[ODFW-News] Boating safety concerns prompt change to Columbia River angling rule

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young; (503) 947-6020
Toll-free: 800-720-6339 (ODFW)	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 947-6009
	

For Immediate Release	Monday, March 08, 2004

Boating safety concerns prompt Oregon and Washington
to change Columbia River angling rules

SALEM - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife will both adopt a temporary rule this
week to increase the safety of Columbia River anglers fishing from boats
longer than 30 feet. The rule goes into effect Wednesday, March 10.

A rule adopted last month prohibits anglers in the Columbia River from
totally removing from the water any non-fin-clipped salmon or steelhead.
Anglers are required to remove the hooks from non-fin-clipped fish while
the fish remains in the water. A net may be used to keep the fish close
to the boat or bank. The rule was adopted at the urging of fishing
enthusiasts and fish conservation advocates to protect the health of
fish listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered
Species Act.

This change responds to U.S. Coast Guard concerns that anglers in boats
longer than 30 feet will put themselves at risk of falling overboard if
they comply with the new rule. These concerns prompted ODFW and WDFW to
adopt an exemption of the fish handling rule for anglers in larger
boats.

The revised rule states: "Effective March 10, 2004, through May 15,
2004, in the mainstem Columbia River upstream of the Rocky Point/Tongue
Point line, it is unlawful when fishing from vessels which are less than
30 feet in length, substantiated by Coast Guard documentation or Marine
Board registration, to totally remove from the water any salmon or
steelhead to be released."
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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002