Columbia Spring Chinook Reg.s ... scary!

[Pete]

Washington was set to adopt the guidelines today ... Oregon is set to adopt them on Friday 12/14/2001 ... the adopted regulations are then submitted to the Columbia River Compact which sets the sport and commercial seasons on January 31, 2002.

I'm seriously concerned about what is about to happen ... and you should be, too!

There are issues about the equity of the allocation matrix. Click Here to see the NSIA testimony to WDFW on this (http://www.ifish.net/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=008574) and other issues.

--------------------------
Columbia River Compact Hearing
January 31, 2002 10:00 a.m.
Water Resources Education Center
4600 S.E. Columbia Way
Vancouver, Washington 98668
(360) 696-8478
Purpose: To review salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, and smelt stock status and consider commercial fishing seasons and miscellaneous regulations in the mainstem Columbia River.

Joint State Sport Hearing
January 31, 2002 (Immediately following the Compact hearing)
Water Resources Education Center
4600 S.E. Columbia Way
Vancouver, Washington 98668
(360) 696-8478
Purpose: To consider spring chinook sport fishing seasons for 2002 in the mainstem Columbia River.

For further information contact:
Cindy LeFleur, WDFW, (360) 906-6708 or
Pat Frazier, ODFW, (503) 657-2000 ext. 253

[ 12-11-2001: Message edited by: Pete ]</p>

[Jennie@ifish]

Hey, this is important ... I KNOW lots of you fish the springers...
Do we care?
YES!
Jen

[garyk]

ODFW Commission hearing is on the 14th so there's time to contact them. Do it now - rather than complaining later. To the top.

[Nanook]

Wrote them Pete.

Rick

[Pete]

Here's what I wrote ...

Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director’s Office
2501 SW First Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201


RE: Willamette and Columbia River Spring Chinook Fisheries Management; a) Willamette Allocation Plan and b) Columbia River Fisheries Management Policy Guidance


Commissioners;

I have reviewed the Willamette Spring Chinook Allocation Plan and Columbia River Fisheries Management Policy Guidance. I am concerned about several issues. I wish to highlight two issues which cut to the root of my concerns.

Allocation: is it equitable?
Staff recommended allocations are based on exclusive use of "live capture selective fishing techniques" (tangle nets) in the commercial fishery. The 4 ½ inch mesh tangle nets have essentially the same effectiveness as traditional 8 inch gill nets. Yet, staff concludes that using these nets justifies providing "...some level of additional commercial allocation...". I find this conclusion unjustified and unfair.

Tangle net deployment: education, monitoring and enforcement needed.
I believe the change in commercial harvest methods is an important recognition of the importance of protecting depressed, wild stocks. However, changes in nets alone will not accomplish the goal of protecting these fish. As research adequately demonstrates, careful handling and short net set times are equally important to accomplishing the goal of protecting wild fish. To accomplish the goals, three things are necessary, but not clearly stated in the draft Policy Statement:
· Education of commercial fishers on proper handling and release techniques.
· Monitoring of post release survival is essential to validating the new techniques.
· Enforcement and penalty provisions must accompany use of the new tangle nets to ensure short set times and proper handling of released fish.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on this very important issue.
Sincerely,

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: Pete ]</p>

[Pete]

Well, the OFWC adopted the proposed regulations without any changes from the draft plan ...
-----exerpt from press release------
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin (503) 872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us) Fax: (503) 872-5700

For Immediate Release December 14, 2001
Willamette Spring Chinook Sharing Plan Adopted

PORTLAND - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a two-year plan Friday that aims to equitably split the hatchery spring chinook run heading back to the Willamette River system between commercial and sport fishers.

The plan allocates greater shares of the harvestable fish to sport fishers when the hatchery run size is smaller. Commercial fishers will have increasing shares when the hatchery runs are larger and would receive 30 percent of the harvest allocation when the hatchery run is expected to be 75,000 fish. Escapement goals must be expected to be met before fishing seasons may begin.

ODFW biologists predict a 66,400 hatchery spring chinook run size for 2002 compared to 80,000 in 2001.

Willamette spring chinook are fished in the lower Columbia River, Willamette River and Clackamas River in extremely popular sport fisheries and profitable commercial fisheries. ODFW expects the Columbia River sport fishery to occur in April and end in early May, 2002. Fishery managers must also balance the impacts to threatened stocks of wild upriver Columbia spring Chinook, which return near the same time the Willamette-bound fish return.