ODFW release – 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 quota for the May-June North of Falcon commercial ocean salmon troll fishery that opens May 1, 2023 to 26,000 Chinook, no more than 6,890 of which may be caught in the area between the U.S./Canada border and no more than 6,040 of which may be caught in the area between Leadbetter Point and Cape Falcon. Modified the landing limit and possession limit in the area between the U.S./Canada border and the Queets River to 105 Chinook per vessel for the period May 1 through May 10, and 70 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday) beginning May 11. Modified the landing limit and possession limit in the area between the Queets River and Leadbetter Point to 200 Chinook per vessel for the period May 1 through May 10, and 150 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday) beginning May 11. Modified the landing limit and possession limit in the area between Leadbetter Point and Cape Falcon to 90 Chinook per vessel for the period May 1 through May 10, and 60 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday) beginning May 11. Vessels may not land fish east of the Sekiu River or east of Tongue Point, Oregon. RATIONALE: These actions will bring the adopted seasons from 2022 into compliance with the recently adopted seasons for 2023 which encompasses salmon seasons for the period of May 16, 2023 through May 15, 2024. In addition, because May 1 is on a Monday and would have resulted in a three-day week, those three days were added to the full week starting on May 4 and increased landing limits for the 10-day period were adopted to account for the extra days within the initial period. 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 on Oregon’s ocean salmon seasons and fisheries.
