Columbia River Gillnetters get green light

[House]

This notice appears courtesy of Liz Hamilton of the NSIA:

As of Friday, the commercials are projected to be 67% of their pre run update catch balance level and the sport fleet is projected to be at 16%.

The States will hold a call on Thursday to discuss and extension of the mainstem sport fishery.

Test Fishery results were:

17 drifts
62 Chinook (62% Upriver, 87% MR)
18 Steelhead

A Joint State hearing is scheduled for noon Thursday April 12 to review the ongoing sport fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam.

See Compact Notice pasted below.


COLUMBIA RIVER COMPACT/JOINT STATE

ACTION NOTICE

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife April 9, 2012

Non-Indian Salmon Commercial Fishery

Season:
12:30 PM to 6:30 PM Tuesday April 10, 2012
(6 hours)

Gear:
Drift nets only. 4¼” maximum mesh size restriction. Net length not to exceed 150 fathoms. Net length can increase from 150 to 175 fathoms for nets constructed with a steelhead excluder panel, weedlines, or droppers. Nets not specifically authorized for use in this fishery may be onboard the vessel if properly stored.

Area:
Zones 1-5 (SMCRA 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E)

Sanctuaries:
Grays River, Elochoman-B, Abernathy Creek, Cowlitz River, Kalama-B, Lewis-B, Sandy and Washougal.

Allowable Sales:
Adipose fin-clipped Chinook salmon, shad and white sturgeon (43-54 inch fork length). A maximum of 6 white sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open.


Standard regulations typically in place for spring Chinook commercial fisheries are in effect, including but not limited to: net length, use of recovery boxes, limited soak times, red corks, lighted buoys, tangle-net certification, etc.

Soak times, defined as the time elapsed from when the first of the gill net web is deployed into the water until the gill net web is fully retrieved from the water, must not exceed 45 minutes.

Red corks are required at 25 fathom intervals, and red corks must be in contrast to the corks used in the remainder of the net.

Lighted Buoys: Nets that are fished at any time between official sunset and official sunrise must have lighted buoys on both ends of the net unless the net is attached to the boat. If the net is attached to the boat, then one lighted buoy on the opposite end of the net from the boat is required

Recovery Box: Each boat will be required to have on board two operable recovery boxes or one box with two chambers that meet the flow and size requirements standard for the winter/spring season. Each box and chamber and associated pump shall be operating during any time that the net is being retrieved or picked. All non-legal sturgeon, non-adipose fin-clipped salmon, and steelhead must be released immediately to the river with care and with the least possible injury to the fish, or placed into an operating recovery box. Any fish that is bleeding or lethargic must be placed in the recovery box prior to being released. All fish placed in recovery boxes must be released to the river prior to landing or docking.

Additional Rules:
Observer program: As a condition of fishing, owners or operators of commercial fishing vessels must cooperate with department observers or observers collecting data for the department, when notified by the observer of his or her intent to board the commercial vessel for observation and sampling during an open fishery.

Live Capture workshop: Only licensed Columbia River commercial fishers that have completed the required state-sponsored workshop concerning live capture commercial fishing techniques may participate in this fishery. At least one fisher on each boat must have live capture certification.

24-hour quick reporting required for Washington wholesale dealers, per WAC 220-69-240.


· A Joint State hearing is scheduled for noon Thursday April 12 to review the ongoing sport fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam.