Mexican Fish Report

NEWPORT, Ore – The Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) yesterday finalized the 2023 ocean salmon seasons. These include ocean waters off Oregon.

Columbia Basin hatchery coho salmon and Oregon Coast Natural coho mark bright spots with a third consecutive year of strong forecasted returns and season openings beginning mid-June.

The PFMC recommended closure of all (recreational and commercial) Chinook salmon seasons in Oregon south of Cape Falcon prior to Sept. 1.

By Sept. 1, most Sacramento and Klamath river fall Chinook salmon stocks – the two stocks with severely low forecasted returns – have left the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt., and Oregon's coastal fall Chinook have begun staging near the coast where they will comprise most of the catch.

Recommended salmon seasons are not official until final approval by the National Marine Fisheries Service expected by May 16, and after adoption April 21 by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for waters within three nautical miles of shore.

The extremely low forecasted returns of the Sacramento and Klamath river fall Chinook salmon are constraining all seasons from Cape Falcon through California. The PFMC also recommended a complete shutdown of all California salmon seasons. Low returns are the direct result of severe drought in California.

The PFMC announcement is available here.

PFMC recommended recreational season summary:

• Ocean waters off the Columbia River from Leadbetter Pt., WA to Cape Falcon, OR:
  • Open to all salmon June 24 through the earlier of Sept. 30 or 79,800 adipose fin-clipped coho quota or the 11,490 Chinook guideline.
  • Daily bag limit: two salmon but no more than one can be Chinook, and coho must be fin-clipped.
    • Chinook minimum length: 22 inches.
    • Coho minimum length: 16 inches.

• Hatchery mark selective coho salmon, Cape Falcon to the OR/CA border:
  • Open June 17 through the earlier of Aug. 31 or the 110,000 adipose fin-clipped coho quota. Note: The remainder of this quota may be rolled forward to either the recreational or commercial non-selective coho season in September on an impact neutral basis. First priority in this transfer will be to the recreational fishery as needed.
  • Daily bag limit: two salmon. All coho must have a healed adipose fin clip and Chinook retention is prohibited.
    • Coho minimum length: 16 inches.

• Non-selective coho salmon, Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.
  • Open daily Sept. 1 through the earlier of Sept. 30 or the 25,000 non-mark selective coho quota.
  • Daily bag limit: two fish, only one of which can be a Chinook.
    • Coho minimum length: 16 inches.
    • Chinook minimum length: 24 inches.
  • Note: open days may be adjusted in season.

• Chinook salmon, Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.
  • Open Sept. 1 – Oct. 31 except as noted in the non-select coho season.
  • Season only open inside of 40-fathom management line in October.
  • Daily bag limit: one Chinook salmon.
    • Chinook minimum length: 24 inches.

• All recreational anglers are limited to no more than two single barbless hooks per line when fishing for salmon, and for any species if salmon are on board the vessel.

More information is available on ODFW's recreational ocean salmon web page.

The commercial troll salmon seasons north of Cape Falcon will again have limited Chinook quotas and be managed by quotas, season length, and vessel landing week limits.

PFMC recommended commercial troll season summary:

• Early all-salmon except coho season, Leadbetter Pt. WA to Cape Falcon:
  • Open May 1 through the earlier of June 29 or the overall quota of 26,000 Chinook (Cape Falcon to the U.S./Canada border), or the Leadbetter Pt. to Cape Falcon subarea cap of 6,040 Chinook.
  • 60 chinook per vessel per landing per week (Thurs. – Wed.) and June 22-29.

• Summer all-salmon north of Cape Falcon:
  • Open July 1 through the earlier of Sept. 30 or the overall Chinook quota of 13,000 or the 30,400 fin-clipped coho quota.
  • Landing and possession limit of 150 marked coho per vessel per landing week (Thurs. – Wed.). Landing limits will be evaluated weekly in-season.

• Fall salmon season, Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.
  • Open Sept. 1 – Oct. 31 for Chinook salmon, 75 Chinook per vessel per landing week (Thurs. – Wed.).
  • Sept. 1 through the earlier of Sept. 30 or the non-mark selective quota of 10,000 coho, 75 coho per vessel per landing week (Thurs. – Wed.). Vessel limits may be modified in-season.
  • Oct. 1-31 is limited to shoreward of the 40-fathom management line.

More information is on ODFW's commercial ocean troll web page.

Rick Finnell photo: Ocean coho salmon season are a bright spot this year with forecasted strong returns.