As per the report of IPHC the total allowable incidental commercial catch of halibut allocated to the Area 2A salmon troll fishery is 25,035 pounds. Preliminary catch estimates from U.S. officials indicate the catch limit will be taken by June 16, 2010. Therefore, the incidental halibut fishery during the salmon troll season will close at 11:59PM Wednesday June 16, and will remain closed for the remainder of 2010.
The report also states that the 2010 quota share halibut fisheries opened on March 6. It is estimated that the following catches and numbers of landings were made in the Alaskan IFQ and CDQ fisheries through June 14, 2010 and in the British Columbian IVQ fishery through June 13, 2010. In Alaska alone the catch limit represent 42 percent of the total 2010 commercial fishery catch limit. For comparison, 15.9 million pounds, or 35 percent of the 2009 catch limit, were landed in the Alaskan fishery by this same date in 2009; however, the opening date of the 2009 fishery occurred 15 days later in the year than that of the 2010 fishery.
The catch from British Columbian waters represents 55 percent of the 2010 commercial fishery catch limit. For comparison, 2.6 million pounds, or 38 percent of the 2009 catch limit, had been landed from Area 2B by this same date in 2009. Comparing by opening lengths, during the first 99 days of the 2009 IVQ fishery, 2.9 million pounds, or 43 percent of the catch limit, had been landed.
