Clackamas, Ore —State fishery officials met today and decided to open the mainstem Columbia River spring Chinook recreational salmon fishery from the I-5 Bridge to McNary Dam (excluding salmon angling from a boat and from the Washington shore between Bonneville Dam and Tower Island power lines) through June 15.

Including the previous extension of the mainstem fishery from Tongue Point to the I-5 Bridge, the spring Chinook salmon fishery will now be open from Tongue Point to McNary Dam beginning midnight tonight through June 15, 2007.

“The spring Chinook run is now projected to slightly exceed our preseason forecast” says John North, ODFW Columbia River Fisheries Manager.  “With this increased return, we can re-open the spring fishery through June 15 to give anglers more opportunities before the summer fishery begins on June 16.”

Beginning June 6, anglers may fish from Tongue Point to the McNary Dam until June 15 for the retention of adipose fin-clipped adult and jack spring Chinook, adipose fin-clipped steelhead and shad with a daily bag limit in Oregon of two adult Chinook or steelhead per day. Catch limits for jacks remain in effect as per permanent regulations. It is unlawful to totally remove from the water any salmon or steelhead required to be released when fishing from boats less than 30 feet in length. Anglers are encouraged to release non-adipose fin-clipped Chinook immediately unharmed.

Fish managers set the Columbia River spring Chinook fishery based on the number of fish expected to return from the ocean and the allowable impact to wild salmon and steelhead stocks listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. "Impacts" are the unintended mortalities associated with handling and releasing wild fish.  This year, non-Indian impacts are limited to 1.5 percent of the total upriver run that includes ESA-listed Snake River spring/summer Chinook and Upper Columbia River spring Chinook

The summer Chinook fishery is scheduled for June 16-30 from Tongue Point to Bonneville Dam and June 16-July 31 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the OR/WA border.  During this summer season, the Oregon daily bag limit for adult salmon and adipose fin-clipped steelhead is two fish in any combination.  Retention of non-adipose fin clipped Chinook (adults and jacks) is allowed during this fishery.

Additional information may also be found on ODFW's Web page at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/OSCRP/CRM/action_notes.html.