PORTLAND -- Limited salmon sport fishing seasons threatening little harm to
critically low wild coho and chinook stocks have been crafted for the ocean, Puget
Sound and many state rivers this year, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
announced today.
Coho will form the backbone of most fisheries, although some chinook
opportunities also will be available.
"Make no mistake, Washington's Puget Sound wild salmon stocks are in critical
condition," said Bruce Crawford, who heads WDFW's Fish Management Program. "We
are trying to keep recreational and commercial salmon fishing and the businesses that
rely on them alive in Washington while the Fish and Wildlife Commission, Gov. Gary
Locke and the Legislature form the citizen partnerships needed to rebuild habitat that
produce these wild stocks."
The National Marine Fisheries Service recently proposed that Puget Sound wild
chinook and other state salmon species be listed under the federal Endangered
Species Act.
Washington's sport and non-Indian commercial salmon fishing seasons were
developed this week when the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and WDFW and
tribal managers met in Portland.
Crawford said crafting Washington's 1998-99 salmon seasons was particularly
difficult because of the continuing decline of important wild fish runs as well as the
possible Endangered Species Act listings.
In addition, for probably the first time in history, Washington tributaries to the
Columbia River will be closed to salmon fishing all year to help conserve threatened
stocks.
Crawford said this year's sport and non-Indian commercial fishing seasons:
- Avoid targeting wild coho and chinook runs that are below spawning goals
- Ensure fisheries minimize the incidental catch of salmon from wild coho and
chinook runs in trouble
- Observe requirements to monitor catches as well as restrictions designed to
avoid overharvests
- Focus non-Indian commercial Puget Sound fisheries exclusively on sockeye
and chum
NMFS participated in this week's Portland meeting and monitored the
development of fisheries in state waters. NMFS is the federal agency responsible for
listing Northwest salmon stocks under the Endangered Species Act.
Crawford said the PFMC was able to allow limited ocean fishing for chinook
because few of the fish harvested will be from the Columbia or Puget Sound rivers.
Most of the chinook available to fishers from Westport, Ilwaco and other coastal cities
during the summer will be healthy stocks from Washington or Oregon coastal rivers or
British Columbia's Fraser River.
Crawford said shaping Puget Sound sport fisheries which allow opportunities to
catch chinook from hatcheries or healthy wild stocks was more difficult this year than
ever before.
He explained chinook of various ages from weak wild stocks forage in all parts of
Puget Sound throughout the year.
"Most Washington residents want to restore their wild salmon stocks and many
people are ready to close all fisheries," Crawford said.
"But we also have to recognize many of our neighbors depend upon fishing for
their livelihoods. Fishers and the people who supply them have been harvesting fewer
salmon every year. We're trying to keep them in business until ocean conditions
improve for salmon and we become better stewards of their river habitats," Crawford
said.
While many wild chinook stocks are in serious trouble, coho runs are expected
to provide sport fishing opportunities in both inland and coastal waters.
An estimated 950,000 wild and hatchery coho are expected to return to Puget
Sound this year. That number is 33 percent fewer coho than had been forecast at this
time last year.
The 1998 recreational salmon seasons are:
Marine Areas
- Marine Area 1(Ilwaco):
Aug. 3-Sept. 24 or 7,000 coho; open Sunday through Thursday; closed in
Columbia Control Zone; two salmon daily of which one may be chinook; release
unmarked coho; no more than four fish per calendar week
- Buoy 10: Columbia River open Aug. 10-Aug 23 seven days per week
upstream of the Astoria-Megler Bridge; two salmon daily limit; release
unmarked coho; no more than four salmon per calendar week
- Marine Area 2 (Westport):
Aug. 3-Sept. 24 or 7,400 coho: open Sunday through Thursday; closed within
three miles of shore; two salmon daily of which one may be chinook; no more
than four fish per calendar week
- Marine Area 3 (LaPush):
Aug. 3-Sept. 24 or 600 coho: open seven days per week, two salmon daily limit
- Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay):
Aug. 3-Sept. 24 or 8,000 coho: fishing restricted to Area 4B with two salmon
daily limit, release chinook
- Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point):
May 1-July 31: closed
Aug. 1-Sept. 7: two salmon daily limit, release chinook and chum; waters within
3/4 mile of the mainland are closed
Sept. 8-Sept. 30: catch and release only; waters within 3/4 mile of the
mainland closed
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: closed
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook,
release coho
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 6 (Eastern Strait and Juan de Fuca):
May 1-July 31: closed
Aug. 1-Sept. 7: two salmon daily limit, release chinook and chum; waters within
3/4 mile of mainland and Whidbey Island closed; Dungeness Bay closed
Sept. 8-Sept. 30: catch and release only; waters within 3/4 mile of mainland and
Whidbey Island closed; Dungeness Bay closed
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: closed except Dungeness Bay with two coho limit
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook, release
coho
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands):
May 1-June 30: closed
July 1-Aug. 15: two salmon daily limit, release chinook; Samish Bay closed
Aug. 1-Aug 15; see 1998-99 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet for
additional closures
Aug. 16-Sept. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
(chinook retention only in northern and western portions of Area 7; see
Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet for details); four salmon limit of
which one may be chinook in Bellingham Bay; Samish Bay closed; see Fishing
in Washington rules pamphlet for additional restrictions
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook, except in Bellingham Bay
where the limit is four salmon, of which one may be chinook; Samish Bay closed
through Oct. 15
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay):
May 1-Aug. 15: closed
Aug. 16-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner):
May 1-July 31: closed
Aug. 1-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook
Nov. 1-Dec.. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet):
May 1-July 31: closed
Aug. 1-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook; release chum Aug. 1-
Oct. 15
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
Edmonds Pier: open all year, two salmon daily limit of which one may be
chinook
- Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton):
May 1-June 30: closed
July 1-Sept. 15: two salmon daily limit, release chinook; Shilshole Bay (East of
Meadow Point-West Point line) and Elliott Bay (east of Four Mile Rock-Alki Point
Line) closed
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook; Shilshole Bay (east of
Meadow Point-West Point line) closed
Nov. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
Elliot Bay piers open all year with two salmon daily limit of which one may be
chinook
- Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island):
May 1-July 31: two salmon daily of which one may be chinook;
Commencement Bay closed
Aug. 1-Nov. 30: two salmon daily of which one may be chinook
Dec. 1-Dec. 31: closed
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
- Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound):
May 1-July 15: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook; Carr Inlet
closed north of the Penrose Point-Green Point line
July 16-July 31: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook; Carr Inlet
closed north of the Penrose Point-Green Point line; inner Budd Inlet closed
Aug. 1-Sept. 30: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook; Minter
Creek mouth closed; inner Budd Inlet closed
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook; inner Budd
Inlet closed
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit of which one may be chinook
Jan. 1-April 30: to be announced
Washington coast
(Single point barbless hooks wherever unmarked coho must be released)
Marine Area 2.1 (Willapa Bay)
Aug. 16-Jan. 31: six salmon daily limit of which three may be adults; release unmarked coho
Bear River:
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults, release unmarked coho
Palix River:
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release unmarked coho
Naselle River (Highway 101 to Highway 4 bridge):
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release unmarked coho
Naselle River (Highway 4 bridge to Crown Mainline [Salme] bridge):
Oct. 16-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; night closure and
non-buoyant lure restrictions Sept. 1-Nov. 30; release unmarked coho
Nemah River (Middle and South Forks):
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; night closure and
non-buoyant lure restrictions Sept. 1-Nov. 30 in middle fork; release
unmarked coho
Nemah River (North Fork):
Oct. 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; night closure and
non-buoyant lure restrictions Oct. 1-Nov. 30; release unmarked coho
Niawiakum River:
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho
North River:
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho
Smith River (mouth to Highway 101 bridge):
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily limit of which two may be adults; released
unmarked coho
Willapa River (mouth to Highway 6 bridge):
July 1-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; night closure and
non-buoyant lure restrictions Oct. 1-Nov. 30; release unmarked coho
Willapa River (Highway 6 bridge to Fork Creek):
Oct. 16-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; night closure and
non-buoyant lure restrictions Sept. 1-Nov. 30; release unmarked coho
Grays Harbor Area
Grays harbor Marine Area 2.2:
Sept. 1-Sept 30.: six salmon daily of which one may be an adult; release
unmarked coho and chum
Westport Boat Basin:
Aug. 16-Jan. 31: six salmon daily of which one may be an adult; night
closure and non-buoyant lure restriction; barbed hooks allowed
28th Street Landing (special area):
Sept. 1-Sept. 30: see Grays Harbor Marine Area 2.2 rules
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which one may be an adult; release
unmarked coho and chum; shore or anchored boat fishing only
Upper Chehalis (Fuller Bridge to High Steel Bridge):
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: six salmon daily limit of which one may be an adult;
release unmarked coho and chum; single-point barbless hooks only
Lower Chehalis (mouth to Fuller Bridge):
Oct. 1-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which one may be an adult; release
chinook, chum and unmarked coho
Humptulips River:
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho and chum
Satsop River:
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho and chum
Skookumchuck River:
Oct. 16-Nov. 15: six salmon daily of which two may be adults: release
unmarked coho, chinook and chum
Wynoochee River:
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which one may be an adult; release
unmarked coho and chum
The following Grays Harbor rivers are closed to salmon fishing July 1-Jan.31: Elk,
Johns, Hoquiam and Wishkah
North Coast
Queets River:
Check Olympic National Park (ONP) regulations
Clearwater River:
Sept. 1-Nov. 30: six salmon daily limit of which two may be adults; release all
coho; single-point barbless hooks required
Salmon River:
Sept. 1-Nov. 30: six salmon daily of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho
Hoh River (mouth to boat ramp at Oxbow Campground):
May 16-Aug. 31: closed Monday and Tuesday; six salmon daily of which one
may be an adult
Sept. 1-Nov. 30: six salmon daily of which two may be adults
Hoh River (boat ramp at Oxbow Campground to Morgan's Crossing boat launch):
May 16-Aug. 31: closed Monday and Tuesday; six salmon daily of which one
may be an adult
Hoh River (Morgan's Crossing to boat launch in ONP at South Fork Hoh):
May 16-Aug. 31: closed Monday and Tuesday; six salmon daily, jacks only
The following rivers are open July 1-Nov. 30 with a six -salmon daily limit of which two
may be adults: Bogachiel, Calaway, Dickey. The Quillayute and Sol Duc rivers are
open March 1-Nov. 30 with a six-salmon daily limit of which two may be adults
Columbia River
Mainstem Columbia:
Aug. 1-Dec. 31: six salmon daily limit of which two may be adults; release
unmarked coho
Hanford Reach:
Aug. 16-Oct. 31: six salmon daily of which two may be adults
Columbia tributaries:
Washington tributaries downstream of Bonneville Dam are closed for
salmon; Sandy and Clackamas rivers are closed in Oregon
Puget Sound rivers
Baker River (mouth to barrier dam):
June 1-Aug. 31: closed
Carbon River: (mouth to Voight Creek):
Sept. 1-Nov. 30: six salmon daily limit of which four may be adults; chinook over
24 inches must be released; release chum
Dewatto River (downstream of Dewatto-Holly Road bridge):
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: two coho daily limit
Nooksack River (north and south forks):
Oct. 1-Nov. 30: six salmon daily limit only two of which may be adults
Samish River (mouth to Thomas Road Bridge):
July 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit
Samish River (Thomas Road Bridge to Interstate 5 bridge):
Oct. 16-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit
Samish River (I-5 Bridge to Hickson Bridge):
closed
Skagit River (mouth to Cascade Road):
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit
Skokomish River (mouth to Highway 101 Bridge):
Sept. 16-Oct. 15: four salmon daily limit, release chum and chinook
Oct. 16-Dec. 15: four salmon daily limit, release chinook
Skykomish River (from mouth to the forks):
Oct. 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook
Snohomish River:
Oct. 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook
Snoqualmie River (mouth to Snoqualmie Falls):
Oct. 1-Dec. 31: two salmon daily limit, release chinook
Soos Creek (mouth to bridge near hatchery residence):
Sept. 1-Oct. 31: two salmon daily limit; one single hook and night closure
Stillaguamish River:
Nov. 1-Dec. 31: two chum daily
Tahuya River (downstream of the marker about one mile above North Shore Road
Bridge:
Sept. 16-Oct. 31: two coho daily limit
