News brief: 100,000 salmon escape pen at Mayfield Lake

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Someone vandalized a net pen setting free 100,000 fall Chinook salmon into Mayfield Lake over the weekend.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office this morning is asking for the public’s help to find information about the incident that occurred sometime between 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and noon yesterday.

Two net loops were cut at the water reservoir on the 100 block of Cove Lane near Mossyrock, according to Chief Deputy Stacy Brown.

The reservoir belongs to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Brown said it’s going to cause problems as the fish are expected to overwhelm fish traps belonging to Tacoma City Light when the fish head out to sea.

Deputies are checking with the Mayfield Lake Dam to see if any clues may have been captured on security video, according to Brown.

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7 Responses to “News brief: 100,000 salmon escape pen at Mayfield Lake”

  1. Amanda says:

    I have to assume the person did this for one of two reasons. One, they wanted to release the fish believing that it will provide better fishing for the locals. Or two, they did this believing they were helping the fish and “setting them free”. What’s unfortunate is the lack of knowledge here. Those fish will eventually have to travel down stream, be it through the fish collectors in the dam or through the generators themselves. If the fish travel through the generators, their chances of making it to sea are much lower. People need to think before they act…

  2. GoneFishin' says:

    I will do my best to help return each and every one of those fish to the department of fish and wildlife! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!!

  3. AnonymousInLC says:

    This is actually a big deal..
    The return numbers of all species of salmon are horrible this year. So horrible that salmon fishing on the west coast will be shut down at some point soon. And now some stupid idiots cost 100k Chinook and cause a bunch of problems down river and throw off the already frail ecosystem for what? Fun? I hope the person/persons responsible face big trouble for every single salmon.

  4. Ronald Callajan says:

    Were they clipped or are they commingback as wild?

  5. Bo Rupert says:

    This is pretty screwed up. They ought to make them work on Salmon conservation efforts for the next year.

  6. Eddie Van Halen says:

    Fish on!

  7. leonard says:

    Hope their caught!