NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE
July 8, 2005
Contact: Tim Flint, WDFW, (360) 902-2728;
or Mike Mahovlich, Muckleshoot, (253) 876-3113
Lake Washington sockeye fishery unlikely this year
as salmon co-managers downsize forecast
OLYMPIA - This year's Lake Washington returning sockeye salmon run is
significantly weaker than expected and is likely too small to support
fisheries, state and tribal salmon managers announced today.
Fishery biologists with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(WDFW) and treaty Indian tribes made the announcement after reviewing
updated counts of sockeye from the Ballard Locks, where the fish move from
Puget Sound into Lake Washington and the rivers that flow into the lake.
Through yesterday, 30,914 sockeye had been tallied at the locks since
counting began June 12. During the same period last year, more than 195,000
sockeye were counted at the locks.
Absent an unprecedented late-season surge in counts at the locks, the low
returns dash any hopes this summer for a repeat of last year's fisheries in
Lake Washington. Last year sport anglers and tribal fishers took nearly
54,000 sockeye.
"It is unfortunate that the run appears to be too weak for a sockeye season
on the lake this year," said Tim Flint, WDFW statewide salmon manager. "Even
a brief sockeye-fishing season brings thousands of anglers to Lake
Washington and generates a lot of excitement and economic activity in the
region."
Fishery managers had predicted that 398,000 sockeye would return to the lake
this year. An estimated return of more than 350,000 fish is needed for
consideration of state recreational and tribal commercial fisheries.
Using current data, fishery managers now believe the total run will be about
71,000 sockeye, although low counts in Canadian test fisheries off Vancouver
Island indicate that the return could even be smaller.
"We can be fairly precise in our decision whether to open the fishery
because we keep a close eye on the sockeye run as the fish move through the
locks," said Mike Mahovlich, fisheries biologist for the Muckleshoot Indian
Tribe.
A limited number of sockeye are being taken at the locks for research. In
addition, the Suquamish Indian Tribe is planning a brief ceremonial fishery
for no more than 400 fish in a small portion of the ship canal below the
locks.
More information on Lake Washington sockeye, including updated salmon counts
from the locks, is available at
<http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/sockeye/counts.htm>
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/sockeye/counts.htm on the Internet.