Pink Shrimp & Chinook Salmon, April 9

Oregon Commercial fishermen have hit the Pacific Ocean in search of Oregon Pink Shrimp and Chinook Salmon as seasons get underway. The commercial Dungeness Crab Season, although experiencing a reported below-average year, continues into mid August. Armed with a higher opening price than a year ago, commercial shrimpers left port on Tuesday, April 8 for the season that runs through Oct. 31. Last year, shrimpers landed over 51 million lbs. Thirty-two percent of last year’s catch came from two areas off of Washington. The Northern California and Rogue River beds produced about 14.5% of the catch according to industry records. That was down from the 33.6% recorded in 2013. Sixty vessels landed shrimp into Oregon ports in 2014.