Courtesy of NOAA:
The first 3-day commercial halibut fishing season of 2022 in federal waters off the West Coast begins next week. It starts on Tuesday, June 28 at 8 a.m. and ends on Thursday, June 30 at 6 p.m. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, along with our partners, will be out on the water and at the docks, conducting patrols throughout the season.
Our partners include:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police
- Oregon State Police
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Patrols will focus on ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations governing commercial halibut fishing. These include:
- Proper marking of fishing gear
- Permitting and vessel documentation
- Minimum size and possession restrictions
All setline or skate marker buoys carried on board or used by any U.S. vessel for halibut fishing must be marked with either the vessel’s state license number or registration number. The markings must be in legible characters at least 4 inches high and one-half inch wide in a contrasting color visible above the water.