IPHC News Release 2017-25 Reopening Sport Fisheries: Oregon Central Coast Nearshore

28 August 2017

REOPENING SPORT FISHERIES: OREGON CENTRAL COAST NEARSHORE

The following areas are open or are re-opening for the Pacific halibut sport fishery in Oregon, U.S.A.:

Open: Oregon Central Coast Sub-area summer all-depth Pacific halibut sport fishery – The preliminary catch estimate for the central Oregon all-depth summer Pacific halibut sport fishery openings through 19 August 2017 is 41,314 pounds, leaving an estimated 24,967 pounds in the harvest allocation. This fishery remains open every other week on Friday and Saturday as quota remains, with the next opening scheduled for 1-2 September 2017.

Open: Southern Oregon Sub-area Pacific halibut sport fishery – The preliminary catch estimates from the Southern Oregon Sub-area total 1,660 pounds, leaving 8,379 pounds to be harvested. As removals from this region tend to decrease significantly after Labor Day, and to optimize attainment of Oregon’s sport fishery catch limit, 4,000 pounds were transferred to the Oregon Central Coast Sub-area nearshore region to reopen that area. This leaves 4,379 pounds to be harvested in the Southern Oregon Sub-area.

Re-Open: Oregon Central Coast subarea nearshore Pacific halibut sport fishery – The preliminary catch estimate for the Oregon Central Coast subarea nearshore Pacific halibut sport fishery through 30 July 2017 was 27,967 pounds, leaving an estimated 930 pounds unharvested. To optimize attainment of the Oregon Pacific halibut sport fishery catch limit, fishery managers have transferred 4,000 pounds from the available Southern Oregon Sub-area sport fishery catch limit to the Oregon Central Coast subarea nearshore Pacific halibut sport fishery catch limit (for an available catch of 4,930 pounds). This action allows for the reopening of the Central Coast Sub-area seven days a week effective Sunday, 3 September 2017 at 12:01 AM (PDT) until 31 October, or the adjusted quota is met.

For more information on these updates please refer to:

Oregon: Department of Fish and Wildlife website:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/index.asp

In all marine areas open to Pacific halibut sport fishing in Washington, Oregon, and California, there is a one-fish daily catch limit and no minimum size restriction.

Due to the short notice nature of this notification, it is posted to our website only, and no paper copy has been mailed out.