[ODFW-News] CORRECTED Umatilla River news release

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020 or Mary Hoverson (503) 963-2138	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 947-6009
	

For Immediate Release	Friday, May 7, 2004

Spring chinook angling closes Thursday in lower Umatilla River

PENDLETON - The Umatilla River downstream of Three Mile Dam will close to spring chinook angling effective 12:01 a.m., Thursday, May 13, because the harvest goal will be met, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today. The remainder of the river will remain open under the rules in the 2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. 

The spring chinook angling rules are:
·	The Umatilla River from the mouth at the Columbia River upstream to the Highway 730 Bridge is closed to the harvest of spring chinook, effective May 6;
·	The Umatilla River from the Highway 730 Bridge upstream to Three Mile Dam is closed to angling for spring chinook, effective 12:01 a.m., Thursday, May 13.
·	The Umatilla River from Three Mile Dam upstream to the reservation boundary located upstream of the Highway 11 Bridge at Pendleton is open to the harvest of spring chinook through June 30. The daily bag limit is two salmon.

Fisheries in the Umatilla River are co-managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Based on the expected return of 3,000 fish, biologists set a harvest goal of 450 salmon for the non-tribal sport fishery. Biologists anticipate that 80 percent of the harvest goal will be met by the May 13. The lower Umatilla River is being closed so that the remaining 20 percent of the harvest goal will be available for harvest in the upriver fishery, and to ensure that the harvest goal is not exceeded.

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