Washington halts sturgeon season after fish found dead

Jul. 28—From staff reports

Anglers have begun finding dead white sturgeon in the Columbia River, which has prompted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to close a large portion of the mid-Columbia starting Saturday.

Approximately two dozen sturgeon have been found dead in recent weeks, primarily in the John Day Pool with additional observations in The Dalles Pool, McNary Pool and the Hanford Reach, said Paul Hoffarth, the department's District 4 fish biologist.

All fishing for sturgeon has been halted from The Dalles dam upstream to Priest Rapids Dam, near Mattawa.

The fish, which suffer during higher-water temperatures, last suffered similar fatalities in 2015, Hoffarth said in a news release.

Hoffarth is asking any anglers who find dead sturgeon to record an approximate length, note any identifying marks and get a GPS location if possible. They should email him at Paul.Hoffarth@dfw.wa.gov or use the online reporting form at publicinput.com/mortalityreporting.

The sturgeon closure is scheduled to remain in place through Sept. 15.

Water temperatures increase throughout the summer but have been running warmer than the historical average, likely contributing to the increased mortalities.

"Sturgeon are very hardy fish in a lot of ways, but they're also very vulnerable to certain stressors, especially in the late spring and summer period after they spawn," said Laura Heironimus, sturgeon lead with the WDFW.

"We see some sturgeon mortalities reported every year, but the number this year is higher than normal and in areas with lower abundances and recruitment concerns, and we want to give these fish every chance possible to survive."

Catch-and-release fishing for sturgeon is typically open year-round in much of the Columbia River.

Washington and Oregon fishery managers jointly made the decision to close the portion of the river that forms part of the border between Washington and Oregon.

Catch-and-release fishing for white sturgeon remains open in the sections of river downstream of The Dalles Dam and Bonneville Dam, where populations are higher.

"We definitely want to know about any additional mortalities and encourage anyone who finds a dead sturgeon to use the reporting tool," Heironimus said in the release. "Fortunately, we are seeing fewer adult-size sturgeon mortalities than what was observed during the drought of 2015, but we'll continue monitoring for the rest of the summer."

BLM entrance fees waived

The U.S. Department of the Interior will commemorate the three-year anniversary of the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act by waiving entrance fees on Friday for all lands managed by the department.

Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, group day use and use of special areas, will remain in effect.

Since the act was implemented in 2021, the Interior Department has funded 276 deferred maintenance projects, improving the condition of more than 2,200 assets in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and multiple U.S. territories, according to a news release.

"The Great American Outdoors Act ensures that our public lands are safe and accessible for all visitors and staff by investing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects," Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland said in the release. "I was proud to co-sponsor this historic law, which provides critical investments in our public lands to ensure they are ready to meet the challenges of climate change, while boosting the American economy by creating good-paying jobs."

Blue Mountain roadwork completed

Visitors to Oregon's Blue Mountains should plan accordingly for possible delays on 22 miles of the Blue Mountain Scenic byway that travel through the Heppner and North Fork John Day Ranger Districts.

While the chip seal resurfacing has been completed, the Morrow County Road Department will return to the site in August to apply road striping. During that time, travelers can expect periodic delays.

The Blue Mountain Scenic Byway is a popular 145-mile route that travels from near Arlington to Granite. This road is also a major portal to both the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, offering numerous opportunities for scenic views and recreation.

Funding for this project, and a similar one in 2022, came from a $285 million investment in National Forest from the Great American Outdoors Act.

In addition to the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway chip seal project, the Umatilla National Forest received funding to replace the Crooked Creek Trail Bridge on the Pomeroy Ranger District, which is anticipated to be installed later this year.

Idaho fire updates

As of Thursday, the Midnight Fire in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest had grown about 179 acres in a remote location east of Grangeville, Idaho.

Crews continue to fight the lightning-caused fire, but recreators should be aware of trucks and firefighting crews on Lightning Creek Road and Elk City Wagon Road between China Point and Lyte Cow Camp.

Also, crews also continue to battle the Elkhorn Fire, which has grown to 1,652 acres as of Friday. That fire is on the east side of the Salmon River, several miles east of Riggins.

Crews were working to protect the Whitewater Ranch, Campbell's Ferry and Jim Moore Ranch. They were also preparing to protect structures in the Yellow Pine Bar and Allison Ranch areas, according to a news release.