The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted recommendations for ocean salmon fishing along the Pacific west coast in 2023. The seasons provide recreational and commercial opportunities in northern areas of the coast but include significant closures in southern portions of the coast to achieve conservation goals for the numerous salmon stocks.
The Council adopted recommendations will be forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for approval by May 16, 2023. The decision must be approved by NMFS. Coastal states will adopt fishery regulations for state-managed waters that are compatible with the Council’s actions.The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recently adopted ocean salmon fishing regulations for federal-jurisdiction waters from three to 200 nautical miles offshore. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted matching permanent regulations for state jurisdiction waters (within three miles offshore).
A strong coho run is expected again and recreational fishing will begin along the entire coast in mid-June. But due to severely low forecasts for Chinook returns to the Klamath and Sacramento Rivers, recreational and commercial fishing for Chinook will be closed south of Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) until Sept. 1 to protect these fish that are caught along with local Chinook and coho in Oregon's ocean fisheries.
Fisheries south of Cape Falcon are limited mainly by the low abundance forecasts for Klamath River and Sacramento River fall Chinook. This year’s season is significantly reduced or closed to fishing to keep fishing impacts minimal given the critically low abundance forecasts for these key California Chinook stocks of concern. Sport ocean season While the Sacramento River and Klamath River fall Chinook abundances are forecasted to be very low, Oregon’s coho populations are forecasted to be similar to last year.
Oregon ocean recreational fisheries from Cape Falcon to the OR/CA border include a mark-selective coho fishing season starting June 17 and continuing through August. The quota is 110,000 marked coho (compared to 100,000 last year). In addition, a nonmark-selective coho fishery is scheduled in the area between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain for the month of September with a 25,000 non marked coho quota (compared to 17,000 last year).
October will be open for all salmon except coho and open shoreward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. California ocean recreational fisheries in all areas from the Oregon/California border to the U.S./Mexico border are closed given the low abundance forecasts for both Klamath and Sacramento River fall Chinook. Commercial ocean season Oregon ocean commercial fisheries from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain will open September 1 and continue through October.
A limited coho season will also occur in September with a 10,000 non marked coho quota. Beginning October 1, the fishery is open shoreward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. All commercial fisheries in both the Oregon and California Klamath Management Zones are closed for the 2023 season. California ocean salmon commercial fisheries in all areas from the Oregon/California border to the U.S./Mexico border are closed given the low abundance forecasts for both Klamath and Sacramento River fall Chinook.
