Marine Board Holding Siletz River Rulemaking Work Session And Public Comment Opportunity June 17, In Newport - 06/10/26

The Oregon State Marine Board will hold a work session and a public comment opportunity at two separate times on June 17, 2026.

The Work Session begins at 11:00 am at The Port of Newport Administrative Building Commission Room, 600 SE Bay Blvd, located in Newport, Oregon. The public can view the work session online, and it is being *livestreamed via Teams Town Hall.

The public comment opportunity begins at 3:00 pm and will conclude after the last speaker or by 6:00 pm, whichever occurs first. Public comments will be accepted both in person and online. To provide public comments online during the meeting, please *use this Teams link. To provide in-person testimony, there will be a table with a sign-in roster when you arrive.

The public comment opportunity will end no later than 6:00 pm. Any speakers who have not had the opportunity to provide comments can submit written comments before the deadline at 11:55 pm on July 20, 2026, and can be emailed to jennifer.cooper@boat.oregon.gov or by US mail to Oregon State Marine Board, Attn: Jennifer Cooper, 435 Commercial St NE Ste 400 Salem, OR 97301.

Comments will not be accepted after the July 20, 2026, deadline, including the quarterly July 30th Marine Board Meeting.

*Please note that the links for the work session and public comments are different. You will need to use the separate links to view each portion. Mobile devices may require installing a free Teams app.

View the meeting agenda and materials on the Marine Board’s Public Meetings page.

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Waterway Access Permits Waived For Non-motorized Boats During ODFW Free Fishing Days, June 6 , 7 (Photo) - 05/28/26

The Oregon State Marine Board, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), will not require non-motorized boat operators to have a waterway access permit in conjunction with free fishing, clamming and crabbing days.

In 2019, when the Waterway Access Permit program was approved by the Oregon Legislature, with an exemption for permit requirements on ODFW-designated Free Fishing Days. In 2025, the program was expanded, requiring all lengths of non-motorized boats to purchase a waterway access permit when operating a boat on the water. One hundred percent (100%) of the revenue supports two important programs: aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection stations, managed by ODFW, and non-motorized access development and facility improvements via OSMB boating facility grants to public facility owners wanting to improve access specifically serving paddlers.

Per ODFW, no fishing/shellfish licenses or tags/validations are required on these days (meaning you do not need a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement, Ocean Endorsement or two-rod validation where two rods are allowed). Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free. Oregon State Parks also offers free parking on Saturday, June 6.

Existing exemptions include youth 13 and younger, surfboards, sailboards and kiteboards, and non-motorized boats under 10 feet engaged in whitewater recreation activities on a Marine Board Whitewater Exempt Waterways void of any developed access sites. See a list of exemptions on the Marine Board’s Waterway Access Permit FAQ page.

Read ODFW’s Free Fishing Days news release and what rules apply.

For people new to non-motorized boating, visit the Marine Board’s map of waterways designated as restricted motor or electric motor only to help you plan your weekend adventure.

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