The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is pleased to announce the 2023 recreational Pacific halibut fishery will open Monday, May 1 and remain open seven days per week until Nov. 15 or until the quota is reached, whichever is earlier. The 2023 Pacific halibut quota for the California subarea is 39,540 pounds – approximately the same as the 2022 quota.

CDFW’s recommended season dates were informed by a scoping process that included an online angler survey conducted earlier this year. The open dates are not guaranteed days, and the season could be closed early if it is determined that projected catches will exceed the California quota.

Anglers are always advised to check for updated information when planning a Pacific halibut fishing trip. Season dates, bag/possession limits and gear restrictions can be found on CDFW’s Pacific halibut web page. Public notification of any in-season change to regulations is made through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific halibut hotline at (800) 662-9825 or CDFW’s Pacific halibut Regulations Hotline at (831) 649-2801.

State regulations for Pacific halibut automatically conform to federal regulations set by NMFS using the process described in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 1.95. Federal regulations for Pacific halibut took effect April 6, 2023 and were published in the Federal Register (88 FR 21503) on April 11, 2023.