Salmon stock public hearing March 1

The California Department of Fish & Game is sponsoring a
public hearing on 2011 California salmon populations from 11 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 1, at the Sonoma County Agency
Building at 404 Aviation Boulevard between Santa Rosa and
Windsor.
The March 1 meeting marks the beginning of a two-month long
management schedule used to establish both ocean and river salmon
fishing seasons. The hearings will be open to public testimony.
According to DFG spokesman Harry Morse, rebounding salmon
numbers in Sacramento River fall Chinook salmon populations in 2010
“has sparked intense public interest in the possibility of less
restrictive salmon seasons this year.”
The input from this meeting will help California representatives
negotiate a broad range of season alternatives at the PFMC meeting
March 5-10 in Vancouver, Wash.
California salmon fishing seasons are the result of a
collaborative regulatory process involving the state Fish and Game
Commission, the PFMC and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Preliminary DFG data indicates about 125,300 adult fall Chinook
and 27,500 jacks (young non-breeding fish) returned to the
Sacramento River Basin last year.
Salmon biologists and managers will provide the latest
information on California salmon escapement in 2010 and the outlook
for ocean and river Chinook fisheries in the coming 2011 season,
including the possibility of an April 2 opener for sport fisheries
south of Horse Mountain.
In 2009, the returns of adult Sacramento River fall Chinook
salmon were an all time low of approximately 39,500, according to
the Morse, and all salmon seasons were closed, although limited
fishing seasons were held in 2010.
Current figures show that for the first time since 2003,
Sacramento and Klamath river fall Chinook salmon stocks both
exceeded their minimum spawning population goals of 122,000 and
35,000 adults, respectively, with more than 37,200 Klamath River
fall Chinook adults returning to spawn in natural areas in
2010.
More information on west coast salmon returns and ocean
fisheries can be found online in the PFMC’s Review of the 2010
Ocean Salmon Fisheries at
www.pcouncil.org/salmon/stock-assessment-and-fishery-evaluation-safe-documents/review-of-2010-ocean-salmon-fisheries/.
A list of additional meetings to be held throughout the season
setting process can be found on DFG’s web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/oceansalmon.
George Snyder can be reached at [email protected]