CCA recently uncovered and brought to the attention of ODFW and WDFW staffs and the Fish and Wildlife Commissions that the departments continue to permit commercial gillnetting in a sanctuary established for struggling Columbia River sturgeon populations! Thus far the departments have refused to take action, providing yet another example of how broken our fisheries management system is.

The Columbia River sturgeon sanctuary is in effect from May 1st to August 31st and includes the 9 miles immediately below Bonneville dam. This area is closed to all recreational sturgeon angling (even catch and release) to protect spawning sturgeon, yet in 2011 the agencies permitted 10 days of gillnetting in the spawning sanctuary. During this timeframe gillnetters were even allowed to target and retain (sell) the sturgeon they caught.

While these gillnet seasons in the sanctuary primarily targeted summer Chinook, recent observer data confirms they actually encounter more sturgeon than Chinook, a by-catch rate of over 100%. Many of these sturgeon -- which are caught and discarded -- are oversize females laden with eggs. The best available science and information indicate that the stress caused by the sturgeon struggling for its life in a gillnet can cause them to reabsorb their eggs and fail to spawn. It is this very concern that lead to the harsh restriction on recreational angling in this area where they continue to allow gillnetting, which results in greater physical harm to sturgeon.

Recreational anglers willingly gave up a very popular oversize and keeper sturgeon fishery in this area several years ago to protect spawning sturgeon. It is appalling that our fisheries managers continue to allow gillnetting, one of the most destructive forms of harvest, in the sturgeon sanctuary. As you may know, Columbia River sturgeon populations have seen drastic declines. Please click on the link below to send a message to WDFW and the Commission demanding an end to this gillnet season.


Click the link below to log in and send your message:

http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/ccapnw/5cM8fgFb.aspx

Here's the OREGON link for any of you OR boys that fregquent this site.

http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/ccapnw/5F48Et82.aspx

Sent

Close down the area where they feed and allow Gill netting in a spawning sanctuary. <Brilliant>

Sent

Don't know if it does any good but I sent one to both Or and Wa, recieved a note back from the Or deal.

Sent earlier today and got a response.

Thanks,

fp

Letter sent.

my letter is also sent.

Unbelievable! letter sent.

sent

Excellent idea. Commercials testify in both states, no reason that we can’t, especially since sturgeon are governed by joint accord and salmon by management agreement.

BUMP...

fell off the front page.

Response.

I don't get pissed off by too many things, but this pisses me off. Letter sent

Gill netting in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor should not be allowed on sturgeon......kinda for the same reasons........It has been determined that these fish are from Columbia River stocks and as such, should go to help the struggling Columbia River sturgeon populations.

Done. The department SHOULD be on our side. How they can continue to rationalize this idiocy is beyond me. Utter disbelief.

We have received many emails regarding the management of Columbia River commercial fisheries within the sturgeon sanctuary. The sanctuary was established to eliminate target fishing on the brood stock-sized sturgeon during their spawning and post-spawning recovery period.
Current management allows sport and commercial fishing in the area for species other than sturgeon. While we recognize that there is some handling of brood stock sturgeon that can occur during shad, pike minnow, salmon and steelhead fisheries, there is no evidence to suggest that this incidental handling by commercial or sport fisheries is having a negative impact on the brood stock sturgeon population.

We share your concerns about the recent decline in the lower Columbia River legal-size sturgeon population. And that's why we will continue to be diligent in our evaluation of our sport and commercial fishery strategies to ensure they support the original objective of the sturgeon
sanctuary.

Roy Elicker
Director
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

WDFW response letter:

Washington and Oregon Fish and Wildlife Directors have received a number of emails in the past week regarding the management of Columbia River commercial fisheries within the area that has been designated as a sanctuary for Columbia River sturgeon during May-August.

The sanctuary regulations were established by our respective Fish and Wildlife Commissions with the objective to eliminate target fishing on the brood stock sized fish during the spawning and post-spawning recovery period to reduce potential impact to future sturgeon productivity.

The current fishery management strategy includes continuance of sport and commercial fisheries within the sanctuary that are not targeting on brood stock sturgeon.

I know all of us are concerned about the recent decline in the lower Columbia River sturgeon population, and I appreciate that you brought to my attention your concerns about our management strategy.

WDFW and ODFW are in discussions regarding this issue and intend to work together in 2012 to evaluate our sport and commercial fishery regulations to ensure they are consistent with the objectives of the sturgeon sanctuary.

We look forward to the participation of our stakeholders during this review. Thank you for sharing your perspectives.

Phil Anderson
Director

Well, I opposed the extended sanctuary for the reason Region Five Harvest Management wanted to place a fishery on top of there.

Perhaps birth control poster children like Bill, Cindy, and Guy need to hit the road.

Second that,

They are inconsistently consistent.