OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Recreational fishing has reopened for several rivers within Olympic National Park.
Main stem rivers and tributaries within the park opened at midnight Thursday, said Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman, in a news release.
They are the Bogachiel, South Fork Calawah, Sol Duc, North Fork Sol Duc, Dickey, Queets and Quinault rivers.
Additionally, Cedar, Goodman, Kalaloch and Mosquito creeks are open within the Pacific coastal area of the park.
Coastal rivers and streams in the park have been closed to fishing since Aug. 10 to protect wild fish during low water.
In the Queets River, wild chinook and wild coho salmon must be released.
Regulations allow for the daily retention of two hatchery salmon in that river.
The change to the release of wild coho salmon is designed to protect these fish as they are projected to return at numbers below the escapement level, Maynes said.
Hoh still closed
The Upper Hoh and South Fork Hoh rivers and all tributaries in the park remain closed to fishing through Oct. 31 to protect spring/summer chinook, Maynes said.
“Our primary concern in the Hoh system has been fishing impacts on wild chinook in light of the forecasted low return this year,” said Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum.
Hoh River spring/summer chinook have failed to meet the escapement floor in seven of the past eight years, Maynes said.
“This population is an integral component of the park ecosystem and represents an important core population along the Washington coast,” she said.
Park sport fishing regulations for 2015-16 are available on the park’s website at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-parkfishing, as well as at park visitor centers, fee booths, ranger stations and area fishing stores.
