[ODFW-News] Commercial spring chinook fishery to occur Thursday evening on Columbia

[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	Wednesday, March 03, 2004

Commercial spring chinook fishery to occur Thursday evening 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
Thursday afternoon and evening 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 specialty markets and local
restaurants offering fresh local seafood. 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. These fish often are marketed as
"wild" at fish counters and restaurants because they are caught
by commercial boats, even though they are hatchery-bred.

The commercial fishery will begin at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 4, and
conclude at 7 a.m., Friday, March 5, from the mouth upstream to Kelley
Point, which is near the mouth of the Willamette River. Another 16-hour
fishery may occur Tuesday, March 9, depending on the results of a test
fishery Sunday. A decision could be made at 11 a.m.. Monday on next
week's commercial openers.

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 that are 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
seasons. 

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