Drought Closes Most Washington Coast Rivers to Fishing Saturday

Fishing for salmon and all game fish closes Saturday, October 24, on many rivers and streams in Washington's Coastal Region because of near-historic low flows and coho returns well below forecast, the Department of Fish and Wildlife said October 21.

The closures cover the Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor river systems, including the Chehalis, Humptulips, Willapa and Naselle rivers, plus the Copalis and Moclips rivers and Joe Creek. Separate emergency rules issued the same day close the Salmon River and the upper Quinault; check each rule for its start date. Marine Areas 2-1 and 2-2 close too, except the Ocean Shores and Westport boat basins. They add to this month's closures on the Hoh, Quillayute and Clearwater systems, so for the Naselle, the hatchery reach that reopened October 16 closes again Saturday.

"Rivers across much of Western Washington are at near historic low flows following minimal precipitation during the summer and early fall," said Chad Herring, the department's Coastal Region fish program manager. Washington's Department of Ecology declared a statewide drought in April, and several treaty tribes have also cut or closed their fall fisheries.

One opening: the Dungeness River on the North Olympic Peninsula opens to salmon and game fish Friday, October 23, as scheduled, with the salmon limit cut to two hatchery coho. The department says it may reopen closed rivers if flows rise or monitoring shows salmon moving upstream; the Northwest River Forecast Center tracks flows.