Columbia river sturgeon report

Lower Columbia from the mouth to Wauna powerlines –

Catches improved with charter boat anglers averaging a legal kept per slightly better than every other rod while private boaters averaged one per every  3.5 rods.  Bank anglers were also catching some legals. 

 

• Based on the 2006-2009 Joint State agreement and catch during 2006 through 2008, a total of 15,529 fish are available for 2009 fisheries below Wauna.
• Seven-day/week retention fisheries were adopted for January 1-April 30 and May 9-June 28, and daily for July 2-5, 2009 based on this available harvest.
• Harvest estimates include 1,125 white sturgeon kept during January through May which is about 67% of the cumulative catches through May in both 2007 and 2008.
• Catch rates in June started out slow, but improved as the season progressed, averaging 288 fish per day through mid-June, compared to 210 fish per day in early-June 2008 and over 340 fish per day in early June 2007.
• A majority of the catch has been landed on the Oregon side where effort and catch rates have been higher.  Sampled catch in the non-charter fishery during June averaged 0.9 fish per boat on the Oregon side and 0.5 fish per boat on the Washington side.
• Catch during June 1-14 is about 4,000 fish, bringing the year-to-date total to about 5,125 fish, leaving a balance of about 10,400 fish for the remainder of 2009.
• Catch rates can improve quickly in June, making it difficult to make accurate catch projections for the remainder of the scheduled season.  Catch in this fishery during late June and early July averaged 644 fish per day in 2007 and 504 fish per day in 2008.
• The projected balance provides for an average catch of about 575 fish per day for the 18 days remaining in the scheduled season.
• Staff will continue to monitor the fishery and will provide another update this week