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Columbia reopens early for Chinook

Effective 9/19 to 12/31, Chinook and coho retention are open from Buoy 10 to the Hwy 395 bridge.

ODFW offices close to public access

Beginning March 23, all ODFW offices will be closed to visitors. ODFW staff will be available by phone and email.

ODFW hatcheries closed to public, visitors

Effective March 18, all state-owned fish hatcheries are closed to public access and visitors. Trout stocking in lakes and ponds continues for now.

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Recreation Report

Marine Zone

Regulation Updates

Regulation updates as of Sept. 18, 2020

These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.

Clamming and mussel harvest remains closed to nonresidents for the entire coast. Crabbing is open to nonresidents from Cape Falcon (between Seaside and Tillamook) south.

DUNGENESS CRAB

  • Recreational crabbing is open in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties along the entire Oregon coast from the Columbia River to the California border,
  • 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 safety closures web page at: http://ODA.direct/ShellfishClosures
  • The consumption of crab viscera is not recommended.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, recreational crabbers will need to mark all floating surface buoys with the owner’s full name or business name and at least one of the following: phone number, permanent address, ODFW Angler ID number, or vessel identification number. Mark your information in a clear, legible, and permanent manner. While this rule does not apply to gear tied to docks, piers, jetties, or beaches, we recommend marking buoys on any gear that could become derelict or lost. Find more information here.

 RAZOR CLAMS

  • Razor clamming is now open from Tillamook Head (south of Seaside) to the California border.
  • Razor clam harvesting remains closed on the Clatsop Beaches, between the Columbia River and Tillamook Head, for the ODFW annual razor clam conservation closure. This conservation closure is in effect from July 15 through Sept. 30 of each year to protect newly-set young clams.

MUSSELS

  • Closed from the south jetty of the Coquille River to the CA border, due to elevated biotoxin levels.
  • Open from the Columbia River to the north jetty of the Coquille River.
Recreation Report

Dungeness Crab
Dungeness Crab out of Winchester Bay. Excited to eat! Photo by Wendy Synan

If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen

Submit your fishing photo  to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.

 

Crabbing and clamming for nonresidents

Recreational crabbing for nonresidents is now open from Cape Falcon (between Seaside and Tillamook) south to the OR/CA border. All other shellfish license activities (clamming, mussel harvest, etc.) remain closed to nonresidents until further notice.

COVID-19 and Harvesting Shellfish

ODFW recognizes that we are facing extraordinary times and urges all citizens to take extra precautions to keep yourself, your family, and the entire community of Oregon healthy. 

This is the time of year when morning low tides and improving weather typically bring visitors from throughout Oregon and beyond to the coast to harvest clams. Our local bays and ocean also receive many crabbers. We recognize that travel at this time should be done with careful, serious consideration given to your health, and the health of the receiving community. 

Think about these actions in common spaces associated with harvesting fish and shellfish such as docks, piers, beaches, boat ramps, and fish and boat cleaning stations that are open.

Please keep yourself and samplers safe.

ODFW Samplers (aka fish checkers) will be at the docks, piers, and boat launches in a number of locations along the coast. In order to maintain their safety and the angling public we are striving to maintain a minimum of 6 ft. of distance at all times, and the ODFW samplers will be wearing masks. We appreciate your assistance and patience in maintaining the distancing and providing your clams and crab for inspection in a safe manner. 

Thank you for taking the extra efforts that are required at this time!

CRABBING AND CLAMMING UPDATES

BAY CLAMS

Daytime negative low tides provide a great opportunity for harvesting clams. Plan to start an hour before the predicted low tide to give you enough time to clam before the tide returns. Clammers should still use caution when clamming during early mornings when visibility is low.

Check out the Where to Clam articles for places to find bay clams. You can also get more clamming maps here.

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.

RAZOR CLAMS

Razor clamming is closed on Clatsop Beach (Tillamook Head in Seaside to the mouth of the Columbia River) from July 15 through Sept. 30 for the annual conservation closure. This closure protects newly-set young clams and gives them a chance to establish on the beach during the summer.

CRABS

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, recreational crabbers must mark all floating surface buoys with a name and other identifying information. See more information in the Regulation updates section above. While this rule does not apply to gear tied to docks, piers, jetties or beaches, we recommend marking buoys on any gear that could become derelict or lost. Find more information here.

Crabbing reports for each bay are not available year-round. As they are available during the year, updates will be posted below.

Smoke and poor air conditions slowed crabbing in many areas along the coast. Please take precautions and use your best judgement to have a safe and healthy crabbing trip. This month, crabbing picked up with reports of a mix of soft and hard-shelled crab.

In addition to Dungeness crab, another Oregon native present in some of Oregon’s estuaries is the red rock crab. Look for them in larger bays with jetties and other rocky habitats. 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 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 also encounter non-native European green crab in their catch this year. While they look similar to Oregon’s native shore crabs, identify them 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.

Always check for closures at the ODA Shellfish Safety page before clamming or crabbing. http://ODA.direct/ShellfishClosures.