OLYMPIA - The recreational fishery in marine areas 5 and 6 (Sekiu and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) will end early for hatchery chinook salmon, but anglers may continue to retain pink and hatchery coho salmon.

Marine areas 5 and 6 will close to the retention of hatchery chinook salmon at the end of the day Thursday, Aug. 6, nine days earlier than scheduled.

The decision to end chinook fishing early was based on conservation concerns for wild chinook, which must be released if encountered by anglers, said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"With a very successful fishing season for hatchery chinook this year, anglers have caught and released more wild chinook than were forecast in the pre-season estimates," Pattillo said. "We want to make sure we meet our conservation goals and avoid impacts to wild chinook."

OLYMPIA - Cougar hunters will begin the 2009 general season on Sept. 1 this year, while those interested in permit-only hunts held after the general season have until Aug. 31 to submit an application to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Under new rules adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, the general cougar season will begin with a statewide archery-only season Sept. 1-25, followed by a muzzleloader-only season Sept. 26-Oct. 16. Beginning Oct. 17, hunters may use any legal weapon to target cougars in most areas of the state. 

In the past, the general cougar hunting season began Aug. 1 and hunters were allowed to use any legal weapon. The changes were adopted to better match cougar hunting with the early elk and deer seasons, said Donny Martorello, carnivore specialist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 

Portland, Ore. - In a Northwest twist on the X Prize, two research teams are about to begin competing to see which can best predict changes in the region's shifting winds as much as 36 hours ahead. The unusual technology contest is sponsored by the Bonneville Power Administration.

The team with the most accurate predictions will be in line for a BPA contract to develop a full-scale wind forecast model for the entire fleet of Northwest wind projects. Better forecasts benefit the booming wind energy sector and electric customers by anticipating sudden shifts in wind energy so power managers can smoothly incorporate it into the grid.

The Northwest forecast model would be the first created specifically to foresee sharp changes, or "ramps," in wind energy, with wide potential to help utilities meld wind with other power sources. BPA hopes the competition will help promote wind forecasting the way the X Prize advanced aerospace technology.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Coast Guard personnel are responding to a diesel and motor-oil sheen in the Westport Slough near Westport, Ore.

Coast Guard Sector Portland's Incident Management Division dispatched a team to the reported location at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, to investigate and ensure appropriate cleanup efforts are coordinated.

The owners of the Kerry West Marina in the Westport Slough reported a 40-foot by 1,000-foot sheen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, originating from a 30-foot boat that sank at the dock. Personnel from the marina initiated cleanup efforts by deploying containment-boom and absorbent pads but the sheen has not been contained.

SEATTLE - The Washington State Attorney General's Office has ventured to the Land Down Under to stop a pair of Aussies from using sexy stories to sell bogus cures for diseases ranging from Lyme disease to cancer.

"Scammers who hide behind foreign borders aren't out of justice's reach," McKenna said. "This case is proof that we're willing to go the extra mile - or in this case, nearly 8,000 miles - to protect consumers."