Emergency rule changes are critical rule changes that require immediate action and are good for 120 days or less. These are the emergency rule changes filed by WDFW in 2020.
December
- Commercial whale watching of southern resident killer whales
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule
- Lower Columbia River recreational salmon rule
- Columbia River steelhead rule
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule
- Coastal commercial crab rule correction
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule
- Coastal commercial crab rule
- Recreational crab closure in Marine Areas 1 and 2
- Conservation rules implemented on coastal tribuatries
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule
November
- Puget Sound commercial sea urchin fishery
- Closes recreational crabbing in Areas 2 and 2-2
- Adult salmon daily limits increased for many SW Washington Columbia River tributaries
- Hoodsport hatchery zone closes to recreational fishing
- Puget Sound commercial salmon rule
- Puget sound commercial squid fishery
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule
- Adult salmon daily limit increases for Drano Lake
- Cleman Mountain hunt
October
- Puget Sound purse seine and gillnet fisheries
- Lower Columbia River fishery updates
- Salmon fishing to close at Chico Creek and Gorst Creek tidelands
- Puget Sound purse seine and gillnet closures in Areas 10 and 11
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Closes razor clam season
- Commercial sea urchin fishery
- Puget Sound gill net and purse seine fisheries in Areas 10 and 11
- Coho season extended in the Skagit River
- Puget Sound commercial crab fishery
- Razor clam digs approved Oct. 16 through Oct. 21
- Closes the commercial sea cucumber season
- Opens recreational crab season in Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2
- Palix River opens for salmon retention
- Closes commercial gillnet and purse seine fisheries in Salmon Management and Catch Reporting Areas 10, 11, 12, and 12B
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Hatchery coho limit to increase in Skagit River
- Skagit River from Highway 9 to Baker River to temporarily close to all fishing
- Grande Ronde River steelhead fishery
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Lower Columbia River fishery update
- Willapa Bay salmon fall fishery
- Opens coho salmon fishing in Willapa Bay tributaries
- Closes recreational crab in the area of Marine area 12 south of Ayock Point
- Adult chinook daily limits increase on the Green, Toutle, North Fork Toutle and Washougal rivers
- Repeals Fire protection measures on WDFW lands
- Commercial treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
September
- Yakima River fall salmon fishery to open
- Salmon seasons updated on upper Columbia River
- Opens Puget Sound commercial crab season
- Commercial sea urchin fishery
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Opens coho retention on the Icicle River and upper Columbia River
- Willapa Bay salmon fall fishery
- Opens Puget Sound recreational crab fishery
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Opens 3 sturgeon retention days on the Columbia River (Wauna to Bonneville)
- Recreational halibut dates added to remainder of season
- Skagit River from Highway 9 Bridge to Baker River to temporarily close to all fishing
- Lower Columbia River salmon fishery update
- Delayed openings in Willapa Bay commercial salmon fishery
- Columbia River Treaty fishing regulations
- Opening of Puget Sound non-spot shrimp commercial fishery
- Extension of Bighorn Sheep season through Oct 31
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Columbia River recreational sturgeon and salmon fishery
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Closes the coastal commercial crab season
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Commercial sea cucumber fishery
- Columbia River recreational salmon fishery
- Daily limits removed from Hatch Lake and McDowell Lake
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Westport will open for another all depth halibut day on September 11, 2020
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Westport to open for salmon fishing 7 days per week, Chinook limit increasing
- Commercial sea cucumber fishery
- Opportunity to harvest spot shrimp in Marine Area 7-East and 7-West
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
August
- Fall Chinook harvest to be allowed in additional section of the Snake River
- Grande Ronde, Snake, Touchet, Tucannon and Walla Walla rivers Steelhead rules
- Voight Creek closure effective September 1, 2020
- Closes recreational oyster harvesting at Belfair State Park, Potlatch State Park, Potlatch DNR, and Twanoh State Park beaches, effective Sept. 1
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Additional all-depth halibut days added in Marine Areas 1 and 2
- Anglers can retain hatchery Chinook in Whatcom Creek
- Puget Sound Gillnet and Purse seine fisheries
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Fall Chinook harvest to be allowed in the Snake River
- Puget Sound gillnet fishery—Closes Area 7C
- Marine Area 7 Chinook opener delayed
- Puget Sound recreational salmon fishery
- Puget Sound clam and mussel seasons close on some Hood canal beaches
- Columbia River treaty fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Puget Sound recreational crab fishery
- Puget Sound recreational shrimp fishery
- Puget Sound recreational salmon rules
- Closes recreational salmon fishing in Marine Area 4
July
- Baker Lake to close for sockeye
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Puget Sound Commercial sea cucumber fishery
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Upper Columbia River and Lake Wenatchee rules
- Marine Area 1 recreational salmon season to close
- Opens summer halibut seasons for Marine Areas 1 through 10
- Shrimp fishery closes in Marine Area 12
- Closes recreational Chinook harvest in Marine Area 5
- Columbia River treaty fishery
- Baker Lake opens for sockeye retention
- Lower Columbia River Chinook fishery extended
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Columbia River recreational fishery
- Upper Columbia, Entiat, and Chelan rivers open summer Chinook
- Hanford Reach opens summer Chinook opportunity
- Spot shrimp fishery closes in Marine Area 6 outside Discovery Bay
- Lower Columbia River opens summer Chinook opportunity
June
- Fire protection measures on WDFW lands
- Coastal commercial crab fishery
- Opens Puget Sound recreational crab fishery
- Puget Sound recreational salmon season changes
- Ocean commercial troll summer seasons set
- Snake River steelhead fisheries to close July 1
- Drano Lake and Wind River return to permanent rules
- Recreational shrimp to open in Marine Area 4
- Recreational coastal salmon seasons set
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp rule
- Kalama River adult salmon daily limit reduced through July 31
- Marine Area 5 lingcod/halibut rule clarification
- Marine Area 4 recreational fisheries return to permanent rules
- Puget Sound recreational shrimp fishery
- Klickitat River fisheries return to permanent rules
- Cowlitz anglers must release Chinook through July 31
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Hoh River closed to all fishing
- Reopens camping in Okanogan and Clark counties
- Skagit River to close for sockeye
- Recreational clam, mussel, and oyster fishery scheduled to open on most Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca beaches
- Lake Roosevelt white sturgeon retention season
- Icicle River to open for hatchery spring Chinook
- Repeals the suspension of non-resident recreational fishing license sales
- Reopens camping in Phase 2 counties
- Reopens camping in Klickitat county
May
- Wind River and Drano Lake to close for summer salmon and steelhead retention
- Columbia River sockeye salmon and steelhead seasons
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Reopens recreational fisheries in coastal waters
- Puget Sound recreational shrimp fishery
- Tulalip terminal Area salmon fishery changes
- Closes spring Chinook seasons on Snake River
- Upper Nisqually River closed to fishing until July 1
- Spring Chinook to open on North Fork Nooksack River
- Puget Sound recreational halibut seasons set
- Portion of the Cascade River will close 3 days per week
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp fishery
- Snake River spring Chinook closes in Clarkston area
- Spring Chinook to open for 4 additional days on the Columbia River
- Coastal commercial salmon troll opening
- Spring Chinook season to open on Skagit River
- Many recreational fishing opportunities reopen May 5, 2020
- Spring Chinook to open in portions of the Snake River
- WDFW lands reopen to public on May 5
- Columbia River spring Chinook opens above and below Bonneville, plus sockeye in the lower River set
- Spring bear season reopens on May 5 and extends to June 30
April
- Puget Sound commercial shrimp rule
- Commercial razor clam season opens May 1
- Spring turkey season reopens on May 5
- Coastal commercial crab rule
- Suspension of the sale and issuance of non-resident recreational fishing licenses
- Puget Sound commercial scallop fishery
- Opens Puget Sound commercial trawl and pot fisheries for shrimp
- Closes Puget Sound commercial crab Region 3-3
- Turkey Spring Season Delay
- Spring Bear Season Delay
- Columbia River below Bonneville commercial rule
March
- Youth and Hunter Education Instructor Turkey Hunts
- 2020 Spring Black Bear Season Delay
- River Otter and Bobcat Pelt Sealing
- All recreational fishing and shellfish harvesting closed
- WDFW Camping and Land Closure
- Salmon and steelhead rule changes for several Southwest Washington waters
- 2020 Columbia River Select Area commercial seasons
- Sturgeon retention closes in John Day pool
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Opens recreational salmon in Bellingham Bay fishery area
February
- Willapa Bay tributaries will close to all fishing
- Closes the 2019-2020 commercial sea urchin season
- Razor clam digs approved March 6 through March 11, 2020
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Amends recreational fishing rules for Southwest Rivers
- Columbia River spring Chinook seasons set
- Recreational smelt opener scheduled for Feb. 26
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Barbless hooks required for salmon and steelhead on the lower Columbia River
- Razor clam digs approved Feb. 20 through Feb. 23
- Recreational fishing to close in all waters of the Chehalis River Basin
- Coastal commercial crab fishery
- Puget Sound commercial crab fishery
- Columbia River commercial fishery below Bonneville Dam
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Recreational sturgeon fisheries to close in Bonneville and The Dalles pools
- Recreation eulachon smelt fishery opens for one day on part of the Cowlitz River
- Closes harvest of red sea urchins in Sea Urchin District 1 and Catch Reporting Areas 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B of Sea Urchin District 2
January
- Razor clam digs approved Feb. 6 through Feb. 12
- Columbia River commercial smelt season opens Mondays and Thursdays, Feb. 3 through Feb. 27
- Columbia River treaty fishery above Bonneville Dam
- Hoko River returns to permanent rules
- Puget Sound commercial sea urchin fishery
- Closes Puget Sound commercial crab Region 3-1
- Closes Puget Sound commercial crab Region 2-East
- Anglers must release all sturgeon in the McNary Pool
- Razor clam digs approved Jan. 21 through Jan. 26
- Coastal commercial crab fishery
- Coastal commercial crab rule
- Opens Puget Sound commercial crab Region 2E w/additional reporting requirements
- Puget Sound commercial crab Region 3-1 will remain open until further notice
- Puget Sound commercial crab rule: Region 3-1 to remain open until 6 p.m., Jan. 12
- Puget Sound commercial crab harvest closes in Region 3-1
- Razor clam digs approved for Jan. 8 though Jan. 14