Money Can't Buy Time to Save Salmon

More money might result in more projects to replace culverts that block migrating salmon in Washington state but would not cut the time it takes to make each fix, a transportation official testified Monday.

Paul J. Wagner, environmental services biology branch manager in the state Transportation Department, testified Monday in U.S. District Court that the estimated number of state highway-related problem culverts has grown from 350 in 1994, when the first survey was completed, to 1,800 when the latest estimate was completed in 2007.

The difference reflects the addition of rivers, creeks and streams with steeper slopes to the estimates, Wagner told Judge Ricardo S. Martinez. The first survey covered only those with gradients up to 7 degrees while the latest goes up to 20 degrees.

Subtracting about 200 fixes that have been made since the state's culvert program began in 1991 and culverts that would be of little benefit to repair or replace, about 800 remain on the to-do list, he said.

In a trial that began last Tuesday, 19 Native American tribes are asking Martinez to order a drastic speedup in replacing culverts that block salmon from potential spawning grounds and their offspring from the ocean.

The case is a spinoff of 29 years of litigation over tribal fishing rights based on mid-19th century treaties. State lawyers argue that a culvert speedup would give short shrift to other vital efforts, including habitat restoration, hatcheries, harvest controls and changes in hydroelectric dam operations.

Regardless of funding, it takes at least four years from scoping – determining which actions, effects and concerns will be addressed in a project – to improve or replace a culvert to meet fish passage requirements, Wagner said.

More money won't speed up that process, he added, "We'll just be able to do more projects at the same time."

John C. Sledd, a lawyer for nine of the tribes, suggested that fixing culverts would benefit salmon more than other efforts.

"Our goal is to correct priority salmon barriers," Wagner replied. "We hope that would increase salmon production. We don't have a way to determine" how that work compares in effectiveness with other approaches.

 

 

 

Gillnets more harmful than culverts

Fixing culverts to propagate expanded fish runs is a foolish waste of taxpayer dollars when taken to the extreme.

The major problem with expanding fish runs and securing their survivability is the use of gill nets. The major players, commercial fishers and tribes, have committed large amounts of money to elected officials impeding resolution of the problem. The by catch of the gill net fishery means that wild and non-target fish under the Endangered Species Act will not flourish. The act is not observed by commercial fishers.

The solution to the problem has been known for a long time. The tribes on the upper Columbia River recently began using seine nets to selectively harvest tagged fish. This reduces cost per fish and gives a win-win solution to all fishers by allowing wild and non-target stock to escape. Evidence the large pink runs.

In the case of tribal rights, fishing in usual and accustomed manners is the use of fish traps and other methods, not gill nets. Allow tribal fishers and other gill net fishers on the rivers to use this method. The harvest quantities agreed to would not change, but the numbers and types of fish released would. Wild and other protected non-target fish would be released instead of being killed.

This doesn't mean stopping the replacement of culverts. Just use the time and money more judiciously. What is needed here is a true win-win for fish and man.

 

 

 

Ideas for designated commercial harvest fish runs

Years ago, Weyerhauser was in the fish business. According to SG
they dropped it, because of preharvest by sport and commercial boats.

if we had a goal... To maximize commercial harvest in specific rivers, while not competing with tribal or sport harvest. Hopefully the tribes would go along with splitting the harvest with sport only fishing.

Although this might never get to a viable point, I have wondered for a while about using creeks, or small tribs to use as a commercial harvest open farm style operation, similar to the weyerhauser approach or the Tulalup tribe set up, that operates two hatcheries on their reservation. If the creek or river has no viable wild run to damage, and we could make this work on a multi river arrangement, you get the nets out of salt and you make it a non tribal commercial operation and keep the sports on other watersheds.

Instead of clipping, they just put a small tag, to identify strays. Have a spring, fall or continuous run whatever species, kings or silvers. Then run a trap or weir, nets near the mouth and let the commercial harvest take it all, and run the facilities. In some respects, a processor could do the entire operation, cutting out the independent harvest. But make it private with state oversight. Work it into the Canadian Alaska US treaty where commercial harvest at sea would be eliminated for [at least these] salmon, so they arent preharvesting each others fish. (future operations might form in BC and Alaska given similar extinct runs). Other factors would have to look at limiting number of licenses and methods for commercial boat harvest if any were to continue in Alaska waters. But, one goal would be to work around losing 60 plus percent of the columbia river fish to alaska and Canadian commercial harvest. Would have to eliminate harvest of herring and sardine, but not limited to those species to increase food supply. Sport harvest of herring or smelt etc like in the cowlitz etc would be ok, so some bait needs would be met.

Now, instead of saying it wont work or just saying no, lets brainstorm the various factors that would make it work. If its done well, it could compete with farms and relieve wild fish from commercial harvest, reduce state subsidies for multiple hatcheries to support the commercial fishing industry. What if... it could eliminate commercial harvest in the columbia.

Let the ideas fly. If they did a year round egg box program of one species, would they have silvers or chinook come back all at once or throughout the year for that type of commercial harvest?

Keep in mind, the tulalups have two hatcheries on the reservation. I guess they net the bay, but as long as they leave wild fish alone in the rivers, it seems like a win, if they dont interfere in the sport fishery on those tribs.

I think there are enough rivers to go around, that designated rivers could go a long way to eliminating harvest conflicts with the tribes and the sport fishery, thereby maximizing interest in sport fishing(in combination with a workable recovery plan. We might even have the option of switching rivers over from hatchery supplements to wild fish only, on a gradual basis, to transition sport harvest to other rivers, rather than eliminate four or five rivers in a geographical region, putting pressure on other systems, or killing business in a no fish zone.

So, we would need stream candidates and look at the ramifications of a wild run remaining or not, or nearby river, that would generate a lot of strays. Look at hatchery facilities not being used now, or due to close and methods of harvest. Perhaps beginning with the criteria, needed to make a project work.

Im guessing the alternative is more of the same, with more restrictions and allocation fights in the midst of shrinking budgets.

 

 

 

New Rule Proposals for Rockfish in Puget Sound

Better take a look at the proposals and make your comments. The general concept is included in the current fishing regulation proposals in case you might have missed them (see item #10). Included in the proposal is that would put a 120' (20 fathom) limit on all fishing in Puget Sound except for salmon.

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

October 19, 2009

Contact: Greg Bargmann, (360) 902-2825
WDFW seeks public comments on
Puget Sound rockfish conservation plan

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is accepting public comment through Nov. 19 on a new draft conservation plan for rockfish in Puget Sound and has scheduled four meetings to discuss the plan with the public.
The draft conservation plan is the preferred alternative among several presented in a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which is required by the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
The DEIS and draft conservation plan are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/management/rockfish/ . Those who would like a copy of the plan on a compact disc or in print can call (360) 902-2844.
The draft conservation plan provides the framework for new strategies and actions in areas including fisheries, monitoring and education to conserve and protect rockfish populations in Puget Sound. Three species of rockfish in Puget Sound – bocaccio, yelloweye and canary rockfish – currently are being considered for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Comments can be submitted by email to SEPAdesk2@dfw.wa.gov , by FAX to (360) 902-2946, or by U.S. Mail to: WDFW SEPA Desk, 600 Capitol Way N. Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
In addition, people can submit comments, as well as discuss the draft plan with WDFW staff, during public meetings scheduled for:
• Oct. 29 – From 7-9 p.m. in Mill Creek at WDFW's Mill Creek office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.
• Nov. 2 – From noon-2 p.m. in Friday Harbor in the Commons Room at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor laboratory, 620 University Road.
• Nov. 4 – From 7-9 p.m. in Olympia in room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E.
• Nov. 6 – From 4-6 p.m. in Port Townsend in the Raven Room at Skookum Inc., 385 Benedict St.

 

 

 

The Toxic Nightmare

 

 

Wow, I was totally surprised by this.......

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

 

Would you brush your teeth with Drano?
Would you shampoo your hair with Anti-freeze?
Would you soap your body with oven degreaser?

• Well, you probably are!!!
• The illness and disease caused by these toxic petro-chemicals are at epidemic levels.
• This 4 minute video is a "must see" for all who care. Especially those with children or grandchildren.

Click here to view
the four minute video.

SW Washington Fishing Report

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River – Summer run steelhead catches are improving around Blue Creek.  The first Cowlitz coho of the fall has returned to the salmon hatchery.

Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 405 summer-run steelhead adults, 83 spring Chinook adults, 18 jacks, 223 Chinook mini-jacks, one coho salmon adult, three sockeye and one chum salmon during five days of operation at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

During the week Tacoma Power employees released 22 spring Chinook adults, 16 jacks and one coho salmon into the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek, and 202 spring Chinook mini-jacks into Riffe Lake at Mossyrock Park.

Through July a total of 1,890 hatchery summer run steelhead had returned to the salmon hatchery.  In comparison, 4,308 fish had returned at this time last year. 

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 3,180 cubic feet per second with a visibility of over 13 feet on Monday, August 3.

Kalama River – No report on angling success.  A half dozen fall Chinook have return to the traps to date.  In addition, 1,615 hatchery and 174 wild summer run steelhead had returned to Kalama Falls Hatchery through July.  This compares to 781 hatchery and 155 wild fish at the same time last year.

Lewis River – No report on angling success.  A total of 2,314 hatchery summer run steelhead had returned to the trap at Merwin Dam through July.  This compares to 5,096 fish at the same time last year. 

Wind River – Boat anglers are catching some steelhead.  There were a handful of boats here yesterday (Sunday Aug. 2).

Drano Lake – Including fish released, boat anglers averaged nearly a steelhead per rod.  About 45 boats were observed here yesterday.

White Salmon River – Boat and bank anglers are catching some steelhead.  Approximately 25 watercraft were found here yesterday.

Buoy 10 – Slow on Saturday's opener though some coho were reported caught yesterday.

Lower Columbia from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam – From July 27-31 we sampled 465 bank anglers with 101 steelhead and 1 jack Chinook.  In addition, we sampled 64 boat anglers (30 boats) with 23 steelhead.  Just over 60% of the steelhead caught were kept. 

The lower Columbia is very low and warm.  At Bonneville Dam yesterday, average flows were 137,000 cfs and water temp 74 degrees.  The recent 10-year average is 158,600 cfs and 70 degrees.   

This year's steelhead counts at Bonneville Dam are very similar to this time last year – 140,731 vs 147,970 fish, respectively.

Bonneville and The Dalles pools – Boat anglers in Bonneville Pool and bank anglers in The Dalles Pool are catching some Chinook and steelhead.

John Day Pool – No effort for salmonids was found there last week.

Sturgeon

Lower Columbia from the mouth to the Wauna powerlines – Catch and release through the end of the year.

Lower Columbia from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam – Catch and released through September.

Walleye and Bass

John Day Pool – Including fish released, boat anglers averaged over 1.5 walleye and 4 bass per rod.  The majority of the walleye were kept.

Trout

Last week Council and Takhlakh lakes were planted with 3,768 and 4,023 catchable size rainbows, respectively.

Skate Creek and the Tilton River – Both are scheduled to be planted with two thousand catchable size rainbows this week.

Best Regards,
Capt. Jerry Brown
Columbia River Fishing
http://www.columbia-river-fishing-guide.com
206-920-2428

 

 

SW Washington Fishin

Anglers with constraints on their time will have to choose their fishing days carefully in the weeks ahead.  Those ready to go right now will find good - and improving - fishing for hatchery steelhead from the lower Columbia River to the Bonneville Pool tributaries.  They might want to consider, though, that the sturgeon fishery in the estuary has been extended for three more days, July 24-26. Then again, those who wait until Aug. 1 can fish for salmon at Buoy 10 and any number of other waters opening for fall salmon fishing that day.

"Now is the time to make plans about where to go, where to stay and where to moor your boat," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist.  "A lot of fishing opportunities will be opening up in the coming days, and a lot of anglers will want to get in on the action."

Summer steelhead fishing has continued to heat up - along with water temperatures - on the mainstem Columbia River and tributaries stretching upstream to the Bonneville Pool.  Boat anglers fishing between Rocky Point and Bonneville Dam averaged one fish for every two rods during the week ending July 19.  Bank anglers netted a fish for every four rods.  The best catch rates were observed from Kalama downstream and in the gorge, where 178 bank anglers pulled in 53 steelhead and released 56 others July 21.

On the Cowlitz River, boat anglers have been reeling in hatchery steelhead from Mission Bar to Blue Creek. As daily steelhead counts continue to climb at Bonneville Dam, success rates have has also picked up at Drano Lake and on the White Salmon River. 

In all areas, anglers may retain only hatchery steelhead with a clipped adipose or ventral fin and a healed scar.  "The good news there is that the proportion of marked, hatchery fish below Bonneville has increased in recent days," Hymer said.

Rather hold out for sturgeon ?  With 2,400 more fish available for harvest under the area guideline, the sturgeon fishery in the Columbia River estuary has been extended for another three days.  In a joint action July 21, fishery managers in Washington and Oregon agreed to reopen the fishery Friday through Sunday from July 24-26 between the mouth of the Columbia and the Wauna powerlines near Cathlamet.

That action follows a similar six-day extension approved for mid-July.  "Fishing was generally good, but we didn't get the turnout we expected because a lot of anglers decided to fish for salmon off the coast," said Brad James, another WDFW fish biologist.  "That left room for some extra fishing days."

Salmon will no doubt loom even larger in anglers' minds by the time that fishery wraps up.  Starting Aug. 1, the fall salmon season will open on the Columbia River from Buoy 10 to the Hwy. 395 Bridge in Pasco and on a lot of tributaries in between.  More than 700,000 coho are expected to enter the Columbia River this year along with nearly 533,000 chinook, generating high hopes for the upcoming fall salmon fishery.

"This year's coho return to the Columbia is expected to be largest since 2001," Hymer said.  "Add an above-average chinook return to that and you have a pretty favorable outlook for fall salmon fisheries."

A major focus of anticipation is the Buoy 10 fishery near the mouth of the Columbia River, where fishery managers are planning for a catch of 10,700 chinook and 119,100 hatchery coho.  During the month of August, the daily limit will be two salmon (but only one chinook) or hatchery steelhead or one of each.  All salmon other than chinook and hatchery coho must be released.  Barbed hooks will be allowed.

The north jetty is open for fishing seven days per week when the Buoy 10 area or Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) are open for salmon fishing. 

The daily adult catch limits are the same for anglers fishing from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line to Bonneville Dam, where fishery managers are planning for a catch of 15,100 chinook and 1,900 coho.  Fishing rules for these and other areas are described in WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs ).

Hymer said fall fishing rules for area tributaries, also described in the pamphlet, reflect both the expected size of this year's coho return and the transition to mark-selective chinook fishing in those rivers.  "The rules are basically designed to protect wild chinook, while giving anglers a chance to remove as many excess hatchery fish from spawning areas as possible," he said.  "Rules regarding release of wild adult chinook and jacks vary, because some hatcheries began fin-clipping fish earlier than others.  So we're still a year or two away from the day when all returning chinook will be marked."

Below is a summary of the new rules that will be in effect on various tributaries to the Columbia River starting Aug. 1:

• Bonus hatchery coho retention:   Anglers may retain up to six hatchery adult coho on all lower Columbia tributaries with hatchery programs, including the Cowlitz, Deep, Elochoman, Grays (including West Fork), Kalama, Klickitat, Lewis (including North Fork), Toutle (including Green and North Fork) and Washougal rivers.  Last year, the Cowlitz River was the only system with a daily limit of six hatchery adult coho.  
• Release all wild chinook:   Anglers must release all chinook (adults and jacks) on the Elochoman and Kalama rivers, where mass-marked fall chinook that are two, three and four years old will be returning this year.  Very few five and six year-olds are expected, so this regulation provides additional protection for wild chinook adults with a minimal loss of sportfishing opportunity for older unmarked hatchery fish.
• Release wild chinook jacks:   This rule will be in effect on the Cowlitz, Toutle (including Green and North Fork), Washougal, Wind and White Salmon rivers, plus Drano Lake.   Two and three year-old mass-marked fall chinook will be returning to the Cowlitz, Toutle and Washougal rivers, while two, three, and four year-olds will return to the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery.  Some strays from various hatcheries also can be found in the Washington tributaries above Bonneville Dam.
• Hatchery chinook strays on the Lewis River:   Anglers may retain stray hatchery chinook on the Lewis River and North Fork Lewis through September. While no fall chinook are released from Lewis River hatcheries, some stray tules are found in the system. 
• Boat angling restriction on the North Fork Lewis River:   This regulation, which applies to the Cedar Creek area, will be delayed until October to give anglers greater access to the large number of hatchery coho expected to return to the river. The restriction on boats will still take effect in time to protect wild fall chinook, which are expected to return in improved numbers but just above the minimum escapement goal.
• Grays and Elochoman rivers open Aug. 1:   The starting date for fall salmon fisheries has been moved up to allow anglers to catch early arriving fish, particularly Select Area Bright fall chinook that stray into the Grays River. 

Meanwhile, sturgeon fishing has been slow from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam, and will switch to catch-and-release during August and September.  Catch-and-release fishing will open Aug. 1 in the area from Marker 85 to the deadlines below the dam, which has been closed to protect spawning sturgeon.