Buoy 10 fishery closing to Chinook retention on Aug. 31

OLYMPIA — Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon announced Monday that the Columbia River’s Buoy 10 fishery will close for Chinook salmon retention beginning Wednesday, Aug. 31.

The fishery — which stretches from Buoy 10 near the mouth of the Columbia River upstream to the west end of Puget Island — opened for Chinook retention Aug. 1, and was originally slated to close Sept. 8.

With catch and impact rates significantly higher than expected, managers announced that the salmon fishery would switch to coho-only ahead of the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

“The holiday weekend is always a busy time at this popular fishery, and these modifications are needed to help ensure Buoy 10 and other salmon fishing opportunities can remain open,” said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River fishery manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

“Chinook catches were more than double the pre-season expectation since the fishery switched to non-mark selective regulations on Aug. 25, and we needed to take quick action to ensure we’re meeting our conservation goals for 2022.”

In particular, that means limiting further impacts on wild lower river “tule” Chinook, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Hatchery coho retention remains open, with a minimum size of 16 inches and a daily limit of two fish. Anglers must release all salmon other than hatchery coho.

Chinook retention also remains open on portions of the Columbia River upstream of the west end of Puget Island.

Anglers are encouraged to review the 2022-23 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for the regulations on the specific section of river they hope to fish, and check for potential emergency rule updates to this and other fisheries before heading out.