Another season, another deep cut for halibut

The International Pacific Halibut Commission today approved a coastwide catch limit of 33.54 million pounds, down 18 percent from last year.

The cut compounds the 19 percent reduction seen in 2011.

The season will open on March 17.

The IPHC manages U.S. and Canadian halibut stocks. The bulk of the commercial catch comes from Alaska.

Here is the full slate of 2012 catch limits, by regulatory area, expressed in millions of pounds.

Regulatory area	2011 catch limits	2012 catch limits	% change
2A	0.91	0.99	+9
2B	7.65	7.04	-8
2C	2.33	2.62	+13
3A	14.36	11.92	-17
3B	7.51	5.07	-32
4A	2.41	1.57	-35
4B	2.18	1.87	-14
4CDE	3.72	2.47	-34
TOTAL	41.07	33.54	-18

Click here for a map of IPHC regulatory areas.