[ODFW-News] Spring halibut all-depth season days announced

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =09
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356=09
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 872-5700
=09
For Immediate Release	Thursday, March 13, 2003

Spring halibut all-depth season days announced

PORTLAND - Halibut anglers will get at least six days of spring fishing =
off the central coast in all depth waters this year, under rules recently =
adopted by NOAA Fisheries.

The all-depth season between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain will be open =
May 8-10 and May 15-17. If the quota is not filled after six days of =
fishing, the fishery may be opened on one or more of the following dates: =
June 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28. The daily bag limit is one halibut, which =
is met once the first fish 32 inches or longer in length is landed. Oregon =
anglers are limited to six halibut per year.=20

Outside of the central coast, the Pacific halibut season from Leadbetter =
Point, Wash. to Cape Falcon will be open every day in all depth waters May =
1 until Sept. 30 or until the quota is reached. The area from Humbug =
Mountain south through California is open for Pacific Halibut May 1 =
through Sept. 30. In addition, the central Oregon coast from Cape Falcon =
to Humbug Mountain is open every day inside the 30-fathom curve May 1 =
through Oct. 31 or until the quota is reached.=20

The Pacific halibut regulations are posted at: http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/=
odfw/finfish/halibut/index.html. Additional open days for central coast =
all-depth halibut fishing are expected in early August. A decision will be =
announced in late June or early July.=20

Anglers are reminded that sport fishing rules may change from those =
printed in the 2003 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. Changes to the =
printed pamphlet are posted to the ODFW Web site at: http://www.dfw.state.o=
r.us/ODFWhtml/Regulations/2003_reg_changes.htm .

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