INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES COMMISSION D 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



The commission recommends certain additional measures of con- 

 servation, which are here summarized and are dealt with in detail 

 in pages following. It is recommended that power be given proper 

 governmental authorities : 



1. (a) To establish areas, within each of which, if deemed neces- 

 sary for the preservation of the fishery there, the total catch of 

 halibut may be reduced by a predetermined percentage annually, 

 commencing not less than one year after the putting into force of 

 this recommendation, until the fishery therein shall reach a state 

 of stability of yield. 



(h) To determine upon the amount of this percentage reduction, 

 and to revise the same from time to time as may be found necessary, 

 the intent being to restrain any increase in the amount of fishing 

 within such area. 



2. To close permanently to all fishing the two areas herewith 

 defined and known to be populated by small immature halibut, and 

 to close such other grounds as may be found by the commission to 

 be populated by a similar class of fish. 



8. To prevent the use of any fishing gear deemed unduly de- 

 structive. 



4. To extend the present close season by two weeks at its begin- 

 ning, making the closure for all fishing in all areas from Novem- 

 ber 1 to February IT), both dates inclusive, and to facilitate future 

 alterations in the length of close season. 



5. To license all vessels fishing for halibut in treaty waters under 

 such terms as are necessary for the purpose of the treaty, including 

 statistical returns, and for clearance to regulated waters. 



1. ESTABLISHMENT OF AREAS AND LIMITATION OF CATCH THEltEIN 



The commission is unable, after careful scrutiny, to recognize in 

 the close season as now constituted any contribution to the preserva- 

 tion of the halibut fishen*. From its study of the effects of the 

 closure and of the fishery in general it has reached the conclusion 

 that to render any regtdations beneficial from this aspect they must 

 be framed so as to distribute their effects according to the needs 

 of the different i)anks or areas, and that on each of the badly de- 

 pleted areas the amount of fisli taken must ho reduced. The present 

 measure is not tiuis framed. 



Its investigations have shown that tl»e hanks along the Pacific coast 

 are inhabited by stocks of halibut which are largely independent. 

 Extensive tagging experiments have been carried on, w'ith careful ex- 

 amination of physical characteristics and rates of growth. The fish 

 below spawning size have thus been shown to bo well differentiated 

 according to bank and to move but little in comi)arison with the 

 great extent of the grounds. The fish of mature size are ])erhaps 

 less limited in range but are still sufficiently localized to render gen- 

 erally ineffective regulations of local application. In accord with 

 the.se findings, and in checking them, the various banks have been 

 found to be very unevenly depleted. A relative abundance exists on 

 the more distant banks, with a marked degree of depletion on the 

 nearer, the degree of de])letion being dependent upon the distance 



