The ocean salmon fishing closure off the California and Oregon coasts that was announced this week does not affect Oregon’s spring 2008 Columbia River and inland fisheries. These fisheries will continue as scheduled providing great angling opportunities:
- On the Columbia River, fishing opens on Sunday, March 16 in what promises to be a great season―the spring chinook salmon run is projected to be 269,300, the third-highest since 1977.
- On the Willamette River, spring chinook salmon fishing is open now. The projected run of 34,000 is below average and slightly below last year’s.
Why is a chinook a spring chinook or “springer”?
There are basically three chinook salmon runs in Oregon’s rivers: spring, summer and fall. They are named for the time of year when fish return to their native freshwater rivers from the ocean to spawn.
Chinook Salmon Runs |
Dates fish return to rivers from the ocean |
Fishing seasons (approx.) |
Spring chinook |
February through June |
Mostly March-May but management period runs through June 15 |
Summer chinook |
June through July |
Limited to June 16-July 31 timeframe |
Fall chinook |
August through December |
August 1 into October |
Who makes the decisions about fishery management?
On the west coast, the Pacific Fishery Management Council makes recommendations to NOAA regarding fishing in federal waters. State fish and wildlife agencies regulate state and inland waters.
Additional Resources
ODFW Columbia River Regulations, https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/reg_changes/columbia.asp
NOAA Fisheries, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
Pacific Fishery Management Council, http://www.pcouncil.org/
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