Local fishermen voiced their need for an earlier season at a meeting held by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), which can give an economic boost to the industry. A few highlighted an urgent need to assist the fishermen in Crescent City. The city’s harbor was destroyed by a tsunami earlier this month.
The council sets the season for salmon fishing along the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington, and it released three options on March 9. Many of the options would allow for more salmon fishing than local fishermen have had in years.
Most of the recreational fishermen asked for option 1, which would start the season for the Klamath Management Zone (KMZ) — from the Oregon boarder to Horse Mountain — on May 7. Option 2 starts on May 21, and option 3 starts the season on May 28. All options end the season on Sept. 5.
For commercial fishermen, option 1 was also the preferred choice. Option 1 outlines several periods for commercial fishermen in the KMZ as well as the Fort Brag area, the San Francisco Area and the Monterey area. Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations President David Bitts said limiting the days did not seem necessary. He added that having quota does not have the limit days like that. The Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet later this month to determine when the salmon fishing season will start for both commercial and sport fishermen.
