WDFW Recommends 50/50 allocation ??

Cowlitzfisherman · 01-08-2004, 06:14 PM

I know that a lot of members on this board are very concerned about the up coming commercial fishing season on our spring chinook, so I thought that you guys might want to know what was posted on another fishing board. Does anyone else known anything about this 50/50 spilt?

This is what the post said;

Quote:

"A good source has told me that Cindy LeFleur, WDFW Columbia River Manager, will recommend a 50/50 Columbia River Spring Chinook sport/commercial allocation."

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Does anyone else known anything about this 50/50 spilt?

Cowlitzfisherman

Pete · 01-08-2004, 06:33 PM

There are a half dozen threads on this board about the allocation discussion. Here are some highlights:

Allocation Options

Columbia Springer Options

ODFW meeting 1/9

[ 01-08-2004, 07:38 PM: Message edited by: Pete ]

Cowlitzfisherman · 01-09-2004, 08:04 AM

Pete

Can you answer these questions for me?

I must plead to be ignorant on this issue so that is why I am asking this question. I thought that I had read on some other thread that NMSF is only allowing a total take of 4% on wild listed chinook. It was also my understanding that out of that figure, both sport and commercial fishers would have to "divide" that 4% impact in half with the tribes.

This would then mean that the sport/commercial would then be allowed a joint maximum allowable take of 2%, and other 2% would be tribes allowable take. Are these the correct figures?

If so, does anyone know what NMFS overall allowable "take" has been on these listed stocks by the commercials fishery BEFORE they have returned to the Columbia? Are the commercials fishers getting a overall larger "share" of the spring chinook then the tribes and sport fishers are?

Is the total "overall" acceptable take of listed spring chinook 4%, or is there more "allowable takes" being given to the commercials? If so, are they being figured into the overall allowable harvest of these stocks? If so, do you know that what those figures are? Is NMFS allowing the commercial fisheries to take more of the "overall take" then the sport fishery and tribes are in fisheries outside the Columbia?

Thanks

Cowlitzfisherman

Pitch Pocket · 01-09-2004, 10:04 AM

50/50 split? Please correct me if I'm wrong, but simple math is all that is needed to see that this is a boondoggle in favor of the commercial fisherman, and is in no way an actual 50/50 split.

I think we should split the mortality allowance rather than the number of fish allowed for harvest.

The mortality rate for commercials is about 1 in 5 released non-finclipped salmon compared to the sport fisherman's 1 in 10.

If the percentage of non-fin clipped fish caught and released are equal for the commercial nets and the sport caught fish, a 50/50 split will result in the commercials killing twice as many endangered fish as the sport fisherman.

It seems logical to me that they should split the impact by allowing commercials 5 of every 15 fish or 1/3 of the harvest to match the sport fishermans 10 of 15 fish or 2/3 of the harvest. That split would result in both camps having the same impact on the endangered fish.

If they have a 50/50 split of harvestable fish, they will have 2/3 of the allowable mortality figure to the sport fisherman's 1/3.

With only 1/3 of the allowable mortality figure, our days are numbered. No way will we get 50% of the fish because 2/3 of the allowable endangered kill will most likely already be met before the run is over.

Pete · 01-09-2004, 01:40 PM

The split is the allocation of the impact on ESA listed fish. Non-native anglers are permitted to kill 1.7% of the wild chinook below Bonneville. The allocation is a determination of how that 1.7% is split. About one in ten wild fish handled by sports anglers dies. About 2 in ten handled by gill netters dies (actually 18.5%). The result is sports anglers will keep about twice as many fish as the netters before they reach their allowable impact quota. Based on a 50/50 split, that would result in a commercial catch of 19,986 fish based on the expected returns, and 29,288 for sport fishers. The allocation decision on February 5th in Oregon City at the Compact Hearings will be between 50/50 and 40/60, commercial/sport, which would be 17,666 for the commercials and 33,580 keepers for sport fishers.

Cowlitzfisherman · 01-09-2004, 03:55 PM

Pete/or anyone

Doesn't anyone know the answer to this question?

Quote:

If so, does anyone know what NMFS overall allowable "take" has been on these listed stocks by the commercials fishery BEFORE they have returned to the Columbia? Are the commercials fishers getting an overall larger "share" of the spring chinook then the tribes and sport fishers are?

Is the total "overall" acceptable take of listed spring chinook 4%, or is there more "allowable takes" being given to the commercials? If so, are they being figured into the overall allowable harvest of these stocks? If so, do you know that what those figures are? Is NMFS allowing the commercial fisheries to take more of the "overall take" then the sport fishery and tribes are in fisheries outside the Columbia?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">What's going on with the "total take" of these spring chinook, and what are the numbers?
Someone must have those answers!

Thanks

Cowlitzfisherman

Cowlitzfisherman · 01-09-2004, 05:54 PM

Come on, all you guys out there....

Someone most know the answer!!!

Cowlitzfisherman

Pete · 01-09-2004, 06:10 PM

In the Columbia,
US v. Oregon , divides the run in half.

By a complicated agreement, which we as sport fishers should be thankful for, we share 2% of the impact on ESA listed fish.

In the Ocean fisheries, the PFMC manages the fishery. There's a lot to read behind that link ... I couldn't find the answer to your question on a quick scan.