Hefty Halibut, Harpoons and Small Boats

June 6, 2013

Question: Pacific halibut have become a sought-after sport fish out of Eureka and Trinidad. I have a question about landing large Pacific halibut, particularly in a relatively small boat. Many people use a type of harpoon with a head that comes off and is tethered to the boat. This prevents the fish from heading down while a rope is run through its gills for hauling it aboard. I was told that harpooning them this way was possibly illegal under rules governing harpooning fish. In this case the fish was caught with normal hook and line. The harpoon is used only to land the fish safely, similar to a gaff but more secure. Is this legal? Are there better methods? I have heard many tales of big halibut doing serious damage to fishermen if they are brought aboard too early and without steps taken to control them. All ideas are welcome. (Tom P., Eureka)

Answer: Harpoons cannot be used to “take” halibut, and landing the fish is an integral part of “take.” So just because you get the fish to the surface, it does not mean it has been “taken” until it is landed (secured). Most fish are lost at the surface, so take has not been completed and a harpoon could not be used at this point. Harpoons are only allowed for the actual take of all varieties of skates, rays, and sharks, except white sharks (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 28.95).

While the use of a harpoon to “take” halibut is not authorized, the use of a “spear” to take halibut is legal, but you have to be “a person floating or swimming in the water” (CCR Title 14, section 28.90). Use of a gaff, including a gaff with a detachable hook, is authorized to land the fish as long as it is legal size. So the best option and the only one that is legal for California is to use a gaff with a detachable hook, sometimes referred to as a flying gaff. The description of a gaff can be found in CCR Title 14 section, 28.65 (d).

This one is wrong for reasons previously discussed.