In the last industry
notice there was error made to a Quileute Special Management Area (SMA)
coordinate. The error was made on the northwest corner longitude coordinates
(124°40.00 W). The correct longitude coordinate is 124°49.00
W. I would like to express my gratitude to the fishermen for bringing
this error to my attention.
As stated in the
previous announcement, the state commercial coastal Dungeness crab fishery
will open from Destruction Island to the U.S. Canada border at 8:00
AM, January 26, 2008. There will not be a 64-hour pre-set period before
the opening.
As a reminder, the
Quileute SMA will be closed to state fishers immediately upon the opening
of the state fishery north of Destruction Island. The SMA is scheduled
to open to state fishers beginning at 8:00 AM, May 1, 2008.
The Quileute SMA
is described as the area from Cape Johnson to Destruction Island shoreward
of a line approximating 30 fathoms according to the following points:
- Northeast Corner;
Cape Johnson 47°58.00 – 124°40.40
- Northwest Corner;
47°58.00 – 124°49.00
- Southwest Corner;
47°40.50 – 124°40.00
- Southeast Corner;
Destruction Island 47°40.50 – 124°24.43
The Makah SMA
will be closed to state fishers immediately upon the opening of the
state fishery north of Destruction Island (8:00 a.m. January 26, 2008).
Note that this is different from previous seasons. The SMA will
be closed for 30-days, the opening will be announced after 2007-2008
harvest data has been reviewed by WDFW and Makah staff. The Makah SMA
is described as the coastal waters between 48°02.15 N. to 48°20.00
N. east of a line connecting those points approximating the 25-fathom
line according to the following coordinates:
- Northeast Corner;
Tatoosh Island
- Northwest Corner;
48°19.50 N. - 124°50.45 W.
- Southwest Corner;
48°02.15 N. - 124°50.45 W
- Southeast Corner;
48°02.15 N. - 124°41.00 W
Requirements for
vessels that participated in the fishery between Point Arena, CA and
Klipsan Beach, WA including Willapa Bay, before the area north of Klipsan
Beach opened (December 30, 2007):
- Those vessels
may not fish in the area between Oysterville and Destruction Island
until 8:00 AM, February 4, 2008.
- Those may not
fish in the area between Destruction Island and the U.S.-Canada border
until 8:00 AM February 15, 2008.
