Drought-related fishing restrictions, closures eased on rivers on North Olympic Peninsula, elsewhere in the state, where conditions have improved

Published 7:20 pm Wednesday, September 2, 2015

EDITOR’S NOTE: — See related PDN outdoors column today: “OUTDOORS: Rainfall raises, reopens some Peninsula rivers to recreational fishing” — https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150902/NEWS/309029977

FROM STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE:

OLYMPIA, Sept. 2 — State fishery managers are easing drought-related fishing restrictions and closures on more than a dozen rivers where conditions have improved.

The changes are effective immediately.

To protect fish, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife previously closed or restricted fishing on more than 60 rivers and streams due to drought-induced low river flows and warm water temperatures.

Conditions in some rivers have returned to normal for this time of year thanks to recent rains and cooler weather, said Ron Warren, Fish and Wildlife salmon policy lead.

“We’re seeing lower water temperatures and river flows typical for late summer in several rivers around the state,” Warren said. “If those conditions continue, we’ll likely ease restrictions in other rivers in the coming days and weeks.”

Any future changes will be posted on Fish and Wildlife’s drought webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/drought/ .

The webpage also contains information on fishing closures or “hoot owl” restrictions — which limit the hours that a river is open to fishing — that remain in place on more than 40 rivers and streams across Washington.

Fishing is open, or no longer restricted to specified hours, on the rivers listed by region below.

Region 6 – Olympic Peninsula and South Sound

Hoot owl restrictions lifted on:

Nisqually River

Reopening to fishing:

Quilcene River

Upper Quilleyute River

Lower Dickey River

Lower Sol Duc River

Lower Calawah River

Lower Bogachiel River

Lower Clearwater River

Salmon River

Region 3 – South Central Washington

Hoot owl restrictions lifted on:

Naches River from Tieton River to Bumping River/Little Naches River

Rattlesnake Creek

Yakima River from I-82 at Union Gap to South Cle Elum Bridge

Region 4 – North Puget Sound

Reopening to fishing:

Lower Nooksack River from Slater Road to Deming

Lower Skykomish River

Stillaguamish River from Marine Drive upstream to the North and South forks

Region 5 – Southwest Washington

Hoot-owl restrictions lifted on:

East Fork Lewis River from Lewisville Park upstream

Washougal River from Mt. Norway Bridge upstream

Reopening to fishing:

East Fork Lewis River from Lewisville Park downstream

Washougal River from Mt. Norway Bridge downstream

More details on the actions taken Wednesday can be found on Fish and Wildlife’s webpage at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/index.jsp

The department also has rescinded a moratorium on sturgeon fishing in the Columbia Basin.

In addition, Fish and Wildlife is easing restrictions on the rivers listed above for suction dredging for gold and mechanical removal of aquatic plants.