# 2026-16181: NOAA Scrambles to Correct West Coast Halibut Dates Fiasco

2026-16181, Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action; Correction, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-08-07, effective 2026-08-05 (as of 2026-08-14).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16181
- As of: 2026-08-14
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-16181
- Title: Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action; Correction
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 51104
- Published: 2026-08-07
- Effective: 2026-08-05
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-08-14

## In one line

NOAA Scrambles to Correct West Coast Halibut Dates Fiasco

## Summary

Fishermen in the Columbia River and Washington areas got some wrong fishing dates for Pacific halibut this summer. NMFS fixed those dates fast so anglers know exactly when they can fish from August 5 to September 30, 2026. This correction keeps the fishing rules clear and fair without changing any fees or limits.

## Abstract

NMFS is correcting a temporary rule for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. The action added fishing dates in August and September in the Columbia River and Washington subareas. The dates listed under each subarea were incorrect.

## Effects PRIA read

- Columbia River & South Coast Openings: benefit, low. You can fish Pacific halibut in the Columbia River subarea and the Washington South Coast subarea 7 days per week from August 8 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing. This document corrects previously published, incorrect dates so an…
- Puget Sound & North Coast Openings: benefit, low. You can fish Pacific halibut in the Washington Puget Sound subarea and the Washington North Coast subarea 7 days per week from August 16 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing. This correction fixes earlier incorrect dates so particip…

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## Sources
- [2026-16181 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/07/2026-16181/pacific-halibut-fisheries-of-the-west-coast-2026-catch-sharing-plan-inseason-action-correction)
- [2026-16181 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-07/pdf/2026-16181.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-16164, Special Local Regulations; Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16164)
- [Next: 2026-16207, Implementation of the Administrative False Claims Act](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16207)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16181 (as of 2026-08-14).