To conduct survey and experimental fishing in this year the IPHC is looking for commercial longline vessels. The main aim of the survey is to collect standardized data used for halibut stock assessment. The collected information would be used to study aspects of the halibut resource such as growth, distribution, area-wide biomass, age composition, sexual maturity, and relative abundance of other species.
According to IPHC the survey will cover 30 regions, from the southern Oregon border to the northern Bering Sea including the Aleutian Islands. It also states that the survey vessels will fish five skates of standardized gear at each station. The total charter duration can be expected to be 81-38 days. The commission announced that the vessels can bid for multiple areas. The survey is expected to be completed by August 31st 2008.
The main purpose of charter work is to conduct a comparison of the relative fishing power of gear with swivels compared with the standard IPHC survey gear. Secondly, to scan with an ultrasound and tag approximately 60 halibuts with electronic archival tags in each of the three experimental regions.
Vessel owners have shown great interest in surveys or the experimental charters and are courageously submit bids based upon standard IPHC contract structure. IPHC said that the bids will be accepted based upon a lump sum payment for the completion of a region. It also states that vessels may bid up to three regions and vessels need not be licensed for halibut fishing in Canada or the U.S. to be eligible. There will no restriction to nationality of the vessels it charters for operation in any area as long as customs regulations are followed.
