there is talk about the state changing the halibutt catch limit....2 fish in a week, 5 fish a year. And the week start when u punch your first butt. what u all think of this?

This is a proposal pushed by the charter fleet to diminish the sports catch so the charter season can be longer.

I don't like it. We already take it in the shorts. Oregon and Canada fish all summer, but we get two weeks at La Push. I wonder if the fish know the difference?

Kris

That bites.Kinda makes it not worth the $300.00 to $400.00 dollar weekend of halibut fishin with the gas,hotel,food and other way's of blowing your money on your trip.How long before we won't be able to run out of neah bay to the canada side for our butt's.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE AREA 2A PACIFIC HALIBUT CATCH SHARING PLAN

At the September meeting, the Council adopted several proposed changes to the Area 2A Pacific halibut

catch-sharing plan for public review. Final adoption of the plan will take place at the Council’s meeting in

Portland, OR, November 1-5, 2004. Comments on the proposals can be sent or emailed to the Council

office, and comments will also be taken at the November Council meeting.

The following proposals affect Oregon and Washington sport fisheries:

1. Change the opening date of the Washington north coast subarea from the first Tuesday between May 9-15

to May 1 of each year. If May 1 falls on a Sunday or Monday, then the fishery would open on the first

Tuesday after May 1. This proposal would reinstate the traditional May 1 opening date.

2. Close the Washington south coast subarea fishery when 2,000 lbs are projected to remain in the subarea

quota. Subsequent to this closure, the nearshore area (northern [east of 124/40'00"] and southern [east of

124°27'00"] subareas) would reopen on Friday and Saturday only, until the remaining quota is projected to

be taken. This proposal would reinstate some nearshore opportunity that could be used by small vessels.

3. Set an annual bag limit of five halibut per person, per calendar year for the combined Washington north

coast and south coast subareas. The Department would require its catch record card (currently required in

Puget Sound) to apply to the coastal marine areas for halibut as well. Recreational fishers would be required

to record their catches on the catch record card, which can be inspected by enforcement staff during the

season and is turned in to the Department at the end of the season.

4. In addition to the annual limit of five halibut per person, per calendar year for the combined Washington

north coast and south coast subareas, include a weekly limit of two halibut per person, per calendar week.

Proposals 3 and 4 are intended to provide opportunity to more individuals and lengthen the season.

5. For the Oregon Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. all-depth recreational spring fishery (May-July) add

Thursdays to all openings.

6. For the Oregon Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. all-depth recreational summer fishery (August to October)

add Sundays to all openings.

Proposals 5 and 6 would add a third day to scheduled openers to lessen the likelihood that poor weather and

ocean conditions would prevent fishing opportunity during scheduled open periods.

7. For the Oregon Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. all-depth recreational summer fishery, increase the daily bag

limit to two halibut with a 32-inch minimum length. The summer fishery quota has not been harvested

recently, and a second fish in the bag limit may generate additional interest in the fishery.

8. For the Oregon Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. all-depth recreational summer fishery, add automatic

inseason action to provide more angler opportunity to harvest entire season subarea quota.

A) If a two fish bag limit is not adopted: 1) if after the first scheduled open period of the Summer

fishery (the first period starts the first Friday in August) the remaining Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.

season quota (combined all-depth and inside 40-fathom quotas) is 60,000 pounds or more, the fishery

automatically reopens on every Friday-Sunday (versus every other weekend); and 2) if after the third

scheduled open period of the Summer fishery (the third period starts Friday of Labor Day weekend)

the remaining Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. entire season quota (combined all-depth and inside 40-

fathom quotas) is 30,000 pounds or more, the fishery automatically reopens on every Friday-Sunday

with a bag limit of two fish at least 32-inches in length. Any excess quota projected to remain after

the needs of the inside 40-fathom fishery (scheduled May-October) are met would be transferred into

2

the remaining all-depth quota.

B) If a two fish bag limit is adopted: if after the third scheduled open period of the Summer fishery

(the third period starts Friday of Labor Day weekend) the remaining Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.

entire season quota (combined all-depth and inside 40-fathom quotas) is 30,000 pounds or more, the

fishery automatically reopens on every Friday-Sunday. Any excess quota projected to remain after

the needs of the inside 40-fathom fishery (scheduled May-October) are met would be transferred into

the remaining all-depth quota.

9. Adopt a “yelloweye rockfish conservation” closure area located on Stonewall Banks. The designated area

would be closed to halibut fishing on all-depth halibut days to reduce impacts on species of concern,

especially yelloweye and canary rockfishe, while allowing access to productive halibut areas around

Stonewall Banks. No groundfish retention would be allowed on halibut trips. The closed areas would be

identified by latitude/longitude waypoints.

10. For the Leadbetter Pt., Washington to Cape Falcon, Oregon subarea recreational fishery, split the subarea

quota at the Washington/Oregon border, with halibut landed in each state’s ports attributed to its share of the

quota. The allocation to the Oregon portion would increase from 2 percent to 4 percent of the total

Oregon/California recreational allocation. This would reduce the quota in the Central Oregon subarea from

95 to 93 percent. There would be no change in the Washington allocation shares. When a state’s share of the

subarea quota was attained, halibut landings into that state’s ports would be prohibited. The purpose of the

proposal is to provide additional opportunity to Oregon anglers in the Columbia River subarea.

11. For all subareas south of Leadbetter Point, Washington, eliminate the minimum length requirement. This

would reduce the length of time required to catch the daily limit and allow anglers a quicker return to port,

which would improve safety of the fishery. It may also reduce mortality on species of concern, especially

canary and yelloweye rockfishe.

12. For all-depth fisheries south of Leadbetter Point, Washington, prohibit retention of groundfish. This

would help reduce incidental take on prohibited species such as canary and yelloweye rockfishes..

For additional information on the proposals, contact:

Michele culver (WDFW) for Washington proposals (culvemkc@dfw.wa.gov or 360-249-4628 );

Don Bodenmiller (ODFW) for Oregon proposals (Don.Bodenmiller@state.or.us or 541-867-0300) x223;

or Chuck Tracy at the Council office (Chuck.Tracy@noaa.gov or 503-820-2280).

Since Halibut (as of yet) are not required to recorded on catch record cards in MA 1-4, I don't see how this has an effect on the sport fleet out of MA 3-4 except the five fish annual limit per angler. We had 12 total days of US halibut fishing.
Strike Zone. Agreed with your concerns about being able to fish the canadian side.
GP, it pains me to say that you're probably right as far as MA 3-4 is concerned. But this is a proposal for 2A where you could fish halibut untill July 3 of this year.

Well it looks like there will not be any changes this comming season.But there might be some the next.