How a Unique 7-Hour Fishing Season in Oregon Resulted in the Seizure of 2,500 Pounds of Illegally Caught Fish

It was last Thursday when the state of Oregon kicked off a wild 7-hour fishing frenzy on the Sandy River. What was supposed to be a unique and special occurrence turned out to be quite a mess involving a bit of chaos and a whole lot of law-breaking. With massive waves of tiny smelt swimming upstream, anglers armed with dip nets patiently awaited their arrival. 

But they weren’t the only ones sitting in wait. Tucked along the shorelines were droves of wildlife officials and police doing their best to keep an eye on the action and ensure that all of the anglers were playing by the rules. Despite their best efforts, by the time the7-hour window ran out, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police had nabbed about 2,500 pounds of illegally-caught smelt, according to the MCSO.

These smelt are Pacific Northwest locals. Like salmon and steelhead, they hang out in the ocean most of their lives, then swim up rivers to spawn and kick the bucket, using a lot of the same streams as their aforementioned cousins. 

Just like salmon, smelt have been a big deal for Native tribes in the Northwest for hundreds of years, often used as a key food source during this time of year. Using the same methods as today, these smelt are scooped up using dip nets and are often referred to as “salvation” fish since they roll in during winter, after the other fish runs have dried up. 

The state of Oregon has been doing its best to keep this traditional fishery alive, even after smelt got listed as threatened in 2010. Most years, it’s been shut down, but lately, the smelt numbers have ticked up enough for short openings—like this 7-hour deal on March 27 in Troutdale. It was only the fourth time in 15 years the Sandy River’s been fair game for smelt. And while thousands of folks showed up with dip nets, lining the banks like the old days, today’s anglers require a license and have got to play by some strict rules.

As per the regs, every licensed angler is allowed to snag up to 10 pounds of smelt during this special season. Unfortunately, most anglers took things a little overboard, with many overharvesting like it was a free-for-all, hoping to bail before authorities were able to take notice. 

Fortunately for the fish, officers held a heavy presence along the banks and pictures posted by the Sheriff’s Office depict buckets, trash bags, and even coolers stuffed with these shiny little fish, which, by the way, are considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The rule-breakers all were appropriately slapped with citations, and all confiscated smelt were donated to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

The MCSO is keeping their cards close to their chest at the moment, with no reports on just how many poachers got caught or what exactly they were charged with. But with 2,500 pounds of fish seized, it’s a safe bet there were a bunch of groups in on the action and they got what they deserved in terms of fines. Given the small size of these eulachon smelt, it's estimated that about 12,500-or-so of these fish were hauled out of the river illegally during the 7-hour window.  

“Overharvesting has serious consequences,” the post read. “Smelt are a crucial food source for many species and benefit the health of our entire river ecosystem … We’re committed to protecting these fish and ensuring sustainable populations.”