New Regulations: Commercial troll salmon season

The World, Coos Bay, Ore.
·3 min read

May 24—The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in consultation with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), the State of Oregon, the State of Washington, and fishery representatives met today via conference call and have taken the following in-season management action related to the commercial troll salmon season from the US/Canada border to Cape Falcon:

Actions Taken

Modified the landing limit and possession limit in the area between the Queets River and Leadbetter Point from 150 to 200 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday) from May 25 to June 21, and for the period of June 22-29 (Note that this is also the weekly maximum for all open areas combined).

Modified the landing limit and possession limit in the area between Leadbetter Point and Cape Falcon from 60 to 80 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday) from May 25 to June 21, and for the period of June 22-29.

Rational

Through May 24, total harvest on the May-June quota is projected to total 7,326 Chinook out of the 26,000 Chinook quota, with 323 coming in the Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon area.

Due to lower than anticipated harvest rates in the areas south of the Queets River, landing week limitations were relaxed to provide the fishery better opportunity to harvest the quota while still keeping the fishery open for more days through the May-June early season. Additional regulations that apply to vessels fishing out of Oregon North of Cape Falcon that apply to the 2023 seasons include:

* Vessels landing in Oregon are limited to only fishing between Leadbetter Pt., WA and Cape Falcon, OR.

* Vessels landing into Oregon must possess a valid commercial license and a valid troll salmon permit.

* Vessels landing into Oregon are limited to locations on the Oregon side of the Columbia River upstream as far as Tongue Pt., the beaches at Gearhart/Seaside and Cannon Beach, or into Garibaldi.

* Fishers may not possess Chinook salmon South of Cape Falcon, OR that are less than 28" total length, except that fishers may possess and land Chinook salmon that meet the minimum length of 27" total length on those dates when the troll salmon season has been closed South of Cape Falcon for 48 hours or more (those dates for the 2023 May through September seasons are anticipated to be May 1 through August 31).

* All salmon must be delivered during the open period or landing week or they will also apply against the week in which they are possessed and delivered.

* Vessels landing salmon in Oregon from any season North of Cape Falcon are required to notify ODFW within one hour of delivery or prior to transport away from the port of landing by either calling 541-857-2546 or sending notification via e-mail to trollreport@odfw.oregon.gov Notification shall include vessel name and number, number of salmon by species, port of landing and location of delivery, and estimated time of delivery.

Visit https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/ for more information about Oregon's ocean salmon seasons and fisheries.