Lewis River Anglers Must Release Chinook Salmon
June 5, 2008
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Starting Saturday (June 7), anglers will be required to release any spring chinook salmon they intercept on the Lewis River under a new fishing rule approved today by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
The new rule will be in effect until further notice from the mouth of the Lewis River to the mouth of the East Fork, and from the mouth of the North Fork Lewis to the overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam.
Pat Frazier, WDFW regional fish manager, said the new rule is designed to increase the number of spring chinook available for hatchery broodstock. As with the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers, which were closed to chinook retention last month, chinook returns to the Lewis River are falling short of hatchery production goals, Frazier said.
“As most anglers know, spring chinook returns to the Columbia River and several of its tributaries have fallen short of expectations,” Frazier said. “If we don’t meet our hatchery production goals, we could wind up with an even bigger shortfall in future years.”
Through June 4, collections of female chinook salmon on the Lewis River were 200 fish short of the number needed for hatchery broodstock, Frazier said.
Meanwhile, the steelhead return has been strong this year to both the North Fork Lewis and Cowlitz rivers, where WDFW has increased the catch limit to three hatchery fish per day. The three-fish limit, adopted in mid-May, is not affected by the requirement to release chinook salmon on those rivers.
On the North Fork Lewis River, the three-fish limit will remain in effect through Sept. 30 from Colvin Creek upstream to the overhead powerlines below Merwin Dam and through Oct. 31 from the Interstate 5 Bridge upstream to Colvin Creek.
“Returns of hatchery steelhead have been better than expected, allowing us to increase catch limits for those fish on some rivers,” Frazier said. “Once conservation goals have been met, we look for every opportunity to increase fishing opportunities where we can.”
The Grays and Elochoman rivers, for example, were recently opened for spring chinook, providing additional fishing opportunities while also helping to remove stray hatchery fish. It was one of a number of in-season management actions designed to align fishing rules for Columbia River tributaries with fish available for harvest.
Catch limits and other rules noted below replace those referenced in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm
:
Cowlitz River: All spring chinook salmon must be released through July 31 from boundary markers at the mouth to Mayfield Dam. However, anglers may retain up to three hatchery steelhead through Oct. from the Highway 4 Bridge at Kelso upstream to Mayfield Dam.
Drano Lake: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, through June 30 downstream from markers across from the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream of the Highway 14 Bridge. However, all fishing at Drano Lake will be closed June 11 to avoid gear conflicts with Yakama tribal fisheries.
Elochoman River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, through July 31 from the mouth to West Fork.
Grays River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, plus two hatchery steelhead through July 31 from the mouth of the mainstem Grays River to the South Fork and from the mouth of the West Fork Grays River to the hatchery intake/footbridge.
Kalama River: All spring chinook salmon must be released through July 31 from boundary markers at the mouth of the river to the upper salmon hatchery.
Wind River: Anglers may retain up to six hatchery spring chinook salmon, including two adults, from the buoy line/markers at the mouth of the river upstream to a point 400 feet below Shipherd Falls; from a point 100 feet above the falls to 400 feet below the coffer dam; and from a point 100 feet above the coffer dam to 800 yards below the Carson National Fish Hatchery.
Meanwhile, the mainstem Columbia River remains closed until further notice for salmon and steelhead fishing below Interstate 5, but will open no later than June 16.
For any additional regulation changes, anglers can call the Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) or check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).
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Fish and Wildlife Commission to consider modifying regulations for coastal fall chinook
May 30, 2008
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet June 5-6 in Salem at ODFW Headquarters to consider modifying coastal fall chinook fishing regulations. The Commission will also be asked to approve ODFW’s budget request for the 2009-2011 biennium.
On Thursday, June 5 beginning at 1 p.m., the Commission will participate in an Energy and Water Development workshop with representatives from Governor Kulongoski’s office, Oregon Department of Energy and Oregon Department of Water Resources. Issues including wave and wind energy projects’ impact on fish and wildlife and water supply and conservation will be discussed. The public is welcome to attend the workshop but no public testimony will be taken.
Friday’s meeting begins at 8 a.m. and proceeds chronologically through an agenda available at
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/08/06_june/index.asp
The Commission will be asked to approve in concept a set of one-year restrictive regulations for coastal fall chinook salmon in terminal, bay and river fisheries. The temporary regulations include reductions in daily and seasonal bag limits and area closures to protect spawning fish.
The new regulations are necessary to meet conservation goals in light of poor runs forecasted for this fall. In addition, the proposals meet Oregon coastal fall chinook conservation obligations under Pacific Salmon Treaty.
The Commission will review and be asked to approve the 2009-2011 Agency Request Budget. ODFW staff hosted a series of town hall meetings during the spring to present budget proposals and get feedback from the public. Based on the department’s need to maintain the level of services it currently provides, staff are recommending fee increases on both sport and commercial licenses beginning in 2010.
Revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and tags supports approximately one-third of the agency’s budget. These fees were last increased in January 2004. Once a proposed budget is approved by the Commission, it will be submitted to the Governor for his consideration. ODFW’s budget will ultimately be determined by the 2009 Legislature.
The Commission will adopt controlled hunt tag numbers for fall 2008 big game (deer, elk, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, pronghorn antelope, spring bear) hunting seasons and will be asked to approve 2009 big game hunting regulations in concept.Â
The Access and Habitat Program will ask the Commission to approve grants for 10 projects that will improve hunter access and/or wildlife habitat on private land and the allocation of 2009 auction and raffle tags. The A&H program is funded by a $2 surcharge on hunting licenses and the annual auction and raffle of deer and elk tags. It has provided hunter access to more than 6 million acres of private land and improved more than a half million acres of wildlife habitat.
The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues in the state. The seven-member panel meets monthly. Agenda item exhibits may be requested by calling the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044.
Public testimony will be held Friday morning immediately following the expenditure report. Persons seeking to testify on issues not on the formal agenda may do so by making arrangements with the ODFW Director’s Office, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, by calling 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044.
Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call the ODFW Director’s Office at 800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
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Ocean Salmon Fishery Opens June 1 With a Focus on Chinook, Conservation
May 28, 2008
OLYMPIA – The sport fishery for salmon begins June 1 off the southern coast of Washington, where the first anglers of the season will cast off from Westport and Ilwaco a full month earlier than usual.
On June 3, salmon fishing begins on the north coast out of LaPush and Neah Bay.
This year’s early start will give ocean anglers an opportunity to catch hatchery chinook salmon before the bulk of the coho run arrives off the Washington coast, said Doug Milward, ocean salmon manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
That is a key conservation strategy in a year when fishery managers are predicting low returns of coho salmon throughout the West Coast, Milward said. In Washington, this year’s catch quota for coho will be the lowest in a decade.
But unlike California, where the collapse of the Sacramento River chinook run prompted a complete closure of that state’s ocean fishery, hatchery chinook are returning to the Columbia River in sufficient numbers to support a fishery off the Washington coast, he said.
In all, up to 20,000 chinook salmon – up from 16,500 last year – will be available for harvest by sportfishers in the state’s coastal waters.
“We could actually have a pretty good chinook fishery in June,” Milward said. “There will also be a season in July, but there’s a good chance we’ll have to close the fishery earlier than in previous years to meet conservation goals for coho salmon.”
Under this year’s rules, anglers are limited to one chinook salmon per day from June 1-28. All other salmon species – including coho – must be released during that period.
Starting June 29, the daily limit will increase to two salmon per day, including one chinook. As in past years, anglers may retain fin-clipped hatchery coho, but must release any unmarked wild coho they intercept.
Salmon fishing in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) opens June 1, seven days per week. Marine Area 2 (Westport) also opens June 1, but fishing is restricted to Sundays through Thursdays. On the north coast, fishing opens June 3 in marine areas 3 and 4 (LaPush and Neah Bay) five days per week, Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Additional fishing regulations, including minimum size limits and area catch guidelines are described in WDFW’s Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regs_seasons.html.
This year’s 20,350-fish coho quota – the lowest in a decade – will likely be a significant constraint on the fishery, Milward said. In contrast, last year’s quota was 117,500 fish.
The low coho quota this year reflects a forecast of poor coho returns to the Columbia River, which produces more of those fish than any river in the state, Milward said. According to preseason projections, only about 196,000 coho are predicted to return to the Columbia this year, compared to an actual return of 462,000 in 2007.
Fishery managers have attributed the low coho returns expected to the Columbia and other rivers to poor ocean conditions in 2005 and 2006.
“The limited seasons we have crafted this year are carefully designed to meet or exceed our conservation objectives while providing opportunities to harvest healthy hatchery chinook stocks,” said Phil Anderson, WDFW deputy director. “Anglers who want to participate in this year’s fishery off the Washington coast should plan to go early, because we’re likely to reach the limited catch quotas earlier than usual.”
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