Rulemaking at ODFW

Proposed Permanent Rulemaking

Below are rules that are currently under consideration for adopting, amending or repealing. Rules are only effective after they have been adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission and filed with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.

All comments received regarding each rule will be posted on this site for public transparency.

ODFW also generates Temporary Rules, which are summarized elsewhere.


Upcoming Permanent Rulemaking

Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/ FIS Public Comment Period Public Engagement Related Materials Commission Action
Updating Ceremonial and Subsistence Hunting Tag Numbers for Burns Paiute Tribe - RESCHEDULED

 

 
  December 12, 2025
Summary: Adopt regulations for the 2026 recreational and commercial groundfish fisheries.


2026 Groundfish Fishery Regulations and Nearshore Logbook Report



Public Comment
Summary: Adopt regulations for the 2026 recreational and commercial groundfish fisheries.



Recently Completed Permanent Rulemakings

Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Permanent Rule Filing Notice Related Martials Commission Action
2026 Big Game Regulations Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record September 12, 2025
Public Meeting: Ontario, Oregon
OAR: 635-045-0000, 635-060-0000, 635-060-0005, 635-060-0030, 635-065-0001, 635-065-0011, 635-065-0015, 635-065-0090, 635-065-0401, 635-065-0740, 635-065-0745, 635-065-0760, 635-065-0765, 635-066-0000, 635-066- 0020, 635-067-0000, 635-068-0000, 635-069-0000, 635-070-0000, 635-070-0020, 635-071-0000, 635-072-0000, 635-073-0000, 635-075-0005, 635-075-0020, 635-075-0022, 635-075-0024, 635-075-0025, 635-075-0026, 635- 075-0030, 635-075-0035

Summary: Set hunting season regulations and controlled hunt tag numbers for 2026 game mammal seasons including licensing and application requirements, and regulation changes to cooperative travel management areas. The proposed rules incorporate information gathered during the Big Game Hunt Review Process, which was intended to result in consistent and simpler big game seasons with opportunity allocated fairly and consistent with hunter preferences.


Amend Rules Relating to the Revised Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record September 12, 2025
Public Meeting: Ontario, Oregon
OAR: 635-140-0000, 635-140-0002, 635-140-0005, 635-140-0010, 635-140-0015, 635-140-0025

Summary: These proposed rule amendments reflect the primary goals and objectives of the revised Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy for Oregon, as well as amend minor grammatical errors.


Amend Regulations for the 2025 Salmon Season and Bag Limit in the Coquille River

OAR: 635-016-0510
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

September 12, 2025
Public Meeting: Ontario, Oregon

Summary: The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) will review and consider permanent fishing regulations for 2025 salmon angling in the Coquille River (Mainstem from the Hwy 101 bridge upstream to the Hwy 42S bridge at Sturdivant Park. This is a scheduled process in response to annually changing or newly available information on salmon population or stock status, such as adult spawner and hatchery broodstock abundance or forecasts, environmental conditions, and last year’s fisheries performance. Department staff has worked to ensure that the available data supports the proposed regulation changes consistent with conservation and management plans and guidance (e.g., the Coastal Coho Conservation Plan [ODFW 2007] and the Coastal Multispecies Conservation and Management Plan [CMP; ODFW 2014]). If the staff proposed seasons are adopted by the Commission, the proposed rules modify existing fishing regulations that are referenced in the 2025 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations and posted on the Department’s MyODFW website for the Coquille River (Mainstem) within the SW zone.


Amend Regulations for 2025 Coho Salmon Seasons in Oregon Coastal Streams

OAR: 635-014-0500, 635-014-0510, 635-016-0510, 635-016-0520
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

August 15, 2025
Public Meeting: Salem, OR

Summary: The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) will review and consider permanent fishing regulations for 2025 wild coho salmon angling in coastal lakes and streams. This is a scheduled process in response to annually changing and new and available information on wild coho salmon population status such as adult spawner abundance, environmental conditions, and last year’s fisheries performance. Oregon Coastal Natural (OCN) coho salmon are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act and these fish stocks have been performing relatively well since 2021. Department staff has worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to ensure that the available data supports the proposed regulation changes and will not negatively impact or compromise achieving critical population metrics such as suitable forecast of adult spawners and conservative harvest levels that will not deter the recovery of these listed fish. Harvest fisheries on healthy populations of wild coho salmon are identified as a desired management outcome in the State of Oregon’s Coastal Coho Conservation Plan (ODFW 2007), which was approved by the Commission in 2007. The Coastal Multispecies Conservation and Management Plan (CMP; ODFW 2014) adopted by the Commission also supported and provided guidance on establishment of wild coho salmon fisheries. If the staff proposed seasons are adopted by the Commission, the proposed rules modify existing fishing regulations that are referenced in the 2025 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations and posted on the Department’s MyODFW website for the following bays, rivers and tributaries, within the NW and SW zones: Necanicum, Nehalem, Tillamook, Nestucca, Siletz, Yaquina, Beaver Creek, Alsea, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos, Coquille, and Floras Creek/New River. The Commission may decide to adopt staff recommended proposed rules and rule amendments, or they may decide not to adopt the proposed rules, or they may amend one or more of the proposed rules including amendments that may affect other bays, rivers, and tributaries.


Amend Rules to Modify Controlled Hunt Permit Number for 2025 Oregon Sage-Grouse Hunting Season

OAR: 635-045-0000
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

August 15, 2025
Public Meeting: Salem, OR

Summary: Changes in habitat conditions due to 2024 wildfires and analysis of sage-grouse survey data collected during spring 2025 necessitate a modification of sage-grouse hunting permits for the 2025 hunting season. Sage-grouse are a species of upland game bird with the number of controlled hunting permits available for each sage-grouse hunt area adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) at their April 18, 2025 meeting and printed in the “2024-25 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations.” This rulemaking is necessary to modify the permit numbers because OAR 635-053-0000 states in part that restrictions for 2025 upland game bird hunting are described in the “2024-2025 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations” and are adopted and incorporated into OAR Chapter 635, by reference.


Amendment of Private Forest Accord Grant Program OARs

OAR: 635-097-0000, 635-097-0010, 635-097-0020, 635-097-0030, 635-097-0040, 635-097-0050, 635-097-0060, 635- 097-0070, 635-097-0080, 635-097-0090, 635-097-0100, 635-097-0110
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

August 15, 2025
Public Meeting: Salem, OR

Summary: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is proposing the adoption of amendments to the current set of administrative rules regarding the Private Forest Accord Mitigation Grant Program. Amendments refine the implementation of the recently established Private Forest Accord Mitigation Grant Program by updating the definitions used, clarifying language, and modifying the conditions for grant project agreements between ODFW and project Grantees.


Importation, Possession, Confinement, Transportation and Sale of Nonnative Wildlife Rule Amendments

OAR: 635-056-0010, 635-056-0050, 635-056-0060, 635-056-0070, 635-056-0075, 635-056-0080, 635-056-0090
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

August 15, 2025
Public Meeting: Salem, OR

Summary: This amendment will modify requirements and conditions for people to import, possess, confine, transport and sell some species of wildlife.


Amend Rules for Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries for Consistency with Federal Regulations

OAR: 635-004-0375
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

June 13, 2025
Public Meeting: Pendleton, Oregon

Summary: These amended rules will set harvest specification and management measures consistent with federal regulations for Pacific Sardine commercial fisheries. The Commission may decide to adopt staff recommended proposed rule and rule amendments as proposed in attachment 3, or the Commission may decide to modify the proposed rules or not adopt some or any of the proposed rule amendments.


2025 Oregon Coastal fall salmon seasons and smallmouth bass in Coos Coquille Regulations

OAR: 635-014-0500, 635-016-0500, 635-016-0520
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

June 13, 2025
Public Meeting:  Pendelton

Summary of rules adopted: The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) will consider modifications to recreational angling regulations for coastal streams for 2025 fall salmon seasons. If adopted, the proposed rules modify existing fishing regulations that are published in the 2025 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for the following bays, rivers and tributaries, within the NW and SW zones:


Commercial Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries Rule Amendments

OAR: 635-004-0375
Rulemaking Record

June 13, 2025
Public Meeting:  Pendelton

 
OREGON GAME BIRD REGULATIONS

OAR 635-008-0115, 635-051-0000, 635-052-0000, 635-053-0000, 635-054-0000, 635-060-0000, 635-065-0625
Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record

April 18, 2025
Public Meeting:  Winchester Bay

Summary of rules adopted: Amendments Regarding Harvest of Game Birds, Season Dates, Open Areas, Bag Limits and Regulations


SPORT AND COMMERCIAL PACIFIC HALIBUT RULEMAKING

OAR 635-004-0585, 635-039-0085

Permanent Rule Filing Notice

Rulemaking Record April 18, 2025
Public Meeting:  Winchester Bay
Summary of rules adopted: These amended rules adopt the rules governing the 2025 commercial and recreational Pacific halibut seasons and quotas for the fisheries, ensuring consistency with federally- adopted regulations, and incorporating housekeeping and technical corrections. The Commission may decide to adopt recommended proposed rules and rule amendments as proposed in attachment 3, or the Commission may decide to modify the proposed rules or not adopt some or any of the proposed rule amendments.


2025 OCEAN SALMON FISHERIES AND OCEAN TERMINAL FISHERIES RULEMAKING

OAR 635-003-0003, 635-013-0003

Permanent Rule Filing Notice Rulemaking Record April 18, 2025
Public Meeting:  Winchester Bay
Summary of rules adopted: These amended rules will ensure that ocean salmon fishery regulations for nearshore (0-3 miles offshore) and state regulated marine areas are consistent with federal regulations for domestic salmon fisheries in marine waters from three to 300 miles offshore. The Commission may decide to adopt recommended proposed rules and rule amendments as proposed in attachment 3, or the Commission may decide to modify the proposed rules or not adopt some or any of the proposed rule amendments.

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