Toxic algae closes fishing at Jefferson County's Anderson Lake

OLYMPIA - Anglers looking forward to fishing at Anderson Lake are advised that Jefferson County Public Health and Washington State Parks have now closed public access to the lake due to the presence of toxic algae.

Jefferson County Public Health has determined that algae blooms in Anderson Lake are producing a dangerous neurotoxin, which poses a risk to public health, said Thom Johnson, district fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"Because the health department has advised the public to stay away from the lake, anglers will need to choose another place to fish," Johnson said. "This is disappointing because Anderson Lake is very popular with local anglers and has been providing a very good fishery this spring, but the health risk is too high."

WDFW will continue to communicate with the health department and parks to track the situation and keep the public informed, he said.

Johnson reminded anglers that other lakes in east Jefferson County have been stocked with trout, including Horseshoe, Ludlow, Sandy Shore, Silent, Tarboo and Teal. There are also many good fishing opportunities in nearby Kitsap, Mason and Clallam counties, Johnson said.

The WDFW website http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly provides information on locations, dates and the number of trout stocked in lakes throughout the state. Information on WDFW access areas is at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/water_access.

For questions or concerns about toxic algae, the public should contact Jefferson County Public Health at (360) 385-9444, Johnson said.