Salmon fishing closed in 7 Oregon, California coastal areas

Wildlife officials have moved for early closure of seven coastal salmon fishing zones in California and Oregon, a sign of dire conditions facing the Central Valley chinook.The action came in a conference between fisheries managers gathered in Sacramento, Calif., for a series of meetings by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council.Officials representing California, Oregon and the federal government opted to close the seven zones to protect salmon that remain alive in the ocean. They decided early closures are needed because the council won't make a final ruling on the 2008 salmon season until mid-April, and seasons that normally open before then could jeopardize the species.Commercial and sport fishing are affected, from Oregon's Cape Falcon to the Mexican border.The California Central Valley fall chinook salmon, a normally robust run that underpins the fishery in both states, is in steep decline.Last year's run was the second-lowest in 35 years of record-keeping; this year is likely to be worse.Peter Dygert, National Marine Fisheries Service biologist, said closing both commercial and recreational seasons early is rare."It's always been done to preserve some options for future fisheries," said Dygert. "Now, the context is different. Now it's just to save fish for spawning."The seven zones include two Oregon commercial areas that were set to open Saturday and a California zone near Fort Bragg that would have opened April 7.The rest of the commercial season usually begins May 1.Opening the two Oregon zones will be delayed until April 15 at the request of Oregon officials.But future actions probably will keep them closed, Dygert said.Four recreational zones also were closed early. They cover the entirety of the Oregon and California coasts, except for a zone near the Klamath River, and would have opened either March 15 or April 5.One near Fort Bragg has been open since Feb. 16 and will now be closed April 1.Joe Janisch of Fort Bragg, president of the nonprofit Salmon Restoration Association, said the closures will hurt his community."There's probably 200 boats in this harbor that go out on the weekend to chase salmon that won't be going," he said.The council Friday is set to adopt three options for the bulk of the 2008 season.One is likely to include total closure of all commercial and recreational salmon fishing in California and Oregon.It will choose a final option in April. State and federal agencies adopt that as formal regulations. California is likely to also close fishing on Central Valley rivers.(Contact Matt Weiser at mweiser(at)sacbee.com)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)