Salmon fishing called off

From contracostatimes.com

Unprecedented collapse in fish population forces cancellation among West Coast states

Early season salmon fishing off the coasts of California and most of Oregon was shut down Wednesday by federal regulators responding to an unprecedented collapse of salmon populations along the West Coast.

The actions affect commercial and recreational fishing seasons either underway or scheduled to open in the coming weeks. When they meet again next month, regulators are likely to close the bigger fishing seasons that come later in the year....

The actions were in response to major declines in salmon populations that were especially pronounced in California's Sacramento River fall run of chinook salmon, which produced more than 80 percent of the salmon caught off the California coast.

Last year's return of spawning adults was less than 90,000, the second lowest figure on record. Worse, the number of returning two-year-olds -- a key predictor of the 2008 return -- was a record low, meaning this year is likely to be much worse.

On Tuesday, scientists informed the council that even without any salmon fishing at all, the return of Sacramento River fall run was expected to be fewer than 60,000, or less than half of the minimum target set by regulations...

Agency scientists for the most part have blamed a shift in ocean conditions along the West Coast for the problems...