[ODFW-News] Recreational cabezon fishery to close

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
For more information call 503-947-6000	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  


For immediate release	Tuesday, August 17, 2004


Recreational cabezon fishery to close

NEWPORT - The sport fishery for cabezon will be closed as of tomorrow,
Wednesday, August 18. Sport fishers may continue to harvest most other
groundfish species, but may not retain cabezon in the saltwater sport
fishery.

"Landing data for the saltwater sport fishery indicate that we will
have met our limit for the sport harvest of cabezon," said Don
Bodenmiller, project leader for marine recreational groundfish fisheries
for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

By the end of July 2004, more than 15 metric tons of cabezon were taken
in the sport fishery. This compares to 10.5 metric tons of cabezon taken
by the end of July 2003. "The projected catch through August 17 will
be at our catch limit of 15.8 metric tons for cabezon," said
Bodenmiller.

Better-than-usual weather in March and April got the groundfish fishery
off to a quick start. Another factor that may have contributed to the
early closure, noted Bodenmiller, was that, as of June 1, the sport
groundfish fishery was closed outside of 40 fathoms for the first time.
This may have resulted in an increase in nearshore fishing where cabezon
reside.

Any cabezon caught after August 17 must be released.  "Cabezon have
an excellent survival rate when released, even when caught in deep
water," said Bodenmiller, "because they do not have an air
bladder." By contrast, species with air bladders, such as rockfish,
often die when removed from deep water.
Cabezon harvest in Oregon has been limited by the Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission in recent years because the health of the stock is
uncertain and annual catches were increasing.

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