Contents

Columbia River Chum Salmon

What's New? Introduction Chum Salmon Tales Respect! Honne Names the Salmon Whatever It Takes Recipe Challenge Life History Timeline for Life History, Growth, and Survival Chum Salmon Ages Embryonic Stages Juvenile Stages Adult Stages Chum Salmon Ecosytems Ocean Climate Effects Identifying Chum Salmon Viewing Chum Salmon Kennedy Creek Clarks Creek Piper's Creek Chum Salmon Colors Puget Sound Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Summer Chum Recovery Plan Summer Chum Recovery Planning Update Chum Management Management Chronology Fisheries Data Coastal Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Chum Management Fisheries Data Columbia River Chum Salmon Introduction Stock Status Recovery Efforts Fisheries Technical Reports Databases Glossary

Columbia River Chum Fisheries Historic harvest rates likely approached 80% for chum salmon. The commercial landings of these fish ranged from 1 to 8 million pounds in most years before the 1940s. At 12 pounds per fish this equates to 83,000 to 666,000 adults. From the 1960s to the present most chum salmon were caught incidentally to late returning hatchery coho salmon. Commercial landings have averaged less than 50,000 pounds or 4,000 fish since 1959. With the ESA listing of other Columbia River salmon and the efforts to rebuild wild coho populations, the current harvest rates on chum salmon are very low. Current incidental catch of chum salmon in the lower Columbia River commercial fishery has been less than 100 fish since 1993. Recreational anglers have harvested chum salmon in the past. However, in 1992 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife closed sport fishing in the Columbia River and its tributaries for chum salmon. In 1995 WDFW implemented the same regulation. In addition, sanctuaries for chum salmon have been established in many areas.

Chum Salmon Databases