Dan Hull, Chairman
David Witherell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: title
2018 Charter Halibut Management Measures - Final Action
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STAFF CONTACT: Steve MacLean (NPFMC) and Scott Meyer (ADFG)
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
• Review recommendations from Charter Halibut Management Committee
• Recommend charter halibut management measures for Areas 2C and 3A for 2018
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BACKGROUND:
The Charter Halibut Management Committee met in October 2017 to recommend a range of potential management measures for Area 2C and Area 3A in 2018 to frame the Alaska Department of Fish and Game analysis. The committee’s list of recommended measures for analysis is appended below. On December 4, 2017, the Committee will make final recommendations which, along with the ADF&G analysis that is the basis for those recommendations, will be posted and distributed during the Council meeting. The analysis will provide the projected harvest for the proposed measures.
At this meeting, the Council will recommend charter halibut management measures for Areas 2C and 3A for 2018. As part of the recommendation, the Council will specify how the final measures are to be adjusted in order to ensure for the maximum charter harvest under the allowable catch limit resulting from IPHC harvest specifications in January 2018.
Charter Halibut Committee Recommendations for Analysis (October 2017)
Area 3A Recommendations
The Charter Halibut Management Committee requests the following management measures for analysis in Area 3A with the following status quo regulations (unless noted): a two-fish bag limit, 28-inch maximum size limit on one fish, 4-fish annual limit, one vessel-trip per permit per day, Wednesday charter halibut closure, closure of halibut fishing on three Tuesdays from mid-July through mid-August:
• Status quo
• Additional closures on Tuesdays from June - August
• A bag limit of one fish of any size
• 28-inch maximum size limit on one fish, a second fish with a reverse slot limit (U35-60: O60-80)
Area 2C Recommendations
The Charter Halibut Management Committee requests the following management measures for analysis in Area 2C with the following status quo regulations (unless noted): one-fish daily bag limit, retained halibut must be less than or equal to 44 inches or greater than or equal to 80 inches in length (reverse slot limit):
• Status quo
• Reverse slot limit (U35-50: O50-80)