At a joint meeting In January, fishery managers from Oregon and Washington set spring Chinook salmon seasons for the Columbia River. Columbia River spring Chinook seasons are based on a forecast of 227,000 returning upriver spring Chinook.
The spring Chinook season for the lower Columbia below the I-5 Bridge opened Jan. 1 under permanent rules. The upper Columbia spring season will take effect March 1 and is expected to extend the fishery through April 7.
The recreational harvest guideline is a result of an increase in the recreational share of allowed ESA impacts for spring Chinook; the share is 70 percent this year compared to 60 percent available to the recreational fishery in 2013.
The increased sport fishing allocation is part of the lower Columbia River fisheries management framework recently adopted by the states.
Beginning in 2017, the sport fishing allocation for spring Chinook will increase to 80 percent under the new management framework.
A Columbia River Basin Endorsement is now required for all anglers with an Oregon license when fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the Columbia River Basin.
source: Oregon Department of Fish And Wildlife