NEWPORT, Ore. – Anglers fishing out of the Columbia River will have two more days to fish for Pacific halibut on Aug. 22 and 23.

The sport halibut season off the Columbia River area – from Cape Falcon, Ore., to Leadbetter Point, Wash. – was last open on Aug. 1-2. However, with 2,086 pounds of quota still available, managers are able to re-open the fishery for additional days.

The combined spring and summer harvest quota for the Columbia River subarea is 18,762 pounds.

The fishery will remain closed after Aug. 23 unless sufficient quota remains and NOAA Fisheries Service announces another opening. Any additional opening will be announced on the NOAA Fisheries hotline (1-800-662-9825: #5; #1) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program website at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP.

Sport anglers planning to fish out of Columbia River ports are reminded that possession of groundfish species is not allowed when a Pacific halibut is aboard their vessel. The exception is sablefish (black cod) and Pacific cod, which may be retained with halibut. Other non-groundfish species, such as tuna and salmon during authorized seasons, may be possessed with halibut on open Pacific halibut days.

Other opportunities to fish for Pacific halibut off the Oregon Coast include:

Off the central Oregon coast between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford), anglers may fish for halibut inside the 40-fathom line seven days a week through Oct. 31 or until quota is attained. The all-depth halibut fishery for that same area is open Fridays through Sundays until Oct. 26 or until quota is attained.

The area south of Humbug Mountain is open for Pacific halibut through Oct. 31, seven days a week.

The daily bag limit is one fish and there are no size restrictions for Pacific halibut. The possession limit is one daily limit at sea and three daily limits on land. The annual limit per angler is six halibut.

More information on regulations can be found in the 2008 Oregon Sport Ocean Regulations for Salmon, Halibut and Other Marine Species booklet. General regulations can be found in the 2008 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

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