Rule2026-16181
Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action; Correction
Primary source
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Published
August 7, 2026
Effective
August 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is correcting a temporary rule for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. The action added fishing dates in August and September in the Columbia River and Washington subareas. The dates listed under each subarea were incorrect.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 151 (Friday, August 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 151 (Friday, August 7, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51104-51105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-16181]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[RTID 0648-XF951]
Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing
Plan; Inseason Action; Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; correction.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting a temporary rule for the Pacific halibut
recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's
(IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. The action added fishing dates in August and
September in the Columbia River and Washington subareas. The dates
listed under each subarea were incorrect.
DATES: Effective August 5, 2026 through September 30, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Lindsay, (213) 392-7410, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89c3e6fae1fce8a7c5e0e7edfae8f0c9e7e6e8e8a7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c882a7bba0bda9e684a1a6acbba9b188a6a7a9a9e6afa7be">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Need for Correction
NMFS published a temporary rule on July 27, 2026, adding fishing
dates in August and September in the IPHC regulatory Area 2A Columbia
River and Washington subareas (91 FR 46866). The document contained
incorrect dates for those subareas. These corrections are necessary to
provide the correct information about the fishing days that are open to
the recreational Pacific halibut fishery in Area 2A.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to the Northern Pacific Halibut
Act of 1982. This action is taken under the regulatory authority at 50
CFR 300.63(c)(6) and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 (b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries determined there is good
cause to waive prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on
this action as notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary
to public interest because this action simply corrects an error in the
July 27, 2026, temporary rule (91 FR 46866). It is important that these
errors be corrected as quickly as possible. Immediate correction of the
error is necessary to prevent confusion among participants in the
fishery and to ensure management of the fishery is consistent with both
the Council's intent for regulations developed over two public meetings
and the public's expectations based on recommendations made in the
Council's Catch Sharing Plan, as well as outreach materials distributed
by the State of Washington. Thus, delaying this correction to engage in
notice-and-comment rulemaking would be contrary to the public interest.
There is good cause under 5. U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day
delay in effective date. For the same reasons stated above, the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries has determined good cause exists
to find that the 30-day delay in effectiveness does not apply to this
correcting amendment. Delaying effectiveness of these corrections would
result in confusion among fishery participants and would therefore be
contrary to the public interest. Without waiving the 30-day delay in
effectiveness, this correction to the season dates would not be
effective prior to August 8, the date that the Columbia River and
Washington South Coast subareas were
[[Page 51105]]
intended to open under the temporary rule (91 FR 46866; July 27, 2026),
or by August 16 when the temporary rule intended to open the Puget
Sound and Washington North Coast subareas. The temporary rule
inadvertently attributed the August 8 opening date to the Puget Sound
and Washington North Coast subareas, and mistakenly listed August 16 as
the opening date for the Columbia River and Washington South Coast
subareas. The correct additional season dates should be implemented as
originally planned to promote the optimal harvest of the subareas'
annual allocations. It is therefore in the public's interest that this
action not be delayed.
Corrections
In FR Doc. 2026-15093, published July 27, 2026, at 91 FR 46866, the
following corrections are made:
1. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading:
Washington Puget Sound and the U.S. Convention Waters in the Strait of
Juan de Fuca (Puget Sound Subarea) correct the second sentence to read
as follows:
``Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of
fishing; therefore, this action opens the Puget Sound subarea 7 days
per week from August 16 through September 30, 2026, or until there is
not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area
is therefore closed.''
2. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading:
Washington North Coast Subarea correct the second sentence to read as
follows:
``Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of
fishing; therefore, this action opens the North Coast subarea 7 days
per week from August 16 through September 30, 2026, or until there is
not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area
is therefore closed.''
3. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading:
Washington South Coast Subarea correct the second sentence to read as
follows:
``Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of
fishing; therefore, this action opens the South Coast subarea 7 days
per week from August 8 through September 30, 2026, or until there is
not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area
is therefore closed.''
4. On page 46867, in the first and second columns, under the
heading: Columbia River Subarea correct the second sentence to read as
follows:
``Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of
fishing; therefore, this action opens the Columbia River subarea 7 days
per week from August 8 through September 30, 2026, or until there is
not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area
is therefore closed.''
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.
Dated: August 5, 2026.
Shannon Bettridge,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-16181 Filed 8-5-26; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 7, 2026.
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