Annual Management Measures for the 2026 Area 2A Pacific Halibut Directed Commercial Fishery
Summary
NOAA Fisheries is implementing annual management measures for the 2026 non-Tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery that operates south of Point Chehalis, WA, (lat. 46°53.30′ N) in the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s (IPHC) Regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. Annual management measures include fishing periods and fishing period limits.
Fishery Allocation
The total allocation for this fishery was 261,211 pounds (118.5 mt), net weight.
Fishing Period Dates
- Fishing period #1: June 23 at 8:00 a.m. to June 25 at 6:00 p.m.
- Fishing period #2: July 7 at 8:00 a.m. to July 9 at 6:00 p.m.
- If a third fishing period is needed to reach the allocation, it is intended to occur 2 weeks after the second fishing period (July 21).
Vessel Catch Limits
Fishing period limits (vessel catch limits) are shown below, in dressed weight, head-on with ice/slime. Note: Vessels with tenths of feet will be rounded up to the nearest foot for the purpose of fishing period limits.
| Vessel class | Length range (feet) | Fishing period limit (pounds) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1 - 25 | 2,000 |
| B | 26 - 30 | 2,000 |
| C | 31 - 35 | 2,000 |
| D | 36 - 40 | 3,400 |
| E | 41 - 45 | 3,400 |
| F | 46 - 50 | 4,300 |
| G | 51 - 55 | 4,300 |
| H | 56+ | 5,000 |
Other Regulations and Resources
Regulations listed above are only a partial list of applicable regulations. Some helpful links to more regulations and resources include:
- The West Coast Pacific halibut website.
- Pacific halibut fishery regulations at 50 CFR Part 300 Subpart E.
- Pacific halibut rules and bulletins.
- IPHC regulations adopted annually by NOAA Fisheries (91 FR 14464 and on the IPHC website)
- West Coast Groundfish compliance guides, commercial fishing website, and regulations.
Questions?
Contact the West Coast Region Pacific halibut team at nmfs.wcr.halibut@noaa.gov.