Date: Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000 |
For Immediate Release |
Like salmon to a herring, a strong run of fall chinook and coho salmon is expected to draw thousands of salmon anglers and their boats to the mouth of the Columbia River and other coastal bars in August. Marine Patrol officers urge common sense and caution as they do so, noting the unpredictable nature of tidal currents and ocean weather.
The most popular fishery is called "Buoy 10" and is named after buoy number 10 at the mouth of the Columbia. The buoy marks the seaward deadline for the fishery which opened August 1. The fishery is a concern for marine patrols, according to Randy Henry, of the Oregon State Marine Board. "On certain days you can just about walk from Oregon to Washington on fishing boats and never get wet. Depending on wind, weather and tides, this can be a relatively calm place or a very choppy, dangerous place. The sheer number of boats and the fact that they troll gunwale to gunwale increases the risk of accidents."
"We'll be ready," said Deputy Willie Nyberg, of the Clatsop County Sheriff Department. "We'll be on the water monitoring boaters, checking boats and assisting the Coast Guard as needed." Most of the citations Nyberg issues are for lack of life vests and other safety gear. "Make sure you've got an appropriately sized life vest for every person on board. Kids 12 and younger must wear a life vest under state law when underway, but we urge every person on board to wear one. The mouth of any coastal river can be unpredictable."
Each boat 16 feet and over must have an approved throwable flotation device, too. Boats must also have a working sound-signaling device, such as an air horn or whistle. Boats with permanent gas tanks need a fire extinguisher on board, and boats operating in coastal waters must carry Coast Guard approved visual distress signals.
"A major problem on the Columbia is anglers ignoring the big ships," said Nyberg. "Cargo ships must operate in a relatively narrow channel and cannot stop quickly or leave the channel to avoid small boats. Recreational boaters MUST get out of the way of these ships. A fish is simply not worth your life."
Similar fisheries at the mouths of other coastal rivers begin to build in August and offer similar hazards. These hazards include bars that can change from flat to impassible very quickly, rough weather, crowded fishing and underwater hazards. "The single biggest thing you can do to ensure your safety is wear a life vest from start to finish," said Henry. "We saw several drownings on coastal bars last year where victims were literally sitting on their life vest when trouble struck and they had no chance to put it on."
Dep. Nyberg said he sees all types of recreational boats at Buoy 10: "From rubber rafts to yachts. Whatever your boat, make sure you've got adequate power. A 10-horse outboard probably won't keep up with an outgoing tide. Make sure your boat is seaworthy, don't overload it, and don't push your limits. This can be an unforgiving area."
Other recommendations: Take warm clothes and be prepared for wet conditions. Even in summer, hypothermia can affect a boat operator's judgement and make responding to an accident - or a big fish - particularly difficult. For the same reasons, leave the alcohol off the boat. Marine Patrol officers are trained to identify alcohol impaired boat operators and will arrest them. For boaters who do need assistance on the water, a VHF marine radio can mean the difference between life and death.
For most boaters, the main battle is avoiding collisions with other boaters while attempting to fish in crowded waters. "Navigating in crowded waters takes common courtesy and patience," said Henry. "Even with that, there may come a point when you need to reel in your line and find a more hospitable area to fish."
As of July 31, Oregon marine patrols have arrested 176 boaters for "Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants" (BUII). A July 21-23 saturation patrol on North Fork Reservoir in Clackamas County netted 16 arrests, and another saturation patrol is planned somewhere in Oregon August 4-6.
"We had bad weather the first two days of Clackamas County effort," said Pat Rowland, of the Oregon State Marine Board. "Despite that, we still arrested a number of impaired boat operators, including two who were under the influence of drugs."
The term "saturation patrol" refers to an intensive law enforcement effort to check boaters on a given waterbody. Officers perform routine safety exams, looking for life jackets, sound-signaling devices and other required equipment. Officers are also trained to identify drug or alcohol impaired boaters. "On average, one third of our boating accidents are alcohol related. Not only does alcohol contribute to numerous accidents, but an alcohol impaired person who is involved in an accident is less likely to respond appropriately, saving his or her own life or someone elses," said Rowland.
Officers from Clackamas, Columbia, Benton and Jackson counties participated in the most recent saturation patrol. Other saturation patrols in July covered the lower Willamette and Columbia in Multnomah County and Klamath Lake in Klamath County. A series of saturation patrols are scheduled at popular Oregon waterbodies during August and September.
