Recreational Pacific Halibut Fishing Closing Aug. 13
From the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announces the recreational Pacific halibut fishery will close Thursday, Aug. 13 at 12:01 a.m. for the remainder of 2015. The last full day of Pacific halibut fishing will be Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Based on the latest catch projections, CDFW expects the 2015 quota of 25,220 pounds will be exceeded unless the fishery is closed. Authority to close the fishery resides with the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which took action to close the fishery following consultation with CDFW.
Although poor weather limited fishing following the May 1 opener, excellent ocean conditions during the July 1-15 open period resulted in record Pacific halibut catch rates for California.
California’s recreational quota and season dates for 2015 were the result of negotiations with anglers, the fishing industry, local community leaders and other state and federal partners. Beginning in 2015, CDFW committed to tracking the fishery during the season to ensure catch amounts would not exceed the California quota. The quota amount is determined annually, and is largely driven by results from the annual stock assessment conducted by the IPHC.
Pacific halibut occupy a large geographic range, from the Aleutian Islands eastward through Alaska to British Columbia and throughout ocean waters of the Pacific Northwest. Along the West Coast, they are commonly found as far south as Point Arena in Mendocino County. In recent years, catches in northern California have increased, consistent with a general shift of the stock to the south and east.
CDFW field staff sampled public launch ramps and charter boat landings to monitor catches of Pacific halibut along with other marine sportfish throughout the season. Using this information, CDFW conferred with NMFS and IPHC on a weekly basis to review projected catch amounts and determine when the quota would be attained.
For current information about the Pacific halibut fishery, science or management, please check the following resources:
- NMFS Hotline, (800) 662-9825
- CDFW Recreational Groundfish Regulations Hotline, (831) 649-2801
- CDFW website, www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pacifichalibut.asp
- IPHC website, www.iphc.int
