Regulation updates as of June 15, 2018
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.
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.
The popular Clatsop County beaches are open to razor clamming. Expect to find fewer, but larger, clams.
Spring and summer harvesting can be quite successful. Unlike the fall and winter, low tides are in the morning which allows for better visibility. This along with better weather allows more accessibility to the razor clam harvest areas. Harvesters will still need to monitor storm events and subsequent large surf, greater than 10 feet, as both will reduce success.
Given the lower than average abundances of razor clams on popular beaches, harvesters will need to actively pound the sand for razor clams to show. Harvesters should plan to be on the harvest area at least two hours before low tide and focus on sections of the beach that show exposed sand bars as these areas could have more clams showing than other areas.
Bay clamming is open along the entire Oregon Coast from the Columbia River to the California border. Check out the Where to Clam articles for places to find them.
This upcoming month we will see some good negative afternoon/evening tides, providing some daylight for clamming opportunities. Remember to always exercise caution when going out to clam at night.
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.
Mussel harvest is open along the entire Oregon coast.
Crabbing in Coos Bay has been moderate within the bay. Dock crabbing has slowed down as has ocean crabbing out of Charleston. Alsea Bay boat crabbing and dock crabbing in Alsea has been fair to poor and better with longer soak times. Bay crabbing in Yaquina Bay has slowed down for Dungeness crab, but is better by boat. Crabbing in Tillamook Bay has been spotty. Crab are starting to molt in all bays and there are more soft crab (i.e. crab that are not full of meat).