Halibut To Reopen In Marine Area 3 & 4 For 1 Additional Day On May 28th,2016

v

Halibut fishing re-opens in Marine Areas 3 and 4 on May 28; Westport northern nearshore area will close on May 21

Action: Recreational halibut fishing in Marine Area 3 (La Push) and Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) will re-open for one additional fishing day. Closes the northern nearshore area in Marine Area 2 (Westport).

Effective date: Marine areas 3 and 4: Open May 28, 2016.

Marine Area 2: Closed effective May 21, 2016.

Species affected: Pacific halibut

Location: Marine Areas 2, 3 and 4

Reason for action: There is sufficient quota remaining in Marine areas 3 and 4 to open the recreational halibut fishery for another day. The recreational halibut quota for the northern nearshore area in Marine Area 2 has reached the Pacific halibut quota reserved for this area; there is not enough quota pounds available to open this area for an additional fishing day. This rule conforms to federal action taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC).

Additional Information: Recreational halibut fishing remains open in other coastal and Puget Sound areas.

Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco): Open 4 days/week (Thursday-Sunday) in all depth areas, and the Neashore area is open on days when the all depth halibut fishery is closed (Mon-Wed) until the subarea quota is taken.

Marine areas 5-10 (Puget Sound): Open May 26 through 29, Thursday through Sunday.

Information contact: Heather Reed, (360) 249-4628, ext. 202.