🎣Inseason Action for Pacific Halibut Commercial Fishery 2025
NMFS announces inseason action for the 2025 Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a fishing period, July 22 through July 24, 2025, with a fishing period catch limit of 5,000 pounds (2.3 metric tons (mt)) per vessel, dressed weight. This action is intended to provide opportunity to achieve the 2025 non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.
Learn More🎣New Regulation on Pacific Halibut Charter Fishing Stamps
This final rule authorizes fee collection for the Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) Program. A charter halibut stamp (stamp) is required under this final rule for every charter vessel angler, 18 years of age or older, for each charter vessel fishing trip in a given calendar day, or each calendar day during a charter vessel fishing trip that spans multiple days, who intends to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory areas 2C in Southeast Alaska and 3A in South Central Alaska. Persons who hold charter halibut permits (CHPs) must purchase electronic stamps from NMFS. Charter vessel guides are required to validate a stamp for each adult charter vessel angler intending to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel fishing trip. This final rule is necessary to promote stability and economic viability in the charter halibut fishery and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act), and other applicable laws.
Learn More🎣NMFS Announces Additional Fishing Dates for Pacific Halibut 2025
NMFS announces inseason action for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds fishing dates (June 9, 10, 16, 17, and 30) in the Columbia River subarea. The additional fishing dates are intended to provide opportunity for anglers necessary to achieve the overall recreational fishery allocation in the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) 2025 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan.
Learn More🎣2025 Regulatory Changes for Pacific Halibut Fisheries Impacting Businesses
This final rule approves changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. In addition, the rule implements new management measures for the 2025 recreational fisheries in Area 2A, including the recreational fishery season open dates and subarea allocations for Area 2A. This action also adds a new inseason management provision that explicitly allows for the inseason transfer of anticipated uncaught recreational fishery allocation from the Northern California subarea to the South of Point Arena subarea. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut, while providing additional angler opportunity to achieve the Area 2A allocation set by the IPHC.
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