C6
East Oregonian
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Catch limits increase for groundfi sh
Fish were severely
depleted more than
a dozen years ago
By GILLIAN FLACCUS
Associated Press
PORTLAND — Federal
offi cials said Tuesday they
are increasing catch limits
for several species of West
Coast groundfi sh that were
severely depleted more than
a dozen years ago in a cri-
sis that posed a threat to the
commercial and sports fi sh-
ing industries.
Limits for yelloweye rock-
fi sh will more than double,
while substantial increases
will be allowed for Califor-
nia scorpionfi sh, bocaccio
and Pacifi c Ocean perch, the
National Marine Fisheries
Service said.
Those species have recov-
ered enough to allow for the
greatest expansion of a West
Coast fi shery in years. The
formal announcement of the
revised catch limits will be
published Wednesday and
the changes go into effect on
Jan. 1, the fi rst day of the new
fi shing season.
Fishing income in Califor-
nia, Oregon and Washington
could increase $60 million
because of the changes, with
the potential for 900 new jobs
and at least 200,000 more
angler trips a year, according
to a preliminary report.
“It’ll actually allow us to
fi sh,” said Tom Marking, a
recreational fi sherman from
Eureka, California.
“Right now, there are a
lot of places you just avoid
NOAA Fisheries
Federal offi cials are increasing the catch limits for many types of groundfi sh because the numbers of one key
species, the yelloweye rockfi sh, has rebounded much faster than expected under a restoration plan.
because they’re known as
yelloweye hot spots. You just
stay away from them. If they
allow us to go to 30 fathoms
or 40 fathoms or all depths,
it’ll allow the fl eet to spread
out.”
Between 1999 and 2002,
nine West Coast groundfi sh
stocks were declared over-
fi shed as surveys documented
declining numbers.
Because more than 90
total groundfi sh species share
the same habitat, anglers
fi shing for a permitted spe-
cies risked also catching
restricted fi sh and exceeding
the overall limit — a mistake
that could mean an end to the
fi shing season for that partic-
ular species.
The limits devastated
the fi shing industry along
Spout Springs Ski Area
parking lot gets modifi cation
Umatilla National
Forest Service
PENDLETON — The
Forest Service has issued a
new parking confi guration
for the south parking area
at Spout Springs Ski Area
along Highway 204, which
authorizes overnight park-
ing for trucks and trailers in
a portion of the south park-
ing area. The Forest Service
modifi ed the south parking
area in response to the loss
of overnight parking in the
north parking area, which
was changed to day-use
only to alleviate safety con-
cerns raised by the ski area.
The changes to the south
parking area balance the
needs of the ski area with
other recreationists that use
this portion of the Umatilla
National Forest. This alter-
native parking arrangement
was developed with input
from the Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation,
Spout Springs Homeowners
Association President Tim
Richardson and other inter-
ested public.
“We appreciate the Forest
Service and ODOT work-
ing to come up with a park-
ing solution that works for
all of us,” Tim Richardson
said in a press release. “I am
pleased with the outcome
and I think this will serve
the variety of public that use
this area.”
The north and south park-
ing areas are both part of
Oregon’s Sno-Park program
and both sno-parks are uti-
lized by ski area customers
and other winter recreation-
ists. The north parking area
is within the Spout Springs
Mountain Resort Special
Use Permit and managed by
the ski area under an agree-
ment with ODOT. The south
parking area is managed by
the Forest Service under
a separate agreement with
ODOT.
Spout Springs raised
safety concerns this fall
regarding their ability to
obtain liability insurance
needed to open for winter
operations if overnight park-
ing was allowed in the north
parking area. In order to alle-
viate these safety concerns,
the Forest Service agreed to
make the north parking area
day-use only once Spout
Springs opens for the sea-
son. Spout Springs has yet to
announce an offi cial open-
ing date, but is anticipated
to resume winter operations
this year.
“Our objective is to have
Spout Springs operate their
downhill and cross country
operations during the 2018
and 2019 ski season, while
providing for the safety of
all users,” said Walla Walla
District Ranger Mike Rass-
bach in the release. “I hope
these parking area changes
will allow for a safe and suc-
cessful winter season for all
forest users”.
Sno-Park use would con-
tinue to be available on a
fi rst come-fi rst serve basis
for both parking areas and
require an ODOT sno-park
permit from Nov. 1–April 30.
Additional
alternative
overnight parking for truck/
trailers is available at neigh-
boring Sno-Parks, including
Morning Creek, Woodland,
and Andie’s Prairie.
Forest offi cials will
assess the effectiveness of
these changes at the end of
the season. Comments or
concerns regarding the park-
ing area modifi cations are
welcome and can be sub-
mitted to Walla Walla Dis-
trict Ranger Mike Rassbach
at 509-522-6293 or mrass-
bach@fs.fed.us.
the West Coast. Many busi-
nesses went under and ten-
sions between the industry
and federal regulators ran
high for years.
“Back then, one boat
could catch all the quota
for one species in one day,”
said Jason Cope, a research
fi sheries biologist at the
National Marine Fisheries
Service. “There was a lot of
avoidance, a lot of places
you couldn’t go and proba-
bly a lot of paranoia. It was
a lot of kind of walking on
eggshells.”
Improved
population
numbers mean there’s now a
buffer for such mistakes and
anglers can go to places they
haven’t fi shed in years with-
out as much worry, he said.
Key to these changes is
the recovery of the yellow-
eye rockfi sh, one of several
species of rockfi sh that were
in trouble just 15 years ago.
The combined annual
catch limit for the yelloweye
will increase from 20 met-
ric tons to 48 metric tons in
2019, although regulators
could begin to make adjust-
ments to fi shing restrictions
when the catch approaches
39 metric tons to allow room
for error.
Anglers will be able to
fi sh at greater depths and in
locations that were previ-
ously off-limits. One imme-
diate effect will see fewer
fi shing boats crowded near
the shore where anglers were
less likely to net the over-
fi shed species.
Several other species
of groundfi sh have already
recovered to levels that have
allowed greater catch limits.
Those species include petrale
sole, widow rockfi sh and
canary rockfi sh.
There are more than 65
species of rockfi sh off the
West Coast from Alaska to
California. Some types can
live up 150 to 200 years,
Cope said, and they give live
birth.
John Holloway, a mem-
ber of the Pacifi c Fisheries
Management Council, which
recommended the changes,
said the increased catch limit
will be transformative for the
industry.
“This will basically affect
all the fi shing sectors to some
degree or another,” he said.
“Every fi shing sector ... runs
up against yellow eye rock-
fi sh, including the trawl fl eets
and all that.”
SKI REPORT
OREGON
Anthony Lakes— Plan to Open 12/15
Cooper Spur — Opening Soon for Snow Sports Fri: 4p-8p;
Sat/Sun: 9a-5p; Open Fri-Sun
Mt. Ashland — Wed 6:23 a.m., 1” new, MG, machine
groomed, 20-21” base, 20 of 23 trails, 4 of 5 lifts, 87% open,
Mon/Thu/Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p; Open Thu-Mon
Mt. Bachelor — Wed 5:42 a.m., powder, machine
groomed, 35-41” base, 45 of 101 trails, 800 acres, 4 of 11
lifts, 45% open, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Mt. Hood Meadows — Wed 5:06 a.m., 3” new powder,
machine groomed, 33-47” base, 45 of 87 trails, 900 acres, 7
of 12 lifts, 52% open, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Mt. Hood Skibowl — Wed Opening Soon for Snow Sports,
hard packed, 1 of 8 lifts, 13% open, Sat: 11a-10:15p Sun:
11a-5:30p; Sat: 11a-10:15p Sun: 11-5:30p
Timberline — Wed 8:12 a.m., variable, 33-33” base, 4 of 9
lifts, 44% open, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-3p
Washington
49 Degrees North — Reopen 12/14, machine groomed,
14-23” base, Mon/Tue/Fri: 9a-3:30p; Sat/Sun: 9a-3:30p;
Open Fri-Tue
Badger Mountain — Opening Soon for Snow Sports
Bluewood — Plan to Open 12/14, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun:
9a-4p
Crystal Mountain — Wed 8:17 a.m., powder, machine
groomed, 17-26” base, 5 of 57 trails, 5 of 11 lifts, 9% open,
Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Mission Ridge — Wed Reopen 12/14, 1” new, MG,
machine groomed, 7-16” base, Fri: 9a-4p, Sat/Sun: 9a-4p;
Open Fri-Sun
Mt. Baker — Wed 10:34 a.m., 21” new powder, machine
groomed, 63-79” base, 17 of 38 trails, 4 of 8 lifts, 45% open,
Mon-Fri: 9a-3:30p; Sat/Sun: 9a-3:30p
Mt. Spokane — Wed 5:19 a.m., MG, machine groomed,
34-34” base, 12 of 51 trails, 3 of 5 lifts, 24% open, Wed-Fri:
9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p; Open Wed-Sun
Stevens Pass — Wed 6:02 a.m., powder, machine
groomed, 34-58” base, 23 of 52 trails, 4 of 10 lifts, 44% open
Summit at Snoqualmie — Plan to Open 12/14
Summit at Snoqualmie Alpental — Plan to Open 12/14
9 new
White Pass — Plan to Open 12/14
Methow Trails — Wed 9:23 a.m., MG, machine groomed,
14-14” base, 52186 miles, Mon-Fri, Sat/Sun
Stevens Pass XC — Opening Soon for Snow Sports
Idaho
Bogus Basin — Wed 8:54 a.m., MG, machine groomed,
22-27” base, 70 of 93 trails, 8 of 11 lifts, 75% open, Mon-Fri:
10a-4:30p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4:30p
Brundage — Wed 2:51 p.m., powder, machine groomed,
28-29” base, 46 of 51 trails, 1500 acres, 5 of 6 lifts, 90% open,
Mon-Fri: 9:30a-4:30p; Sat/Sun: 9:30a-4:30p
Lookout Pass — Wed 5:45 a.m., powder, machine
groomed, 23-35” base, 24 of 35 trails, 15 miles, 335 acres,
3 of 4 lifts, 69% open, Mon/Thu/Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p;
Open Thu-Mon
Schweitzer Mountain — Wed 9:06 a.m., 3” new powder,
machine groomed, 26-36” base, 42 of 92 trails, 1200 acres,
5 of 9 lifts, 46% open, Mon-Fri: 9a-3:30p; Sat/Sun: 9a-3:30p
Sun Valley — Wed 6:00 a.m., packed powder, machine
groomed, 25-28” base, 31 of 121 trails, 9 of 17 lifts, 26%
open, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Tamarack — Wed 6:00 a.m., 1” new powder, machine
groomed, 15-24” base, 22 of 48 trails, 440 acres, 3 of 6 lifts,
46% open, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p; Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Church: Christians urged
to stay in Bethlehem
Continued from Page C1
AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed
People visit a shop near the Church of the Nativity.
children.
But whether the city’s efforts
can stop the long-term outfl ow of
Bethlehem’s Christians remains to
be seen. As elsewhere in the Arab
world, the local Christian com-
munity has struggled for decades,
escaping confl ict and economic
troubles in search of better oppor-
tunities abroad.
In the Holy Land, Israel’s
half-century-old occupation of
the West Bank and east Jerusalem,
and more than a decade of rule by
the Islamic militant group Hamas
in Gaza have signifi cantly wors-
ened the situation.
A 2017 census in the West
Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem
counted just under 47,000 Pales-
tinian Christians, or about 1 per-
cent of a Palestinian population of
close to 4.8 million. Twenty years
earlier, Christians still made up
more than 1.7 percent of the Pal-
estinian population, according to
the Palestinian Central Bureau of
Statistics.
Roughly half of Palestin-
ian Christians live in the Beth-
lehem area, where their share of
the population has also declined
signifi cantly.
Wadie Abunassar, a senior
adviser to church leaders in the
Holy Land, said the Palestinian
leadership in the West Bank has
treated Christians well, but that
lack of progress toward a reso-
lution with Israel and Palestinian
statehood have driven emigration.
Despite lack of hope, he urged
Christians to stay.
“This is our homeland. We are
called to be witnesses for Jesus in
his homeland,” he said. “This is a
great privilege, which most Chris-
tians in the world don’t have.”