OLYMPIA— Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced
corrections and clarifications to the recently published 2005-2006 “Fishing
In Washington” sport-fishing rules pamphlet.
Among the changes are recently adopted Puget Sound sport crabbing rules that
were not established at the time the pamphlet was published.
The corrections, clarifications and answers to frequently asked questions
may also be viewed on the fishing and shellfishing regulations section of the
WDFW website at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/index.jsp
Fishers should note the following changes to previously published sportfishing
rules:
Page 132 – Seasons
and limits for Puget Sound crab
(Puget Sound crab seasons and limits were not established at the time of pamphlet
publication.)
Correction: Limits-The
Dungeness crab daily limit is five male crab with a 6¼ -inch minimum
in Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line and marine areas 5 through
13. The
daily limit for red rock crab is six crab, with
a 5-inch minimum size, either sex. Seasons- Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu)
and 13 (south Puget Sound) will open June 18, seven days per week, and will
close February 28, 2006, or when the harvest share is reached, whichever comes
first. Marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 7 South (San Juan Islands),
8-1 (Deception Pass to East Point), 8-2 (East Point to Possession Point), 9
(Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon) and 12 (Hood
Canal) will open July 1, Wednesdays through Saturdays, plus the entire Labor
Day weekend, before closing the evening of Sept. 5 for a catch assessment.
Marine Area 7 East (Anacortes to Bellingham) will open July 16, Wednesdays
through Saturdays, plus the entire Labor Day weekend, closing for a catch assessment
Sept. 30. Marine Area 7 North (Bellingham to Point Roberts) will open Aug.
17, Wednesdays through Saturdays, plus the entire Labor Day weekend, closing
for a catch assessment Sept. 30.
Page 132— Catch record
card and endorsement clarification:
Error: The first sentence at the top of the crab rules page incorrectly implies
that a catch record card and endorsement is required to fish for Dungeness
crab, statewide.
Correction: The endorsement requirement is for Puget Sound only. The catch
record card is required for all Washington sport crabbing.
Page 47 – Naselle
River (Pacific Co.) from the Highway 4 Bridge to the Crown Mainline (Salme)
Bridge:
Error: Language in the pamphlet currently suggests that the area is closed
at all times, but the area is closed only from July 16 – Oct. 15.
Correction: CLOSED WATERS - from the falls in Sec. 6, T 10N, R8W (Wahkiakum
Co.) downstream 400 feet. Waters from 200 feet upstream of the Naselle Salmon
Hatchery water-supply intake barrier to 400 feet downstream of the entrance
to adult attraction channel are closed July 16 - Oct. 15.
Page 53 - Skokomish River (Mason Co.) from mouth to Hwy. 101 Bridge:
Error: The Aug. 1- Aug. 31 season wasomitted for all game fish.
Correction: All game fish open June 1- Feb. 28 to catch-and-release fishing,
except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained.
Page 55 – Stillaguamish
River, North Fork (Snohomish Co.)
Error: Fly fishing only omitted from the May 1-Nov. 30 season.
Correction: The all-game fish season from May 1- Nov. 30 is for fly fishing
only.
Page 111 – Area 8-1
Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay
Error: The 22-inch minimum size limit for chinook was omitted from the rules
for the Oct. 1-Apr. 30 season.
Correction: Oct. 1-Apr. 30, chinook minimum size 22 inches. Other salmon
species—no
minimum size. Daily limit two fish (combined). Release wild chinook. Handling
rule in effect for wild chinook.
Page 135 – Half-inch
square peg requirement for shrimp pots
Error: The pamphlet states starting June 1, there is a half-inch minimum mesh
size for all shrimp pots (a half-inch square peg must be able to pass through
each mesh opening).
Correction: There is no requirement for a half-inch square peg to pass through
mesh size opening after May.
