❏ Fish become part of the bag limit of the per- perature, and handling. Chalkiness is also more Want to Know More? The Alaska Department of Fish & Game son originally hooking them. prevalent in August. Overall occurrence in Alaska RESEARCH, CATCH LIMITS, LENGTH/WEIGHT CHARTS: Region II ❏ Anglers may not continue to keep fish once is about 5%. International Pacific Commission Division of Sport Fish P.O. Box 95009 they've reached their daily bag limit, unless How much edible meat can I expect to get from a they have a Proxy Fishing Information Form halibut? Seattle, Washington 98145-2009 Southcentral Alaska validated by ADF&G. This depends somewhat on the skill of the Voice: (206) 634-1838 Fax: (206) 632-2983 Sport Fishing Opportunity www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom Frequently Asked Questions filleter, but your skin-on fillets should be 50-60 percent of the weight of the fish. Don’t forget to ALLOCATION OF HARVEST, IFQS: How old is my halibut? Length Weight Age of Age of remove the cheeks, they’re great! North Pacific Fishery Management Council Females grow (in.) (lbs.) Male Female 605 West 4th, Suite 306 Pacific faster than males, but, 25 ...... 7 How well do halibut survive catch-and-release? Anchorage, Alaska 99501-2252 30 ...... 12 . . . 6-12 . 4-12 Halibut do not have a swim bladder and do not just like people, there Voice: (907)271-2809 Fax: (907) 271-2817 35 ...... 19 suffer severely from changes in water pressure. is a lot of variation be- 40 ...... 29 . . 10-22 . 6-15 www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc tween individual fish. 45 ...... 43 The survival rate of halibut caught using circle Halibut PUBLICATIONS, MARINE EDUCATION, RESEARCH: 50 ...... 60 ...... 8-18 hooks and then released in excellent condition (not Check the chart for Alaska Sea Grant Publications stenolepis 55 ...... 82 gaffed!) is believed to be around 95%. the approximate 60 ...... 109 ...... 10-20 P.O. Box 755040 range of ages for each 65 ...... 141 What’s wrong with my halibut? It’s skinny,,, has big Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5040 size. 70 ...... 179 ...... 12-23 teeth, and turns to mush when I cook it. 75 ...... 224 Toll free order line: (888) 789-0090 Your “halibut” may in fact be an arrowtooth How do I tell the sex of 80 ...... 277 ...... 14-25 www.uaf.edu/seagrant 85 ...... 337 . They’re often confused with small hali- halibut? WEEKLY IN-SEASON FISHING REPORTS, EMERGENCY 90 ...... 405 but. Arrowtooth flounder have a more pointed Examine the go- 95 ...... 483 REGULATION CHANGES, FISHING LICENSES, REGIS- nads, which are lo- 100 ...... 570 head, larger scales, and a longer mouth with nu- TERED CHARTER LISTS: cated on both sides merous needle-like teeth. They turn soft when Alaska Department of Fish and Game Length & weight data provided by cooked because heat activates an enzyme in the near the bottom of the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Sport Fish Information Center bony arch behind the Weight is whole, uncleaned fish. fish that breaks down the flesh. 333 Raspberry Rd. gut cavity. In females, What do I do if I catch a tagged halibut? Anchorage, Alaska 99518 the ovaries appear as triangular, hollow pink sacs. Halibut are either tagged by the IPHC to study Voice: (907) 267-2218 Fax: (907) 267-2424 In males, the testes appear as solid (not hollow) movements, or sometimes tagged by local derby www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/html/ gray or light brown, rubbery masses of tissue that officials. You are not obligated to either keep or r2home.stm look like earlobes. release a tagged fish. If you release a fish tagged by the IPHC, cut What is “chalky” halibut? The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs It is not a health hazard to humans. The flesh of off the tag without injuring the fish, and note the and activities free from discrimination on the bases of race, color, na- location and date. If you keep the fish, leave the tional origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, chalky halibut is bright opaque white, rather than or disability; administers all programs and activities in compliance with translucent like normal flesh. When cooked, chalky tag on and send the tag, along with length (mea- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilita- tion Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, halibut is drier, but has acceptable flavor and higher sured from tip of snout to middle of tail), date, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amend- oil and protein content. location (lat./long. preferred), depth, sex of the fish, ments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against or if you desire Chalkiness is not necessarily visible at the time gear type (sport), and port of landing to the IPHC further information please write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, at the address below. AK 99802-5526; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfield Drive, Lifecycle, management, sport of landing but may develop over a period of hours. Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203 or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Inte- It is caused by a buildup of lactic acid, which re- rior, Washington DC 20240. fishing information, and duces the ability of flesh to retain water. Impor- For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) Frequently Asked Questions tant factors include exhaustion, water or air tem- 907-465-4120, (TDD) 907-465-3646, or (FAX) 907-465-2440. Alaska's Halibut grow, fish make up a larger part of their diet. Be- by counting growth rings laid down in the fish's whole is also effective. You can also use sides , sablefish, , and rockfish, large otolith, a bony structure in the inner ear. the head, tail, fins, and/or viscera (but only these Where to Find Them halibut also eat , herring, , clams, and Federal Halibut Fishery Management parts) of sport-caught fish as bait. Halibut are found throughout most of the ma- smaller halibut. rine waters of Alaska — as far north as Nome, Halibut fisheries have been managed since 1923 When to Fish along the Aleutian Chain, and throughout the wa- Migration by a treaty between Canada and the United States. Success rates vary widely from vessel to vessel ters of the southeastern Alaska panhandle. Juvenile The treaty established the International Pacific and from day to day, but in the Southcentral Alaska Halibut are usually on or near the bottom over halibut migrate Halibut Commission (IPHC), which is charged area, good catches can be expected mid-May mud, sand, or gravel banks. Most are caught at in an easterly with assessing the stock and setting allowable through mid-September. Many believe the best depths of 90 to 3,600 feet. and southerly catches to provide for optimum yield of the hali- fishing is just before, during, and after high slack direction, but stock. Government representatives vote annu- tide. This is the easiest time to keep bait on the Life Cycle counterbalanc- ally on quotas and other conservation measures, bottom. Halibut spawn at depths of 600 to 1,500 feet ing the north- after getting input from fishing and processor in- from November through March. Although matu- Halibut Charters westerly drift dustry representatives. Weather and tides are always major factors, but ration age varies, about half of male halibut are of eggs and lar- The North Pacific Fishery Management Coun- sexually mature by 8 years of age, while half of charter fishing often provides more success than vae. Halibut cil was established by Congress in 1976 to over- unguided fishing. Although ADF&G cannot rec- the females are mature by about age 11. Female tagged in the see management of Alaska's federal fisheries. The halibut release ½ to 4 million eggs, depending on ommend a particular charter, we do maintain a list- Bering Sea Council is headquartered in Anchorage. Once the ing of registered guiding businesses on our website the size of the fish. have been IPHC has set the allowable halibut catches for each About 15 days later, the eggs hatch and the lar- at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/sfguides/ caught as far area in Alaska, it is up to the Council to apportion html/index.cfm vae drift with deep ocean currents. In the Gulf of south as the the poundage between sport, commercial, and sub- Alaska, the eggs and larvae drift in a northward Other good sources of information are local coast of Or- sistence users. chambers of commerce and charter boat associa- and westward direction. As the larvae mature, they egon, a migra- ADF&G collects sport fishery data and provides move higher in the water column and ride the sur- tions. You could also search the Internet for book- tion of over it to the IPHC and the Council to help them in ing information. face currents to shallower, more nourishing coastal 2,000 miles. making management and allocation decisions. waters. Full-day trips are the norm, but many opera- Adult hali- You can ensure that management agencies are tions offer half-day trips at a reduced rate. Bait Eye Migration but also move between shallow waters and deep using the best possible information by responding and tackle are generally provided. Processing and The larvae start life in an upright position like waters, depending on the time of year. Mature fish to surveys, providing accurate information if in- shipping of your catch is based on weight, and is other fish, with an eye on each side of the head. move to deeper offshore areas in the fall, in order terviewed by fishery technicians, and by allowing usually extra. When the larvae are about one inch long and about to spawn. They return to nearshore feeding areas your fish to be measured. You should always be prepared for a cool, damp 6 months old, the left eye moves over the snout to in early summer. It's not yet clear if all halibut Sport Fishing for Halibut -- Tackle day on the water. Wear layers of good outdoor ma- the right side of the head. At the same time, the return to the same areas to spawn or feed. Stout tackle is preferred for these large, strong terials such as wool or fleece. Bring rain gear or a coloration on the left side of the body fades. The Size and Age fish. Most sport anglers use a heavy action, 5-6 waterproof shell for rain and spray. Long under- halibut end up with both eyes on the pigmented Halibut are the largest of the , occa- foot rod with a reel capable of holding up to 300 wear and light gloves are a good idea also. (olive to dark brown) upper side of their body, sionally exceeding 400 pounds. The state sport yards of 60-80 pound test line. Use modern, small- while their underside is white. These young hali- Brief Summary of Halibut Regulations fishing record is 459 pounds, caught in 1996 out diameter lines to minimize stretch and drag when ❏ All anglers need a fishing license, unless but settle to the bottom in shallow, nearshore ar- of Unalaska Bay. fishing deep, or in heavy currents. Most anglers eas. they're under 16. Female halibut grow faster and are typically use large circle hooks baited with herring and ❏ Open season: February 1–December 31. Diet larger than males of the same age. Males greater fished on the bottom with cannonball weights up ❏ The bag limit is 2 fish daily and 4 in posses- Halibut feed on plankton during their first year than 100 pounds are uncommon. Halibut can reach to 36 oz. on a slider. Halibut eat almost anything sion, no size limits. of life. Young halibut (1-3 years old) feed on small 55 years of age, but most halibut taken in the sport they can catch, so jigging near the bottom with -like organisms and small fish. As halibut fishery are 5-15 years old. Halibut age is estimated artificial lures or hooks baited with octopus or Continued...