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Fishery Managers Announce Columbia River Fall Salmon Seasons by Staff Columbia Basin Bulletin, April 17, 2015

Projected Returns, 925,000 Fall Chinook

Oregon and Washington fishery managers have announced the 2015 summer and fall salmon seasons for the Columbia River.

The 2015 fall salmon seasons are based on strong projected returns of 925,000 fall chinook and 540,000 coho salmon, and include a Buoy 10 fishery projected through Labor Day and increased bag limits in some upriver areas.

Highlights of the upcoming seasons include:

• Buoy 10 -- Retention of adult chinook (fin-clipped or not) is expected to remain open Aug. 1 through Sept. 7 (Labor Day objective).
• Warrior Rock upstream to Steamboat Landing Park/Marker #50 - the daily bag limit may include two fall chinook (fin-clipped or not).
• Steamboat Landing Park/Marker #50 upstream to the OR/WA border (above McNary Dam) - the daily bag limit may include three fall chinook (fin-clipped or not).

According to Chris Kern, ODFW deputy administrator for Columbia and Marine programs, the major constraint for fall lower Columbia River fisheries is still the allowable harvest rate of ESA-listed wild tule chinook.

"This year, we had a little more room on allowable impact for wild tules," Kern said. "As a result, we estimate there will be six additional days of chinook fishing at Buoy 10 compared to 2014, extending the season through Labor Day. We also expect to meet all of our policy objectives and have chinook retention on the middle river through September 14."

Kern also noted that given continued strong runs of upriver stocks, the three chinook bag limit in upriver areas first implemented in 2014 will continue for the 2015 season.

"This will allow anglers can take advantage of the large chinook returns with little impact on wild tules," he said.

Anglers should be alert for potential in-season modifications to chinook retention rules, especially in the Buoy 10 and middle river areas.

Here are the details of the 2015 Columbia River summer and fall salmon and steelhead seasons:

Summer Seasons

• Summer Chinook and Sockeye

  Retention of sockeye and adipose fin-clipped adult summer chinook will be allowed:

  • June 16 -- July 6 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Bonneville Dam. Staff will monitor the fishery in-season and potentially modify the July portion of the fishery (which may include extending the season or allowing retention of any adult chinook).
  • June 16 -- July 31 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.
  • Retention of adipose fin-clipped jack summer chinook (between 12 and 24-inches long) and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed June 16 -- July 31 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the OR/WA border.
  • The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids and five jacks. All sockeye are considered adults in the daily limit and must be recorded as adults on the combined angling tag.
  • All other permanent rules apply.

• Buoy 10 Area definition: From the Buoy 10 line upstream to a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red buoy #44 to red marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore.
  • August 1 -- December 31: Retention of adipose fin-clipped coho (16-inches or longer) and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed.
  • August 1 -- September 7: Retention of chinook (24-inches or longer, fin-clipped or not) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two salmonids, only one of which may be a chinook.
  • September 8 -- 30: Retention of all chinook is prohibited. The daily bag limit is two salmonids (adipose fin-clipped coho/steelhead only). October 1 -- December 31: Retention of chinook (fin-clipped or not) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids.
  • Chinook jacks (fin-clipped or not) and adipose fin-clipped coho jacks may only be retained October 1 -- December 31 under permanent rules. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • All other permanent rules apply.
• Lower Columbia -- Tongue Point/Rocky Point upstream to Warrior Rock/Bachelor Island Area definition: From a line projected from Rocky Point on the Washington shore through red buoy #44 to the red marker #2 at Tongue Point on the Oregon shore upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore through red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island.
  • August 1 -- December 31: Retention of adipose fin-clipped adult coho and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed.
  • August 1 -- September 7: Retention of adult chinook (fin-clipped or not) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids, only one of which may be a Chinook. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • September 8 -- 14: Retention of adipose fin-clipped adult chinook is allowed. The daily adult bag limit is two salmonids, only one of which may be a chinook. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • September 15 -- 30: Retention of all chinook is prohibited. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids (adipose fin-clipped coho/steelhead only).
  • October 1 -- December 31: Retention of adult chinook (fin-clipped or not) is allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
  • All other permanent rules apply.
• Lower Columbia -- Warrior Rock/Bachelor Isl. upstream to Steamboat Landing Park/Marker #50 Area definition: From a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse on the Oregon shore through red buoy #4 to a marker on the lower end of Bachelor Island upstream to a line projected from the most downstream point on the Steamboat Landing Park (100 S. Washougal River Road) dock on the Washington shore through navigation light #50 to the Oregon shore. Angling from the Steamboat Landing Park dock is not included in this fishing area.
  • August 1 -- December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (fin-clipped or not), adipose fin-clipped adult coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is two adult salmonids. The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
  • All other permanent rules apply.
• Lower Columbia - Steamboat Landing Park/Marker #50 upstream to Bonneville Dam Area definition: From a line projected from the most downstream point on the Steamboat Landing Park (100 S. Washougal River Road) dock on the Washington shore through navigation light #50 to the Oregon shore upstream to Bonneville Dam. Angling from the Steamboat Landing Park dock is included in this fishing area.
  • August 1 -- December 31: Retention of adult Chinook (fin-clipped or not), adipose fin-clipped adult coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is three adult salmonids, of which no more than two may be adipose fin-clipped coho or adipose fin-clipped steelhead (in any combination). The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
  • All other permanent rules apply.
• Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border (upstream of McNary Dam)
  • August 1 -- December 31: Retention of adult chinook (fin-clipped or not), adult coho, and adipose fin-clipped steelhead allowed. The daily bag limit is three adult salmonids, of which no more than two may be coho or adipose fin-clipped steelhead (in any combination). The daily bag limit for jack salmon in Oregon is five fish.
  • All coho (adults and jacks) retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be adipose fin-clipped.
  • Each legal angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear until the daily adult salmonid bag limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
  • All other permanent rules apply.