ODFW release – SALEM, Ore.—Anglers fishing for salmon in some coastal rivers this fall will face closures or reduced bag limits for wild fall Chinook, but more opportunity for wild coho. ODFW has adopted regulations for wild fall Chinook seasons based on the sliding scale in the 2014 Coastal Multi-species Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) and the Rogue Fall Chinook Salmon Plan Conservation Plan, two plans developed through rigorous public processes to sustain coastal salmon populations. Poor returns in 2021 and low forecasts for 2022 trigger conservation concerns in both plans, resulting in reduced or closed retention for wild fall Chinook in several basins. For more information about the plans and wild fall Chinook returns and forecasts in each basin, please see the June 7 webinar and presentation (PDF) at https://myodfw.com/articles/fall-coastal-salmon-management. In contrast to wild Chinook, which have a different life cycle than coho, the outlook for wild coho for the Oregon coast is similar to last year’s strong return. In 2021 there were wild coho retention seasons in four coastal rivers for the first time in five years. ODFW anticipates nine basins will have wild coho retention this year (Alsea, Beaver Creek, Coos, Nehalem, Nestucca, Siletz, Tillamook, Umpqua, Yaquina). Fall coho regulations will be set later in the summer after consideration by NOAA Fisheries since Oregon Coast Natural coho remain listed as Threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Below is a summary of 2022 regulations for wild fall Chinook. Go to the Recreation Report for your angling zone and click Regulation Updates tab to see more details. CLOSED TO ALL SALMON ANGLING – Siuslaw, Coquille, and Floras Creek/New River; RESTRICTIONS ON WILD CHINOOK HARVEST AND/OR OPEN FOR HATCHERY CHINOOK – Coos, Sixes, Hunter Creek, Pistol, Chetco, and Winchuck rivers will be open for some wild Chinook harvest with a reduced bag limit. Tillamook Bay basin (including the Tillamook, Wilson, Trask, Kilchis and Miami rivers) will be open for retention of hatchery salmon but be closed to wild Chinook retention. Elk River will be open for retention of hatchery Chinook but closed to wild Chinook retention, as in recent years. OPEN UNDER PERMANENT CHINOOK REGULATIONS – Alsea, Necanicum, Nehalem, Nestucca, Rogue, Salmon, Siletz, Umpqua (mainstem, Smith River and North Fork Smith River) and Yaquina rivers. Creel survey programs will be in place in several basins to monitor fisheries.
