This year's ocean sportfishing seasons will be pretty limited for coho, but fisheries managers are looking at ways to pursue a hatchery chinook return that is somewhat better than last year.

"The coho sportfishing options in the ocean are ridiculously small," said Phil Anderson, deputy director of state Fish and Wildlife.

The forecast for Columbia River wild and hatchery coho is 196,700, which is almost 266,000 less than last year's return.

Anderson pointed out that poor coho returns, coupled with tighter restrictions needed to protect coho and chinook listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, will severely curtail ocean fishing.

"We haven't seen a Columbia River coho forecast this low since the late '90s," he said. "Poor ocean conditions that persisted off the West Coast in 2005 and 2006 appear to be the primary factor in the dramatic decline of Columbia River coho, as well as chinook originating from central Oregon ... Continued@URL... http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004285202_outn16.html?syndication=rss