Buoy 10: `An Accident Waiting To Happen'

A major oil spill at the mouth of the Columbia?

Yes, the potential exists, say state and federal officials, jittery about tomorrow's opening of the Buoy 10 season, one of the most concentrated and chaotic salmon fisheries in the Northwest.

Washington and Oregon fisheries officials and the Coast Guard have warned that failure by small-boat anglers to yield right-of-way to large deep-draft vessels in the narrow river channel could lead to serious accidents, such as the grounding of an oil tanker.

``The Columbia River Bar Pilots Association said the fishery is an accident waiting to happen, and I agree,'' said Lt. Matt Sisson at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Astoria.

``The pilots call it a lose-lose situation. They'd lose if they ran down a boater and lose if they avoided the boater and caused an oil spill.''

In anticipation of the Buoy 10 season, which on some past openers has drawn up to 3,000 boats, the Coast Guard has posted large signs at boat-basin exits and has distributed posters to bait shops, cautioning boaters to keep clear of big ships, or face fines of up to $1,000.

``If boaters are courteous, cautious and keep clear of channel traffic, everything should be fine,'' Sisson said.

The mouth of the Columbia is one of the world's most dangerous bar crossings and touchy work for a river pilot even under the best conditions. But when the bar and the channel are clogged with hundreds of small boats, the crossing becomes a river pilot's nightmare.

The Coast Guard says the average freighter crossing the bar is 600 feet long, weighs 20,000 tons, must travel at about 8 knots to maintain steering control and cannot stop in less than 1,000 yards, even in an emergency.

And a loaded freighter also can push out a tremendous wake, making it prudent for the small-boater to allow a wide berth to a passing ship.

Tomorrow's opener likely will attract a lighter angler turnout than past weekend openers. The crowd also is expected to be spread out over a much broader area because the ocean beyond the buoy is open to salmon fishing.

And forecasts of depressed lower-river chinook runs could cut into the crowd count throughout the season.

The forecast for tules, which are hatchery or wild chinook produced in tributaries of the lower river, is 65,000, one of the lowest on record.

Furthermore, the coho forecast is 400,000, down considerably from the 675,000 a year ago.

LEAD-SHOT BAN EXPANDED

The State Wildlife Commission, at its season-setting session the other day in Yakima, expanded steel-shot zones to include the Yakima Valley.

So, with the addition this fall of the Yakima Valley, it will be illegal to hunt ducks or geese with toxic-lead shotshell loads in all the state's major waterfowl areas.

Next year, the federally mandated ban will be applied to waterfowl hunting nationwide.

This year's duck seasons will be Oct. 13-Oct. 21 and Nov. 11-Dec. 30 in Western Washington and Oct. 13-Oct. 21 and Nov. 4-Dec. 30 in Eastern Washington.

Goose-hunting dates in Western Washington will be Oct. 13 through Jan. 13, except for a Dec. 30 cutoff in Island, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. Special rules also will apply to goose-hunting in Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties.

After hearing reports from biologists of poor pheasant production, but average to above average production of chukars, quail and Hungarian partridges, the commission set an Oct. 13-Dec. 30 Eastern Washington pheasant season, but OK'd an extension through Jan. 13 for quail, chukars and partridges on the East Side.

It also approved a Sept. 29-Nov. 30 pheasant season for designated bird-release sites in Western Washingon and an early chukar and Hungarian partridge hunt Sept. 22-Oct. 12 for counties along the breaks of the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers.

ELK FOUNDATION BUYS LAND

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has purchased 690 acres of key winter range along Taneum Creek in Kittitas County.

The property, known as the Heart K Ranch, is adjacent to the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area. State biologists say up to several hundred elk utilize the ranch property in the winter.

A REAL LAUGHER

You've heard someone say fishing was so good that the fish jumped into the boat.

That line always made Dutch Shisler chuckle - that is until Wednesday when a fish jumped into Shisler's boat.

The fishing on the Duwamish near South Park wasn't good, and Shisler had found little to chuckle about.

``I heard this tremendous splash, then something slammed me in the back and it really hurt,'' he said. ``There it is, right in the boat with me, a big, dark king salmon. When I gutted it, it weighed 16 1/2 pounds.

``Next time, I won't even bother to take along a rod and reel.''

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Aug. 13, Salmon season opens in Buoy 10 area of Lower Columbia River; Aug. 18, Neah Bay area inside Strait of Juan de Fuca opens for second salmon season, six days a week; Aug. 31, Third halibut opener for north coast; Sept. 1-15, Dove season; Sept. 15-23, Band-tailed pigeon season, Western Washington; Sept. 22-Oct. 12, Early chukar, Hungarian partridge season in parts of Southeastern Washington; Sept. 29-Nov. 30, Western Washington pheasant season; Oct. 13, Opening of deer, upland-bird and waterfowl seasons. Season lengths vary from area to area, Oct. 24-Nov. 2, Colockum elk season; Oct. 31-Nov. 11, Blue Mountain elk season; Oct. 31-Nov. 11, Western Washington elk season; Nov. 5-13, Yakima elk season; Nov. 15-18, Late buck season, much of Western Washington; Nov. 16-20, Turkey season in Klickitat and Skamania counties; Dec. 1, Traditional opener for winter steelhead; Dec. 30, Last day to hunt pheasants.

The fishing and wildlife notebook is published every Sunday. If you have outdoor-related items, such as club or calendar announcements, send them to Fishing and Wildlife Notebook, c/o Brad O'Connor, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle 98111.