Westside Coho Fishing To End

The coho salmon fishing season in Ilwaco and Westport will close this evening because the ocean quota of 75,000 fish has been taken, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says.

The fishery at the Grays Harbor entrance opened Saturday, and the fishery in the Columbia will remain open through March.

“We’ve had a very successful coho season on the coast,” said department director Bob Turner. “We worked hard to provide fishing opportunities on the coast and anglers made the most of them.”

Coho taken averaged seven to eight pounds, he said. The coho fishing season began July 24.

Fishing industry representatives and government fish managers from Washington, Oregon and the National Marine Fisheries Service supported the decision to close the ocean fishery, Turner said.

, DataTimes