SKAGIT COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Fishing has will close next week on two rivers in Skagit County.

The Sauk and the Skagit rivers will close on April 11 to all fishing after lower than anticipated returns of steelhead trout made it to the rivers.

Following testing and catch surveys, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has decreased how many steelhead are estimated returning to just over 5,000. WDFW originally estimated nearly 2,000 more than the expected number.

WDFW is closing the fisheries in order to protect spawning steelhead among other reasons. Tribal managers of the fisheries are also closing their locations early for conservation reasons.