Big numbers of coho salmon are surging up the Columbia River this fall.
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, about 700,000 coho are projected to return to the river system this year – at least 200,000 more than last year.
Officials say the coho run remains within the normal range of returns and probably doesn’t represent a trend in the much larger effort of salmon recovery in the Columbia system. But fisheries experts are intrigued by some discoveries, such as a spike in coho returning naturally to the upper Willamette River, which hasn’t been stocked with fish for a decade.
Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict a similarly large run next fall, then a much smaller return in 2011. They say ocean conditions are mostly responsible, and coastal returns look strong as well. (AP)
