Salmon Preseason Planning Meeting Set for Feb. 28 in Oregon

Jim Stearns, executive director of Salmonfest, during the 2019 festival on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Photo by Margaret Bauman.

State fisheries officials in Oregon have scheduled the 2024 ocean salmon preseason planning meeting — both in person and virtual — for Feb 28, on the Hatfield Marine Science Center’s campus in Newport, Ore.

The agenda calls for a review of the 2023 seasons and a first look at the 2024 salmon forecasts.

The Ocean Salmon Industry Group meeting is also set to take a first look at 2024 salmon forecasts and initiate development of Oregon preferred recreational and commercial ocean salmon season concepts, with public input, to take forward through the Pacific Fishery Management Council regulation setting process.

The meeting is open to commercial salmon troll fishers, ocean sport fishing anglers and charter operators, and others interested in participating in development of the 2024 ocean salmon seasons.

Staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said they would provide background materials and presentations, and then work with meeting participants to develop preferred season alternatives to use as guidance in the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s season setting process.

Links to the agenda and briefing materials for the meeting will be posted on-line at ODFW Ocean Salmon Management Program as they come available in the coming days and weeks.

The meeting is scheduled to be held in the auditorium of the OSU Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building on the Hatfield Marine Science Center. No food or drink is allowed in the auditorium, ODFG officials say.

The virtual Microsoft Teams session can be joined onto individual computers, mobile apps or room devices. More information is available on the ODFW website: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/salmon/docs/OSIG_Meeting_Agenda_2-28-2024.pdf