The plan includes the Sandy, Clackamas and lower Columbia River tributaries. Modifications to the coho program in the Sandy will be considered at that time. Smolts will be acclimated and released at Sandy Hatchery. Once the Marmot Dam removal date is certain, the summer steelhead program will be re-evaluated including its effects on native stocks. 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 returning hatchery fish will be clipped. Beginning March 12, anglers need to immediately release unharmed any chinook salmon with an intact adipose fin. Selective regulations are required for the mainstem Willamette and Clackamas River 2001 spring chinook fishery so that wild fish survival and recovery are not jeopardized. There were two options for meeting this objective, according to ODFW biologist Steve King.