(08:16) CALIFORNIA – State officials are closing the recreational Pacific halibut fishery Thursday. Ideal ocean conditions in early July resulted in record halibut catch rates for California. Catch totals nearly exceeded the 2015 quota, prompting the Department of Fish and Wildlife to close the fishery. This year was the first year the CDFW committed to tracking the halibut fishery to ensure catch amounts did not exceed the state’s quota. (S.G.)
