Angling closures on the Seymour and Coquihalla rivers and their tributaries have been extended in order to protect vulnerable salmon and steelhead populations.

The Coquihalla River’s closure now extends to June 30, 2016, effectively closing the river upstream of the upper railway tunnel, located in Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, for the remainder of the year in accordance with the 2015-17 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis. This closure will protect regionally significant steelhead populations, which have not been observed in numbers sufficient to support the usual catch-and-release fishery.

The Seymour River, from the top of “Pool 91” downstream to the tidal boundary, will be closed until Dec. 1, 2015. In addition to also having low steelhead returns for the year, large congregations of salmon in the lower reaches of the river are anticipated. The closure will mirror a similar order from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to protect these fish during the spawning period.

After a dry summer and a number of stream closures, the Government of B.C. re-opened angling for most streams in the South Coast on Sept. 14, 2015, after conditions improved. The Seymour and Coquihalla rivers and their tributaries were kept closed at that time and today’s announcement extends that decision. Both streams have barrier restrictions from rockslides that severely restrict upstream migration by steelhead.