The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office confiscated approximately 2,500 pounds of illegally harvested smelt last week, after a poaching prevention operation conducted with Oregon State Police.
This photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office via X shows police with 2,500 pounds of smelt seized from poachers on the Sandy River on March 27, 2025.
Multnomah County Sheriff's Office via X
The fish were seized during the one-day smelt dipping season along the Sandy River on Thursday, an event that saw thousands of people crowd the riverbanks.
Eulachon smelt were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 2010. But their abundance has since increased to a level that allows a limited harvest.
Related: Thousands line Oregon’s Sandy River for rare 7-hour smelt fishery
The smelt have a long history with Native American tribes. Ben Walczak, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said they’re often called “salvation fish,” because they come at the end of winter, when food supplies run low.
“Some of the best food they have at that time of the year,” Walczak said. “They can be 15% fat. So, very nutritionally dense.”
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife authorized a 10-pound harvest limit per person for March 27. Anglers needed a valid 2025 Oregon fishing license, but children under 12 could fish without a license.
The poachers were given citations, and the sheriff’s office said the confiscated fish were donated to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
To track smelt dip netting opportunities, ODFW encourages people to subscribe to email alerts.
2,500 pounds! 🤯 That's how much illegally caught smelt we seized Thursday during a joint poaching operation with Oregon State Police on the Sandy River. Smelt are a crucial food source for many species and benefit the health of our entire river ecosystem. Anyone who was… pic.twitter.com/2mDLGdLnX2
— Multnomah Co. Sheriff’s Office (@MultCoSO) March 29, 2025
