ODFW release – COMMERCIAL TROLL SALMON ACTION NOTICE: 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 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: ACTION TAKEN: Effective 12:01 AM Thursday, August 17 through Saturday, September 30, the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area between the U.S./Canada border and Cape Falcon is open, with landing and possession limits of 7 Chinook salmon and 100 adipose marked coho salmon per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday). RATIONALE: Harvest of Chinook to date has surpassed 90% of the 13,000 Chinook quota leaving only 1,251 fish remaining to be harvested. The summer period also has a quota of 30,400 marked coho with an estimated harvest of only 2,772 coho to date leaving 90% of this quota remaining for harvest. This action will refocus the fishery to target hatchery coho while allowing minimal Chinook to be retained. Fishery managers will be reviewing landings and will take additional action as needed in future weeks. 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.
