West Coast Fisheries – Fishermens News

West Coast Fisheries Spring Seasons Preview

By Daniel Mintz Several key West Coast fisheries begin or pick up during spring months. Here’s a rundown on the areas, regulations and species included in spring fishing seasons. Salmon West Coast Chinook salmon fishing in California and Oregon has been impacted by reduced abundance of Sacramento and Klamath river fall run stocks, with California under complete closure the last two years. Oregon’s fishing has been limited, especially in the Klamath Management Zone from Humbug Mountain to the state’s southern border. The process of developing abundance forecasts begins in February and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) approves West Coast salmon seasons in April. In years that aren’t being affected by drought and other limiting factors, seasons begin in late April and...

Alaska’s Commercial Fisheries: There’s Always a Harvest at Hand

By Margaret Bauman No matter the day, month or year, somewhere in Alaska a commercial fishery is likely happening, given an allowable biomass that’s confirmed under the watchful eyes of state and federal fisheries managers. From shellfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to pot and jig cod in the groundfish fisheries and the winter troll for king salmon in Southeast Alaska, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NOAA Fisheries are busy year-round managing them all, with emergency openers and closures as needed. Along with annual biomass surveys and other data collected on the abundance of stock in each fishery, state and federal managers need to contend with other issues, including recording incidental catch of species not targeted, weather conditions, ocean temper...

West Coast Fisheries Managers Struggle with Climate Change, Drought Challenges

A long-term research project that provides vital food sources to juvenile Chinook salmon in California’s river floodplains is utilizing rice fields at rest to help these endangered fish grow robust. In Oregon, removal of four dams is anticipated to begin in 2023 to protect salmon recovery and in Washington state, officials say breaching the four Lower Snake River dams is not yet an option. Meanwhile along the West Coast from California to Alaska, as states struggle with the adverse impact of climate change on fisheries, as well as the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government is providing for a second round of relief funding. Those eligible are commercial fishing shellfish, charter and seafood sector industry members who suffered negative financial impacts. The ...