Salmon and the Columbia River

Feigner Enterprises, LLC. began in April 2025. Being native to the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River has always held a special place in our hearts.

Our first initiative here at Feigner Enterprises is aimed at restoring salmonid populations to the Columbia River Drainage Basin. The main factor impacting salmon populations is predation. If we control the predation on salmonids, they will have significantly higher chances of emigrating out to the ocean, and thus returning to ocean fisheries as well as river fisheries. With more salmon in the waters, the salmon populations can be restored to their historically abundant levels which will allow for more sport and commercial fishing opportunities.

How? You might be wondering.

After some analysis and studying, it appears that the most significant predator to salmonids in the lower Columbia River are the native Northern Pikeminnows. These piscivorous fish are responsible for consuming approximately 10 million salmonid per year in the lower Columbia River. Northern Pikeminnow are long-living fish, and when sexually mature, lay up to 30,000 eggs per year. By controlling their population, we can help maximize the annual salmon returns.

We are beginning by participating in the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program starting at the beginning of May. We will post updates of our efforts as we get into the season.