Permanent Sturgeon Ban??

[trippledigitss]

So I heard a rumor that the state has imposed a permanent ban on all sturgeon fishing/retention effective 2/1/13. I cant find any info on this on WDFW's website - does anyone know about this? Is it true at all, and if so statewide or only certain areas?

[huntnphool]

Oregon did on the lower Columbia, Washington is reviewing it.

[cohoho]

Above the dam stuff....

Bonneville Pool sturgeon anglers will again see a split season for white sturgeon on the Columbia River in 2013.  Fisheries managers from Oregon and Washington this week approved a white sturgeon retention season in Bonneville Pool consisting of winter and summer periods.  The winter retention period will take place from Jan. 1 through Feb. 10, or until a harvest guideline of approximately 1,150 fish is achieved.  The summer season is expected to begin in mid-June to harvest the balance of the 2,000 fish harvest guideline.

[cohoho]

Retention stuff......

SALEM, Ore. – The statewide annual bag limit for sturgeon will be reduced to one fish beginning in 2013 under new rules adopted last week by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The new rules covers all Oregon waters including inland rivers, bays and estuaries and supersedes a two fish annual bag limit set in September as part of the 2013 Sport Fishing Regulation development process.

At its meeting last Friday, the Commission had considered a proposal from an Oregon/Washington Workgroup that would have closed sturgeon to all retention in most state waters in 2013, but decided on the reduced bag limit as a transition to catch-and-release only fishing in 2014.

The reduced bag limit comes after several years of declining harvest quotas reflecting concerns about shrinking numbers of legal-sized fish.

[cohoho]

We will know for sure or shortly afterwards, when they meet on 11-12 Jan.. 

[Wenatcheejay]

Our current Government has destroyed our fisheries. 

[jumpin]

 This is all Bullshrimp the Bean counters and catch cards are showing a great decline because the big C for the last few years has been abnormally high during prime time.   

[lokidog]

Gee, I wonder if gill nets and commercial fishing have anything to do with the decline? 

Our current Government has destroyed our fisheries. 

 No, we just have to pay more to eat less.  But you can catch and release.  Maybe we need to go to catch and release hunting as well, but no catching allowed, only digital photo scopes and snap caps allowed in/on your gun. 

[Wenatcheejay]

They suck!

[trippledigitss]

Dang it -  I had a 2 day trip planned in June out of Astoria for me & 5 family & friends. Guess I better call the guide and get the straight lowdown  and see if thats out the winna now or what... Never fished for sturgeon before so its sounds like I better find where there's gettin and get while the gettin's good while I can still even get! Thanks for the input fellas.

[Kc_Kracker]

if you want something mismanaged give it to WDFW they will mess it up for sure, especially if it lives in the water

[turkeyfeather]

I will admit I don't know anything about Sturgeon. But I hear guys at work that live down in the Lewiston area talk about the problems and decline. Again I don't know much about this, but what would happen if they shut all fishing down on them for 2-3 years? Would that be enough time to help make a difference?

[h20hunter]

Probably not.....sturgeon take a long time to reach sexual maturity.

[kckrawler]

Probably not.....sturgeon take a long time to reach sexual maturity.

  Maturity is reached between 5 and 11 years.

[sirmissalot]

Next you won't even have catch and release. Only the natives will have access to sturgeon. I've said it before and I'll say it again... As soon as they get their foot in the door with shutting down a fishery, it's all over.