OLYMPIA – Anglers fishing off Neah Bay must release wild coho salmon beginning Friday, Sept. 11, state fishery managers announced today.

The new rule will limit the coho catch in Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) to hatchery fish marked by a missing adipose fin.

The change in coho retention does not apply to marine areas 1-3, where anglers can continue to keep both wild and hatchery coho, said Doug Milward, ocean salmon manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

“The coho catch rate out of Neah Bay last week was higher than we anticipated,” Milward said. “We’re making this change now to help us meet our conservation objectives for wild salmon.”

Ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 30 in all four marine areas.

Anglers have a two-salmon daily catch limit in all four marine areas off the Washington coast. Up to two chinook may be retained in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) and Marine Area 2 (Westport); anglers fishing off La Push (Marine Area 3) and west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line off Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) can keep one chinook as well as two additional pink salmon as part of their daily catch limit.

For additional details on fishing regulations, check the fishing regulations pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/.

Fishery managers will continue to monitor the ocean salmon fishery throughout the season, and announce any other changes on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/.