The season for Snake River hatchery fish opened on May 30 from the Dug Bar Boat Ramp to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam. Fishery managers opened this sport season because the predicted number of hatchery spring chinook returning to the base of Hells Canyon Dam exceeded the number needed for broodstock purposes.

This closure is necessary to resolve confusion caused by non-concurrent regulations between Oregon and Idaho.

 “Even though anglers have been releasing the wild fish they caught, approximately 10 percent of the wild fish hooked and released eventually die,” said Brad Smith, ODFW fish biologist. “The closure is intended to limit impacts to the wild component to the Imnaha spring chinook run.”

 According to original run predictions, biologists expected to see a larger number of wild fish returning to the river, Smith explained.  Recent run projections, however, predict a much lower return of wild fish. As a result the number of wild fish that can be inadvertently handled by sport anglers also has dropped.

 “It’s been a very popular sport fishery, and we’re sorry to bring it to an early closure, but it’s necessary to protect wild stocks,” Smith said.

Boat inspections and washing
Keeping invasive fish and aquatic animals and weeds out of Diamond Lake begins with lake users, many of whom are boaters out to catch trout. Before visiting Diamond Lake, boaters and anglers should drain, clean and dry their gear – boats, live wells, bilges, trailers, waders, tackle or anything that has been in the water – and repeat the process before they put in at another lake.

The Forest Service and ODFW are stepping up efforts this year to keep dirty boats – or ones with illegal live bait fish – from entering the lake.

During weekday mornings, ODFW employees will be at Diamond Lake boat ramps to survey boaters and ensure their boats do not have live bait fish and aquatic weeds. Boaters will be asked several questions including where and when they last boated and whether their boat has been washed since then. Umpqua National Forest staff and an ODFW creel surveyor will cover the boat ramps and surveys on weekends.

The Oregon State Marine Board has trained Forest Service, ODFW and Diamond Lake Resort employees in boat inspection and washing techniques. If warranted, agency or resort employees may ask boaters to clean their boat at a washing station set up at the Forest Service’s Diamond Lake Visitors Center before entering the lake. The station was purchased and is operated through cooperation between the Oregon State Marine Board, Umpqua National Forest, Douglas County Parks and Public Works Departments and Marine Patrol, the Joe Merchep Foundation and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Other invasive species prevention outreach
Since 2006, an invasive species committee has been educating lake users on invasive species prevention. The committee includes the Oregon State Marine Board, ODFW, the Forest Service, Oregon Department of Environment Quality, Douglas County, and Oregon State Police.

Over the previous two summers, employees and volunteers contacted more than 6,300 campers and anglers and conducted boater surveys. Interpretive signs and brochures were produced and public relations “blitz weekends” were conducted at the lake. In addition, a condition was added to Diamond Lake tournament permits that participants must launch clean boats.

Using live bait fish is illegal in Oregon’s fresh waters, and Oregon State Police is increasing patrols this summer. The public can report anyone using live bait fish in Diamond Lake to the Oregon State Police at 541-440-3334. Get as much information as possible, including a description of the person(s), boat, vehicle, date, and time of day.

Golden shiner update
During routine fish species monitoring in 2008, ODFW found golden shiners in Diamond Lake and removed 639 through electro-fishing. In a cooperative agreement, the Willamette National Forest has loaned ODFW an e-fishing boat this summer. The partnership allowed biologists to get an early start to a golden shiner removal program that will continue through early August. ODFW crews are e-fishing four nights per week to remove as many shiners as possible. All shiners will then be measured and checked for reproductive condition.

The Oregon State Police is currently investigating how shiners were introduced into the lake. Those found last year, along with samples of shiners from nearby Howard Prairie Reservoir and bait shops in Northern California are being examined by a fisheries professor at Oregon State University. Otolith (ear) marks on the fish can help determine where they originated. Once finalized and assessed by ODFW, results will be made public.

Post-treatment monitoring activities
The Forest Service has contracted with Portland State University to monitor zooplankton, phytoplankton, chlorophyll a, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, pH and water clarity. ODFW will monitor benthic macro-invertebrates or “bug” abundance, conduct creel surveys, a fish stomach contents study, amphibian surveys and check trout growth rates along with condition factors. An ODFW fish trap installed at the lake’s outlet will monitor whether any of the various types of rainbow trout stocks are out-migrating to Lake Creek. USGS gages show real-time lake level and outflow and can be viewed here.

The mission of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations. The agency consists of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, a commission-appointed director and a statewide staff of approximately 950 permanent employees. Headquartered in Salem, ODFW has regional offices in Clackamas, Roseburg, Bend, and La Grande with ten district offices located throughout the state. For additional information, please visit www.dfw.state.or.us.

The Columbia River Compact agencies of Oregon and Washington met today to review summer Chinook stock status and took the following actions:

Treaty Indian Fisheries
Summer Chinook Commercial Fishery

Adopted a commercial gillnet fishing season as follows:

• Season: 6 AM Tuesday June 30 to 6 PM Thursday July 2, 2009 (2½ days)
• Area: All of Zone 6.
• Sanctuaries: All standard river mouth and dam sanctuaries in effect, except the Spring Creek Hatchery sanctuary will not be in effect.
• Gear: No minimum mesh size restriction.
• Allowable Sales: Chinook, coho, steelhead, sockeye, walleye, carp, yellow perch, catfish, bass, and shad may be sold or retained for subsistence use.
  Sturgeon may not be sold. Sturgeon between 43-54 inches in fork length in The Dalles and John Day pools, and sturgeon between 38-54 inches in fork length in Bonneville Pool may be kept for subsistence use.
• Washington Reporting Rule: WDFW adopted a regulation requiring all Washington wholesale buyers purchasing fish to send a report of their landings to WDFW within 24 hours of the closure of the fishery via either:
  a) FAX transmission to (360) 906-6776 or (360) 906-6777
  b) E-mail to crfishtickets@dfw.wa.gov
  c) Telephone to 1-866-791-1281

FUTURE MEETINGS

• A Compact hearing will be scheduled for July 1st or 2nd to consider additional treaty Indian fishing periods and review ongoing non-Indian fisheries.
• A fall Compact hearing is scheduled for July 29, 2009 at 10:00 AM at the Seafood Consumer Center, located at 2021 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Astoria, Oregon.
• The Joint Staff will continue to monitor run performance and provide updates and schedule hearings as needed.
• For information concerning these decisions see the June 25, 2009 Summer Fact Sheet #3a at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/OSCRP/CRM/fact_sheets.asp

“The weather did not cooperate during a portion of the previous opening which kept anglers in port or fishing for other species, leaving sufficient quota to keep the fishery open,” said Lynn Mattes, sport halibut assistant project leader for ODFW.

The spring all-depth season for the central coast area – from Cape Falcon (30 miles south of the Columbia River) to Humbug Mountain (south of Port Orford) – opened May 14 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. It could have closed as early as June 6 if the 124,261-pound quota had been taken.

The fishery will be open July 2-4 and may continue on one or more of the following days: July 16-18 and 30-31 until the quota is met.  “These dates were set preseason in case quota remained after June 6,” Mattes said. 

Open dates will be announced on the National Marine Fisheries Service hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Web site at: www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/.

The central coast all-depth fishery summer season opens Aug. 7 and is scheduled to be open every other Friday-Sunday until the combined spring and summer season all-depth quota of 165,681 pounds is taken or October 31, whichever comes first. 

The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank is closed to halibut fishing to reduce incidental catch of yelloweye rockfish and canary rockfish. Both species are considered over fished and must be released immediately. The closed area is defined by latitude and longitude waypoints, which are available on the Marine Resources Program Web site.

The daily bag limit is one fish and there is no minimum length for Pacific halibut. The possession limit is one daily limit at sea and three daily limits on land. The annual limit per angler is six fish.

Sport anglers are reminded possession of groundfish is not allowed north of Humbug Mountain when a Pacific halibut is aboard their vessel during all-depth Pacific halibut dates. The exceptions are Pacific cod (true cod, not lingcod) and sablefish (black cod) which may be retained with halibut between Humbug Mountain and Cape Falcon. Other non-groundfish species, such as tuna and salmon during authorized seasons, may be possessed with halibut on open all-depth Pacific halibut days.

More details on regulations can be found here or in the 2009 Oregon Sport Ocean Regulations for Salmon, Halibut and other Marine Species booklet. General regulations can be found in the 2009 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations booklet.

Since the end of May, seven beavers have been fitted with radio-tags and released into Rock Creek and Canton Creek in the North Umpqua River basin.

“We have several areas where we are relocating male and female pairs in hopes they will establish populations in the North Umpqua basin,” said ODFW researcher DeWaine Jackson. “We’re tracking them daily to determine if they survive, establish at the release site, and develop habitat structures that are beneficial to fish populations.”

This pilot study is one of several projects proposed by the ODFW Beaver Workgroup, a group of interested professionals who want to learn more about the ecological benefits beavers provide. Possible future projects include a landowners’ incentive survey, a landscape-scale genetic study, and a study of trapping effects on beaver populations.

ODFW will be trapping beavers for a limited time. Area landowners should contact DeWaine Jackson or Terry Farrell at the Roseburg ODFW office, 541-440-3353.

The Dave Liscia Award is presented annually in honor of Dave Liscia, a former ODFW employee who coordinated many volunteer efforts before being killed in a car accident while returning home from the agency’s Clackamas office.

This year’s recipients are Bob May, Bob Etter and Derward (Woody) Merrill, who were honored during the June meeting of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

“These individuals have demonstrated a long term commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural resources of this state,” said ODFW Director Roy Elicker. “They truly deserve our appreciation and recognition.”

May, a resident of Warrenton and an active member of the Rainland Flycasters, has been volunteering for ODFW for more than 10 years. During that time he contributed more than a 1,000 hours to various projects, including steelhead spawning surveys, riparian vegetation planting, stream nutrient enrichment, data collection, fish passage improvements, public outreach and fund-raising for the acquisition of critical fish habitat.

“Bob is the epitome of the word volunteer,” said Elicker. “Rarely is the word ‘no’ in his vocabulary when he is approached with a project and/or program need.  “His infectious personality, hard work ethic and no-nonsense approach to tasks at hand are what set him apart from the many other volunteers who are deserving of recognition.”

Ettner is a resident of the Applegate Valley in southwest Oregon who has served for seven years as a board member and technical specialist on the Williams Creek Watershed Council. He has worked extensively at an ODFW fish trap on Williams Creek, using it as a showpiece to the local community illustrating the value of the stream as fish producer.

“If not for Bob’s valuable work at the trap, ODFW would have not had the time or resources to implement this project,” said Elicker.

Merrill is a resident of Lake County and long-time advocate for the outdoors and good stewardship. Over the years he has helped new ODFW biologists locate important roads, lakes and springs.

“In short, Woody has made the world a much better and more pleasant place for anyone interested in the outdoors to live and work,” said Elicker.

The 10-member committee intends to finalize its draft action plan during the meeting. Planning committee members include representatives from Oregon Hunters Association, the Mule Deer Foundation, BLM, Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Warm Springs Tribe plus several private landowners.

Members of the public are welcome to attend to listen to the meeting. An opportunity for public comment is scheduled from 5:30-6 p.m.

The Mule Deer Initiative is a new effort by ODFW and partner sportsman organizations and land managers to increase mule deer in eastern Oregon. Murderers Creek is one of five wildlife management units selected for the initial effort.

Mule deer populations have declined across the western United States for a variety of reasons including loss of habitat, changes in land and predator management practices and other factors. Many of today’s hunters grew up hunting mule deer and want their kids and grandkids to have the same opportunities they did.

Mule deer hunting and viewing also contribute significant dollars to eastern Oregon’s economy. Last year, more than 74,000 people went deer hunting in eastern Oregon, generating an estimated $22 million for the economy.

For more information contact Greg Jackle at 541 575 1167.

The department will host a series of public meetings to review the draft management plan before it is submitted for approval to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The first of four public meetings will take place June 30 from 7-9 p.m. at the Sauvie Island School, located on the island at 14445 Charlton Road. Additional meetings will be conducted July 30 at the Monarch Hotel, located at 12566 SE 93rd Ave., in Clackamas and Aug. 25 and Sept. 22 at the Sauvie Island School.

Located at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers just 10 miles from downtown Portland, Sauvie Island is one of the most popular recreation areas in the state. It is also a main stopping point for migratory birds as they travel along the Pacific Flyway and has abundant fish habitat.

The Sauvie Island Wildlife Area (SIWA) was established in 1947 primarily to protect waterfowl habitat and provide a public hunting area. Owned and managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the 11,543-acre wildlife area provides winter habitat for tens of thousands of duck and geese as well year-around habitat for many other species of birds, including bald eagles, hawks, falcons, blue herons and sandhill cranes. It also receives more visitors than any wildlife area in the state. Last year more than 800,000 people visited Sauvie Island Wildlife Area.

Major challenges include managing habitat for an increasing number of birds while accommodating demand for recreational opportunities and being a good neighbor to local landowners. ODFW has been working for more than a year on the new management plan, which the department plans to submit to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in December. The plan will address a wide range of issues, including a burgeoning goose population, the silting of Sturgeon Lake, increasing beach and public use, access, and aging equipment and facilities.

“The involvement of the public is vital to our ability to craft a thoughtful, forward-looking plan,” said Mark Nebeker, SIWA manager. “Through this dialogue with our many stakeholders we hope to gain community understanding and support.

Nebeker said the SIWA management plan will be used to improve habitat and infrastructure on the island, resolve management issues, provide a guide for future decision-making, and support budget requests.

Copies of the plan are available on the ODFW Web site at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/

Persons who are unable to attend one of the public meetings are invited to submit written comments to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 304 Cherry Ave., NE, Salem, OR 97303-4924 or email them to ODFW.comments@state.or.us.

“Mr. Laskey has been a long-time supporter of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and has done so much work to benefit boaters and anglers in Coos County,” said Mike Gray, Acting Umpqua Watershed District Manager. “His techniques for building and installing boat ramps are considered pioneering and have been used for many ramp installations around the state.”

ODFW is honoring Laskey for his many years of work building boat ramps, fish ladders, and other facilities. Laskey, now retired, is co-founder of Laskey-Clifton Corp.