[ODFW-News] Commission Action on Ocean Fishing Regulations

[Anne Pressentin]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =09
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356=09
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 872-5700
=09

For Immediate Release	Friday, December 13, 2002

Commission Adopts 2003 Groundfish, Halibut and Sardine Fishing Seasons and =
Regulations=20

EUGENE - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Friday adopted sport and =
commercial rules for 2003 for groundfish, halibut and sardine fishing =
seasons within state waters that are slightly more restrictive than 2002 =
regulations. However, the Commission may make harvest reductions in March =
based on the results of public input.

The rules mimic those adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council in =
November for the area between three and 200 miles off shore. PFMC rules =
are implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) via =
federal rules. The decision to limit the harvest was based on an earlier =
designation by NMFS that canary, yelloweye and darkblotched rockfish are =
overfished. Commercial harvest of fresh and live rockfish, cabezon and =
greenling has increased in recent years due to market demand. Complicating =
matters is the lack of biological data on many groundfish species, some of =
which have life spans up to 100 years and older.=20

The Commission is the rule-making body for the Oregon Department of Fish =
and Wildlife.=20

The Commission adopted Friday a 2004 commercial and recreational nearshore =
harvest cap at the level of harvest recorded in the year 2000. The =
Commission will revisit issues related to nearshore groundfish harvest =
caps in February, 2003, when the seven-member panel takes public testimony =
on proposals to reduce harvest levels beyond those adopted Friday. The =
reduction being considered is to reduce the harvest beyond the year 2000 =
harvest levels. The Commission aske ODFW staff to review options for a 20 =
percent reduction from the levels adopted Friday. A decision is expected =
in March, 2003.=20

The Commission adopted the following rules:=20

2003 Sport Groundfish and Halibut Rules:
- Lingcod: Increased the daily bag limit to two fish with a minimum size =
of 24 inches.
- Other marine finfish: Ten fish daily bag limit (which includes cabezon =
and greenling), which may include no more than one canary rockfish, one =
yelloweye rockfish and one halibut 32 inches or longer.
- Cabezon: Minimum size for recreational catches is 15 inches. The =
Commission intends to increase this to 16 inches for the 2004 season to =
match the 16-inch commercial minimum size adopted for the 2003 season. The =
recreational size increase was delayed because the 2003 sport regulation =
books have been printed.  =20
- Halibut: Must be harvested during authorized seasons. Flexibility was =
added to pre-season and in-season quota transfers to allow more uniform =
seasons coast wide.  Anglers must harvest the first halibut landed longer =
than 32 inches. In addition, anglers may not retain yelloweye or canary =
rockfish during the all-depth Pacific halibut seasons if halibut are on =
board the vessel.=20
- Other than halibut, the sport season is Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2003.

2003 Commercial Rules:
- Adopted PFMC's rules for trip limits, gear restrictions and fish size =
limits.
- Fixed-gear must fish deeper than 100 fathoms.
- On-bottom groundfish trawl gear (foot-ropes) are banned from restricted =
fishing areas during specific time periods. In most months, boats are =
restricted to trawl outside of 100 to 250 fathoms. In July and August, =
groundfish may only be harvested outside of 75 and 250 fathoms. Petrale =
sole harvest is allowed in some designated areas of the restricted area =
January-February and November-December.
- In mid-year, a federal vessel monitoring system requirement is scheduled =
to be implemented by the federal government to track vessel activity in =
restricted areas.=20
- The harvest of sardines will be limited to110,908 from the California to =
Washington coasts in 2003 metric tons compared to 118,442 metric tons in =
2004. The Oregon sardine fishery has increased drastically since 1999 from =
775 metric tons to about 22,700 metric tons in 2002.

Options for 2003 Sport Sturgeon Season Outlined; Decision Due in January

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission heard Friday the specifics of five =
options to govern sport sturgeon season in the Columbia River for =
2003-2005. A final decision is expected January at a meeting of the =
Columbia River Compact.

Each of the options were created to meet three objectives: 1) Minimize the =
need for in-season action, 2) Balance the catch between the estuary and =
non-estuary (Longview to Bonneville Dam) fisheries, and 3) Maintain =
fishery monitoring and management capabilities.

Fishery research indicates that the lower Columbia River legal size white =
sturgeon population experienced an annual 4 percent decline from 1996 to =
2001 due to an overestimate of fish abundance levels and an unforeseen =
drop in recruitment to the population. As a result, the allowed harvest =
guideline was set too high and the allowed sport harvest for 2003 must =
drop from last year's 40,000 fish total harvest to 32,000. =20

Commission members said they were favoring option two or three, based on =
public testimony. However, the Commission delegated final negotiation and =
rule-making authority to the ODFW director.

Option 2:
- Shifts season accounting from the calendar year to Oct. 1-Sept. 30.
- Retention prohibited Sundays and Mondays in October through mid July.
- Allows a 9.5-month continuous retention season.
- Projected catch split 51 percent (16,400 fish) to estuary harvest and 49 =
percent (15,600) to non-estuary, which does not maintain the fishery =
sharing average of the 1990s.
- Implements a block closure during popular salmon season.
- Increases sampling costs and management requirements.

Option 3:
- Shifts season accounting from the calendar year to Oct. 1-Sept. 30.
- Retention prohibited Sunday, Mondays and Tuesdays in October through =
early August.
- Allows a 10-month continuous retention season.
- Projected catch split 56 percent (17,800 fish) to estuary harvest and 44 =
percent (14,200) to non-estuary, which approximates the fishery sharing =
average of the 1990s.
- Implements a block closure during popular salmon fishing period.
- Increases sampling costs and management requirements.

=20
New Member Appointed to Fish Screening Task Force=20

The Commission appointed Carol Bradford of Medford to the Fish Screening =
Task Force as the agricultural representative.=20


Commission to ask Legislature to Remove Sunset Clause for Access and =
Habitat Program

The Commission decided Friday to ask the 2003 Oregon State Legislature to =
remove a legal clause that calls for the ending of a 10-year popular and =
successful program that provides public hunting access and pays for =
wildlife habitat improvements.

In 1993, the Oregon Legislature created the Access and Habitat Program to =
generate revenue for private land projects to improve habitat, reduce =
damage to agricultural crops and increase hunter access. Most revenue is =
generated from a surcharge on hunting licenses. Private landowners apply =
for funds and approved projects receive grants.

Since 1993, 245 projects have been completed. During the 1999-2001 =
biennium, the A&H program created 3.7 million acres of new hunting =
opportunities on private lands and more than 400,000 acres of private =
lands were improved to benefit fish, wildlife and watershed health. The =
two-year budget is about $1.2 million.=20

Legally, the program will end on Dec. 31, 2003, unless the Legislature =
takes action.=20

When first approved in 1993, the A&H program was slated to sunset in 1997. =
In 1997, the Legislature re-authorized the program through 2003. The =
Commission's action today requests the Legislature to remove any sunset =
clause from Oregon Revised Statutes.

Commission's 2003 Meeting Schedule Approved=20

The Commission gave its final approval Friday to the meeting schedue for =
2003. The seven-member panel meeting will meet in open session on the =
following dates and locations:

-Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 in Portland at the ODFW headquarters;
-Friday, Feb. 7, 2003 in Portland in conjunction with the Sportsmen Show =
at the Expo Center;
-Friday, March 21, 2003 in Newport;
-Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, 2003 in Portland at the ODFW =
headquarters;
-Friday, May 9, 2003 in Portland at the ODFW headquarters;
-Friday, June 6, 2003 in Pendleton;
-Friday, July 11, 2003 in Portland at the ODFW headquarters;
-Friday, Aug. 8, 2003 in Astoria;
-Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13, 2003 in Portland;
-Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 in Roseburg;
-Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 in Salem at ODFW's new headquarters; and
-Friday, Dec. 12, 2003 in Salem at ODFW's new headquarters.





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