Quite interesting. I saw that some one had stated on Gamefishin that the Nisqually tribe had been netting but the numbers were real low. I found this odd as I had not seen any releases about them netting and was under the impression that they could not unilaterally open it under the agreement made. So, yesterday I sent off an email to the natural resource head of the tribe asking him if he had any numbers for the hatchery and stated that I had heard rumors of netting but didn't believe them to be true. I did not get any email back, but I did get an email from the department at 4:45 this evening stating the tribe intended to start netting at noon on Sunday. If this is the case, why is the south sound still closed for all coho fishing. Every river apparently has its numbers. I also am left wondering why they are able to do this when the agreement with the state specifically states no Coho fishery. It may be done under the guise of a Chum fishery, but the release specifically states Coho.

Funny you should ask...received the following this PM:



WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov

October 21, 2016

Nisqually River open to retention of hatchery coho and gamefish

Action: Retention of hatchery coho and gamefish is permitted. Salmon, trout and other gamefish fishing open on the mainstem Nisqually River from mouth to the military tank crossing bridge.

Effective dates: Oct. 22, 2016, until further notice.

Species affected: Coho salmon and gamefish

Location: Mainstem Nisqually from mouth to the military tank crossing bridge.

Reasons for action: The Nisqually River was originally closed to all fishing under a state and tribal co-manager agreement to protect coho salmon.

Egg-take goals for coho have been met at Kalama and Clear Creek hatcheries, allowing the co-managers to open fisheries for coho and gamefish.

Other information: Anglers can retain 2 hatchery adult coho only and must release all chinook, all chum, wild coho and wild steelhead. Trout minimum size 14", daily limit 2. Other gamefish statewide minimum size/daily limits apply.

Sport anglers should be aware that tribal fisheries will also be occurring and should avoid interfering with those fisheries.

Information Contact: James P. Losee, (360) 902-2741, james.losee@dfw.wa.gov


And


WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov

October 21, 2016

Hatchery coho salmon can be retained in all of Area 13 beginning Oct. 22

Action: Hatchery coho can be kept as part of the daily limit in all of Marine Area 13 (South Sound).

Effective Dates: Oct 22, until further notice.

Species affected: Salmon

Locations: Marine Area 13

Reason for action: State and tribal co-managers previously agreed to keep the area closed to wild and hatchery coho retention due to the low number of coho projected to return this year.

The co-managers agree there are sufficient numbers of fish returning to southern Puget Sound to allow the retention of hatchery coho.

Other information: The western portion of Area 13 opened Oct. 1 for hatchery coho retention. Today's action opens the eastern portion for hatchery coho retention.

The daily limit for all of Marine Area 13 is 2 salmon, release wild chinook and wild coho. Anglers may fish with two poles if they have a Two-Pole Endorsement.

Information Contacts: Ryan Lothrop, (360) 902-2808; James Losee, (360) 902-2741.

There are suffucient numbers returning to justify retention of hatchery coho. Fine. That statement justfies a selective fishery on the hatchery component. Not an indiscriminate gill net fishery on both wild and hatchery stocks. What are the wild fish numbers? Does that information justify the harvest of wild fish?

I hope I see them for sale beside the road. I'm out of fish already this year and have a bunch of extra cash left over from not fishing in august and september... I would really like to stock up the freezer on some cheap fish...

Thanks Larry,
I was a bit perplexed and was wondering what was going on. I hope all the rumors about earlier netting were wrong.
I do wish they would have done this a bit earlier, as it was clear the numbers at all the other rivers justified re-adjusting the numbers / predictions. With the current river conditions it this probably will be a moot point, but at least it was not a one sided opening. Still wish they would open area 11 as there is no reason for it to be closed too.

Your MA11 question is a good one and would be best put to Ryan Lothrop. Would be interesting to hear his explanation of why not.

I was heading north on I-5 last Saturday morning just after the announcement that the Puyallup was opening........and just laughed given the condition of the river.

MA 11 is mixed stock. Fisheries would impact wild coho and various Chinook in the black mouth stage. Fisheries are opened where you have harvestable fish of identifiable stocks without undue impact to those needing protection.

That still doesn't explain why nets are allowed to kill the wilds while hooks aren't other than that impact has been given to the nets.

On many of the past threads here on PP there is the call to "fish when we know there are harvestable fish and can avoid the weak stocks". This is what it looks like.

That is a plausible explanation but is it the actual basis for not opening Ma11 for hatchery coho given that they have now opened both the Puyallup and Nisqually?

Last year the summer/fall salmon season in MA11 ran from 1 June - 31 Dec for all species, limit 2, with the only qualifier being that the season might close earlier if Chinook guideline is attained.

This year the season ran from 1 June - 31 Aug for hatchery Chinook only and no Coho driven by the fears of extremely weak Coho returns.

So that takes us to today and the fact that both rivers have been opened to hatchery Coho plus the opening of MA 13 for hatchery Coho. With anglers having been off the water for the last seven weeks plus having been required to release wild Chinook is impact on wild Chinook really the reason for not opening MA 11?

Again, Mr. Lothrop is the POC for the MA13 opener so he should be able to provide an explanation for not opening mA11.

No jack retention? When you're fishing behind a wall of tribal nets, jacks may be your only opportunity to catch and keep a fish.

Carcassman

I agree 11 (and 10 and 9) are mixed stock but with both tribal and non tribal netting going on in at least 10 and 11 right now I am left with no possible reasonable explanation for the lack of recreational opportunity. The depressed stocks appear to have returned in sufficient numbers -- so much so that non selective nets are in the water over these mixed stocks now. How are we shut out?

Similar questions being asked at tidalexchange.com, no response from wdfw yet

If the are netting in 10 and 11 then it seems WDFW has no excuse not to open for the recs unless they gave the impacts away.

Comparisons were for saltwater MAs only.