Volunteers needed to mark steelhead for Green River

AUBURN--The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking volunteers to help clip fins from 88,000 young steelhead that will be released as smolts next spring to provide future Green River fishing opportunities.

Clipping the adipose fins from the fish at WDFW's Soos Creek Hatchery will identify them as hatchery products so anglers may catch them.

Clipping operations will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 1 and Aug. 3. Volunteers are asked to donate a few hours or even a day.

WDFW personnel will provide scissors, instruction and liquid refreshments.

WDFW also will accept contributions of money to purchase food for the fish.

Budget reductions at WDFW at first meant the 88,000 steelhead would not be raised. But financial contributions from the Muckleshoot Tribe, City of Tacoma Water Division, Auburn Sports and Marine, South King County Trout Unlimited, Green River Steelhead Trout Club, South King County Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers and individual fishers enabled WDFW to raise the fish.

After marking, the steelhead will be moved to a rearing pond at Palmer. They will be released into the Green River in May 1999.

Soos Creek Hatchery is located at 13030 Auburn-Black Diamond Road For additional information or directions, call the hatchery at (253) 931-3950.