Oregon Proposes Limited Yelloweye Rockfish Harvest for May 2027

Oregon is considering a limited return to yelloweye rockfish harvest in 2027, with a proposal to let recreational anglers retain one yelloweye within their daily groundfish bag during May. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to consider the rules December 11 in Salem. This is a proposed season, not permission to keep yelloweye now.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s October 27 announcement describes the proposal as a possible first harvest opportunity in more than 20 years. Its staff summary specifies a one-fish yelloweye sub-bag limit during May. That means a limit within the recreational groundfish bag, not an extra fish added on top of it. Limited commercial yelloweye fishing is also proposed.

The opportunity follows a long rebuilding effort. In its yelloweye recovery account, ODFW credits fishermen’s avoidance of the species, bycatch controls, habitat protections and greater use of descending devices to return released fish to depth. The agency also describes the role of long-leader gear in allowing fishing for other species while reducing encounters with yelloweye.

Caution matters with this fish. ODFW says yelloweye can live well beyond 100 years and may take a decade or two to reach reproductive maturity. A rebuilt population does not make unrestricted harvest appropriate. The proposed short season and low limit would reopen a small opportunity while keeping catch under management controls. Anglers should check the final adopted regulations before planning a yelloweye trip; the December vote could change the proposal.

Most proposed 2027 groundfish regulations would remain similar to 2026. Another change would raise the commercial nearshore fishery’s bimonthly cabezon vessel limit from 2,000 to 2,500 pounds. That is a commercial vessel limit, not a recreational bag-limit increase. The rulemaking page links the proposed rules, staff summary and public-comment form.

For written comments, the formal rulemaking notice and ODFW’s October 27 release give November 11 at 8 a.m. as the deadline. The commission agenda’s groundfish entry currently lists November 10 at 8 a.m. instead. Because the agency’s pages disagree, submit before the earlier listed cutoff or confirm the deadline directly with ODFW rather than waiting until the last morning. These are Oregon meeting times.

Public testimony will also be accepted at the December 11 meeting. Remote speakers must register by December 9 at 8 a.m.; people speaking in person on an agenda item can sign up at the meeting. Use the commission agenda for participation links and updates. For anglers, the immediate opportunity is to comment on how a recovered stock should support carefully limited fishing—not to treat a proposed rule as an open season.

Illustrative file photograph: The striped fish at upper left is a juvenile yelloweye rockfish; the larger fish in the foreground is a rosy rockfish, photographed in California’s Channel Islands, not an Oregon catch from the proposed season. Photo: Dr. John Butler, NOAA NMFS SWFSC, via NOAA Photo Library, licensed CC BY 2.0. Image used without editorial alteration.