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PENINSULA DAILY NEWS March 15, 2016 | 75¢
Port Townsend-Jefferson County’s Daily Newspaper
Closing salmon fisheries eyed Officials mull options as coho forecasts fall short PENINSULA DAILY NEWS AND MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE
OLYMPIA — Alarmed by dwindling wild coho runs hammered by poor ocean conditions, state and tribal fish managers are considering shutting down the recreational and commercial coho and chinook fishery for the 2016 season. A decision will be made by the Pacific Fishery Management
Council (PFMC) at its April meeting. The commission will consider a range of options, including a coastwide closure in Washington, proposed Sunday by state, tribal and federal fishery managers. The consideration is part of the annual season-setting process for the West Coast. Two options would permit some salmon fishing this year, but one would close all recreational
and commercial ocean fisheries for chinook and coho. “In many instances returns will likely be far below minimum levels needed to produce the next generation of salmon,” said Lorraine Loomis, chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, which comanages salmon runs with the state. “Conservation must be our sole focus as we work to rebuild these stocks.”
Alternatives According to a news release from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the non-treaty recreational fishing alternatives include the following quotas for
fisheries off the Washington coast: Alternative 1: 58,600 chinook and 37,800 coho. This option includes early season fisheries, from June 18-30, for hatchery chinook in Washington’s ocean waters (marine areas 1-4). This option also allows hatchery coho retention in all four marine areas during the traditional summer fishery. Alternative 2: 30,000 chinook and 14,700 coho. This option does not include early season fisheries for hatchery chinook, but provides summer chinook fisheries in all four marine areas. Hatchery coho fishing would be allowed only in
Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco). Alternative 3: No commercial or recreational salmon fisheries in Washington’s ocean waters. For more details about the options, visit the PFMC webpage at http://www.pcouncil.org.
Last year Coho also made a poor showing last year, with only about 242,000 — compared with a predicted 700,000 — returning to the Columbia River, where some stocks already are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. TURN
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SALMON/A5
County signs for medical services
After the storm
Sheriff unhappy provider isn’t local BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
CHARLIE BERMANT/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
A parasailor passes around the Point Wilson Lighthouse on Monday afternoon, one day after high winds made entering the water near Port Townsend for any reason impossible.
PORT HADLOCK — A new health services contract improves services for inmates at the Jefferson County Jail but is missing one key component, according to the county sheriff. “Buying local in Jefferson County has always been our mission,” Dave Stanko said Monday. “It disappoints me that we weren’t able to hire a local provider for this because it means that $97,000 will be leaving the county.” The one-year contract approved unanimously by the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Monday is between the county and the Olympia-based Healthcare Delivery Systems, which provides similar services to jails in Thurston and Mason counties, and in Olympia, Puyallup and Fife. TURN
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PA man acquitted in 2014 shooting death Jury finds not guilty in three hours BY ROB OLLIKAINEN PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT ANGELES — Nathaniel Darren Olson has been acquitted of manslaughter in the death of Matthew Baker. Olson, 29, was charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm enhancement in the shooting of Baker at a midnighthour social gathering at a Monroe Road residence May 22, 2014. A Clallam County jury reached a not-guilty verdict after about three hours of deliberations Monday. An elated Olson hugged defense attorney Karen Unger
after Superior Court Judge Erik Rohrer read the verdict aloud. Several members of Baker’s family gasped as the result of the two-week trial was revealed. “Oh no!” one said. A person commits first-degree manslaughter when he or she recklessly causes the death of another person.
Reasonable doubt To achieve a conviction, the state had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Olson engaged in reckless conduct and that Baker died as a result of Olson’s
reckless acts. “I didn’t think that there was enough evidence,” Unger said in a Monday telephone i n t e r v i e w. “ O b v i o u s l y, the jury Olson agreed by their verdict.” Michele Devlin, Clallam County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney, made a rebuttal closing argument to the jury Monday morning. The prosecution and defense articulated main closing arguments Friday.
“The evidence has shown that single gunshot wound to the cenNathaniel Olson, the defendant, ter chest. Baker was 25. is guilty,” Devlin concluded MonThe shooting occurred at a day. residence at 1523 Monroe Road on the outskirts of Port Angeles. Another person The Clallam County Sheriff’s Unger had submitted that Office investigated. “We were confident in the facts another person shot Baker and that there was a cover-up to impli- of the case,” said Brian King, chief criminal deputy. cate Olson. She said the jury “knew that there wasn’t enough evidence to Previous fight convince anybody beyond a reaUnger argued that the homesonable doubt that my client was owner, David Holden, had motive responsible” for Baker’s death. to shoot Baker because the two “Unfortunately, the family lost had been fighting. somebody, which is tragic,” Unger Both men sustained injuries said. “But my client wasn’t the one.” that were apparent in photoDr. Daniel Selove, who con- graphs. ducted Baker’s autopsy, testified TURN TO OLSON/A5 Thursday that Baker died of a
INSIDE TODAY’S PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Colon Cancer: Causes, Treatment and Prevention
100th year, 63rd issue — 2 sections, 18 pages
Presented by Dr. Duane Webb, Board-Certified Gastroenterologist
Thursday, March 24 at 6 p.m. OMC Medical Services Building 840 N. 5th Avenue, Sequim
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Visit OlympicMedical.org for more details.
631559349
Duane Webb, MD
Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m. Olympic Memorial Hospital - Linkletter Hall 939 Caroline Street, Port Angeles
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