No Coho Catch Reports from Sound Tribes
Each week we round-up the top fishing news from the Northwest and beyond. Do you have a news tip? E-mail us at news /at/ salmonuniversity.com.
Kalaloch to Open for Clam Digging for First Time Since 2012
Tentative clam digs have been scheduled on a number of Washington state beaches beginning in January. The results from marine toxin testing after the first of the year will determine if the digs move forward on Copalis, Mockrocks, and Kalaloch. The Seattle Times reports that the “last time Kalaloch had a season was in 2011-12, when it was open for three days of digging.”
Current dates are: Jan. 8-9 at Kalaloch; Jan. 13-15 at Copalis and Mocrocks; Jan. 27-28 at Copalis; Jan. 29-31 at Copalis and Mocrocks; Feb. 7-9 at Copalis and Mocrocks; Feb. 10-12 at Mocrocks; and Feb. 24-26 at Copalis and Mocrocks. A New Year’s Eve dig is also tentatively scheduled for Copalis and Mockrocks. For up-to-date information, check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website.
Tidal Exchange Finds No Coho Catch Reports from Sound Tribes in 2016
The Tidal Exchange reports that a public records request it submitted for Chinook and Coho harvest records by Puget Sound-area tribal fishing in 2016 found that no Coho had been reported caught.
At present, not a single Coho has been recorded as caught by the Puget Sound Tribes in 2016… You read that correctly–not one fish was reported caught. While we can’t yet make a firm estimate on the total unreported catch, we’re confident that on the order of 10,000 Coho were taken in waters adjacent to Seattle alone. Not a single one of them has been reported thus far.
According to the Tidal Exchange, Chinook reporting was more thorough, with the Tulalip Tribe noteworthy for submitting a full census of their Chinook fisheries.
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act Signed Into Law
Earlier this month, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act was signed into law. The new legislation, which supports waterway-access projects, navigation and fisheries improvements, and provides maintenance funds for harbors of refuge, was supported by BoatUS which celebrated its passage.
“Like a highway bill for boaters, passage of the WIIN/WRDA is great news for American boaters,” said BoatUS Government Affairs Manager David Kennedy in a written statement. “With the renewed attention to the nation’s infrastructure, BoatUS thanks Congress and the President for acting to keep our waterways open and channels clear.”
In addition to BoatUS, the bill had the support of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, Ducks Unlimited, the US Chamber of Commerce, Marine Retailers Association of America, American Sportfishing Association, Center for Coastal Conservation, and American Waterways Operators.
Coho image courtesy Sam Beebe. (CC BY 2.0)
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