[ODFW-News] Commission sets new sport groundfish rules

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release	Friday, Dec. 10, 2004

Commission sets new sport groundfish rules

SALEM - In an effort to provide year-round sport fishing for groundfish
next year, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Friday reduced the
daily bag limit of marine groundfish to eight, plus two lingcod. 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife closed sport groundfish
angling Sept. 3 earlier this year, because fishers reached the harvest
cap for black rockfish. This was the first time that the season didn't
last the full year. 

The Commission voted to reduce the limit of the marine bag effective
Jan. 1, 2005, including black rockfish and other species of rockfish,
greenling and cabezon, from 10 fish a day to eight. The daily limit on
lingcod will remain at two fish. 

In making the change the Commission followed the recommendations of the
Marine Sport Fish Advisory Committee even though department modeling
showed reducing the bag limit to seven rockfish was more likely to
ensure a year-long season. Sport anglers and charterboat operators
testifying before the Commission said they understood the risk in the
eight-fish bag limit and were willing to work with ODFW if a mid-season
bag reduction was necessary.

Eight species of groundsfish caught by anglers in Oregon waters are
managed using harvest caps - five imposed by the federal government and
three state-imposed caps. The 2004 sport groundfish season was cut short
just before Labor Day when anglers hit the federal harvest cap of 342
metric tons for black rockfish. The fishery for cabezon retention closed
Aug. 16 when anglers reached the state harvest cap for that species.

Reducing the marine bag limit to eight will not ensure that the 2005
fishery will stay open for the entire year. Increased angler effort or
good ocean conditions could propel the catch for one or more of the
eight species above the harvest cap before year's end. 

ODFW fishery managers will monitor how the fishery is progressing and
may, in consultation with the Marine Sport Fish Advisory Committee,
reduce the bag limit further in mid-July to avert closing the season
early.

Both anglers and ODFW staff at the meeting agreed that 2004 was an
exceptionally good year for groundfish. Charterboat operators testifying
before the Commission said they didn't want the lower bag limit if
weather and other factors in 2005 were not as favorable as this year.
They also said they were taking voluntary action to reduce the number of
fish they take by not allowing deckhands to keep fish and only fishing
for the advertised time instead of staying out until everyone on the
boat catches their limit.

ODFW staff held public meetings in Brookings, Bandon, Newport and
Tillamook and received many additional suggestions via e-mails, phone
calls and letters on the groundfish closure and what the 2005 season
regulations should look like. Charterboat operators expressed concern
that a lower bag limit would hurt their ability to book customers on
charters.

During the season ODFW will provide better public access to harvest
information through its Website and communication with the ports. ODFW
will also have an in-season review with the Marine Sport Fish Advisory
Committee.

The Commission also approved a year-round fishery for shore-based
anglers and shore-based divers in the event of an early season closure
for boat anglers. The shore fishery has a relatively small impact on
black rockfish and lingcod and little or no impact on the remaining
species with harvest guidelines. This requires a small set-aside of
about eight to 10 metric tons of black rockfish and five to 10 metric
tons for lingcod.

In other groundfish action, the Commission set harvest caps, trip
limits and logbook requirements for the commercial nearshore fishery.
This fishery primarily targets rockfish, greenling, cabezon and other
groundfish species.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is the policy-making body for
fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets
monthly. 

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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002