[ODFW-News] Blue and black rockfish commercial seasons end

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Mark Saelens, Newport (541) 867-4741	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (541) 867-0311
	
For Immediate Release	Wednesday, October 01, 2003

Blue and black rockfish commercial seasons end

SALEM - Commercial fishing seasons for blue and black rockfish ended yesterday because the quota has been reached, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.

In addition, no commercial boat may land a yelloweye rockfish, under the new rules going into effect today.

Black rockfish and blue rockfish are one of several nearshore species that are managed under a new nearshore management plan adopted last December that held harvest to the levels harvested in 2000. Commercial boats are estimated to have harvested about 365,000 pounds of all nearshore rockfish species combined through September.
 
ODFW today also announced the commercial season closure for cabezon, tiger rockfish, vermillion rockfish and other minor nearshore rockfish species starting Nov. 1, 2003. Commercial boats are limited to landing 2,000 pounds of cabezon Sept. 1 - Oct. 31 and 900 pounds of allowable rockfish Sept. 1 - Oct. 31. The allowable cumulative catch for cabezon is expected to be reached by the end of October. The total catch for nearshore rockfish will fall short of the 2003 harvest cap, which was reduced by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission because of the unknown population status of many nearshore species. 

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 of these nearshore groundfish species. ODFW and other organizations are conducting research on several nearshore species to better manage them and prevent over-harvest.
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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002