Rulemaking at ODFW

Temporary Rules

Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Filing Notice Effective Dates Rulemaking Contact
Lower Deschutes River Hatchery Spring Chinook Season

OAR 635-018-0090
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 5/5/2026 THROUGH 9/28/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This rule is needed to allow sport harvest opportunities for returning hatchery spring Chinook salmon in the Lower Deschutes River for an approximate two-week period beginning May 5, 2026.


Modify the Annual Closure Period for Treaty Subsistence Fishing in the Fifteenmile Creek Sanctuary

OAR 635-041-0020
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 4/16/2026 THROUGH 6/15/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: Under permanent rule, the closure date for treaty subsistence fishing around the mouth of Fifteenmile Creek extends from November 16 through June 15, annually. This amended rule allows subsistence fishing in this area to resume on April 16, 2026, to allow access to spring Chinook.


Set Additional Days for the Recreational Spring Salmon Fishery in the Columbia River

OAR 635-023-0125
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 4/11/2026 THROUGH 6/15/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule sets Columbia River recreational spring salmon fisheries and modifies the daily bag limit for Select Area recreational salmon fisheries from March 1 through June 15. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington on February 19 and April 9, 2026.


Modify Youngs Bay Select Area Commercial Fishery

OAR 635-042-0145
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 4/1/2026 THROUGH 7/31/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This rule expands the open area for previously adopted fishing periods in the Youngs Bay Commercial Salmon Fishery scheduled to occur from April 1 through April 2. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Department of Fish and Wildlife on 3/31/26.


Modify Youngs Bay Select Area Commercial Fishery

OAR 635-042-0145
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/26/2026 THROUGH 7/31/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: These rules expand the open area for two previously adopted fishing periods in the Youngs Bay Commercial Salmon Fishery scheduled to occur from March 26 through March 30. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Department of Fish and Wildlife on 3/25/26.


Modify Youngs Bay Select Area Commercial Fishery

OAR 635-042-0145
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/23/2026 THROUGH 7/31/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: These rules expand the open area for two previously adopted fishing periods in the Youngs Bay Commercial Salmon Fishery scheduled to occur from March 23 through March 25. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Department of Fish and Wildlife on 3/23/26.


Allow Sales of Sturgeon Caught in Columbia River Treaty Setline Fishery

OAR 635-041-0063
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/11/2026 THROUGH 8/28/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule provides state authorization of sales of white sturgeon caught in the winter Treaty setline fishery in The Dalles Pool to reflect recent tribal action to adopt this fishery.


Set 2025 Recreational Eulachon Smelt Season for the Sandy River

OAR 635-017-0090
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/11/2026 THROUGH 3/12/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule will set a 2026 recreational fishing season for smelt in the Sandy River.


Modify Non-Treaty Columbia River Mainstem Commercial Smelt Fishery

OAR 635-042-0130
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/3/2026 THROUGH 3/19/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule will modify the previously-adopted 2026 non-treaty commercial smelt fishery in Zones 1-3 of the lower Columbia River by adding Wednesdays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the existing weekly schedule from March 2 through March 19. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at the Columbia River Compact/Joint State hearing held on February 25, 2026.


Set Recreational Retention Fishery for Sturgeon in The Dalles Pool and Adjacent Tributaries

OAR 635-023-0101
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/3/2026 THROUGH 4/30/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule establishes a retention day for the recreational white sturgeon fishery on the mainstem Columbia River in The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to the John Day Dam) and all adjacent tributaries. Retention will be allowed on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at a Columbia River Joint State hearing on February 25, 2026.


Allow Sales of Sturgeon Caught in Columbia River Treaty Setline Fisheries

OAR 635-041-0063
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 3/2/2026 THROUGH 8/28/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule provides state authorization of sales of white sturgeon caught in the winter Treaty setline fisheries in The Dalles Pool and John Day Pool to reflect recent tribal action to adopt these fisheries.


Allow Sales of Sturgeon Caught in Columbia River Treaty Setline Fisheries

OAR 635-041-0063
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/26/2026 THROUGH 2/28/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule provides state authorization of sales of white sturgeon caught in the winter Treaty setline fisheries in The Dalles Pool and John Day Pool to reflect recent tribal action to adopt these fisheries.


Set Recreational Retention Fishery for Sturgeon in The Dalles Pool and Adjacent Tributaries

OAR 635-023-0101
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/22/2026 THROUGH 4/30/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule establishes two retention days for the recreational white sturgeon fishery on the mainstem Columbia River in The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to the John Day Dam) and all adjacent tributaries. Retention will be allowed on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in these areas. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at a Columbia River Joint State hearing on February 19, 2026.


Set Recreational Retention Fisheries for Sturgeon in Bonneville and The Dalles Pools and Adjacent Tributaries

OAR 635-023-0101
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/16/2026 THROUGH 4/30/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule modifies the recreational retention fishery regulations for white sturgeon on the mainstem Columbia River in the Bonneville Pool (Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam) and The Dalles Pool (The Dalles Dam upstream to the John Day Dam) and all adjacent tributaries. Retention will be allowed only on Monday February 16, 2026 in these areas. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at a Columbia River Joint State hearing on February 11, 2026.


Commercial Crab Late-Season Whale Entanglement Risk Reduction Measures Implementation Date

OAR 635-005-0405, 635-005-0460, 635-005-0480
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/16/2026 THROUGH 8/14/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: These amended rules will implement commercial crab late-season whale entanglement risk reduction measures including a 20% pot limit reduction, requirement for late-season buoy tags, and prohibition on fishing deeper than 40 fathoms on April 1 instead of May 1 to reduce the risk of whales becoming entangled in commercial crab fishing gear earlier in the season.


Adopt Select Area Commercial Fisheries

OAR 635-042-0145, 635-042-0160, 635-042-0170, 635-042-0180
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/15/2026 THROUGH 7/31/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: These rules implement the 2026 winter, spring, and summer Select Area commercial fisheries from February 15 through July 30. The following fisheries are addressed by these rules:
  • Blind/Knappa sloughs,
  • Tongue Point/South Channel,
  • Youngs Bay, and
  • Deep River
Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at the Columbia River Compact hearing on 2/11/26.


Allow Sales of Warmwater Species Caught in the Columbia River Treaty Indian Research Fishery

OAR 635-041-0072
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/13/2026 THROUGH 3/31/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule provides state authorization of sales of yellow perch, bass, walleye, catfish, carp, and northern pikeminnow caught in a Treaty Indian research fishery in several backwater areas and sloughs of the John Day Pool to reflect recent tribal action to open this fishery.


Allow Sales of Sturgeon Caught in Columbia River Treaty Setline Fisheries

OAR 635-041-0063
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/12/2026 THROUGH 3/31/2026 John Seabourne
Summary: This amended rule provides state authorization of sales of white sturgeon caught in the winter Treaty setline fisheries in Bonneville Pool, The Dalles Pool, and John Day Pool to reflect recent tribal action to adopt these fisheries.


Modify Wild Spring Chinook Regulations in Umpqua District

OAR 635-016-0500
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 2/1/2026 THROUGH 6/30/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule will prohibit retention of all wild Chinook on the Mainstem Umpqua River. It will restrict harvest to one wild adult Chinook per day and ten wild adults per season on the North Umpqua River from February 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026, in accordance with the sliding scale established pursuant to the State’s Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan (CMP).


Amend Rules to Reduce 2026 Oregon Hunting Tags for Rocky Mountain Goats

OAR 635-067-0000
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/12/2026 THROUGH 07/10/2026 Roxie Borisch
Summary: Controlled hunt tag numbers for 2026 Rocky Mountain goat hunts were adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at their September 12, 2025 meeting and printed in the “2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.” This amendment of OAR 635-067-0000 will reduce the tag numbers for controlled Rocky Mountain goat hunts 959B1, Snake River No.1, and 959B2, Snake River No. 2, for the 2026 hunting season.


Allow Bait on the Coquille River and Tributaries

OAR 635-016-0510
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/12/2026 THROUGH 07/10/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This rule will correct language that inadvertently removed the allowance of bait in the Coquille River basin from January 1st through May 31st and November 1st through December 31st.


Adopt Non-Treaty Mainstem CR Commercial Smelt Fishery

OAR 635-042-0130
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/12/2026 THROUGH 3/19/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule will implement the 2026 non-treaty commercial smelt fishery in Zones 1-3 of the lower Columbia River on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. from January 12 through February 19, 2026 and from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays from February 23 through March 19, 2026. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish and Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at the Columbia River Compact hearing held on January 8, 2026.


Close Retention of Sturgeon in Recreational Fisheries in the John Day Pool and Adjacent Tributaries

OAR 635-023-0101
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/10/2026 THROUGH 4/30/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule closes the retention season for white sturgeon on the mainstem Columbia River in the John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam) and all adjacent tributaries. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at a Columbia River Joint State hearing on January 8, 2026.


Modify Recreational Retention Fishery for Sturgeon in John Day Pool and Adjacent Tributaries

OAR 635-023-0101
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/1/2026 THROUGH 4/30/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule modifies the recreational retention fishery regulations for white sturgeon in the John Day Pool (John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam) of the mainstem Columbia River and all adjacent tributaries. Retention will be allowed in the John Day Pool from January 1 through April 30, 2026. Modifications are consistent with actions taken by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife for the States of Oregon and Washington at a Columbia River Joint State hearing on November 13, 2025.


Modify Season Structure and Allow Sales of Sturgeon Caught in Columbia River Treaty Setline Fisheries

OAR 635-041-0063
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 1/1/2026 THROUGH 1/31/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This rule is needed to authorize sales of white sturgeon caught during the Treaty setline fishery in Bonneville Pool from January 19-29, 2026, in The Dalles Pool from January 8-17, 2026, and in John Day Pool from January 8-17, 2026.


2025-2026 Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Opening North of Cape Falcon

OAR 635-005-0465
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 12/19/2025 THROUGH 03/31/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule sets the opening date for the Oregon 2025-2026 ocean commercial Dungeness crab fishery from Cape Falcon to the Oregon-Washington border.


Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Partial Opening

OAR 635-005-0465
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 12/05/2025 THROUGH 03/31/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule opens the ocean commercial Dungeness crab fishery on December 16 from Cape Falcon to the Oregon-California border and continues to delay the season north of Cape Falcon.


Delay Oregon Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Opening

OAR 635-005-0465
Temporary Rule Filing Notice 11/27/2025 THROUGH 03/31/2026 Linda Spansel
Summary: This amended rule delays the opening date for the Oregon 2025-2026 ocean commercial Dungeness crab fishery.


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