All-depth halibut open on Sundays on central Oregon coast beginning Sept. 8

NEWPORT, Ore.—Beginning this weekend, the Central Oregon Coast summer all-depth fishery will be open three days per week, Friday through Sunday. Previously it had only been open Friday and Saturday. A substantial amount of the annual halibut quota remains, so fisheries managers determined that the summer all-depth halibut fishery can be open an additional day each week. “Winds, waves, and ocean temperatures have proved challenging to recreational halibut anglers this year,” said Lynn Mattes, ODFW sport halibut project leader. “Adding a day to the all-depth fishery each week will provide additional opportunities for anglers to harvest the 2019 Oregon halibut quota.” The halibut daily bag limit for all Oregon areas south of Cape Falcon remains at 2 halibut per angler per day. Reminder, as of Tuesday, Sept. 3, the sport bottomfish fishery is open to all depths. With bottomfish being open to all depths, anglers fishing all-depth halibut can retain both halibut and bottomfish on the same trip. Retention of bottomfish when participating in the nearshore halibut fishery remains open as well. Anglers are reminded that all cabezon, as well as copper, quillback, and China rockfish, must be released immediately if caught while fishing from a boat. There is no change to the offshore longleader fishery. Anglers must fish seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory line and use longleader gear for the 10-fish longleader bag limit of select midwater rockfish species to apply, and no lingcod, halibut, or other groundfish may be retained. More information about Marine Zone fishing regulations and opportunities is available at https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/marine-zone