Charter halibut committee meets online Sept. 30; comment accepted beforehand

Guided halibut operators get a say on federal permit policy Sept. 30, when the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's charter halibut committee meets online for four hours to go over a discussion paper on charter halibut permits.

Written comment is accepted beforehand, and the agenda, materials and connection details are posted on the council's meetings site.

The committee only advises. It makes recommendations to the full council, which divides catch among sectors and sets the year's charter rules alongside the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

Those rules already bite. Anglers can keep one fish a day in Area 2C, off Southeast, and two in Area 3A, off Southcentral, both with size limits. Adults keeping halibut also need a $20 daily stamp, new this year.

The permits themselves are the door into a fishery that accounts for 60 to 70 percent of Alaska's sport halibut harvest, according to Fish and Game.