March 2007

2007 Washington Halibut Season

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2007 Sportfishing Halibut Regulations

Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound Recreational Halibut Marine Areas 5, 6-11 and 13 Open 5 days/week, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Marine Area 5: Open Thursday, May 24 through Friday, August 3. Marine Area 6-11 and 13: Open Monday, April 9 through Saturday, June 16. Marine Area 12 is closed to all recreational halibut fishing. Columbia Recreational Halibut Marine Area 1 Ilwaco The primary fishery will open in WDFW Marine Catch Area 1 on Tuesday, May 1, and will continue seven days per week until 70% of the subarea quota is achieved, or until July 15, whichever is earlier. The fishery will reopen on Friday, August 3, and continue three days per week (Friday-Sunday), until the remaining quota is taken, or September 30, whichever occurs first. No bottomfish may be taken, retained, possessed or landed, except sablefish and Pacific cod, if halibut are onboard the vessel. South Coast Recreational Halibut Marine Area 2 Westport Marine Area 2 30 Fathom Rule The primary fishery will open in WDFW Marine Catch Area 2 on Tuesday, May 1, and will continue five days per week (Sunday-Thursday) until 95% of the subarea quota is achieved. The northern nearshore area will open on May 1, and continue seven days per week while the primary fishery remains open. The fishery will then reopen in the northern nearshore area on Fridays and Saturdays, until the remaining quota is taken, or September 30, whichever occurs first. Bottomfish Closed Area Beginning March 16, 2007, in Marine Area 2, it is unlawful to fish for or possess rockfish and lingcod for personal use seaward of a line approximating the 30-fathom depth contour, as defined by the following coordinates: 47°31.70’ N. lat.; 124°37.03’ W. long.; 47°25.67’ N. lat.; 124°34.79’ W. long.; 47°12.82’ N. lat.; 124°29.12’ W. long.; 46°52.94’ N. lat.; 124°22.58’ W. long.; 46°44.18’ N. lat.; 124°18.00’ W. long.; 46°38.17’ N. lat.; 124°15.88’ W. long. North Coast Recreational Halibut Marine Area 3 and 4 Neah Bay and La Push Marine Area 3 and 4 20 Fathom Rule The fishery will open in WDFW Marine Catch Areas 3 and 4 beginning on Tuesday, May 15, and will continue three days per week—Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday—until the May portion of the quota is achieved. The fishery will reopen in WDFW Marine Catch Area 4B and shoreward of a modified line approximating 30 fms from the Bonilla-Tatoosh line south to the Queets River, as described by the following coordinates: Halibut Fishery - 30 Fathom Rule Line Click on image to enlarge 48°24.79’N. lat.; 124°44.07’W. long.; 48°24.80’N. lat.; 124°44.74’W. long.; 48°23.94’N. lat.; 124°44.70’W. long.; 48°23.51’N. lat.; 124°45.01’W. long.; 48°22.59’N. lat.; 124°44.97’W. long.; 48°21.75’N. lat.; 124°45.26’W. long.; 48°21.23’N. lat.; 124°47.78’W. long.; 48°20.32’N. lat.; 124°49.53’W. long.; 48°16.72’N. lat.; 124°51.58’W. long.; 48°10.00’N. lat.; 124°52.58’W. long.; 48°05.63’N. lat.; 124°52.91’W. long.; 47°56.25’N. lat.; 124°52.57’W. long.; 47°40.28’N. lat.; 124°40.07’W. long.; 47°31.70’N. lat.; 124°37.03’W. long. on Tuesday, June 19, and Thursday, June 21. All recreational fishing in WDFW Marine Catch Areas 3 and 4 outside of these areas will be closed on those dates. The fishery will reopen in all areas of WDFW Marine Catch Areas 3 and 4 on Saturday, June 23. Following this opening, the fishery will close, the catch will be tallied, and WDFW will have a conference call with the International Pacific Halibut Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service to determine whether there is sufficient quota remaining to reopen the fishery. If sufficient quota remains, then the entire subarea will reopen on June 28. If there isn’t sufficient quota remaining to reopen the entire area, then WDFW will consider reopening the two nearshore areas described above on June 28, up to four days per week (Thursday-Sunday), until the quota is projected to be taken. Area Closures A "C-shaped" yelloweye rockfish conservation area that is closed to recreational bottomfish and halibut fishing is defined by the following coordinates in the order listed: 48°18' N. lat.; 125°18' W. long.; 48°18' N. lat.; 124°59' W. long.; 48°11' N. lat.; 124°59' W. long.; 48°11' N. lat.; 125°11' W. long.; 48°04' N. lat.; 125°11' W. long.; 48°04' N. lat.; 124°59' W. long.; 48°00' N. lat.; 124°59' W. long.; 48°00' N. lat.; 125°18' W. long.; and connecting back to 48°18' N. lat.; 125°18' W. long.

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