Columbia fall Chinook with hole punch not safe to eat

Anglers who catch chinook salmon on the upper Columbia River with a 1/4-inch diameter round hole punched in the upper lobe of the tail fin must release them, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The fish, which include wild and hatchery fall chinook, were sedated with the chemical anesthetic MS-222 during sampling at Priest Rapids Dam and then marked with a hole punch to identify them as having been sedated. They may be found from the blue bridge in the Tri-Cities up to Chief Joseph Dam.

The fish will not be safe to eat until three weeks after sedation. The requirement to release fish with hole punches will continue through Oct. 31.

This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Columbia fall Chinook with hole punch not safe to eat."