The International Pacific Halibut Commission set the quotas for Pacific halibut for 2013 at their annual meeting in Victoria, BC this morning.

For Area 2A (the west coast of the US, including Oregon) the 2013 quota will be 990,000 pounds. This is basically the same quota as in 2012. There was the possibility that Area 2A was going to be getting up to a 38% decrease in quota. The main reason we did not get the cut was due to a cooperative effort of Area 2A managers (NMFS, ODFW, Pacific Council and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission) and industry members (Makah, Lummi, Quinault, and Point No Point Treaty Tribes) at the Annual Meeting. That being said we may be looking at lower quotas in the next several years.

Now that the quota has been set, ODFW will be requesting public input to set the Central Coast spring all-depth "fixed" and "back-up" dates. ODFW will be hosting a public meeting on Monday, February 4 starting at 7 pm at the Holiday Inn Express in Newport. For those who cannot attend in person, presentation materials and an online survey will be available by February 2 on the ODFW Halibut webpage (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/index.asp ). Additionally input can be provided via phone or e-mail.

Lynn Mattes [email protected] 541-867-4741 ext. 237

or

Patrick Mirick [email protected] 541-867-4741 ext. 223