Rivers Inlet Sportsman's Club
Experimental Halibut Fishery
Vance's 62 lbs. halibut, pictured here with Simon & Dad Van, is the largest that you will be able to retain under your recreational fishing licence. However, you will be able to keep 60 lbs. plus halibut under the Experimental Recreational Halibut Fishery. This was a real fish story as well. The hook flew into Vance's hand (see bandage) when they landed it and it required minor surgery to remove it!
Sportman's Club News
As many of you already know there are new halibut regulations that were recently announced by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
One halibut has to be under 83 cm (32.7 in.), about a 15 lbs. fish. Your second halibut has to be under 126 cm (49.6 in.), about a 60 lbs. fish. Both can be under 83 cm but only one can be greater that 83 cm. In each boat will be a measuring device to make the process simple and easy. We are excited that the DFO has taken this precautionary approach to the harvest of the larger halibut. These big halibut are often the female breeding stock that are crucial to maintaining and regenerating the fish population. Having said that, the DFO has also established a new program called the Experimental Recreational Halibut Fishery.The 2013 halibut regulations allow for the retention of 1 Halibut/day and 2 in possession to take home. This is the same as in 2012. The only difference for 2013 is that DFO have now imposed a "slot limit" on the size of the halibut that you are allowed to keep. This program is now available to fishing lodges whereby we can purchase extra commercial halibut quota and pass that on to you. What this will mean is that you will now have the option of retaining any oversized halibut and we will simply pay a fee/pound. There will be no charge to you and you can still take home that trophy halibut. The other big change for 2013 is that all halibut must now be recorded on your fishing licence as soon as it has been boated.These new halibut regulations will help ensure that we have halibut to catch for years to come and for future generations of anglers.