Tuesday March 19, 2024
Pacifica Tribune —
The Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering three options for the ocean salmon season, set to begin May 16. The federal council that manages water from California, Oregon and Washington state came up with two options that would entail a short salmon season, and it’ll come with small harvest limits for both commercial and sport fishing. The last option includes closing off the ocean fisheries for the second consecutive year.
Last year, commercial and recreation salmon fleets in California were left anchored following the PFMC’s decision to cancel the 2023 fishing season due to years of drought, low river level and dry conditions affecting the Chinook salmon populations in the Klamath and Sacramento rivers.
“In response to several years of drought over the past decade, key California salmon target stocks are forecast to have 2024 abundance levels that, while higher than last year, are well below average,” read the California Department of Fish and Wildlife press release to notify the public. “At this level of abundance, the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan authorizes only low levels of fishing on these stocks, and requires management be designed to allow most of the adult population to return to the river to spawn.”