WWF-Russia suggests imposing a temporary ban on halibut fishing offshore of the Kamchatka peninsula

"The Pacific halibut stock assessment is based on everyday reports provided by fishing vessels. There is a serious lack of field reports and information provided by scientific observers. The allowable catch is overestimated because of that. Contributing factors are also not taken into account. For example, we do not know anything about the young fish bycatch, the impact of fishing gear on benthic communities, and how predators impact the stocks. Greenland halibut population follows the same trends, which is also concerning. We are certain that drastic measures must be implemented today," said Sergey Rafanov, the head of the Sustainable Marine Fishery Program of WWF-Russia.