Lake Roosevelt Burbot (Freshwater Cod): Project Aims To Find Out How Many, Harvest Potential

The Colville Confederated Tribes got the go-ahead to continue development of a stock assessment that they hope will guide co-managers, including Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Spokane Tribe, in managing fisheries for a “neglected” fish stock -- Lake Roosevelt burbot.



The Northwest Power and Conservation Council on Tuesday voted to continue its support for the project, first approved in 2012. The recommendation follows the submittal of a revised proposal based on analysis of burbot bycatch data recording during index netting of walleye in the reservoir and an assessment of that netting’s adequacy for making a burbot stock assessment.



The funding associated with the “Accord” project totals $1,499,375 in expense funds for Fiscal Year 2008 through 2017. The Fiscal Year 2014 expense budget for the project is $229,182 and has a performance period of March 1, 2014 to Feb. 28, 2015.



Accords or memorandums of understanding were in 2008 .... http://www.cbbulletin.com/432585.aspx

"OK Google define neglected fish stock", "A neglected fish stock is one that the co-managers have not yet allowed to be over harvested".

With all of the warnings about lead in various products we don't eat I wonder if any future commercial sale of burbot will carry specific warnings consistent with those from Washington State Dept. of Health:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/Advisories#UpperColumbiaRiver

And, specifically for the Upper Columbia/Lake Roosevelt the following:



Columbia River (Upper) / Lake Roosevelt
Location: Ferry, Stevens, Lincoln Counties - Grand Coulee Dam to Canada Border

Contaminant: Mercury and PCBs

Advice:

Women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mother, and young children:

Don't eat Northern Pikeminnow.
Limit Largemouth Bass and Largescale Sucker to 2 meals per month.
Limit Burbot, Longnose Sucker, Mountain Whitefish, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye to 1 meal per week (or 4 meals per month of any combination of these fish).
Kokanee is okay to eat 3 meals per week. Lake Whitefish or Rainbow Trout is okay to eat 2 meals per week.

Men, and women beyond childbearing age:

Limit Largescale Sucker to 1 meal per week.

Materials:

Flyer - Upper Columbia River / Lake Roosevelt Fish Consumption Advisory (PDF)

Brochure - Upper Columbia River / Lake Roosevelt Fish Consumption Advisory in English, Spanish, Russian (PDF)

Sign - Upper Columbia River / Lake Roosevelt Fish Consumption Advisory in English, Spanish, Russian (PDF)

Technical Summary - Upper Columbia River Fish Consumption Advisory (PDF)

Report - Human Health Evaluation of Contaminants in Upper Columbia River Fish (PDF)

News Release - Toxic chemicals prompt state to issue fish consumption advisory for Upper Columbia River