APPENDIX III APPENDIX IIT 
Ralbilkewe2 
Number of U.S. Regular Vessels .in 
the Pacific Halibut Fishery for 
Selected Years 
Year Total regular vessels (note a) 
1950 52S 
1955 402 
1960 3DE, 
1965 209 
1970 AxALAL 
IS) 7/ab 190 
WS) 7/2 ZANT 
L973 US)7/ 
1974 154 
a/A regular vessel is a craft with a Capacity 
of 5 net tons or over that has landed at 
least 10,000 pounds during the season. 
Employment 
The number of U.S. fishermen employed on regular hali- 
but wessel’s kell trom 5,786 in’ 1958" to) 628 an L974, “However, 
this does not include the large number of fishermen employed 
on small boats for which data is not available. 
Recreational fishing 
Relatively few sportsmen actively seek halibut, and the 
origin of the halibut sport fishery, and its existence to- 
day, waS mainly as an incidental catch of sportsmen fishing 
for salmon. 
Those fishing for halibut are mostly seeking food or 
trophy fish. Alaska has the largest sport fishery directed 
specifically for halibut. 
NMFS conducted a saltwater angling survey in 1970 to 
estimate the coastwide catch of sportsmen. They estimated 
the sport catch of Pacific halibut was 202,000 fish and the 
average weight of each fish was 14 pounds, for a total esti- 
mated catch of 2,828,000 pounds. This amount is far greater 
than that assumed by the International Pacific Halibut Com- 
mission or than that indicated by the State agencies. On 
the basis of estimates from various agencies, the Inter- 
national Pacific Halibut Commission estimated that the number 
13:9 
