International Pacific Halibut Commission International Pacific Halibut Commission The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is an International Fisheries Organization, having Canada and the United States as its members, responsible for the management of stocks of Pacific halibut or "Hippoglossus stenolepis" within the Pacific waters of its member states. It was founded in 1923 by an international treaty. The original treaty has been revised three times (1953,1976,1979). The 1979 amendment clarified the role of the IPHC in the management of the fishery through the North Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. It has carried out many activities including the use of chartered commercial fishing vessels to
Coastal fish (flatfish) such as plaice which live "on" the sea bed. Benthic fish tend to be "flat", so they can lie on the bottom. Stargazers are about 50 species of fishes, belonging to the family Uranoscopidae, and found worldwide in shallow waters. Stargazers are venomous; they have two large poison spines situated behind the opercle and above the pectoral fins. They can also deliver electric shocks. They are ambush predators with eyes on top of their heads (thus the name). Stargazers also have a large upward-facing mouth in a large head. They bury themselves in sand with only their eyes showing,