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

January 29, 2009

THE FOLLOWING SEASONS WERE MODIFIED:

The ongoing commercial sturgeon fishery was modified to include a weekly sturgeon landing limit for the remainder of the season already in place.

2009 Commercial White Sturgeon Winter Fishery
Season: 6 PM Tuesday February 3 – 6 PM Wednesday February 4, 2009 (24 hours)
6 PM Thursday February 5 – noon Friday February 6, 2009 (18 hours)
6 PM Tuesday February 10 – 6 PM Wednesday February 11, 2009 (24 hours)
6 PM Thursday February 12 – noon Friday February 13, 2009 (18 hours)
Area: Zones 1-5
Gear: Drift gillnets only. 9" minimum and 9 ¾" maximum mesh size restrictions.
Allowable Sales: White sturgeon (43-54 inch fork length)and adipose fin-clipped salmon. A maximum of 12 white sturgeon may be possessed or sold by each participating vessel during each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that the fishery is open.
Sanctuaries: Sandy River sanctuary
Misc: 24 hour Quick Reporting Rule in effect for Washington buyers.

THE FOLLOWING REGULATION WAS ADOPTED:

Columbia River Treaty-Indian Sturgeon Measurement Standard – Fork Length
The measurement standard for sturgeon in the Columbia River will be based on fork length (measure from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail) for all Treaty-Indian fisheries.

This measurement standard replaces the total measurement standard used in the past.

Legal-size measurement based on fork length is:
38-54 inches in Bonneville Pool
43-54 inches in The Dalles and John Day pools

THE FOLLOWING COLUMBIA RIVER SEASONS WERE SET:

Treaty Indian Winter Season
Season: 6 AM February 2 through 6 PM March 21, 2009
Area: All of Zone 6.
Exceptions: (Bonneville Pool) Bonneville Pool only open five days a week
6 AM Mondays through 6 PM Friday of each week.
Sanctuaries Standard river mouth and dam sanctuaries in effect (no Spring Creek sanctuary).
Gear Gill net. No minimum mesh size restrictions.
Allowable Sales Steelhead, walleye, carp, and shad, catfish bass and yellow perch. Sturgeon between 38-54 inches in fork length in Bonneville pool and 43-54 inches in fork length in The Dalles pool and John Day pool may be sold or retained for subsistence purposes. Fish landed during an open commercial period may be sold at any time Live release of all oversize and under size sturgeon is required.
Chinook may not be sold, but may be retained for ceremonial and subsistence purposes.
Platform and Hook and Line Fisheries Platform and Hook and line fisheries are open for ceremonial and subsistence use at any time. Sale of fish caught from platform and hook & line in Zone 6 is allowed during open commercial gillnet seasons (species consistent with allowable sales during commercial fisheries).
Quick Reporting 24-hour Quick Reporting Rule in effect for Washington buyers.

Yakama Nation Ceremonial and Subsistence(C&S) Fishery
Time: Open until further notice for C&S purposes. Fishery to be conducted consisted with the 2007 MOA between Washington state and Yakama Nation.
Area: Washington shoreline from 600 feet below the fish ladder at the Bonneville Dam North shore powerhouse downstream to Beacon Rock (bank fishing only).
Participants: Yakama Tribal members only.
Sturgeon Retention Prohibited Sturgeon may not be sold or retained for any purpose, including ceremonial or subsistence purposes.
Gear: Dip nets, hoop nets, and rod and reel with hook & line.
Allowable Sales: Sale of platform and hook & line caught fish is allowed during open treaty Indian commercial gillnet seasons in Zone 6 and are consistent with the allowable sales for that season EXCEPT for sturgeon.

Allowable sales: Steelhead, walleye, carp, and shad, catfish bass and yellow perch. Fish landed during an open commercial period may be sold at any time. Sales may not occur on USACE property. Chinook may not be sold, but may be retained for ceremonial and subsistence purposes.

Quick Reporting: 24 hour Quick Reporting Rule in effect for Washington buyers.

  • No Compact hearings are scheduled at this time.


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