iStockphoto / e-crow/Jordan Yates
Ice fishermen in Quebec, Canada made history this month when they reeled in the largest Atlantic halibut ever caught in the province. It took multiple anglers rotating the rod three hours to haul in the record-setting fish.
Atlantic halibut are a protected species in this region of Quebec and anglers are not permitted to target it as a species. However, population numbers have been on the rise in recent years and this record-setting halibut was part of a scientific endeavor to learn more about the population.
Record-Setting Atlantic Halibut Caught In Quebec
Footage of the massive fish has gone viral across various fishing-related social media channels. The catch was notable enough to even pick up mainstream news from outlets like the NYT which rarely test the waters of fishing news.
But there is something so alluring about seeing a 244-pound Atlantic halibut being hauled through the ice that drew mainstream attention.
The fish was landed in Saguenay, Quebec on the frozen Saguenay River and the project that led to it being caught dates back to 2022 when local anglers were able to participate in the program to capture and measure fish in the region. Here is the moment the massive 244-pound Atlantic Halibut was pulled through the ice:
@nytimes Fishermen who cast a line in the frozen Saguenay River in the Canadian province of Quebec worked for more than two hours to reel in an Atlantic halibut that broke local records. #fishing #quebec
The previous record for this species in Quebec was 194-pounds. So this fish absolutely demolished that record.
Following this spectacular catch, Contact Nature CEO Marc-André Galbrand spoke with Canada’s CTV News about the significance of it. He discussed the necessary technique required to haul a massive fish such as this through the ice and how the logistics of catching such a large fish complicate everything.
An Absolute Unit
Recreational fishing for Atlantic halibut in the Saguenay River began in 1985 but was closed in 1998 to protect the species from over-fishing and declining stock. Elsewhere in Canada, like in the St. Lawrence River, population numbers of this species have been rebounding. That led to this program to test the viability of fishing for it once again in the Saguenay River.
Future of the Species
Here is Marc-André Galbrand talking about the current state of fishing for Atlantic halibut in this part of Quebec:
It remains to be seen if the fishery will ever reopen to the levels it once was. He says there are ‘accidental catches’ from recreational fishermen which led to the more formal test to see if population numbers could sustain recreational fishing.