Commercial Troll Salmon Notice, March 14

ODFW release – March 11, 2022 COMMERCIAL TROLL SALMON ACTION NOTICE: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in consultation with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), the State of Oregon, and the State of California met today via a blended conference call and in person meeting and have taken the following in-season management action related to the scheduled March and April commercial troll Chinook salmon openings off Oregon. ACTIONS TAKEN: The commercial troll salmon fishery scheduled to open on March 15 in the areas from Cape Falcon to the Heceta Bank management line (43o 58’ 00” N lat.). and from Humbug Mt. to the Oregon/California Border will open as scheduled on March 15th. The early season will be open for all salmon except coho from March 15 through April 30 with a 28” minimum total length for Chinook Salmon, no more than 4 spreads per wire, and single-point barbless hooks required. Open dates in May, and for the remainder of the 2022 season, are still under development and will be defined at the April PFMC meeting and via further inseason action. The commercial troll salmon fishery scheduled to open on March 15 in the area from the Heceta Bank management line (43o 58’ 00” N lat.). to Humbug Mt. will NOT OPEN and will REMAIN CLOSED through April 30. Open dates in May and for the remainder of the 2022 season are still under development and will be defined at the April PFMC meeting and via further inseason action. The incidental commercial troll Pacific Halibut season will open for 2022 effective April 1 for those areas open for commercial troll Chinook salmon fishing for those vessels with an incidental troll halibut permit issued by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) for the 2022 season. The Pacific Halibut regulations include a ratio limit of 1 halibut per each 2 Chinook plus 1 halibut outside of the ratio, a maximum of 35 halibut per trip, and a minimum head-on total length of 32 inches.  RATIONALE: The closure from the Heceta Bank management line (43o58’00” N lat.). to Humbug Mt. was preferred by industry representatives to assist in managing impacts on Klamath River fall Chinook in order to provide adequate opportunity as requested from fishery participants for the fishing seasons that are currently under development. Seasons from May 16, 2022 through early May 15, 2023 are currently being developed (seasons prior to May 16 will be addressed through further inseason action). Season alternatives will be reviewed and a final season recommendation made at the April Pacific Fishery Management Council public meeting. Interested members of the public should visit www.pcouncil.org for information on how to participate in the April meeting. Visit https://dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/ for more information on Oregon’s ocean salmon seasons and fisheries.