Why was the fishing season closed with such short notice?
Columbia River fisheries are usually managed on quotas (see Quotas FAQ). These quotas are derived based on impact limits to ESA-listed species (see ESA FAQ). Most of these limits are based on a percentage of the listed fish that can be killed or handled in a fishery. This percentage is calculated by dividing estimates of the total kill or handle by the estimated run size. These limits are then subdivided among various sport and commercial fisheries. Prior to fishing seasons, the DFWs craft fisheries based on expected returns of various fish stocks and expected catch rates of those stocks by each fishery. As the fishing seasons progress, more information on the abundance of fish stocks becomes available. Sometimes this update results in an increase in the estimated abundance of listed stocks, which can lead to increased fishing opportunities. Other times this update results in a reduction to the estimated abundance of listed stocks. When this happens, planned or ongoing fisheries may re
