Title 42, Commercial Fishing and Fisheries

Licenses may not be transferred from one licensee to another.

All licenses for which fees are provided for under ORS 508.285 unless otherwise specified in law expire as of midnight, December 31, following the dates of their issuance or on such date as may be specified by rule of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The licenses may be…

The failure to renew the license, or make application therefor, for any location for a fixed fishing gear in any of the waters of this state, on January 1 of any year, constitutes abandonment of the location. However, any licensee entering the Armed Forces of the United States du…

Should the holder of any license neglect to construct or install at the site the fishing gear called for by the license during two consecutive years covered by the license, the location shall be deemed abandoned. [Amended by 1965 c.570 §73]

(1) Except for vessel licenses described in ORS 508.285 and 508.470 and vessel permits described in ORS 508.775 to 508.796, 508.801 to 508.825, 508.880, 508.883, 508.889 to 508.910 and 508.926, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission may, in its discretion, revoke for the remainde…

Except for vessel licenses described in ORS 508.260, 508.285 and 508.470 and vessel permits described in ORS 508.775 to 508.796, 508.801 to 508.825, 508.880, 508.883, 508.889 to 508.910 and 508.926, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission may, in its discretion, refuse the issuanc…

Upon the receipt of a fee of $16.50 and the filing of an affidavit that a license issued under authority of ORS 508.406 has been lost or destroyed, the State Fish and Wildlife Director or the authorized agent of the director shall issue a certificate that such license has been is…

No person shall: (1) Alter, borrow or loan to any other person any license or permit issued by the department. (2) In applying for a license or permit issued by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife knowingly make any false statement of any information required by the applica…

(1) In a circuit court proceeding concerning a claim by a seller of a vessel permit transferable under ORS 508.760, 508.793, 508.864, 508.907, 508.936 or 508.957 that the buyer of the vessel permit has failed to fulfill one or more terms of the sale, the seller may petition the c…

(1) Additional fees shall be collected by the State Fish and Wildlife Director in the amount prescribed by this section, except as provided in ORS 508.510. Every person operating within the state as a canner, buyer, bait dealer or wholesaler of any food fish or shellfish shall pa…

In addition to the ad valorem fee prescribed by law, there shall be paid for each fish species referred to in ORS 508.505 (1)(a), an additional fee of four cents per pound. The ad valorem fee referred to in this section is subject to ORS 508.505 to 508.540. [1989 c.512 §8; 1991 c…

(1) The fee provided for in ORS 508.505 shall be paid irrespective of where the fish were caught. However, the fees shall not be paid on any food fish or shellfish brought into this state after having been landed: (a) In another state, territory or possession of the United States…

(1) The fee required by ORS 508.505 shall be paid to the State Fish and Wildlife Director on or before the 20th day of each calendar month for the preceding calendar month. (2) The fee shall be accompanied by a report showing the total number of pounds of all varieties of food fi…

It is the intention that only one fee based on the value of the fish at the point of landing shall be collected for each fish purchased or received, and in order that this end may be accomplished the State Fish and Wildlife Commission and the State Fish and Wildlife Director may …

The fee required by ORS 508.505 constitutes a first lien upon the cannery, packing plant, scow, boat and its equipment used in the canning, receiving or transporting of the fish. This lien may be foreclosed by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission in the name of the state by a s…

(1) The State Fish and Wildlife Commission may make such rules and require such reports to be made as, in its judgment, are necessary to insure the collection and payment of the fee required by ORS 508.505. (2) It is unlawful for any person to falsify any of the reports or to vio…

(1) Every fish canner, fish buyer, retail fish dealer, fish bait dealer or wholesale fish dealer shall keep a record, of all food fish received and bought, in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission. Such information may be required as is neces…

(1) In addition to the penalty prescribed by ORS 506.991, the State Fish and Wildlife Director, under the authority of the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, may suspend or revoke any license for which a fee is required under ORS 508.285 if the person holding the license fails t…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a person who holds a valid Oregon commercial fishing license may sell any species of food fish taken in lawful commercial fishing activity directly from the license holder’s boat, subject to the following conditions: (1) The pe…

(1) The State Fish and Wildlife Commission may issue a permit, subject to such restrictions and regulations as the commission deems desirable, to any person to construct and operate a hatchery for: (a) Chinook salmon, also known as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; or (b) Chum salmon, al…

(1) Prior to issuance of any permit by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, a public hearing shall be held. Notice of the hearing shall be published at least once and at least 10 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties in which t…

No permit shall be issued: (1) Which may tend to deplete any natural run of anadromous fish or any population of resident game fish. (2) Which may result in waste or deterioration of fish. (3) If the proposed operation is to be located on the same stream or river or tributary the…

Any permit granted by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission pursuant to ORS 508.700 to 508.745 shall contain at least the following conditions: (1) All propagated fish released into state waters shall be marked annually at no less than the level of marking of the same species of…

(1) The Legislative Assembly finds that protecting the natural runs and genetic diversity of anadromous fish is essential to the long-term health of Oregon’s natural resources and sport and commercial fisheries. (2) Not later than January 1, 1990, the State Department of Fish and…

(1) If the State Fish and Wildlife Commission finds that the operation described in the permit is not in the best public interest, it shall alter the conditions of the permit to mitigate such adverse effects or may cause an orderly termination of the operation under the permit. P…

(1) All fish released under ORS 508.700 to 508.745 during the time they are in the wild will be the property of the state and may be taken under angling or commercial fishing laws of this state until they return to the private hatchery. (2) In carrying out the provisions of ORS 4…

After first ensuring that all natural and artificial fish production needs of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife have been met, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission may provide at a reasonable fee chum salmon, chinook salmon, silver salmon or pink salmon, or the sexual p…

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the taking and sale of chum salmon, chinook salmon, silver salmon or pink salmon artificially reared under any permit granted by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission pursuant to ORS 508.700 to 508.745. [1971 c.203 §8; 1973 c.356 §4;…

It is the policy of the State of Oregon that all holders of permits issued pursuant to ORS 508.700 to 508.745 are encouraged to market salmon products obtained pursuant to permit activities in such manner as to promote the development and growth of locally based industries and to…

(1) Nothing in ORS 508.700 to 508.745 is intended to give the permittee any equity in any of the waters or fish of the state. (2) Nothing in ORS 508.700 to 508.745 shall imply an intent to permit commercial fishing in any rivers south of the mouth of the Columbia River except as …

All moneys received by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission under ORS 508.700 to 508.745 except those under ORS 508.735 shall be paid over to the State Treasurer to be held in a suspense account established under ORS 293.445. After the payment of costs of administration incurre…

(1) There is established within the State Department of Fish and Wildlife the Commercial Fishery Permit Board. The board shall consist of members appointed by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission as follows: (a) Three members shall be chosen to represent the Columbia River gill…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the commercial fishing laws, in order to provide a sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, S. purpuratus and S. droebachiensis) commercial fishery with optimum profits to those engaged in the fishery and to prevent a concentration o…

(1) A person whose application for renewal or transfer of a permit established pursuant to ORS 508.760 is denied may make written request to the Commercial Fishery Permit Board for review of the denial. The review provided in this subsection is in lieu of any such review by the S…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the commercial fishing laws, in order to provide a roe-herring commercial fishery with optimum profits to those engaged in the fishery and to prevent a concentration of fishing effort that would deplete the resource, the State Fish and W…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the commercial fishing laws, it is unlawful for an individual to operate a vessel in the Columbia River gillnet salmon fishery without first obtaining a vessel permit issued pursuant to ORS 508.775 to 508.796. However, an individual who …

On or after March 27, 2024, new vessel permits may not be issued. [1979 c.679 §3; 1981 c.365 §40; 1989 c.940 §3; 1995 c.602 §5; 2024 c.48 §2]

An individual who obtained the permit required by ORS 508.775 for a particular calendar year is eligible to obtain renewal of the permit in a subsequent calendar year, upon application and payment of the fees therefor by December 31 of the permit year or by such date as may be sp…

In making determinations regarding renewal of the permits required by ORS 508.775, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Commercial Fishery Permit Board may consider as evidence of permit qualifications or requirements department records and such receipts, accounts, c…

The Commercial Fishery Permit Board may revoke and refuse subsequent issuance of a permit required by ORS 508.775 in the manner provided in ORS 508.485 (1) and 508.490. [1979 c.679 §6; 2013 c.164 §2]

(1) The annual fee for the vessel permit required by ORS 508.775 is: (a) $140 for resident applicants. (b) $196 for nonresident applicants. (2) Applications shall be in such form and contain such information as the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, by rule, may prescribe. [1…

(1) The vessel permit required by ORS 508.775 is transferable: (a) To a replacement vessel of the permit holder. (b) To the purchaser of the vessel when the vessel is sold. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, upon request of a permit holder, the State Department o…

(1) An individual whose application for renewal of the permit required by ORS 508.775 is denied by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife may make written request to the Commercial Fishery Permit Board for review of the denial. The review provided in this subsection is in lieu…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the commercial fishing laws, it is unlawful for an individual to operate a vessel in the ocean troll salmon fishery without first obtaining a vessel permit issued pursuant to ORS 508.801 to 508.825. (2) Notwithstanding any other provisio…

No new vessel permits shall be issued in the ocean troll salmon fishery after March 5, 2012. [1979 c.613 §3; 1989 c.940 §6; 1995 c.602 §9; 2012 c.17 §1]

(1) An individual who obtained the permit required by ORS 508.801 for a particular calendar year is eligible to obtain renewal of the permit in a subsequent calendar year upon obtaining the annual boat license referred to in ORS 508.285. The permit must be renewed, and the boat l…

(1) In order to be able to renew the vessel permit in any subsequent year, an individual is not required to renew the boat license as provided in ORS 508.807 if: (a) In the year prior to renewal there was not an ocean troll salmon season of more than 20 consecutive days between M…

In making determinations regarding renewal of the permits required by ORS 508.801, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Commercial Fishery Permit Board may consider as evidence of permit qualifications or requirements department records and such receipts, accounts, c…

The Commercial Fishery Permit Board may revoke and refuse subsequent issuance of a permit required by ORS 508.801 in the manner provided in ORS 508.485 (1) and 508.490. [1979 c.613 §6; 2013 c.164 §3]

(1) The annual fee for the vessel permit required by ORS 508.801 is: (a) $140 for resident applicants. (b) $196 for nonresident applicants. (2) Applications shall be in such form and contain such information as the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, by rule, may prescribe. [1…