There are large numbers of fish going over Bonneville Dam right now. Why is the season closed?
In order to maximize fishery opportunities while meeting ESA objectives (see ESA FAQ), fisheries in the Columbia River are managed under fishery-specific quotas in most seasons. In most cases, fisheries are not closed on the basis of too few fish available overall, but rather due to the quota established to meet ESA objectives being met. Most fisheries are managed on the preseason forecast until an in-season run update is available. Fishery managers pay close attention to passage at the dams and update the run as soon as possible. Until passage is sufficient to determine if the strength of the run is greater than forecast, fisheries are generally managed based on the estimated number of fish available from preseason forecasts. If that quota has already been met, then the fishery will remain closed until an in-season run update is available.
