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Daily possession limits and length requirements for trout removed
Retention of white sturgeon opens on Saturday, September 21, 2019 and Saturday, September 28, 2019 (two days)
The bottomfish fishery is open to all depth beginning Sept. 3, with a general marine species bag limit of 5 fish.
Effective Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, steelhead retention prohibited.
Retention of copper, quillback, and china rockfish prohibited in recreational boat fishery
Effective September 1 through October 31, 2019, steelhead bag limits reduced in the NE zone
Hatchery Chinook salmon retention allowed effective Aug. 24.
Sport anglers fishing from boats can no longer retain cabezon beginning Aug. 15.
All fishing is closed (including catch-and-release) in the Columbia River and the Deschutes River from Monday, Aug. 12 through Sept. 15.
Recreation Report
Marine Zone
Regulation Updates
Regulation updates as of Sept. 6, 2019
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.
DUNGENESS CRAB
- Recreational crabbing is open along the entire Oregon coast from the Columbia River to the California border, including the ocean, bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties.
- For recreational crab harvesters, it is recommended that crab always be eviscerated prior to cooking, which includes removal and discard of the viscera, internal organs, and gills.
- Because of Oregon’s precautionary management of biotoxins, the crab and shellfish products currently being sold in retail markets and restaurants are safe for consumers.
- Before clamming or crabbing, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish closures web page at: http://ODA.direct/ShellfishClosures
- The consumption of crab viscera is not recommended.
RAZOR CLAMS
- Razor clamming is OPEN from Tillamook Head to north jetty of the Umpqua River.
- Recreational razor clamming is CLOSED from the south jetty of the Umpqua River to Coquille River at Bandon due to elevated levels of domoic acid toxin.
- Razor clamming is OPEN from the Coquille River to the California border.
- The annual conservation closure for the Clatsop beaches is in effect (July 15 - September 30).
Recreation Report
Attention crabbers and clammers – we want your photos!
Whether you’re out digging clams or setting crabpots, we’d love to see photos of your visit to the coast. When you submit your photos to ODFW they could appear on our website or signs, or in social or brochures. What a great way to share your experience with others!
RAZOR CLAM
The annual conservation closure for the Clatsop beaches is in effect July 15 – Sept. 30. Razor clam season starts to slow down at beaches south of Clatsop as the end of good daytime negative low tides approaches.
For the Central Coast area, diggers report mixed success at Newport beaches, with more clams landed at North Jetty and Agate Beach.
BAY CLAMS
Check out the Where to Clam articles for places to find them. You can also get more clamming maps here or at the coastal ODFW offices.
Always call the ODA shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or ODA shellfish closures website before harvesting for the most current information about shellfish safety closures.
CRAB
Crabbing in the Coos Bay estuary and lower Coquille estuary have been limited. Crabbing by boat and setting pots near the jetties yields the most crab. Dock crabbers are picking up some legal Dungeness crabs on the docks at Weber’s Pier in Bandon.
Central coast crabbing in Alsea and Yaquina bays has been fair to moderate by boat. While there is less success for Dungeness from shore, shore crabbing is starting to pick up. Crabbers for some areas have seen soft crab, indicating a recent molt.
In addition to Dungeness crab, another Oregon native present in some of Oregon’s estuaries is the red rock crab. Crabbers can retain 24 red rock crabs of any sex or size. There have also been higher numbers of Pacific rock crab in Yaquina Bay this year. This crab counts as your “Other” shellfish, which has a daily bag limit of 10 in aggregate with other species that fall in this category (see page 82 of the fishing synopsis for more details). While they look very similar to red rock crab, their long antennae and large claws distinguish them; they sometimes have spots on their abdomen.
Some crabbers in estuaries may encounter non-native European green crab in their catch this year. While they look similar to Oregon’s native shore crabs, they can be identified by the three prominent bumps between the eyes and 5 spines down the side of the carapace. They are not always green and color is not a good identifying feature. The daily catch limit for European green crab also falls in the “Other” shellfish category and is 10 in aggregate with other species that fall in this category (see page 82 of the fishing synopsis for more details). European green crab can be any size or sex.