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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2017)
NED HICKSON , SPORTS EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3523 ❘ SPORTS @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM SATURDAY EDITION ❘ MARCH 18, 2017 ❘ SECTION B Siuslaw News Sports & Recreation A WEEKLY Chinook run to be smaller, predicts NOAA FISHING REPORT FOR THE LOCAL REGION ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS During its latest open board meeting, the Siuslaw Baseball Association elected board members for the com- ing season, which begins the week of April 3. The newly-elected board includes Mike Blankenship as president, with Jeff Stinger elected vice president and Natalie Blankenship serving as secretary. Kim Stinger will be the board treasurer. Additional board members include John Meier, Mike Sissel, Suzy Barstow, Dirk Anderson, Vanessa Buss, Dustin Circle, Crystal Osburn, Sean Selig and Tim Garneau. The annual Saturday at Miller Park will be held April 29, with the 100-inning game, team photos and the Pitch, Hit and Run contest. www.dfw.state.or.us/RR NORTH COAST LAKES: Nehalem Hatchery released 200 surplus winter steelhead into Vernonia pond, 57 into Lost Lake See SBA FISHING 3B S PORTS Calendar • MARCH 21 SHS SOFTBALL AT SUTHERLIN 4 P . M . • MARCH 23 SHS TRACK S IUSLAW OFS accepting eclypse event reservations I CEBREAKER AT SHS 4 P . M . MHS TRACK S AILOR R ELAYS AT MHS 4 P . M . • MARCH 24 SHS BASEBALL VS SWEET HOME 5 P . M . SHS SOFTBALL AT SWEET HOME 4:30 P . M . T IDE T ABLE Entrance Siuslaw River High Tide Low Tide March 18 4:11am / 6.7 5:16pm/ 5.5 11:00am / 1.2 10:47pm/ 3.0 March 19 4:52am / 6.5 6:20pm / 5.2 11:55am / 1.3 11:38pm / 3.4 March 20 5:44am / 6.2 7:36pm/ 5.1 12:59pm / 1.4 March 21 6:47am / 6.1 8:49pm/ 5.2 12:48am / 3.6 2:06pm/ 1.3 March 22 7:57am / 6.1 9:47pm/ 5.5 2:08am / 3.6 3:09pm/ 1.2 March 23 9:02am / 6.3 10:32pm/ 5.9 3:16am / 3.3 4:01pm/ 0.8 March 24 9:59am / 6.7 11:10pm/ 6.3 4:12am / 2.8 4:47pm/ 0.5 S IUSLAW N EWS 148 Maple St. Florence 541-997-3441 PHOTOS BY NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS Warmer waters and smaller juvenile Chinnok in 2015 will likely mean anglers in search of spring catches will have a tougher time this season. F isheries managers have been predicting a slightly below- average run of spring Chinook salmon on the Columbia River this year but a newly pub- lished suggests that it may be worse. According to researchers from Oregon State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ocean conditions were historically bad in the spring of 2015, when migrating yearling fish that will comprise the bulk of this spring’s adult Chinook salmon run first went out to sea. In fact, Pacific Decadal Oscillation values — which reflect warm and cold sea surface temperatures — suggest it was one of the warmest nearshore oceans encountered by migrating Chinook salmon dating back to at least 1900. The lack of food for the salmon in 2015 may have resulted in significant mortality that will show in this year’s run of Columbia River springers. One way or another, it will provide new information on fish survival and whether juvenile salmon prey data can help resource managers predict future returns. Results of the research, which was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration and NOAA, have just been published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. About 80 percent of a typical spring Chinook run on the Columbia River come from fish that went out to sea as yearlings two years earlier, according to lead author Elizabeth Daly, a senior faculty research assistant with the Cooperative Institute for Marine Resource Studies, jointly operated by OSU and NOAA out of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. “When juvenile salmon first enter the ocean, it is a critical time for them,” Daly said. “They are adjusting to a salt-water environment, they have to eat to survive, and they have to avoid becoming prey themselves. When we sampled juvenile salmon in May and June of 2015, the fish were much smaller and thinner than usual, and many of them had empty stomachs. There just wasn’t anything for them to eat.” Two key statistics stand out from 2015, the researchers noted. The California Current system off the West Coast was more than 2.5 degrees Celsius (or 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than normal, and the juvenile Chinook were smaller and skinnier than during a cold-water year, weighing an average of 17.6 percent less. When the oceanic waters off Oregon and Washington are cold, young salmon primarily feed on readily avail- able fish prey such as Pacific sand lance and smelts, which triggers their growth spurt. When waters are warmer, there is less food available, and they primarily eat juvenile anchovies and rockfish, which are less-desirable prey than cold-water species. Daly said 2015 began on a some- what positive note. Although cold- water larval fish species were absent, the researchers found abundant amounts of other larval fish in January, February and March, the fourth See CHINOOK 3B ODFW offers free fishing events, tips The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) invites Oregon fami- lies to come fishing at one of 28 free Family Fishing events scheduled throughout the state this spring and summer. The season will kick off April 1, at Canby Pond and events will continue almost weekly into the summer. At each event, ODFW provides loaner rods, reels, tackle and bait, along with helpful tips from experienced angling instructors. The agency typically stocks loca- tions with plenty of trout so partici- pants can practice hooking, fighting and landing a fish. The events are designed to show families how easy and fun fishing can be, according to Chris Willard, ODFW education manager. “Fishing is a great family activity, but it can be a little intimidating when you’re just starting out,” he said. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to learn how to fish by offering these sup- ported events. “We hope everyone has a good time at these events and discovers just how fun fishing can be.” Times, dates and locations of all the Family Fishing events are posted on the ODFW website at www.dfw.state .or.us/education/angling/family_fish ing.asp. Check back periodically, as dates and times can change. Children ages 11 years old and younger can fish for free, while those 12 to 17 and adults will need an Oregon fishing license. The Youth License for 12 to 17 year olds includes fishing, hunting and shellfishing for only $10. Licenses can be purchased at ODFW’s Online License Sales page or from any ODFW field office or retail license outlet. Licenses will not be sold at the events. For families that can’t attend one of the scheduled events, ODFW offers several resources to help go fishing on your own. Visit the Trout 365 page at www. dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/trout. asp. CORVALLIS — In antici- pation of large numbers of visitors to the forest to view the total solar eclipse this summer, on March 30 the Siuslaw National Forest will begin accepting reservations for private vehicle access to key viewing areas on Marys Peak and Mt. Hebo. The high meadows of Marys Peak and Mt. Hebo, both of which fall within the “path of totality” — the swath of land where viewers will witness a total eclipse — are expected to be of great interest to community mem- bers and visitors looking for prime viewing locations for the Aug. 21 event. Access to both locations will be managed via a reser- vation system to provide a unique viewing experience, while ensuring public safety, clear access for emergency vehicles and protection of sensitive meadows. Those interested in visiting the forest to view the eclipse are strongly encouraged to plan their visit well in advance. The following information will help with early planning: For Marys Peak, private vehicle access the day of the eclipse will be by reservation only. Parking permits will be available for three parking areas around Marys Peak. Access to the small Marys Peak Campground will be limited to Forest Service and emergency services staff and volunteers assisting with the event. The road up Marys Peak will remain open to bicycles, though cyclists should anticipate significant congestion on area roads. More information on vehi- cle reservations will be avail- able at www.recreation.gov /tourParkDetail.do?contractC ode=NRSO&parkId=151940 on March 27, with permit reservations available from that site beginning at 7 a.m. on March 30. Forest officials are also preparing to issue a special use permit to an outdoor event organizer to operate a shuttle to Marys Peak on the day of the eclipse, as well as See ECLYPSE 3B CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK On the Bite
