Non-selective Coho Fishing On Oregon’s Central Coast Switching To 7 Days/Week

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ACTION NOTICE FROM THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

NOAA Fisheries in consultation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, representatives from the recreational salmon fishery, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and members of the Salmon Technical Team, has taken the following in-season action with respect to the recreational salmon fishery in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain:

ACTIONS TAKEN:

• An impact neutral rollover of the 51,724 coho remaining from the mark selective summer season was made to the non-mark selective September season from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. This resulted in a net increase of 6,230 coho in the non-selective coho quota and a revised quota of 20,230 coho.
• The non-selective coho season from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will re-open Friday, September 17, and will be open all days of the week through the earlier of the revised quota or September 30.

RATIONALE AND NOTES: The recreational mark selective coho season in the area from Cape Falcon to the OR/CA Border landed an estimated 68,281 coho during the June 22 to August 16 mark selective season out of the quota of 120,000 adipose fin-clipped coho. This left 51,724 coho available to roll forward on an impact neutral basis to the non-selective coho season from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.   In September, the most constraining coho stock for the rollover calculation was Oregon Coastal Natural (OCN) coho, and the impact neutral rollover to the September non-mark selective season resulted in a net increase of 6,230 coho and a revised September season quota of 20,230 coho.  

This season was first open on Friday, Sept. 10; Saturday, Sept. 11; and Sunday, Sept. 12.  Total estimated fishing effort for the three-day opening was 6,392 angler-trips with a retained catch of 6,246 coho out of the now adjusted quota of 20,230 coho.  This leaves a remainder of 13,984 coho (69%) on the quota.  After review of the harvest estimates from the first three-day opening, it was determined that adding the 8 additional weekdays to the open fishing period would be unlikely to result in early attainment of the quota.  The added days will provide more fishing opportunity for coho in the highly popular non-mark selective coho season. 

For full regulations and updated catch information, please visit www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/salmon/

Angling for Chinook salmon (all-salmon except coho) is open 7 days per week through October 31 within the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.  The Chinook salmon season (all-salmon except coho) from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will also reopen March 15, 2022 unless modified by in-season management action during the March Pacific Fishery Management Council by the National Marine Fisheries Service.