Columbia reopening

[SteelieSteve]

Article in the Oregonian today states that a conference call between Oregon and Washington would take place on Friday to discuss the catch numbers and the possible reopening for a day or two. Also states that it is doubtful that the river will be reopened. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[finclipped]

Sailcat, I noticed the same thing. Comparing this year to years past, it would seem that our fish counts should hold up for the next month even with the low water. Looking at 1977 (another low water year) I see that 55% of the run went over the dam as of April 18th. If we look at other years wiht higher water flows, that percentage is even smaller. So if we have seen 55% of the run already go over Bonneville, our updated estimated run would be around 409,091. (225,000/55%) This is higher than the 364,000 orginally estimated. Not to mention sport anglers and commercial anglers have already caught 28,000 of them. This is the most conservative estimate I could come up with. I think the run will be closer to 460,000 fish and could be as high as 500,000 fish.

[CATCH AND EAT]

finclipped, i would agree with your revised statement of 460,000 fish. odfw has grossly miscalculated the number of fish coming up the river. at the same time i just can't stand the idea that they will not reopen this fishery. it seems that the native americans are really scooping the fish up right now and selling them for 4 bucks a pound uncleaned with head and tail attached. so if your fish weighed out at 15lbs undressed that would be $67.00. figure 30% retention if fileted is 4.5lbs of meat from a 15lb fish equals $15.00 a pound. no bargin here to the consumer.

i would just like to know where all of these fish are going to end up? federal jails or indian tribes? my bet is that it will not reopen

[SailCat]

finclipped-

Actually, 365,000 isn't even the Bonneville number. Check out this quote:

"Biologists expected a record 294,000 salmon to pass through the ladders between April 1 and May 20. Just several weeks into April, biologists have counted about 170,000 fish."

This from a news story, but the numbers are already approaching 225,000 and it's just the 19th of April. The River will re-open if the run is larger than predicted, according to the ODFW and WDFW. Will they keep their word?

Complete news story is here.

~MT

[DF]

im not sure if they will keep thier word. The nets are supposed to go in the 26th I think

[SteelieSteve]

I was just repeating what was stated in the article. I think they should give us another week anyway. I beleive the run could easily top 500,000. Bernie - I just got back from the store and fresh springer is going for $11.99 a pound steak or fillet. What are they going to do with all those fish that don't get netted by the tribes??? [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[SailCat]

SteelieSteve-

If I were a betting man (and I am) I would wager on the side of some additional days being made available for springer fishing on the Columbia.

The reasoning behind this is that the closure was said to allow the ODFW/WDFW to determine whether or not the run is actually larger that was predicted. With 27,000 fish over Bonneville yesterday and over 225,000 counted so far, it becomes obvious that the run will indeed be greater than the 365,000 total predicted.

Either that, or they're liars and we're victims. That'd be the other possibility.

~Michael T.

[CATCH AND EAT]

[img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] STEELIE, I GUESS FERTILIZER FOR A ROSE GAREN, CATFOOD, SELL SCALES TO PAINT MANUFACTURES FOR CUSTOM PAINT, SEND EXCESS FISH TO FEDERAL PENS, LAY CARCASES ALONG THE RIVER TO FEED SMOLTS, GRIND THEM IN THE TURBINS AFTER THEY DIE, FEED THE STURGEON, FEED THE SEA GULLS, CLUB THEM AT THE HATCHERY, AND MOST OF ALL GIVE THE EXCESS TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS SO THEY CAN SELL THEM AT THE LOCKS. OTHER THAN THAT WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO WITH THESE NOW ESTIMATED 500,000 FISH? CERTAINLY WE WILL NOT BE GIVEN MUCH OPPERTUNITY TO GET AT THEM.