Tag Archives: salmon
Salmon fishing shut down on the Fraser River in the Lower Mainland
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans shut down all salmon fishing in the Fraser River from the mouth to the railway bridge in Mission. Concerns over the number of sockeye salmon prompted the restrictions on commercial, First Nations and recreational activity. The summer runs are coming in with 3.5 million fewer fish than forecasted numbers. Lower river levels and warmer water temperatures expected to lead to a much higher mortality rate at salmon spawning grounds. Video, Read the rest here 09:08
Bristol Bay Fisheries Report July 17, 2015
The fishery is usually winding down this time of year, but folks on the east side say catches – and the wind – is going strong. Area Managers Travis Elison and Paul Salomone talk about fishing in the Naknek-Kvichak, Egegik and Ugashik Districts, the port in Naknek is busy, and fishermen talk about the wind and their limits. Listen to the report here 08:15
What’s killing off B.C.’s young salmon?
Hundreds of millions of young salmon are emerging from rivers along the B.C. coast, beginning a perilous journey that will take them north into the Gulf of Alaska. What happens on that remarkable migration, which most of the fish will not survive, remains one of the greatest mysteries of ocean science. Read the rest here 10:39
Fish win another water fight round in South San Joaquin Irrigation District
“Today’s federal court of appeals ruling upholds protections for salmon, steelhead trout, killer whales and other wildlife that rely on natural river flows in California’s Central Valley and a functioning delta to survive,” said John McManus, executive director for the fishing industry’s Golden Gate Salmon Association. Federal biologists in 2009 said water withdrawals from the delta were driving endangered killer whales off California closer to extinction by reducing salmon and other fish the killer whales depend on for food. Read the rest here 12:32
Pacific Fishery Fishery Management Council meets Sept. 10-17 in Spokane
The Pacific Fishery Fishery Managementwill meet Wednesday for a week-long session, Sept. 10-17, in Spokane to address issues related to groundfish, highly migratory species, coastal pelagic species, salmon, ecosystem management and habitat matters. Read the rest here 18:10
View from Out West: Fishing for a new outlook — Hauling in experience in a different fishery
Every intensive public fishery in Southcentral Alaska contains some elements of the circus. There is the center attraction, usually sans ringmaster. There are also families and clowns and wild-animal acts, plus crowded parking and games, prizes and refreshments — and an unfortunate cleanup crew. In 1980, I first experienced the elbow-to-elbow sockeye slamfest on the Russian River. <Read more here> 14:09
Caught off-guard by 2010’s sockeye record, processing plants have geared up for a repeat
VICTORIA — B.C.’s commercial fishing industry has been building capacity to handle this year’s forecast big sockeye run after being caught off guard by the record flood of the fish in 2010. “In 2010, it was the largest sockeye run in the Fraser we’d seen since 1913, and we hadn’t anticipated it and not a lot of people were geared up to handle it,” Read more here 04:25
Drought starting to kill salmon in Klamath Basin
Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, which represents California commercial salmon fishermen, said the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was meeting minimum flows in the Klamath River set under a biological opinion for threatened coho salmon. “This is the sort of situation we are all going to have to cope with through the summer,” he said. “And it’s going to be a white-knuckle ride, there is no doubt about that.” Read more here 08:51
Was that salmon born in Chile or Scotland? Buyer says she was pressured to mislabel fish
That salmon you paid top dollar for at Whole Foods because you thought it had spent its youth frolicking in a Scottish fish farm might just be some fraud flown in from Chile. The former head buyer for one of the nation’s biggest providers of Scottish smoked salmon claims in a federal lawsuit that her bosses pressured her to dupe major retailers into thinking they were buying prized Scottish salmon when they were instead getting a cheap Chilean catch. Read more here 11:21
Risk to B.C. salmon ‘minimal’ from Run-of-River projects – An independent review inconclusively finds the hydro projects will have no impact on river salmon
An independent review of B.C.’s Run-of-River projects has tentatively concluded that most of the hydro plants have had no impact on salmon species in the rivers used to generate electricity. Read more@cbcnews 08:39
More Salmon May Survive The Ocean Than Previously Thought
When Columbia River salmon reach the ocean, they may swim off in different directions than previously thought. that could require new thinking on how many fish are surviving their journey to the sea. [email protected] 13:48
All around Washington State, Salmon returns to the Rivers
A major annual salmon migration from sea to river happens around the state in the fall. Community festivals, salmon bakes and 10K runs are scheduled to recognize this annual event. The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office also is releasing six, 2-minute videos that focus on those affected by the decline of salmon populations and those working to restore salmon and salmon habitat, all available on YouTube. Commercial fisherman Marc Jerkovich, Gig Harbor more@maplevalleyreporter 18:26
Rocky Barker: A quick guide to the salmon-dam debate
The proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, tribal, state and other biologists to test higher spill — water that doesn’t go through power-generating turbines — at the eight dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers is a continuation of a long debate among scientists. So what are the biologists proposing? more@idahostatesman 07:38
Proof that people don’t understand the food production sector. Mr. Hill from the Watershed Watch proves it. Video
The commercial fishing industry has long claimed it strives to ensure salmon that can’t be legally kept are released alive and well. But a video shot for a conservation group in British Columbia shows seine boat crews kicking salmon across decks, or waiting for fish to stop moving before picking them up and throwing them overboard. more@globeandmail
Protecting salmon from sea lions: Progress is elusive
Although there’s been considerable effort over the years to remove predatory sea lions feasting on endangered fish in the Columbia River, the large mammals continue to flock to the area each spring. Fish management officials say the process required to lethally eliminate sea lions is too lengthy, and subsequently little — if any — impact has been made on the problem. @yakimaherald
Summer chum symposium Thursday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.in Shelton,Wa.
The symposium will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mason County Public Works, 100 Public Works Drive in Shelton. For reservations, call 360-394-0046 or email [email protected]. more info@ KitsapNews
Salmon season picks up in Southwest
Now well past the mid-June mark, Southwest salmon fisheries have begun to ramp up. Still a few weeks out from peak fishing, set and subsistence nets have begun to pull in steady pounds from early-run fish, as have commercial crews in various fisheries along the peninsula and in Bristol Bay. [email protected]
Fishing for answers – Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s fisheries divisions to finalize a $7 million suite of research and enhancement projects.
With salmon returns to the Northern District in such poor condition over the past several years and the resulting economic depression resulting from those weak runs (an estimated $50 million loss to the borough economy in 2012 alone), Fish and Game approached the borough to determine how the funding would be spent. continued@Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman,
Positive outlook for SE Alaska commercial net fisheries
Traditional commercial net fisheries in Southeast Alaska will kick off the season Sunday. Bill Davidson is Fish and Game’s regional coordinator for commercial fisheries in Southeast. He says he’s looking forward to a productive year for both gillnetters and seiners. continued@ktoo
Alaska Editorial: Fishery research a crucial investment
Gov. Sean Parnell visited the Kenai Peninsula this past week, and, as is almost inevitable in this neck of the woods, the discussion turned toward salmon fishery management. Right now, everyone’s got a theory about what’s happening to the chinook salmon — and theories encompass everything from excessive trawler by-catch to in-river overexploitation to Pacific Decadal Oscillation. continued at Juneau Empire
Climate change threatens extinction for 82 percent of California native fish
Salmon and other native freshwater fish in California will likely become extinct within the next century due to climate change if current trends continue, ceding their habitats to non-native fish, predicts a study by scientists from the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis. continued
Late breakup means late opening for dip-netters at Chitina – Alaska Department of Fish and Game delayed the opening
newsminer.com – FAIRBANKS — Dip-netters champing at the bit to scoop salmon out of the Copper River at Chitina are going to have to hold on to their hip boots. continued
Guest commentary: Congressman Jim Costa’s move to gut the ESA will destroy the Delta – Carolee Krieger, California Water Impact Network.
Congressman Jim Costa is at it again, doing everything he can to drain the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and send the water south to the megafarms of his agribusiness cronies in the western San Joaquin Valley.The Bay/Delta system comprises the largest estuary on the West Coast. It is a vast aquatic nursery that sustains not just our salmon, but our Dungeness crab, white sturgeon, and herring fisheries as well. By allowing unrestricting pumping, we would assure the death of the Delta’s already beleaguered ecosystems. continued
Kenai fishermen jittery about upcoming season after 2012 disaster
Alaska Dispatch – And last summer, very few of those chinooks showed up. No one is exactly sure why. But in an effort to protect those precious kings — the largest and most prized of all of salmon — fisheries managers shut down the setnetters. Setnet disaster, driftnet boom. continued
Ocean salmon season looks bright; rainfall, river flows concerns for river season
All signs are pointing to a great salmon ocean fishing year, a good follow-up to last year’s record salmon run. The Pacific Fishery Management Council is seeking public input on its preseason report, which lays out several options for the length of the season and other restrictions for fishing areas along the West Coast. continue reading
Klamath Flows Dropped Without Endangered Species Agency Approval by Hoopa Valley Tribe
Fish supporters say science is being compromised, salmon run will suffer – Klamath Falls, Oregon –Just days before the Pacific Fisheries Management Council announced the Klamath River will have another healthy run of salmon this year, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) Klamath Basin Area Office announced a new water plan for the Klamath before receiving approval from the regulatory agency (NOAA fisheries) that regulates flows for endangered fisheries. The BOR expects approval for a controversial water plan that reduces water for salmon even though flows had to be supplemented with Trinity River flows last year to keep salmon alive. continued
Expect salmon quotas near 2012 levels
Overall, the pink forecast of 6.23 million fish is up from 5.98 million in 2011. “We can’t tell you why we have so many pinks. Let’s just enjoy them,” Pattillo said. “It’s pretty phenomenal.” Read more here
Alaska – Most Southeast salmon still from wild stocks
How many salmon come out of the Tongass National Forest? Someone asked Tongass Fisheries Program Manager Ron Medel that question, and the result was a slide show presentation that he’s given throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. It’s fairly simple to find out how many salmon are caught in Alaska each year, but the question that Medel set out to answer was a little more specific. He was looking for the percentage of wild, non-hatchery salmon that are caught in Tongass National Forest waters each year. Not British Columbia fish. Not South central fish. Tongass fish. Read more Audio
A record 300,000 salmon returned to Klamath River in 2012, by Dan Baucher –
indybay.org The Klamath River saw a record fall Chinook salmon run of 302,108 adults, while the Sacramento River hosted a run of 283,871 adult salmon in the fall of 2012. The preliminary estimates of adult and jack (two-year-old) spawning escapements (returns) to the two systems were recently released by the posting of the “Review of 2012 Ocean Salmon Fisheries on the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) website. Read more
New salmon plan would restrict gill-net fishing on lower Columbia
The state Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to approve phasing out commercial gill nets on the lower Columbia River, except in a few spots. While winning praise from sport fishermen, the plan is strongly opposed by gill-netters. Read more
