| Abstract: | The Pribilof Islands were surveyed by the International Pacific Halibut Commission five times in the 1960s, and once in 1984. Pacific halibut were collected for age, length, and gender, and a portion of the catch was tagged to try and determine utilization of halibut through interchange with other areas of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. In all, 4,233 fish were tagged and 3,102 fish were collected for age, length, and gender. Tag returns ranged from 3 to 10 percent with the majority of out-of-area returns occurring in the Central Gulf (lPHC Regulatory Area 3A). Beginning in 1978, the commercial fishery began to steadily build with 71,485 pounds landed that year. A separate regulatory area (Area 4C) was formed in 1986 with a seasonal fishing limit of one day open/one day closed. In 1987, trip limits were implemented at the request of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and remained in effect through 1994. |
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