According to the authority Washington and Oregon adopted a commercial fishing period from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. from Beacon Rock downstream to the ocean with 4 1/4-inch-mesh nets. John North of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said that as per the rules gillnetters are allow to catch about 3,000 chinook on Tuesday.
The authority said that the water conditions in the Columbia are not conducive to a good sport or commercial catch. The water temperature is 45 degrees, compared to a five-year average of 46.2 for the date. Stuart Ellis of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission said the treaty tribes are opposed to more non-Indian fishing until the strength of the 2012 run become more apparent.
Experts forecast a good run of 314,000 adult spring chinook is forecast to enter the Columbia headed for tributaries upstream of Bonneville Dam. They said that if the run is timed the same as the latest on record it projects to 97,000. But Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is too early to give up on the 2012 forecast, although the run is late and might be smaller than anticipated.
