National Fisherman

January 23, 2026

Catch limits down slightly for Pacific halibut fishery

Laine Welch

Guest Author:
Halibut longline survey southeast Alaska 2004 NOAA
Pacific halibut. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries

Total halibut removals for 2026 held steady in every Alaska region; most commercial catches increased slightly. One halibut proposal for non-guided anglers was punted to the NPFMC.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission wrapped up its annual meeting today in Bellevue, Washington.

Below are the breakdowns for total halibut removals – commercial, sport, subsistence, and personal use – for 2026, thanks to Maddie Lightsey at Alaska Boats and Permits in Homer.

Total removals by all users for 2026 is 29.33 million pounds, down slightly from the 2025 limit of 29.72 million pounds.

The coast-wide commercial catch for 2026 totals 19.32 million pounds, down from 19.7 million pounds in 2025.

The Commission voted to hand over the controversial decision regarding a proposal for a one-halibut limit for non-guided Alaska anglers to the North Pacific Council.

The 2026 Pacific halibut fishery will begin on March 26 and run through December 7, 2026.

Have you listened to this article via the audio player?

If so, send us your feedback around what we can do to improve this feature or further develop it. If not, check it out and let us know what you think via email or on social media.

Laine Welch

Laine Welch has covered the Alaska fish beat for print and radio since 1988. She has also worked “behind the counter” at retail and wholesale seafood companies in Kodiak and Cape Cod. Click here to send her an email.

You can read more from Laine at alaskafish.news. 

Related

Read Next

A bill was introduced in the Virginia General Assembly in January that calls for the state to leave the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission Compact and to instead create a Menhaden Management Advisory Committee to assist the Virginia Marine Resources Commission in managing the fishery. Larry Chowning photo.
January 23, 2026

Bill calls for Virginia to leave ASMFC

Image taken on April 25, 1998, shows the coccolithophore bloom in the Bering Sea. The greenish color is caused by the high concentration of phytoplankton. Photo courtesy of NASA
January 23, 2026

2026 AMSS keynotes will focus on algal blooms, maritime disasters

Join the Conversation

Yes

Diversified Communications
© 2026 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.