The season was to remain open for eight weeks or until 7,000 fish had been caught. It took only six days for salmon anglers to reach the 7,000 fish limit. There are two lessons to this story. First, salmon fishing is a big deal in Oregon, a fact confirmed by Liz Hamilton, executive director of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association. Her organization represents businesses that cater to recreational anglers, from makers of boats and fishing reels to sporting goods stores, marinas and guides.
Anglers haul in fall chinook from the Columbia River near Portland.
Sportfishing restrictions are intended to cut pressure on salmon. Salmon are the heart and soul of sportfishing in Oregon. The second lesson of the shortened fishing season is that salmon anglers catch a lot of fish and have been one of the contributors to the salmon decline. Of the 800,000 anglers who purchased fishing licenses in 1996, roughly one-third, or 265,000, also received a salmon and steelhead tag that allowed the holder to fish for salmon. Sportfishing is a big business in the state.