Halibut appears to be a hot issue this year. The issues are very similar in Alaska.
Since 2003 DFO has regulated halibut fishing through a quota system where 88 per cent of the total catch goes to the commercial fishery and 12 per cent to the sport fishery. But since DFO allowed the sport fishery to exceed the 12 per cent limit last year by 112,000 pounds, there are fears that amount will be taken out of this year’s recreational quota. That’s cast much uncertainty over a season set to begin Feb. 1, uncertainty DFO has yet to resolve.