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January 29, 2014
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Oregon and Washington fishery managers re-opened the Bonneville Pool on the Columbia River to sturgeon retention for two weeks beginning Feb. 1.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Columbia River Compact in Vancouver. The Bonneville Pool between Bonneville and The Dalles dams had been open from Jan. 1 through Jan. 19 with a harvest guideline of 1,100 fish. Fewer than 250 fish were harvested during that season, prompting managers to re-open the winter season.
The season will be open from Saturday, Feb. 1 through Monday, Feb. 17 in the mainstem Columbia River, and adjacent tributaries, from Bonneville Dam upstream to The Dalles Dam. The size length for retention is between 38 and 54 inches fork length.
Fishery managers plan to re-open the Bonneville Pool for a summer retention season in June 2014. A summer season is likely to be proposed in March or April.
Other Columbia River sturgeon fisheries are also open to sturgeon retention:
- The areas from The Dalles Dam to the John Day Dam (The Dalles Pool) and from the John Day Dam to the McNary Dam (John Day Pool) are open seven days a week until the pool specific harvest guidelines are met.
- The area from McNary Dam upstream to the OR/WA border is open to retention Feb. 1 through July 31.
The Columbia River below Bonneville Dam is closed to sturgeon retention; however, catch-and-release fishing is allowed as per permanent regulations.
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