Commercial salmon fishermen will be allowed to circumvent an ocean closure protecting Klamath zone chinook salmon by fishing instead for returning local fish close to the mouths of several key rivers along the Oregon coast.
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission set seasons Friday off the mouths of the Nehalem, Tillamook, Nestucca, Yaquina, Alsea, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos, Elk, Rogue and Chetco rivers.
Most seasons begin Sept. 1 from the Coos River north.
Commercial fishermen will be held to quotas and must share fishing zones popular with sport anglers.
Commercial fishing has occurred for several years off the mouths of the Elk and Chetco rivers.
Biologists said not many commercial trollers are expected to participate, both because of schooled albacore tuna within their reach and the challenges of trolling multiple gear through the sport fleet.
(removed section of article about hunting)
So far, so good: Sea lion hazing in the Rogue River Bay at Gold Beach has been working so well anglers report no hooked salmon stolen by the bay's Steller sea lions since bombs and other noisemakers went into use July 19.
Last year, anglers said they were lucky to get fish to their nets.
Biologists, however, caution that the busy season is about to begin, with the arrival of more salmon, more anglers and numerous California sea lions that enter the bay after mating seasons end along the coast.
Netting begins: More than 10 percent of Diamond Lake's mass of 90 million tui chubs has been taken by a commercial netter hired for the job.
The nets are meant to get as many of the scrap fish out of the lake as possible before it's chemically treated in September. Rotenone, a natural chemical, will constrict the gills and kill all the lake's fish. The rotenone quickly dissipates and the lake will be restocked with trout.
Netting will continue through Friday.
Netted tui chubs are being used by wildlife rehabilitators, Wildlife Safari in Winston and as fertilizer by a Roseburg area farmer.
Steve Denney, southwest region manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the commercial fisherman is carefully avoiding areas where trout collect.
The few that have been taken are being frozen to help feed bald eagles in September, when the lake becomes temporarily fish-free.
(The rest of the article is about bear baiting)
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