The states of Washington and Oregon will close the Columbia River to all steelhead retention on Monday (Aug. 27) due to continued poor returns.
This action was taken via emergency rule by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to protect wild summer steelhead that are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The retention closure means all steelhead landed in the main stem Columbia River must be released unharmed.
The new rule will be in place from Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia River, to Highway 395 in Pasco.
Monitoring at Bonneville Dam now indicates that 110,300 upriver steelhead will return to the Columbia this year, down from the 182,400 fish projected before the fishing season began.
The expected return is now similar to last year’s actual return, when rolling closures and bag limit restrictions were enacted to protect weak returns.
“Many factors are clearly taking a toll on our steelhead populations right now, including difficult ocean conditions,” said Ryan Lothrop, the Columbia River fishery coordinator for the WDFW. “We need to do what’s necessary to protect these runs.”
The action follows steelhead retention closures on two popular local fisheries, Drano Lake and the Wind River, and a night fishing closure for the entire Columbia River for salmon and steelhead.
The state of Oregon has closed the Columbia River at the mouth of the Deschutes to all fishing for any species.
The states are also considering more closures, including for some of the remaining cold-water refuges.
Anglers are reminded to check the WDFW website or call the regional office before fishing to check for additional closures.
