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| Halibut |
The Pacific halibut - Hippoglossus stenolepi
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 Description: Halibut are more elongated than most flatfishes, the width being about one-third the length. Small scales are imbedded in the skin. Halibut have both eyes on their dark or upper side. The color on the dark side varies but tends to assume the coloration of the ocean bottom. The underside is lighter. The can grow to 258 cm male and 267 cm female, max. published weight: 363.0 kg, thats a lot of fish.
Development: Spawning takes place during the winter months with the peak of activity occurring from December through February. Most spawning takes place off the edge of the continental shelf in deep waters of 200 to 300 fathoms. Male halibut become sexually mature at 7 or 8 years of age, and females attain sexual maturity at 8 to 12 years. Young are found near shore, moving out to deeper waters as they grow older. Older individuals typically move from deeper water along the edge of the continental shelf where they spend the winter, to shallow coastal water (27-274 m) for the summer. Younger halibut, up to 10 years of age, are highly migratory but halibut in the older age classes tend to be much less migratory. Older fish often use both shallow and deep waters over the annual cycle as they typically move from deeper water along the edge of the continental shelf where they spend the winter, to shallow coastal water (27-274 m) for the summer.
Halibut live quite a long time, but their growth rate varies depending on locations and habitat conditions. Females grow faster and live longer than males. The oldest recorded female was 42 years old and the oldest male was 27 years old. Halibut are the largest of all flatfish.
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 Food habits: Being strong swimmers, halibut are able to eat a large variety of fishes (cod, turbot, pollock) fishes, crabs, clams, squids, and other invertebrates plus some invertebrates such as crab and shrimp. Sometimes halibut leave the ocean bottom to feed on pelagic fish such as sand lance and herring and Halibut gear consists of units of leaded ground line in lengths of 100 fathoms which are referred to as “skates.” Each skate has approximately 100 hooks attached to it. “Gangens,” or the lines to which the hooks are attached, are either tied to or snapped on to the ground line. A "set" consists of one or more baited skates tied together and laid on the ocean bottom with anchors at each end. Each end has a float line and a buoy attached. Hooks are typically baited with frozen herring, octopus, or other fresh fish. Depending on the fishing ground, depth, time of year, and bait used, a set is fished 2 to 20 hours before being pulled. Longlines are normally pulled off the ocean floor by a hydraulic puller of some typ |
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Article |
Topics |
Date |
| 1. |
Halibut Page |
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Mar 2007 |
| 2. |
Fishing for Halibut |
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Mar 2007 |
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