It is looking pretty grim, but no one knows why.
Dire salmon figures may doom season
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:25 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A complete closure of salmon fishing in California and Oregon this year appeared more likely Tuesday after federal managers grappled with the hard facts.
The drastic proposal – which would mean fresh local salmon would not be available in stores, restaurants or farmer's markets – is driven by a dramatic decline in Central Valley fall-run chinook populations. The total has dropped by more than 90 percent since 2002.
Meeting in Sacramento, the Pacific Fishery Management Council was told by its expert staff that even with such a drastic closure, only an estimated 59,100 chinook salmon will spawn this fall in California's Central Valley rivers, including the Sacramento, American and Feather.
That low number is well below the minimum conservation goal of 122,000 fish, leaving officials with few options.
All fishing south of Point Falcon in Oregon could be affected – including commercial and recreational, in the ocean and rivers – which has never happened.
"There's no way you can divide up the fish available and end up with any kind of fishery," said Duncan MacLean, a commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay. "This whole thing sucks."
The fall run is the largest on the West Coast, underpinning a fishing industry worth at least $103 million annually.
Last year, the run saw its second-worst numbers in 35 years, surprising officials who expected average returns. No one is certain why the run is suffering.
