The Pacific halibut all-depth sport fishery in the Columbia River Subarea will close for the remainder of the year effective Friday, June 3 at 11:59 p.m., fishery managers announced today (6/1). The all-depth fishery from Leadbetter Point in Washington to Cape Falcon in Oregon opened on May 1 and was scheduled to be open every Thursday-Sunday through Sept. 30 or until the harvest of 10,509 pounds of Pacific halibut, whichever came first. However, preliminary estimates indicate that landings are nearing the quota and not enough remains for additional open days.

Effort in the Columbia River Subarea in 2016 was similar to 2015 and catch rates were good, enabling anglers to harvest the entire quota for this fishery in a similar time frame as in 2015. The Columbia River nearshore fishery (inside the 40-fathom line off of Oregon) remains open Mondays through Wednesdays until Sept. 30 or until the quota of 500 pounds is reached, whichever comes first.

Opportunities to fish for Pacific halibut remain open in other areas of Oregon, as well.  Off the central Oregon coast between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford), anglers may fish for halibut inside the 40-fathom line beginning June 1, seven days a week through Oct. 31 or attainment of the harvest quota (24,799 pounds) for that fishery.

The all-depth halibut fishery off central Oregon is scheduled to be open Thursday, June 2 through Saturday, June 4 and may have additional days if quota remains which will be announced by noon on Friday, June 10. A second summer season is scheduled to begin on August 5 and will be open every other Friday and Saturday until Oct. 31 or the quota of 51,603 pounds has been met. The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank, west of Newport, is closed to all halibut fishing.

The area between Humbug Mountain and the OR/CA Border is open at all depths for Pacific halibut seven days a week through Oct. 31 or until the quota of 8,605 pounds has been met, whichever comes first. Days on which Pacific halibut fishing is open will be announced on the NOAA Fisheries hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Website.