NEWPORT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Fisheries Research team is conducting a nearly 10-week at-sea survey to better understand the population status of black, blue, and deacon rockfish—three species that form the foundation of Oregon’s nearshore recreational, charter, and commercial fisheries.
This is the second coastwide, fishery-independent study of its kind. The first, conducted August-October 2021, filled longstanding data gaps and helped avoid dramatic reductions in black rockfish quotas during the most recent stock assessment (2023).
While both commercial and recreational quotas of black rockfish decreased by 33 percent this year, ODFW’s lead marine researcher Leif Rasmuson said it could have been worse if not for the 2021 survey data being included in the stock assessment.
“Black rockfish are incredibly important to our coastal identity and economy,” said Rasmuson. “Without the survey data, quotas would have been further reduced causing even more negative economic impacts to coastal communities.”
Historically, fish population estimates were based on commercial and recreational fisheries catch data. These data were the only data used in the stock assessment (a model that uses fishery and survey information to create a population estimate) to inform quotas in both fisheries.
But the fishing community, managers, and scientists alike have pushed for including fishery-independent data into the stock assessments. In response, ODFW researchers developed a survey approach using scientific fish finders and underwater video cameras to count fish in nearshore waters.
This survey method, reviewed and validated by international experts, generates credible data that is expected to increase the accuracy of the next black rockfish stock assessment.
Future fishery-independent surveys will be funded in part by the Ocean Endorsement (OE) fee for recreational ocean fishing that begins Jan. 1, 2026. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will permanently establish the OE at their Sept. 12 meeting.
The 2025 Oregon State Legislature approved HB2342 that included this endorsement to specifically fund future rockfish surveys in Oregon’s state waters. More nearshore fish population surveys are important because they give scientists assessing populations more confidence in their models. This ultimately benefits anglers when better data informs management decisions.
For those who intend to fish in the ocean, an annual OE will cost $9 and a daily OE will cost $4 for both residents and non-residents. Those who fish for salmon and steelhead in the ocean do not need an OE unless another marine finfish is retained (such as rockfish, lingcod, tuna, etc.). An OE is not required for shellfishing.
The Marine Fisheries Research team departed from Newport Aug. 1 to begin the survey. The survey includes all of Oregon coast’s rocky reef nearshore habitat. When the survey is completed, researchers will begin finalizing the data, after which, the team will present the data at a free online webinar that is open to the public.