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Post by Admin on Sept 16, 2017 16:14:30 GMT
The Nearshore Resources Planning Project
Recreational bottomfish closed as of Monday, after excellent summer season
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
NEWPORT, Ore.—Oregon’s recreational bottomfish season will close to all species but flatfish as of Sunday, Sept. 17 at 11:59 p.m. because the quotas for several species have been reached.
As of Monday morning (Sept. 18), anglers may no longer catch or retain lingcod, any species of rockfish, cabezon, greenling, or other bottomfish. There is a new opportunity for anglers to fish for flatfish (except Pacific halibut) at all depths, also starting Monday.
“Recreational bottomfishing was excellent this year, with effort and catch rates higher than anticipated,” said Maggie Sommer, ODFW marine fisheries manager. “Because the annual quotas for several species have been met, fishery managers need to close the season.”
Good weather in spring and summer, as well as fewer opportunities for other fisheries, have led to more boats and anglers fishing for bottomfish this year. “It’s been a poor salmon season and tuna haven’t really made a strong showing within range of most recreational anglers,” said Sommer. “This increased fishing pressure on bottomfish, and anglers had a lot of success pursuing these species.”
Additionally, Oregon’s black rockfish harvest quota was reduced 10 percent this year after a 2015 federal stock assessment. While the stock was determined to be healthy, the assessors also determined that in order to keep the population healthy in the long term, lower harvest levels were necessary. ODFW’s marine researchers are developing additional methods to provide data for future assessments of black rockfish and other nearshore species that will help the assessments accurately reflect Oregon’s stocks.
Several ocean fishing opportunities remain available, including:
•Flatfish, such as sanddabs and petrale sole (not including halibut, which are considered separately).
•Crabbing in oceans and bays, which has been excellent lately.
•Nearshore halibut between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mt. (until Oct. 31 or until the quota is reached).
•Halibut south of Humbug Mt. (until Oct. 31 or until the quota is reached).
•Tuna, which are starting to come closer to shore in southern Oregon now.
•Ocean salmon, which is open from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. through Oct. 31 for all salmon except coho (beginning Oct. 1, all anglers fishing for salmon or with salmon on board are restricted to inside the 40-fathom line).
For more information on Oregon’s marine resources and fisheries, please see: www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/
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Contact:
Caren Braby, 541-867-0300 x226, Caren.E.Braby@state.or.us
Maggie Sommer, 541-867-0300 x227, Maggie.Sommer@state.or.us
Christian Heath, 541-867-0300 x266, Christian.T.Heath@state.or.us
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Post by Admin on Sept 16, 2017 17:08:16 GMT
Our comments to Governor Brown, State Legislative Officials, ODFW and others.
From: WILLIAM LACKNER
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 9:58 AM
To: Curt Melcher ; Caren Braby ; Mich Vance ; Julie Tasnady ; Rep.DavidGomberg ; Rep.CaddyMcKeown ; Senator, Arnie Roblan ; ODFW Commission ; Steven S Rumrill
Subject: Re: Fwd: [New post] Recreational Bottomfish Closed As Of Monday
FYI, when the ODFW Commission adopted the rules for the Nearshore Rockfish Strategy. I was the ONLY person in attendance objecting to implementation of the plan. Previous to the Commission meeting I contacted the companies of the Charter Fishing industry to support our objections to adopting the plan. Our objections are the same today as they were then, however, they chose no to support our positions. The point is the State of Oregon missed the opportunity to implement a functional Nearshore Rockfish Strategy that eliminates closures like the one announced by ODFW.
Once again the State of Oregon is at the crossroads of tough choices. Can ODFW make the correct decisions or will they choose to kick the can down the road once again. The following links are an example of our commitment to Oregon's Marine Resources.
oregonfishinginfo
Oregon's Black and Blue Rockfish and other fish species common to Oregon's coastal waters
Sebastes melanops) are the backbone of Oregon's saltwater recreational fishery. Recreational anglers catch more black rockfish than the combined catch of all other ...
From: Steve Godin <stevegodin@rconnects.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:29 PM
To: WILLIAM LACKNER
Subject: Re: [New post] Recreational Bottomfish Closed As Of Monday
Hi Bill,
What is it that you want ODF&W to do differently about near shore rockfish?
Regards,
Steve
From: WILLIAM LACKNER
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 6:25 PM
To: Steve Godin ; Rep.DavidGomberg ; Julie Tasnady ; Senator, Arnie Roblan ; Rep.CaddyMcKeown ; Caren Braby ; Senator Jeff Merkley ; Steven S Rumrill ; Curt Melcher ; Mich Vance
Subject: Re: [New post] Recreational Bottomfish Closed As Of Monday
Eliminate or reduce commercial fishing for rockfish. We had this discussion before the ODFW Commission when the Commission was meeting to discuss adoption of the Nearshore Rockfish Strategy . The result was the Commission ordered the ODFW Marine Resources to present a better plan. The future of fishing is in recreational fishing. Recreational fishing for rockfish is a key component of the tourist industry and the coastal economy. Because of health issues I am not able to participate at an effective level. However, I am able to relate the benefit of my previous experiences dealing with our marine resource issues and hope for a better future.
William Lackner
Steve's Response,
Thanks Bill. I’ll keep that in mind in future discussions with ODF&W. There is lots of room for improvement in near shore rockfish management.
Regards,
Steve
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Post by Admin on Sept 18, 2017 0:49:56 GMT
At some point in time the State will have to realize that there are not enough Nearshore rockfish, crabs or clams to satisfy the desire, wants or needs of the user groups who participate in the fishery. When push comes to shove it is the recreational fisher, crabber and clam digger plus others who fund Oregon State Agencies.
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Post by Admin on Sept 20, 2017 14:18:11 GMT
Should Fishing For Pregnant Bottom Fish Be Allowed?
The answer is NO!!!
You may be familiar with my objections of taking pregnant surf perch and ODFW's refusal to budge an inch on our suggestions. The wholesale slaughter of pregnant surfperch when they enter Oregon's bays to give live birth is an unacceptable practice with long lasting consequences. The practice is responsible for decline in the abundance of the once thriving population of all surfperch species.
Most Bottom Fish of the Nearshore and Offshore deep water complex give live birth. Allowing retention of mature expectant mature fish by both recreational and commercial is responsible for the declining abundance of Bottom Fish species.
The current closure for the retention of Bottom Fish highlights the cause for concern on the timing of harvesting bottom fish. Should ODFW restrict the retention of all fish species that give live birth during the period when the bottom fish species are pregnant? We recommend ODFW do so based on the findings in the following informational report.
Information Report 2011-01 Maturity of female quillback (Sebastes maliger) and china rockfish (S. nebulosus) from Oregon waters based on histological evaluation of ovaries.
The following links demonstrates our commitment to Oregon's Marine Resources.
oregonfishinginfo
Quillback rockfish
China rockfish
William Lackner
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Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2017 2:36:57 GMT
Recreational bottomfish to reopen for some species outside 40 fathoms Oct. 1; Long-leader gear required
You are subscribed to News Releases for ODFW. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
Recreational bottomfish to reopen for some species outside 40 fathoms Oct. 1; Long-leader gear required
Oregon Fish and Wildlife
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Recreational bottomfish to reopen for some species outside 40 fathoms Oct. 1
Long-leader gear required
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
NEWPORT, Ore.— Recreational fishing for bottomfish for some species will reopen Oct. 1 outside the 40 fathom line for anglers with “long-leader” gear.
Several species of rockfish found outside of 40 fathoms are abundant and catches are well under quota, including yellowtail and canary rockfish. Long-leader gear has proven effective at catching these plentiful rockfish that are found off the bottom, such as yellowtail (“greenies”), widow (“brownies”), and canary rockfish, among others.
“Earlier this month, we had to close groundfish early when the quotas for black rockfish and several other species were reached after a very busy summer bottomfishing season,” said Maggie Sommer, Fisheries Management Section Leader for ODFW. “We understand this has been difficult for coastal communities, visitors wanting to fish, and the businesses that depend on them.”
“By opening outside 40 fathoms, where black rockfish and other nearshore rockfish are rarely caught, and requiring the long-leader gear, we can provide some additional opportunity while still protecting black rockfish and other species and keeping this fishery sustainable,” continued Sommer.
Long-leader gear was first developed and tested in Oregon waters to avoid yelloweye rockfish. The gear requires a minimum of 30’ of distance in the line between the terminal weight and the lowest hook, as well as a non-compressible float above the hook. The unusually long leader and the float work together to ensure that the gear fishes well above the bottom. A diagram and specifications for the gear are available at ODFW offices or at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/groundfish_sport/index.asp.
In addition to re-opening for certain bottomfish species fished with longleader gear, ODFW continues to allow flatfish fishing at all-depths. While fishing for flatfish is not new (and has a 25-fish bag limit), the opportunity to do so at all-depths was only recently allowed. While both long-leader and flatfish fishing are great opportunities to get out on the ocean, anglers will have to choose one or the other per trip, as it will not be legal to retain both flatfish and other bottomfish on the same trip. This will ensure that fishing on the bottom occurs only in soft-bottom habitat preferred by flatfish, keeping anglers away from rocks and further avoiding bycatch of rockfish and other groundfish species.
“It’s important that we avoid any more bycatch of yelloweye rockfish and other species whose annual quotas have already been met,” said Sommer.
The daily bag limit for the long-leader fishery remains 7 marine fish (see page 81 of the 2017 Sportfishing Regulations), no more than 4 of which may be blue, deacon, China, copper, or quillback rockfishes in aggregate. (Blues and deacons are less likely to be caught outside 40 fathoms, but are still sometimes encountered there with long-leader gear. Anglers are asked to avoid them as much as possible for the remainder of the year.) Retention of black rockfish (aka “black sea bass”), cabezon, and lingcod (except by spear) is not allowed at any depth for the remainder of 2017, in addition to the longstanding prohibition on yelloweye rockfish. Descending devices must be used when releasing all rockfish caught in waters deeper than 30 fathoms.
The 40 fathom regulatory line generally closely follows the 40 fathom (240 foot) depth contour and varies from within about two miles of shore to almost 10 miles of shore. It is defined by waypoints, which can be found on ODFW’s Sport Groundfish webpage at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/regulations/sport_fishing/waypoints.asp.
Find regulation updates on the Marine Zone Regulation Update page.
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Contact:
Caren Braby, Caren.E.Braby@state.or.us, 541-867-0300 x226
Michelle Dennehy, (503) 947-6022, Michelle.N.Dennehy@state.or.us
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Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2017 3:09:54 GMT
We have requested that ODFW consider the timing of pregnancy of Nearshore rockfish strategy and the taking of surfperch that enter Oregon's bays to give live birth their young. We asked if the pregnancy of rockfish was species specific? Should fishing for Nearshore species of rockfish be closed during the period of time when rockfish are pregnant to facilitate survival of the newborn? However, it seems that ODFW has a problem with fresh ideas. We depend on them for innovative solutions to the problems that they along with all levels of the Oregon State Government have created.
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