From ALFA Staff
December 27th, 2023
On December 19th, 2023,, the Amendment 80 (A80) trawl fleet sued to prevent implementation of the Bering Sea halibut bycatch action that ties bycatch caps to halibut abundance. While not unexpected the refusal by the A80 fleet to share in the conservation responsibility for halibut is at best disturbing.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement for this action documents that the A80 companies were responsible for 23.8 million pounds of halibut mortality from 2010-2019. Bycatch levels not only exceed limits set for the directed fishery but in some years bycatch has threatened to preclude the small boat directed fishery completely.
Bycatch is deducted from the total allowable catch before catch limits are set for the directed halibut fishery. Bycatch caps, set when halibut were far more abundant, have never been triggered. Meanwhile catch limits for the directed halibut fisheries have been steadily reduced as halibut abundance has declined to protect the stocks from overharvest.
After six years of analysis, testimony, and debate, the Council voted to connect halibut caps to halibut abundance, lowering bycatch when stocks are low to prevent overfishing. Sound reasonable? Not if you are one of the five A80 companies. Council action reduced bycatch caps below current bycatch levels by 2.4% --but even that sharing of conservation is too much for the A80 fleet.
ALFA will join long-term allies to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of the federal government. We are fundraising to support our engagement. Please contribute through the ALFA website (alfafish.org) with the memo “halibut lawsuit” and we will dedicate your contribution to defending halibut stocks from trawl bycatch.
Contribute like the future of the halibut stock – and of your fishery—depend on it.