North Coast Workgroup

Species

• Albacore
• Cabezon
• Black Rockfish
• Lingcod
• Fall Chinook (threatened)
• Coho (threatened)
• Dungeness Crab
• Pacific Halibut
• Razor Clams
• Sturgeon (Catch-and-Release only)
• Surfperch

Overview

The North Coast of Oregon is a rugged and storied saltwater-to-river gateway, spanning 100 miles of wild beaches, rocky headlands, and fog-shrouded bays from Seaside to the Washington border. World-famous for its massive Buoy 10 chinook and coho salmon fishery at the Columbia River’s mouth, the area erupts each August with combat fishing from jetties, drift boats, and trollers chasing bright fall kings and silver coho bound for the Columbia and coastal streams. Winter black rockfish, lingcod, and cabezon thrive along nearshore reefs and the Astoria jetties, while spring brings halibut off the bar and summer delivers albacore tuna 30–50 miles offshore. Dungeness crab and razor clams fuel shore-based harvests, and small coastal rivers like the Necanicum, Nehalem, and Tillamook feed strong runs of wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead. From bar-crossing thrill rides to jetty perch and surfperch, Astoria and its surrounding bays and beaches anchor Oregon’s most intense ocean-river convergence, sustaining a deep-rooted fishing culture amid storms and tides. This region was historically served by our now defunct North Coast chapter, but none of our chapters currently serve the area.

Our Accomplishments

• 1973: Proposed & helped pass legislation eliminating gill net take of striped bass in Coos Bay, setting a precedent for limiting gill net impacts on salmon in coastal estuaries, a model later applied to North Coast bays like Tillamook and Nehalem.
• 1995: North Coast chapter (now defunct) proposed and helped pass bill regarding cormorant predation of salmon and steelhead, allowing a limited take to improve outmigration survival in North Coast estuaries and lower rivers.
• 2006: Prevented "ship breaking" in Yaquina Bay, and in 2007 proposed and helped pass a statewide ban on the practice, protecting all Oregon coastal estuaries - including North Coast harbors like Astoria and Garibaldi - from toxic pollution and invasive species.
• 2012: Helped limit Impacts of marine reserves on sport fishing by proposing tiered protections and sunset clauses, ensuring continued sport fishing access in most North Coast nearshore waters while allowing conservation in designated zones.
• 2016: ANWS involvement was cited in the decision to drop a proposal for a LNG terminal in Warrenton, preventing dredging and access restrictions in the lower Columbia estuary and preserving Buoy 10 salmon fishery access.

Goals

Our North Coast Ambassador will establish our goals for the future of the North Coast, to be posted here.

Threats and Challenges

Our North Coast Ambassador will track threats and challenges to the North Coast, to be posted here.