March 17, 2005
The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted two coho quota options for the "South of Cape Falcon" management zone, which stretches from the Tillamook area to the Oregon-California border.
The options are included in draft ocean salmon season regulations for Oregon, Washington and California that go out to public hearings later this month.
Under Option I, the selective coho fishery would be allotted a landed catch of 40,000 fin-marked (hatchery) coho.
Under Option II, the harvest quota would be 35,000 hatchery coho.
Last summer's quota was 75,000 fish, but the season ended with anglers having landed only 48,808 coho.
Under both options for 2005, the coho season will open June 18 and close July 31 or when the harvest quota is filled, whichever occurs first. Thus, there will be a maximum of 44 days of fishing.
The 2004 season opened in mid-June and ended Aug. 31, a 75-day season.
One key difference this year, however, is that coho fishing will close July 5 in the area between Humbug Mountain, near Port Orford, and the California border.
Two factors contributed to the reduction in sport fishing opportunities for salmon this year.
One is a sharp drop in the number of hatchery salmon expected to return to the Columbia River.
The second is that the numbers of chinook salmon returning to the Klamath River are expected to be below the spawning goal. That factor led to the abbreviated season on the south coast.
The PFMC will hold a hearing on March 28 in Coos Bay to take public comment on its proposed options. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the South Umpqua Room of the Red Lion Hotel, 1313 N. Bayshore Dr.
Testimony on the management options also will be taken during the April 5 council meeting at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel in Tacoma.
Final regulations for 2005 will be set at that meeting.