OLYMPIA – Starting Thursday (Sept. 13), fishing for salmon will be closed on the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream to Hwy 395 in Pasco under new rules approved today by fishery managers from Washington and Oregon.

Deep River in Washington and other tributaries in Oregon (Youngs Bay, Tongue Point/South Channel, Blind Slough and Knappa Slough) are also closed to salmon and steelhead angling.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) already prohibited steelhead retention in much of the same area of the Columbia River several weeks ago, and the new emergency rule closes angling for both salmon and steelhead in those waters as well.

Large portion of Columbia River Will Close To Steelhead Fishing

Bill Tweit, Columbia River fishery coordinator for WDFW, said the counts of fall chinook at Bonneville Dam are 29 percent below preseason forecasts, and on-going fisheries are approaching the allowable catch limits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

“We recognize that this closure is difficult for anglers, but we have an obligation to meet our ESA goals so that fisheries can continue in the future,” he said.

Tweit said the upriver fall chinook run provides the bulk of the harvest opportunity for fall fisheries, but that returns in recent years has been declining due to unfavorable ocean conditions. The preseason forecast for this year is 47 percent of the 10-year average return of upriver bright fall chinook.

ODFW is meeting later this week to discuss new fish and game regulations.  We are confident these closures will be a topic of discussion.  It remains uncertain if other river systems in Oregon and Washington will be closed as well.  Salmon and Steelhead fishing is a popular outdoor sport along the coast.

The reasons for low fish returns are hotly debated.  Some suspect marine predators like sharks or seals.  Others believe the problem can be solved by increasing hatchery capacity.  Our fishing group believes it’s a combination of factors.  One thing is for sure.  The issue has come to a head and there is no choice but to act or lose the entire fishery.

The new emergency fishing rule is posted on WDFW’s website at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/