A US Coast Guard cutter crew issued a violation to commercial fishermen who caught salmon outside of the fishing season 20 miles off the coast of Newport, Oregon, on Sunday. Commercial fishing for salmon is closed in the area between Cape Falcon, Oregon, 12 miles north of Tillamook Bay, and Humbug Mountain, Oregon, 15 miles north of Rogue River, and does not re-open until 5 July.
The crew of the vessel declared they had 18 salmon and 25 tuna onboard. The boarding team from USCG Cutter ‘Orcas’ issued a federal violation under 50 CFR 660.405 – fishing for, or taking and retaining, any species of salmon during closed seasons or in closed areas.
Lt. Steven Roth, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Orcas, explained:
The life of a commercial fisher is one of the most difficult and dangerous professions in the world which is why cutter Orcas is dedicated to ensuring the safety of life at sea and the long-term sustainability of the commercial fishing industry in the Pacific Northwest.
The crew of the cutter Orcas submitted a case package to refer case disposition to NOAA for investigation.
Orcas crew conducted numerous boardings over the weekend on both commercial and recreational vessels. The vast majority of the commercial fishing fleet and recreational boating public were in full compliance with federal safety and fisheries law.
However, the Orcas crew found several violations ranging from missing Commercial Fishing Vessel Industry Safety Act examinations, fishing during a closed season, failure to provide an embarkation ladder to the boarding team, and expired or missing safety equipment.
