REDUCTIONS IN SALMON harvest, particularly chinook, would impact much of the Pacific Coast if the Pacific Salmon Commission’s new conservation plan is adopted by U.S. and Canadian fisheries managers.
Fisheries off Southeast Alaska would be cut as much as 7.5 percent from 2009-15 levels during seasons that project poor fish returns, while those off of British Columbia’s Vancouver Island would be trimmed up to 12.5 percent.
That’s the prime migratory corridor for chinook returning to Washington rivers and streams and the big daddy, the Columbia River.
An update to a U.S.-Canadian treaty is set to expire Dec. 31, the new agreement would run for 10 years beginning Jan. 1. It would also cover coho, pink, sockeye and chum as far south as Cape Falcon, Ore.
Constrained or 5 to 15 percent
No reduction percentages were announced for our state in the deal, but a release from the office of Gov. Jay Inslee said “fisheries in Washington will remain tightly constrained unless runs exceed management objectives.”
And salmon managers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said there will be “reductions ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent for Oregon and Washington.”
The updated treaty was announced a few days after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife took the highly unusual step of closing salmon fishing on a section of the main stem of the Columbia River.
Returning fall chinook counted at Bonneville Dam last week rose to 105,795 fish, about half of what is normal and 29 percent below the preseason forecast.
As result of these negotiations, when abundance increases, harvests will increase proportionally.
And that will likely happen the same year the Seattle Mariners win the World Series.
Sorry, but I’m a Washington State University and Seattle sports fan. Pessimism is ingrained in every fiber of my DNA, so I doubt that these reductions will have the intended impact and boost salmon recovery.
Inslee also said that the agreement would benefit the threatened southern resident orca population, which prefers to eat chinook over all other available prey.
Coho in good numbers
The number of available saltwater salmon fishing days has dwindled to single digits with fishing closing at the end of the day Sunday, Sept. 30 along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Admiralty Inlet.
There will be an October-long fishery in Dungeness Bay.
Sekiu remains the prime location around the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
Creel reports, which provide a snapshot of fishing activity but are not conclusive, continue to be solid out west.
Fish checkers with the state counted 65 coho brought in by 82 anglers in 36 interviews at Mason’s Olson Resort in Sekiu on Wednesday.
Down the road at Van Riper’s Resort, 39 coho were counted by 51 anglers in 23 interviews. A day prior, checkers at Van Riper’s counted 102 coho landed by 75 anglers.
Slow going on Canal
Coho are streaming through the Strait, but not coming close to beach fishing spots in Port Townsend such as Point Wilson, where no fish were counted in checks last Sunday.
And Quilcene’s Ward Norden, a former fisheries biologist and owner of Snapper Tackle Co., said the run is taking its time reaching Quilcene Bay.
“Coho remain slow in returning to Quilcene Bay,” Norden said.
“Even some of the gill netters have found fishing slow as the main part of the run is clearly still out in the [Strait]. [Thursday] I visited my favorite spot for beach casting on the bay and didn’t see a solitary coho rolling on the surface.
“That spot is very good when the coho are visibly moving through. Surprisingly, the coho I have caught have been remarkably immature for this late in September, indicating there may be a lot of time left before the main runs arrive.”
Norden said warmwater anglers should take advantage of Lake Leland near Quilcene.
“As of earlier this week, the water temperature at Lake leland had already plummeted to 62 degrees, or about four degrees below normal at this time,” Norden said. “Several mornings in a row below 39 degrees are certainly the cause. Holdover large trout from spring plants are getting active again and being caught on Power Bait at the pier. Fall bass fishing is well underway, but bass anglers better hurry before the water drops much below 55 degrees making fishing tough.”
