Shad Surge in Columbia River, Outpacing Salmon Numbers

The Columbia River has experienced a significant shift in its fish population, with American shad now vastly outnumbering salmon.

This non-native species, introduced in the late 19th century, has flourished in the warmer, slower waters created by hydroelectric dams throughout the Columbia River Basin.

Recent data shows shad returns averaging over 3 million fish annually in the past decade, compared to just under 700,000 adult chinook salmon. This surge has created new challenges for dam operators and fisheries managers, who must now take special measures to accommodate the massive shad migration.

The proliferation of shad has complicated fish counting efforts, with counters struggling to accurately tally numbers during peak migration periods when thousands of shad pass by every hour.

Despite concerns about potential competition with native species, recent research has found no clear evidence that the shad boom is directly harming salmon populations. However, as climate change continues to warm the Columbia River, experts predict conditions will likely become even more favorable for shad.

While shad have become popular among some recreational anglers, they have not gained widespread acceptance as a food fish in the Pacific Northwest. Native fishers typically release shad, focusing instead on traditional salmon fisheries.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages anglers to catch and remove as many shad as possible from certain watersheds, viewing them as a potential ecological threat. However, developing commercial markets for shad remains challenging.