If you think Lake O. salmon have a problem

[Time Out]

It could be worse.....

(AP) Fisheries managers have canceled the early season of ocean fishing for chinook salmon off the coast of Oregon and Northern California because of a collapse of stocks in California rivers.

The managers are also considering whether to close most of the Pacific salmon fishery. The best West Coast salmon fishermen can hope for is a "bare bones" sport and commercial fishing season this year, but the outlook remains bleak, officials say.

Federal fisheries managers meeting this week in Sacramento, Calif., canceled early spring salmon fishing in the Pacific off Northern California and Oregon to protect salmon that remain alive in the ocean.

On Friday, the Pacific Fishery Management Council is expected to choose three management options for the rest of the season, and will set final regulations when they meet in Seattle in April.

One possibility is shutting down the salmon fishery from the northern tip of Oregon south to the Mexican border _ something fishermen are hoping to avoid. Washington may see some fishing, but even if fishing is allowed, many fishermen expect that catches will be poor.

"We had a pretty good idea they were going to cut it back," said Mark Newell, a fisherman from Newport, Ore., and a member of the Oregon Salmon Commission.

"We are trying to craft a very bare bones season which would give California some sport fishery, a very limited amount of commercial troll, and Oregon a somewhat limited sport fishery and very limited troll in Oregon also," he said.

In angling, trolling is the practice of fishing by trailing a baited line behind a slow-moving boat.

California commercial trollers traditionally can't start fishing until May 1, but sport charters have been allowed to fish out of Fort Bragg, Calif., since the middle of February. They were shut down, along with Oregon commercial trollers set to begin fishing Saturday in a season authorized last year to run through April.

Some marine scientists say the salmon declines can be attributed in part to unusual weather patterns that have disrupted the marine food chain along the Pacific Coast in recent years.

But many fishermen believe the main culprit behind the Sacramento River's collapse is increased pumping of freshwater from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farmers and water districts in the Central Valley and Southern California.

Jeff

[Fishtails]

I had heard about how bad it had gotten by my friend Bruce out in Ca whose an avid So. Cal fisherman. His father runs a Salmon charter in No. Cal and he told me how they've screwed up all the spawning habitat out there for the Salmon. The future looks very bleak unless radical changes are made.

He fished with me one day last summer and was blown away with the fishery on Lake Ontario. I think we went 8 for 12 that day including a triple and it was only the two of us. The fish gave him a good whooping and I sent him back to Ca a tired man!

I had to tell him to stop fighting the fish like a little girl. He said they only average one fish a day out west, so they pull all the lines and stop the boat when they hook up. I thought the first fish he fought had a better chance dying of old age than us ever landing it He got the hang of it after awhile though and did great!

Best part was he was whooped....noodle arms and all cause I made him pull in all the fish. Just as we get ready to call it a night.....the 600 copper fires and it was game on again. It was pitch black by the time we got back to Oswego harbor.

[gokudl3]

Just seen that on the news 15 minutes ago. Growing population of seals they say could be part of the problem too they said , they love salmon. The other problems seem more likely. Fortunatly its on the other side of the country and lets just hope it improves and doesnt start a trend.

doug

[ray koziatek]

that was in yesterdays paper and i thought the same as to the cause ......when reading the cut bait issues and from where it comes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, like 66,000 returners down from800,000 thats a serious drop

[jimski2]

A UPS pilot who flies 747 airfreighters from Taiwan to Anchorage every night said the waters off Asia are lit up like a city every night with all the boats fishing to feed the masses over there. Our shores show little activity in comparison.

[LongLine]

From what I'm hearing, the Sac' river is the biggest problem. Supposedly further north & Alaska are expected to be have real strong seasons.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Mick]

Those are all natural born fish right>? Can you Imagine A Worldwide Pen rearing Project? How in the :? :? :? would you try to figure out the predator/prey on that one? Only Time will Tell. - Mick