For Immediate Release

Date: August 29, 2005

Radio Broadcast Targets Astoria Salmon Anglers

Anglers headed to the mouth of the Columbia River can tune in to the latest fishing, boating and safety information on their car or boat radio. Station KPD 485 is back on the air on channel 1610 AM.

“The Buoy 10 salmon fishery is the most popular fishery in the northwest. Thousands of boaters flock every year to Astoria to experience Buoy 10, many are not familiar with the area. The radio broadcast is designed for these people,” says Jyll Smith, of the Oregon State Marine Board. “They need to be aware of what they’re facing on the Columbia River. It’s big water with strong tides and variable weather.”

The unit broadcasts several different safety messages: information on fishing the Columbia River mouth safely, a weekly fishing report, commercial shipping schedules, NOAA weather forecasts and a message about aquatic nuisance species. The transmitter has a range of four or five miles from the Hammond Boat Basin, reaching from Buoy 10 to the Astoria Megler Bridge.

“The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Columbia River Bar Pilots are also helping to keep the broadcast content up to date. I hope people find the service useful,” Smith said.

The low-power transmitter was originally funded by OSU Sea Grant and the Oregon State Marine Board in 1992. The transmitter ceased operation when salmon fishing restrictions closed the Buoy 10 fishery in the mid-1990s. In an effort to improve boating safety at Buoy 10, it was decided to reactivate the radio last year.

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