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Fishing Rule Change
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT
OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Internet Address: [url=HTTP://www.wa.gov/wdfw][url=HTTP://www.wa.gov/wdfw][url=HTTP://www.wa.gov/wdfw]HTTP://www.wa.gov/wdfw[/url][/url][/url]

January 3, 2002

Hatchery winter steelhead daily limit
increased on SW Washington rivers Jan. 5

Action: Up to three hatchery winter steelhead may be retained as part of the
trout daily limit on the Grays, Elochoman, Cowlitz, Coweeman, Kalama, Lewis,
Washougal, White Salmon rivers, and Salmon Creek.

Effective dates: Jan. 5, 2002 through Jan. 31, 2002 on the Cowlitz River;
Jan. 5, 2002 through March 15, 2002 on the Grays, Elochoman, Coweeman,
Lewis, and Washougal rivers, and Salmon Creek; Jan. 5, 2002 through March
31, 2002 on the White Salmon River; and Jan. 5, 2002 through May 31, 2002 on
the Kalama River.

Species affected: Hatchery winter steelhead.

Locations: Grays River, from the mouth to the South Fork, and the West Fork
Grays River from the mouth to the hatchery intake/footbridge;

Elochoman River, from the mouth to the West Fork;

Cowlitz River, from the mouth to the posted markers below the barrier dam;

Coweeman River from the mouth to Mulholland Creek;

Kalama River from the mouth to 1,000 feet below the fishway at the upper
salmon hatchery;

Lewis River from the mouth to the forks;

North Fork Lewis River from the mouth to the overhead powerlines below
Merwin Dam; East Fork Lewis River from the mouth to 400 feet downstream of
Horseshoe Falls;

Washougal River from the mouth to Salmon Falls Bridge; West Fork Washougal
River from the water intake at Skamania Hatchery upstream;

White Salmon River from the markers/buoys upstream to 400 feet downstream
from Northwestern Dam; and

Salmon Creek (near Vancouver) from the mouth to 72nd Avenue Northeast.

Reason for action: Returns of early hatchery winter steelhead are up to 10
times greater than last season's returns and are record returns for some of
the facilities. All hatchery facilities have sufficient adults to meet egg
take goals for this season, except the Cowlitz River late run, which won't
be in the river until March, at the earliest.

Other information: All wild steelhead must be released. All steelhead on the
Cowlitz River with missing the right ventral fin must be released. The
minimum size for steelhead is 20 inches. Check the 2001/2002 "Fishing in
Washington" pamphlet for other information, including existing closed
waters, trout minimum size and daily limits.

Information contact: Dan Rawding (360) 696-6211

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Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license. Check the WDFW 2001
"Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet or the Fishing section of the WDFW
webpage at http:www.wa.gov/wdfw for details on fishing seasons and
regulations. Fishing regulations are subject to change. Check the WDFW
Fishing hotline for the latest rule information at (360) 902-2500, press 2
for recreational rules. For the Shellfish Rule Change hotline call (360)
796-3215.

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