OLYMPIA -- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has enacted an emergency regulation to protect wild steelhead on the upper Wind River in Skamania County. The Wind River and tributaries will be closed upstream from Shipherd Falls to all fishing from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, until further notice.

WDFW biologists conducted a survey earlier this month which showed the number of returning steelhead in the river was the lowest since 1988.

Fishing for hatchery summer steelhead below Shipherd Falls is not affected by the regulation.