Salmon fishing could be banned this year

Salmon fishing could be banned between Point Sur in Monterey County through northern Oregon.  The Pacific Fisheries Management Council is considering that option to save chinook salmon, and will make a recommendation on limits to the National Marine Fisheries Service in April, according to an AP story in the Mercury News.

For the third year in a row, the number of mature chinook salmon leaving the ocean to spawn in the Klamath River is expected to fall below the required 35,000 minimum, which could lead to new regulations to combat overfishing.

Even with an outright ban, only 29,000 spawning salmon are expected to return to the Klamath this year, Tracy said.

The season typically lasts from May through September. Last year, it didn’t start until July and lasted until October 15 and was far short of expectations.