Columbia River fishing plan could alter limits for salmon, steelhead

Federal authorities are working on a plan to decide how much sport, commercial and tribal fishing for salmon and steelhead will be allowed in the Columbia River and its tributaries as part of a long-term agreement starting in 2018. One of their main determining factors is hatchery production level. The agencies, along with Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, as well as tribes from those states, will work together to create a 10-year agreement. The previous agreement took effect in 2008 and expires at the end of 2017. Courts have previously found that tribes are entitled to half of the harvestable return of salmon and steelhead. The new agreement will set production levels for hatcheries in the three states.