[ODFW-News] Columbia River will not open to shad or steelhead angling

[Odfw News]

For Immediate Release Tuesday, May 10, 2005
 
Columbia River will not open to shad or steelhead angling 
Decision protects spring chinook stocks

CLACKAMAS - Oregon and Washington fishery managers decided Tuesday to
postpone the upcoming shad and steelhead angling seasons in the Columbia
River in an effort to reduce risks to spring chinook listed under the
federal Endangered Species Act. 
 
Officials emphasized, however, that abundant fishing opportunities
remain for sturgeon in the Columbia and for spring chinook, steelhead
and shad in Columbia River tributaries. The Columbia River Compact will
meet again next Tuesday and could reopen the shad fishery then. 
 
The shad fishery in the mainstem Columbia River was slated to re-open
May 16, from the mouth at Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam. The
steelhead fishery between the Rocky Point-Tongue Point line and the
Interstate 5 Bridge also was slated to open Monday. 
 
The mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 to McNary Dam remains closed to
the harvest of spring chinook. 
 
During a Columbia River Compact teleconference Tuesday morning, Oregon
and Washington fish biologists predicted the number of spring chinook
entering the Columbia River destined for locations above Bonneville Dam
to be 78,800. The pre-season forecast was for 254,100 spring chinook to
enter the Columbia. 
 
"With a run this short of predicted numbers, it is important we do
everything we can to protect these listed salmon stocks," said ODFW
Fisheries Division Assistant Administrator Steve Williams. 
 
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 for ESA-listed Snake River spring/summer chinook and Upper
Columbia River spring chinook are 2 percent for funs greater than
82,000, but drops to 1.5 percent for runs less than 82,000. While the
potential to harm a listed spring chinook is small during the shad and
steelhead seasons, fish managers did not want to take any chances. 
 
The following fisheries provide other angling opportunities:
 
Columbia River and lower Willamette River sturgeon: The area between the
Buoy 10 and Wauna Power lines reopens May 14 for the retention of
sturgeon seven days a week. Between Wauna Power lines and Beacon Rock,
including the lower Willamette River, anglers may retain sturgeon
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Catch-and-release sturgeon angling is
allowed Sunday - Wednesday.
 
Columbia River select area and tributary spring chinook: Tributaries to
the Columbia River including Big Creek, Youngs River and Sandy River
remain open for spring chinook angling under permanent regulations
listed in the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. In addition, Youngs
Bay and Blind/Knappa Slough also remain open. 
 
Willamette River salmon, steelhead and shad: Open for adipose
fin-clipped chinook and adipose fin-clipped steelhead all year with a
two salmon or steelhead daily catch limit under permanent regulations.
Shad fishing also is open all year with no daily catch limits. 
 
In other action, the Columbia River Compact members decided to approve
three commercial fishing periods for spring chinook in the select areas
of Blind/Knappa Slough, Deep River and Youngs Bay beginning tonight at 7
p.m. The remaining two fishing periods will go forward if no upriver
spring chinook are landed tonight. 
 
"Because these fisheries are located outside the mainstem Columbia
River, we expect they will have no impact on salmon bound for upriver,"
Williams said. 
 
Additional information current regulations on open fisheries can be
found in the 2005 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations and the ODFW Web page
at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/Regulations/2005_reg_changes.htm.
Additional information about the Columbia River spring chinook season is
found on ODFW's Web page at
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/OSCRP/CRM/action_notes.html . 
 
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