Just thought you all might like an update on the closures. I talked with Chad Jackson, biologist for region 4, on friday. Last week he had informed me that they needed at least 1.3 million eggtake to reopen the terminal areas and when this goal is attained they would immediately reopen the terminal fisheries. Well I guess that is not true! As of last weeks spawning they have already collected 1.3 million eggs and they have 387 adults on hand in the various hatcheries awaiting spawning. Also, this does not include any fish that they are currently holding in the wallace and reiter facilities as these hatcheries are not included on the WDFW winter run hatchery support. I asked Mr. Jackson about this and he said that they just decided that they were going to collect 2 milliion eggs before reopening with no justification of why...just because.
CM

P.S. I also have heard from a very reliable source that the hatchery workers at the wallace have said that they have an additional 200 adults on hand between the wallace and reiter facilities as of last thursday. This should give the region well over 2 million eggs.