2018 groundfish limits will be set at the commission meeting on December 8

Limits will be lower than they were in 2017.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/17/12_dec/Exhibit%20F_Attachment%201_Agenda%20Summary.pdf

There are 6 alternatives proposed, with staff recommending alternative A.

A.Seasonal bag limit change (lower in summer), year-round fishery:
4 fish April-Sept., 6 fish October-March

B.Seasonal bag limit change (lower in summer), year-round fishery:
4 fish June-Sept., 6 fish October-May:

C. Five fish bag, year round fishery

D. Four fish bag, year round fishery

E. Five fish bag, six-month fishery (open April through September)

F. Seasonal bag limit change (higher in summer), year-round fishery:
5 fish May through August, 3 fish September through April.

Cabezon and lingcod bag limits should remain the same as 2017

Anything but option f haha. Hoping to have it a year around fishery. I am fine with a Lower rockfish limit as I tend to find them less desirable than a lingcod or cabezon.

"C" seems like the best option at least for fisherman IMHO.

"C" seems like the best option at least for fisherman IMHO.

C will most likely result in an early closure, according to the materials linked above and provided to the commissioners. I doubt it gets selected.

I guess I didn't read the document over, just what you posted. Seems like they're recommending option "A" which I suppose is fine.

Hopefully they will chose something where they won't shut it down in August with only a couple of days notice again. The $10 ocean endorsement on top of everything else kind of sucks as well.

Let's hope for a better TUNA season so anglers have less pressure on inshore species.
I didn't hear about the $10 additional ocean endorsement - is that one of the options that ODFW is taking opinion polls on or is that a done deal for 2018? 

Let's hope for a better TUNA season so anglers have less pressure on inshore species.
I didn't hear about the $10 additional ocean endorsement - is that one of the options that ODFW is taking opinion polls on or is that a done deal for 2018?

I saw that on another forum so I am not sure if it's adopted or proposed.

"D" seems the option least likely to result in a mid-season closure, but if the fishery is in danger, take the most draconian approach until it shows signs of recovery.

Let's hope for a better TUNA season so anglers have less pressure on inshore species.
I didn't hear about the $10 additional ocean endorsement - is that one of the options that ODFW is taking opinion polls on or is that a done deal for 2018?

I saw that on another forum so I am not sure if it's adopted or proposed.

Sorry, I was looking at an article from 2014 and couldn't find anything else about an ocean endorsement online just now.  Oops!

I like D, especially if the fish are endangered; A isn't so bad either...

I like D, especially if the fish are endangered; A isn't so bad either...

If I read it correctly, they are not even close to endangered, it sounds like the Black rockfish biomass in fished areas is estimated at 58% of what it is in unfished areas (marine preserves).

 

I like D, especially if the fish are endangered; A isn't so bad either...

If I read it correctly, they are not even close to endangered, it sounds like the Black rockfish biomass in fished areas is estimated at 58% of what it is in unfished areas (marine preserves).

 

Yes.  The trigger for rebuilding is 40% virgin biomass.  They aren't close to endangered.

So why cut it down if they're doing so well?

So why cut it down if they're doing so well?

They are trying to maintain the stocks.  They are allocated between sport and commercial, as well as between California, Oregon and Washington.  Oregon's allocation was exceeded in August, so shut down in September.  THat is unusual, it has been several years since they had to shut the fishery down.  They want to avoid going over the allocation so that doesn't happen again.  Black rockfish is the constraining fish, but the minor nearshore fishes were also over allocation this year.  Basically, the weather was too good and the tuna and salmon fishing to crappy and the rockfish got hammered way more than anyone ever expected them to.

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole of how fish are allocated, go the the PFMC website and read up.  Be aware that the governmental and stakeholder organizational chart is extremely complicated and one of the worst I've ever seen, and I've had to untangle embezzlement rackets of foreign banks before, so...