The Oregon State Marine Board, in coordination with the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, will conduct enhanced boating enforcement on popular southern coastal rivers for winter steelhead in early 2019. Southern Oregon is a draw for out-of-state Guides and popular with bank and drift angling. “There are a few key weekends each year that generate a lot of complaints if the rivers are in good shape,” said Randy Henry, Boating Safety Program Manager for the Marine Board. “For the last three years we’ve conducted special emphasis patrols to help ensure that all fishing guides are properly licensed, boats are registered, and conflict between boat and bank anglers is minimized. These efforts seem to help,” Henry adds. The Marine Board partners with the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Police, and volunteer organizations to help patrol the waterways during years where there’s good water and good fish returns. “We just want people to get along, share the water, and be good neighbors,” says Henry. “People get pretty excited when the fish are in. Each year we get reports of illegal guiding, fights between boat and bank anglers, and even between operators of motorboats and non-motorized boats. In the last few years, the Marine Board hosted local meetings to better understand the issues and most people don’t want new restrictions on the fishing or boating opportunities, just to address conflict between user groups. Law enforcement presence and engagement seems to help sort out the problems.” Henry further noted a special interest in identifying unlicensed guides. “Licensed guides introduce people to safe, legal fishing opportunities, and many take their stewardship responsibilities very seriously. Unlicensed guides put their clients at risk; they may not have adequate insurance, they’re teaching unethical and illegal behavior and setting a poor example for the profession,” said Henry. Ethical guides and local recreationists want them off the river. If you believe you’re seeing illegal guides on southern coastal rivers or anywhere else, record their boat registration information and other basic details and report them. We’ll investigate. We’re watching,” Henry adds. To issue a Guide complaint, bookmark this page: https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/Pages/Guide-Complaint.aspx. For more information about the Marine Board, Outfitter Guide registrations, and partnerships with Marine Law Enforcement, visit https://www.boatoregon.com.
