Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A conservation group has asked fisheries managers to shut down steelhead fishing in the Columbia and Snake river basins to protect a wild run that returns to Idaho's Clearwater River.
The Conservation Angler tells The Lewiston Tribune in a story on Saturday that even catch-and-release regulations threaten the survival of B-run steelhead.
Executive Director David Moskowitz in a letter to Idaho Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore says steelhead fishing should be closed to allow the wild fish to spawn.
Fish and Game Fisheries Bureau Chief Jim Fredericks says precautions are in place. He also says there are so few fish to catch that fewer anglers are out trying to catch them.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish Program Manager Chris Donley says his agency will likely defer to Idaho concerning Idaho steelhead.
___
Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
