The purpose of this change is to protect wild chinook salmon while encouraging the harvest of hatchery fish. If a fish has a clipped adipose fin, it's fair game. Bag limits and gear regulations are included in the 2001 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. ODFW biologists encourage anglers to use barbless hooks and carefully release of unclipped fish, while they remain in the water, to improve their survival. Biologists forecast a run of 61,000 Willamette spring chinook, of which about 10 percent will be wild.
Wild fish have an intact adipose fin.
About 69 percent of this year's spring chinook are of hatchery origin and had their adipose fin clipped before their release. Starting next year, nearly all hatchery fish returning to the Willamette system will be clipped.