Recreational fishermen will be allowed to keep no more than one salmon per day in the San Juan Islands beginning Monday, Jan. 12.

State fishery managers lowered the daily limit – down from two fish per day – to lessen the sport fishery’s impact on stocks of concern.

Fishing in the San Juans, also known as Marine Area 7, proved to be not only productive, but

“really good” in the month of December, according to Ryan Lothrop, a biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Anglers in Marine Area 7 are required to release any Chinook salmon not specifically marked with a clipped adipose fin, which signifies it as a hatchery fish.

Because some wild Chinook do not survive after being caught and released, they are counted as part of the management guideline of 7,775 total Chinook encounters during the winter fishery.

As of Dec. 28, anglers in Marine Area 7 had kept or released a total of 4,060 Chinook, according to WDFW preliminary estimates.

The Marine Area 7 fishery will be monitored by WDFW through April 30, the date of its scheduled closure. It could close at an earlier date if the management guideline is met prior to the scheduled closing date.

“We’re taking this step now in an effort to keep the fishery open as long as possible while staying within our conservation objectives,” Lothrop said.