Breaking news: OPEN SEASON on Atlantic Salmon - is this real!?!?

[ONCOfisher]

The solar eclipse and subsequent rise in tides caused havoc on a Atlantic net-pen - read the news below:

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-new ... -you-want/

Anybody got a BOAT!?!!?
boo-rah.

[4n6fisher]

I will happen to be up in the San Juans this weekend, will see if I can help out the local salmon by salmon by catching a few of those. Anyone have ideas on what to use or depths? Are these more like kings , silvers, or ??
Should at least be good for smoking.

This is a good lesson that we should not allow any more of these net pens anywhere near Puget Sound.

[Guitarfish]

I was thinking about heading up in search of them too, when I saw that. Do everything and everybody a favor, by taking them out of the system. I would assume they are dumb hatchery fish and will stay schooled up, so once you find them it's game on. But I don't know. Haven't done a ton of research, but so far all I've found on the web is basic stuff like, "to catch Atlantic salmon in the saltwater, try trolling with flies and spoons." Well, duh. I would think to target them more like coho than chinook, but that's just my gut feeling, I really have no idea. Anyone have any insight on catching them?

[spokey9]

I'd assume since they're dumb hatchery fish, anything that's flashy and will fit in their mouth should work.They won't have the learned behavior in targeting specific forage so in theory anything that will evoke a baser instinct response should be the ticket. If it was me and I located a school I'd toss a 1/2 oz 50/50 kastmaster towards them first.

[4n6fisher]

Talked to the guy at Teds and was not sure, but said they have been caught on power bait. Something that matches the pellets that they are fed. Guess I have to find them first, then see if they want anything I have to offer.
Maybe someone on here will have some luck and pass on the knowledge, I certainly will if I happen on any.

[Amx]

Actually the eclipse has/had nothing to do with the failure. The moon was a little closer than normal during the eclipse so the tides was/were higher than 'normal'. And this time of year the sun was/is FURTHER away than 'normal', therefore the sun, and eclipse had nothing to do with it. They also had trouble with that pen a few months ago, so their fix wasn't good enough.

[riverhunter]

I wonder if that means area 9 and 8-2 are open for them as well. Lol. Really doubt it but one can be hopeful. Hope some of you put a hurting on these fish as they can causr havoc on our local stocks. Some of these fish carry disease for one and they can also be competition to our local stocks.

[Jake Dogfish]

I caught one twitching a jig once on the Green.
The ones I saw in the salt hugged the shorelines. Much like recently planted trout they stayed shallow and avoided open water.

[Jake Dogfish]

I wonder if that means area 9 and 8-2 are open for them as well. Lol. Really doubt it but one can be hopeful. Hope some of you put a hurting on these fish as they can causr havoc on our local stocks. Some of these fish carry disease for one and they can also be competition to our local stocks.

It says "all anadramous waters that are open for trout fishing". So if you are fishing for cutts or hatchery steel you should be good.
Cooke aquaculture is being allowed to net them. Hope there is no by-catch!

[Guitarfish]

DFW clarified the regs, see link. Saltwater areas must be open for salmon to fish for them, and freshwater areas must be open for trout or salmon. Also, it's not as much as of a fishing bonanza as the Seattle Times article made it sound like. The company estimates only 4000-5000 fish escaped (not all 305,000 fish).

The last time I checked, nets didn't care what ocean you originated from. I mean, the Lummi's got Atlantics in their chinook nets, so what's to stop Cooke aquaculture from getting chinook in their atlantic nets?

Anyone who can, please go catch these fish, and share what you learn about catching them with everyone on this forum, so we can eradicate them, and have some good fishing in the process.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/aug2217b/

[spokey9]

as they can causr havoc on our local stocks

I doubt it's as serious as that. These fish were highly medicated to prevent disease, the biggest concern might be a bump in sea lice this year on our wild fish. As far as a threat goes I just don't see it. They've never been able to successfully crossbreed with Pacific salmon and they're in an environment where there's predators around (the seals will more than likely get more than the nets or rod & reel). These fish aren't exactly capable of long term survival, maybe if they were a wild stock 5k might get a running population going but not farm fish. Most of our ocean going salmon are essentially done feeding by the time they reach the sound (some actively feed but most are only eat if an easy opportunity​ presents itself) and with the low number of escapees I'd doubt they hurt the local food chain for resident fish stocks.

Everytime a net breaks there's news that sky is falling but in truth it never pans out. About the only thing that happens is there's a few interesting bycatch stories. Matter of fact this ain't even the biggest escape we've had lol.

[Jake Dogfish]

The main problem is the farms in the first place. They are only allowed in high current areas so the pollution will go unnoticed.
The antibiotics and freedom to experiment will likely lead to them finding what harms pacific salmon but not there drug filled fish.
Every less wild pacific salmon is a net gain for fish farms.
As for reproduction, not enough is known at this point. Hopefully they won't make it over here, but if they take hold it's out of our hands.
Once it happens there is no going back.

[Jake Dogfish]

DFW clarified the regs, see link. Saltwater areas must be open for salmon to fish for them, and freshwater areas must be open for trout or salmon. Also, it's not as much as of a fishing bonanza as the Seattle Times article made it sound like. The company estimates only 4000-5000 fish escaped (not all 305,000 fish).

The last time I checked, nets didn't care what ocean you originated from. I mean, the Lummi's got Atlantics in their chinook nets, so what's to stop Cooke aquaculture from getting chinook in their atlantic nets?

Anyone who can, please go catch these fish, and share what you learn about catching them with everyone on this forum, so we can eradicate them, and have some good fishing in the process.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/aug2217b/

You are correct, you can fish for hatchery Steelhead and cutthroat in closed salmon marine areas but can't keep Atlantics. Another dumb rule wdfw!

[spokey9]

From the wdfw website on Atlantic salmon escapes:

Prior to 1996, no significant escapes of Atlantic salmon from pens in Washington were recorded. In 1996, 1997, and 1999 there were large escapes of approximately 107,000, 369,000, and 115,000 fish, respectively. Escapes from pens in British Columbia in 1994-1995 were estimated to be about 60,000 fish. This is a reduction in escapes compared to what had been reported in the early 90's. Total annual escape from B.C. pens according to the most recent reports, to include chronic "leakage" of smaller fish (which is not reported), could exceed 50,000 fish, annually.

If they haven't created a naturally​ reproducing population with those kind of numbers in the '90s, I'd bet the farm there are significant native obstacles that Pacific salmon have evolved to deal with that these farm raised Atlantics just can't overcome.

[branweeds]

From the Lummi Communications:
"NOTICE
VIA Lummi Natural Resources
SALMON
River & Bay night time closures are now lifted. Also, if your Atlantic Salmon do not go on a fish ticket, please report them to 360-312-2321"

Let the 24/7 netting commence.

[spokey9]

It's just an excuse to net more. The estimated 5k fish that escaped are no real threat to our stocks. I'd bet you'll see more tribes adopt a similar rule change since the for the most part the public sees this as a potential doomsday scenario. The dept didn't help with the wording of their release either. I wish they would've put this escape in context with past escape numbers and the failure of the fish to establish populations with much larger numbers in the past.

[Jake Dogfish]

Spokey I hear you and have heard similar comments at other sites that this is not a big deal. It amazes me that fishermen would not be united on this issue. So much blame goes to nets, pinnepeds, habitat, harvest etc. Those were past concerns this is the present.
There is no greater threat to the future of pacific salmon than salmon farming.
I'm not understanding the thought that mostly sterile fish would have already established populations. The state has planted millions of pacific salmon trying to establish new species in new places. One example is even year pink experiments at hatcheries in the 70s and 80s. None worked. As well as many other attempts with other pacific salmon species.
Atlantic salmon farms are hurting native salmon runs in the U.K. And other countries.
They are already building self contained farms in Norway.
There is a reason Alaska, California, and Oregon don't allow this!
The main issue is the economics of salmon farming. Everyone in Salmon farming has everything to gain by trying to eliminate 6 pacific salmon species and 3 trout. With fishless oceans they can create there own price for salmon. Exponentially higher.
Then we we will remind our children of recreational fishing and they will probably respond how primitive that sounds.

[spokey9]

I'm against those farms 100%. It's the farms themselves that are the danger to our stocks. With all the antibiotics those fish get it's not a far leap to worry about native diseases that our fish are immune to mutating to become infectious again or a new disease popping up. The sea lice those farms breed by accident also create all kinds of potential harm to our fish. But as long as people are willing to eat low quality, dyed, farm raised salmon fillets it'll be hard to get rid of those farms.

Im also against any kind d of commercial fishery (tribal, non tribal, or out of state) on our fish, the numbers we get returning can't sustain it imo. There's just so many moving pieces to the issues we have with our runs it's like running in hamster wheel trying to think them all through for potential solutions lol.

On a side note we do have a very small population of even year pinks in our waters.

[riverhunter]

as they can causr havoc on our local stocks

As far as a threat goes I just don't see it. They've never been able to successfully crossbreed with Pacific salmon and they're in an environment where there's predators around (the seals will more than likely get more than the nets or rod & reel).

Well pacific salmon and atlantic salmon are 2 totally different species. Pacific salmon are the only true salmon out there. Atlantic salmon are actually more of a trout species therefore cannot crossbreed.

[branweeds]

It sounds like the actual escapement numbers are close to the entire amount of fish that were in the pens...more like 300k, not 4-5k.
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/lo ... 91007.html