Could very well be a protective measure for wild chinook. If run size projections allow for a small harvest of fall chinook (September run entry) then the intensive fishery for hatchery coho may have to get moved back.... and miss a portion of the return.

These are just speculative answers. I know the fall chinook populations in the Grays Harbor rivers have not been real productive in recent years. Management measures could be aimed at increasing chinook escapements. But those pesky hatchery coho insist on coming home in September as well.

So, you thought fish management was easy?