Area 9 reopens for Chinook

The sport hatchery chinook fishery in northern Puget Sound and Admiralty Inlet will reopen today through Friday.

The fishery was closed Sunday after state Fish and Wildlife expected the chinook guideline would be attained.

"Fishing was good in Marine Area 9 during the first couple of days in August, but the catch slowed significantly in the last week," said Steve Thiesfeld, the Puget Sound recreation salmon manager for state Fish and Wildlife.

Marine Areas 9 and 10 (Central Puget Sound) are managed under a combined quota of 7,000 hatchery chinook. A catch target of 4,000 chinook is in place for Area 9.

Through Aug. 10, anglers caught 4,726 fish in the two areas, of which 3,892 were caught in Marine Area 9.

Thiesfeld said the catch would be monitored on a daily basis, and that the fishery could close sooner than Friday.