ODFW PRESS RELEASE: Lower Columbia River Sport Fishery Extended

[Pete]

For Immediate Release May 6, 2002
Lower Columbia River Sport Fishery Extended

PORTLAND - The lower Columbia River spring chinook fishery will stay open through May 15, Washington and Oregon managers decided today after reviewing the run size.
The lower Columbia River fishery from the mouth to Bonneville Dam continues for angling for adipose fin-clipped hatchery spring chinook, adipose fin-clipped hatchery steelhead, and shad through Wednesday, May 15.
Biologists upgraded the Columbia River spring chinook run size to 309,000 from last week's estimate of 293,000 fish. The non-Indian mainstem Columbia fisheries are managed to limit unintended mortalities associated with the release of wild spring chinook to 1.7 percent of the total wild run. The wild fish are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Managers estimate the allowed impact will approach the 1.7 percent limit by the end of fishing May 15.
The mainstem Columbia River from Tower Island in upper Bonneville Pool upstream to McNary Dam is also open for adipose fin-clipped spring chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead, and shad through May 15. Managers will meet again Monday, May 13 to review the spring chinook run and decide if the fishery above Bonneville Dam can be extended beyond May 15.
Beginning May 16, the lower Columbia will close to angling for adult chinook salmon. However, angling for adipose fin-clipped steelhead and adipose fin-clipped jack chinook salmon opens May 16 below the Interstate 5 bridge and June 16 above the Interstate 5 bridge. Angling for shad re-opens May 16, and angling for fall chinook and adipose fin-clipped coho opens Aug. 1.
No changes were made to any fisheries in the Columbia River tributaries.

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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact:Anne Pressentin Young (503)872-5264 x5356
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 872-5700

[ 05-06-2002, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: Pete ]