ARIEL — Approximately 320 spring chinook salmon have returned to the hatcheries on the North Fork of the Lewis River in 2016, far short of expectations and escapement needs.
Aaron Roberts, manager of several Southwest Washington hatcheries, told the Lewis River Aquatic Coordination Council this week that the 320 chinook will produce about 600,000 eggs. The goal is 1.6 million eggs.
Hatchery management practices will not allow bringing in spring chinook from the nearby Kalama or Cowlitz rivers, he said.
The Lewis River committee includes officials of PacifiCorp, plus representatives from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, state and federal fish agencies, Cowlitz tribe, Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, Cowlitz PUD and others involved with salmon and steelhead restoration in the upper watershed.
