International Pacific Halibut Commission

What International Pacific Halibut Commission does

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is a binational intergovernmental organization established by Convention between Canada and the United States (signed 2 March 1923, in force 21 October 1924, last amended by the 1979 Protocol) and headquartered at 2320 West Commodore Way, Seattle, Washington. It is the sole international body with mandate to manage Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) across Convention waters covering the U.S. and Canadian Pacific coasts, including Alaska, and is governed by six Commissioners (three appointed by each Contracting Party). The Commission's mission is to develop stocks to permit optimum yield and maintain them at those levels.

IPHC's core scientific products are an annual Stock Assessment using an ensemble of four Stock Synthesis population dynamics models, a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) closed-loop simulation framework with a multi-area operating model implemented in C++, and the Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) that collects standardized biological data from chartered commercial vessels each year. These are operationalized through ~38 permanent Secretariat staff across five branches (Quantitative Sciences, Biological & Ecosystem Sciences, Fisheries Regulations & Data Services, Fisheries Monitoring, and Administrative Services) plus 25-30 seasonal survey specialists, and delivered via interactive web tools (MSE Explorer, Stock Assessment Dashboard, FISS CPUE Dashboard, Commercial Landings Dashboard, Biology & Ecology Dashboard, Socio-Economic Conditions Index, Projection Tool, Conceptual Movement Tool, and Economic Impact Visualization Tool).

IPHC's revenue model is institutional rather than commercial: it is funded by joint budget allocations from Canada and the United States under the Convention, supplemented by research grants from NOAA, Alaska Sea Grant, and the North Pacific Research Board, with proceeds from FISS-caught fish sales used to offset survey costs. Its "customers" are regulatory stakeholders — commercial IQ holders (7,575 mt landed in 2025; 58% of removals), recreational fishers (2,595 mt; 20%), processors, First Nations and Treaty Tribes, and subsistence users (372 mt) — all of whom operate under IPHC-set fishery limits and are represented on standing advisory bodies (Conference Board, Processor Advisory Board, Research Advisory Board, Scientific Review Board, Management Strategy Advisory Board, Finance & Administration Committee).

Name

International Pacific Halibut Commission

Legal name

International Pacific Halibut Commission

Website

https://iphc.int

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Pacific Halibut Commission is a binational U.S.-Canada regulatory organization that sets catch limits and manages Pacific halibut fisheries across Convention waters via science-based stock assessment, Management Strategy Evaluation, and an annual Fishery-Independent Setline Survey, serving commercial, recreational, subsistence, and indigenous stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fisheries Management

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Aquaculture (1125)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture & Fish Health Services (AFAEANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK)

Keywords

• Pacific halibut management
• Fisheries stock assessment
• Marine resource management
• Fishery scientific research
• Harvest policy evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding / Budget Allocation: IPHC operates as an international organization funded jointly by Canada and the United States through the Convention. The Commission receives budget allocations from both Contracting Parties for operations, research, and management activities.
2. Grant Agreements: IPHC receives grant funding from NOAA, Alaska Sea Grant, North Pacific Research Board, and other agencies for specific research projects including bycatch reduction engineering, genetic aging methods, and population genetics studies.
3. FISS Fish Sales: Pacific halibut sampled on Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) trips are sold at the end of each trip and proceeds are used to offset the cost of conducting the FISS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The IPHC manages the Pacific halibut fishery across the Convention waters of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea on behalf of Canada and the United States. Its core activities include conducting annual stock assessments, operating the Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS), setting annual catch limits, and conducting scientific and biological research on Pacific halibut. It also performs Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE), economic impact analyses, and provides scientific advice to its Commissioners, governments, industry, and Indigenous groups.

Product overview

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) operates as a binational fisheries management organization providing a suite of interconnected scientific research and data services for Pacific halibut conservation. The core offerings center on annual Stock Assessment using an ensemble of four Stock Synthesis population dynamics models, and Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) through simulation-based closed-loop modeling. These scientific products are supported by the Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS), which collects standardized biological data via chartered commercial vessels. IPHC delivers its outputs through multiple interactive web dashboards (Stock Assessment Dashboard, FISS Catch Per Unit Effort, Commercial Landings, Biology & Ecology, and Socio-Economic Conditions Index) and specialized tools including the MSE Explorer, IPHC Projection Tool, Conceptual Movement Tool, and Pacific Halibut Economic Impact Visualization Tool. The organization also publishes annual Fishery Limits Reports and maintains comprehensive Time Series Datasets. Educational initiatives include the IPHC Merit Scholarship Program ($4,000/year) and Undergraduate Internship Program. All products and services are directed toward fulfilling IPHC's mandate of maintaining Pacific halibut stocks at levels permitting optimum yield through rigorous science and international best practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 total removals: 13,063 mt (28.8 million pounds), 57% below 50-year average
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, core and academic.

• Washington Department of Fish and WildliferegionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2025MOU for cooperation in fisheries management activities. Current MOU effective 05 Dec 2025 to 04 Dec 2030. Focus on data sharing and collaborative management efforts in Washington state waters.
• NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center (FMA Division)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2025Agreement of Access to Confidential Fisheries Data. Agreement effective 28 Aug 2025 to 28 Aug 2028. Also has separate agreement with Northwest Fisheries Science Center effective 20 Jul 2022 to 19 Jul 2027.
• North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2024International organization cooperation for technical collaboration and information exchange. Current MOU effective 06 Jul 2024 to 05 Jul 2029. Previously had MOU from 2019-2024 which has now expired and been renewed.
• NOAA Fisheries West Coast RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2023Agreement for access to confidential fisheries data supporting West Coast Pacific halibut management. Agreement effective 18 Oct 2023 to 18 Oct 2028.
• California Department of Fish and WildliferegionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2023Data Sharing Agreement for release and use of confidential fisheries information. Agreement effective 16 Jun 2023 to 31 Mar 2027.
• NOAA Fisheries and Alaska Department of Fish and GamecoreTechnology or Integration · 25 January 2022MOA for Interagency Electronic Reporting System (eLandings). Enables electronic catch reporting and data integration between federal and state systems. Current agreement effective 25 Jan 2022 to 25 Jan 2027.
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFISS License Number XL 6 2026 for vessel Vanisle conducting Fishery-Independent Setline Survey in Canadian waters. License period 1 May 2026 to 31 Aug 2026. Also issues Star Wars II license (XL 7 2026).
• NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLetter of Acknowledgement for Scientific Research for IPHC FISS in Alaska waters. LOA effective 22 May 2026 to 15 Sept 2026.
• State of Alaska Department of Fish and GamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlaska Department of Fish and Game Fishery Research Permit for IPHC research activities. Issues annual permits for FISS operations in Alaska state waters.
• United States Coast GuardregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical MOU with USCG and USGS Marrowstone Marine Field Station for collection and processing of halibut tissue samples and study of Ichthyophonus spp. Expired but represents past cooperation.
• University of Alaska FairbanksacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast MOUs with UAF including graduate student collaborations for PSAT deployment (2004), whale depredation data sharing (2006), and Alaska Center for Energy and Power collaboration on capture and release studies (2019).
• Alaska Pacific UniversityacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU for use of IPHC fisheries-independent setline survey data. Previous agreement 2017-2020. Currently has agreement with Fisheries, Aquatic Science, and Technology Laboratory (2019).
• Dalhousie UniversityacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast MOU (2011) for use of Pacific halibut tissue samples preserved for genetic analysis. Scientific Review Board member Dr Joanna Mills Flemming is from Dalhousie University.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC): IATTC is an international RFMO responsible for the conservation and management of tuna and other marine resources in the eastern Pacific. Like IPHC, it uses scientific staff, stock assessments, and member-state cooperation to manage migratory fish stocks within a defined Convention Area.
• Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR): CCAMLR is an international RFMO using consensus-based decision-making and a precautionary, ecosystem-based management approach. Like IPHC, it relies heavily on scientific committees, multi-year data, and member-state cooperation to set catch limits across a defined Convention Area.
• Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO): NAFO is an international RFMO managing most groundfish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic outside coastal state jurisdiction. Like IPHC, NAFO employs science-based total allowable catches, multi-stock assessments, and ecosystem-based management approaches, and serves as a structural parallel to IPHC's binational Convention model.
• Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC): WCPFC is the international RFMO managing tuna and other highly migratory species across the western and central Pacific. Comparable to IPHC as an international fisheries management body using scientific advisory processes, multi-model stock assessment, and conservation and management measures adopted by member states.
• North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC): One of eight US regional fishery management councils, NPFMC manages groundfish and other fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska — the same Convention waters where IPHC operates. Both bodies use science-based catch limit setting, advisory bodies, and stakeholder engagement to manage Alaska fisheries, with extensive data-sharing agreements.
• Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC): US regional council managing West Coast groundfish, salmon, and coastal pelagic species off Washington, Oregon, and California. IPHC has an active data-sharing MOU with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that connects to PFMC-managed fisheries, and both councils employ science-based stock assessment and ecosystem management approaches.
• Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC): An interstate compact under US law analogous to IPHC's binational structure, ASMFC manages shared Atlantic coastal fisheries across multiple US states through science-based interstate cooperation. Like IPHC, it sets fishery management plans, conducts stock assessments, and convenes stakeholders through advisory processes.

Regional players

• Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G): ADF&G is the Alaska state agency responsible for managing state-waters fisheries, including issuing annual research permits for IPHC's FISS operations. It manages Pacific halibut allocation between sport and guided sectors in Alaska state waters and works closely with IPHC on interjurisdictional data and management.

Broad incumbents

• Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): DFO is the Canadian federal agency responsible for managing Canadian fisheries, including issuing FISS licenses that allow IPHC to conduct its annual survey in Canadian Convention waters. DFO is a core IPHC partner and enforces IPHC-adopted regulations on the Canadian side, with a much broader fisheries portfolio.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries: NOAA Fisheries is the US federal agency responsible for managing living marine resources within the US EEZ, including Pacific halibut in coordination with IPHC. It is a key data-sharing partner (multiple active MOUs) and enforces IPHC-adopted regulations domestically. Operates a much broader portfolio than IPHC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IPHCStaff
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalPacificHalibutCommission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-pacific-halibut-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Pacific Halibut Commission