Authorities seized 2,500 pounds of protected smelt during an Oregon fishing event.

In a recent operation, authorities seized 2,500 pounds of illegally harvested smelt from the Sandy River near Troutdale, Oregon. The smelt, a protected species under the Endangered Species Act, were being overfished despite limits set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The fish were confiscated during a one-day recreational harvest event after a three-year pause due to federal protections. The seized smelt were donated to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.