Meet the fishers

Meet the US North Pacific halibut fishers

The US North Pacific halibut fishery in Alaska, Washington and Oregon was the first halibut fishery in the world to receive MSC certification. Many of its members are third and fourth generation fishermen operating small family owned boats.

They fish using bottom hook and line gear and catch around 27,000 tonnes of halibut a year.

Pacific halibut range across the North Pacific Ocean from northern Japan to the Arctic Ocean and from the Bering Sea to Mexico. Most come from fisheries in Canada and the U.S. that use longlines and troll lines.

Pacific halibut is a flatfish known for its tender, flaky white fillets and steaks; it can grow from four to seven feet long and live up to 50 years. It’s a bottom dweller that moves further from shore toward open seas as it matures. Most fully developed halibut weigh between 50 and 100 pounds, although some get considerably larger.

“We see MSC certification as something American citizens want over time. Ninety percent of the halibut caught by the fishery is consumed in North America, and we aim at securing long-term sales by becoming MSC-certified.”

Bob Alverson
Executive Director, FVOA

For more information, visit the Fishing Vessel Owners Association website.