut that may be retained and landed by a vessel during one fishing period;
(j) “land” or “offload” with respect to Pacific halibut, means the removal of Pacific halibut from the catching vessel;
(k) “permit” means a Pacific halibut fishing license issued by NOAA Fisheries;
(l) “maritime area,” in respect of the fisheries jurisdiction of a Contracting Party, includes without distinction areas within and seaward of the territorial sea and internal waters of that Party;
(m) “net weight” of a Pacific halibut means the weight of Pacific halibut that is without gills and entrails, head-off, washed, and without ice and slime. If a Pacific halibut is weighed with the head on or with ice and slime, the required conversion factors for calculating net weight are a 2 percent deduction for ice and slime and a 10 percent deduction for the head;
(n) “operator,” with respect to any vessel, means the owner and/or the master or other individual on board and in charge of that vessel;
(o) “overall length” of a vessel means the horizontal distance, rounded to the nearest foot, between the foremost part of the stem and the aftermost part of the stern (excluding bowsprits, rudders, outboard motor brackets, and similar fittings or attachments);
(p) “person” includes an individual, corporation, firm, or association;
(q) “regulatory area” means an IPHC Regulatory Area referred to in Section 4;
(r) “setline gear” means one or more stationary, buoyed, and anchored lines with hooks attached;
(s) “sport fishing” or “recreational fishing” means all fishing other than i) commercial fishing; ii) treaty Indian ceremonial and subsistence fishing as referred to in Section 23; iii) Indigenous groups fishing in British Columbia as referred to in Section 24; and iv) customary and traditional fishing as referred to in Section 25 and defined in and regulated pursuant to NOAA Fisheries regulations published in 50 CFR part 300;
(t) “tender” means any vessel that buys or obtains fish directly from a catching vessel and transports it to a port of landing or fish processor;
(u) “total constant exploitation yield (TCEY)” means the mortality comprised of Pacific halibut from directed fisheries and that from non-directed fisheries greater than 26 inches (66 cm) in length;
(v) “VMS transmitter” means a NOAA Fisheries-approved vessel monitoring system transmitter that automatically determines a vessel’s position and transmits it to a NOAA Fisheries-approved communications service provider.
Call NOAA Enforcement Division, Alaska Region, at 907-586-7225 between the hours of 0800 and 1600 local time for a list of NOAA Fisheries-approved VMS transmitters and communications service providers.
(2) In these Regulations, all bearings are true and all positions are determined by the most recent charts issued by the United States National Ocean Service or the Canadian Hydrographic Service.
The following areas within the IPHC Convention waters shall be defined as IPHC Regulatory Areas for the purposes of the Convention (see
):
(1) IPHC Regulatory Area 2A includes all waters off the states of California, Oregon, and Washington;
(2) IPHC Regulatory Area 2B includes all waters off British Columbia;
(3) IPHC Regulatory Area 2C includes all waters off Alaska that are east of a line running 340° true from Cape Spencer Light (58°11′56″ N latitude, 136°38′26″ W longitude) and south and east of a line running 205° true from said light;
(4) IPHC Regulatory Area 3A includes all waters between Area 2C and a line extending from the most northerly point on Cape Aklek (57°41′15″ N latitude, 155°35′00″ W longitude) to Cape Ikolik (57°17′17″ N latitude, 154°47′18″ W longitude), then along the Kodiak Island coastline to Cape Trinity (56°44′50″ N latitude, 154°08′44″ W longitude), then 140° true;
(5) IPHC Regulatory Area 3B includes all waters between Area 3A and a line extending 150° true from Cape Lutke (54°29′00″ N latitude, 164°20′00″ W longitude) and south of 54°49′00″ N latitude in Isanotski Strait;
(6) IPHC Regulatory Area 4A includes all waters in the Gulf of Alaska west of Area 3B and in the Bering Sea west of the closed area defined in Section 10 that are east of 172°00′00″ W longitude and south of 56°20′00″ N latitude;
(7) IPHC Regulatory Area 4B includes all waters in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska west of IPHC Regulatory Area 4A and south of 56°20′00″ N latitude;
(8) IPHC Regulatory Area 4C includes all waters in the Bering Sea north of IPHC Regulatory Area 4A and north of the closed area defined in Section 10 which are east of 171°00′00″ W longitude, south of 58°00′00″ N latitude, and west of 168°00′00″ W longitude;
(9) IPHC Regulatory Area 4D includes all waters in the Bering Sea north of IPHC Regulatory Areas 4A and 4B, north and west of IPHC Regulatory Area 4C, and west of 168°00′00″ W longitude; and
(10) IPHC Regulatory Area 4E includes all waters in the Bering Sea north and east of the closed area defined in Section 10, east of 168°00′00″ W longitude, and south of 65°34′00″ N latitude.
(1) The Commission has adopted the following distributed mortality (TCEY) limits:
Distributed mortality limits
Tonnes
Million pounds
(2) The fishery limits resulting from the IPHC-adopted distributed mortality (TCEY) limits and the existing Contracting Party catch sharing arrangements are as follows, recognizing that each Contracting Party may implement more restrictive limits: **
Fishery limits
Tonnes
Million pounds
* Allocations resulting from the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A Catch Share Plan are listed in
** In IPHC Regulatory Area 2A, the USA (NOAA Fisheries) may take in-season action to reallocate the recreational fishery limits between Washington, Oregon, and California, after determining that such action will not result in exceeding the overall IPHC Regulatory Area 2A recreational fishery limit, and that such action is consistent with any domestic catch sharing plan. Any such reallocation will be announced by the USA (NOAA Fisheries) and published in the
.
(1) The Commission is authorized to establish or modify regulations during the season after determining that such action:
(a) will not result in exceeding the fishery limit established preseason for each IPHC Regulatory Area;
(b) is consistent with the Convention between Canada and the United States of America for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, and applicable domestic law of either Canada or the United States of America; and
(c) is consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with any domestic catch sharing plans or other domestic allocation programs developed by the governments of Canada or the United States of America.
(2) In-season actions may include, but are not limited to, establishment or modification of the following:
(a) closed areas;
(b) fishing periods;
(c) fishing period limits;
(d) gear restrictions;
(e) recreational (sport) bag limits;
(f) size limits; or
(g) vessel clearances.
(3) In-season changes will be effective at the time and date specified by the Commission.
(4) The Commission will announce in-season actions under this Section by providing notice to major Pacific halibut processors; Federal, State, United States
(5) Notwithstanding paragraphs (3) and (4) of this Section, in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A the USA (NOAA Fisheries) may take in-season action to reallocate the recreational fishery limits between Washington, Oregon, and California after determining that such action will not result in exceeding the overall IPHC Regulatory Area 2A recreational fishery limit and that such action is consistent with any domestic catch sharing plan. Any such reallocation will be announced by the USA (NOAA Fisheries) and published in the
.
(1) All Pacific halibut that are caught and are not retained shall be immediately released outboard of the roller and returned to the sea with a minimum of injury by:
(a) hook straightening;
(b) cutting the gangion near the hook; or
(c) carefully removing the hook by twisting it from the Pacific halibut with a gaff.
(2) Except that paragraph (1) shall not prohibit the possession of Pacific halibut on board a vessel that has been brought aboard to be measured to determine if the applicable size limit of the Pacific halibut is met and, if not legal-sized, is promptly returned to the sea with a minimum of injury.
(1) Nothing contained in these Regulations prohibits any vessel at any time from retaining and landing a Pacific halibut that bears a Commission external tag at the time of capture, if the Pacific halibut with the tag still attached is reported at the time of landing and made available for examination by an authorized representative of the Commission or by an authorized officer.
(2) After examination and removal of the tag by an authorized representative of the Commission or an authorized officer, the Pacific halibut:
(a) may be retained for personal use; or
(b) may be sold only if the Pacific halibut is caught during commercial Pacific halibut fishing and complies with the other commercial fishing provisions of these Regulations.
(3) Any Pacific halibut that bears a Commission external tag will not count against commercial fishing period limits, Individual Vessel Quota (IVQ), Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ), Community Development Quota (CDQ), or Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), and are not subject to size limits in these regulations, but should still be recorded in the landing record.
(4) Any Pacific halibut that bears a Commission external tag will not count against recreational (sport) daily bag limits or possession limits, may be retained outside of recreational (sport) fishing seasons, and are not subject to size limits in these regulations.
(5) Any Pacific halibut that bears a Commission external tag will not count against daily bag limits, possession limits, or fishery limits in the fisheries described in Section 22(1)(c), Section 23, or Section 24.
(1) The fishing periods for each IPHC Regulatory Area apply where the fishery limits specified in Section 5 have not been taken.
(2) Unless the Commission specifies otherwise, commercial fishing for Pacific halibut in all IPHC Regulatory Areas may begin no earlier in the year than 06:00 local time on 20 March.
(3) All commercial fishing for Pacific halibut in all IPHC Regulatory Areas shall cease for the year at 23:59 local time on 7 December.
(4) Regulations pertaining to the non-tribal directed commercial fishing
periods in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A will be promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
. This fishery will occur between the dates and times listed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Section.
The non-tribal directed commercial fishery is restricted to waters that are south of Point Chehalis, Washington, (46°53.30′ N latitude) under regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
.
(5) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of this Section, an incidental catch fishery
is authorized during the sablefish seasons in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A in accordance with regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries. This fishery will occur between the dates and times listed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Section.
The incidental fishery during the directed, fixed gear sablefish season is restricted to waters that are north of Point Chehalis, Washington, (46°53.30′ N latitude) under regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries at 50 CFR 300.63. Landing restrictions for Pacific halibut retention in the fixed gear sablefish fishery can be found at 50 CFR 660.231.
(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of this Section, an incidental catch fishery is authorized during salmon troll seasons in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A in accordance with regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries. This fishery will occur between the dates and times listed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Section.
All waters in the Bering Sea north of 55°00′00″ N latitude in Isanotski Strait that are enclosed by a line from Cape Sarichef Light (54°36′00″ N latitude, 164°55′42″ W longitude) to a point at 56°20′00″ N latitude, 168°30′00″ W longitude; thence to a point at 58°21′25″ N latitude, 163°00′00″ W longitude; thence to Strogonof Point (56°53′18″ N latitude, 158°50′37″ W longitude); and then along the northern coasts of the Alaska Peninsula and Unimak Island to the point of origin at Cape Sarichef Light are closed to Pacific halibut fishing and no person shall fish for Pacific halibut therein or have Pacific halibut in his/her possession while in those waters except in the course of a continuous transit across those waters. All waters in Isanotski Strait between 55°00′00″ N latitude and 54°49′00″ N latitude are closed to Pacific halibut fishing.
(1) No person shall engage in fishing for Pacific halibut in any IPHC Regulatory Area other than during the fishing periods set out in Section 9 in respect of that area.
(2) No person shall land or otherwise retain Pacific halibut caught outside a fishing period applicable to the IPHC Regulatory Area where the Pacific halibut was taken.
(3) Subject to paragraphs (7), (8), (9), and (10) of Section 17, these Regulations do not prohibit fishing for any species of fish other than Pacific halibut during the closed periods.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), no person shall have Pacific halibut in his/her possession while fishing for any other species of fish during the closed periods.
(5) No vessel shall retrieve any Pacific halibut fishing gear during a closed period if the vessel has any Pacific halibut on board.
(6) A vessel that has no Pacific halibut on board may retrieve any Pacific halibut fishing gear during the closed period after the operator notifies an authorized officer or an authorized representative of the Commission prior to that retrieval.
(7) After retrieval of Pacific halibut gear in accordance with paragraph (6), the vessel shall submit to a hold inspection at the discretion of the authorized officer or an authorized representative of the Commission.
(8) No person shall retain any Pacific halibut caught on gear retrieved in accordance with paragraph (6).
(9) No person shall possess Pacific halibut on board a vessel in an IPHC
(1) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, regulations pertaining to the division of the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A fishery limit between the non-tribal directed commercial fishery and the incidental catch fishery as described in paragraphs (5) and (6) of Section 9 will be promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
.
(2) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, the IPHC Regulatory Area 2A non-tribal directed commercial fishery will close when NOAA Fisheries determines and announces in the
that the fishery limit has been or is projected to be reached, or on the date when fishing must cease as specified in Section 9, whichever is earlier.
(3) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, the commercial fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 2B will close only when all Individual Vessel Quota (IVQ) and Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) assigned by DFO are taken, or on the date when fishing must cease as specified in Section 9, whichever is earlier.
(4) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E will each close only when all Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and all Community Development Quota (CDQ) issued by NOAA Fisheries have been taken, or on the date when fishing must cease as specified in Section 9, whichever is earlier.
(5) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, the total allowable catch of Pacific halibut that may be taken in the IPHC Regulatory Area 4E directed commercial fishery is equal to the combined annual fishery limits specified for the IPHC Regulatory Areas 4D and 4E CDQ fisheries and any IPHC Regulatory Area 4D IFQ received by transfer by a CDQ organization. The annual IPHC Regulatory Area 4D fishery limit will decrease by the equivalent amount of CDQ and IFQ received by transfer by a CDQ organization taken in IPHC Regulatory Area 4E in excess of the annual IPHC Regulatory Area 4E fishery limit.
(6) Notwithstanding the fishery limits described in Section 5, the total allowable catch of Pacific halibut that may be taken in the IPHC Regulatory Area 4D directed commercial fishery is equal to the combined annual fishery limits specified for IPHC Regulatory Areas 4C and 4D. The annual IPHC Regulatory Area 4C fishery limit will decrease by the equivalent amount of Pacific halibut taken in IPHC Regulatory Area 4D in excess of the annual IPHC Regulatory Area 4D fishery limit.
(1) No person shall fish for Pacific halibut from a vessel, nor land or retain Pacific halibut on board a vessel, used for commercial fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A, unless issued a permit valid for fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A by NOAA Fisheries according to 50 CFR 300 Subpart E.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any vessel to retain more Pacific halibut than authorized by that vessel’s permit in any fishing period for which a fishing period limit is announced by NOAA Fisheries in the
.
(3) The operator of any vessel that fishes for Pacific halibut during a fishing period when fishing period limits are in effect must, upon commencing an offload of Pacific halibut to a commercial fish processor, completely offload all Pacific halibut on board said vessel to that processor and ensure that all Pacific halibut is weighed and reported on State fish tickets.
(4) The operator of any vessel that fishes for Pacific halibut during a fishing period when fishing period limits are in effect must, upon commencing an offload of Pacific halibut other than to a commercial fish processor, completely offload all Pacific halibut on board said vessel and ensure that all Pacific halibut are weighed and reported on State fish tickets.
(5) The provisions of paragraph (4) are not intended to prevent retail over-the-side sales to individual purchasers so long as all the Pacific halibut on board is ultimately offloaded and reported.
(6) Fishing period limits in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A will be promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
and apply only to the non-tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery referred to in paragraph (4) of Section 9.
(1) Section 14 applies only to any person fishing for, or any vessel that is used to fish for, IPHC Regulatory Area 4E Community Development Quota (CDQ) Pacific halibut, IPHC Regulatory Area 4D CDQ Pacific halibut, or IPHC Regulatory Area 4D Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) received by transfer by a CDQ organization provided that the total annual Pacific halibut catch of that person or vessel is landed at a port within IPHC Regulatory Areas 4E or 4D.
(2) A person may retain Pacific halibut taken with setline gear that are smaller than the size limit specified in Section 18, provided that no person may sell or barter such Pacific halibut.
(3) The manager of a CDQ organization that authorizes persons to harvest Pacific halibut in the IPHC Regulatory Area 4E or 4D CDQ fisheries or IFQ received by transfer by a CDQ organization must report to the Commission the total number and weight of undersized Pacific halibut taken and retained by such persons pursuant to paragraph (2) of this Section. This report, which shall include data and methodology used to collect the data, must be received by the Commission prior to 1 November of the year in which such Pacific halibut were harvested.
(1) The operator of any vessel that fishes for Pacific halibut in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, or 4D must obtain a vessel clearance before fishing in any of these areas, and before the landing of any Pacific halibut caught in any of these areas, unless specifically exempted in paragraphs (10), (13), (14), (15), or (16).
(2) An operator obtaining a vessel clearance required by paragraph (1) must obtain the clearance in person from the authorized clearance personnel and sign the IPHC form documenting that a clearance was obtained, except that when the clearance is obtained via VHF radio referred to in paragraphs (5), (8), and (9), the authorized clearance personnel must sign the IPHC form documenting that the clearance was obtained.
(3) The vessel clearance required under paragraph (1) prior to fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 4A may be obtained only at Nazan Bay on Atka Island, Dutch Harbor, or Akutan, Alaska, from the authorized clearance personnel.
(4) The vessel clearance required under paragraph (1) prior to fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 4B may only be obtained at Nazan Bay on Atka Island or Adak, Alaska, from the authorized clearance personnel.
(5) The vessel clearance required under paragraph (1) prior to fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 4C or 4D may be obtained only at St. Paul or St. George, Alaska, from the authorized clearance personnel by VHF radio and allowing the person contacted to confirm visually the identity of the vessel.
(6) The vessel operator shall specify the specific regulatory area in which fishing will take place.
(7) Before unloading any Pacific halibut caught in IPHC Regulatory Area 4A, a vessel operator may obtain the clearance required under paragraph (1) only in Dutch Harbor or Akutan, Alaska, by contacting the authorized clearance personnel.
(8) Before unloading any Pacific halibut caught in IPHC Regulatory Area 4B, a vessel operator may obtain the clearance required under paragraph (1) only in Nazan Bay on Atka Island or Adak, by contacting the authorized clearance personnel by VHF radio or in person.
(9) Before unloading any Pacific halibut caught in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4C and 4D, a vessel operator may obtain the clearance required under paragraph (1) only in St. Paul, St. George, Dutch Harbor, or Akutan, Alaska, either in person or by contacting the authorized clearance personnel. The clearances obtained in St. Paul or St. George, Alaska, can be obtained by VHF radio and allowing the person contacted to confirm visually the identity of the vessel.
(10) Any vessel operator who complies with the requirements in Section 16 for possessing Pacific halibut on board a vessel that was caught in more than one regulatory area in IPHC Regulatory Area 4 is exempt from the clearance requirements of paragraph (1) of this Section, provided that:
(a) the operator of the vessel obtains a vessel clearance prior to fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 4 in either Dutch Harbor, Akutan, St. Paul, St. George, Adak, or Nazan Bay on Atka Island by contacting the authorized clearance personnel. The clearance obtained in St. Paul, St. George, Adak, or Nazan Bay on Atka Island can be obtained by VHF radio and allowing the person contacted to confirm visually the identity of the vessel. This clearance will list the areas in which the vessel will fish; and
(b) before unloading any Pacific halibut from IPHC Regulatory Area 4, the vessel operator obtains a vessel clearance from Dutch Harbor, Akutan, St. Paul, St. George, Adak, or Nazan Bay on Atka Island by contacting the authorized clearance personnel. The clearance obtained in St. Paul or St. George can be obtained by VHF radio and allowing the person contacted to confirm visually the identity of the vessel. The clearance obtained in Adak or Nazan Bay on Atka Island can be obtained by VHF radio.
(11) Vessel clearances shall be obtained between 0600 and 1800 local time.
(12) No Pacific halibut shall be on board the vessel at the time of the clearances required prior to fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 4.
(13) Any vessel that is used to fish for Pacific halibut only in IPHC Regulatory Area 4A and lands its total annual Pacific halibut catch at a port within IPHC Regulatory Area 4A is exempt from the clearance requirements of paragraph (1).
(14) Any vessel that is used to fish for Pacific halibut only in IPHC Regulatory Area 4B and lands its total annual Pacific halibut catch at a port within IPHC Regulatory Area 4B is exempt from the clearance requirements of paragraph (1).
(15) Any vessel that is used to fish for Pacific halibut only in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4C or 4D or 4E and lands its total annual Pacific halibut catch at a port within IPHC Regulatory Areas 4C, 4D, 4E, or the closed area defined in Section 10, is exempt from the clearance requirements of paragraph (1).
(16) Any vessel that carries a NOAA Fisheries observer, a NOAA Fisheries electronic monitoring system, or a transmitting VMS transmitter while fishing for Pacific halibut in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, or 4D and until all Pacific halibut caught in any of these IPHC Regulatory Areas is landed, is exempt from the clearance requirements of paragraph (1) of this Section, provided that:
(a) the operator of the vessel complies with NOAA Fisheries’ observer or electronic monitoring regulations published at 50 CFR Subpart E, or vessel monitoring system regulations published at 50 CFR 679.28(f)(3), (4) and (5); and
(b) the operator of the vessel notifies NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement at 800-304-4846 (select option 1 to speak to an Enforcement Data Clerk) between the hours of 0600 and 0000 (midnight) local time within 72 hours before fishing for Pacific halibut in IPHC Regulatory Areas 4A, 4B, 4C, or 4D and receives a VMS confirmation number.
(1) Except as provided in this Section, no person shall possess at the same time on board a vessel Pacific halibut caught in more than one IPHC Regulatory Area.
(2) Pacific halibut caught in more than one of the IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, or 4E may be possessed on board a vessel at the same time only if:
(a) authorized by NOAA Fisheries regulations published at 50 CFR 679.7(f)(4); and
(b) the operator of the vessel identifies the regulatory area in which each Pacific halibut on board was caught by separating Pacific halibut from different areas in the hold, tagging Pacific halibut, or by other means.
(1) No person shall fish for Pacific halibut using any gear other than hook and line gear,
(a) except that a person may retain Pacific halibut taken with longline or single trap gear if such retention is authorized by DFO as defined by Pacific Fishery Regulations and Conditions of Licence; or
(b) except that a person may retain Pacific halibut taken with longline or single pot gear if such retention is authorized by NOAA Fisheries regulations published at 50 CFR part 679.
(2) No person shall possess Pacific halibut taken with any gear other than hook and line gear,
(a) except that a person may possess Pacific halibut taken with longline or single trap gear if such retention is authorized by DFO as defined by Pacific Fishery Regulations and Conditions of Licence; or
(b) except that a person may possess Pacific halibut taken with longline or single pot gear if such possession is authorized by NOAA Fisheries regulations published at 50 CFR part 679.
(3) No person shall possess Pacific halibut while on board a vessel carrying any trawl nets.
(4) All gear marker buoys carried on board or used by any United States of America vessel used for Pacific halibut fishing shall be marked with one of the following:
(a) the vessel’s State license number; or
(b) the vessel’s registration number.
(5) The markings specified in paragraph (4) shall be in characters at least four inches in height and one-half inch in width in a contrasting color visible above the water and shall be maintained in legible condition.
(6) All gear marker buoys carried on board or used by a Canadian vessel used for Pacific halibut fishing shall be:
(a) floating and visible on the surface of the water; and
(b) legibly marked with the identification plate number of the vessel engaged in commercial fishing from which that setline is being operated.
(7) No person on board a vessel used to fish for any species of fish anywhere in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A during the 72-hour period immediately before the fishing period for the non-tribal directed
(a) made a landing and completely offloaded its catch of other fish; or
(b) submitted to a hold inspection by an authorized officer.
(8) No vessel used to fish for any species of fish anywhere in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A during the 72-hour period immediately before the fishing period for the non-tribal directed commercial fishery may be used to catch or possess Pacific halibut anywhere in those waters during that Pacific halibut fishing period unless, prior to the start of the Pacific halibut fishing period, the vessel has removed its gear from the water and has either:
(a) made a landing and completely offloaded its catch of other fish; or
(b) submitted to a hold inspection by an authorized officer.
(9) No person on board a vessel used to fish for any species of fish anywhere in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, or 4E during the 72-hour period immediately before the opening of the Pacific halibut fishing season shall catch or possess Pacific halibut anywhere in those areas until the vessel has removed all of its gear from the water and has either:
(a) made a landing and completely offloaded its entire catch of other fish; or
(b) submitted to a hold inspection by an authorized officer.
(10) No vessel used to fish for any species of fish anywhere in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, or 4E during the 72-hour period immediately before the opening of the Pacific halibut fishing season may be used to catch or possess Pacific halibut anywhere in those areas until the vessel has removed all of its gear from the water and has either:
(a) made a landing and completely offloaded its entire catch of other fish; or
(b) submitted to a hold inspection by an authorized officer.
(11) Notwithstanding any other provision in these Regulations, a person may retain, possess and dispose of Pacific halibut taken with trawl gear only as authorized by Prohibited Species Donation regulations of NOAA Fisheries.
(1) No person shall take or possess any Pacific halibut that:
(a) with the head on, is less than 32 inches (81.3 cm) as measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw with the mouth closed, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail, as illustrated in
or
(b) with the head removed, is less than 24 inches (61.0 cm) as measured from the base of the pectoral fin at its most anterior point to the extreme end of the middle of the tail, as illustrated in
(2) No person on board a vessel fishing for, or tendering, Pacific halibut in any IPHC Regulatory Area shall possess any Pacific halibut that has had its head removed, except that Pacific halibut frozen at sea with its head removed may be possessed on board a vessel by persons in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E if authorized by Federal regulations.
(3) The size limit in paragraph (1)(b) will not be applied to any Pacific halibut that has had its head removed after the operator has landed the Pacific halibut.
(1) The operator of any U.S. vessel fishing for Pacific halibut that has an overall length of 26 feet (7.9 meters) or greater shall maintain an accurate log of Pacific halibut fishing operations.
(2) The operator of a vessel fishing in waters in and off Alaska must use one of the following logbooks:
(a) IPHC Pacific halibut logbook (or logbook previously provided by IPHC) or IPHC-approved electronic equivalent;
(b) catcher vessel longline and pot gear Daily Fishing Logbook, or catcher/processor longline and pot gear Daily Cumulative Production Logbook, in electronic or paper form, provided or approved by NOAA Fisheries;
(c) hook-and-line logbook provided by Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association; or
(d) Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) longline-pot logbook.
(3) The operator of a vessel fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A must use either:
(a) IPHC Pacific halibut logbook (or logbook previously provided by IPHC) or IPHC-approved electronic equivalent;
(b) Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Fixed Gear Logbook; or
(c) Pacific Coast Groundfish non-trawl logbook provided by NOAA Fisheries.
(4) The logbooks referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) must include the following information:
(a) the name of the vessel and the State (ADFG, WDFW, ODFW, or CDFW) or Tribal ID number;
(b) the date(s) upon which the fishing gear is set or retrieved;
(c) the latitude and longitude coordinates for each set;
(d) the number of skates deployed or retrieved, and number of skates lost; and
(e) the total weight or number of Pacific halibut retained for each set.
(5) The logbooks referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be:
(a) maintained on board the vessel;
(b) updated not later than 24 hours after 0000 (midnight) local time for each day fished and prior to the offloading or sale of Pacific halibut taken during that fishing trip;
(c) retained for a period of two years by the owner or operator of the vessel;
(d) open to inspection by an authorized officer or an authorized representative of the Commission upon demand;
(e) kept on board the vessel when engaged in Pacific halibut fishing, during transits to port of landing, and until the offloading of all Pacific halibut is completed; and
(f) submitted to the Commission within 30 days of the season closing date if not previously collected by an authorized representative of the Commission or otherwise made available to the Commission.
(6) The log referred to in paragraph (1) does not apply to the incidental Pacific halibut fishery during the salmon troll season in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A defined in paragraph (6) of Section 9.
(7) The operator of any Canadian vessel fishing for Pacific halibut shall maintain an accurate record in the British Columbia Integrated Groundfish Fishing Log.
(8) The log referred to in paragraph (7) must include the following information:
(a) the name of the vessel and the DFO vessel registration number;
(b) the date(s) upon which the fishing gear is set and retrieved;
(c) the latitude and longitude coordinates for each set;
(d) the number of skates deployed or retrieved, and number of skates lost; and
(e) the total weight or number of Pacific halibut retained for each set.
(9) The log referred to in paragraph (7) shall be:
(a) maintained on board the vessel;
(b) retained for a period of two years by the owner or operator of the vessel;
(c) open to inspection by an authorized officer or an authorized representative of the Commission upon demand;
(d) kept on board the vessel when engaged in Pacific halibut fishing, during transits to port of landing, and until the offloading of all Pacific halibut is completed;
(e) submitted to the DFO within seven days of offloading; and
(f) submitted to the Commission within seven days of the final offload if not previously collected by an authorized representative of the Commission.
(10) No person shall make a false entry in a log referred to in this Section.
(11) Writing in a log referred to in this Section shall be clear and legible.
(1) No person shall receive Pacific halibut caught in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A from a United States of America vessel that does not have on board the permit required by Section 13(1).
(2) No person shall possess on board a vessel a Pacific halibut other than whole or with gills and entrails removed, except that this paragraph shall not prohibit the possession on board a vessel of:
(a) Pacific halibut cheeks cut from Pacific halibut caught by persons authorized to process the Pacific halibut on board in accordance with NOAA Fisheries regulations published at 50 CFR part 679;
(b) fillets from Pacific halibut offloaded in accordance with this Section that are possessed on board the harvesting vessel in the port of landing up to 1800 local time on the calendar day following the offload;
and
DFO has more restrictive regulations; therefore, Section 20 paragraph (2)(b) does not apply to fish caught in IPHC Regulatory Area 2B or landed in British Columbia.
(c) Pacific halibut with their heads removed in accordance with Section 18.
(3) No person shall offload Pacific halibut from a vessel unless the gills and entrails have been removed prior to offloading.
DFO did not adopt this regulation; therefore, Section 20 paragraph (3) does not apply to fish caught in IPHC Regulatory Area 2B.
(4) It shall be the responsibility of a vessel operator who lands Pacific halibut to continuously and completely offload at a single offload site all Pacific halibut on board the vessel.
(5) A registered buyer (as that term is defined in regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and codified at 50 CFR part 679) who receives Pacific halibut harvested in Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and Community Development Quota (CDQ) fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E, directly from the vessel operator that harvested such Pacific halibut must weigh all the Pacific halibut received and record the following information on Federal catch reports: date of offload; name of vessel; vessel number (State, Tribal or Federal, not IPHC vessel number); scale weight obtained at the time of offloading, including the scale weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut purchased by the registered buyer, the scale weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut offloaded in excess of the IFQ or CDQ, the scale weight of Pacific halibut (in pounds) retained for personal use or for future sale, and the scale weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut discarded as unfit for human consumption. All Pacific halibut harvested in IFQ or CDQ fisheries in Areas IPHC Regulatory 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E, must be weighed with the head on and the head-on weight must be recorded on Federal catch reports as specified in this paragraph, unless the Pacific halibut is frozen at sea and exempt from the head-on landing requirement at Section 18(2).
(6) The first recipient, commercial fish processor, or buyer in the United States of America who purchases or receives Pacific halibut directly from the vessel operator that harvested such Pacific halibut must weigh and record all Pacific halibut received and record the following information on State fish tickets: the date of offload; vessel number (State or Federal, not IPHC vessel number) or Tribal ID number; total weight obtained at the time of offload including the weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut purchased; the weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut offloaded in excess of the IFQ, CDQ, or fishing period limits; the weight of Pacific halibut (in pounds) retained for personal use or for future sale; and the weight (in pounds) of Pacific halibut discarded as unfit for human consumption. All Pacific halibut harvested in fisheries in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2A, 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E must be weighed with the head on and the head-on weight must be recorded on State fish tickets as specified in this paragraph, unless the Pacific halibut is frozen at sea and exempt from the head-on landing requirement at Section 18(2).
(7) For Pacific halibut landings made in Alaska, the requirements as listed in paragraphs (5) and (6) can be met by recording the information in the Interagency Electronic Reporting Systems, eLandings, in accordance with NOAA Fisheries regulation published at 50 CFR part 679.
(8) The master or operator of a Canadian vessel that was engaged in Pacific halibut fishing must weigh and record all Pacific halibut on board said vessel at the time offloading commences and record on Provincial fish tickets or Federal catch reports: the date; locality; name of vessel; the name(s) of the person(s) from whom the Pacific halibut was purchased; and the scale weight obtained at the time of offloading of all Pacific halibut on board the vessel including the pounds purchased, pounds in excess of Individual Vessel Quota (IVQ) or Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ), pounds retained for personal use, and pounds discarded as unfit for human consumption. All Pacific halibut must be weighed with the head on and the head-on weight must be recorded on the Provincial fish tickets or Federal catch reports as specified in this paragraph, unless the Pacific halibut is frozen at sea and exempt from the head-on landing requirement at Section 18(2).
(9) No person shall make a false entry on a State or Provincial fish ticket or a Federal catch or landing report referred to in paragraphs (5), (6), and (8) of this Section.
(10) A copy of the fish tickets or catch reports referred to in paragraphs (5), (6), and (8) shall be:
(a) retained by the person making them for a period of three years from the date the fish tickets or catch reports are made; and
(b) open to inspection by an authorized officer or an authorized representative of the Commission.
(11) No person shall possess any Pacific halibut taken or retained in contravention of these Regulations.
(12) When Pacific halibut are landed to other than a commercial fish processor, the records required by paragraph (6) shall be maintained by the operator of the vessel from which that Pacific halibut was caught, in compliance with paragraph (10).
(13) No person shall tag Pacific halibut unless the tagging is authorized by IPHC or by a Federal or State agency.
(1) The unloading and weighing of Pacific halibut may be subject to the supervision of authorized officers to assure the fulfillment of the provisions of these Regulations.
(2) The unloading and weighing of Pacific halibut may be subject to sampling by an authorized representative of the Commission.
(1) Pacific halibut fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area Subarea 2A-1 by members of United States treaty Indian tribes located in the State of Washington shall be regulated under regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
:
(a) Subarea 2A-1 includes the usual and accustomed fishing areas for Pacific Coast treaty tribes off the coast of Washington and all inland marine waters of Washington north of Point Chehalis (46°53.30′ N lat.), including Puget Sound. Boundaries of a tribe’s fishing area may be revised as ordered by a United States Federal court;
(b) Section 13(1) does not apply to commercial fishing for Pacific halibut in Subarea 2A-1 by Indian tribes; and
(c) ceremonial and subsistence fishing for Pacific halibut in Subarea 2A-1 is permitted with hook and line gear from 1 January through 31 December.
(2) In IPHC Regulatory Area 2C, the Metlakatla Indian Community has been authorized by the United States Government to conduct a commercial Pacific halibut fishery within the Annette Islands Reserve. Fishing periods for this fishery are announced by the Metlakatla Indian Community and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Landings in this fishery are accounted with the commercial landings for IPHC Regulatory Area 2C.
(3) Section 7 (careful release of Pacific halibut), Section 17 (fishing gear), except paragraphs (7) and (8) of Section 17, Section 18 (size limits), Section 19 (logs), and Section 20 (receipt and possession of Pacific halibut) apply to commercial fishing for Pacific halibut by Indian tribes.
(4) Regulations in paragraph (3) of this Section that apply to State fish tickets apply to Tribal tickets that are authorized by WDFW and ADFG.
(5) Commercial fishing for Pacific halibut is permitted with hook and line gear between the dates specified in Section 9 paragraphs (2) and (3), or until the applicable fishery limit specified in Section 5 is taken, whichever occurs first.
(1) Fishing for Pacific halibut for food, social and ceremonial purposes by Indigenous groups in IPHC Regulatory Area 2B shall be governed by the
of Canada and regulations as amended from time to time.
(1) Customary and traditional fishing for Pacific halibut in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E shall be governed pursuant to regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in 50 CFR part 300.
(2) Customary and traditional fishing is authorized from 1 January through 31 December.
(1) No person shall engage in recreational (sport) fishing for Pacific halibut using gear other than a single line with no more than two hooks attached; or a spear.
(2) Any size limit promulgated under IPHC or domestic regulations shall be measured in a straight line passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw with the mouth closed, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail as depicted in
(3) Any Pacific halibut brought aboard a vessel and not immediately returned to the sea with a minimum of injury will be included in the daily bag limit of the person catching the Pacific halibut.
(4) No person may possess Pacific halibut on a vessel while fishing in a closed area.
(5) No Pacific halibut caught by recreational (sport) fishing shall be offered for sale, sold, traded, or bartered.
(6) No Pacific halibut caught in recreational (sport) fishing shall be possessed on board a vessel when other fish or shellfish aboard said vessel are destined for commercial use, sale, trade, or barter.
(7) The operator of a charter vessel shall be liable for any violations of these Regulations committed by an angler on board said vessel. In Alaska, the charter vessel guide, as defined in 50 CFR 300.61 and referred to in 50 CFR 300.65, 300.66, and 300.67, shall be liable for any violation of these Regulations committed by an angler on board a charter vessel.
(1) The Commission shall determine and announce closing dates to the public for any area in which the fishery limits promulgated by NOAA Fisheries are estimated to have been taken.
(2) When the Commission has determined that a subquota under paragraph (7) of this Section is estimated to have been taken, and has announced a date on which the season will close, no person shall recreational (sport) fish for Pacific halibut in that area after that date for the rest of the year, unless a reopening of that area for recreational (sport) Pacific halibut fishing is scheduled in accordance with the Catch Sharing Plan for IPHC Regulatory Area 2A, or announced by the Commission.
(3) No person shall fish for Pacific halibut from a vessel, nor land or retain Pacific halibut on board a vessel, used as a charter vessel in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A, unless issued a permit valid for fishing in IPHC Regulatory Area 2A by NOAA Fisheries according to 50 CFR 300 Subpart E.
(4) In California, Oregon, or Washington, no person shall fillet, mutilate, or otherwise disfigure a Pacific halibut in any manner that prevents the determination of minimum size or the number of fish caught, possessed, or landed.
(5) The possession limit on a vessel for Pacific halibut in the waters off the coast of Washington is the same as the daily bag limit. The possession limit for Pacific halibut on land in Washington is two daily bag limits.
(6) The possession limit on a vessel for Pacific halibut caught in the waters off the coast of Oregon is the same as the daily bag limit. The possession limit for Pacific halibut on land in Oregon is three daily bag limits.
(7) The possession limit on a vessel for Pacific halibut caught in the waters off the coast of California is one daily bag limit. The possession limit for Pacific halibut on land in California is one daily bag limit.
(8) Specific regulations describing fishing periods, fishery limits, fishing dates, and daily bag limits are promulgated by NOAA Fisheries and published in the
.
(1) In all waters off British Columbia:
DFO could implement more restrictive regulations for the recreational (sport) fishery, therefore anglers are advised to check the current Federal or Provincial regulations prior to fishing.
For regulations on the experimental recreational fishery implemented by DFO check the current Federal or Provincial regulations.
(a) the recreational (sport) fishing season will open on 1 February;
(b) the recreational (sport) fishing season will close when the recreational (sport) fishery limit allocated by DFO is taken, or 31 December, whichever is earlier; and
(c) the daily bag limit is two (2) Pacific halibut of any size per day, per person, and may be increased to a daily bag limit of three (3) Pacific halibut per day, per person on or after 1 August. This provision shall remain in effect through 2025, unless extended by a vote of the Commission.
(2) In British Columbia, no person shall fillet, mutilate, or otherwise disfigure a Pacific halibut in any
(3) The possession limit for Pacific halibut in the waters off the coast of British Columbia is three Pacific halibut.
(1) In Convention waters in and off Alaska:
NOAA Fisheries could implement more restrictive regulations for the recreational (sport) fishery or components of it, therefore, anglers are advised to check the current Federal or State regulations prior to fishing.
Under regulations promulgated by NOAA Fisheries at 50 CFR 300.66(u), it is unlawful for any person to be a charter vessel guide of a charter vessel on which one or more charter vessel anglers are catching and retaining Pacific halibut in both IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A during one charter vessel fishing trip.
(a) the recreational (sport) fishing season is from 1 February to 31 December;
(b) the daily bag limit is two Pacific halibut of any size per day per person unless a more restrictive bag limit applies in Commission regulations or Federal regulations at 50 CFR 300.65;
(c) no person may possess more than two daily bag limits;
(d) no person shall possess on board a vessel, including charter vessels and pleasure craft used for fishing, Pacific halibut that have been filleted, mutilated, or otherwise disfigured in any manner, except that each Pacific halibut may be cut into no more than 2 ventral pieces, 2 dorsal pieces, and 2 cheek pieces, with a patch of skin on each piece, naturally attached. Either one dorsal piece or one ventral piece from one Pacific halibut on board may be consumed;
(e) Pacific halibut in excess of the possession limit in paragraph (1)(c) of this Section may be possessed on a vessel that does not contain recreational (sport) fishing gear, fishing rods, hand lines, or gaffs;
(f) Pacific halibut harvested on a charter vessel fishing trip in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C or 3A must be retained on board the charter vessel on which the Pacific halibut was caught until the end of the charter vessel fishing trip as defined at 50 CFR 300.61;
(g) guided angler fish (GAF), as described at 50 CFR 300.65, may be used to allow a charter vessel angler to harvest additional Pacific halibut up to the limits in place for unguided anglers, and are exempt from the requirements in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Section;
(h) if there is an annual limit on the number of Pacific halibut that may be retained by a charter vessel angler as defined at 50 CFR 300.61, for purposes of enforcing the annual limit, each charter vessel angler must:
(1) maintain a nontransferable harvest record in the angler’s possession if retaining a Pacific halibut for which an annual limit has been established. Such harvest record must be maintained either on the angler’s State of Alaska recreational (sport) fishing license, an ADFG approved electronic harvest record, or on a Sport Fishing Harvest Record Card obtained, without charge, from ADFG offices, the ADFG website, or fishing license vendors;
(2) immediately upon retaining a Pacific halibut for which an annual limit has been established, permanently and legibly record the date, location (IPHC Regulatory Area), and species of the catch (Pacific halibut) on the harvest record; and
(3) record the information required by paragraph 1(h)(2) on any duplicate or additional recreational (sport) fishing license issued to the angler, duplicate electronic harvest record, or any duplicate or additional Sport Fishing Harvest Record Card obtained by the angler for all Pacific halibut previously retained during that year that were subject to the harvest record reporting requirements of this Section; and
(i) in IPHC Regulatory Areas 2C and 3A:
(1) a “charter halibut permit” as defined at 50 CFR 300.61 may only be used for one charter vessel fishing trip in which Pacific halibut are caught and retained per calendar day;
(2) a “charter vessel” as defined at 50 CFR 300.61 may only be used for one charter vessel fishing trip in which Pacific halibut are caught and retained per calendar day; and
(3) for purposes of subsections (1) and (2) of this paragraph, a “charter vessel fishing trip” is defined as the time period between: (a) the first time Pacific halibut are caught and retained on a charter vessel by a charter vessel angler (as defined at 50 CFR 300.61); and (b) whichever comes first: 2359 (Alaska local time) on the same calendar day that the charter vessel fishing trip began; when any charter vessel angler is offloaded from the charter vessel; or when Pacific halibut are offloaded from the charter vessel.
(2) For guided recreational (sport) fishing (as referred to in 50 CFR 300.65) in IPHC Regulatory Area 2C:
(a) no person on board a charter vessel (as referred to in 50 CFR 300.65) shall catch and retain more than one Pacific halibut per calendar day;
(b) no person on board a charter vessel (as referred to in 50 CFR 300.65) shall catch and retain any Pacific halibut that with head on is greater than 37 inches (94.0 cm) and less than 80 inches (203.2 cm) as measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw with mouth closed, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail; and
(c) no person on board a charter vessel may catch and retain Pacific halibut on any Tuesday from 13 May to 9 September in 2025.
(3) For guided recreational (sport) fishing (as referred to in 50 CFR 300.65) in IPHC Regulatory Area 3A:
(a) no person on board a charter vessel (as referred to in 50 CFR 300.65) shall catch and retain more than two Pacific halibut per calendar day;
(b) at least one of the retained Pacific halibut must have a head-on length of no more than 27 inches (68.6 cm) as measured in a straight line, passing over the pectoral fin from the tip of the lower jaw with mouth closed, to the extreme end of the middle of the tail. If a person recreational (sport) fishing on a charter vessel in IPHC Regulatory Area 3A retains only one Pacific halibut in a calendar day, that Pacific halibut may be of any length; and
(c) no person on board a charter vessel may catch and retain Pacific halibut on any Tuesday or Wednesday in 2025.
These Regulations shall supersede all previous regulations of the Commission, and these Regulations shall be effective each succeeding year until superseded.
These IPHC annual management measures are a product of an agreement between the United States and Canada and are published in the
to provide notice of their effectiveness and content. Pursuant to Section 4 of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, 16 U.S.C. 773b, the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, may only accept or reject these recommendations of the IPHC. These regulations become effective when such acceptance and concurrence occur. The notice-and-comment and delay-in-effectiveness date provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b) and (d), are inapplicable to IPHC management measures because these regulations involve a foreign affairs function of the United States, 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1). The Secretary of State has no discretion to modify the recommendations of the IPHC. The additional time necessary to comply with the notice-and-comment and delay-in-effectiveness requirements of the APA would disrupt coordinated international conservation and management of the halibut fishery
The publication of these regulations in the
provide the affected public with notice that the IPHC management measures are in effect. Furthermore, no other law requires prior notice and public comment for this rule. Because 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law does not require prior notice and an opportunity for public comment for this notification of the effectiveness of the IPHC’s 2025 management measures, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601
are not applicable. This final rule is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires consideration of the impact of recordkeeping and other information collection burdens imposed on the public. Alaska state law establishes information collection requirements regarding harvest records for individual recreational anglers. See Alaska Admin. Code tit. 5, section 75.006(a) (2023). This final rule contains no new recordkeeping requirements beyond those contained in existing Alaska State or Federal law and therefore involves no additional collection of information burden. Moreover, because there is, at present, no annual limit on the number of Pacific halibut that may be retained by a charter vessel angler as defined at 50 CFR 300.61, the recordkeeping requirements referenced in section 29(1)(h) of the IPHC’s Annual Management Measures do not apply during 2025.
16 U.S.C. 773
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