Puyallup River Closure

[huntnphool]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

September 10, 2009
Contact: Pat Pattillo, (360) 902-2705

Lower section of the Puyallup River will
close two days a week to sport fishing

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is closing the recreational fishery on the lower section of the Puyallup River two days a week through the end of September due to safety concerns.

Recreational salmon fishing on the river will be closed from noon Sundays to noon Tuesdays, Sept. 13-15, Sept. 20-22 and Sept. 27-29 in the portion of the river extending from the 11th Street Bridge in Tacoma to the City of Puyallup Outfall Structure across the river from the junction of Freeman Road and North Levee Road. This section of the river flows through the Puyallup Tribe's reservation.

Recreational fishing will remain open seven days a week upstream of the closed section. The lower section will reopen seven days a week beginning at noon Sept. 29.

With a strong return of pink salmon this year, hundreds of recreational anglers are fishing the river, which is also open to tribal fishing two days a week, said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for WDFW.

"Unfortunately, we've received reports about gear conflicts and other incidents between the two groups, raising public safety concerns," Pattillo said. "To reduce the safety risk and ensure that the tribe and the state can conduct an orderly fishery, the department is closing this section of the river."

Pattillo said WDFW enforcement officers will patrol the river to ensure the sport fishery closure is being observed.

Regulations remain unchanged for other sections of the Puyallup River as described in the 2009-10 Fishing in Washington pamphlet available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm . 

[WDFW-SUX]

  Thanks Governor!

[huntnphool]

Seems they are worried the natives and sportsman will get into it out there, they didn't seem too worried about the Skok.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 This will create more conflict in the non-tribal areas, will the Governor be providing more assistance to those areas as well? I'm not totally sure I understand this closure's in's and out's, I'm not aware we can even fish on tribal land's without a permit, the disclosure state's "through tribal lands", which doesn't tell me if the tribe actually owns the stream banks in that area, something tells me they don't, or it wouldn't be open to begin with. Are they going to segregate the boating crowd from the bankies next, by river section?

[BigGoonTuna]

it's more or less saying "play nice or this happens".

there's a lot of morons on the riverbanks that get some booze in them and then start yelling, throwing rocks or casting at the indians that are fishing legally.  it hurts everyone in the end.

it pisses me off because i can only really fish on weekends any more, and while i don't fish the puke this time of year, it almost certainly makes for more pressure in places that i would like to fish!

[Dmanmastertracker]

it's more or less saying "play nice or this happens".

there's a lot of morons on the riverbanks that get some booze in them and then start yelling, throwing rocks or casting at the indians that are fishing legally.  it hurts everyone in the end.

it pisses me off because i can only really fish on weekends any more, and while i don't fish the puke this time of year, it almost certainly makes for more pressure in places that i would like to fish!

 There's drinking and carrying on in both groups, this I know for fact. I don't like the fact you punish one, it takes two to have a disagreement. I'm sure there's plenty of courteous fishermen who will get shafted by this as well.

[BigGoonTuna]

right you are.  there is a lot of nastiness on both sides.  however, let's remember that, no matter how much it bothers you(it pisses me off to no end) that for us, fishing is a privilege.  for the tribes, it's a right, and if you interfere with that, it can have some pretty harsh consequences.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I remind the GOV that I am tribal also in those cases and if they push me far enough I might exercise my right to fish wherever and whenever I want, including Gregoire's Coi Pond!

  I just don't like the context that the issue was described in by the State. I am one of those responsible fishermen on that river and very frankly I will not be told by the State that I am lumped into a group of people causing issues, that's BS, they could have been more tactful.

[hard hunter]

On Komo they story talks about sportsmen being caught and drug in a tribal drift net.  One guy apparently had to cut himself loose.  The tribal police are investigating.  I think maybee the feds should too.  Anyway it is what it is and maybee we can change it in the next vote.

[BigGoonTuna]

Anyway it is what it is and maybee we can change it in the next vote.

not a snowball's chance in hell.

[Hunterman]

I just don't believe some people...These are humpies for christ sake..From what I have seen on that area of the river people are just plain NUTS..I have had fishermen on River Road dart out in front of me, damn near getting hit just so they can get in on this mad house  . If you see someone with a boat coming down the river with his their net out,,GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY PEOPLE..  ...

I'd hate to see what would happen if this was a big king run....

Hunterman(Tony)

[Alchase]

Wait a minute, they are not supposed to be dragging nets in the river in the first place! The nets a supposed to be attached to one shore and only one shore and not extend farther then 2/3rds across ed the river.
Not dragging the nets between two boats all the way to friggin Tacoma.
They do this all the time and no one calls them on this! Then the Sportsman get blamed when the conflicts happen, I call total BS.

[Yelm hunter]

Ya maybe our GOVERNOR needs to get her ass some hip waders on her ass and pay $45.00 for a combo license and go fishing in the river... Lets see how happy she will be when a mother*censored*er casts a weight and treble hook at her and hits her in the face... I would laugh... BITCH... thats what were dealing with. And were dealing with INDIANS snagging OUR fish that our caught with a hook in the mouth and they are fighting with us and steal it from us with there treble hook the size of a cellphone...

[C-Money]

Dose this closure include the section of river near the Fred Myer at the bridge in Puyallup?