Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife FACT SHEET
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Columbia River Compact / Joint State Action Notice
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

April 6, 2009

THE FOLLOWING COLUMBIA RIVER SEASONS WERE SET:

2009 COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERY

Non-Indian Commercial Salmon Fishery
Season: 1 PM to 11 PM Tuesday April 7, 2009 (10 hours)
Area: West powerlines on Hayden Island upstream to Beacon Rock (Zone 4-5)
Sanctuaries: Washougal River and Sandy River.
Gear: Drift nets only. 4¼” maximum mesh size restriction (tangle net gear).
Allowable Sales: Adipose fin-clipped Chinook salmon, shad, and white sturgeon measuring within 43 inches and 54 inches in fork-length.
Additional Regulations include but are not limited to: 24 hour Quick Reporting Rule for Washington buyers.

Multi- Net Rule: Nets not specifically authorized for use in this fishery may be onboard the vessel if properly stored. A properly stored net is defined as a net on a drum that is fully covered by a tarp (canvas or plastic) and bound with a minimum of ten revolutions of rope with a diameter of 3/8 (0.375) inches or greater

Use of monofilament tangle nets not allowed.

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.

Use of recovery boxes is required for all lethargic or bleeding steelhead or salmon that are required to be released.

Each participating vessel is required to have 2 operable recovery boxes or one box with two chambers.

Soak times, defined as time elapsed from when first mesh enters the water to when last mesh leaves 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. Two red corks are required at each end of nets fitted with steelhead excluder panels, weedlines, or droppers.

Cooperation of vessel operators to allow state monitors onboard to observe and collect data is required.

Workshop: Commercial fishers must have successfully completed a state-sponsored workshop concerning live captive commercial fishing techniques.

A Compact hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 13, 2009 via teleconference.

Columbia River Compact Action Notice
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

April 6, 2009

The Compact adopted one additional fishing period in Deep River, which will occur prior to the already scheduled spring season.

The Joint staff reminds commercial fisherman that biological sampling of all landed catch is required, as indicated in the “Additional Regulations” section of the following table.

Deep River Select Area
Spring Season: 7 PM Wednesday April 8 to 7 AM Thursday April 9, 2009 (12 hours)

Sunday and Wednesday nights from April 15 through April 30.
Open hours are 7 PM to 7 AM (12 hours).

Area: Deep River fishing area from the markers at USCG navigation marker #16 upstream to the Highway 4 Bridge (all concurrent water)
Gear: 8-inch maximum mesh size restriction during the spring season.

Nets restricted to 100 fathoms in length with no weight restriction on leadline. Use of additional weights or anchors attached directly to the leadline is allowed. Nets cannot be tied off to stationary structures. Nets may not fully cross navigation channel.

Allowable Sales: Salmon, shad, and white sturgeon (43-54 inches in fork length). A maximum of 5 white sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open
Additional Regulations: Transportation or possession of fish outside the fishing area (except to the sampling station) is unlawful until WDFW staff has biologically sampled individual catches.

After sampling, fishers will be issued a transportation permit by agency staff.

A sampling station will be established downstream of the Highway 4 Bridge at Stephen’s dock.

24-hour Quick Reporting Rule in effect for Washington buyers

  • Concurrent jurisdiction waters extend downstream from the Highway 4 Bridge
  • Either a Washington or Oregon license is required in concurrent jurisdiction waters

A Compact hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 13, 2009 via teleconference.

Back to Columbia River Compact Index

Find a bug or error in the system? Let us know about it!
© 2000-2009Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
E-mail <webmaster@dfw.wa.gov>