Fishery managers have closed Chinook retention in the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery to ensure that non-treaty fisheries remain within the 15 percent allowable harvest rate on upriver bright fall Chinook.
Retention of Chinook is now prohibited in the mainstem from the Buoy 10 line upstream to the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco, Wash.
Coho fisheries in the mainstem Columbia River will remain open with the following bag limits:
Area: Buoy 10 line upstream to Tongue Point/Rocky Point lineDaily adult bag limit: 3 hatchery coho
Area: Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to Bonneville DamDaily adult bag limit: 2 hatchery coho
Area: Bonneville Dam upstream to Hwy 395 bridge in Pasco, Wash.Daily adult bag limit: 2 coho (only hatchery coho may be retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge)
All other previously adopted regulations remain in effect. Hatchery coho jacks may also be retained (5 per day).
Chinook retention had reopened Oct. 1 after closing earlier this season when the recreational fishery exceeded its allowable impact to ESA-listed LCR tule fall Chinook. While tules have mostly entered tributaries by late September, the states must limit the non-treaty harvest rate on upriver bright fall Chinook to no more than 15 percent as specified in the current U.S. v. Oregon Management Agreement.
“We are taking a prudent approach to limiting additional harvest of fall Chinook while maintaining a coho-directed fishing opportunity,” said Tucker Jones, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ocean Salmon and Columbia River program manager. “This step will keep us within our allowable harvest limits.”
Fishery managers also rescinded two commercial fall Chinook periods planned for Oct. 9 and 12, again to avoid exceeding the overall non-treaty upriver bright fall Chinook harvest rate.
For the latest Columbia River regulations visit the ODFW website.
