[ODFW-News] Wild coho season to open in October at Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contact: 	Information and Education 503-947-6002	
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  
	

For Immediate Release	Thursday, September 23, 2004

Wild coho season to open in October at Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes
Continued healthy populations allow season for second year

ROSEBURG - Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes north of Reedsport will open
for wild coho salmon angling Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2004, the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries announced today. Healthy and
stable populations of local wild coho salmon have allowed this fishery
to continue for the second year.

Last year was the first such fishery since 1993 and the first since
coastal coho were listed under the federal Endangered Species Act in
1998. The fishery provides anglers and local communities the opportunity
to benefit from coho salmon recovery efforts implemented under the
Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds for the past seven years. In
addition, the fishery will not slow the pace of salmon recovery
elsewhere in Oregon. 

"A long-term goal of the Oregon Plan is to have sustainable fish
populations that provide recreational fishing opportunities," said
ODFW Director Lindsay Ball. "This fishery is an example of the great
results Oregonians can achieve through engaging in Oregon Plan
restoration activities." 

"As recovery takes root," Ball said, "we are hopeful other
coastal populations will follow suit and eventually support limited
fisheries." 

Good ocean productivity coupled with consistently healthy populations
in both Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes resulted in more abundant returns
than necessary to sustain the populations. Harvesting these surplus fish
will not undermine the productivity of coho in the lakes. 

Spangler said the number of spawning coho salmon in Siltcoos and
Tahkenitch lakes has exceeded the number needed to support long-term
viable populations for nine of the last 10 years. 

Siltcoos had 6,628 spawning coho in 2003 and Tahkenitch had 3,203
spawning coho in 2003. Approximately 3,300 and 2,200 spawning salmon are
needed for Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes respectively to maintain
healthy future generations of coho salmon. The recent densities of
spawning coho salmon in the Siltcoos and Tahkenitch systems is among the
highest currently documented in Oregon. 

Anglers may harvest one unmarked adult coho salmon per day plus one
unmarked jack coho per day from the two lakes. Anglers are limited to
retaining a combined total of five adult coho from Siltcoos and
Tahkenitch lakes during the three-month season. Anglers may not continue
to fish for jack coho salmon after retaining an adult limit. 

Waters open for coho angling on Siltcoos Lake are upstream from the
Highway 101 bridge and downstream of the railroad trestle on the Maple
Creek arm and the Fivemile Road crossing the Fiddle Creek arm. 

Waters open for coho angling on Tahkenitch Lake are upstream from the
Highway 101 bridge and downstream of the railroad trestle on the Leitel
Creek arm and the ODFW marker at Snare Point on the Fivemile Creek arm.


All other specifications and restrictions as outlined in the current
2004 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations continue to apply.

Based on historical fisheries in these lakes, biologists expect the
fishery to potentially result in a combined harvest of up to 1,000 fish.
This year's quota has been set at 600 fish for Siltcoos Lake and 400
fish for Tahkenitch Lake.  

Biologists will monitor and evaluate the coho fishing season along with
coho salmon spawning numbers to ensure that coho salmon recovery efforts
are not compromised. Coho will be reevaluated each year to determine if
the run is strong enough to supply surplus fish for harvest. 

Biologists will monitoring and evaluate coho fishing season along with
coho salmon spawning numbers to ensure that coho salmon recovery efforts
are not compromised.  

The decision to open the fishery was based on a scientific review of
the coho salmon populations by both ODFW and NOAA Fisheries, with input
from members of the public.

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