An expanded quota could mean more recreational fishing opportunity for halibut out of Westport this year.
The south coast quota for the 2019 season is 62,896 pounds, said Heather Hall, coastal policy coordinator for the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. That’s up significantly from the 2018 quota of 46,341 pounds.
“The quota is up for all areas,” she said.
Coastal recreational halibut quotas for the Washington coast are:
North Coast -- Neah Bay and La Push, Marine areas 3 and 4: 128,187 pounds
South Coast — Westport, Marine Area 2: 62,896 pounds
Columbia River — Marine Area 1: 15,127 pounds
Quotas are set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission; their annual meeting ended last week and involved a recommendation from Washington Indian tribes.
“There was a unique discussion at the annual meeting that involved a recommendation forwarded by Washington tribes for area 2A, which includes Washington, California and Oregon, for a catch limit of 1.65 million pounds,” said Hall. “The rationale for that is we’re really at the low end of the range of the halibut resource and input from stock assessors said that quota wouldn’t negatively impact the halibut resource.”
