COLUMBIA RIVER – With poor coho returns and an all-time low predicted for California’s Sacramento River fall Chinook, Washington and Oregon salmon fishermen have been put on notice.

Protecting the California stock will likely wreak havoc on the salmon seasons off Oregon’s coast south of Cape Falcon (near Manzanita), and could also result in cutbacks to fishing in Washington and on Oregon’s North Coast.

According to recent reports, even if all ocean and freshwater salmon fisheries are closed, the expected returns of Sacramento Chinook would still be on the low end of what’s needed ensure spawning goals.

“This is very bad news for West Coast salmon fisheries,” said Pacific Council Chairman Don Hansen. “The word ‘disaster’ comes immediately to mind, and I mean a disaster much worse than the Klamath fishery disaster of 2006.”

Salmon fisheries will be constrained in some areas this year because of low returns to several rivers of wild and hatchery coho, as well as wild Chinook, according to preseason forecasts. The most significant drop-off will be in the number of Columbia River coho, which is expected to total about 196,000, nearly 266,000 fewer fish than last year’s run and the lowest since the late 1990s.

Butch Smith of the Ilwaco Charter Association said the fisheries north of Cape Falcon won’t be as affected as the ones further south. With stronger runs of Chinook salmon predicted to return to the Columbia River and fewer impacts on Sacramento River salmon, Lower Columbia fishermen should get an ocean salmon season this year, though they will be restricted by low predictions on coho salmon.

Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported this week that warmer ocean waters and a lack of food were the “likely culprit” for the weak salmon runs on the West Coast last year. The conditions could also affect this year’s runs.

The reason for the Sacramento fall Chinook decline is unclear, but both hatchery and naturally produced fish are similarly affected. At its upcoming meeting in Sacramento, the council will review a list of 46 possible factors that may be contributing to the decline.

Sacramento River salmon are primarily caught off California and Oregon, but are also found off Washington and as far north as British Columbia. They are usually one of the healthiest and most abundant stocks on the West Coast, and are the mainstay of commercial and recreational fisheries south of Cape Falcon.

“Regarding fishing seasons affecting Sacramento fall run Chinook, I won’t be surprised to see the Council look at the ‘totally closed’ option as one option, that is, closed to both sport and commercial fisheries,” said Council Vice Chairman Dave Ortmann. “This is a very important and valuable stock of fish, particularly to the regional salmon fisheries off California and Oregon.”

Additional public meetings have been scheduled in March to discuss regional fisheries issues. Input from these regional discussions will be considered as the season-setting process moves into the “North of Falcon” and PFMC meetings, which will determine the final 2008 salmon seasons. Remaining meetings are set for:

? March 12 – Puget Sound recreational fisheries discussion, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., WDFW Mill Creek Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek.

? March 17 – Columbia River fisheries discussion, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Vancouver Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Wash.

? March 28 – Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay fisheries meeting, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue, Lacey.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will begin the process of setting 2008 ocean salmon seasons at its meeting Sunday through Friday, March 14, in Sacramento, Calif., where it will develop up to three options for public review.

Public hearings on the options are scheduled for March 31 in Westport, Wash. and Coos Bay and for April 1 in Eureka, Calif.

Final action on the 2008 ocean salmon seasons is scheduled for the PFMC April 7-12 meeting in Seattle.