Salmon die-off expands, bringing total Chinook fishing closure on Oregon's north coast

The recent die-off of fall Chinook salmon has expanded from the Wilson River to three other river basins, leading to a total closure on salmon fishing on Oregon’s north coast, wildlife officials said.

Salmon killed before they were able to spawn by the parasite cryptobia has been observed in the Nestucca, Trask and Kilchis rivers near Tillamook during the past week.

To help the remaining Chinook spawn, officials have closed the entire North Coast to all salmon angling effective Dec. 13 to 31.

The closure includes all basins from the Nestucca to the Necanicum rivers, including bays, the Oregon Department of Wildlife said Wednesday in a news release.

More:Salmon die-off in Wilson River from parasite leads to fishing closure, hits population

Angling for steelhead is unaffected by this change and remains open under permanent regulations.

“We need to protect the remaining spawners to help provide for future runs of fall Chinook on the North Coast,” said Robert Bradley, district fish biologist for ODFW’s North Coast Watershed District.

The parasite, which is naturally occurring, caused the death of more than 200 salmon in the lower Wilson River earlier this month. After tips from local anglers, biologists then discovered the parasite in a substantial number of dead salmon sampled in the three other river basins last week.

The parasite is no risk to humans.

Bradley blamed abnormally dry conditions in Oregon for the spread of the parasite, which has caused fish deaths in the past but never on this scale, he said.

“This scale of die-off is really unheard of,” he said. “This parasite typically doesn’t escalate to this level.”

The low-water conditions kept salmon trapped in small pools of water for long periods, allowing leeches that carry the parasite to get on a higher density of fish, Bradley said.

“We’ve seen that happen in small tributaries in the past, but never in the mainstem of these rivers the way we’ve seen this year,” he said.

It’s unclear what impact the die-off will have long term on the native fish runs on the North Coast.

“Luckily we did have rain in October, so some fish were able to move upstream and spawn before it dried out,” Bradly said. “Long-term it will depend on how many more fish come in — which usually lasts until January — and can get eggs in the gravel. That’s why it’s so important to protect what’s left.”

All salmon angling is closed in the following areas:

- Necanicum River basin

- Nehalem Bay and river (including the NF Nehalem)

- Tillamook Bay and rivers (Tillamook River, Trask River, Wilson River, Kilchis River and Miami River),

- Nestucca Bay and river (including Three Rivers and the Little Nestucca River).

Beginning in the new year, no wild salmon can be harvested on the North Coast, meaning the closure on fall Chinook essentially remains in place when the calendar flips.

Read more Oregon outdoor news:

• Salmon die-off in Wilson River from parasite leads to fishing closure, hits population
• Detroit Lake water levels drop for repairs, limiting fishing access through January
• Snake River sockeye salmon run falters, but Idaho officials optimistic
• Oregon delays start of commercial Dungeness crab season

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 11 years. To support his work,subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Urness can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.