2022 Recreational Pacific Halibut Fisheries in Washington, Oregon, and California

April 01, 2022

Area 2A Pacific halibut fishery management in 2022 and beyond

Bulletin |

West Coast

NOAA Fisheries announces publication of the 2022 Pacific halibut Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, and California) Catch Sharing Plan and annual management measures final rule. The rule is effective on April 1, 2022. You can access Pacific halibut information on the NOAA Fisheries website.

The NOAA Fisheries halibut hotline at (800) 662-9825 has the most up-to-date information for recreational Area 2A fisheries. State-specific Pacific halibut fishery information is available at the following websites:

Washington: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut

Oregon: https://myodfw.com/pacific-halibut-sport-regulations

California: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Pacific-Halibut

	Pounds	Metric Tons
Area 2A TCEY	1,650,000	748.4
Area 2A Catch Limit	1,490,000	675.9
Nontribal
Recreational
Washington Puget Sound	83,210	37.7
Washington North Coast	133,847	60.7
Washington South Coast	68,555	31.1
Columbia River	19,037	8.6
Oregon Central Coast	269,782	122.4
Oregon Southern Coast	8,000	3.6
California Coast	38,740	17.6

For 2022, the following regulations apply to recreational halibut fisheries:

The halibut daily bag limit in Washington, Oregon, and California is 1 halibut of any size per person per day.
Check state regulations for information on rockfish and other groundfish retention allowances.
For information on retaining groundfish, please see the NMFS groundfish website and federal regulations.

Season dates are subject to quota availability, and areas will close if there is not sufficient quota for another full day of fishing.

Washington

Subarea	Location	Season Dates
Puget Sound and eastern waters in the Strait of Juan de Fuca	Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca east of a line at approximately 123°49.60' W. long.	April 7-9, 14-16, 21- 23, 28-30; May 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 27-29; June 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, and 30. If unharvested quota remains after June 30, NMFS may take inseason action to reopen the fishery August 18 through September 30, up to five days per week, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of each week.
Strait of Juan de Fuca	Strait of Juan de Fuca, approximately between 124°23.70' W. long. and 123°49.60' W. long.	May 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 27-29; June 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, and 30. If unharvested quota remains after June 30, NMFS may take inseason action to reopen the fishery August 18 through September 30, up to five days per week, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of each week.
North Washington Coast	North of Queets River and west of the Sekiu River mouth	May 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 27, and 29; June 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30. If unharvested quota remains after June 30, NMFS may take inseason action to reopen the fishery August 18 through September 30, up to five days per week, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of each week.
South Washington Coast	Queets River south to Leadbetter Point	May 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, and 26; June 16, 19, 23, and 26, or until there is not sufficient quota for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed. If unharvested quota remains after June 30, NMFS may take inseason action to reopen the fishery August 19 and/or September 23.
South Washington Coast nearshore	Waters between 47°31.70’ N. lat. south to 46°58’ N. lat. and east of a boundary line approximating the 30 fm depth contour	Quota permitting, open the Saturday after the primary fishery closure, 7 days per week.

Recreational fishing for halibut is closed within Recreational Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas off the north and south Washington coast subareas. There are additional area closures in the Puget Sound subarea for 2022. Please check Washington state regulations online.

Columbia River

Subarea	Location	Season Dates
Columbia River all-depth	Between Leadbetter Point, WA and Cape Falcon, OR	May 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, and 26; June 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, and 30, or until there is not sufficient quota for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed. If unharvested quota remains after June 30, NMFS may take inseason action to reopen the fishery on August 19 and/or September 23.
Columbia River nearshore	Leadbetter Point to the Columbia River, connecting the following coordinates in Washington: 46°38.17' N. lat., 124°15.88' W. long. 46°16.00' N. lat., 124°15.88' W. long. and connecting to the boundary line approximating the 40-fm (73-m) 12 depth contour in Oregon.	May 9, 3 days per week (Monday – Wednesday) until the nearshore allocation is taken, or September 30.

Oregon

Subarea	Location	Season Dates	Additional Season Dates
Central Coast “inside 40-fathom”	Cape Falcon south to Humbug Mountain, shoreward of a boundary line approximating the 40-fm depth contour	May 1, 7 days a week until the quota is taken, or through October 31.
Central Coast all-depth	Cape Falcon south to Humbug Mountain	Spring: May 12, seven days per week, through June 30. Summer: August 4-6, 18-20; September 1-3, 15- 17, September 29-October 1, 13-15, and 27-29.	In the event that there is remaining subarea allocation after June 30, the fishery will also be open July 7-9 and 21-23.
Southern Oregon	Humbug Mountain, to the OR/CA border	May 1, 7 days per week until the quota is taken, or October 31.

A yelloweye rockfish conservation area off central Oregon, near Stonewall Bank, is closed to sport fishing for halibut. Please check waypoints online.

California