Current status of halibut fishery, per California Fish & Wildlife

August 14, 2019

How's the Halibut fishery this year? Great in the San Francisco Bay area, where this has been one of the best seasons ever, continuously producing near limits for sport anglers. CDFW samplers working on the California Recreational Fisheries Survey have reported high success with anglers enthusiastic about their action-filled fishing experience inside the Bay. The catch has also been successful in the ocean, according to CDFW fishery biologists. Normally the catch rate drops off in late July and August for sport anglers but catches reported by party boats have been well above average this year.

There are several reasons for this. Environmental conditions were optimal for Halibut egg and larval survival starting 5-6 years ago. Prolonged warm water periods resulted in several successful new year classes. Many of these fish have reached the minimum legal size of 22 inches, and are entering the fishery in force. The majority of the legal-sized Halibut caught are between the ages of 4 and 10 years according to ageing studies (using ear bones or otoliths) by CDFW staff. Males usually reach the minimum legal size limit between 5 and 7 years of age, while females grow more quickly and tend to reach the legal size limit between 4 and 5 years of age.

Another recent warm water event has shown that fishing success for Halibut will continue in the future. Sublegal-sized fish are still being caught and released by anglers, which is a good sign for fishing success next year. Taking care in releasing these fish will ensure their survival.

Biologists monitoring the commercial catch in the Bay Area expect this to be an exceptional year based on landing reports of the pounds of commercially-taken Halibut to date. The white filet of Halibut is a prized and sought-after seafood option. Buying Halibut in California often means that the consumer is purchasing sustainably-sourced seafood from a local fisherman, and it’s also sold fresh because freezing ruins the texture of the filet. Halibut can be purchased in California restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets, and can even be found directly for sale at the dock.