Abstract
Recent stock assessments of Atlantic Halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus in the United States have been unable to determine stock status. Although there are several fishery-independent surveys available in the region, few Atlantic Halibut are typically encountered, the survey indices are highly variable, and a reliable index of abundance is not available for this stock. In the absence of reliable fishery-independent surveys, standardized CPUE time series from the fishery can be used as an index of abundance. Incorporating harvesters' knowledge into the CPUE standardization process can be beneficial because harvesters are knowledgeable about their fishery and target species and can provide valuable information on factors affecting catch rates and patterns in catch rates. In this study, we interviewed Atlantic Halibut harvesters in Maine to determine which covariates influence catch rates and we incorporated those covariates as predictor variables in the CPUE standardization of logbook data (2002-2017) from Maine's state Atlantic Halibut fishery. Harvesters identified covariates (fishing location and an interaction of depth and month) that significantly influenced Atlantic Halibut catchability. The standardized time series showed a stable or slightly increasing trend in Atlantic Halibut catch rates, which was consistent with most harvesters' perspectives. The results from this study highlight the value of collaborative research and provide information for management as a relatively empirical indicator of abundance.