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December 24, 1996
Contact: Chuck Bolland, 360-902-2255
Closure to protect wild steelhead
OLYMPIA -- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, following the
recommendation offered at a public workshop, has enacted emergency regulations to
protect wild steelhead runs on the Humptulips River and other waters.
The regulation does the following:
The Humptulips River is closed to fishing for game fish after March 31,
1997, until further notice.
Wild steelhead release is required beginning January 1, 1997, until further notice
in the following waters during all open seasons:
- Cloquallum Creek, from the mouth to the second bridge on Cloquallum
Road;
- Elk River, from the Highway 105 Bridge upstream;
- Hoquiam River, including all forks;
- Humptulips River, from the mouth upstream to the concrete bridge on
Forest Service Road between Humptulips Guard Station and Grisdale on
the East Fork and the West Fork to the bridge on Forest Service Road
#2204;
- Johns River, including the North and South Forks;
- Wishkah River, from the mouth to Cedar Creek; and
- Wynoochee River, from the mouth to 7400 line bridge above the mouth of
Schafer Creek.
At the public workshop, concern was expressed that a shift of anglers from the
Humptulips River to the Chehalis River Basin as a result of the restrictions would cause
extra pressure on Chehalis River wild steelhead. Therefore, the wild steelhead release
requirement will also be applied to the Chehalis River and all its tributaries.
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