The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PMFC) is weighing a decision at one of their conferences to determine the fate of California's salmon fishing season.
While they're still in the early stages of making that decision, for the third year in a row, the number of chinook salmon in the Sacramento River is coming in significantly low.
If the fishing season is canceled, it will be historic for the state.
"There have been two years of closure in a row before. We haven't experienced a three-year closure," said Angela Forristall, a salmon staff officer with the PFMC.
"High water, low water — those kinds of things determine what kinds of numbers might return. But ongoing, we're on this collapse," said Kailyr Perry, a local fishing guide.
The PMFC is predicting the Sacramento River's chinook salmon population to be at around 165,000 fish compared to last year's 213,000 fish.
Perry is in support of canceling the season.
"I don't want a baby opener. It should be open wide or closed," he said.
Perry said that waiting it out for better numbers is better for everyone in the long run. The PMFC is weighing its options, presenting an alternative to a full closure.
"The council, the one who makes these decisions, recognizes the economic impact this closure has had in the last two years and we really want to fully explore all of the options," Forristall said.
They're looking into going ahead with the fishing season but with limitations in place between commercial and recreational fishing.
"The first option has longer season dates and higher bag limits, and the second option will have shorter season dates and less numbers of fish that could be retained," Forristall said.
"It should be a quota system but it would basically be a slap in the face to the river people because we wouldn't get a chance to fish them by the time the quota is met," Perry said.
There's going to be a public hearing held by the PMFC to hear people like Perry out. The decision for the fishing season will be made on April 23.
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