Put an end to unsustainable management of halibut

(Alaska Department of Fish and Game photo)

By Bonny Millard

I would like to begin by stating that Alaska’s halibut resource is currently at an all-time low — approximately a 40-year low — and is approaching an endangered state as a result of irresponsible management decisions. 

For more than 40 years, I have commercial fished for halibut in Area 2C, primarily in Cross Sound, Icy Strait, Lynn Canal and the adjacent ocean corridor. I currently participate in the commercial longline fishery and operate under of the most highly monitored regulatory frameworks in the state. My vessel is equipped with cameras that operate 24 hours a day throughout the duration of each fishing trip, documenting all activity. In addition, NOAA enforcement is present at the conclusion of each trip to verify compliance, ensuring there are no violations and, critically, that my landings do not exceed my allocated poundage. My logbook entries must match both camera footage and offload weights. This data is accurate, verifiable and enforceable.

Given this level of accountability, it is reasonable to ask why the halibut resource is nevertheless at a 40-year low. 

In my view, the answer lies in the lack of accountability within the sectors engaged in near-total resource extraction without enforceable monitoring. The honor system reporting structure applied to the unguided recreational sector is not sufficient, and the data derived from it is therefore unreliable. Inaccurate data leads directly to flawed management decisions. 

Over time, as the commercial quota has been reduced, I have purchased additional quota in order to remain viable. Like many commercial fishermen, I have always believed that stewardship of the resource requires restraint—you cannot sustainably catch more fish when the biomass is declining. Unfortunately, this principle is not being applied consistently across all user groups.

Alaska’s halibut resource is managed by NOAA, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), and the Board of Fisheries. Together, these entities have a responsibility to sustainably manage this resource. Alaska has long presented itself as a global model for sustainable fisheries management, particularly through its seafood exports. However, when a resource reaches its current condition, it is clear that mismanagement — driven by overfishing and insufficient accountability — has occurred. 

We cannot continue to allow 100% resource extraction without an accurate and enforceable system of accountability. This required regulatory structures for the unguided sector that can actually be enforced. At present, the way the unguided fishery is structured makes meaningful enforcement nearly impossible — a reality often summarized by agencies themselves as having their “hands tied.” 

The rapid expansion of unguided fishing effort is alarming. The increasing harvest by anglers is actively decimating the very corridor in which I have fished for decades. Each year, managers and stakeholders express concern over trawl bycatch numbers and unguided harvest estimates, yet there has not been enough action to address the problem. Instead, the situation has been largely ignored. 

I am strongly opposed to reallocating harvest away from the commercial sector — which is sustainably managed and fully accountable — to an unguided sector that is not. Managers' decisions must have consequences. The unguided fishery currently operates with minimal restrictions, allowing participants to retain every fish they catch, effectively leaving this corridor biologically depleted. The impact has been devastating. This is not the solution. 

The IPHC has successfully managed the halibut resource for over 100 years, but it cannot do so effectively when it is forced to rely on inaccurate recreational harvest data provided by responsible management agencies.

As a state, we should not promote the degradation of our natural resources to appease unchecked extraction driven by individual interest. I urge the responsible agencies to take immediate action — this year — to address the unsustainable expansion of the unguided fishery before the halibut resource is further depleted. 

After more than 40 years on the water, I can state plainly that by the end of the unguided season, it has become nearly impossible to catch fish in areas that once supported healthy stocks. 

Please put an end to this unsustainable management approach. 

• Bonny Millard is a sport and commercial fisher who lives in Juneau.