MANY CHANGES HAVE occurred since a 16-day halibut season with a two fish limit (one in retention) was unofficially brought forth for 2018 by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in June.
That idea is now off the shelf, replaced by more limited options presented at a late August meeting in Olympia and approved for public input at this month’s meeting of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council in Boise, Idaho.
These options are:
• 1. For the Washington recreational fishery, retain the current statewide season structure (i.e., manage the north coast, south coast and Puget Sound subareas under a common season) with either:
a. Status Quo Quota Management: Each subarea receives and is managed to achieve, but not exceed, its own separate allocation, or
b. Shared Quota Management: The south coast, north coast and Puget Sound subarea quotas are pooled and managed under a shared quota to provide a minimum of four days for an initial statewide season. Following that initial statewide season, the remaining shared quota would be distributed among the subareas using status quo allocation formulas.
• 2. Regarding the incidental halibut retention allowance in the sablefish fishery north of Point Chehalis, revise the catch sharing as follows: When the Area 2A Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is less than 1.5 million pounds, follow the status quo allocation formula up to a maximum allocation of 50,000 pounds. When the Area 2A TAC is 1.5 million pounds or more, increase the maximum allocation to 70,000 pounds.
• 3. Analyze a range of annual bag limit alternatives for the Washington recreational fishery of two to six fish per angler.
• 4. For the Columbia River subarea recreational halibut fishery, change the days of the week that the all-depth fishery would be open to Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
Meeting in Montesano
A meeting to “facilitate additional input on the proposed changes” will be held at 9 a.m. Oct. 12 at the Fish and Wildlife Region Six office, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano. A decision on 2018 season dates will be made and forwarded to the PFMC for final review/approval at a Nov. 14-20 meeting in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Option 1A would likely produce up to eight days on the water and Puget Sound, north coast and south coast would fish the same schedule to parcel out the angling pressure on the water.
Option 1B would provide a minimum of four days followed by a harvest evaluation. The remaining quota would allow anglers to fish the same days with further evaluation, or the remaining fish would be divied up between the three areas and fishing would be on a day-by-day basis.
Option No. 2, the incidental sablefish (black cod) retention allowance, continues to place an undue burden on sport anglers.
Sequim’s Dave Croonquist has been working and attending halibut fishery meetings on behalf of the Port Angeles Salmon Club, the Port Angeles Salmon and Halibut Coalition, Puget Sound Anglers, the Coastal Conservation Association and a large number of independent halibut anglers.
He was in Boise to attend the meeting and offer public comment.
Croonquist had this to say about sablefish retention in his comments.
“I also want to clarify what appears to be a misunderstanding in the proposal about the current use of a portion of the sport quota to cover the incidental take of halibut in the sablefish fishery,” Croonquist said.
“We know that there will be incidental take of halibut in the sablefish fishery. We don’t want to see any wastage that would impact the 2A Catch Share Plan by having halibut become by-catch in the sablefish fishery. We do feel, though, that the incidental take is more appropriately charged to the commercial halibut quota. Return of the sport share will help support our fishery and local businesses.”
The state claims that after the initial days of the halibut fishery “it takes about 50,000 pounds of halibut to accomodate one day of fishing under the statewide season.”
So shifting that incidental sablefish catch burden back to commercial anglers would likely provide an extra day of recreational fishing. Getting those pounds back into the recreational quota likely won’t happen soon, but would be a tangible victory for sport anglers.
Anglers meet tonight
Excel Fishing Charters and The Inn at Neah Bay owner Tom Burlingame will speak at Thursday’s meeting of the North Olympic Peninsula chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.
The meeting will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave, with the evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. for the viewing of raffle prizes and fish stories and a short business meeting at 7 p.m. before Burlingame speaks.
Burlingame is going to cover fishing opportunities on the north coast from Seiku through La Push including seasons, regulations and his involvement on advisory councils lobbying for fishing opportunities and conservation.
Also on tap: refreshments, a raffle for great fishing stuff and a membership drawing for those in attendance The public is welcome to attend.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
