Southeast charter fleet tops its halibut share for a sixth straight year

Southeast Alaska's charter halibut fleet went over its catch share again this year, preliminary state estimates show, as federal fishery managers prepare to recommend next year's limits for guided anglers in December.

It is the sixth straight year the Southeast fleet has topped its allocation, even as size limits have tightened. In 2021, charter anglers there could keep one halibut a day 50 inches or shorter, or 72 inches or longer. This year it was 34 inches or shorter, or 80 inches or longer, and no halibut could be kept on Thursdays from June 18 through Sept. 10.

The fleet's removals, which count fish kept plus those estimated to die after release, came to 672,859 pounds this year, about 23,000 pounds or 3.5% over its 650,000-pound allocation, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's estimates. The allocation was 810,000 pounds in 2021.

Southcentral Alaska's charter fleet has had the opposite result. It has come in under its allocation for five straight years, and this year landed about 74,000 pounds, or 5%, short of 1.47 million pounds.

Charter allocations depend on catch limits the International Pacific Halibut Commission sets each January, and the halibut stock is near its lowest level in four decades.

For 2027, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's charter committee has asked the state to analyze Southeast limits ranging from 32 inches or shorter, or 50 or longer, to 50 inches or shorter, or 80 or longer. Another option would let each angler keep one fish of any size per year, recorded on the back of their fishing license, with the daily limit possibly dropping to 28 inches or lower, according to the committee's motion.

Charter operators have pushed back. Joel Steenstra of Alaska Wide Open Charters wrote that 34 inches is "our rock bottom for the charter fleet."

A commercial fisherman sees it differently. "In 2026, both charter and commercial halibut harvesters in 2C took a 10% reduction in allocation due to a very large increase in the recreational take of halibut," commercial fisherman Lauren Howard told the council Oct. 10. She urged it to monitor and manage growth in unguided rental boats.

Southcentral's options range from two fish a day, one of them capped at 26 to 32 inches, to one fish. All would keep Wednesdays closed, and the analysis includes Thursday closures starting July 8.

The committee meets Dec. 2 to hear the state's analysis. The full council is scheduled to take final action at its Dec. 4-9 meeting at the Egan Center in Anchorage, and the halibut commission sets the final rules. Written comments open Nov. 6 and close at noon Nov. 27.