With so much recreational halibut quota remaining, a move to a six halibut annual limit is part of a plan for additional halibut fishing opportunity in August and September put forth by state halibut managers.
The plan has been sent to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service to get the administrative process in the works.
Here’s what’s proposed: the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound (Marine Areas 5-10) and the North Coast (La Push and Neah Bay) will be open seven days a week from Aug. 17 through Sept. 30, or until the quota is achieved.
Anglers should have somewhere around half of the 129,688-pound sub-area quota for the North Coast and about half of Puget Sound’s 79,031 sub-area quota left to catch.
The North Coast had 58-percent of its total left in the most recently released information through June 18.
Puget Sound was at 56-percent on the same date.
Free catch card
The switch to a six-halibut limit means anglers who have already purchased a four-halibut catch record card will be able to obtain a free supplemental card with two lines.
Anglers who have not yet obtained a halibut catch record card will receive the supplemental two-line halibut card for free when they purchase a four-halibut catch record.
The supplemental halibut catch record card is expected to be available a week to 10 days before the August re-opening date.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
