Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon biologist Eric Schindler, in the background, makes a presentation to a crowd of salmon fishermen Wednesday in Newport. Commercial trollers heard they may be able to have more fishing opportunity this year.
World Photo by Susan Chambers
NEWPORT - Oregon commercial trollers decided to wait and see what options federal fishery scientists work out next week before making their decision on a March 15 salmon season opening.
About 125 fishermen, mostly ocean trollers from ports south of the Columbia River, attended an Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association-sponsored industry meeting in Newport on Wednesday. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials presented a review of last year's salmon season and gathered input on fishermen's ideas for a 2007 season.
State officials will take those ideas to the Pacific Fishery Management Council when it meets next week in Sacramento, Calif.
Most of Wednesday's discussion centered around a spring season, size changes and restrictions on allowed fishing days and landing limits.
ODFW Assistant Fish Division Administrator Curt Melcher tackled the season opening first, after reviewing the 2006 season.
The March 15 opening for Oregon coastal fishermen has been on the books for years, but it was only last year the council rescinded it in light of low forecasts of Klamath River fall Chinook returns.
But is this year different?
“I heard from a lot of people saying, ‘Rescind the March fishery,'” Melcher said. “Others want to start.”
Newport fisherman John King recommended going ahead with the early start. It gets wild fish on the market sooner and gets consumers used to buying fish.
Besides, other fishermen said, Oregon trollers can often get a premium price for their spring catches, when the season is closed in California and Washington. The price to fishermen drops dramatically - as much as $1 a pound or more - when a neighboring state's salmon season opens and more fish are on the market.
“The most important thing to me is the number of days I get to fish,” Newport troller John King said. “The sooner we get 'em, the more valuable they'll be.”
“I think a lot of people would be surprised with a March opener at this time,” Port Orford fisherman Aaron Longton said.
Melcher was fine with that, too.
“If you want to let it ride, I'll let it ride,” Melcher said. “If you want to wait until next week, we can wait until next week.”
The one thing most fishermen agreed on was to delay the season if starting it meant sacrificing more days during the summer or fall, when the Chinook are more plentiful.
And, on that note, Melcher had good news to share.
“On the Chinook side, I think the picture is much improved,” Melcher told the audience. “Whether or not we're able to get back to something like '03 or '04 is questionable.”
The 2003 fishery was one of the best ever.
Oregon ocean commercial Chinook catches totaled 331,900 fish. In comparison, Oregon coastwide deliveries amounted to only 34,964 fish in 2006 - the year in which commercial trolling was closed completely between Florence and the California border, and with only limited openings from Florence to Washington.
Melcher said biologists expect 12 times as many 3-year-old Chinook to return to the Klamath River this year as last. There may be fewer 4-year-old fish, the ones primarily targeted by commercial fishermen, than last year, but the combination of both ages should provide fishermen with more trolling opportunity this year.
Fishermen suggested dropping the size restriction from 28 inches to 27 inches to catch some of the younger fish - the larger 3-year-olds.
Melcher said that size restrictions can be worked into the model that helps managers craft season options and that could be taken into account next week. The only tradeoff likely would be fishing time. Trollers could lose about 7 percent of their fishing time to account for the accelerated catch of fish.
Some in the audience proposed lowering the weekly landing limits so the season could be extended - even if the size limits were reduced. It would keep fish on the market and available for consumers, they said.
There again, though, is a tradeoff.
“Limits are imprecise science,” Melcher said, noting that the models fishery managers use can't currently incorporate them. “I heard loudly that 75 fish weren't enough (last year).”
Most fishermen weren't keen on the idea of landing limits, fearing that once they're established, they would never go away. But some trollers had a different take.
“Weekly landing restrictions must be on a seven-day week,” Charleston fisherman Paul Merz said, noting that last year's five-day and three-day openings didn't work. Sometimes weather was a problem and it forced fishermen to take unnecessary risks
“Our objective,” Merz said of a recent meeting with Charleston fishermen, “is to craft an economically viable fishery for all participants.”
Ideally, that season also would lead to price stability for fishermen, buyers and consumers.
“We want to deliver a premium product for the longest period of time,” he said.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council will consider several options next week. Fishermen will be able to review those ideas and provide comment until April, when the council will make its final decision on this year's seasons when it meets in Seattle.
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Where have you been?Most Oregon Salmon Trollers I Know, woke up to "EMPTY POCKETS" last March 16th!!The Fishery Managers need to begin working their computer models based on 20 yr increments instead of the three year model used in last years decision.The good prices we get in March coupled with the fact that we are an economically deprived state,Demand a March 15th Opener!!
I understand the plight of local fishermen in regards to the shortened salmon fishing seasons and lengthened list of restrictions on fishing. Economic times aren't exactly booming and while congress is worried about problems on the world stage less attention is being paid to the working man. Our state representatives are more interested in keeping interest groups and lobbyists with big budgets happy than lending a helping hand to men and women who save their money and voices for raising their children. If we want to save our industry we need to starting working with these interest groups and find a resolution plan. It will help to curb their fanaticism and give us a clearer picture of where things are going before we wake up one day to empty pockets.
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