PORTLAND — Sturgeon retention in the lower Willamette River is closed for 2013.
Approximately 1,000 sturgeon remained on the quota, but with 820 boats counted on Saturday’s one-day retention opener and an average catch rate of 1.5 sturgeon kept per boat, anglers caught an estimated 1,200 keepers.
Sturgeon retention in the lower Willamette, lower Columbia, Puget Sound, Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor will be closed in 2014 to help the population recover.