SALEM, Ore.—The Commission approved a revised State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) today, a plan that serves as a roadmap for protecting Oregon's at-risk species and their habitats.

The Plan incorporates the latest available information on species and presents recommended conservation actions to inform and prioritize conservation work for community members, private landowners, organizations, and agencies alike. The revision adds pollution as a new Key Conservation Issue, completes integration of the Oregon Nearshore Strategy, enhances information provided in the Conservation Toolbox to make conservation accessible to all Oregonians, and adds information on species newly identified as being at-risk. The Plan is meant to be used by natural resource partners and will eventually be fully web-enabled and accessible online to ensure that content is navigable.

States are required to complete a comprehensive review and revision of their SWAP at least every 10 years to remain eligible for federal State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, which are a major funding source for conservation in Oregon. The Commission's action today formally approved the eight elements required for the Plan to be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the deadline of Oct. 1, 2025.

In addition to updating the State Wildlife Action Plan, ODFW has launched the "Oregon is Worth Protecting" campaign to raise awareness of species in decline and celebrate the fish and wildlife that contribute to make Oregon a wonderful place to live and recreate. Campaign partners include the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, Jamba, and BiMart with more partners expected to be announced in the future.

During their discussion of SWAP, Commissioners acknowledged the lack of funding for conservation of species in decline and mentioned HB 2977—a bill that, if it had passed in the 2025 legislative session, would have raised the state's lodging tax by 1.25 percent and dedicated those funds to wildlife conservation. Director Colbert said the agency would continue to work to secure dedicated funding for sensitive and at-risk species.

The Commission took the following actions in other business today:

Sage-grouse permit numbers: Modified sage-grouse permit numbers adopted in April, based on more recent information from 2025 population surveys. Permit numbers are increased in several units. The Silvies controlled hunt is cancelled for the 2025 season and permit numbers are slightly reduced in Owyhee.

Amended Non-Native Wildlife Rules: Added the following species to the prohibited list (so no import, sale, purchase, exchange or transport allowed) to help protect Oregon's fish and wildlife from invasive species: golden mussels, non-native abalone, sea turtles Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae, the entire family of Viviparidae mystery snails and Muricidae oyster drills.

Southern Resident orcas: Approved endangered species management plans for state land-owning or managing agencies with a role to play in Southern Resident orca conservation, which the Commission previously identified as ODFW, Oregon Department of State Lands, and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The plans identify existing and new actions to help conserve orcas including restoring salmon habitat, improving fish passage and maintaining or increasing hatchery production; responding to oil spills and managing marine debris that washes up on beaches; and considering impacts to Southern Resident orcas from renewable energy projects or undersea infrastructure (e.g. cables, pipelines, other utilities). The Commission also directed ODFW to review their plan in five years.

Wild coho regulations: The 2025 forecasted ocean abundance of Oregon coast natural coho is 289,000 fish, up from about 233,000 last year and the largest forecast since 2012. Wild coho fisheries for 2025 were adopted as proposed by ODFW staff and approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Seasons are similar to last year, with additional fishing days in some rivers and an across-the-board season bag limit of 3 fish in rivers that are open due to the strong forecast. The Commission also directed ODFW to work with NMFS to explore allowing additional fishing days for wild coho later in the season (November) in the Siletz, Yaquina and Alsea Rivers. There will be no wild coho fishery on the Umpqua River as returns are expected to be very low this year due to a very poor return in 2022 (parents of this year's returning fish) and ongoing environmental issues (wildfires, drought, warming streams and non-native fish predators). Wild coho regulations will be posted on the in-season updates page soon; more information on proposals adopted today is available at the Coastal fall salmon page.

Private Forest Accords Grant Program Rule Revision: Amended program rules to simplify the program, facilitate a prompter distribution of funding, and provide a clearer, more consistent process for applicants and grantees.

Also today, ODFW recognized several organizations for their volunteer work to protect fish, wildlife and their habitats. Both Suzanne Linford (founder of the Protect Animal Migration Project) and Rex Parks (Oregon Hunter Association, Bend Chapter) were recognized the Dave Liscia Volunteer Award for their instrumental work in creating and maintaining progress on wildlife passage in central Oregon since 2015.

Dry Fly Management Company based in Terrebone was also recognized with ODFW's Landowner Stewardship Award for its Redside Restoration Project. Dry Fly has helped create wildlife forage plots, enhance water for wildlife by replacing old livestock watering areas with guzzlers, and is working to increase the amount of native grass seed available for habitat restoration and post-wildfire recovery.

A recording of the meeting is available online at ODFW's YouTube channel.

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Fishing for fall Chinook salmon (hatchery and wild) closes at 12:01 a.m., Aug. 19 on the Umpqua, Smith, and North Fork Smith rivers because the quota of 500 wild fall Chinook has been reached.

With forecasted low returns of wild fall Chinook salmon in the Umpqua, Smith and North Fork Smith rivers, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted this limited fishery at their June meeting.

Umpqua District Fish Biologist Evan Leonetti said the Chinook fishery began slowly with just 30 percent of the quota harvested in July.

"We typically see low catch rates in July as fall Chinook are beginning to move into the bay. Angler harvest increased in August, and the quota was met on Aug. 16. Although limited, we were pleased to be able to provide some opportunity for harvest this year." Leonetti said.

Many wild fall Chinook spawn in the South Umpqua River and a large portion spawn in the Smith, North Fork Smith rivers and other tributaries. Low returns to the Umpqua Basin in 2024 was a catalyst for the Commission to adopt this cautious, quota based approach to this season's wild fall Chinook fishery. ODFW will be closely monitoring this year's return to the spawning grounds to ensure healthy future runs and sustainable fisheries.

Anglers looking for other fishing opportunities may want to look at smallmouth bass or striped bass fishing. Harvest of these non-native predators may also help future salmon runs. Steelhead fishing remains open under permanent rules and will pick up as we move into the fall.

Also, hatchery coho angling in the Umpqua will remain open while the mark-select (fin-clipped) ocean fishery is open (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain). Angling for mark-select coho is open through Sunday, Aug. 24 or when the quota is met, whichever happens first.

Click here to view online ODFW news releases.

NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recommends people avoid harvesting and consuming softshell and bay clams from Alsea Bay estuary after the Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use advisory for Eckman Lake in Lincoln County.

The OHA issued a July 31 advisory due to the presence of cyanobacteria and now an Aug. 15 update due to very high saxitoxin (paralytic shellfish toxin) levels.

With Eckman Lake draining directly into the Alsea Bay estuary and that saxitoxins can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, ODFW recommends that people avoid harvesting and eating softshell and bay clams harvested from the estuary.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture will test clams from Alsea Bay with results expected next week. Results will be posted here.

Visit the ODFW Newsroom.