ODFW Commercial & Recreational Closures Could Spell Disaster For The Oregon Coast

We just received news that the commercial salmon trolling fishing season has been closed, and recreational is greatly restricted from Cape Falcon south to the California Oregon state line.  There is no word yet if these closures will effect river fishing, but we will keep you up to date on this rapidly developing news.  We have included the closure information below.  We encourage you to contact your local ODFW office for clarification if you are involved in commercial fishing on the Oregon Coast.  Fishing is one of the largest tourism draws for the Oregon Coast.  These closures, if extended to the river systems, could effect already struggling businesses heavily dependent on tourism.  We reached out to PFMC for comment but they have yet to respond.

     3/13/18 RECREATIONAL OCEAN SALMON ACTION NOTICE: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in consultation with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), the State of Oregon, and the State of California met this morning in Rohnert Park, California and have taken the following in-season management action to the scheduled March and April recreational ocean Chinook salmon openings off Oregon:

      ACTION TAKEN:  The planned ocean Chinook salmon (all-salmon-except coho) season will open as scheduled from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. from March 15 through April 30, 2018.  The bag limit will be two salmon, except closed to retention of coho, with a minimum size of 24” for Chinook and a minimum size of 20” for steelhead.  Within 15 fathoms of depth off Tillamook between Twin Rocks and Pyramid Rock all retained Chinook must have a healed fin clip.

     RATIONALE:  The recreational ocean fishery off Oregon in March and April has very low effort and Chinook catch.  Fishery managers and industry representatives agreed that this opening would not create any difficulty in developing the remainder of the ocean seasons for the 2018 fishing year.   Seasons from May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019 are currently being developed. Season alternatives will be reviewed and a final season recommendation made at the Pacific Fishery Management Council public meeting April 5-11 in Portland, Oregon.

     3/13/18 COMMERCIAL TROLL SALMON ACTION NOTICE: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in consultation with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), the State of Oregon, and the State of California met this morning in Rohnert Park, California and have taken the following in-season management action to the scheduled March and April commercial troll Chinook salmon openings off Oregon:

     ACTIONS TAKEN:
(1) The commercial troll salmon fishery scheduled to open on March 15 in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will remain closed to commercial troll salmon fishing for the period of March 15 through April 30.
(2) The commercial troll salmon fishery scheduled to open on March 15 in the area from Humbug Mt. to the Oregon/California Border will remain closed to commercial troll salmon fishing for the period of March 15 through April 30.
     RATIONALE: Fishery managers and industry representatives agreed that this closure was needed to reduce impacts on both Klamath River fall Chinook and Sacramento River fall Chinook in order to provide adequate opportunity as requested from fishery participants throughout the remainder of the fishing seasons that are currently under development. The forecast abundance for a number of Chinook salmon populations that contribute to fisheries South of Cape Falcon are forecast at poor to fair abundances.

Seasons from May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019 are currently being developed. Season alternatives will be reviewed and a final season recommendation made at the Pacific Fishery Management Council public meeting April 5-11 in Portland, Oregon.