Friday August 19, 2022
The Log —
The recreational Pacific halibut fishery has closed as of Aug. 7 after projections showed that California would reach or over exceed its 2022 recreational quota.
The announcement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife came on Aug. 4 after data released on Aug. 2 showed that California was already at 35,778 net pounds out of the allotted 38,740 pounds for 2022, the season opened on May 1.
The CDFW tracks the progress of the fishery throughout the year, receiving monthly catch estimates from the California Recreational Fisheries Survey to ensure that the state remains within the allotted catch.
The CDFW tracks progress throughout the season and confers with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the International Pacific Halibut Commission, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council to review projected catch amounts and determine the closure date for the fishery.
The annual quota is determined by the IPHC, which meets in January of each year to determine the yearly Fishery Catch Exploitable Yield, which is reported in net pounds.