Emergency closure of recreational fishing in most Olympic National Park rivers and streams

The beat goes on.

To protect fish during the ongoing severe drought conditions, an emergency closure of recreational fishing goes into effect today on most rivers and streams within Olympic National Park.

Current conditions have made Pacific salmon, steelhead and bulltrout exceptionally vulnerable because of low stream flows and high water temperatures.

The following river systems within Olympic National Park will close to all recreational fishing on Aug. 10: Bogachiel, South Fork Calawah, Sol Duc, North Fork Sol Duc, Dickey, Queets, Salmon, Quinault, and North Fork Skokomish Rivers (including East and North Forks) and their tributaries and Cedar, Goodman, Kalaloch, and Mosquito Creeks in the Pacific coastal area.

LINK (via: Peninsula Daily)

What happens when a rainforest burns?

When fire can eat a rainforest in a relatively cool climate, you know the Earth is beginning to burn.

LINK (via: Grist)

The Heat is On

As a last ditch effort to save Oregon hatchery fish from increasingly warm waters, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has transferred more than 160,000 salmon to a different hatchery.

LINK (via: Oregon Live)

More High Water Temperature Fish Issues

An estimated 109 spring chinook died last week on the upper section of the Middle Fork John Day River, apparently due to low river flows and warm temperatures.

LINK (via: The Statesman Journal)

Unusually warm waters in the Columbia River Basin have prompted federal officials to invoke measures to help migrating fish survive the hostile conditions.

As river temperatures climb to record highs while water flow continues to drop, the Wild Fish Conservancy is calling for an emergency closure of fisheries across the West Coast where temperatures are higher than 65-degrees.

LINK (via:King5)

Numerous decades-old sturgeon being found dead in the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities are prompting a proposal to close catch-and-release fishing for the species.

Theories for the sturgeon deaths include the possibility that the sockeyes they’re eating in this year’s big salmon run could be diseased from migrating upstream in the Columbia’s unusually warm water conditions.

Another theory, Hoffarth said, suggests that the sturgeon are stressed by the combination of dramatically lower-than-normal Columbia flows with higher-than-normal July water temperatures.

LINK (via: The Spokesman)

Fishing restrictions coming to Western Montana rivers

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks is putting into effect "hoot owl" fishing restrictions on the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, and Clark Fork rivers, and Flint and Silver Bow creeks, meaning they will be closed daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve.

LINK (via:KPAX)

Heat wave spells early trouble for Montana trout

River levels are dropping rapidly as summer temperatures continue to climb, and both trends spell trouble for Montana’s trout. As Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks prepares for fishing closures, anglers can do some things to help fish out.

LINK (via: Montana On The Ground)

No surprise that we just had the hottest spring ever.

Here in the Pacific Northwest the Olympic Peninsula is facing a summer without snowmelt.