Oregon’s Sturgeon Bag Limit Reduced to One Fish

Under new rules adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission, Oregon’s sturgeon bag limit will be reduced to one fish per year beginning in 2013.

The new rule covers all Oregon waters including the North Santiam, all other inland rivers, bays and estuaries.  The ruling supersedes a two fish annual bag limit set last September as part of the 2013 Sport Fishing Regulations.

At its December 7, 2012 meeting, the Commission considered a proposal from an Oregon/Washington Workgroup to close sturgeon retention in most state waters in 2013, but decided on the reduced bag limit as a transition to catch-and-release only fishing in 2014.

The reduced bag limit comes after several years of declining harvest quotas reflecting concerns about shrinking numbers of legal-sized fish.