Banner salmon season this summer?

Curry County sports fishermen could see a banner salmon season this year.

“Any of the three options are good,” said Brookings-Harbor Port Commissioner Jim Relaford. “Options 1 and 2 are just excellent. A 102-day season or 80-day season would be the best in years. It looks now very, very promising. I expect we’ll have a lot of fishermen in town all summer long.”

Relaford and Richard Heap of Brookings are the Oregon Klamath Management Zones representatives of the PFMC this year. The PFMC is a federal advisory board that meets in Sacramento, Calif.

“It’s just excellent news,” Relaford said of the options. “It’s not cast in concrete yet, but it’s looking very good right now.”

He said things could still change.

“On the week of April 11 is the final meeting in Portland this year where the final decisions are going to be made,” Relaford said.

He said he had been going through the management options on Friday afternoon.

“The reality is there are a lot of fish out here. We’re in the right place this year. The people north of us may be having some problems and below Horse Mountain could have some problems,” Relaford said.

“The Chinook season Option 1 is May through Sept. 6, Option 2 June through Sept. 6 and the last one July through Sept. 6. It’s a lot better than the 10-day season we had last year,” he said.

“For the last three years, we’ve been looking at no season. One year we didn’t have any days on the water for Chinook,” Relaford said. “Thinking about an 80-day season is amazing. That’s good for the community.”

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976.

With jurisdiction over the 317,690 square mile exclusive economic zone off Washington, Oregon and California, the Council manages fisheries for about 119 species of salmon, groundfish, coastal pelagic species (sardines, anchovies, and mackerel), and highly migratory species (tunas, sharks, and swordfish). The Council also works with the International Pacific Halibut Commission to manage Pacific halibut fisheries.

Public comment will be taken on the three options for recreational and commercial ocean salmon season in the Klamath Management Zone at 6 p.m. March 29 at the Red Lion Inn in Coos Bay.

All options will be discussed at the next Klamath Management Zone Fisheries Coalition (KMZFC) meeting at 10 a.m. March 19 at the Lucky 7 Casino in Smith River, Calif., KMZFC Chair Lucie La Bonte’ said Friday.

“The KMZFC will chose an option they believe is best for the communities in the Klamath Management Zone and bring that forward to the meeting in Coos Bay. This input then goes to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council for consideration,” she said.

The Klamath Management Zone extends from south of Humbug Mountain to Horse Mountain in northern California.

“All fishermen, commercial, recreational and community members are encouraged to come to the KMZFC meeting for input,” La Bonte’ said.

Other topics to be discussed will be elections of officers and the California Marine Protected Area process which could affect northern California waters, California and Oregon commercial and recreational fishermen.

Recreational options

Recreation salmon fishing Humbug Mountain to California border:

Option 1: May 22-Sept. 6, Seven days a week, two fish per day. All salmon except coho. Chinook minimum size 24 inches.

Option 2: June 16-Sept. 6. Seven days per week, two fish per day. All salmon except coho. Chinook minimum size 24 inches.

Option 3: July 3-Sept. 6. Seven days per week, two fish per day. All salmon except coho. Chinook minimum size 24 inches.

Commercial options

Commercial salmon fishing Humbug Mountain to California border:

Option 1: May 1-31; June 1-30 (1,000 Chinook quota), July 1-31 (1,000 Chinook quota), Aug. 1-31 (1,000 Chinook quota).

All salmon except coho. Chinook 28-inch total length minimum size limit. Before June 1, landing and possession limit of 100 Chinook per vessel per calendar week; all vessels fishing in the area must land their fish in the area or Port Orford. June 1 through August 31, landing and possession limit of 30 Chinook per vessel per day and 90 Chinook per vessel per calendar week; all vessels fishing in this area must land and deliver all fish within this area or Port Orford, within 24 hours of any closure in this fishery, and prior to fishing outside of this area.

Option 2: May 1-31; June 1-30 (600 Chinook quota), July 1-31 (600 Chinook quota), Aug. 1-31 (600 Chinook quota).

All salmon except coho. Chinook 28-inch total length minimum size limit. Before June 1, all fish caught in this area must be landed and delivered in the state of Oregon. June 1 through August 31, landing and possession limit of 30 Chinook per vessel per day and 90 Chinook per vessel per calendar week; all vessels fishing in this area must land and deliver all fish within this area or Port Orford, within 24 hours of any closure in this fishery, and prior to fishing outside of this area.

Option 3: June 1-30 (600 Chinook quota), July 1-31 (600 Chinook quota).

All salmon except coho. Chinook 28-inch total length minimum size limit. Landing and possession limit of 30 Chinook per vessel per day and 90 Chinook per vessel per calendar week; all vessels fishing in this area must land and deliver all fish within this area or Port Orford, within 24 hours of any closure in this fishery, and before fishing outside of this area.