Washington To Close Off Coastal Steelhead Fishing

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife will enact a full closure of steelhead fishing across the coast and the Strait of Juan de Fuca on March 1, with officials citing "dwindling" populations and data suggesting that returns could be as low as 30 percent of what fisheries typically expect. This week, WDFW officials said this year's steelhead returns could be the lowest on record for some Washington rivers.

"Throughout our conversations with anglers and the broader coastal community, we've been upfront about our commitment to designing fisheries that meet our conservation objectives," said Kelly Cunningham, WDFW's fish program director. "With this preliminary data in hand that now suggested coastal steelhead returns are significantly lower than we expected, we need to take bold, swift actions for the future of these runs."

The state has convened a team to help develop a long-term plan for coastal steelhead populations, aiming to protect native and hatchery populations for rivers in Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay and the Olympia Peninsula. A final plan is due to the legislature by the end of the year.

Wildlife officials are also seeking $2.6 million in state funding to support better freshwater monitoring for steelhead and other fish populations.

More information about the state's ongoing coastal steelhead efforts is available on the WDFW website.