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 Wednesday 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, September 7 through Saturday, September 30, for the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area between the U.S./Canada border and Cape Falcon, landing and possession limit of 15 Chinook salmon and 100 coho salmon per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday). RATIONALE: Current forecast of total landings indicates that 970 Chinook and 5,656 coho remain on their respective quotas. By allowing a modest increase in the weekly Chinook limit, it will allow the fishery to continue to progress towards the scheduled ending date without a likely need for an early closure. This inseason adjustment is consistent with the preseason planning and management goals. 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.
