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West Coast halibut boats get three tight fishing windows
NOAA’s final rule takes effect June 15, 2026, for the non-Tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery off Washington, Oregon and California. It sets a 261,211-pound allocation and vessel limits of up to 5,000 pounds to keep the catch under the cap.
West Coast commercial halibut fishermen are back on a short leash this summer. A federal rule from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, or NMFS, took effect June 15, 2026, for the non-Tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery south of Point Chehalis, Washington, in International Pacific Halibut Commission, or IPHC, Regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon and California.
Effective date: June 15, 2026
The season is built around three narrow openings: June 23-25, July 7-9, and, if the catch limit is not met, a possible third opener July 21-23. NMFS says the 2026 allocation for the fishery is 261,211 pounds, and the point of the schedule is to keep the fishery inside that number while still giving boats a shot at the year’s haul.
How the catch is split
What a boat can land depends on its size, and the limits are meant to spread the fishery’s quota across the fleet instead of letting the first boats through take everything. For the first two fishing periods, smaller vessels can keep less, while the biggest boats get the highest cap.
- 2,000 pounds for the smallest class - 3,400 pounds for the next size up - 4,300 pounds for the middle class - 5,000 pounds for the largest boats
A short season with real money behind it
The fishery usually runs only about seven days a year, and NMFS says about 76 vessels take part annually. That means the calendar is not a side detail. It is the season itself.
In 2025, the fishery brought in $2.37 million in ex-vessel revenue, the dockside value before processing or retail markups. For crews, processors and coastal towns tied to halibut, a handful of fishing days can still set the tone for the year.
Agency: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce Docket ID: Docket No. 260611-0141 RIN: 0648-XF466 CFR parts: 50 CFR Part 300 Effective date: June 15, 2026 Contact: Louis Forristall • West Coast Region • (503) 230-5410 • louis.forristall@noaa.gov