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Additional sturgeon fishing cuts expected

By Al Thomas, Columbian Outdoors Reporter
Published: December 2, 2010, 12:00am

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will start the process Friday leading to even deeper cuts in sturgeon fishing in the lower Columbia River.

Cindy LeFleur and Bill Tweit of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife will give the nine-member citizen commission a briefing on sturgeon to be followed by a public hearing.

LONGVIEW — A public meeting to discuss lower Columbia River sturgeon management will begin at 6 p.m. Monday at the Cowlitz County Public Utility District, 961 12th Ave.

Washington and Oregon biologists will share information and seek comments regarding sturgeon fishing in 2011 and beyond.

LONGVIEW -- A public meeting to discuss lower Columbia River sturgeon management will begin at 6 p.m. Monday at the Cowlitz County Public Utility District, 961 12th Ave.

Washington and Oregon biologists will share information and seek comments regarding sturgeon fishing in 2011 and beyond.

The commission will meet in Room No. 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. in Olympia. Sturgeon management for 2011 through 2013 is on the agenda shortly after the lunch break, which ends at 1:15 p.m.

Sport and commercial harvest between the ocean and Bonneville Dam was cut 40 percent in 2010, the biggest reduction since Washington and Oregon started joint state agreements in 1996.

Catch guidelines for 2010 were 19,200 for sportsmen and 4,800 for the commercial fleet. The sport share was split between downstream of the Wauna power lines, Wauna to Bonneville Dam, and in the lower Willamette River.

Reduced catch rates for sub-legal (smaller than 38 inches fork length) sturgeon indicate the legal-size segment of the lower Columbia population is expected to decline during the next four to five years.

“Given the current trend, we may have to consider more conservative fishing seasons,”LeFleur said.

Compounding problems for sturgeon are increased predation by Steller and California sea lions.

The draft 2011-13 policy does not propose changes in the 80-percent sport/20-percent commercial allocation or changes in the geographic distribution of the sport catch.

LeFleur said a staff recommendation will be presented to the commission on the magnitude of sturgeon catch reduction.

Summer chinook — Commission members also will get a briefing on Friday regarding Columbia River summer chinook.

The state’s summer chinook policy ends on Dec. 31 and a policy for 2011-13 is being proposed for public hearing in January and commission adoption in February.

There are new factors influencing summer chinook management. An analysis of harvest suggests catch in the ocean may be considerably larger than originally thought.

New escapement goals also will needed to allow for the new $40 million Chief Joseph Hatchery, scheduled for completion in a couple of years.

Barbless hooks — Director Phil Anderson will discuss with the commission on Friday Washington’s 2011 regulations that require barbless hooks in the Columbia River downstream of McNary Dam.

Oregon does not have a barbless hook requirement.

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Columbian Outdoors Reporter