Tag Archives: Washington and Oregon
Conservation concerns cancel Alaska’s Bering snow, king crab seasons
Alaska officials have canceled the fall Bristol Bay red king crab harvest, and in a first-ever move, also scuttled the winter harvest of smaller snow crab. The move is a double whammy to a fleet from Alaska, Washington and Oregon pursuing Bering Sea crab in harvests that as recently as 2016 grossed $280 million. “I am struggling for words. This is so unbelievable that this is happening,” said Jamie Goen, executive director of the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers. “We have third-generation fishermen who are going to go out of business.” >click to read< 14:47
Oregon suspends Columbia River reforms review, Spring Chinook allocation also in question
The Lower Mainstem Columbia River Fisheries Management Reforms were heavily negotiated and meant to ensure concurrency between the states of Washington and Oregon concerning salmon fishing rules on the Columbia River. It also provides a mechanism to move gill and tangle net commercial salmon fishing off the main stem of the river, and into off-channel fisheries. After five years, the states opened a review of the policy. Each state appointed three members of their fish and wildlife commissions to the Policy Review Committee, (PRC). The committee would then refer possible changes to the policy for eventual action by the full commissions. >click to read< 09:33
Hardworking crabbers deserve support and encouragement
A look back at several years of news about the Columbia River Dungeness crab industry highlights trends and problems that need a better-coordinated response.,, This season is the second in a row in which independent crab boat owners and operators have attempted, unsuccessfully, to exercise cooperative leverage to win better prices from processors. In both years, weeks of unrelated delays beyond the traditional Dec. 1 start left most crabbers in a weakened position. Plenty of family budgets are built around the assumption that some of the year’s biggest paydays will start refilling bank accounts from December through about February. >click here to read< 17:02
Oregon eyes Cathlamet Channel as gillnet site
State officials are hopeful they can open a second lower Columbia River off-channel commercial fishing location in 2016, this one in Cathlamet Channel of Wahkiakum County. Establishing additional off-channel commercial fishing areas, where gillnets can be used, is a key component of the Columbia River fishing reforms adopted by the Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commission in 2013. Oregon has off-channel sites in Youngs Bay, Blind Slough-Knappa Slough and Tongue Point-South Channel, while Washington’s only site is in Deep River, a location which works for coho, but not well for chinook. Read the rest here 15:07
Washington and Oregon States adopt lower Columbia seine salmon fisheries
Washington and Oregon officials on Tuesday adopted commercial salmon fishing seasons in late August and September for six beach seiners and four purse seiners in selected portions of the lower Columbia River. Eight commercial fishermen applied for seine permits in June and all were awarded a permit, said Robin Ehlke, assistant Columbia River policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Only six of the eight permits (four beach and two purse) were purchased. The states are accepting applications in order Read the rest here 19:16
“All this is thrown away because of one man in Oregon,’’ – Commercial fishermen unhappy with Columbia River reforms
Commercial fishermen have reiterated their disgruntlement with the Columbia River reforms adopted two years ago by the Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commissions. At a public hearing earlier this month in Tumwater before the Washington commission, several leaders in the lower Columbia commercial community made their unhappiness with the reforms known. Read the rest here 21:26
States set more commercial fishing time in lower Columbia
Nine additional nights and five days of commercial salmon fishing in the lower Columbia River were adopted on Wednesday by Washington and Oregon officials. Read the rest here 17:45
Tribes air issues with non-Indian sport, commercial fisheries
The four Columbia River treaty tribes reminded Washington and Oregon this week on how much they disagree with the way the states manage sport and commercial fall salmon fisheries downstream of Bonneville Dam. Read more here 10:54
Washington and Oregon approve nine nights of Columbia River gillnetting
Washington and Oregon today adopted Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday night gill netting periods from Aug. 3 though Aug. 21. The 9-inch-mesh nets are expected to catch 2,200 chinook the first week, 6,600 in the second week and 14,400 during the third week, said Robin Ehlke, a biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read more here 10:39
Washington and Oregon: Commercial salmon fishery open until Tuesday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, NMFS in consultation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, representatives from the commercial troll fishery, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council, has taken in-season actions with respect to the commercial troll salmon fishery. Read more here 09:41
States to try to trap sea lions at The Dalles Marina on the Columbia River
THE DALLES — Washington and Oregon officials have placed a trap at The Dalles Marina on the Columbia River to try to capture California sea lions that have made their way upstream of Bonneville Dam. continued
