[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 94 (Friday, May 16, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20810-20824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-08741]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 250512-0084]
RIN 0648-BN19
Fisheries Off West Coast States; West Coast Salmon Fisheries;
2025 Specifications and Management Measures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: Through this final rule, NMFS establishes fishery management
measures for the ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and
California for the season beginning May 16, 2025, and ending May 15,
2026 (the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season), under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The
fishery management measures include fishing areas, seasons, quotas,
legal gear, recreational fishing days and catch limits, harvest
guidelines, possession and landing restrictions, and minimum lengths
for salmon taken in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off
Washington, Oregon, and California. These measures are intended to
prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum
yield from the fishery, to provide for the exercise of federally
recognized fishing rights by West Coast Indian Tribes, to allow a
portion of the salmon runs to escape the ocean fisheries in order to
provide for spawning escapement, and to apportion the ocean harvest
equitably among non-Indian commercial and recreational fisheries.
DATES: This final rule is effective from 0001 hours Pacific Daylight
Time, May 16, 2025, until the effective date of the 2026 management
measures, as published in the Federal Register, which we expect to be
0001 hours Pacific Daylight Time, May 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The documents cited in this document are available on the
Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council or PFMC) website (https://www.pcouncil.org) and the NMFS West Coast Region (WCR) website
(https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/fisheries-west-coast-states-west-coast-salmon-fisheries-2025-management-measures).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Penna at 562-980-4239, Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The ocean salmon fisheries in the EEZ (3-200 nautical miles (nmi);
5.6-370.4 kilometers (km)) off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and
California are managed under the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). Regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subpart H,
provide the mechanism for developing and promulgating preseason
specifications and management measures and making inseason adjustments
to the management measures within limits set by the FMP by notification
in the Federal Register. Regulations at 50 CFR 660.408 govern the
establishment of annual management measures, and regulations at 50 CFR
660.409 govern the implementation of inseason adjustments. This rule
implements the management measures for the 2025 ocean salmon fishing
season.
Process Used To Establish 2025 Management Measures
Ocean salmon fishery management measures are established via a
collaborative process with the Council, States, Tribes, fishing
industry participants, anglers, and the public. The Council announced
its annual preseason management process for the 2025 ocean salmon
fishing season in the Federal Register on December 11, 2024 (89 FR
99841). NMFS published an additional notice of opportunity to submit
public comments on the 2025 ocean salmon fishery management measures in
the Federal Register on February 19, 2025 (90 FR 9896). These notices
announced the availability of key documents, the dates and locations of
meetings and public hearings regarding determining the annual proposed
and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures,
and instructions on how to comment on those measures. The agendas for
the March and April Council meetings were published in the Federal
Register (90 FR 9618, February 14, 2025, and 90 FR 12706, March 19,
2025) and posted on the Council's website prior to the meetings.
In accordance with the FMP, the Council's Salmon Technical Team
(STT) and economist prepared four reports, which were made available on
the Council's website upon their completion. The first of the reports,
``Review of 2024 Ocean Salmon Fisheries,'' was prepared in February
when the first increment of scientific information necessary for
crafting management measures for the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season
became available. The first report summarizes biological and socio-
economic data from the 2024 ocean salmon fisheries and assesses the
performance of the fisheries with respect to the 2024 management
objectives for salmon stocks and stock complexes, as well as provides
historical information for comparison. The second report, ``Preseason
Report I Stock Abundance Analysis and Environmental Assessment Part 1
for 2025 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations'' (PRE I), provides the 2025
salmon stock abundance projections and analyzes how the salmon stocks
defined in the FMP and Council management goals would be affected if
the 2024 management measures (the no-action alternative under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)) were continued for the 2025
ocean salmon fishing season. The completion of PRE I is the initial
step in developing and evaluating the full suite of preseason
alternatives for the 2025 fishing season.
Following the completion of the first two reports, the Council met
from March 4 to 11, 2025, to develop 2025 management alternatives for
proposal to the public and consideration under NEPA. The Council
proposed three alternatives for commercial and recreational fisheries
management and three alternatives for treaty Indian fisheries
management for analysis and public comment. These alternatives
consisted of various combinations of management measures designed to
ensure that stocks of coho salmon and Chinook salmon meet conservation
goals, to provide for ocean harvests of
[[Page 20811]]
more abundant stocks, to provide equitable sharing of harvest among
ports and sectors, and to provide for the exercise of Indian treaty
fishing rights. After the March Council meeting, the Council's STT and
economist prepared a third report, ``Preseason Report II Proposed
Alternatives and Environmental Assessment Part 2 for 2025 Ocean Salmon
Fishery Regulations'' (PRE II), which analyzes the effects of the
proposed 2025 ocean salmon fishing season management alternatives. In
addition, a meeting between the U.S. and Canadian salmon managers
provided additional forecast and harvest information related to
southern U.S. stocks, including those that are part of the fisheries
managed under the FMP.
The Council sponsored public hearings in person to receive
testimony on the proposed alternatives on March 24, 2025, for
Washington and Oregon, and on March 25, 2025, for California. In
addition, the States of Washington, Oregon, and California sponsored
meetings in various forums that also collected public testimony. The
public also provided testimony at the March and April Council meetings
and electronic submissions via the Council's electronic portal and
https://www.regulations.gov.
Members of several federally recognized Tribes, including Tribes
with treaty rights for salmon harvest, testified at the March and April
Council meetings. Additional Tribal comments were submitted in writing.
Tribes emphasized the cultural importance of salmon to their
communities, expressed concerns over the uncertainty of forecasts for
some stocks in 2025, and urged the Council to be conservative in
setting the salmon seasons. Some Tribes addressed several issues in the
Columbia Basin, such as habitat alteration and the need to address
increased avian and pinniped predation on smolts. Columbia River treaty
Tribes also expressed concerns that higher harvest levels could
negatively impact hatchery brood collection and spawning escapement to
local tributaries. Tribes are doing their part to improve habitat,
raise hatchery fish, and expand the distribution of salmon to their
historic production areas and want to ensure that the management of the
fisheries in the EEZ is supporting those actions.
The Council adopted its recommendations for the 2025 ocean salmon
management measures at its April meeting. The Council's STT and
economist then prepared a fourth report, ``Preseason Report III
Analysis of Council-Adopted Management Measures for 2025 Ocean Salmon
Fisheries'' (PRE III), which analyzes the environmental and
socioeconomic effects of the Council's final recommendations (the
Council's preferred alternative under NEPA). The Council transmitted
the recommended management measures to NMFS on April 24, 2025, and
published them on its website (https://www.pcouncil.org).
Under the FMP, the ocean salmon management cycle begins May 16 and
continues through May 15 of the following year. This final rule is
effective on May 16, 2025, consistent with the FMP, and governs the
federally managed ocean salmon fisheries from that date until the
effective date of the 2026 management measures, which we expect to be
published before May 16, 2026. Fisheries in 2025 that were open prior
to May 16, 2025, were governed by the final rule implementing the
salmon fishery management measures for the 2024 ocean salmon fishing
season (89 FR 44553, May 21, 2024; 89 FR 53529, June 27, 2024). Salmon
fisheries that were scheduled to open before May 16, 2025, under the
2024 rule are:
Commercial ocean salmon fisheries from the U.S./Canada
border to the U.S./Mexico border;
Recreational ocean salmon fisheries from Cape Falcon, OR,
to Humbug Mountain, OR;
Recreational ocean salmon fisheries from the Oregon/
California border to the U.S./Mexico border; and
Treaty Indian troll ocean salmon fisheries north of Cape
Falcon.
Several fisheries scheduled to open between March 15, 2025, and May
15, 2025, were closed or modified through inseason action in response
to updated salmon stock forecast information for 2025. Analysts
included the impacts of all fisheries occurring between March 15, 2025,
and May 15, 2025, in their assessment of the impacts of 2025 fisheries
on individual stocks.
National Environmental Policy Act
The environmental assessment (EA) for this action comprises the
Council's documents described above (PRE I, PRE II, and PRE III),
providing an analysis of environmental and socioeconomic effects under
NEPA. The EA and its related Finding of No Significant Impact are
posted on the NMFS WCR website (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/laws-policies/west-coast-salmon-harvest-nepa-documents).
Resource Status
Stocks of Concern
The FMP requires that the fisheries be managed to meet escapement-
based annual catch limits (ACLs), requirements to limit impacts on
species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), obligations of
the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) between the United States and Canada,
and other conservation objectives. In addition, all regulations must be
consistent with other applicable laws; these include Tribal treaties
and other sources of law regarding Tribal fisheries. The ocean salmon
fisheries managed under the FMP are mixed-stock fisheries, and NMFS and
the State and Tribal managers use ``weak stock'' management to avoid
exceeding limits for the stocks with the most constraining limits.
Abundance forecasts for individual salmon stocks can vary significantly
from one year to the next; therefore, the stocks that constrain the
fishery in one year may differ from those that constrain the fishery in
the next. For 2025, the stocks described below will constrain
fisheries.
Fisheries south of Cape Falcon, Oregon, are limited in 2025
primarily by conservation concerns for Klamath River fall-run Chinook
salmon (KRFC), Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon (SRFC), ESA-
listed California Coastal Chinook salmon, and ESA-listed Southern
Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon.
Fisheries north of Cape Falcon are limited by conservation
requirements for the natural spawning component of the ESA-listed lower
Columbia River coho salmon (Lower Columbia Natural or LCN coho salmon)
Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) and the ESA-listed lower Columbia
River (LCR) natural tule Chinook salmon. The limitations imposed to
protect these stocks are described below. The management measures for
2025 are designed to avoid exceeding these limitations. Based on the
most recent 3-year geometric means of spawning escapement (2021-2023,
Queets River spring/summer Chinook salmon, which were designated as
``overfished'' in 2023, met the criteria for being classified as ``not
overfished, rebuilding,'' but the stock will continue to be managed
under the rebuilding plan until it is rebuilt. It was not a limiting
stock in planning the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season.
KRFC (non-ESA-listed): Abundance for this non-ESA-listed stock in
the last decade has been historically low, and the stock continues to
meet the criteria for overfished based on spawning escapement in 2022,
2023, and 2024. The stock is managed under a rebuilding plan consistent
with the requirements of the MSA and the FMP. See 50 CFR 660.413(a).
The FMP defines ``overfished'' status in terms of whether a 3-year
geometric mean escapement
[[Page 20812]]
level is below the minimum stock size threshold (MSST). The KRFC salmon
stock has been managed under de minimus exploitation rates that apply
when forecast escapement is below the level associated with maximum
sustainable yield (SMSY) since 2020. Under the rebuilding
plan, which includes the harvest control rule for KRFC described in the
FMP, the 2025 forecast allows only de minimis fishing this year, i.e.,
a total allowable exploitation rate of 10 percent (including all ocean
and river fisheries, including Tribal fisheries). This limit will
constrain fisheries south of Cape Falcon. The potential for critically
low natural spawner abundance could be considered high. The 2025
management measures are forecast to result in an escapement of 19,417
KRFC natural spawners, which is below the stock's MSST (30,525). A
natural-area escapement of 19,417 adults would represent the seventh
lowest value over the past 49 years of data.
SRFC (non-ESA-listed): In 2021, NMFS declared the SRFC salmon stock
rebuilt (87 FR 25429) due to several years of higher escapements;
however, escapements in recent years have once again been low compared
with the stock's conservation objective, and caution is warranted to
reduce the likelihood that the stock becomes overfished again. Spawner
abundance has been below the escapement floor of 122,000 associated
with the FMP objective in six of the last nine years (2016-2024). The
3-year geometric mean of spawners is now 93,660 (2022, 2023, and 2024)
as compared with the MSST of 91,500 at which the stock would meet the
criteria of overfished. The adopted management measures result in a
projected escapement of 165,655, which is below the upper end of the
conservation objective range of 122,000-180,000 combined hatchery and
natural area adult spawners. The Sacramento River also experienced low
flows and high temperatures in recent years associated with decades of
frequent droughts; these conditions have adversely affected the stock.
The dominant year class contributing to 2025 fisheries (brood year
2022) improved compared to previous (poor) years.
SONCC coho salmon (ESA-listed threatened): The SONCC coho salmon
ESU has been listed as threatened under the ESA since 1997.
Conservation concerns for ESA-listed SONCC coho salmon will limit
fisheries south of Cape Falcon in 2025. The SONCC coho salmon ESU
consists of all naturally produced populations of coho salmon from
coastal streams between Cape Blanco, OR, and Punta Gorda, CA, and
limited artificial propagation programs. Under the FMP, ESA
consultation standards are used to manage ESA-listed stocks, including
SONCC coho salmon. In April 2022, NMFS approved new harvest control
rules that limit the total fishery (marine and freshwater) exploitation
rate to 15 percent for all populations within the SONCC ESU except the
Trinity River coho salmon population, which is limited to 16 percent.
Coho salmon retention is not permitted in California ocean salmon
fisheries. Salmon in 2025 will be managed consistent with these harvest
control rules.
CC Chinook salmon--ESA-listed Threatened: The CC Chinook salmon ESU
has been listed as threatened under the ESA since 1999. The ESU has
been managed for a consultation standard not to exceed a 16 percent
age-4 ocean harvest rate on KRFC salmon. In 2024, following several
years in which the consultation standard was exceeded, NMFS approved a
set of management measures to avoid further exceedances. 50 CFR
660.410(d). One of the measures is to use a buffer on the consultation
standard to ensure ocean harvest rates do not exceed the 0.16 age-4
KRFC harvest rate consultation standard. For 2025, the ocean salmon
fisheries were designed to avoid exceeding a buffered pre-season age-4
KRFC harvest rate of 7.7 percent. The 2024 biological opinion
determined that authorization of the ocean salmon fishery in the EEZ
through promulgation of regulations implementing the salmon FMP,
including the CC Chinook salmon conservation objective and
implementation of the new management measures, would not jeopardize the
CC Chinook salmon ESU.
Lower Columbia River (LC) coho salmon (ESA-listed threatened): The
LC coho salmon ESU has been listed as threatened under the ESA since
2005. In 2015, NMFS conducted the most recent ESA section 7
consultation and issued a biological opinion regarding the effects of
Federal fisheries and fisheries in the Columbia River on LC coho
salmon. The opinion analyzed the use of a harvest matrix to manage
impacts on LC coho salmon. As described above, management under the FMP
is focused on LCN coho salmon, the natural component of the LC coho
salmon ESU. Under the matrix, the allowable harvest in a given year
depends on indicators of marine survival and parental escapement that
influence spawning in the current year. In 2025, Federal ocean salmon
fisheries and commercial and recreational salmon fisheries in State
waters, including the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam,
must be managed subject to a total exploitation rate limit on LCN coho
salmon not to exceed 23 percent. In 2025, LCN coho salmon will
constrain the salmon fisheries in the EEZ, particularly those north of
Cape Falcon, such that, when combined with commercial and recreational
fisheries in State marine waters and the mainstem Columbia River, the
ESA requirement is met.
LCR Chinook salmon (ESA-listed threatened): The LCR Chinook salmon
ESU comprises a spring component, a ``far-north'' migrating bright
component, and a tule component. The bright and tule components both
have fall run timing. There are twenty-one separate populations within
the tule component of this ESU. Unlike the spring or bright populations
of the ESU, LCR tule populations are caught in large numbers in Federal
fisheries off the southern U.S. West Coast, as well as fisheries to the
north (Canada and Alaska) and in the Columbia River. Therefore, this
component of the ESU is the one most likely to constrain Federal
fisheries in the area between the U.S. Canada border and Cape Falcon.
These Federal fisheries are managed subject to an abundance-based
management (ABM) framework that NMFS analyzed in a 2012 biological
opinion, after accounting for anticipated impacts in northern fisheries
and other fisheries that are outside the action area. Applying the ABM
framework to the 2025 preseason abundance forecast, the total LCR tule
exploitation rate for all salmon fisheries is limited to a maximum of
41 percent. Fisheries will be constrained north of Cape Falcon in 2025
such that when combined with all other salmon fisheries in the ocean
and the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, the ESA requirement is
met.
Other Resource Issues
Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) (ESA-listed endangered): The
SRKW distinct population segment was listed under the ESA as endangered
in 2005 (70 FR 69903, November 18, 2005). In 2021, NMFS approved
Amendment 21 to the FMP (86 FR 51017, September 14, 2021), which
establishes a Chinook salmon annual abundance management threshold
below which specific measures to limit the effects of the ocean salmon
fishery on Chinook salmon prey availability for SRKWs are implemented.
These measures include time and area closures, a quota limitation for
the north of Cape Falcon management area, and temporal shifts in
fishing. The forecast abundance compared with the Chinook salmon
[[Page 20813]]
abundance threshold is reported annually in the above-referenced
preseason reports as required by the FMP.
Because the pre-season estimate of the abundance of Chinook salmon
in 2025 exceeds the threshold in the FMP, additional management
measures are not required by the FMP, including amendment 21 (Preseason
Report III; PFMC 2025).
ACLs and Status Determination Criteria
ACLs are required for all stocks or stock complexes in the fishery
that are not managed under an international agreement, listed under the
ESA, or designated as hatchery stocks. ACLs are set for two Chinook
salmon stocks, SRFC and KRFC, and one coho salmon stock, Willapa Bay
natural coho salmon. The SFRC and KRFC salmon stocks are indicator
stocks for the Central Valley Fall Chinook salmon complex and the
Southern Oregon/Northern California Chinook salmon complex,
respectively. The Far North Migrating Coastal Chinook salmon complex
(FNMC) includes a group of Chinook salmon stocks that are caught
primarily in fisheries north of Cape Falcon and other fisheries
occurring north of the U.S./Canada border. No ACL is set for FNMC
stocks because they are managed subject to provisions of the PST
between the United States and Canada (the MSA provides an international
exception from ACL requirements that applies to stocks or stock
complexes subject to management under an international agreement, which
NMFS defines by regulation ``any bilateral or multilateral treaty,
convention, or agreement which relates to fishing and to which the
United States is a party'' (50 CFR 600.310(h)(1)(ii)). Other Chinook
salmon stocks caught in fisheries north of Cape Falcon are ESA-listed
or hatchery-produced and are managed consistent with ESA consultations,
hatchery goals, or the provisions of the PST. Willapa Bay natural coho
salmon is the only coho salmon stock for which an ACL is set, as the
other coho salmon stocks in the FMP are either ESA-listed, hatchery-
produced, or managed under the PST.
ACLs for salmon stocks are escapement-based, which means they
establish a number of adults that must escape the fisheries to return
to the spawning grounds. ACLs are set based on the annual potential
spawner abundance forecast and a fishing rate reduced to account for
scientific uncertainty. In addition to ACLs, SRFC and KRFC have
conservation objectives expressed in terms of escapement goals that
were developed prior to the requirement for ACLs. Where the
conservation objectives exceed the ACLs, the management measures are
designed to achieve the conservation objectives. The surviving stock
after fishery-related mortality is generally referred to as spawning
escapement (S), and the proportion of the stock that succumbs to
fishing-related mortality is generally referred to as the exploitation
rate (F). These metrics constitute conservation objectives for FMP
Stocks. In addition, FMSY is the fishing mortality rate that
would result in MSY, S acceptable biological catch
(ABC) is the spawner escapement that is associated with the
acceptable biological catch, and SOFL is the spawning
escapement associated with the overfishing limit (OFL).
For SRFC in 2025, FMSY = 0.58. The SRFC FMSY
proxy of 0.58 was adopted in November 2024 following the 2024
Methodology Review. The OFL for SRFC is SOFL = 165,655 x (1-
0.58) = 69,575. Because SRFC is a Tier-2 stock, FABC =
FMSY x 0.90 = 0.52, and FACL = FABC.
The ABC for SRFC is SABC = 165,655 x (1-0.52) = 79,514, with
SACL = SABC. The recommended management measures
provide for a projected SRFC spawning escapement of 147,733.
For KRFC in 2025, FMSY = 0.71, the value estimated from
a stock-specific spawner-recruit analysis (STT 2005). The OFL for KRFC
is = 20,763 x (1-0.71) = 6,021. Because KRFC is a Tier-1 stock,
FABC = FMSY x 0.95 = 0.68, and FACL =
FABC. The ABC for KRFC is SABC = 20,763 x (1-
0.68) = 6,644, with SACL = SABC. The recommended
management measures provide for a projected KRFC spawning escapement of
19,417.
For Willapa Bay natural coho salmon in 2025, FMSY =
0.74, the value estimated from a stock-specific spawner-recruit
analysis. The OFL for Willapa Bay natural coho salmon is
SOFL = 39,939 x (1-0.74) = 10,384. Because Willapa Bay
natural coho salmon are a Tier-1 stock, FABC =
FMSY x 0.95 = 0.70, and FACL = FABC.
The ABC for Willapa Bay natural coho salmon is SABC = 39,939
x (1-0.70) = 11,982, with SACL = SABC. The
recommended management measures provide for a projected Willapa Bay
natural coho salmon spawning escapement of 16,101.
In summary, the 2025 management measures are expected to result in
escapements greater than required to meet the ACLs for all three stocks
with defined ACLs.
Public Comments
The Council invited written comments on developing 2025 salmon
management measures in their notice announcing public meetings and
hearings (89 FR 99841, December 11, 2024). At its March meeting, the
Council developed 3 alternatives for 2025 commercial and recreational
salmon management measures, having a range of quotas, season structure,
and impacts, as well as 3 alternatives for 2025 North of Cape Falcon
Treaty Indian troll ocean salmon management measures. These
alternatives are described in detail in PRE II. Subsequently, comments
were taken at three public hearings held in March, staffed by
representatives of the Council and the States. The Council received 294
written comments via their electronic portal and 17 oral comments on
the 2025 ocean salmon fisheries, including from members of the public
who commented several times. The 3 public hearings were attended by a
total of 122 people; 40 people provided oral comments. Comments came
from individual fishers, fishing associations, fish buyers, processors,
conservation organizations, and the general public. Written and oral
comments addressed the 2025 management alternatives described in PRE II
and generally expressed preferences for a specific alternative or for
particular season structures. All written comments were made available
via the Council's online briefing books for the March and April 2025
Council meetings. In addition to comments collected at the public
hearings and those submitted directly to the Council, several people
provided oral comments at the March and April 2025 Council meetings.
Written and oral comments received were considered by the Council,
which includes a representative from NMFS, in developing the
recommended management measures transmitted to NMFS on April 24, 2025.
NMFS also invited comments to be submitted directly to the Council or
NMFS via the Federal Rulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov) in
a notice (90 FR 9896, February 19, 2025); NMFS received no comments via
the Federal Rulemaking Portal.
Comments on alternatives for commercial salmon fisheries. Those
testifying on north of Cape Falcon commercial salmon fisheries at the
Washington hearing supported the non-treaty quotas and season structure
from Alternative I. Alternative I allows for time/area adjustments over
quota reductions to meet conservation objectives. These commenters
expressed support for inseason management as an invaluable tool to meet
conservation objectives while allowing flexibility to attain the full
quota. They also supported increased opportunities to help engage the
younger generation and
[[Page 20814]]
promote commercial fishing as a viable livelihood. Those testifying on
south of Cape Falcon commercial salmon fisheries at the Oregon hearing
supported Alternative I. Significant investments have been made for the
upcoming season, and this alternative would help recover the costs and
give the fleet an opportunity to survive and support their families and
communities. The written comments from California supported Alternative
III (i.e., closure of commercial salmon fishing) to support SRFC and
KRFC stock recovery. Those testifying at the California hearing largely
supported a hybrid of Alternative I and II. They suggested that
conducting a small-scale fishery would allow the new management
measures for California Coastal Chinook salmon to be implemented in a
more controlled environment. This rule adopts commercial fishing
measures north and south of Cape Falcon that are within the range of
the alternatives considered.
Comments on alternatives for recreational fisheries. Those
testifying on fishery management alternatives north of Cape Falcon
favored Alternative I and Alternative III. Alternative I would give
coastal communities a chance to rebuild after years of reduced fishing
due to limited harvest quotas, while Alternative III allows for the
best opportunity to meet conservation goals and shift opportunities to
the guide communities that rely on them. Those commenting on fishery
alternatives south of Cape Falcon in Oregon expressed a range of
opinions on the alternatives that allow for two or three weeks of
Chinook salmon retention spread out through June, July, and August. The
majority of comments from California supported fishing under
Alternative I. Fishing is important to them and their families; another
year of closures would be harmful to their businesses. They also
emphasized the importance of good management practices and urged the
Council to explore ways to open even a small fishery. This final rule
establishes recreational fishing measures north and south of Cape
Falcon that are within the range of alternatives considered.
The final rule reflects consideration of these comments and
generally includes aspects of all three alternatives, while considering
the best available scientific information, the best use of limited
opportunity given impacts to stocks of concern, and ensuring that
fisheries are consistent with impact limits and accountability measures
for ESA-listed species, ACLs and other MSA requirements, PST
obligations, and Tribal fishing rights.
2025 Specifications and Management Measures
The ocean harvest levels and management measures for the 2025
fisheries are designed to apportion the burden of protecting the weak
stocks identified and discussed in PRE I equitably among ocean
fisheries and to provide harvest opportunity of natural and hatchery
runs surplus to inside fishery and spawning needs. Similar to 2024,
commercial fisheries north of Cape Falcon, Chinook salmon quotas are
higher due to a higher forecasted abundance for Lower Columbia River
tule Chinook salmon. In 2025, coho salmon quotas will be comparatively
lower due to the lower forecasted abundance of coho salmon stocks
returning to the Oregon coast and Columbia River areas. Commercial
fisheries south of Cape Falcon will be heavily constrained in Oregon
and closed in California owing to its low abundance forecast for SRFC
and KRFC. Based on the information provided in the four reports
described above, the EA, and discussion at public meetings and taking
into account public comments, NMFS concludes the recommended measures
are consistent with the requirements of the MSA, the ESA, U.S.
obligations to Indian Tribes with federally recognized fishing rights,
and U.S. international obligations regarding Pacific salmon.
Accordingly, NMFS, through this final rule, approves and implements the
Council's recommendations.
The timing of the March and April Council meetings makes it
impracticable for the Council to recommend fishing seasons that begin
before mid-May of the same year. Therefore, this action also
establishes the early season fisheries that open earlier than May 16,
2026. The commercial and recreational seasons are scheduled to open
after May 15, 2025, as indicated in ``Section 1. Commercial, Non-
Indian, Troll Fishery Management Measures'' and ``Section 2.
Recreational Fishery Management'' of this final rule. NMFS may take
inseason action to adjust the commercial and recreational seasons as
needed. The Treaty Indian ocean troll seasons will open in 2025 as
indicated in ``Section 3. Treaty Indian Management Measures.'' In 2026,
the Treaty Indian ocean troll season is scheduled to open May 1,
consistent with all preseason regulations in place for Treaty Indian
troll fisheries during May 16-June 30, 2025. This opening could be
modified via inseason action.
Sections 1, 2, and 3 below set out the final specifications and
management measures for the commercial, recreational, and Treaty Indian
ocean salmon fisheries for 2025 and, as specified, for 2026. Section 4
provides requirements for halibut retention; Section 5 provides
geographical landmarks; and Section 6 specifies notice procedures for
inseason modifications. Those elements of the measures set forth in
sections 1 through 3 that refer to fisheries implemented prior to May
16, 2025, were promulgated in our 2024 rule (89 FR 44553, May 21, 2024;
89 FR 53529, June 27, 2024), as modified by inseason action, and are
included for information only and to provide continuity for the public
across fishing seasons and for States adopting conforming regulations
each May that refer to the Federal rule for the same year.
As discussed above, aspects of these measures may be adjusted
through inseason action taken under 50 CFR 660.409, based on
information that becomes available during the season. Harvest
guidelines and vessel-based landing and possession limits will be
considered inseason. Inseason action to close fisheries, modify season
dates, or modify vessel-based landing and possession limits may be
considered when total commercial harvest in this management area is
approaching its harvest guideline.
Section 1. Commercial, Non-Indian Fishery Management Measures
Parts A, B, and C of this section contain the requirements for
participation in the 2025 commercial, non-Indian, salmon troll fishery.
Part A identifies fishing seasons and areas from north to south, the
salmon species and catch or landing limits allowed to be caught during
the seasons, and any other special restrictions effective in the area.
Part B specifies minimum size limits. Part C specifies other
requirements, definitions, restrictions, and exceptions.
Inseason modifications of the regulations may be necessary to
address conditions arising during the fishing season. See 50 CFR
660.409.
A. Season, Area, and Species Descriptions
North of Cape Falcon, OR
Spring Season
May 16 through the earlier of June 29 or the attainment of 36,800
Chinook salmon. If the Chinook salmon quota is exceeded, the excess
will be deducted from the summer all-salmon season described below.
Subarea guidelines are in place for the following areas:
[[Page 20815]]
U.S./Canada Border to Queets River
No more than 8,000 Chinook salmon.
Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon
No more than 6,000 Chinook salmon.
Landing and possession limits are in place for the following areas
and will be evaluated weekly, inseason. Landing week is Thursday
through Wednesday.
U.S./Canada Border to Queets River
100 Chinook salmon per vessel per landing week.
Queets River to Leadbetter Point
No weekly Chinook salmon landing and possession limit.
Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon
80 Chinook salmon per vessel per landing week.
Open seven days per week. All salmon, except coho salmon.
In 2026, the season will open May 1, consistent with all preseason
regulations in place in this area and subareas during May 16-June 29,
2025, including subarea salmon guidelines and quotas and weekly vessel
limits except as described below for vessels fishing or in possession
of salmon north of Leadbetter Point.
Summer Season
U.S./Canada Border to Leadbetter Point
July 1 through the earlier of September 15 or when attainment of
the U.S./Canada Border to Cape Falcon quotas of 24,450 Chinook salmon
or 8,280 marked coho salmon.
Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon
July 1 through the earlier of September 30 or when attainment of
the U.S./Canada Border to Cape Falcon quotas of 24,450 Chinook salmon
or 8,280 marked coho salmon.
Open seven days per week. All salmon. All coho salmon must be
marked with a healed adipose fin clip. No chum salmon retention north
of Cape Alava, Washington, in August and September.
July 1-9: landing and possession limit of 60 marked coho salmon per
vessel for the open period.
Beginning July 10: landing and possession limit of 60 marked coho
salmon per vessel per landing week (Thursday-Wednesday).
Landing limits will be evaluated weekly inseason.
For all commercial troll fisheries north of Cape Falcon: Mandatory
closed areas include the Salmon Troll Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation
Area (YRCA), Cape Flattery, and Columbia Control Zones.
Vessels must land and deliver their salmon within 24 hours of any
closure of this fishery. Vessels may not land fish east of the Sekiu
River or east of Tongue Point, OR.
During any single trip, only one side of the Leadbetter Point line
may be fished.
Vessels fishing for or in possession of salmon north of Leadbetter
Point must land and deliver all species of fish in a Washington port
and must possess a Washington troll and/or salmon delivery license. For
delivery to Washington ports south of Leadbetter Point, vessels must
notify the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) at 360-
249-1215 prior to crossing the Leadbetter Point line with area fished,
total Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and halibut catch aboard, and
destination with approximate time of delivery.
Vessels fishing or in possession of salmon south of Leadbetter
Point must land and deliver all species of fish within the area and
south of Leadbetter Point, except that Oregon permitted vessels may
also land all species of fish in Garibaldi, OR. Washington permitted
vessels may also land all species of fish north of Leadbetter Point.
For delivery to Washington ports north of Leadbetter Point, vessels
must notify WDFW at 360-249-1215 prior to crossing the Leadbetter Point
line with area fished total Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and halibut
catch aboard, and destination with approximate time of delivery. All
Chinook salmon caught north of Cape Falcon and being delivered by boat
to Garibaldi, OR, must meet the minimum legal total length of 28 inches
(71.1 centimeters (cm)) for Chinook salmon for south of Cape Falcon
seasons unless the season in waters off Garibaldi, OR, have been closed
for Chinook salmon retention for more than 48 hours.
Under State law, vessels must report their catch on a State fish
receiving ticket. Oregon State regulations require all fishers landing
salmon into Oregon from any fishery between Leadbetter Point and Cape
Falcon to notify the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
within 1 hour of delivery or prior to transport away from the port of
landing by either calling 541-857-2546 or sending notification via
email to [email protected]. Notification shall
include vessel name and number, number of salmon by species, port of
landing, location of delivery, and estimated time of delivery.
Vessels in possession of salmon may not cross the Queets River line
without first notifying WDFW at 360-249-1215 with area fished, total
Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and halibut catch abroad, and destination.
Inseason actions may modify harvest guidelines in later fisheries to
achieve or prevent exceeding the overall allowable troll harvest
impacts.
Vessels fishing in a subarea north of Cape Falcon with a higher
limit may transit through and land in a subarea with a lower limit.
Prior to crossing the subarea line at Leadbetter Point or Queets River,
vessels must notify WDFW at 360-249-1215 with the area fished, total
Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and halibut catch aboard, and destination
with approximate time of delivery.
South of Cape Falcon, OR
Cape Falcon to Heceta Bank Line
June 9-30;
July 16-31.
Open seven days per week. All salmon, except coho salmon, except
during the non-mark-selective coho salmon fishery as described below.
All vessels fishing in the area must land their salmon in Oregon.
All fishers landing Chinook salmon south of the Heceta Bank Line
are required to notify ODFW within one hour of delivery or prior to
transport away from the port of landing by either calling 541-857-2546
or sending notification via email to
[email protected]. Notification shall include vessel
name and number, number of Chinook salmon, port of landing and location
of delivery, and estimated time of delivery.
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain
May 16-31;
September 1-October 31.
Open seven days per week. All salmon except coho salmon, except
during the non-mark-selective coho salmon fishery as described below.
All vessels fishing in the area must land their salmon in Oregon.
Beginning September 1, all salmon until the earlier of September 30
or attainment of a 7,500 non-mark-selective coho salmon quota. If the
coho salmon quota is met prior to September 30, then all salmon except
coho salmon season continues. No more than 75 coho salmon per vessel
per landing week when coho retention is allowed and no more than 75
Chinook salmon allowed per vessel per landing week (Thursday-
Wednesday).
Oregon State regulations require all fishers landing coho salmon
into Oregon from any fishery between Cape Falcon, OR, and Humbug
Mountain to notify ODFW within one hour of delivery or prior to
transport away from the port of landing by either calling 541-857-2546
[[Page 20816]]
or sending notification via email to
[email protected]. Notification shall include vessel
name and number, number of salmon by species, port of landing, location
of delivery, and estimated time of delivery.
In 2026, the season will open on March 15 for all salmon except
coho salmon. All vessels fishing in the area must land their salmon in
the State of Oregon. Gear restrictions same as in 2025 (identified
below).
Humbug Mountain to Oregon/California Border
Closed.
In 2026, the season will open on March 15 for all salmon except
coho salmon. Gear restrictions are the same as in 202 (89 FR 44553, May
21, 2024; 89 FR 53529, June 27, 2024).
Oregon/California Border to Humboldt South Jetty (California Klamath
Management Zone (KMZ))
Closed.
In 2026, the season will open May 1 through the earlier of May 31
or attainment of a 3,000 Chinook salmon quota. Landing and possession
limit of 20 Chinook salmon per vessel per week. Open five days per week
(Friday-Tuesday). All salmon except coho salmon. Any remaining portion
of Chinook salmon quotas may be transferred inseason on an impact
neutral basis to the next open quota period. All fish caught in this
area must be landed within the area, within 24 hours of any closure of
the fishery, and prior to fishing outside the area. Electronic Fish
Tickets must be submitted within 24 hours of landing. Klamath Control
Zone closed. See California State regulations for an additional closure
adjacent to the Smith River.
Humboldt South Jetty to Latitude 40[deg]10' N
Closed.
Latitude 40[deg]10' N to Point Arena (Fort Bragg)
Closed.
In 2026, the season opens on April 16 for all salmon except coho
salmon. Gear restrictions are the same as in 2022 (87 FR 29690, May 16,
2022). Electronic Fish Tickets must be submitted within 24 hours of
landing.
Point Arena to Pigeon Point (San Francisco)
Closed.
In 2026, the season opens May 1 for all salmon except coho salmon.
Gear restrictions are the same as in 2022 (87 FR 29690, May 16, 2022)
Harvest guidelines and vessel-based landing and possession limits will
be considered inseason. Inseason action to close fisheries, modify
season dates, or modify vessel-based landing and possession limits may
be considered when total commercial harvest in this management area is
approaching its harvest guideline. Electronic Fish Tickets must be
submitted within 24 hours of landing.
Pigeon Point to the U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey)
Closed.
In 2026, the season opens May 1 for all salmon except coho salmon.
Gear restrictions same as in 2022 (87 FR 29690, May 16, 2022). Harvest
guidelines and vessel-based landing and possession limits will be
considered inseason. Inseason action to close fisheries, modify season
dates, or modify vessel-based landing and possession limits may be
considered when total commercial harvest in this management area is
approaching its harvest guideline. Electronic Fish Tickets must be
submitted within 24 hours of landing.
When the fishery is closed from Humbug Mountain to the Oregon/
California border and open to the south, vessels with fish on board
caught in the open area off California may seek temporary mooring in
Brookings, OR, prior to landing in California only if such vessels
first notify the Chetco River U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station via very
high frequency (VHF) channel 22A between the hours of 0500 and 2200 and
provide the vessel name, number of fish on board, and estimated time of
arrival.
California State regulations require that all salmon be made
available to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
representative for sampling immediately at the port of landing. Any
person in possession of a salmon with a missing adipose fin, upon
request by an authorized agent or employee of the CDFW, shall
immediately relinquish the head of the salmon to the State (California
Fish and Game Code section 8226).
B. Minimum Size (Total Length in Inches)
Table 1--Minimum Size Limits for Salmon in the 2025-2026 Commercial Salmon Fisheries
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinook salmon Coho salmon
---------------------------------------------------------------- Pink
Total length Head-off Total length Head-off
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Area (when open in 2025):
North of Cape Falcon, OR. 27 20.5 16 12 None.
Cape Falcon to Humbug 28 21.5 16 12 None.
Mountain.
Humbug Mountain to OR/CA 28 21.5 .............. .............. None.
border.
OR/CA border to Humboldt .............. .............. .............. .............. .................
South Jetty.
Lat. 40[deg]10'0'' N to .............. .............. .............. .............. .................
Point Arena.
Point Arena to Pigeon .............. .............. .............. .............. .................
Point.
Pigeon Point to U.S./ .............. .............. .............. .............. .................
Mexico border.
Area (when open in 2026):
North of Cape Falcon, OR. .............. .............. .............. .............. .................
Cape Falcon to Humbug 28 .............. .............. .............. .................
Mountain.
Humbug Mountain to OR/CA 28 .............. .............. .............. .................
border.
OR/CA border to Humboldt 27 .............. .............. .............. .................
South Jetty.
Lat. 40[deg]10'0'' N to 27 .............. .............. .............. .................
Point Arena.
Point Arena to Pigeon 27 .............. .............. .............. .................
Point.
Pigeon Point to U.S./ 27 .............. .............. .............. .................
Mexico border.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metric equivalents: 28.0 in = 71.1 cm, 27.0 in = 68.5 cm, 21.5 in = 54.6 cm, 20.5 in = 52.1 cm, 16.0 in = 40.6
cm, and 12.0 in = 30.5 cm.
[[Page 20817]]
C. Requirements, Definitions, Restrictions, or Exceptions
C.1. Compliance With Minimum Size or Other Special Restrictions
All salmon on board a vessel must meet the minimum size, landing/
possession limit, or other special requirements for the area being
fished and the area in which they are landed if the area is open or has
been closed less than 48 hours for that species of salmon. Salmon may
be landed in an area that has been closed for a species of salmon more
than 48 hours only if they meet the minimum size, landing/possession
limit, or other special requirements for the area in which they were
caught. Salmon may not be filleted prior to landing.
Any person who is required to report a salmon landing by applicable
State law must include on the State landing receipt for that landing
both the number and weight of salmon landed by species. States may
require fish landing/receiving tickets be kept on board the vessel for
90 days or more after landing to account for all previous salmon
landings.
C.2. Gear Restrictions
a. Salmon may be taken only by hook and line using single point,
single shank, barbless hooks.
b. Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border: No more than four
spreads are allowed per line.
c. Oregon/California border to U.S./Mexico border: No more than six
lines are allowed per vessel, and barbless circle hooks are required
when fishing with bait by any means other than trolling.
C.3. Gear Definitions
Trolling: Fishing from a boat or floating device that is making way
by means of a source of power other than drifting by means of the
prevailing water current or weather conditions.
Troll fishing gear: One or more lines that drag hooks behind a
moving fishing vessel engaged in trolling. In that portion of the
fishery management area off Oregon and Washington, the line or lines
must be affixed to the vessel and must not be intentionally disengaged
from the vessel at any time during the fishing operation.
Spread: A single leader connected to an individual lure and/or
bait.
Circle hook: A hook with a generally circular shape and a point
which turns inward, pointing directly to the shank at a 90[deg] angle.
C.4. Vessel Operation in Closed Areas With Salmon on Board
a. Except as provided under C.4.b below, it is unlawful for a
vessel to have troll fishing gear in the water while in any area closed
to fishing for a certain species of salmon, while possessing that
species of salmon; however, fishing for species other than salmon is
not prohibited if the area is open for such species, and no prohibited
salmon are in possession.
b. When Genetic Stock Identification (GSI) samples will be
collected in an area closed to commercial salmon fishing, the
scientific research permit holder shall notify NOAA Office of Law
Enforcement, USCG, CDFW, WDFW, ODFW, and Oregon State Police at least
24 hours prior to sampling and provide the following information: the
vessel name, date, location, and time collection activities will be
done. Any vessel collecting GSI samples in a closed area shall not
possess any salmon other than those from which GSI samples are being
collected. Salmon caught for collection of GSI samples must be
immediately released in good condition after collection of samples.
C.5. Control Zone Definitions
a. Cape Flattery Control Zone--The area from Cape Flattery
(48[deg]23'00'' N lat.) to the northern boundary of the U.S. EEZ; and
the area from Cape Flattery south to Cape Alava (48[deg]10'00'' N lat.)
and east of 125[deg]05'00'' W long.
b. Salmon Troll Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area--The area in
Washington Marine Catch Area 3 from 48[deg]00.00' N lat.;
125[deg]14.00' W long. to 48[deg]02.00' N lat.; 125[deg]14.00' W long.
to 48[deg]02.00' N lat.; 125[deg]16.50' W long. to 48[deg]00.00' N
lat.; 125[deg]16.50' W long. and connecting back to 48[deg]00.00' N
lat.; 125[deg]14.00' W long.
c. Grays Harbor Control Zone--The area defined by a line drawn from
the Westport Lighthouse (46[deg]53'18'' N lat., 124[deg]07'01'' W
long.) to Buoy #2 (46[deg]52'42'' N lat., 124[deg]12'42'' W long.) to
Buoy #3 (46[deg]55'00'' N lat., 124[deg]14'48'' W long.) to the Grays
Harbor north jetty (46[deg]55'36'' N lat., 124[deg]10'51'' W long.).
d. Columbia Control Zone--An area at the Columbia River mouth,
bounded on the west by a line running northeast/southwest between the
red lighted Buoy #4 (46[deg]13'35'' N lat., 124[deg]06'50'' W long.)
and the green lighted Buoy #7 (46[deg]15'09' N lat., 124[deg]06'16'' W
long.); on the east, by the Buoy #10 line which bears north/south at
357[deg] true from the south jetty at 46[deg]14'00'' N lat.,
124[deg]03'07'' W long. to its intersection with the north jetty; on
the north, by a line running northeast/southwest between the green
lighted Buoy #7 to the tip of the north jetty (46[deg]15'48'' N lat.,
124[deg]05'20'' W long.), and then along the north jetty to the point
of intersection with the Buoy #10 line; and, on the south, by a line
running northeast/southwest between the red lighted Buoy #4 and tip of
the south jetty (46[deg]14'03'' N lat., 124[deg]04'05'' W long.), and
then along the south jetty to the point of intersection with the Buoy
#10 line.
e. Klamath Control Zone--The ocean area at the Klamath River mouth
bounded on the north by 41[deg]38'48'' N lat. (approximately 6 nmi (11
km) north of the Klamath River mouth); on the west by 124[deg]23'00'' W
long. (approximately 12 nmi (22 km) off shore); and on the south by
41[deg]26'48'' N lat. (approximately 6 nmi (11 km) south of the Klamath
River mouth).
f. Waypoints for the 40-fathom (73-meter) regulatory line from Cape
Falcon to Humbug Mountain (50 CFR 660.71(o)(12) through (62)), when in
place.
C.6. Notification When Unsafe Conditions Prevent Compliance With
Regulations
If prevented by unsafe weather conditions or mechanical problems
from meeting special management area landing restrictions, vessels must
notify the USCG and receive acknowledgment of such notification prior
to leaving the area. This notification shall include the name of the
vessel, the port where delivery will be made, the approximate number of
salmon (by species) on board, the estimated time of arrival, and the
specific reason the vessel is not able to meet special management area
landing restrictions.
In addition to contacting the USCG, vessels fishing south of the
Oregon/California border must notify CDFW within 1 hour of leaving the
management area by calling 800-889-8346 and providing the same
information as reported to the USCG. All salmon must be offloaded
within 24 hours of reaching port.
C.7. Incidental Halibut Harvest
Permit applications for incidental harvest for Pacific halibut
during commercial salmon fishing must be obtained from NMFS.
a. Pacific halibut retained must be no less than 32 inches (81.3
cm) in total length, measured from the tip of the lower jaw with the
mouth closed to the extreme end of the middle of the tail, and must be
landed with the head on.
b. During the salmon troll season, incidental harvest is allowed if
quota is available. WDFW, ODFW, and CDFW will monitor landings. NMFS
may make
[[Page 20818]]
inseason adjustments to the landing restrictions to assure that the
incidental harvest rate is appropriate for salmon and halibut
availability, does not encourage target fishing on halibut, and does
not increase the likelihood of exceeding the quota for this fishery,
and may prohibit retention of halibut in the non-Indian salmon troll
fishery if there is risk in exceeding the subquota for the salmon troll
fishery or the non-Tribal commercial fishery allocation. Inseason
adjustments will be announced on the NMFS hotline (phone: 800-662-9825
or 206-526-6667).
c. Incidental Pacific halibut catch regulations in the commercial
salmon troll fishery adopted for 2025, prior to any 2025 inseason
action, will be in effect when incidental Pacific halibut retention
opens on April 1, 2026, unless otherwise modified by inseason action at
the March 2026 Council meeting.
d. Beginning May 16, 2025, through the end of the 2025 salmon troll
fishery, and beginning April 1, 2026, until modified through inseason
action or superseded by the 2026 management measures, permit holders
may land or possess no more than one Pacific halibut per two Chinook
salmon, except one Pacific halibut may be possessed or landed without
meeting the ratio requirement, and no more than 35 halibut may be
possessed or landed per trip.
e. ``C-shaped'' yelloweye rockfish conservation area is an area to
be voluntarily avoided for salmon trolling. NMFS and the Council
request salmon trollers voluntarily avoid this area in order to protect
yelloweye rockfish. The area is defined in the Pacific Council Halibut
Catch Sharing Plan in the North Coast subarea (Washington Marine Area
3), with the following coordinates in the order listed:
48[deg]18' N lat.; 125[deg]18' W long.;
48[deg]18' N lat.; 124[deg]59' W long.;
48[deg]11' N lat.; 124[deg]59' W long.;
48[deg]11' N lat.; 125[deg]11' W long.;
48[deg]04' N lat.; 125[deg]11' W long.;
48[deg]04' N lat.; 124[deg]59' W long.;
48[deg]00' N lat.; 124[deg]59' W long.;
48[deg]00' N lat.; 125[deg]18' W long.;
and connecting back to 48[deg]18' N lat.; 125[deg]18' W long.
C.8. Inseason Management
In addition to standard inseason actions or modifications:
a. Chinook salmon remaining from the May through June non-Indian
commercial troll harvest guideline north of Cape Falcon may be
transferred to the July through September harvest guideline if the
transfer would not result in exceeding preseason impact expectations on
any stocks.
b. Chinook salmon remaining from May, June, and/or July non-Indian
commercial troll quotas in the Oregon or California KMZ may be
transferred to the Chinook salmon quota for the next open period if the
transfer would not result in exceeding preseason impact expectations on
any stocks.
c. NMFS may transfer salmon between the recreational and commercial
fisheries north of Cape Falcon if there is agreement among the areas'
representatives on the Council's Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS), and if
the transfer would not result in exceeding preseason impact
expectations on any stocks.
d. The Council will consider inseason recommendations for special
regulations for any experimental fisheries annually in March; proposals
must meet Council protocol and be received in November of the year
prior.
e. If retention of unmarked coho salmon (adipose fin intact) is
permitted by inseason action, the allowable coho salmon quota will be
adjusted to ensure preseason projected impacts on all stocks is not
exceeded.
f. Landing limits may be modified inseason to sustain season length
and keep harvest within overall quotas.
g. Deviations from the allocation of allowable ocean harvest of
coho salmon in the area south of Cape Falcon may be allowed to meet
consultation standards for ESA-listed stocks (FMP 5.3.2). Therefore,
because 2025 fisheries are constrained to meet ESA-conservation
objectives as described in the preamble to the rule, any rollovers
resulting in a deviation from the south of Cape Falcon coho salmon
allocation schedule would fall underneath this exemption.
C.9. State Waters Fisheries
Consistent with Council management objectives:
a. The State of Oregon may establish additional late-season
fisheries in State waters.
b. The State of California may establish limited fisheries in
selected State waters.
c. Check State regulations for details.
C.10. California KMZ Definition: For the purposes of California
Fish and Game Code Section 8232.5, the California KMZ for the ocean
salmon season is that area from Humbug Mountain, OR, to Latitude
40[deg]10' N.
C.11. Latitudes for geographical reference of major landmarks along
the West Coast are listed in section 5 of this final rule.
C.12. California 24-hour reporting requirements: Salmon harvested
under quota or harvest limit regulations must be reported within 24
hours of landing via electronic fish tickets. Electronic fish tickets
shall be completed at the time of the receipt, purchase, or transfer of
fish, whichever occurs first, and shall contain the number of salmon
landed. Once the transfer of fish begins, all fish aboard the vessel
are counted as part of the landing. The electronic fish ticket is a
web-based form submitted through the ``E-Tix'' application, managed by
the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and located at https://etix.psmfc.org.
Section 2. Recreational Fishery Management Measures
Parts A, B, and C of this section contain requirements for
participation in the 2025 recreational ocean salmon fishery. Part A
identifies fishing areas from north to south, the open seasons for the
area, and the salmon species allowed to be caught during the seasons.
Part B specifies minimum size limits. Part C specifies special
requirements, definitions, restrictions, and exceptions. All measures
are subject to inseason management. California State regulations
require that all salmon be made available to a CDFW representative for
sampling immediately at the port of landing. Any person in possession
of a salmon with a missing adipose fin, upon request by an authorized
agent or employee of the CDFW, shall immediately relinquish the head of
the salmon to the State (California Code of Regulations title 14
section 1.73).
A. Season Description
North of Cape Falcon, OR
U.S./Canada Border to Cape Alava (Neah Bay Subarea)
June 21 through the earlier of September 15 or attainment of of
12,600 Chinook salmon.
Open 7 days per week, June 21-July 3, all salmon except coho
salmon, 1 salmon per day.
Beginning July 4, open 7 days per week, all salmon, with a subarea
quota of 10,370 marked coho salmon, 2 salmon per day. No chum salmon
retention beginning August 1. All coho salmon must be marked with a
healed adipose fin clip.
Beginning August 1, no Chinook salmon retention east of the
Bonilla-Tatoosh line during the ocean fishery.
Cape Alava to Queets River (La Push Subarea)
June 21 through the earlier of September 15 or attainment of 2,280
Chinook salmon.
[[Page 20819]]
Open seven days per week, June 21-July 3, all salmon except coho
salmon, on1 salmon per day.
Beginning July 4, open 7 days per week, all salmon, with a subarea
quota of 2,590 marked coho salmon, 2 salmon per day. No chum salmon
retention beginning August 1. All coho salmon must be marked with a
healed adipose fin clip.
Queets River to Leadbetter Point (Westport Subarea)
June 21 through the earlier of September 15, with a subarea
guideline of 22,270 Chinook salmon.
Open seven days per week, June 21-28, all salmon except coho
salmon, 1 salmon per day.
Beginning June 29, open 7 days per week, all salmon, with a 36,900
marked coho salmon subarea quota, 2 salmon per day, no more than 1 of
which may be a Chinook salmon. All coho salmon must be marked with a
healed adipose fin clip.
Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon (Columbia River Subarea)
June 25 through the earlier of September 30, or 49,860 marked coho
salmon subarea quota, with a subarea guideline of 16,600 Chinook
salmon.
Open seven days per week, all salmon, two salmon per day, no more
than one of which may be a Chinook salmon. All coho salmon must be
marked with a healed adipose fin clip.
Prior to June 25, possession of salmon on board a vessel is
prohibited on days when the subarea is closed to salmon retention.
Columbia Control Zone closed.
South of Cape Falcon
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain
May 16-July 15
September 1-October 31.
Open 7 days per week. All salmon, except coho salmon, except during
the mark-selective coho salmon fishery and the non-mark-selective coho
salmon fishery as described below, two salmon per day. Starting June 7,
2 salmon limit, of which only 1 may be a Chinook salmon. After
September 30 or attainment of the non-select fishery quota, all salmon
except coho salmon, 1 salmon per day.
Non-mark selective coho salmon fishery:
September 1 through the earlier of September 30 or attainment of a
30,000 non-mark-selective coho salmon quota.
Beginning October 1, the fishery is only open shoreward of the 40-
fathom (73 meters) management line.
Cape Falcon to Oregon/California Border
Mark-selective coho salmon fishery:
June 7 through the earlier of August 24 or attainment of a 44,000
marked coho salmon quota.
Open 7 days per week, 2 salmon per day. When Chinook salmon
retention is allowed, only 1 may be a Chinook salmon. All retained coho
salmon must be marked with a healed adipose fin clip.
Any remainder of the mark-selective coho salmon quota may be
transferred inseason on an impact-neutral basis to the September non-
mark-selective coho salmon fishery from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain.
In 2026, the season will open on March 15 for all salmon except
coho salmon, 2 salmon per day. The same gear restrictions as in 2025.
Humbug Mountain to Oregon/California Border (Oregon KMZ)
May 16-June 6
June 30-July 15.
Open 7 days per week. All salmon except coho salmon, except during
the mark-selective coho salmon fishery. From May 16-June 6, 2 fish per
day. From June 30-July 15, 2 salmon per day, of which only 1 may be
Chinook salmon.
From Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain:
Fishing in the Stonewall Bank yelloweye rockfish conservation area
restricted to trolling only on days the all-depth recreational halibut
fishery is open (call the halibut fishing hotline 1-800-662-9825 for
specific dates).
Oregon/California Border to Latitude 40[deg]10' N (California KMZ)
June 7-8
July 5-6
July 31-August 3
August 25-31.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest is approaching a Statewide harvest guideline of 7,000
Chinook salmon for the summer (June-August) season.
All salmon except coho salmon, 2 salmon per day. Klamath Control
Zone closed in August. See California State regulations for additional
closures adjacent to the Smith, Eel, and Klamath Rivers.
In 2026, the season opens May 1 for all salmon except coho salmon,
2 salmon per day. Inseason action to close fisheries, modify season
dates, or modify the bag limit may be considered when sport harvest is
approaching a harvest guideline.
Latitude 40[deg]10' N to Point Arena (Fort Bragg)
June 7-8
July 5-6
July 31-August 3
August 25-31.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest is approaching a Statewide harvest guideline of 7,000
Chinook salmon for the summer (June-August) season.
All salmon except coho salmon, 2 salmon per day.
In 2026, the season opens on April 4 for all salmon except coho
salmon, 2 salmon per day. Inseason action to close fisheries, modify
season dates, or modify the bag limit may be considered when harvest is
approaching a harvest guideline.
Point Arena to Pigeon Point (San Francisco)
June 7-8
July 5-6
July 31-August 3
August 25-31.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest is approaching a Statewide harvest guideline of 7,000
Chinook salmon for the summer (June-August) season.
Point Reyes to Pigeon Point Subarea
September 4-7, 29-30;
October 1-5, 27-31.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest approaching a Statewide harvest guideline of 7,500
Chinook salmon for the fall (September-October) season.
All salmon except coho salmon, 2 salmon per day.
In 2026, the season opens on April 4 for all salmon except coho
salmon, 2 salmon per day. The same gear restrictions as in 2025.
Inseason action to close fisheries, modify season dates, or modify the
bag limit may be considered when harvest is approaching a harvest
guideline.
Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico Border (Monterey)
June 7-8
July 5-6
July 31-August 3
August 25-31.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest is approaching a Statewide harvest guideline of 7,000
Chinook salmon for the summer (June-August) season.
Pigeon Point to Point Sur Subarea
September 4-7, 29-30.
Inseason action may be taken to close open days when total
Statewide harvest
[[Page 20820]]
is approaching a guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon for the fall
(September-October) season.
All salmon except coho salmon, 2 salmon per day.
In 2026, the season opens on April 4 for all salmon except coho
salmon, 2 salmon per day. The same gear restrictions as in 2025.
Inseason action to close fisheries, modify season dates, or modify the
bag limit may be considered when harvest is approaching a harvest
guideline.
B. Minimum Size (Total Length in Inches)
Table 2--Minimum Size Limits for Salmon in the 2025-2026 Recreational Salmon Fisheries
[In inches]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinook salmon Coho salmon Pink salmon
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Area (when open in 2025):
North of Cape Falcon (Neah Bay and 24.0 16.0 None.
La Push).
North of Cape Falcon (Westport and 22.0 16.0 None.
Columbia River).
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain...... 24.0 16.0 None.
Humbug Mountain to Oregon/California 24.0 16.0 None.
border.
Oregon/California border to Latitude 20.0 ................. 20.0.
40[deg]10' N.
Latitude 40[deg]10' N to Point Arena 20.0 ................. 20.0.
Point Arena to Pigeon Point......... 20.0 ................. 20.0.
Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico border.. 20.0 ................. 20.0.
Area (when open in 2026):
North of Cape Falcon (Westport and ................. ................. ................................
Columbia River).
North of Cape Falcon (Neah Bay and ................. ................. ................................
La Push).
Cape Falcon to Oregon/California 24.0 ................. ................................
border.
Oregon/California border to Latitude 20.0 ................. ................................
40[deg]10' N.
Latitude 40[deg]10' N to Point Arena 20.0 ................. ................................
Point Arena to Pigeon Point......... 24.0 ................. ................................
Pigeon Point to U.S./Mexico border.. 24.0 ................. ................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metric equivalents: 24.0 in = 61.0 cm, 22.0 in = 55.9 cm, 16.0 in = 40.6 cm.
C. Requirements, Definitions, Restrictions, or Exceptions
C.1. Compliance With Minimum Size and Other Special Restrictions
All salmon on board a vessel must meet the minimum size or other
special requirements for the area being fished and the area in which
they are landed if that area is open. Salmon may be landed in an area
that is closed only if they meet the minimum size or other special
requirements for the area in which they were caught. Salmon may not be
filleted or salmon heads removed prior to landing.
Ocean boat limits: Off the coast of Washington, Oregon, and
California, each fisher aboard a vessel may continue to use angling
gear until the combined daily limits of Chinook salmon and coho salmon
for all licensed and juvenile anglers aboard have been attained
(additional State restrictions may apply).
C.2. Gear Restrictions
Salmon may be taken only by hook and line using barbless hooks. All
persons fishing for salmon and all persons fishing from a boat with
salmon on board must meet the gear restrictions listed below for
specific areas or seasons.
a. U.S./Canada border to Point Conception, CA: No more than one rod
may be used per angler and no more than two single point, single shank,
barbless hooks are required for all fishing gear.
b. Latitude 40[deg]10' N to Point Conception, CA: Single point,
single shank, barbless circle hooks (see gear definitions below) are
required when fishing with bait by any means other than trolling, and
no more than two such hooks shall be used. When angling with two hooks,
the distance between the hooks must not exceed 5 inches (12.7 cm) when
measured from the top of the eye of the top hook to the inner base of
the curve of the lower hook, and both hooks must be permanently tied in
place (hard tied). Circle hooks are not required when artificial lures
are used without bait.
C.3. Gear Definitions
a. Recreational fishing gear: Off Oregon and Washington, angling
tackle consists of a single line that must be attached to a rod and
reel held by hand or closely attended; the rod and reel must be held by
hand while playing a hooked fish. No person may use more than one rod
and line while fishing off Oregon or Washington. Off California, the
line must be attached to a rod and reel held by hand or closely
attended; weights directly attached to a line may not exceed 4 pounds
(1.8 kilograms (kg)). While fishing off California north of Point
Conception, no person fishing for salmon, and no person fishing from a
boat with salmon on board, may use more than one rod and line. Fishing
includes any activity which can reasonably be expected to result in the
catching, taking, or harvesting of fish.
b. Trolling: Angling from a boat or floating device that is making
way by means of a source of power, other than drifting by means of the
prevailing water current or weather conditions.
c. Circle hook: A hook with a generally circular shape and a point
which turns inward, pointing directly to the shank at a 90[deg] angle.
C.4. Control Zone Definitions
a. The Bonilla-Tatoosh Line: A line running from the western end of
Cape Flattery to Tatoosh Island Lighthouse (48[deg]23'30'' N lat.,
124[deg]44'12'' W long.) to the buoy adjacent to Duntze Rock
(48[deg]24'37'' N lat., 124[deg]44'37'' W long.), then in a straight
line to Bonilla Point (48[deg]35'39'' N lat., 124[deg]42'58'' W long.)
on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
b. Columbia Control Zone: An area at the Columbia River mouth,
bounded on the west by a line running northeast/southwest between the
red lighted Buoy #4 (46[deg]13'35'' N lat., 124[deg]06'50'' W long.)
and the green lighted Buoy #7 (46[deg]15'09'' N lat., 124[deg]06'16'' W
long.); on the east, by the Buoy #10 line which bears north/south at
357[deg] true from the south jetty at 46[deg]14'00'' N lat.,
124[deg]03'07'' W long. to its intersection with the north jetty; on
the north, by a line running northeast/southwest between the green
lighted Buoy #7 to the tip of the north jetty (46[deg]15'48'' N lat.,
124[deg]05'20'' W long. and then along the north jetty to the point of
[[Page 20821]]
intersection with the Buoy #10 line; and on the south, by a line
running northeast/southwest between the red lighted Buoy #4 and tip of
the south jetty (46[deg]14'03'' N lat., 124[deg]04'05'' W long.), and
then along the south jetty to the point of intersection with the Buoy
#10 line.
c. Stonewall Bank YRCA: The area defined by the following
coordinates in the order listed:
44[deg]37.46' N lat.; 124[deg]24.92' W long.
44[deg]37.46' N lat.; 124[deg]23.63' W long.
44[deg]28.71' N lat.; 124[deg]21.80' W long.
44[deg]28.71' N lat.; 124[deg]24.10' W long.
44[deg]31.42' N lat.; 124[deg]25.47' W long.
and connecting back to 44[deg]37.46' N lat.; 124[deg]24.92' W long.
d. Klamath Control Zone: The ocean area at the Klamath River mouth
bounded on the north by 41[deg]38'48'' N lat. (approximately 6 nmi (11
km) north of the Klamath River mouth); on the west by 124[deg]23'00'' W
long. (approximately 12 nmi (22 km) offshore); and, on the south by
41[deg]26'48'' N lat. (approximately 6 nmi (11 km) south of the Klamath
River mouth).
e. Waypoints for the 40-fathom (73-meters) regulatory line from
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain (50 CFR 660.71(o)(12) through (62)),
when in place.
C.5. Inseason Management
Regulatory modifications may become necessary inseason to meet
preseason management objectives such as quotas, harvest guidelines, and
season duration. In addition to standard inseason actions or
modifications, actions could include modifications to bag limits or
days open to fishing and extensions or reductions in areas open to
fishing.
a. Coho salmon may be transferred inseason among recreational
subareas north of Cape Falcon to help meet the recreational season
duration objectives for each subarea after conferring with
representatives of the affected ports and the Council's SAS
recreational representatives north of Cape Falcon and if the transfer
would not result in exceeding preseason impact expectations on any
stocks.
b. Salmon may be transferred between the recreational and
commercial fisheries north of Cape Falcon if there is agreement among
the areas' representatives of the SAS and if the transfer would not
result in exceeding preseason impact expectations on any stocks.
c. Fishery managers may consider inseason action modifying
regulations restricting retention of unmarked (adipose fin intact) coho
salmon. To remain consistent with preseason expectations, any inseason
action shall consider, if significant, the difference between observed
and preseason forecasted (adipose-clipped) mark rates. Such a
consideration may also include a change in bag limit of two salmon, no
more than one of which may be a coho salmon.
d. Marked coho salmon remaining from the Cape Falcon to the Oregon/
California Border: Recreational mark-selective coho salmon quota may be
transferred inseason to the Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain non-mark-
selective recreational fishery if the transfer would not result in
exceeding preseason impact expectations on any stocks.
e. Deviations from the allocation of allowable ocean harvest of
coho salmon in the area south of Cape Falcon may be allowed to meet
consultation standards for ESA-listed stocks (FMP 5.3.2). Therefore,
any rollovers resulting in a deviation from the south of Cape Falcon
coho salmon allocation schedule would fall underneath this exemption.
C.6. Additional Seasons in State Territorial Waters
Consistent with Federal management objectives for the EEZ off the
U.S. West Coast, the States of Washington, Oregon, and California may
establish limited seasons in State waters. Check State regulations for
details.
C.7. Vessel Operation in Closed Areas With Salmon on Board
a. Except as provided under C.7.b and C.7.c below, it is unlawful
for a vessel to fish while in any area closed to fishing for a certain
species of salmon while possessing that species of salmon; however,
fishing for species other than salmon is allowed if the area is open
for such species and no prohibited salmon are in possession.
b. It is unlawful to possess a salmon species within the Oregon KMZ
when the fishing for that salmon species is prohibited within the
Oregon KMZ, regardless of where taken.
c. It is unlawful to possess a salmon species within the California
KMZ when the fishing for that salmon species is prohibited within the
California KMZ, regardless of where taken.
Section 3. Treaty Indian Management Measures
Parts A, B, and C of this section contain the requirements for
participation in the 2025 Treaty Indian salmon fishery.
In 2026, the season will open May 1, consistent with all preseason
regulations in place for Treaty Indian Troll fisheries during May 16-
June 30, 2025. All catch in May 2026 applies against the 2026 Treaty
Indian Troll fisheries quota. This opening could be modified following
review at the March and/or April 2026 Council meetings.
A. Season Descriptions
May 1 through the earlier of June 30 or the harvest of 22,500
Chinook salmon quota.
All salmon may be retained except coho salmon. If the Chinook
salmon quota is exceeded, the excess will be deducted from the later
all-salmon season.
July 1 through the earlier of a date in September to be established
in Tribal regulations or attainment of the 22,500 Chinook salmon quota
or 37,500 coho salmon quota.
All salmon.
B. Minimum Size (Inches)
Table 3--Minimum Size Limits for Salmon in the 2025 Treaty Indian Ocean Salmon Fisheries
[In inches]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinook salmon Coho salmon
Area (when open) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Pink
Total length Head-off Total length Head-off
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North of Cape Falcon......... 24.0 18.0 16.0 12.0 None.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metric equivalents: 24.0 in = 61.0 cm, 18.0 in = 45.7 cm, 16.0 in = 40.6 cm, 12.0 in = 30.5 cm.
[[Page 20822]]
C. Requirements, Definitions, Restrictions, or Exceptions
C.1. Tribe and Area Boundaries
All boundaries may be changed to include such other areas as may
hereafter be authorized by a Federal court for that Tribe's treaty
fishery.
S'Klallam--Washington State Statistical Area 4B (defined to include
those waters of Puget Sound easterly of a line projected from the
Bonilla Point light on Vancouver Island to the Tatoosh Island light,
thence to the most westerly point on Cape Flattery and westerly of a
line projected true north from the fishing boundary marker at the mouth
of the Sekiu River [WAC 220-301-030]).
Makah--Washington State Statistical Area 4B and that portion of the
Fishery Management Area (FMA) north of 48[deg]02'15'' N lat. (Norwegian
Memorial) and east of 125[deg]44'00'' W long.
Quileute--A polygon commencing at Cape Alava, located at lat.
48[deg]10'00'' N, long. 124[deg]43'56.9'' W; then proceeding west
approximately 40 nmi (74 km) at that latitude to a northwestern point
located at lat. 48[deg]10'00'' N, long. 125[deg]44'00'' W; then
proceeding in a southeasterly direction mirroring the coastline at a
distance no farther than 40 nmi (74 km) from the mainland Pacific coast
shoreline at any line of latitude, to a southwestern point at lat.
47[deg]31'42'' N, long. 125[deg]20'26'' W; then proceeding east along
that line of latitude to the Pacific coast shoreline at lat.
47[deg]31'42'' N, long. 124[deg]21'9.0'' W.
Hoh--A polygon commencing at the Pacific coast shoreline near the
mouth of the Quillayute River, located at lat. 47[deg]54'30'' N, long.
124[deg]38'31'' W; then proceeding west approximately 40 nmi (74.08 km)
at that lat. to a northwestern point located at lat. 47[deg]54'30'' N,
long. 125[deg]38'18'' W; then proceeding in a southeasterly direction
mirroring the coastline at a distance no farther than 40 nmi (74.08 km)
from the mainland Pacific coast shoreline, to a point located at lat.
47[deg]31'42'' N, long. 125[deg]20'26'' W, then proceeding east along
that line of lat. approximately 10 nmi (18.52 km) to a point located at
latitude 47[deg]31'42'' N, long. 125[deg]5'48'' W, then proceeding in a
southeasterly direction mirroring the coastline at a distance no
farther than 30 nmi (55.56 km) from the mainland Pacific coast
shoreline to a point located at lat. 47[deg]21'00'' N, long.
125[deg]2'52'' W; then proceeding east along that line of lat. to the
Pacific coast shoreline near the mouth of the Quinault River, located
at lat. 47[deg]21'00'' N, long. 124[deg]18'8'' W.
Quinault--A polygon commencing at the Pacific coast shoreline near
Destruction Island, located at lat. 47[deg]40'06'' N, long.
124[deg]23'51.362'' W; then proceeding west approximately 30 nmi (55.6
km) at that latitude to a northwestern point located at lat.
47[deg]40'06'' N, long. 125[deg]08'30'' W; then proceeding in a
southeasterly direction mirroring the coastline no farther than 30 nmi
(55.6 km) from the mainland Pacific coast shoreline at any line of
latitude to a southwestern point at lat. 46[deg]53'18'' N, long.
124[deg]53'53'' W; then proceeding east along that line of latitude to
the Pacific coast shoreline at lat. 46[deg]53'18'' N, long.
124[deg]7'36.6'' W.
C.2. Gear Restrictions
a. Single point, single shank, barbless hooks are required in all
fisheries.
b. No more than eight fixed lines per boat.
c. No more than four hand-held lines per person in the Makah area
fishery (Washington State Statistical Area 4B and that portion of the
FMA north of 48[deg]02'15'' N lat. (Norwegian Memorial) and east of
125[deg]44'00'' W long.)
C.3. Quotas
a. The quotas include troll catches by the S'Klallam and Makah
Tribes in Washington State Statistical Area 4B from May 1 through the
earlier of a date in September, to be established in Tribal
regulations, or the harvest of 22,500 Chinook salmon quota or 37,500
coho salmon quota.
b. The Quileute Tribe may continue a ceremonial and subsistence
fishery during the time frame of October 1 through October 15 in the
same manner as in 2004--2015. Fish taken during this fishery are to be
counted against treaty troll quotas established for the 2025 season
(estimated harvest during the October ceremonial and subsistence
fishery: 20 Chinook salmon; 40 coho salmon).
c. The treaty troll Tribes may conduct an experimental fishery
through the month of September for gathering genetic stock
identification (GSI) data to inform the treaty troll fishery in future
years. Impacts from this non-retention fishery are accounted for in the
modeling associated with the treaty troll fishery.
C.4. Area Closures
a. The area within a 6 nmi radius of the mouths of the Queets River
(47[deg]31'42'' N. lat.) and the Hoh River (47[deg]45'12'' N. lat.) is
closed to commercial fishing.
b. A closure within 2 nmi of the mouth of the Quinault River
(47[deg]21'00'' N. lat.) may be enacted by the Quinault Nation and/or
the State of Washington and will not adversely affect the Federal
management regime.
C.5. Inseason Management
In addition to standard inseason actions or modifications, Chinook
salmon remaining from the May through June treaty-Indian ocean troll
harvest guideline north of Cape Falcon may be transferred to the July
through September harvest guideline on a fishery impact equivalent
basis.
Section 4. Halibut Retention
Vessels participating in the commercial salmon non-Indian troll
fishery in Area 2A that have obtained the appropriate permit may retain
halibut caught incidentally during authorized periods in conformance
with the Pacific Halibut Fisheries Catch Sharing Plan 2025 annual
management measures (90 FR 13293, March 21, 2025). An ocean salmon
troller may participate in the halibut incidental catch fishery during
the salmon troll season or in the directed commercial fishery targeting
halibut but not both.
If the sub-quota for this fishery has not been harvested during the
April-June portion of the salmon troll fishery, then incidental halibut
harvest will be allowed in July and continue until the amount of
halibut that was initially available as the quota for the non-Indian
salmon troll fishery is taken or until the end of the season date for
commercial halibut is determined by NMFS and implemented in the Federal
Register (typically early October). If the landings are projected to
exceed the 45,797 pounds (20,773 kg) preseason allocation to the salmon
troll fishery or the total Area 2A non-Indian commercial halibut
allocation, NMFS will take inseason action to prohibit retention of
halibut in the non-Indian salmon troll fishery.
Incidental halibut harvest regulations, including season dates,
management measures, and total allowable catch for each International
Pacific Halibut Commission management area, are listed under C.7 of
section 1 of this final rule.
Section 5. Geographical Landmarks
Geographical landmarks referenced in this rule are at the following
locations:
U.S./Canada border........................ 49[deg]00'00'' N lat.
Cape Flattery, WA......................... 48[deg]23'00'' N lat.
Cape Alava, WA............................ 48[deg]10'00'' N lat.
Queets River, WA.......................... 47[deg]31'42'' N lat.
Leadbetter Point, WA...................... 46[deg]38'10'' N lat.
Cape Falcon, OR........................... 45[deg]46'00'' N lat.
South end Heceta Bank Line, OR............ 43[deg]58'00'' N lat.
Humbug Mountain, OR....................... 42[deg]40'30'' N lat.
Oregon-California border.................. 42[deg]00'00'' N lat.
[[Page 20823]]
Humboldt South Jetty, CA.................. 40[deg]45'53'' N lat.
40[deg]10' line (near Cape Mendocino, CA). 40[deg]10'00'' N lat.
Horse Mountain, CA........................ 40[deg]05'00'' N lat.
Point Arena, CA........................... 38[deg]57'30'' N lat.
Point Reyes, CA........................... 37[deg]59'44'' N lat.
Point San Pedro, CA....................... 37[deg]35'40'' N lat.
Pigeon Point, CA.......................... 37[deg]11'00'' N lat.
Point Sur, CA............................. 36[deg]18'00'' N lat.
Point Conception, CA...................... 34[deg]27'00'' N lat.
U.S./Mexico border........................ 34[deg]27'00'' N lat.
Section 6. Inseason Notice Procedures
Notice of inseason management actions will be provided by a
telephone hotline administered by the WCR, NMFS, 800-662-9825 or 206-
526-6667, and by USCG Notice to Mariners broadcasts. These broadcasts
are announced on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 KHz at frequent intervals.
The announcements designate the channel or frequency over which the
Notice to Mariners will be immediately broadcast. Inseason actions will
also be published in the Federal Register as soon as practicable. Since
provisions of these management measures may be altered by inseason
actions, fishers should monitor either the telephone hotline or USCG
broadcasts for current information for the area in which they are
fishing.
Classification
NMFS is issuing this rule pursuant to section 305(d) of the MSA. In
a previous action taken pursuant to section 304(b), the Council
designed the FMP to authorize NMFS to take this action pursuant to MSA
section 305(d). See 50 CFR 660.408. These regulations are being
promulgated under the authority of 16 U.S.C. 1855(d) and 16 U.S.C.
773(c).
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
This final rule is not an Executive Order 14192 regulatory action
because it is a routine fishing action under the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries finds good cause under 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive the requirement for prior notice and
opportunity for public comment, as such procedures would be
impracticable and contrary to the public interest.
The annual salmon management cycle begins May 16 and continues
through May 15 of the following year. The time frame of the preseason
process for determining the annual modifications to ocean salmon
fishery management measures depends on when the pertinent biological
data are available. For the 2025 fishing regulations, the current stock
abundance was not available until February. Salmon stocks are managed
to meet annual spawning escapement goals or specific exploitation
rates. Achieving either of these objectives requires designing
management measures that are appropriate for the ocean abundance
predicted for that year. These pre-season abundance forecasts, which
are derived from previous years' observed spawning escapement, vary
substantially from year to year and are not available until February
because spawning escapement continues through the fall and early
winter.
The planning and public review process associated with developing
the regulations is initiated in February as soon as the forecast
information becomes available. The process requires coordination of
management actions of four States, numerous Indian Tribes, and the
Federal Government, as well as consideration of information from the
Pacific Salmon Commission and Canadian managers whose fisheries harvest
salmon stocks caught in PFMC fisheries. That information is not
available until April 1 of each year. All of these entities have
management authority over the stocks. This complex process includes the
affected user groups as well as the general public. Providing the
opportunity for prior notice and public comments on the measures
through a proposed and final rulemaking process would require 30 to 60
days in addition to the 2-month period required for the development of
the regulations. Delaying the implementation of annual fishing
regulations, which are based on the current stock abundance
projections, for an additional 30-60 days would require that fishing
regulations for May and June be set in the previous year, without the
benefit of information regarding current stock abundance. Because a
substantial amount of fishing normally occurs during late May and June,
managing the fishery with measures developed using the prior year's
data could have significant adverse effects on the managed stocks,
including ESA-listed stocks. Although salmon fisheries that open prior
to May 16 are managed under measures developed the previous year (with
some inseason modifications), relatively little harvest occurs during
that period (e.g., on average, 10 percent of commercial and
recreational harvest occurred prior to May 1 during the years 2018
through 2024). Allowing the much more substantial harvest levels
normally associated with the late May and June salmon seasons to be
promulgated under the prior year's regulations would impair NMFS's
ability to protect weak and ESA-listed salmon stocks and to provide
harvest opportunities where appropriate. The choice of May 16 as the
beginning of the regulatory season balances the need to gather and
analyze the data needed to meet the management objectives of the salmon
FMP and the need to manage the fishery using the best available
scientific information.
If the 2025 measures are not in place on May 16, salmon fisheries
will not open as scheduled. This would result in lost fishing
opportunities, negative economic impacts, and confusion for the public
as the State fisheries adopt concurrent regulations that conform to the
Federal management measures.
In addition, these measures were developed with significant public
input. As described above, 311 oral and written public comment were
received and considered throughout the process of developing these
management measures. Based upon the above-described public comment
already received and the need to have these measures effective on May
16, NMFS has concluded it would be impracticable and contrary to the
public interest to provide an opportunity for prior notice and public
comment under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries also finds that good
cause exists under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in the
date of effectiveness of this final rule. As previously discussed,
essential data were not available until February, and management
measures were not finalized until mid-April. These measures are
essential to conserve threatened and endangered salmon stocks and other
ESA-listed species affected by Council fisheries, rebuild overfished
stocks, and to provide for the harvest of more abundant salmon stocks.
Delaying the date of effectiveness of these measures by 30 days could
compromise the ability of some stocks to attain their conservation
objectives, preclude harvest opportunity, and negatively impact
anticipated international, State, and Tribal salmon fisheries, thereby
undermining the purposes of this agency action and the requirements of
the MSA.
To enhance the fishing industry's notification of these new
measures, and to minimize the burden on the regulated community
required to comply with the new regulations, NMFS is announcing the new
measures over the telephone
[[Page 20824]]
hotline (800-662-9825 or 206-526-6667) used for inseason management
actions and is posting the regulations on its WCR website (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/fisheries-west-coast-states-west-coast-salmon-fisheries-2025-management-measures).
NMFS is also advising the States of Washington, Oregon, and
California of the new management measures. These States announce the
seasons for applicable State and Federal fisheries through their own
public notification systems.
Because prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not
required to be provided for this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other
law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5
U.S.C. 601 et seq., are not applicable. Accordingly, no Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis is required for this rule, and none has been
prepared. This action contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), and which have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control
number 0648-0433. The current information collection approval expires
on November 30, 2026. The public reporting burden for providing
notifications if landing area restrictions cannot be met is estimated
to average 15 minutes per response. This estimate includes the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
This final rule was developed after meaningful consultation with
the Tribal representative on the Council, who has agreed with the
provisions that apply to Tribal vessels, and representatives of several
Tribes participated in the Council meeting and provided testimony on
the management measures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k; 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 12, 2025.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-08741 Filed 5-13-25; 4:15 pm]
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