The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the recreational Pacific halibut fishery will close Sunday, Aug. 7 at 11:59 p.m. Based on the latest catch projections, CDFW expects the 2022 California recreational quota of 38,740 net pounds will be exceeded unless the fishery is closed.

 

CDFW tracks the progress of the fishery each year to prevent catch from exceeding the California quota. CDFW field staff are located at public launch ramps and charter boat landings to monitor catches of Pacific halibut throughout the season, along with other marine sport fish species. The quota amount is determined annually by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC).

 

Using this information, CDFW conferred with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the IPHC and the Pacific Fishery Management Council to review projected catch amounts and determine the closure date. Formal authority to close the fishery resides with NMFS, which took action to close the fishery following consultation with CDFW.

 

Pacific halibut are a different species than California halibut and 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, Pacific halibut are commonly found as far south as Point Arena in Mendocino County.

 

For current information about the Pacific halibut fishery, science or management, please check the following resources: