Herman Creek offers exclusive angling opportunities for persons with disabilities

Cascade Locks, Ore. – A portion of Herman Creek will be open only to anglers with disability-related permits and closed to all other angling beginning Saturday, August 11, 2007.  The new regulation recently adopted by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission provides disabled anglers with an opportunity to harvest returning hatchery chinook and adipose fin-clipped coho salmon and adipose fin-clipped steelhead.

The affected area is a section of Herman Creek west of the peninsula up to the Lower Herman Creek Pond structure. A fishing dock accessible to disabled anglers was previously constructed by ODFW staff at the Herman Creek slough.  The department will explore other prospects to create additional disabled fishing opportunities at this location.

“We want to make the fun of fishing available to everyone,” says Todd Alsbury. District Fish Biologist.  “The department continually looks for new opportunities to expand access for persons with disabilities in addition to the many locations currently available.”

The section of Herman Creek slough west of the peninsula will be closed to all angling, except by people who possess certain disability-related permits issued by ODFW.  The permits include the ODFW-issued Blind Angler License, Wheelchair Angling License, Disabled War Veteran Angling License, or Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit.  All other regulations regarding Herman Creek remain the same.

The area was closed to general angling due to significant illegal activities including illegal take of foul-hooked salmon.  The Oregon State Police will continue to monitor the area for compliance with angling regulations and additional restrictions could occur if problems continue.

The 2008 fishing regulations will be available later this year at ODFW offices and license retailers statewide and on the ODFW Web site.  Other ADA accessible angling opportunities can be found at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/InfoCntrFish/access.pdf.