Picture: Bonnie Moreland/Flickr
The Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced at the beginning of August that the Deschutes River will stay open to summer season steelhead fishing. That is due to the return of greater than 21,000 unmarked fish previous Bonneville Dam since July 1. Whereas that quantity is decrease than the 20-year common, it’s the very best to-date run in a decade.
Steelhead have confronted constant threats over the previous a long time, and closure to any and all fishing has grow to be a frequent incidence. That the Deschutes will get to remain open for summer season steelhead season is a win, however it additionally underscores the significance of restoring and conserving these fish.
“It’s nonetheless early within the yr, but when this yr’s Columbia Basin total summer season steelhead run is available in above forecast, as it’s presently monitoring, that will be a welcome uptick from the very low ranges we’ve got been at,” mentioned Tucker Jones, ODFW Columbia River Program Supervisor. “It might present us that these populations are resilient and nonetheless possess inherent productiveness that may permit them to bounce again to really wholesome and plentiful ranges if we give them an opportunity.”
ODFW additionally mentioned that “The John Day, Umatilla, Grand Ronde and Imnaha Rivers are additionally on observe to be open beneath everlasting laws. These fisheries use PIT tag returns over Bonneville and Ice Harbor dams to find out if runs are wholesome sufficient to permit for fishing. Summer season steelhead don’t return to those rivers till later within the yr.”
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