Coeur d'Alene Kokanee Fishery Closes

Low kokanee numbers have again prompted Idaho Fish and Game officials to close the kokanee fishery on Coeur d'Alene Lake. The fishery will close Tuesday, September 4, and remain closed through December 31. Recent trawling results show the number of adult kokanee destined to spawn this fall was similar to last year's low numbers. "Our estimate for three-year-old kokanee was 34,250 fish in 2007 while in 2006 we counted 33,890 fish," said Ned Horner, regional fishery manager. "This is a conservation closure so we can save enough spawners to produce a decent offspring for 2008." Most kokanee spawn along only two miles of shoreline in the Higgins Point to Beauty Bay area starting in November, and they become increasingly more vulnerable to harvest as they concentrate in the north end of the lake. Kokanee trawling revealed increased numbers of younger kokanee age classes. But results also showed that predation by Chinook and possibly other predators still is significant. Two-year-old kokanee numbers increased to an estimated 136,100 fish this year from about 91,000 fish in 2006. First year kokanee numbered 2.36 million in 2007 and are poised to help the population recover if predation can be reduced. But the 90 percent drop from 1.5 million one-year-old fish in 2006 to only 136,100 two-year-old fish in 2007 shows that predation on young kokanee is still significant. In addition to the kokanee closure, Fish and Game will be doing other things to restore the kokanee fishery. Fishing rules on kokanee and Chinook next year will be similar to the 2007 rule, with a combined limit of six kokanee and Chinook. Chinook numbers will also be limited to help reduce predation on kokanee. No hatchery Chinook will be stocked in 2008 and none were stocked in 2007. Wild Chinook spawning will also be limited to 75 redds. "In 2006, we limited the number of redds to 100 after seeing the largest Chinook spawning escapement ever on record with a total redd count of 157 redds," Horner said.