Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopts 2025 groundfish regulations

Eugene, OR – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted its 2025 recreational and commercial groundfish regulations during a meeting in Salem. The new regulations maintain a five-fish recreational bag limit during popular summer months, reflecting the commission’s efforts to balance conservation with access to fishing opportunities.

Nearshore groundfish species, such as rockfish, cabezon, greenlings, and lingcod, are jointly managed by state and federal authorities. The recent stock assessment for black rockfish and canary rockfish indicated a reduced quota for Oregon’s fisheries, prompting adjustments in the regulations.

Starting in January, the daily marine bag limit will be set at four fish, increasing to five on July 1, with a one-fish sub-bag limit for canary rockfish year-round. This phased approach aims to provide a stable fishery throughout the year, minimizing the risk of further bag limit reductions in-season. The higher bag limit during the summer months is designed to maximize opportunities for both residents and visitors who come to fish on the Oregon coast, where ocean conditions are typically more favorable.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will continue efforts to gather more data on black rockfish, hoping to increase quota confidence and potentially expand recreational opportunities in the future. The 2025 quota reduction was less severe than anticipated, thanks to the ODFW’s data collection efforts.

In addition to groundfish regulations, the commission took several other actions today. It appointed Winter Rhodes as the new Public at Large Representative to the Fish Restoration and Enhancement Board, effective January 1, 2025. Updates were provided on the Restoration and Enhancement Program, which distributes grants for fishery restoration projects statewide, and on the STEP (Salmon Trout Enhancement) program, which runs hatcheries, educational events, and other outreach programs through a network of volunteers.

Funding was approved for Access and Habitat Project programs, including matching NRCS funds to continue the Open Fields program, which provides hunting access to private land. The Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program was also advanced with the acquisition of three properties adjacent to the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area’s South Coyote Unit, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration to enhance local and regional conservation efforts.

Lastly, the commission approved additional funding for the Rogue Basin Partnership’s Bear Creek corridor project and updated mailing and reprinting fees to eliminate the standard $2 shipping fee for most documents. Preference point reinstatement was denied for an elk bow hunter who did not receive a preference point reinstatement after being injured, as he had already hunted during the season.