Clallam County Man Sentenced for Dungeness River Salmon Poaching

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A Clallam County man named Gregory Gallauher was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 75 days suspended, for illegally fishing for endangered chinook salmon in a closed section of the Dungeness River on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Gallauher pleaded guilty to second-degree unlawful recreational fishing after being caught on a surveillance camera casting and retrieving his line in an area known to hold chinook salmon, which are listed as endangered.

Why it matters

The Dungeness River has seen a dramatic decline in chinook salmon returns over the past few decades, prompting ongoing recovery efforts by state officials, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, and nonprofit groups. Illegal poaching can undermine these efforts and further threaten the already endangered salmon population.

The details

In September 2022, a landowner reported suspected poaching along the Dungeness River, which was closed to all fishing at the time to protect spawning chinook salmon. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers set up a surveillance camera and observed Gallauher repeatedly casting and retrieving his line in an area known to hold chinook salmon. He was the only one fishing in the closed section of the river.

• In September 2022, a landowner reported suspected poaching along the Dungeness River.
• Gallauher was sentenced in January 2023 to 90 days in jail, with 75 days suspended.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge's decision on the length of Gallauher's jail sentence will likely be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for how the state handles future cases of illegal fishing during closed seasons aimed at protecting endangered salmon.