New Salmon Fishing Rules Balance Commerce and Conservation
Published Date: 5/19/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting May 16, 2026, new rules will guide salmon fishing off Washington, Oregon, and California to keep salmon populations healthy and fishing fair. These rules set where, when, and how much salmon can be caught, balancing the needs of commercial fishers, recreational anglers, and Native American tribes. The changes aim to protect salmon for future seasons while making sure everyone gets a fair share until May 16, 2027.
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 5 costs, 1 mixed.
Klamath Chinook Exploitation Rate Limit 25%
Klamath River fall-run Chinook (KRFC) will be managed under a de minimis total allowable exploitation rate of 25 percent (including all ocean and river fisheries, including tribal fisheries) for 2026, which will constrain fisheries south of Cape Falcon. The 2026 forecasted natural-area escapement is 30,143, which is below the KRFC minimum stock size threshold of 30,525.
2026 Salmon Season Rules Start May 16
You will be subject to new ocean salmon rules that take effect at 0001 PDT on May 16, 2026 and remain in force until the expected effective date of the 2027 measures at 0001 PDT on May 16, 2027. The rule sets where, when, and how much salmon can be caught and includes seasons, quotas, gear rules, catch limits, possession and landing restrictions, and minimum lengths.
North-of-Cape Falcon Spring Quotas Set
For vessels fishing in the area from the U.S./Canada border to Cape Falcon, a spring season is set from May 16 through the earlier of June 29 or the attainment of 37,300 Chinook salmon. Subarea catch ceilings are 7,460 Chinook from the U.S./Canada Border to Queets River and 5,590 Chinook from Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon, with vessel weekly landing limits that change on May 21 (examples: 50 increasing to 80 Chinook per vessel per week in some subareas; Queets River to Leadbetter Point increases to 250 per week).
North-of-Cape Falcon Summer Limits
A summer season north of Cape Falcon runs July 1 through the earlier of September 30, the attainment of 18,700 Chinook, or the attainment of 19,600 marked coho. All coho retained must be marked with a healed adipose fin clip and there is a landing and possession limit of 50 marked coho per vessel per landing week; landing and possession limits will be evaluated weekly inseason.
CC Chinook Buffered Harvest Rate (8.6%)
To avoid exceeding the ESA consultation standard for California Coastal (CC) Chinook, the 2026 ocean fisheries will be managed for a buffered pre-season age-4 KRFC harvest rate of 8.6 percent (the buffer was calculated using a recent 43.3 percent average percent error). The framework also includes landing and possession limits, catch triggers, and inseason reporting to keep the fishery below the 16 percent age-4 ocean harvest consultation standard.
May 1–Effective Date Landings Count Toward 83,000 Limit
Fish caught in areas south of Point Arena between May 1, 2026 and the date this rule becomes effective are counted toward a harvest limit of 83,000 described in this rule. That counting reduces the remaining harvest available once the rule is effective.
Tribal Fishing Rights Recognized and Provided For
The rule states it provides for the exercise of federally recognized fishing rights by West Coast Indian Tribes and allocates ocean harvests to reasonably share among non-Indian commercial and recreational fisheries while ensuring tribal rights and spawning escapement.
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