Chinook Retention Ro End Off Neah Bay

OLYMPIA – Anglers must release any chinook salmon they catch in ocean waters off Neah Bay beginning Sunday, Aug. 2, state fishery managers announced today.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) estimates that anglers will meet the chinook harvest guideline by the end of the day Aug. 1 in the section of Neah Bay that is west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. The section east of the line is already scheduled to close to chinook retention at the end of the day July 31.

Last week, the department had dropped the daily chinook limit in Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) to one, down from two, in an effort to keep the chinook fishery open longer, said Doug Milward, ocean salmon manager for WDFW.

“Chinook catch rates have remained high and now we’re bumping up against the chinook guideline,” Milward said.

As of July 26, the catch total for the chinook fishery had reached 82 percent of the guideline for Neah Bay.

This change does not affect fishing for other salmon species in Marine Area 4. Anglers fishing in the area will continue to have a daily limit of two salmon, plus two additional pink salmon.

Chinook retention remains open in marine areas 1 (Ilwaco), 2 (Westport) and 3 (La Push).

Additional information on the ocean fishery, including catch guidelines and size limits, can be found in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/.