NEWPORT, ORE. –The spring Pacific halibut sport fishery off the Columbia River will close effective Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.

This fishery, from Cape Falcon, Ore. to Leadbetter Point, Wash., opened on May 5 and was scheduled to last through July 16 or until the quota of 10,793 pounds was harvested, whichever came first.

Preliminary projections indicate the quota will be harvested by June 4, prompting the decision by NOAA Fisheries to close the spring fishery.

Anglers will not be able to land Pacific halibut into Columbia River ports again until the summer fishery opens on Aug. 5. The summer fishery occurs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Aug. 5 to Sept. 30 or until the combined spring and summer quota of 15,418 pounds is harvested, whichever comes first.

In the meantime, other areas of the Oregon coast remain open to halibut fishing:

The central Oregon coast, between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford), is open for Pacific halibut inside the 40-fathom line (defined by waypoints) seven days a week through Oct. 31 or until the quota of 13,800 pounds is harvested, whichever comes first. The spring all-depth halibut fishery off central Oregon is open June 2-4 and June 9-11. The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank, west of Newport, is closed to all halibut and bottomfish fishing.

The area south of Humbug Mountain is open for Pacific halibut through Oct. 31, seven days a week.

Days on which Pacific halibut fishing is open will be announced on the NOAA Fisheries hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Web site at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP.