Marine Zone

Regulation updates as of Aug. 7, 2018

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

ABALONE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

Effective Mar. 16, 2018, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission issued a three year temporary closure for harvest of abalone in Oregon. The season had been temporarily suspended since Jan. 1 due to concerns over the health of Oregon abalone population and potential increases in fishing effort. This temporary closure will allow for assessment of Oregon’s abalone population and coordination with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which has also closed fishing of red abalone. The closure also provides more time for kelp beds, which produce drift kelp upon which red abalone feed, to recover from adverse ocean conditions and other factors.

Harvest of scallops remains open and permits for scallops remain available, per the 2018 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.

DUNGENESS CRAB

• The entire Oregon coast is now open for recreational crabbing.
• It is still always recommended that crab be eviscerated and the guts or butter discarded prior to cooking. When whole crab are cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach into the cooking liquid. It is recommended to discard the cooking liquid, and do not use it in other dishes, such as sauces, broths, soups, roux, etc.
• The consumption of crab viscera is also not recommended.

RAZOR CLAMS

• Closed from Columbia River south to Tillamook Head (includes Clatsop County beaches) for the annual conservation closure.
• Open from Tillamook head south to the South Jetty of the Coquille River.
• Closed from the South Jetty Coquille River to the OR/CA border.