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Chinook Salmon Season May Be Over on Main Salmon River by Dan Barth KBCI TV, May 10, 2005

It looks like Idaho's spring Chinook Salmon run is over. Fisheries managers have been concerned about the season for weeks. The salmon showed up later than usual and officials hoped they would eventually recover.

About three days ago the number of salmon coming into the Northwest dropped significantly. Now, officials say, they may have to shut down another one of Idaho's rivers to allow for the state to get enough brood stock salmon for the future.

"The issue we face is whether or not we can fish in the Main Salmon River. In order to do that we're going to have to have at least four-thousand natural origin fish over Lower Granite. We're going to be really close to that," says Scott Marshall, Anandromous Fisheries Co-ordinator for Idaho Fish and Game.

The state could see serious economic implications because businesses who sell fishing equipment will suffer. Also, the money the state makes from fishing licenses will be reduced if the salmon fishing season is shortened and fishing is shut down on the Main Salmon River.