Rockfish in a reef

Reduced rockfish limits for 2025

New rockfish limits are coming, and it isn’t pretty.  Canary Rockfish, in particular, will have a limit of ONE fish, for both inshore and deep water fisheries.  Here’s a summary with the changes in bold type:

  • No seasonal depth restriction
  • General marine bag limit:
    • January – June:  4 fish bag limit
      • 1 fish sub-bag of canary rockfish
    • July- December:  5 fish bag limit
      • 1 fish sub-bag of canary rockfish
      • 1 fish sub-bag of cabezon
  • Longleader bag limit:  10 fish with a 1 fish sub-bag of canary rockfish
  • Lingod bag limit:  2-fish
  • Sablefish bag limit: 10 fish
  • Flatfish bag limit: 25 fish
  • Surfperch bag limit: 15 fish
  • Yelloweye and quillback rockfish remain prohibited  

The one-fish limit of canary rockfish is really painful, especially for the deep-water long leader fishery where canaries are among the most common species taken.  

Although not yet finalized, these are the regulations recommended by ODFW staff.  They will be presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission for adoption at a December 13 meeting in Salem.  Public comments will be accepted, but history suggests it’s pretty much a done deal.   If you want to comment, here’s the link  https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/  

P.S.  In very simplified terms, there are quotas for various rockfish species.  ODFW is tasked with making sure the actual sport catches stay below the allowable quotas, which is why you encounter fish checkers at the dock.   It’s a difficult balancing act and there’s never enough data.  They’re painfully aware of how bag limits affect us, and they do a good job.  That said, bag limit reductions like this really hurt!

The article was courtesy of Charles Loos from his newsletter. If you would like to subscribe to his newsletter, please go to https://www.boatwebinar.com/3afumx1nn0

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