ILWACO — The Washington and Oregon departments of fish and wildlife on July 10 issued their report about predicted returns of salmon and steelhead for the remainder of 2023.

The complete report is available at tinyurl.com/2023-Salmon-Report. Here are its conclusions about the main types of salmon targeted by local fishermen.

Fall Chinook 2023 Forecast

The forecast for the 2023 fall Chinook adult return to the Columbia River totals 554,000. The forecast is 82% of the 2022 actual return and 76% of the 2013–2022 average return (725,660 adults). Upriver Bright stocks represent 62% of the total forecast.

The Lower River Hatchery forecast of 77,100 adults is 88% of the 2022 actual return, and below the recent 10-year average (82,400 adults). The Lower River Wild forecast of 8,700 adults is 46% of the recent 10-year average of 19,090 adults. The Bonneville Pool Hatchery forecast of 135,300 adults is 148% of the recent 10-year average of 91,180 adults.

The forecast return of 278,500 Up River Bright (URB) adults represents 50% of the projected total return and is 68% of the recent 10-year average (412,350 adults).

Coho

The 2023 forecast for the Columbia River coho return is 595,300 adults, which includes 354,000 early stock and 241,300 late stock. The forecast is 157% of the recent 10-year average of 379,600 fish.

The individual forecasts for early and late stock coho are 145% and 179% of the recent 10-year averages, respectively. Bonneville Dam passage is expected to be about 272,900 adult coho, representing 60% of the forecast total ocean abundance of Columbia River coho destined for areas upstream of Bonneville Dam.

Broodstock escapement needs of 4,900 early stock and 11,500 late stock adults to hatcheries downstream of Bonneville Dam are expected to be achieved.

Summer steelhead

The 2023 forecast for the summer steelhead return to Bonneville Dam is 67,800 upriver fish, including 4,400 Skamania stock (2,100 natural-origin), 55,400 A-Index (17,300 natural-origin), and 8,000 B-Index (1,300 natural-origin). Overall, the forecast is 42% of the recent 10-year average return of 159,560 fish. The Skamania, A-Index, and B-Index forecasts are 67% and 43%, and 33% respectively, of the recent 10-year average returns.