08-02-2007, 11:10 PM
It's official -- tuna fishers have already more than doubled the number of fish caught during the next best year. Often tuna fishing off the Oregon coast continues through September before the tuna leave. Some anglers found them as close as 5 miles offshore in some places, but most are about 20 mi les offshore. The average catch per angler was between six and seven fish.
Sport halibut opens North of Cape Falcon Aug. 3 and will continue every Friday through Sunday until the catch limit is taken or Sept. 30. South of Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain (central Oregon) the all-depth fishery will be open every other Friday through Sunday (Aug. 3-5, 17-19, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 14-16, 28-30, Oct. 12-14 and 26-28) until the catch limit is reached. If there is sufficient quota remaining after the Aug. 3-5 opening (at least 60,000 pounds) managers may decide to open the all-depth fishery every Friday through Sunday. The nearshore fishery in the central Oregon area (shoreward of 40-fathoms) remains open seven days a week. South of Humbug Mountain fishing for halibut continues until Oct. 31.
Fishing for coho picked up slightly along most of the coast this past week with most ports reporting one fish per angler. The exception was Astoria, where the average catch was almost two fish per angler. All retained coho must have a healed adipose fin clip.
Fishing for chinook salmon is picking up on the southern half of the coast from Winchester Bay south to the California boarder where the catch was better than one fish for every two anglers. Chinook fishing continues to be slow with reported catches coastwide of only two fish for every 10 anglers.
Clatsop County beaches north of Tillamook head are closed to razor clams from July 15 to Sept. 30. The rest of the Oregon coast is open for the harvest of razor clams. The beaches south of Florence to the California boarder, which were closed because of a paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) alert, were reopened July 25 after sampling indicated that PSP toxins dropped below the alert level. The daily limit for razor clams is the first 15 taken regardless of size or condition.
More information on Oregon's razor clams, including tips on how to dig razor clams.
Sport harvest of mussels and bay clams is open coastwide also. A shellfish license is required for taking all shellfish.
Information on domoic acid: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml
The shellfish hotline: 503-986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474.
Everything you need to know for identifying and harvesting Oregon's plentiful bay clams
About half of the fishers going after lingcod were successful. Average catches of rockfish were about two per angler coastwide.
The marine daily bag limit for 2007 is six fish (including rockfish, greenling, cabezon and other marine species) and two lingcod and 15 surfperch. New this year, the daily limit for flatfish (flounders, soles, sanddabs, turbots and halibuts except Pacific halibut) is 25. Canary rockfish and yelloweye rockfish may not be retained.
Species illustrations and descriptions:
The Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (page 98):
The Red Rockfish Identification Guide<br />
The minimum length for lingcod is 22 inches, for cabezon it is 16 inches and for greenling it is 10 inches.<br />
Complete regulations
The Marine Sport Fishing Supplement
Coastwide catches of Pacific halibut averaged about one per angler again this week. The season opened May 1 in all-depth waters north of Cape Falcon and in nearshore waters (shoreward of the 40-fathom curve) off the Oregon central coast. The all-depth halibut fishery for Oregon's central coast between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain has been extended to July 19-21 until the quota is met. The area south of Humbug Mountain runs May 1 through Oct. 31, seven days a week.
Crabs
Crabbing success in the ocean, bays and estuaries is about two crab per angler, except out of Coos Bay where anglers report more than five crab per angler. For sport crabbers the minimum size for Dungeness crab is 5 ¾ inches measured in a straight line across the back immediately in front of, but not including, the points. For a photograph and diagram see page 97 of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.
Back to the top
VIEWING
Life on the clam flats
ODFW biologists tell viewers to be observant when out on the clam flats, viewers will find many things going on that can be interesting. See some examples
Puffins on Three Arch Rocks!
Tufted Puffin<br />
U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
Tufted puffins are back on the Oregon Coast to nest for the summer and most of them are found on Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge. This sanctuary about two miles south of Cape Meares and one-half mile offshore west of Oceanside in Tillamook County. The three large rocks and six smaller ones make up the refuge, which is home to 12 species of seabirds breed here totaling 226,093 birds. This includes 30 percent of the Common murres breeding in Oregon and 21 percent of all common murres breeding in the eastern Pacific south of Alaska. This site also harbors 60 percent of the tufted puffin breeding population in Oregon. More than 800 brown pelicans have been seen here roosting and up to 13 bald eagles have been observed preying on seabirds.
Three Arch Rocks NWR can best be viewed from the mainland at Cape Meares and at Oceanside. To prevent disturbance to extremely sensitive seabirds, Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is closed to public entry year-round and waters within 500 feet of the refuge are closed to all watercraft from May 1st through September 15th.
Other viewing opportunities
Peregrine Falcon<br />
U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
The seabirds that nest on the sea cliffs and rocks of the Oregon coast are raising their young. Gulls, cormorants, murres and oystercatchers can all be observed along rocky coastal areas. Occasionally, bald eagles may be seen attacking the nesting birds. Watch the sky for peregrine falcons.
Oregon's high ocean cliffs provide good vantage points to look for the more than 200 resident grey whales that stay along the Oregon coast during the summer.
Tide pooling is good at low tide. Look for anemones, hermit crabs, sea urchins, small fish, jelly fish, sea stars, barnacles and other animals of the intertidal region.
Bandon Area:
Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge is located near Bandon. The refuge includes 1,800 rocks, reefs and islands and two headland areas and spans 320 miles of the Oregon coast. Coquille Point is a spectacular place to observe seabirds and harbor seals. It can be reached from US Highway 101 by turning west onto 11th Street in Bandon.
Oceanside/Tillamook Area:
Three Arch Rocks Refuge
This Refuge lies a half mile offshore of Oceanside, west of Tillamook. One of the smallest designated Wilderness Areas in the country, the refuge consists of three large and six smaller rocks totaling 15 acres. A breeding population of Steller's sea lions is almost always visible at Three Arch Rocks.
The refuge also supports the largest breeding colony of common murre south of Alaska. Bring binoculars or a spotting scope.
More information about the Three Arch Rocks Refuge
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately ten miles west of the town of Tillamook. When approaching Tillamook on US Highway 101, follow signs for the Three Capes Scenic Route and the town of Oceanside then turn west to the parking lot for Cape Meares.
More information about Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge
Sport halibut opens North of Cape Falcon Aug. 3 and will continue every Friday through Sunday until the catch limit is taken or Sept. 30. South of Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain (central Oregon) the all-depth fishery will be open every other Friday through Sunday (Aug. 3-5, 17-19, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 14-16, 28-30, Oct. 12-14 and 26-28) until the catch limit is reached. If there is sufficient quota remaining after the Aug. 3-5 opening (at least 60,000 pounds) managers may decide to open the all-depth fishery every Friday through Sunday. The nearshore fishery in the central Oregon area (shoreward of 40-fathoms) remains open seven days a week. South of Humbug Mountain fishing for halibut continues until Oct. 31.
Fishing for coho picked up slightly along most of the coast this past week with most ports reporting one fish per angler. The exception was Astoria, where the average catch was almost two fish per angler. All retained coho must have a healed adipose fin clip.
Fishing for chinook salmon is picking up on the southern half of the coast from Winchester Bay south to the California boarder where the catch was better than one fish for every two anglers. Chinook fishing continues to be slow with reported catches coastwide of only two fish for every 10 anglers.
Clatsop County beaches north of Tillamook head are closed to razor clams from July 15 to Sept. 30. The rest of the Oregon coast is open for the harvest of razor clams. The beaches south of Florence to the California boarder, which were closed because of a paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) alert, were reopened July 25 after sampling indicated that PSP toxins dropped below the alert level. The daily limit for razor clams is the first 15 taken regardless of size or condition.
More information on Oregon's razor clams, including tips on how to dig razor clams.
Sport harvest of mussels and bay clams is open coastwide also. A shellfish license is required for taking all shellfish.
Information on domoic acid: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml
The shellfish hotline: 503-986-4728 or 1-800-448-2474.
Everything you need to know for identifying and harvesting Oregon's plentiful bay clams
About half of the fishers going after lingcod were successful. Average catches of rockfish were about two per angler coastwide.
The marine daily bag limit for 2007 is six fish (including rockfish, greenling, cabezon and other marine species) and two lingcod and 15 surfperch. New this year, the daily limit for flatfish (flounders, soles, sanddabs, turbots and halibuts except Pacific halibut) is 25. Canary rockfish and yelloweye rockfish may not be retained.
Species illustrations and descriptions:
The Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (page 98):
The Red Rockfish Identification Guide<br />
The minimum length for lingcod is 22 inches, for cabezon it is 16 inches and for greenling it is 10 inches.<br />
Complete regulations
The Marine Sport Fishing Supplement
Coastwide catches of Pacific halibut averaged about one per angler again this week. The season opened May 1 in all-depth waters north of Cape Falcon and in nearshore waters (shoreward of the 40-fathom curve) off the Oregon central coast. The all-depth halibut fishery for Oregon's central coast between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain has been extended to July 19-21 until the quota is met. The area south of Humbug Mountain runs May 1 through Oct. 31, seven days a week.
Crabs
Crabbing success in the ocean, bays and estuaries is about two crab per angler, except out of Coos Bay where anglers report more than five crab per angler. For sport crabbers the minimum size for Dungeness crab is 5 ¾ inches measured in a straight line across the back immediately in front of, but not including, the points. For a photograph and diagram see page 97 of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.
Back to the top
VIEWING
Life on the clam flats
ODFW biologists tell viewers to be observant when out on the clam flats, viewers will find many things going on that can be interesting. See some examples
Puffins on Three Arch Rocks!
Tufted Puffin<br />
U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
Tufted puffins are back on the Oregon Coast to nest for the summer and most of them are found on Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge. This sanctuary about two miles south of Cape Meares and one-half mile offshore west of Oceanside in Tillamook County. The three large rocks and six smaller ones make up the refuge, which is home to 12 species of seabirds breed here totaling 226,093 birds. This includes 30 percent of the Common murres breeding in Oregon and 21 percent of all common murres breeding in the eastern Pacific south of Alaska. This site also harbors 60 percent of the tufted puffin breeding population in Oregon. More than 800 brown pelicans have been seen here roosting and up to 13 bald eagles have been observed preying on seabirds.
Three Arch Rocks NWR can best be viewed from the mainland at Cape Meares and at Oceanside. To prevent disturbance to extremely sensitive seabirds, Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge is closed to public entry year-round and waters within 500 feet of the refuge are closed to all watercraft from May 1st through September 15th.
Other viewing opportunities
Peregrine Falcon<br />
U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
The seabirds that nest on the sea cliffs and rocks of the Oregon coast are raising their young. Gulls, cormorants, murres and oystercatchers can all be observed along rocky coastal areas. Occasionally, bald eagles may be seen attacking the nesting birds. Watch the sky for peregrine falcons.
Oregon's high ocean cliffs provide good vantage points to look for the more than 200 resident grey whales that stay along the Oregon coast during the summer.
Tide pooling is good at low tide. Look for anemones, hermit crabs, sea urchins, small fish, jelly fish, sea stars, barnacles and other animals of the intertidal region.
Bandon Area:
Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge is located near Bandon. The refuge includes 1,800 rocks, reefs and islands and two headland areas and spans 320 miles of the Oregon coast. Coquille Point is a spectacular place to observe seabirds and harbor seals. It can be reached from US Highway 101 by turning west onto 11th Street in Bandon.
Oceanside/Tillamook Area:
Three Arch Rocks Refuge
This Refuge lies a half mile offshore of Oceanside, west of Tillamook. One of the smallest designated Wilderness Areas in the country, the refuge consists of three large and six smaller rocks totaling 15 acres. A breeding population of Steller's sea lions is almost always visible at Three Arch Rocks.
The refuge also supports the largest breeding colony of common murre south of Alaska. Bring binoculars or a spotting scope.
More information about the Three Arch Rocks Refuge
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately ten miles west of the town of Tillamook. When approaching Tillamook on US Highway 101, follow signs for the Three Capes Scenic Route and the town of Oceanside then turn west to the parking lot for Cape Meares.
More information about Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge