From today’s Kitsap Sun:

Salmon managers allowed Suquamish Tribe fishers to set their nets in Chico Bay on Monday, but their low catch suggests that relatively few chum salmon remain in saltwater, the tribe’s harvest manager said.

Jay Zischke said it is not likely that commercial fishing will be opened again.

Despite the low number of chum salmon in Chico Bay, Zischke said he is confident that Chico Creek will have enough spawning salmon to meet the annual goal.

A one-day count by salmon biologists resulted in an estimate of 10,000 chum in Chico Creek and its tributaries. That probably means about 15,000 chum are in the system, said Zischke, who would like to see between 16,000 and 20,000 spawners. He expects more salmon to trickle in over the next few weeks.