The Columbia River Compact convened by teleconference at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 6, 2009 to consider ongoing non-Indian commercial fisheries in the late fall time period. Of particular interest was whether the US v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) would have sufficient data to provide a run-size update for the Lower Columbia River (LCR) coho run. Landings already posted in the non-Indian commercial coho fishery were so close to the allowable exploitation rate on LCR natural coho that the coho-directed fishery previously scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2009 was cancelled at the Compact teleconference of October 2, 2009.

As expected, coho impacts continue to be the constraining factor in fall fisheries. The Joint Management Staff expressed worries that, should the coho run-size be downgraded in the week to follow, it might prohibit going after the sturgeon remaining in the non-Indian commercial quota. The staff recommendation as stated in Fall Fact Sheet No. 15 was adopted. Fall Fact Sheet No. 15 and the subsequent Compact Action Notice are appended as PDF files.

Fall Fact Sheet No. 15

Compact Action Notice, 10-06-09

Written by SFA at 2:35 pm. Filed under Columbia River Compact | 0 Comments »