West Coast — Cassandra Marie Profita California and Oregon: Forecasts say the constraint on the season for Washington California’s pivotal Sacramento River boats will come from the protected Lower Chinook run will be bigger this fall — Columbia wild tule Chinook. Even though possibly big enough to open commercial the trollers didn’t harvest all their fish last seasons south of Oregon’s Cape Falcon after year because the fish weren’t biting, he said, two years of closures. the prices for Washingon boats were good, The Pacific Fishery Management Council which is encouraging for this year’s season. forecast 245,500 salmon would return to the “The bright spot was that the price was Sacramento River basin this fall. the highest on the entire coast all the way up There was reason to question the predic- to Alaska,” he said. “People definitely want tion, though, after last year’s actual return our fish.” fell far short of expectations. Managers Olson said the season will depend on forecast a run of 122,000 Chinook for the how much access managers can allow while Sacramento River in 2009, but a record low protecting fragile runs of Lower Columbia of 39,500 Chinook actually showed up. wild tule Chinook. Sacramento failure: Protecting the However, the jack count was up slightly Sacramento River salmon runs will require from 2008, hinting at an upward trend. Meanwhile, a stronger run of 331,000 more than cuts in fishing seasons, Peake Chinook predicted to return to the Klamath River on the Oregon/California border also strengthened the outlook for fishing south of Cape Falcon. Still, a small season was about all salmon trollers in central and southern Oregon and northern California were hoping for going into the decision-making process this year. Farther north, forecasts called for 60 percent fewer Columbia River coho than last year, but expectations for Kelsie Melling took this photo of sorted fish unloaded from the thick runs of Spring Creek and F/V Infinity in Ketchikan in 2009. Columbia River tule Chinook were encouraging for the fishery in northern Oregon and Washington said, and a ruling by a federal judge in February to lift protections and allow more state. “We’re focusing on north of Falcon,” water diversions in the San Joaquin Delta for said Darus Peake, chairman of the Oregon agriculture was a step in the wrong direction Salmon Commission. “The runs coming for salmon recovery advocates. After four years of fishery restrictions into the Columbia are still healthy enough and closures, Peake said, it’s clear overfishto keep us going.” Forecasts call for 556,000 coho to arrive ing isn’t the problem for Sacramento River off the Washington coast, less than half the salmon. He believes salmon-fishing businesses are entitled to more federal disaster money banner return of 1.3 million last year. Peake said his goal this year is to make than they’ve received so far, but it’s looking sure the salmon openers are flexible enough like they will face an uphill battle to get it. “Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, we’re to allow all the available fish to be caught. Last year, the season closed in the fall with entitled to be compensated for manmade disasters,” he said. “So far we’ve got half 12,000 coho left on the quota. “There’s no Chinook impact that time of of what we should’ve gotten last year, and year. There’s no reason not to extend the we’re having a hard time pinning anybody season,” he said. “Even though they’re pre- down to help salmon-related industry and dicting a lower run than last year on coho, businesses for this year.” The final decision by the Pacific we want to make sure what is available to recreational and commercial fishermen will Fishery Management Council to select a single option for West Coast salmon be allocated.” Washington: Jim Olson, vice president of seasons is scheduled for April 14 at the April the Washington Trollers Association, said 9-15 council meeting in Portland. WWW.PACIFICFISHING.COM
APRIL 2010
PACIFICFISHING 11