ODFW release – NEWPORT, Ore – ODFW Tuesday announced changes in two subareas of the Pacific halibut sport fishery. Central Coast Subarea (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain): Beginning Sept. 1, the summer all-depth halibut season is open daily (seven days/week) at all depths until the quota is reached or Oct. 31 with a two fish daily bag limit. Annual limit remans six halibut. With a little over 140,000 pounds remaining in this subarea (all-depth and nearshore combined), daily fishing at any depth gives anglers more opportunity to harvest the halibut allocation. The Sept. 1 halibut start date coincides with the recreational all-depth bottomfish fishery so anglers can retain all-depth halibut and regular bottomfish (not restricted to longleader gear) on the same trip. Southern Oregon Subarea (Humbug Mountain to California border): Beginning Sept. 1, anglers may retain two halibut per day; annual limit remains six fish. Season open dates remain unchanged (open daily through Oct. 31 or until quota met). Pacific halibut regulations: Pacific halibut anglers must have a descending device onboard the vessel and use it to release any rockfish species when fishing 30 fathoms or deeper. Beginning Sept. 1 south of Cape Falcon, anglers can keep two Pacific halibut daily, six per year. North of Cape Falcon, the bag limit remains one Pacific halibut daily six per year. The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (YRCA) located in the Central Coast Subarea is closed to Pacific halibut fishing. Anglers on vessels possessing Pacific halibut or bottomfish are prohibited from fishing in the Stonewall Bank YRCA even when targeting legal species (salmon and tuna). See Pacific halibut sport regulations for more information.
