Salmon Fishing Opportunities Increase Along the Washington Coast Beginning Aug. 26
August 26, 2008
OLYMPIA – Anglers will be able to fish for salmon seven days a week along most of the Washington coast beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.
The new rules will increase fishing opportunities at Westport (Marine Area 2), La Push (Marine Area 3) and the portion of Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) that lies east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Ocean waters west of that line in Marine Area 4 will be closed to all salmon fishing beginning Aug. 26, said Doug Milward, WDFW ocean salmon manager.
“Angler participation has been down along the coast likely due to higher gas prices,” Milward said. “For that reason, we can provide anglers who are fishing at these three ports with additional opportunities without exceeding recreational harvest quotas.”
Fishing had been restricted to five days a week since the season opened.
Anglers fishing at Westport and La Push may retain two chinook salmon as part of their daily limit, but those fishing in Neah Bay may retain only hatchery coho salmon, Milward said. All wild coho must be released in all three areas.
Salmon fishing is scheduled to continue through Sept. 13 if sufficient numbers remain in the quota, Milward said.
Although salmon fishing in Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) closed Aug. 17, fishing continues for hatchery coho at Buoy 10 just south of Ilwaco, Milward said.
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Halibut Fishing To Reopen June 28 For One Day Off La Push and Neah Bay
June 26, 2008
OLYMPIA — The recreational halibut fishery off the north coast of Washington will reopen for another offshore day to allow anglers to harvest the June portion of the quota, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.
The fishery in marine areas 3 and 4 (La Push and Neah Bay) will be open for halibut fishing at all depths from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 28.
Enough quota remains in the fishery for another offshore day, said Heather Reed, coastal policy coordinator. To date, anglers have caught the May quota of 79,194 pounds and are now fishing on the 30,798 pounds set aside for June.
“With some of the remaining May quota added to the June set-aside, we were able to add two offshore and two nearshore days earlier in June,” Reed said. “There’s still enough quota remaining to offer one more offshore day. If sufficient quota remains after the 28th, the fishery will reopen in the nearshore area.”
All other marine areas are now closed to halibut fishing except the nearshore fishery in Marine Area 2 (Westport), which is open Fridays and Saturdays, and Marine Area 5 (Sekiu), which is open five days a week, Thursdays through Mondays, through July 21.
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Sport Halibut Fishing to Close Off Westport, Nearshore Will Remain Open 2 Days A Week
June 13, 2008
OLYMPIA - Anglers will be able to fish for halibut off Westport for two more days - Sunday (June 15) and Tuesday (June 17) - before the offshore portion of Marine Area 2 closes to halibut fishing for the season.
However, the nearshore waters of that marine area between Grays Harbor and the Queets River will remain open to halibut fishing on Fridays and Saturdays until further notice.
Since the fishery opened May 1, anglers have made steady progress toward harvesting this year’s quota of 40,230 pounds for the offshore area, said Heather Reed, coastal policy coordinator. But enough of the 4,470-pound quota remains in the nearshore area to allow anglers two days of fishing a week until the quota is met, Reed said.
Although fishing was hampered by stormy weather this year, most anglers who were able to get on the water caught their daily limit of one halibut, Reed said.
“This spring’s been rough so far, but hopefully it will take a turn for the better for those fishing the nearshore area,” Reed said. “In the past week or two, we’ve been seeing some bigger fish.”
Halibut caught during the past week weighed about 21 pounds, compared to 18 pounds in May, she said.
Sport halibut fishing will be open June 14 and 21 in marine areas 3 and 4 (La Push and Neah Bay) at all depths. The nearshore fishery in those areas will be open June 17 and 19, but halibut fishing will be restricted to waters no more than 30 fathoms deep. Coordinates and other regulations are included in the 2008-09 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.
All other marine areas are now closed to halibut fishing except Marine Area 5 (Sekiu), which is open five days a week (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) through July 21.
Although halibut fishing is closed in Marine Area 2, fishing for other bottomfish will remain open. Fishing for, and possession of, rockfish and lingcod is prohibited seaward of 30 fathoms through June 15.
Anglers are advised to check the 2008-09 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet for regulations specific to each area (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm
). Details on halibut rules are online (halibut/http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/halibut/).
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Sport Halibut Fishing to Close off Ilwaco at the End of the Day June 1
May 29, 2008
OLYMPIA – The recreational halibut fishery off Ilwaco will close at the end of the day Sunday, June 1 after four weeks of fishing, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.
Fishing ends at 11:59 p.m. on June 1, by which time anglers are expected to reach the 13,133-pound quota for the primary season in Marine Area 1, said Heather Reed, coastal policy coordinator.
The area has been open to halibut fishing seven days a week since May 1. Following the closure, the fishery will reopen for a late season Aug. 1, three days a week (Friday-Sunday) until the remaining quota is taken.
Reed reminds anglers that no other bottom fish may be taken, retained, possessed or landed, except sablefish and Pacific cod, if halibut are onboard the vessel.
Meanwhile, halibut fishing remains open two days a week (Sundays and Tuesdays) in Marine Area 2 off Westport. The fishery is also open five days a week (Thursday through Monday) in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and all other areas of Puget Sound except Hood Canal.
Halibut fishing in marine areas 3 and 4 will be open May 31 at all depths. The fishery in those two areas is scheduled to reopen June 17 and 19 with fishing restricted to the nearshore area and Marine Area 4B on those days, as specified in WDFW’s 2008-09 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.
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