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April 16, 2025
NEWPORT, Ore – The Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) finalized the 2025 ocean salmon seasons including ocean waters off Oregon yesterday.
Recommended salmon seasons are not official until final approval by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce (expected by May 16), and after adoption by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on April 18 for waters within three nautical miles of shore.
Recreational and commercial fishing opportunity varies by area and time. The recreational all-salmon except coho season opened from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain on March 15 and Chinook retention will be allowed through mid-July and during September and October. However, from June 7 onward, when Chinook retention is allowed, anglers may keep only one Chinook as part of the two salmon per day bag limit. For the month of October, the daily bag limit is reduced to one salmon and the open area will be limited to shoreward of the 40-fathom management line.
From Humbug Mountain to the OR/CA border, the Chinook retention period is open mid-May through early June and reopens the very end of June through mid-July. During both periods, the daily bag limit is two salmon, though only one may be a Chinook in the latter opener.
From Cape Falcon to the OR/CA border, mark-selective coho retention is allowed early June through late August or until the marked coho quota of 44,000 is reached. For the month of September, from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, an all-salmon season will occur with a 30,000 non-marked-selective coho quota.
Oregon ocean commercial salmon fisheries from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain will continue through the end of May and again from September through the end of October, with a non-mark-selective coho fishery and a 7,500 coho quota during the month of September. From Cape Falcon to the Heceta Bank management line, the fishery will be open in the latter parts of June and July for all salmon except coho. The area between Humbug Mountain and the OR/CA border will be open for the last two weeks of April only.
Conservation concerns based on the low forecasts for both Sacramento and Klamath River fall Chinook salmon stocks were the primary constraints on Chinook fisheries south of Cape Falcon, Oregon. More abundant Columbia Basin hatchery coho salmon and Oregon Coastal natural coho abundances will allow for good fishing opportunities this year. The Columbia Basin hatchery stock is forecast to be about 70 percent of last year’s actual return but 125 percent above the 2024 pre-season forecast. Federally listed lower Columbia River coho are forecast to be less abundant compared to the 2024 pre-season forecast, but still above recent historical average. The Oregon Coastal natural coho stock forecast is the largest since 2012.
All management measures for the recreational and troll fisheries adopted by the Council can be found here.
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