The IPHC sets the Pacific halibut catch limit, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region set groundfish rules under 50 CFR part 660. This guide covers the federal rules for rockfish, lingcod, sablefish and halibut off Washington, Oregon and California. Federal rules do not replace a stricter state rule, so the stricter limit is the one you follow. Check your state’s page before you fish, because seasons and depth lines change by in-season action.
Who sets the rules
Four bodies share the work:
- IPHC: Sets the catch limit for IPHC Area 2A, which covers Washington, Oregon and California.
- Pacific Fishery Management Council: Its Catch Sharing Plan divides the halibut limit, and it recommends groundfish rules. See the Council’s Pacific halibut page.
- NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region: Publishes the annual halibut rule and federal groundfish rules, and runs in-season changes.
- The states (WDFW, ODFW, CDFW): Set state-water rules and some limits inside federal frameworks.
In these rules, groundfish include rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, greenlings and sablefish.
State versus federal waters
Federal waters run from 3 to 200 nautical miles. State waters run from shore to 3 nautical miles. NOAA explains where state law stops offshore.
- Washington: State rules apply in state waters and to fish landed in Washington.
- Oregon: State rules apply out to 50 miles.
- California: Federal bag limits include fish taken in both state and federal waters.
The stricter rule wins
Federal rules state they are not intended to supersede more restrictive state rules. Oregon shows how this works: the federal text allows 10 marine fish per day, but ODFW’s general marine limit is 4 fish, so 4 is the limit you follow.
How a halibut rule gets made
Three steps turn a catch limit into a season:
- The IPHC sets the Area 2A catch limit at its annual meeting.
- The Council’s Catch Sharing Plan splits it among tribal, commercial and recreational fisheries and among recreational subareas.
- NOAA Fisheries publishes season dates and allocations in a Federal Register rule and runs in-season changes. See NOAA’s annual halibut rule.
The governing text is 50 CFR 300.62 and 300.63.
How depth and area closures work
Depth lines and named closures define where you can legally fish for groundfish and halibut. Both are set by published coordinates, so the contour on your chart does not define the boundary.
Fathom lines are waypoint lines
One fathom is 6 feet, so the 30-fathom line sits near 180 feet, the 40-fathom line near 240 feet and the 50-fathom line near 300 feet.
A depth "line" in the regulations is a series of GPS waypoints, published in federal regulations, that approximates an underwater contour. Waypoints for the 30 fm (55 m) through 150 fm (273 m) contours are in 50 CFR 660.71 through 660.73. NOAA publishes them as CSV files on NOAA’s groundfish closed areas page. The legal boundary is the waypoint line, not the bottom contour on your sounder or chart.
Rockfish Conservation Areas and yelloweye areas
A Rockfish Conservation Area is a depth or area closure that keeps bottom fishing away from places where protected rockfish mix with target stocks. RCAs and closures can change by in-season action. The named areas:
- Washington North Coast Recreational YRCA: Closed to groundfish fishing and possession, and closed to halibut fishing. Transit with halibut aboard is allowed.
- Oregon Stonewall Bank YRCA: Closed to groundfish fishing and to halibut. Transit with halibut aboard is allowed.
- California yelloweye areas (Point St. George, South Reef, Reading Rock, Point Delgada North and South): Closed to recreational groundfish only on dates NOAA imposes by in-season action.
- Cordell Bank: All groundfish fishing is prohibited.
- Groundfish Exclusion Areas (Southern Management Area): No groundfish fishing or possession. Groundfish gear may not be deployed in transit. If you fish for other species inside one, no groundfish may be aboard.
- Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas: Restrict some gear. Boundaries are in 50 CFR 660.76 through 660.79.
The lines that matter by state
| State | Line | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 40-fathom line (240 feet) | Bounds the nearshore halibut fishery |
| Washington | About 30 fathoms (180 feet), between 47°31.70′ N and 46°58.00′ N | Bounds the South Coast northern nearshore halibut fishery |
| California, Southern Management Area | 50-fathom line (300 feet) | July through September, fishing is prohibited seaward of it. October through December, fishing is prohibited shoreward of it |
For gear and release practice on deep fish, see our guide to fishing bottom fish from deep water.
Load Chart Contours in Breakpoint to see where the 30, 40 and 50-fathom contours sit relative to your spot. Chart layers are not for navigation and do not replace the CFR waypoint lines.
Pacific halibut rules
A subarea is a stretch of coast with its own share of the Area 2A allocation and its own season. California’s halibut limit is 1 fish of any size per person per day.
| Subarea | Boundary | Daily bag | Season structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca | East of 124°23.70′ W | Set by WDFW, see WDFW’s halibut seasons and quotas page | Set by WDFW inside the allocation |
| Washington North Coast | West of 124°23.70′ W, north of Queets River (47°31.70′ N) | Set by WDFW, see WDFW’s halibut seasons and quotas page | Set by WDFW. No halibut fishing in the North Coast YRCA |
| Washington South Coast | Queets River to Leadbetter Point (46°38.17′ N) | Set by WDFW, see WDFW’s halibut seasons and quotas page | All-depth fishery plus a northern nearshore fishery inside about 30 fathoms (180 feet). Halibut allowed in the South Coast and Westport Offshore YRCAs |
| Columbia River | Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon, Oregon (45°46.00′ N) | 1 | Nearshore fishery from Leadbetter Point to the Columbia River. Set all-depth days that NOAA can add to |
| Oregon Central Coast | Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain (42°40.50′ N) | 2, any size | Nearshore, spring all-depth and summer all-depth seasons |
| Southern Oregon | Humbug Mountain to the California border (42°00.00′ N) | 2, any size | One season |
| Northern California Coast | 42°00′ N to Point Arena (38°57.5′ N) | 1, any size | 7 days a week, April 1 to November 15 |
| South of Point Arena | Point Arena to the Mexican border | 1, any size | 7 days a week, April 1 to December 31 |
Every season ends when its allocation is caught. California subareas close when the allocation cannot cover another full day.
Halibut count against the subarea of the port where you land them, and that subarea’s rules apply wherever the fish was caught. When only the Oregon nearshore fishery is open, vessels seaward of the 40-fathom line (240 feet) may not possess halibut. A vessel used for commercial halibut fishing in Area 2A in a calendar year may not be used for sport halibut fishing that year.
California allows one line with two hooks when angling. This is a state rule.
Once you know where the fishery is open, read how to fish halibut once you know where it’s open. For in-season changes, call the NOAA halibut hotlines at (800) 662-9825 and (206) 526-6667.
Groundfish with halibut aboard
- Oregon Central Coast: On all-depth halibut days with groundfish open to all depths, you may keep any permitted groundfish. When groundfish is depth-restricted, only sablefish, Pacific cod and flatfish are allowed, plus long-leader rockfish species when you use long-leader gear.
- Washington Columbia River all-depth days: Only sablefish, Pacific cod, flatfish, yellowtail, widow, canary, redstripe, greenstriped and silvergray rockfish, chilipepper, bocaccio, blue/deacon rockfish, and lingcod caught north of 46°16.00′ N.
Groundfish rules by state
The lingcod size limit is 22 inches total length in federal rules off Oregon and California. Our lingcod fishing guide covers the fish itself.
| Washington | Oregon | California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Second Saturday in March to third Saturday in October | Open all depths Jan 1 to Dec 31 | North of Point Conception: closed Jan 1 to Mar 31, all depths Apr 1 to Dec 31. Southern area: see 50-fathom schedule |
| Daily bag | 9 groundfish, plus 5 flatfish | Federal text 10 marine fish. ODFW’s 4-fish limit governs | 10 rockfish, cabezon and greenling complex |
| Lingcod | 2 per day. Size: see WDFW’s emergency rules page | Federal text 3 per day. 22 in minimum | 2 per day. 22 in minimum. Fillets 14 in, skin on |
| Rockfish sub-limits | 7 rockfish, no more than 5 canary. Cabezon 1 | Long-leader: 10 with 2 canary (federal text). Cabezon 16 in minimum | Vermilion/sunset 4 (42° N to 40°10′ N), 2 south. Canary 2. Copper 1 |
| Prohibited | Yelloweye | Yelloweye | Cowcod, yelloweye, quillback, bronzespotted |
| Key areas | North Coast Recreational YRCA | Stonewall Bank YRCA | Cordell Bank, Groundfish Exclusion Areas, yelloweye areas, Southern area 50-fathom line |
The federal text for all three states sits in 50 CFR 660.360 recreational rules.
Washington
Boat limits apply. Each angler may keep fishing until the combined daily limits of all licensed and juvenile anglers aboard are reached.
Oregon
ODFW’s 4-fish general marine limit overrides the federal 10-fish text. ODFW’s bottomfish seasons page carries the in-season changes.
California
The management area lines are 42°00′, 40°10′, 38°57.5′, 37°11′ and 34°27′ N.
- California scorpionfish: 5 per day south of 40°10′ N, outside the 10-fish complex limit.
- Other unnamed groundfish: The 20-fish finfish limit applies, with no more than 10 of any one species.
- No bag limit: Petrale sole, Pacific sanddab and starry flounder.
- Spearfishing: Exempt from closed areas and seasons only when no other gear is aboard.
CDFW’s groundfish summary page lists the areas and seasons.
Sablefish
- Oregon: 10 per person per day, all depths, January 1 through December 31.
- Washington: No separate limit. Sablefish and Pacific cod fall within the 9-fish groundfish limit.
Gear and compliance in all three states
A missing descending device or a skinless fillet is an easy citation, and the gear rules are short enough to check before you leave the dock.
- Gear: Hook-and-line and spear only.
- Descending device: Every vessel in the recreational groundfish fishery carries one working descending device ready for immediate use. In Washington, it must also be available to show an enforcement officer.
- Oregon long-leader gear: One line, a sinker, no more than 3 hooks, at least 30 feet between sinker and lowest hook, a non-compressible float above the hooks, and no natural bait.
- California hooks: Two hooks and one line for the complex or lingcod.
- California fillets: Rockfish and lingcod fillets keep the entire skin attached.
- Prohibited species: If you catch a prohibited species, you may not retain it.
Where each state publishes its rules
Each state publishes its seasons and in-season changes on its own pages. NOAA publishes the annual halibut rule.
| Agency | What it publishes | Where |
|---|---|---|
| WDFW | Groundfish emergency rules, halibut bag and seasons | WDFW emergency rules page. Halibut seasons and quotas page named in text |
| ODFW | Halibut seasons and in-season changes, bottomfish seasons | ODFW sport halibut regulations. Bottomfish seasons page named in text |
| CDFW | Groundfish summary, in-season changes, Pacific halibut | Linked in the California section. In-season and Pacific halibut pages named in text |
| NOAA Fisheries | Annual halibut rule, hotlines | (800) 662-9825, (206) 526-6667 |
| eCFR | 50 CFR 660.360, 300.63, 660.71 to 660.73 | Cited by number |
The Pacific Northwest fishing guide covers the Washington and Oregon ports. Check the page before you fish.
Plan the trip
Plan your groundfish or halibut trip in Breakpoint with Chart Contours loaded, then confirm the line against the waypoints.
The same federal structure, a council recommending and NOAA Fisheries implementing, runs the Atlantic side. See Atlantic HMS permits and reporting, Atlantic tunas federal rules and Atlantic billfish and swordfish federal rules.
FAQ
Who sets the halibut season?
The IPHC sets the limit, the Council’s Catch Sharing Plan divides it, and NOAA publishes the dates. Each season closes when its allocation is caught, so the published dates are the latest a season can run, and it may end sooner.
Can I keep groundfish on a halibut trip?
It depends on the subarea and the depth status. On the Oregon Central Coast, depth-restricted days allow only sablefish, Pacific cod, flatfish and long-leader rockfish species with long-leader gear. On Washington’s Columbia River all-depth days, a short list of rockfish, flatfish, sablefish, Pacific cod and some lingcod applies.
What does a 40-fathom line mean in feet?
About 240 feet, since 1 fathom is 6 feet. The legal line is a series of GPS waypoints published in federal regulations, so use the waypoints rather than the contour on your chart.
Which limit applies when federal and state rules differ?
The stricter one. Federal rules state they do not supersede more restrictive state rules. In Oregon, the federal text allows 10 marine fish and ODFW’s general limit is 4, so 4 governs.
Do I need a descending device?
Yes. Every vessel in the recreational groundfish fishery in Washington, Oregon and California carries one working descending device ready for immediate use. In Washington, it must also be available to show an enforcement officer.
What if I catch a yelloweye or quillback rockfish?
Yelloweye retention is prohibited coastwide. Quillback is prohibited in California at all times. Do not keep either fish.
Where do I find in-season closures?
Use the WDFW, ODFW and CDFW pages listed above and the NOAA halibut hotlines, (800) 662-9825 and (206) 526-6667. NOAA imposes some closures by in-season action, so check before each trip.
Does my halibut count where I caught it or where I land it?
Where you land it. Halibut count against the subarea of the port where they are landed, and that subarea’s rules apply wherever the fish was caught.