Big C tule run could cause major problems with Coastal and Big C fishing

[wildmanoutdoors]

From Mark Cedergreen
Westport Charterboat Association CEO
360-268-0445

Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water………..

Last week we gave you a pretty upbeat prognosis of the 2011 salmon season prospects. Unfortunately, there’s been a development that could reduce the sport and commercial seasons off Westport dramatically compared to last year.
When options for season quotas and management measures were developed in early march fishery managers used the most up-to-date information they had. This included estimates for Canadian and Alaskan impacts on Columbia River salmon. Late last week, when the allowable catches of Chinook were determined for these northern fisheries, the impacts turned out to be substantially higher than anticipated. As a result, and in order to stay within constraints dictated by our Federal government, the ocean fishery off Washington and northern Oregon may have to be severely reduced from what it could have been.
At the culmination of the March PFMC meeting we believed that Westport could enjoy a season very similar to last year. The quota of Chinook would be reduced but probably not below the level of actual catch in 2010.
Now it appears that even a 75% reduction in quota may not meet the constraints. That’s a travesty. Last years Columbia River run of Chinook numbered 650,000. This years: 750,000. Last years ocean non-Indian quota was 110,000. This year it could be as low as 25 or 30,000. With a one hundred thousand Chinook increase, sport and commercial fishermen we are facing a 70 or 80,000 Chinook decrease in allowable catch.
How this will all shake out by the time regulations are set on April 13 is not yet totally clear. The root of the problem is Federal policy – not State policy. Our state has no recourse other than to adhere to Federal mandates. If you attended last Monday’s public hearing at the Chateau Westport you are familiar with the issue. The system is definitely broken and desperately needs an overhaul.
We will update you as new information becomes available.


2011 CHINOOK STOCK MIX VERY LARGE
(+100,000 FROM LAST YEAR)
FROM 652,700 TO 760,600

• OUR FLAVOR – SPRING CREEK – DOWN 30% FROM 2010
• UPRIVER BRIGHTS – UP 30%
• BRIGHTS MAY AS WELL HAVE THEIR MOUTHS WIRED SHUT OR THEY GO BY HERE IN HIGH GEAR WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OCEAN FISHERY
• BUT BRIGHTS ARE THE CANADIAN’S (AND ALASKA’S) BREAD AND BUTTER!
• AND THEIR HARVEST IS CONTROLLED BY THE PACIFIC SALMON TREATY

SPREAD THROUGHOUT THIS MIX ARE LOWER RIVER HATCHERY TULES (LRH) – WE CATCH A LOT OF THOSE

• THEIR WILD COUNTERPARTS ARE LISTED AS THREATENED BY THE ESA
o THE ALLOWABLE EXPLOITATION RATE OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN RATCHETED DOWN BY THE FEDS
o ER 60 – 46 – 41 – 38 – 37(2011) (2012 – 36?)
o LRH TAG RECOVERIES ARE USED AS A SURROGATE

CATCH AREAS IN THE PFMC MODEL

ALASKA / CANADA

• THE PST MODEL IS USED TO DETERMINE ALLOWABLE CATCHES IN CANADA AND ALASKA
• INPUT TO THAT MODEL (SOFTWARE) INCLUDES FISHERY RUNS FROM MANY AREAS (CR TO SE)
o ALASKA/CANADA HARVEST MAXIMUMS ARE DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE PST (HARDWARE)
o WHEN BRIGHT RUNS ARE LARGE, FISHERIES ARE LARGE
o AND SO ARE IMPACTS ON TULES
• THESE IMPACTS ON TULES ARE THEN INPUT TO THE PFMC MODEL – THEY COME OFF THE TOP
• UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENS LATE IN THE PFMC PROCESS

PUGET SOUND

• A FEW TULES ARE CAUGHT IN THE STRAITS BY TRIBAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES ~ 1-2% OF TOTAL IMPACTS

NORTH OF CAPE FALCON
(NEAH BAY – CAPE FALCON, 40M SOUTH OF COLUMBIA RIVER)

THIS AREA IS GOVERNED SOLELY BY PFMC

• TREATY INDIAN OCEAN TROLL – (MAKAH, QUILL, QUIN)
o TRIBES (MAKAH) NEGOTIATE WITH WDFW & FEDS OVER CATCH LEVELS EVERY SEASON
• RECREATIONAL – NB, LP, WP, CR
o GOVERNED BY SHARING FORMULAS WITH TROLLERS AND INTER-PORT ALLOCATIONS
• NON-INDIAN TROLL
o LINKED WITH REC BY SHARING FORMULAS – BOTH CHINOOK AND COHO
o MOST OF THE TROLL SHARE IS CAUGHT BY VESSELS ULTIMATELY HEADED NORTH FOR THE SE ALASKA TROLL SEASON

SOUTH OF FALCON
( OREGON, CALIFORNIA REC AND COMMERCIAL TROLL)

THIS AREA IS GOVERNED SOLEY BY PFMC

• SPORT IMPACTS
o MAINLY WITH COHO
o 0.1 % ON TULES
• COMMERCIAL IMPACTS
o MAINLY ON CHINOOK
o 2 % ON TULES
o HAVEN”T FISHED IN QUITE A FEW YEARS
o NOTHING TO BE GAINED HERE

BUOY 10 / ESTUARY / FRESHWATER
(MOUTH OF CR TO B-VILLE DAM – TULES / BRIGHTS ABOVE B-VILLE)

THIS AREA IS GOVERNED BY WDFW / ODFW / UP-RIVER TRIBES
• INCLUDES BUOY-10 FISHERY
o RESIDUAL IMPACTS ON COHO
o SOME IMPACTS ON TULES
• COLUMBIA RIVER GILLNET
o PRIMARILY FISH FOR BRIGHTS BUT HAVE TULE IMPACTS
• IN-RIVER RECREATIONAL
o PRIMARILY FISH FOR BRIGHTS BUT HAVE TULE IMPACTS

TOTAL ALLOWABLE FEDERAL ESA IMPACTS FOR 2011 37% ON TULES

[wildmanoutdoors]

Canada is hammering the Tules and were darn near our 37% on ESA listed fish. This likely will have an effect on the Coastal fishing off Westport and the Bouy 10 fishery this year!

http://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Salmon_PreII_Table7_MARCH_2011.pdf

[carpsniperg2]

DANG! Good read

[wildmanoutdoors]

Ya but sucks to be low holed by Canada. Lol

[bowtech721]

Maybe a dumb question but what makes a chinook a "Tule"?

[Button Nubbs]

They turn black when you bonk them.

[wildmanoutdoors]

Lol, They are the fish that spawn under Bonneville. They usually arnt as bright, and kinda got that river shape going as well there Adipose fin is usually the size of a pie plate.

[carpsniperg2]

They turn black when you bonk them.

AND THEY STINK! I got a nice clipped one in my freezer I picked up on a spinner last year. I will see if I can find the pic of it. Going to need some strong brine to smoke it up!

[carpsniperg2]

Here we go, this was after she was cleaned. She had a ton of prime eggs in her I am sure huntbear still has them sitting in his freezer for this year

[BigD]

Pulled this of the net.

Carp you better smoke that thing up before you start filling the freezer back up this year!


Tule fall Chinook salmon are native to this part of the Columbia River and have historically provided food for people living along the river. Columbia River Indians called them mitúla, or "white salmon," because the flesh of the salmon is light colored when they return to spawn.

Chinook, or King, salmon are the largest of the Pacific salmon. The adults average 23 pounds and fish 50 to 80 pounds are not uncommon. All Pacific salmon are anadromous, meaning they spend their adult lives feeding in the ocean but return to their natal rivers to spawn. Both male and female salmon die after spawning.

Unlike other Chinook, which spend weeks or months in fresh water before spawning, tule fall Chinook spawn quickly after reaching their home rivers. Their strategy is to convert as much of their fat and muscle as possible into eggs or milt. Thus, they typically appear darker and in worse condition when they arrive at the spawning ground than other types of Chinook.

Because of the migration pattern of the adult fish, this stock is a major contributor to the commercial, tribal and recreational harvest along the Washington coast and in the Columbia River.

[bowtech721]

So would that mean that any chinook caught in  a columbia river trib below bonneville would be a tule then?

[Huntbear]

Here we go, this was after she was cleaned. She had a ton of prime eggs in her I am sure huntbear still has them sitting in his freezer for this year

Oh, you can count on it.... 

However, I have had guys walk by me with a fresh caught tule,, and it smelled like a real bad fishy experience...     

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Actually there are more TULE's that spawn above bonneville. At the spring creek hatchery.
 
There are so many different strains of chinook in the columbia it would make your head spin...
 
You have...
LRB's- Lower River Brights, Below Bonneville
MRB's- Mid River Brights, Bonneville-Mccnary
URB's- Up River Brights, Above Mccnary
LRT's- Lower River Tules, Below Bonneville
MRT's- Mid River Tules, Above Bonneville
 
These arn't the only strains, but they are the ones that come to mind right now.
The majority of the TULE's are from spring creek and they are primarily for the ocean commercial catch.

[carpsniperg2]

The white salmon river was named after the runs of tule salmon. So some do spawn and come above the dam.

[DOUBLELUNG]

The white salmon river was named after the runs of tule salmon. So some do spawn and come above the dam.

Spot on.  They are generally not as esteemed as table fare, as they have little fat when they hit the freshwater.  Some guys shake the purple kings for that reason, esp. when targeting upriver brights.