Ten hours of gillnetting in the lower Columbia River will begin at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The commercial fleet will be allowed to fish from Beacon Rock downstream to the river mouth at Buoy 10 with 8-inch-minimum mesh nets, the Columbia River Compact decided on Tuesday.
A catch of about 2,000 chinook, up to 2,500 coho and 250 sturgeon is anticipated.
Only about 800 coho were caught during last week’s one-night gillnet opener.
Biologist Robin Ehlke of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said the small coho catch is likely due to early coho having moved through the river and late coho not yet arriving.
Gillnetting may be scheduled again next week to target on late coho.
