Closure of Quinault River System to Recreational Fishing
Effective Dates: December 1, 2022 to June 1, 2023
Authority for Adoption: Code of Federal Regulations 36 CFR 1.5(a)(1)
Beginning at 12:01 am on December 1, 2022, recreational fishing is closed within Olympic National Park in the Quinault River System.
This is an emergency change adopted for the Quinault River system within Olympic National Park. The previous regulations allowed for recreational fishing.
This emergency closure is designed to protect wild steelhead. Sport fishing will close in the Quinault River within Olympic National Park on December 1, 2022 due to chronic low wild steelhead abundance and failure to reach an agreement on an acceptable level of wild steelhead harvest between the State and Quinault Indian Nation. The sport fishing regulation change is being implemented in cooperation with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Quinault within Olympic National Park is expected to reopen to recreational angling on June 1, 2023.
Closure of Queets and Salmon Rivers to Recreational Fishing
Effective Dates: November 1, 2022 until further notice
Authority for Adoption: Code of Federal Regulations 36 CFR 1.5(a)(1)
The Queets and Salmon Rivers within Olympic National Park will remain closed to sport fishing until further notice to protect wild Chinook salmon.
This emergency regulation is reopening park rivers previously closed to sport fishing. The rivers were closed on October 6, 2022 to better protect wild salmon vulnerable to fishing and mortality in extreme low-water conditions. The low-water conditions also impede upstream spawning migrations of salmon and concentrate fish in smaller and smaller pools.
The Queets and Salmon Rivers within Olympic National Park will remain closed to sport fishing until further notice due to conservation concerns and the need to protect wild Chinook salmon. The reason for the continued closure is because the in-river fishery exceeded expected levels of harvest.
The continued closure of the Queets and Salmon Rivers in the park is consistent with existing closures of commercial gill-net and on-reservation sport fisheries in the lower Queets River. Additionally, the closure is consistent with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's closure of the sport fishery in the Clearwater and Salmon Rivers to protect wild Chinook salmon. Given the conservation concerns, Olympic National Park sport fishery will remain closed until further notice.
Quillayute River Floodplain Closure
This temporary closure is required for the safety of the public and the contractor during the construction for the Quillayute River Reach 3 Restoration Project.
By order of the Superintendent of Olympic National Park and under authority of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1.5(a) (1):
The following area is closed to all public access:
- The Quillayute River floodplain south of Mora Campground, within Olympic National Park, will be closed from June 1, 2022, until completion of the Quillayute River Reach 3 Restoration project and vacation of the construction sites by the contractor. See the map below of the closed area.
This closure does not include the Mora Campground, picnic area, or any portion of the Slough Trail.
Notice of closure will be posted and areas will be monitored to ensure compliance; please see map below for more information. The designation will remain in place until rescinded. Your cooperation in complying with this temporary restriction is greatly appreciated.
