A Lake Washington sockeye fishing season looks doubtful for this summer, and it may be a while before anglers get another chance at this popular urban fishery.

The state Fish and Wildlife preseason forecast calls for 105,575 sockeye to return this summer, which is well below the 350,000 spawning-escapement goal needed before any type of fishery is considered.

"Low ocean marine survival, which hurt us with the 2007 return, could be a factor again this year, based on the low sockeye jack counts last year," said Frank Urabeck, a sport-fishing advocate and member of the Cedar River Council.

The spawning escapement in the Cedar River last year was about 45,000 sockeye, and fewer than 2,000 sockeye were used as hatchery broodstock to produce the 3 million hatchery fry to be released into the lake.

"Even if things turn back to a normal survival rate in the ocean, we won't have any fisheries until we can.. Continued@URL...
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