WDFW Coastal Steelhead Town Hall Meeting Re-Cap
At the recent WDFW Coastal Steelhead Town Hall meeting, a key focus was the significant increase in wild steelhead runs, particularly in the Hoh and Quillayute rivers. Last season’s redd counts on the Hoh River were notably high, contributing to the estimated escapement used to calculate the total run size and harvest numbers. If current preliminary estimates hold, this year’s run size for the Hoh River would mark a record-setting increase, the highest in several decades.
This trend isn’t isolated to the Hoh. Similar increases were seen this year in regions like the Oregon coast, Columbia Basin, and Skeena River, all tied to the 2022 outmigration year. Tom Buehrens from WDFW’s Science Division explained that improved survival rates for even-year outmigrants likely resulted from reduced competition with pink salmon and more favorable NPGO conditions during that period. However, current ocean conditions are less favorable. The NPGO index reflects oceanographic processes affecting salinity and nutrient levels, which drive phytoplankton concentrations and are closely linked to salmon and steelhead survival. As discussed in previous meetings, positive (cooler) NPGO values are associated with better steelhead survival, while negative (warmer) values correlate with lower survival rates.
The meeting also revisited the boat study on the Hoh River, which initially sought to assess the impact of fishing from a floating device on wild steelhead. After three years, fishing from a floating device was again allowed in the lower and middle sections of the river, while the upper section remains closed since 2016. The study confirmed that boat fishing is significantly more effective than bank fishing or using a boat to reach the bank, with catch rates from boats being over ten times higher than from the bank and six times higher than using a boat to assist bank fishing. Interest was expressed in extending the study for another year.
The success of recent conservation measures is evident in the recovery of coastal wild steelhead numbers. This supports the continuation of these regulations and aligns with the Wild Steelhead Coalition's 2021 vision, which advocates for shifting management practices from prioritizing recreational and commercial fishing opportunities to focusing on caution, restraint, restoration, and rebuilding.
If you did not have a chance to participate in the town hall, you can watch it HERE.