Pacific halibut sport regulations

Updated June 26, 2024

2024 Recreational Pacific Halibut

Halibut and bottomfish combinations – What you can keep on the same trip
To see how the quota is tracking inseason, visit the quota tracking webpage.

For more info on tagging salmon and halibut, visit Tips for tagging fish and game

Columbia River Subarea (Cape Falcon, OR to Leadbetter Point, WA)

All-Depth Season:

Open every Thursday, Sunday, and Tuesday May 2-26 and every Thursday, Sunday, and Tuesday May 30 through June 30 or until the quota is caught. Closed on Tuesday, May 28. If quota remains after those dates, additional open dates will be available in August and September.
Quota: 18,112 pounds

Nearshore Season:

Open Mondays through Wednesdays inside the 40-fathom regulatory line off Oregon beginning May 6 until September 30 or the quota is caught.
Quota: 500 pounds.

Central Oregon Coast Subarea (Humbug Mountain to Cape Falcon)

Spring All-Depth Season:

Open May 1 through June 30, seven days per week.
Additional dates: July 1-31, seven days per week.
Quota: 167,681 pounds

Summer All-Depth Season:

Opens August 1-3, then every other Thursday through Saturday until October 31, or the quota is caught
Quota: 66,540 pounds

Nearshore:

Open May 1, seven days per week, inside the 40-fathom regulatory line, until October 31 or the quota is caught.
Quota: 31,939 pounds

Southern Oregon Subarea (OR/CA Border to Humbug Mountain)

Open May 1, seven days per week, until October 31 or the quota is caught.
Quota: 8,000 pounds

Statewide regulations

It is mandatory to have a descending device onboard the vessel when fishing for Pacific halibut, and to use a device when releasing any rockfish species when fishing outside of 30 fathoms.
May be taken by angling with a single line, no more than 2 hooks, and by spear.
Daily bag limit Central Oregon Coast and Southern Oregon Subareas: 2 Pacific halibut. Annual limit: 6. No length limit.
Daily bag limit Columbia River Subarea: 1 Pacific halibut. Annual limit 6. No length Limit.
Pacific halibut possession limit: 1 daily limit at sea, 3 daily limits on land.
Fathom lines and conservation areas are defined by waypoints.
The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (about 15 miles west of Newport) is closed to Pacific halibut fishing. Anglers on vessels possessing Pacific halibut are prohibited from fishing in the Stonewall Bank YRCA, even when targeting legal species.
Pacific halibut seasons are managed and enforced based on port of landing. Halibut may only be landed into ports located within areas currently open to halibut retention, regardless of area of catch.
When angling for Pacific halibut, salmon, bottomfish, tuna, and most other offshore pelagic species may be in possession or landed when Pacific halibut are onboard the vessel as regulations allow.
It is unlawful to fish for or take and retain any species while possessing onboard any species not allowed to be taken in that area at that time.
During all-depth halibut days, either the offshore longleader gear fishery OR the traditional general marine bottomfish fishery (lingcod and black rockfish) may be combined with halibut.
Sablefish and Pacific cod can be combined with all-depth halibut and the longleader gear or traditional bottomfish fishery. When retained, sablefish and Pacific cod will count towards any bottomfish and/or longleader bag limit.
Anglers are advised to consult the 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for General (statewide), Zone, and Special Regulations prior to fishing.