New Oregon rockfish and lingcod regulations (Dec. 9, 2016)

Oregon anglers can keep bigger variety of rockfish, lingcod population stable

BROOKINGS, Ore. - Oregon fishery managers have adopted the rockfish and lingcod regulations for the 2017 season, allowing anglers to keep a wider variety of rockfish while maintaining the seven-fish limit for snapper and two-fish limit for lings.

Oregon anglers will be allowed to keep more canary rockfish in 2017. In 2016, only one could be kept. In 2017, up to seven can be kept as part of the seven-fish total limit for rockfish.

Lingcod populations on the Oregon Coast have remained stable, allowing the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to keep the two-fish limit for lings. The minimum size remains 22 inches.
Oregon's lingcod and rockfish season remains open year round, keeping it the only state on the West Coast with 12 months of lingcod and rockfish fishing.
The 2017 ocean fishing regulations were set at the Dec. 2, 2016, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting. Seasons and limits for salmon and halibut will be set in the spring of 2017.
Anglers will be allowed to continue to keep seven rockfish per day. The daily limit of black rockfish is six fish, as part of the seven-fish overall limit that includes other species of rockfish, as well as kelp greenling and cabezon. The two-fish lingcod limit is in addition to the seven rockfish.
Rockfish are also known as rock cod, sea bass and snapper.
During previous seasons, anglers could keep only one canary rockfish and three blue rockfish as part of the seven-fish limit. Copper rockfish, China rockfish and quillback rockfish were prohibited. Beginning in 2017, there is a four-fish sub-limit that includes any mix of blue rockfish, China rockfish, quillbacks and coppers. There is no sub-limit on vermilion rockfish, and now there is no sub-limit on canary rockfish, which have recovered to levels capable of sustaining a fishery, according to federal biologists from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Yelloweye rockfish must still be released.
Fishery managers were concerned about increasing harvest of black rockfish along the entire West Coast, so the daily limit for blacks was reduced from a total of seven to six in Oregon. The one-fish decrease in the black rockfish sub-limit will allow Oregon to keep its 12-month season, biologists said.

An angler holds a trophy vermilion rockfish caught aboard the Miss Brooke of Brookings Fishing Charters during the 2016 season.

In California, meanwhile, the black rockfish limit was reduced to three fish. It is also closed for part of the year.
"The new Oregon Coast regulations are actually really good," said Capt. Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters. "Sure, we now can keep one less black rockfish, but we still will be able to keep seven total rockfish, and now we can keep more canaries, as well as Chinas, coppers and quillbacks. And the sub-limit for blues has increased, as sometimes we get into some pretty good-size blues."
The total limit remains nine fish, Martin said, counting the two lings and seven rockfish.
"We can keep a lot more color now," Martin said. "Anglers will leave with the same amount of fillets as before, and maybe a little bigger when we get into the coppers, quillbacks and canaries."

It's always exciting catching three rockfish at a time. Beginning in 2017, anglers can keep six black rockfish per day as part of the total rockfish limit of seven. Canaries, blues, cabezon, coppers, Chinas, quillbacks, vermilions, blues and kelp greenling also can be kept.

Brookings Fishing Charters begins its 2017 ocean season in March, after steelhead season wraps up on the Chetco and Smith rivers. Trips depart daily from the Port of Brookings Harbor. To book a trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

The limit for lingcod remains two fish a day at least 22 inches long, in addition to seven rockfish per day.