[ODFW-News] First commercial spring chinook fishery to occur Tuesday

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 947-6009
	

For Immediate Release	Monday, March 01, 2004

First commercial spring chinook fishery to occur Tuesday on the
Columbia River

CLACKAMAS - The states of Washington and Oregon working as the Columbia
River Compact today authorized a 16-hour commercial gillnet fishery for
Tuesday in the lower Columbia River for hatchery-bred spring chinook.

The fish caught by commercial boats in this fishery are prized for
their flavor and will soon be found in local restaurants offering fresh
local seafood and specialty markets. Spring chinook provide tremendous
economic benefit to both the commercial and sport-fishing industries
because of its high quality and because it is the first fresh non-farmed
salmon of the season. 

The commercial fishery will begin at 5 a.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 2, from the mouth upstream to Kelley Point, which near
the mouth of the Willamette River. Another 16-hour fishery may occur
Thursday, March 4, depending on the results of tomorrow's fishery. A
decision will be made at 1 p.m., Wednesday.

Commercial fishermen must use gillnets that have mesh openings no
smaller than 9 inches and no larger than 9.75 inches to lessen the
chance that steelhead will be caught in them. Nets may not be in the
water longer than 45 minutes before being brought in the boat for fish
removal. All fish that are not adipose fin-clipped spring chinook must
be released. Boats must have a recovery box on board to revive all
lethargic or bleeding wild salmon or steelhead before being returned to
the water. 

Fish biologists from the Oregon and Washington departments of fish and
wildlife predict the total run of Columbia River spring chinook will be
the second-highest since 1938, when counting began. About 500,000 wild
and hatchery spring chinook are forecast to enter the Columbia River in
2004. Of the total run, 70-80 percent are marked by a missing adipose
fin to designate them as "keepers." Biologists estimate a total
mainstem harvest of about 50,000 hatchery-bred spring chinook, split
between sport anglers and the commercial fishing industry.

Fish managers set the Columbia River spring chinook fishery based on
the number of fish expected to return from the ocean and the allowable
impact to wild salmon and steelhead stocks listed under the federal
Endangered Species Act. "Impacts" are the unintended mortalities
associated with handling and releasing wild fish. The allowed non-Indian
impacts are 2 percent of the total runs of ESA-listed Snake River spring
chinook, Upper Columbia River spring chinook, and Columbia Basin winter
steelhead. 

The total 2 percent allowable impact is split 1.2 percent to the sport
fisheries and 0.8 percent to the commercial fishers for the 2004-2005
fisheries. 

Sport angling will continue during the commercial fishery. Sport rules
currently in effect may be found on the ODFW web site at:
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/Regulations/2004_reg_changes.htm 

In addition, anglers may call 503-947-6001 or 800-720-6339 ext. 76001
to hear recorded information about the commercial fishery in the
Columbia River and the current regulations for the sport fishery. 


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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002