ARCHIVED NEWS RELEASE
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do not reflect current WDFW regulations or policy and may contain factual
inaccuracies.
News release Aug. 30, 2002
OLYMPIA - Coastal waters off Ilwaco will close to coho salmon fishing at the end of the day Monday , the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announces.
The Ilwaco closure will not affect the on-going salmon fishery in the Buoy 10 area at the mouth of the Columbia, which remains open for hatchery coho and fall chinook fishing.
The Ilwaco fishing closure takes effect at 11:59 p.m., Sept. 2 in Marine Area 1. It was set because fish managers project the catch quota for coho will be reached by that time.
Final weekend coho catch counts will be evaluated next Wednesday (Sept. 4) and if they fall short of the quota the fishery could be reopened, said Phil Anderson, special assistant to WDFW Director Jeff Koenings.
"Our approach is to be conservative to avoid excessive impacts to wild salmon that are in the water at this time," said Anderson.
Fishing for fall chinook salmon closed in the Ilwaco area Aug. 10.