Joe Peters, the Squaxin Island Tribe’s harvest management biologist, posted an update on the tribe’s natural resources blog about the ongoing salmon fishing season. Read it here:
Fishing has been under way for the past few months, with what looks like a fair Chinook season and an above average coho season. As of October 15th, our 88 licensed Tribal fishers have harvested 4,375 Chinook and 48,748 Coho.
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Squaxin Coho fisheries are unique in that the vast majority of the fish caught in 13D are net pen Coho with limited impacts on natural Coho due to the protected areas in the inlets. By staying out of the inlets natural Coho have a better opportunity to escape into the creeks to spawn. The Coho fishery through October 15th has harvested 48,748 Coho worth over $670,000. This is an above average outcome and suggests that there has been better ocean survival than previous years.
