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600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
December 31, 1997
Contact: Chuck Bolland, 360-902-2255
Washington steelhead closures
OLYMPIA -- Alarmed by low returns of steelhead to the state's hatcheries, the
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will enact emergency closures
on some steelhead fishing beginning Monday at 12:01 a.m.
The regulation also requires the release of all wild steelhead caught in state
waters until further notice.
Rivers and streams in the vicinity of the key steelhead hatcheries will be closed
to allow a maximum return of steelhead broodstock. The closures are:
- Green River: Closed from 500 feet below the hatchery trap at Palmer, upstream to the outlet of the upper rearing pond.
- Snoqualmie River: Closed from the Plumb access boat launch ramp to
Snoqualmie Falls.
- Skykomish River: Closed from 1,000 feet downstream from the Reiter Ponds
outlet to 1,500 upstream of the Reiter Ponds outlet.
- Stillaguamish River, north fork: Closed from the mouth of French Creek
upstream to Swede Heaven Bridge.
- Skagit River: Closed from the 530 Bridge at Rockport to the Cascade Road
Bridge at Marblemount.
- Cascade River: Closed from the mouth to Cascade/Rockport Bridge.
- Bogachiel River: Closed from the mouth of the Calawah River to the WDFW
boat launch immediately upstream of the outlet to the Bogachiel Hatchery.
- Naselle River: Closed from the Highway 4 bridge to the Big Hill Bridge
- Willapa River: Closed from Highway 6 bridge to Forks Creek.
The catch and release regulation for all steelhead was recommended by WDFW
biologists because hatchery returns are often indicative of wild steelhead abundance.
The regulation is a precaution to protect what could be a low return of wild steelhead.
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