ECOLOGICAL DATA
Distribution: shallow and deep water along B.C. coast;
main concentrations off north coast.
Habitat: usually in deep water (40-200 m); spawn in Dec to Feb in water 275-412
m deep; eggs are pelagic, occurring between 100 and 200 m; eggs and larvae pelagic for 4-5
months; larvae (8-15 mm long) mostly found 100-200 m, and rise in water column to 100 m
after 3-5 months; eggs and larvae drift westward with current to Bearing Sea; and move
eastward as juveniles (less than 7 yr); in May or June begin benthic existence at 2-3 cm;
reside in shallow inshore for 1-3 yr, until 40-50 cm; immature halibut make restricted
feeding migrations, but adults make extensive spawning migrations.
Tidal elevation: subtidal to 1100 m.
Food: benthic feeder; larvae prey on plankton; juveniles eat shrimp and fish (e.g.sand
lance); adults take fish (e.g. herring, sand lance, cod, flatfish), crabs and
octopus.
Predators: most predation occurs on larvae and juveniles, salmon and sablefish;
sea lion, seals and killer whales may take adults.
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GROWTH RATE
Largest flatfish; maximum recorded size, 267 cm and 225 kg; may
live to over 40 yr; males sexually mature at 8 yr and females at 8-16 yr; at 5-7 yr enter
commercial fishery.
FISHERY
Major commercial fishery, 4,231 t valued at $18.9 million in
1986; Native fishery.
REFERENCES
Anon. 1973. Pacific halibut. Fish. Fact Sheet, Fish. Mar. Serv.
Pac. Biol. Sta., Nanaimo: 2 p.
Anon. 1987. The Pacific halibut: biology, fishery, and management. Int. Pac. Halibut
Comm. Tech. Rep. 22: 59 p.
Best, E.A., and G. St-Pierre. 1986. Pacific halibut as predator and prey. Int. Pac.
Halibut Comm. Tech. Rep. 21: 27 p.
Hart, J.L. 1973. Pacific fishes of Canada. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 180: 614-616.
Lamb, A., and P. Edgell. 1986. Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Harbour
Publishing, Madeira Park, B.C.: 201.
Skud, B.E. 1977. Drift, migration, and intermingling of Pacific halibut stocks. Int.
Pac. Halibut Comm. Sci. Rep. 63: 42 p.
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