Salmon Season Set for Bodega Bay

 

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council set the 2011 commercial salmon fishing season starting April 13, and Bodega Bay fishermen are looking a potentially lucrative catch.

Because the Sacramento River Chinook salmon runs are estimated to be 730,000, well in excess of the 122,000 to 180,000 needed for a successful fall spawning, the season south of Point Arena will open May 1 and remain open until June 1 when it will close until June 25. The season will reopen June 26 through July 5. After that fishing is permitted Saturdays through Wednesdays from July 9 to August 29, and is open the entire month of September.

Council Chairman Mark Cedergreen said, “We are pleased to see the Sacramento River fall salmon runs have rebounded nicely for California and Oregon fisheries and we will continue to enjoy good salmon opportunities off the Washington coast this summer.”

It is the first time since 2007 that a good fishery is expected.