Halibut Rules 2025: West Coast Catch Limits Set
Published Date: 3/21/2025
Rule
Summary
In 2025, new rules for catching Pacific halibut kick in to protect the fish and support smart fishing. These changes affect fishermen along the U.S. West Coast and Alaska, aiming to keep halibut populations healthy while balancing fishing opportunities. The rules started on March 14, 2025, and will stay until updated, helping ensure a sustainable halibut future without extra costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 6 costs, 1 mixed.
Coastwide catch limits cut 15.8%
The coastwide total constant exploitation yield (TCEY) for Pacific halibut was set at 29,720,000 lb (13,481 mt) for 2025, a 15.8 percent reduction from 2024. Except for Area 2A, catch limits in each regulatory area decreased for 2025, which reduces the total halibut available to commercial, charter, and recreational fishers.
Area 2C: allocations cut ~11%
For 2025 Area 2C (southeastern Alaska), the combined catch limit (CCL) is 3,910,000 lb (1,774 mt); the charter allocation is 720,000 lb (327 mt) and the commercial allocation (including a 120,000 lb discard deduction) results in a commercial catch limit of 3,070,000 lb (1,393 mt). The commercial allocation (including discard) decreased by 420,000 lb (191 mt), or 11.6 percent, and the charter allocation decreased by 90,000 lb (41 mt), or 11.1 percent, from 2024.
Area 3A: allocations cut ~21.7%
For 2025 Area 3A (central Gulf of Alaska), the combined catch limit (CCL) is 7,820,000 lb (3,547 mt); the charter allocation is 1,480,000 lb (671 mt) and the commercial allocation (including a 450,000 lb discard deduction) yields a commercial catch limit of 5,890,000 lb (2,672 mt). The commercial allocation (including discard) decreased by 1,760,000 lb (798 mt), or 21.7 percent, and the charter allocation dropped by 410,000 lb (186 mt), or 21.7 percent, from 2024.
Commercial season dates and opening time
The 2025 commercial halibut fishery opens March 20, 2025 and closes December 7, 2025, with daily openings at 06:00 local time. The March 20 opening is 5 days later than in 2024, while the December 7 closing is consistent with recent years.
Area 2C charter rules: bag, size, closures
In Area 2C for 2025, charter (guided) anglers are limited to a 1‑fish daily bag; charter retention of halibut larger than 37 inches (94.0 cm) and less than 80 inches (203.2 cm) is prohibited; charter retention is closed on Tuesdays from May 13 through September 9, 2025; and charter permits/charter vessels may be used for only one trip per day when halibut are retained. These measures are more restrictive than 2024 and are intended to keep charter harvest within the 720,000 lb (327 mt) allocation.
Area 3A charter rules: two‑fish and weekdays closed
In Area 3A for 2025, charter (guided) anglers face a two‑fish daily bag limit (one fish of any size and the other limited to 27 inches (68.6 cm) maximum), charter retention is prohibited on all Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and charter permits/charter vessels are limited to one trip per day for the season. These measures are more conservative than in 2024 to reflect a 21.7 percent drop in the charter allocation.
Charter trip definition and GAF exemptions
For Areas 2C and 3A in 2025, a charter vessel fishing trip is defined as beginning the first time halibut are caught and retained; charter permits/vessels are authorized for only one trip per day when halibut are retained. Guided Angler Fish (GAF) transfers (annual leases of IFQ to the charter fishery) are exempt from these trip limits: GAF may be harvested on a second trip in a day and may be retained on days closed to normal charter retention, but only if exclusively GAF are harvested on that trip.
Area 2A allocation held steady; FCEY up 4.1%
The IPHC adopted a 2025 TCEY of 1,650,000 lb (748 mt) for Area 2A (California, Oregon, Washington), unchanged from 2019–2024, and the combined commercial, Tribal, and recreational FCEY catch limits increased by 4.1 percent to 1,530,000 lb (694 mt). The U.S. (NOAA Fisheries) may reallocate recreational limits in-season between Washington, Oregon, and California provided the overall Area 2A recreational limit is not exceeded.
Commission can change rules in-season
The IPHC is authorized to establish or modify regulations during the season if such actions will not result in exceeding the preseason fishery limits; in-season changes may include closed areas, fishing periods, fishing period limits, gear restrictions, bag limits, size limits, or vessel clearances and take effect at the time specified by the Commission.
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