An ice fisherman from Quebec spent two and a half hours battling a 244-pound halibut in the Saguenay Fjord over the weekend, setting a new record for the largest Atlantic halibut caught in the area. Marc-André Galbrand, the president of the basin committee, described the halibut as a challenging fish to catch, requiring patience and resulting in sore arms.
The massive halibut, measuring two meters in length, was caught by Alain Hamel in the L’Anse-Saint-Jean sector of the fjord. This catch surpassed last year’s record of a 194-pound halibut. The ice fishing expedition was conducted in collaboration with the local Fjord Museum as part of a scientific project aimed at studying the species.
Although fishing for Atlantic halibut is prohibited in the Saguenay Fjord, fishermen involved in the project catch, tag, and bring the fish to the museum for analysis. The bones in the fish’s head can provide valuable insights into migration patterns. The halibut caught will be weighed, dissected, and distributed among the fishermen, with an estimated 170 pounds of meat expected from this week’s catch.
Another fisherman, Jérôme Rousseau, also landed a large Atlantic halibut off the coast of Sainte-Rose-du-Nord on the Saguenay River this season, marking a personal achievement after years of participation in the scientific fishing program. The caught halibut was taken to the Fjord Museum for further examination.
Galbrand emphasized the extreme nature of halibut fishing, highlighting the need for expertise and caution due to the fish’s sharp teeth. The depth of the water adds an extra challenge, with teams fishing at depths ranging from 120 to 180 meters. Following the record-breaking catch, the scientific fishing of Atlantic Halibut was halted in the fjord to avoid exceeding the quota permitted. The CBBH is considering allowing a select number of fishers to catch the remaining halibut through a lottery system.
