Montesano meetings set to decide 2020 halibut season

Montesano, WA – A pair of public meetings in Montesano have been scheduled to discuss the 2020 halibut season, and the first will be held this month.

The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife are hosting two public meetings to discuss season structure and proposed dates for the 2020 sport halibut season.

In a release they say the meetings will be held on Aug. 29 and Oct. 28, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Montesano City Hall, 112 N. Main St.

At the Aug. 29 meeting, state halibut managers are scheduled to review the 2019 season and work with stakeholders to “develop a range of preliminary options focused on general concepts such as ways to extend the season length and maximize fishing opportunity”. 

At the second Montesano meeting on Oct. 28, plans include refining the options developed at the first meeting as well as collecting further public input, reviewing tide calendars for next spring, and selecting specific season dates. They add that these dates will be chosen in an “attempt to balance needs across various fishing communities and charter and private fishing interests”.

“The sport halibut fishery is very popular, and these meetings are a good opportunity to provide input,” said Heather Hall, coastal policy coordinator for WDFW. 

These meetings will allow WDFW to gather stakeholder input prior to meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) in September and November.

For more information on the halibut season-setting process visit PFMC’s website at http://www.pcouncil.org/pacific-halibut/background-information/.