04.16.2012

COLUMBIA RIVER JOINT STATE NOTICE

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife                                                           April 12, 2012

The States of Washington and Oregon met today and extended the ongoing sport season below Bonneville Dam.  The following table reflects the seasons now in place.

   
2012 Mainstem Columbia River Spring Chinook Recreational Fisheries    
         
Downstream of Bonneville Dam    
         
Season   Ongoing  through Sunday April 22, 2012, except closed  April 17 (Tuesday)    
           
Area:   Buoy 10 upstream to Beacon Rock (boat and bank) plus bank angling only from Beacon Rock upstream to the Bonneville Dam deadline.

Legal upstream boundary defined as: “A deadline marker on the Oregon bank (approximately four miles downstream from Bonneville Dam Powerhouse 1) in a straight line through the western tip of Pierce Island to a deadline marker on the Washington bank at Beacon Rock.”

    
           
Daily Bag Limit:   Two adult salmonids per day, but only one may be a Chinook. 

Only adipose fin-clipped fish may be kept.  All other permanent regulations apply.

    
           
Bonneville Dam to Oregon/Washington Border      
           
Season:   Ongoing  through Wednesday May 2, 2012      
           
Area:   Tower Island power lines (approximately 6 miles below The Dalles Dam) upstream to Oregon/Washington border, plus the Oregon and Washington banks between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines.    
           
Daily Bag Limit:   Two adult Chinook or steelhead per day or one of each.  Only adipose fin-clipped fish may be kept.  All other permanent regulations apply.     
           
Additional regulations for both fisheries above:      
           
  • For the mainstem Columbia River salmon and steelhead fishery from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to OR/WA border, effective February 15 through June 15, it is unlawful when fishing from vessels which are less than 30 feet in length (substantiated by Coast Guard documentation or Marine Board registration) to totally remove from the water any salmon or steelhead required to be released.
  • In Washington, on the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, anglers may not possess in the field fish mutilated so that size, species or fin clip cannot be determined until the angler has reached their automobile or principle means of land transportation and has completed their daily angling.
      
           

 

Effective through May 15, 2012, the mainstem Columbia River will be open for retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead and shad ONLY during days and in areas open for retention of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook. 

Effective through June 15, 2012: On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the salmonid daily bag limit in Deep River will be the same as mainstem Columbia River bag limits.  On days when the mainstem Columbia River fishery is closed to Chinook retention, the permanent salmonid bag limit regulations for Deep River apply. 

  • A Joint State hearing is scheduled for 1PM Thursday April 19.
Posted under Announcements, Salmon