ODFW release – 2023 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: ACTIONS TAKEN: Effective 12:01 AM Thursday, July 20 through Wednesday July 26, for the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area between the U.S./Canada border and Cape Falcon, landing and possession limit of 30 Chinook and 150 adipose fin-marked coho salmon per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday). Effective 12:01 AM Thursday, July 27 through Wednesday August 2, for the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area between the U.S./Canada border and Cape Falcon, landing and possession limit of 20 Chinook and 150 adipose fin-marked coho salmon per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday). Effective 12:01 AM Thursday, August 3, the commercial salmon troll fishery in the area between the U.S./Canada border and Cape Falcon is closed to all commercial salmon trolling until further notice. RATIONALE: Harvest of Chinook through July to date has been trending higher than anticipated. Projected landings through July 26 are estimated at 8,502 Chinook out of the 13,000 Chinook quota leaving 4,498 Chinook remaining to be harvested. The summer period also has a quota of 30,400 marked coho with an estimated harvest of only 1,380 through July 19. By stepping down the weekly Chinook limits over the next two weeks and then closing to evaluate the status, fishery managers should be able to scale any later openings to target hatchery coho and wrap up any Chinook remaining on the quota. 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.
