Salmon Fishing Off Columbia Mouth To Close After Sunday
UPDATED 8:20 A.M., FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2024, AT BOTTOM WITH AN ODFW PRESS RELEASE
With the hatchery coho quota expected to be all but full after this Sunday’s fishing, state managers will close salmon fishing off the mouth of the Columbia effective August 12.
The action affects ocean waters from Cape Falcon, Oregon, north to Leadbetter Point, Washington, also known as the Columbia River Ocean Salmon Management Sub-area or Marine Area 1.
“The marked Coho Salmon harvest in this area is expected to approach the quota of 39,900 Coho Salmon by the end of the day on Sunday, August 11,” an action notice out from ODFW late this morning states. “Through Sunday, August 4 an estimated 29,028 Coho Salmon had been landed out of the quota leaving only 10,873 Coho Salmon remaining on the quota. During the week of July 29-August 4 there were an estimated 6,647 angler-trips and a harvest of 8,675 Coho Salmon and 726 Chinook Salmon for an average catch of 1.55 salmon per angler-trip. Fishery managers have been reviewing trip information from the current week of fishing and have seen a higher number of trips per day this week, but a moderate reduction in the catch rate per angler. Projected harvest for the week is for 10,420 Coho to be landed which would take the fishery to within 452 Coho of the quota as of Sunday night.”
The action was taken following consultations between ODFW, WDFW, NMFS, recreational fishing advisors and PFMC. While ocean anglers had hoped the fishery would hold out longer – season could have run through September 30 – catch rates in late July and early August made it obvious that the 39,900-hatchery-coho quota was likely to be reached well before then.
The move will leave a fairly significant number of Chinook on the table. Through August 4, 36.2 percent of the more flexible guideline of 12,510 kings had been landed
The closure notice also states that salmon possession will be prohibited aboard boats between Cape Falcon and Leadbetter Point starting Monday.
THE FOLLOWING IS AN ODFW PRESS RELEASE
This Sunday is the last day recreational anglers can fish for ocean coho and Chinook salmon in the area from Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR. This area closes at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12 and no salmon are allowed onboard vessels at sea once the season closes.
Fishery managers expect the 39,900 fin-clipped coho quota to be met this weekend. The guideline of 12,510 Chinook will not be met but also closes to avoid unintentional catch-and-release mortality of coho.
Preliminary ocean salmon catch from Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR can be found here. Note that page two shows 28,927 fin-clipped coho harvested from both Washington and Oregon through Aug. 4.
Ocean salmon fishing continues in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. The all-salmon-except coho season runs through Oct. 31, with adipose fin-clipped coho allowed through Aug. 18. From Humbug Mountain to the OR/CA border, the all-salmon-except coho season continues through Aug. 31. Check the recreational ocean salmon webpage for more details and a map.
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council finalized the 2024 recreational ocean salmon seasons in April. Seasons were adopted April 19 by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and finalized May 16 by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
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