April 08, 2009
Contact: Pat Pattillo, (360) 902-2705 |
2009 salmon fisheries approved |
Washington’s 2009 salmon fishing seasons, developed by WDFW and treaty Indian tribal co-managers, were approved today during the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (PFMC) meeting in California. The fishing package defines regulations for salmon fisheries in Puget Sound, the Columbia River and Washington’s ocean and coastal areas.
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The PFMC, which establishes fishing seasons in ocean water three to 200 miles off the Pacific Coast, also set a recreational chinook harvest quota of 20,500 fish. Although similar to last year, the chinook quota is at a near-record low level, said Anderson.
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Recreational ocean salmon fisheries will begin June 27 off LaPush and Neah Bay and June 28 off Ilwaco and Westport.
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| In Puget Sound, where summer/fall chinook salmon returns are expected to total about 222,000 fish – a slight decrease from last year’s forecast – several new mark-selective fisheries for chinook salmon were added |
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It’s pretty bad. Spring chinook forecast for the Columbia was 300k fish; last week it got cut back to 120k to 150k. NOAA honcho Lubchenco is coming out to discuss Columbia/Snake bi-op, which the judge has said is not likely to be upheld. Inexplicably, she’s talking to scientists and governments only – not to conservationists or fishermen. Crazy. See Joel Connelly’s PI blog today (May 22).