[ODFW-News] Commission approves ocean salmon season, lamprey protection

[Odfw News]

For Immediate Release Friday, April 15, 2005
Commission approves ocean salmon season, lamprey protection
 
SALEM - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission today approved the 2005
sport and commercial ocean salmon angling seasons along the Oregon
Coast.  
 
In addition, modifications were made to the fall salmon bag limits in
the Columbia River.
 
The Commission approved proposals issued earlier this month by the
Pacific Fishery Management Council. The seasons are set to allow the
harvest of healthy stocks while protecting stocks that are listed under
the federal and/or state Endangered Species Act.
 
Overall, 2005 recreational regulations for most waters are similar to
2004, except coho quotas are reduced from recent years. Details are
available on the Pacific Fishery Management Council Web site,
www.pcouncil.org.  
 
The adopted rules, which will be published in May and distributed
through ODFW offices and license agents, include:
* In the ocean from Leadbetter Point, Wash., south to Cape Falcon, Ore.,
the salmon season is open Sunday through Thursday, July 3 - Sept. 30, or
until attainment of a 60,900 coho quota. The season closes Aug. 1
between Cape Falcon and Tillamook Head. The allowed bag limit is two
salmon per day, only one of which may be a chinook. Retained coho must
have a healed adipose fin-clip. Consideration of opening the fishery
seven days-per-week will occur in late July.
* In the ocean from Cape Falcon south to Humbug Mountain, the salmon
season is open seven days a week, March 15-Oct. 31, for all salmon
except coho. In addition, the season is open for the harvest of coho
June 18-July 31, until or attainment of a 40,000 coho quota between Cape
Falcon and the California-Oregon border. Retained coho must have a
healed adipose fin-clip. 
* In the ocean from Humbug Mountain south to Horse Mountain, Calif., the
salmon season is open seven days a week May 21 - July 4 and Aug. 14 -
Sept. 11, for all salmon except coho. In addition, the season is open
for the harvest of coho June 18 - July 4, or until attainment of a
40,000 coho quota between Cape Falcon and the California-Oregon border.
Retained coho must have a healed adipose fin-clip. The minimum size
limit for chinook is increased to 24 inches.
* In the Elk River Terminal area and Chetco River Terminal area, the
late fall seasons are the same as 2004.
* For the Tillamook Terminal area, several changes were adopted for
2005. The definition of the triangular control zone during the spring
fishery off Tillamook Bay is redefined, using Pyramid Rock and Twin
Rocks, due to difficulty maintaining the existing markers. Ocean size
and bag limits now apply to the Tillamook Terminal area, except that
only fin-clipped chinook may be retained inside the triangular control
zone during March-July, and the north coast weekly and annual bag limit
still applies to the Tillamook Terminal area. 
* For the recreational fishery from Buoy 10 upstream to Tongue Point,
beginning Aug.1, the two-fish daily bag limit may include only one
chinook.  
* For the Columbia River recreational fishery, from Tongue Point
upstream to Bonneville Dam, beginning Aug. 1, the two adult salmon or
steelhead bag limit may include only one chinook.
 
In other fisheries news, the Commission adopted rules to limit the
illegal commercialization of lamprey and provide additional protection
to the species by banning the use of lamprey as bait in all commercial
and recreational fishing. 
 
The action maintains the existing harvest regulations for the lamprey
fishery at Willamette Falls, but prohibits using lamprey for bait in all
commercial and recreational fisheries starting May 1.
 
Pacific lamprey have been harvested traditionally by Native Americans as
a food source. Pacific lamprey are protected by state law, and have been
petitioned for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act as they
have declined in distribution and population abundance in recent years.
Harvest of lamprey for re-sale or commercial use no longer is allowed in
Oregon.
 
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is the policy-making body for
fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets
monthly. The next regular Commission meeting is May 13 in Prineville.
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