Salem-News.com Fish And Wildlife articles Page 4

Reward Offered To Solve Illegal Elk Kill In Lake County

(Klamath Falls, Ore.) - The Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish and Wildlife Division troopers from the Klamath Falls Area Command office and Lakeview work site are asking for the public's help to identify the suspect(s) responsible for an illegal elk kill late August in southern Lake County. A reward of up to $500 is offered by the Oregon Hunters Association Turn in Poacher (T.I.P) reward program for information leading to an arrest in this case.

Sport anglers asked to help shape 2011 halibut season

For those unable to attend the public meeting, comments can also be provided through Friday, Oct. 8, via phone or e-mail

(NEWPORT, Ore.) - Sport anglers who target Pacific halibut have an opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the 2011 halibut season in person, by phone or by email.

"The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted three proposed changes for anglers to provide input," said Lynn Mattes, halibut project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Oregon Bottom Fishing Update

Normally, fishing for bottomfish would be allowed at all depths after Oct. 1.

(Newport, Oregon) - Bottom fishing remains open inside the 20-fathom line amid concerns over yelloweye rockfish. Beyond 20 fathoms (as defined in regulation), bottom fishing is closed to minimize catch-and-release mortality of yelloweye rockfish.

Fishery managers brought bottom fishing inside 20 fathoms on July 23 when the yelloweye catches began to approach the federally-mandated cap. Anglers occasionally catch, but cannot keep, yelloweye rockfish while fishing for other species. NOAA Fisheries considers yelloweye, along with canary rockfish, as overfished and counts a certain percentage of those caught and released as mortality.

Researchers to Study Newly Discovered Sturgeon Spawning area in Willamette River

The lower Columbia River sturgeon population provides an important and popular recreational fishery and almost 180,000 lower Columbia River white sturgeon were harvested by anglers between 2003 and 2008.

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - Researchers from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently began surveying the Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls to learn more about a previously unknown white sturgeon spawning area.

A Fish Story

The problems facing our Sockeye and other fisheries are not secret.

(GOLD RIVER, B.C.) - Historically the Pacific Northwest of North America has been one of those spots in the world where food is usually always abundant. The sea along its coast has always been a good provider, and the most important gift that that sea has offered up is the Pacific salmon that once filled its rivers and streams from far west of Alaska to Central California. That is changing.

This year the return of Sockeye to the Fraser River collapsed and finally the Canadian government is ordering judicial inquiry into why this happened.

Robotic Elk Decoy To Help Oregon Troopers Bust Poachers

The primary focus of the Division's WED program is to apprehend nighttime or closed season violators.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Poachers beware!

The big elk you thought you shot just might be a decoy donated by the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust to Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division to combat poaching in Oregon.

Wild Coho Season Closes in Yaquina, Nehalem Basins

Fin-clipped hatchery coho may be retained in both the Yaquina and the Nehalem basins.

(TILLAMOOK, Ore.) - The first wild coho season in 15 years on two coastal river basins will close this week as anglers reach harvest limits designed to provide what biologists hope will become Oregon’s newest sustainable salmon fishery.

Retention of non fin-clipped coho will close on the Yaquina and Nehalem rivers at the end of the regular fishing day on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Both rivers will remain open to adipose fin-clipped hatchery coho through the end of the year. In addition, the Yaquina remains open for chinook salmon under 2009 temporary rules.

Killer Whales Have a Fighting Chance to Survive...Us

The preponderance of protected stretches of both ocean and coasts gives orcas a boost in their struggle to stay one step ahead of extinction.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Dear EarthTalk: How are populations of the world’s orca whales faring these days? Are we still in danger of losing them all in the wild? -- J. Witham, Bangor, ME

ODFW Raises Coho Salmon Bag Limit on Upper Willamette

Fishery managers are projecting that 700,000 coho will return to the Columbia River this year, which would be the largest return since 2001.

(CORVALLIS, Ore.) - Anglers may keep an additional coho salmon on the Willamette River and its tributaries above Willamette Falls under new rules adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Former NW Governors `Fillet` Federal Salmon Plan (AUDIO)

A letter from the Governor asks the federal government to craft a new salmon recovery plan that is "lawful and science-based."

(PORTLAND, Ore. ONS) - In about one week, the federal government will announce whether it will throw out the previous administration's plan for endangered native salmon recovery and start over.

Three former Northwest governors have already made their minds up, including John Kitzhaber here in Oregon, Cecil Andrus in Idaho and Mike Lowry in Washington.