Alaskans at local airports are accustomed to seeing large numbers of fish boxes loaded with halibut taken by out of state anglers who are heading home.
Many of them caught the halibut using the “non-guided” or “private” business model that has grown widely in parts of Alaska and operates under different rules than sport charters.
These DIY (Do it Yourself) businesses, mostly out of lodges, operate by providing the vessels, rods, bait, GPS coordinates, etc. but not the personnel.
Because there is no captain or guide on board, these anglers are legally classified as “private” or “unguided” sport anglers – a distinction that lets them operate under far more generous rules than traditional charter businesses. Notably, there are no size restrictions on the halibut caught by the DIY anglers (called “slot limits” on charter boats). And they can head out to the fishing grounds multiple times each day.
Here are the differences between the two operations:
How Widespread is it?
An AI assessment says the business model has moved from a “niche” to a major industry player, especially in Southeast Alaska (Area 2C) where charter restrictions are the most severe.
- The “Lodge-in-a-Box” Trend: New lodges in places like Coffman Cove, Craig, and Sitka now specialize exclusively in self-guided packages. They provide a fleet of 20-foot “Hewescraft” or “Raider” style boats equipped with high-end GPS/Sonar.
- The “Vessel-Only” Rental: In hubs like Homer and Seward, dedicated boat rental companies have seen a surge in bookings from locals and tourists who want to avoid the “closed Wednesdays” and “tiny fish” rules of the charter fleet.
Proposal aims to change the rules
A proposal coming before the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) next week aims to level the playing field. Submitted by the Seattle-based Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association, it asks that the unguided sport bag limit be amended from two fish to one fish beginning this year.
“It is time that all harvesting sectors share in rebuilding the halibut resource.”
FISHING VESSEL OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
The proposal has sparked outrage among some local Alaskans families and the “DIY” businesses, who argue it punishes people for fishing without a high-priced guide.
Another perspective
Matt Carlson, a life-long Alaskan and charter captain from Ketchikan, described his concerns with self-guided fishermen on Facebook.
“These folks are allowed two halibut of any size and these trophy minded folks take the big breeders and what ever they want…I have personally observed these unguided anglers make multiple trips a day, returning to their lodges, dropping off fish and going back out. The ethics and care needed to keep the smaller, productive fishing areas populated with fish just aren’t there.”
Carlson said he could “go on a two hour rant on why non-guided anglers need matching restrictions to guided operators.”
“It’s every thing from GPS pinned locations to the gear and bait supplied by the lodges. The only un-guided factor is there isn’t any one on board who can see what is being done out there and say enough is enough,” he wrote. “I understand that non-guided boat rentals are the new bread and butter for the out of state lodge owners these days, but it’s a completely unhinged sport fishery with not nearly the enforcement assets available to correctly account for what is happening out there.”
He points out that at the same time, the guided operations are made less attractive due to the intense monitoring and increased limitations.
Carlson added that the conversation goes far beyond one or two fish per day.
“If we want residents and guests of these remote areas to continue to enjoy a rich and bountiful resource like Pacific halibut, we all need to be speaking the same legal language and follow similar rules concerning management.”
Carlson concluded: “We need to stop pretending out of state visitors provided with state of the art equipment, local knowledge of time, tide and productive fishing grounds, effective gear, bait and technique are un-guided – they are simply unattended.”
The IPHC will hold its 102nd annual meeting from January 19-22 in Bellevue, WA.
