On July 27, 2026, NOAA Fisheries published an inseason notice (91 FR 46866) to implement additional dates for the recreational halibut fishery in August and September for the Washington and Columbia River subareas, as noted in the Final Rule (91 FR 23369, April 30, 2026). On August 7, 2026, NOAA Fisheries will be publishing a notice correcting those dates.
The recreational halibut fishery will be open the following dates:
Puget Sound subarea
- 7 days per week, August 16, 2026 through September 30, 2026
North Coast subarea
- 7 days per week, August 16, 2026 through September 30, 2026
South Coast subarea
- 7 days per week, August 8, 2026 through September 30, 2026
Columbia River subarea
- 7 days per week, August 8, 2026 through September 30, 2026
If the subarea allocation is projected to be reached prior to September 30, the subarea will be closed by NOAA Fisheries.
Pacific Halibut Fishing on the West Coast
For more information about fishing for Pacific halibut off of Washington, Oregon, and California, visit our webpage Pacific Halibut Fishing on the West Coast.
Questions?
For more information on Pacific halibut fishing, please contact the West Coast Region Pacific halibut team at nmfs.wcr.halibut@noaa.gov.
