Coastal commercial troll fisheries hotline

Updated: June 27, 2024

Summer season added.

COASTAL COMMERCIAL TROLL

Summer Season

Washington catch areas 2, 3, and 4 from Leadbetter Point north to the United States - Canada border will be open for an all salmon species season July 1-September 15.  Washington Catch Area 1 from Cape Falcon, Oregon north to Leadbetter Point will be open for an all salmon species season July 1-September 30.  The seasons will close the earliest of September 15 in Washington catch areas 2, 3, and 4, September 30 in Washington catch area 1, or attainment of the quota of 16,400 Chinook or 15,200 marked coho.  Fishing is open seven days per week.  All salmon are legal except no chum retention north of Cape Alava beginning August 1.  All retained coho must be marked with a healed adipose fin clip.  

Landing and Possession Limits

Effective 12:01 AM Monday, July 1, 2024:

For the period July 1-10:

Landing and possession limits for the entire area between Cape Falcon and the U.S./Canada border of 40 Chinook and 100 marked coho per vessel for the open period.

Effective 12:01 AM Thursday, July 11, 2024

Beginning July 11:

Landing and possession limits for the entire area between Cape Falcon and the U.S./Canada border of 40 Chinook and 100 marked coho per vessel per landing week (Thursday through Wednesday).

Please be aware that landing and possession limits may be added or modified in-season.

Vessel Landing and Call-in Requirements

  • Vessels in possession of salmon north of the Queets River or vessels in possession of salmon south of the Queets River may not cross the Queets River line without first notifying WDFW by phone at 360-249-1215 or by email at Danielle.Williams@dfw.wa.gov with area fished, total Chinook, coho, and halibut catch aboard, and destination.   
  • Vessels fishing, or in possession of salmon north of Leadbetter Point must land and deliver all species of fish in a Washington port and must possess a Washington troll and/or salmon delivery license.  Vessels may not land fish east of the Sekiu River or east of Tongue Point, Oregon.  For delivery to Washington ports south of Leadbetter Point, vessels must notify WDFW at 360-249-1215 or by email at Danielle.Williams@dfw.wa.gov prior to crossing the Leadbetter Point line with area fished, total Chinook, coho, and halibut catch aboard, and destination with approximate time of delivery. During any single trip, only one side of the Leadbetter Point line may be fished. 
  • Vessels fishing or in possession of salmon while fishing south of Leadbetter Point must land and deliver their fish within the area and south of Leadbetter Point except Oregon permitted vessels may land their fish in Garibaldi, Oregon.   
  • Vessels fishing in a subarea north of Cape Falcon with a higher limit may transit through and land in a subarea with a lower limit.  Prior to crossing the subarea line at Leadbetter Point or Queets River, vessels must notify WDFW at 360-249-1215 or by email at Danielle.Williams@dfw.wa.gov with area fished, total Chinook, coho, and halibut catch aboard, and destination with approximate time of delivery.

General Rules

  • Vessels must land and deliver their fish within 24 hours of any closure of this fishery. 
  • Grays Harbor Control Zone is closed beginning August 12.  Salmon Troll Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area, Cape Flattery and Columbia Control Zones are closed. 
  • All salmon are legal, except no chum retention north of Cape Alava beginning August 1. 
  • The minimum size limit for Chinook is 27 inches and the minimum size limit for coho is 16 inches. 
  • Gear is restricted to all legal troll gear with single point, single shank barbless hooks only. 
  • The take home salmon limit, regardless of species, is no more than three per landing and delivery.
  • Trip limits, gear restrictions, and guidelines may be instituted or adjusted in-season.
  • Please check the coastal commercial troll fisheries hotline for regulation updates prior to going fishing.

Halibut

The operator of a vessel that has been issued an incidental halibut harvest license may retain Pacific halibut caught incidentally in area 2A during authorized periods while trolling for salmon.  License holders may land no more than 1 halibut per each 2 Chinook, except 1 halibut may be landed without meeting the ratio requirement.  No more than 35 halibut may be landed per trip. Halibut minimum size limit is 32 inches total length with head on.  In-season action may be taken to avoid exceeding the commercial halibut allocation. 

Quick Reporting

The Washington State Quick Reporting System is in effect throughout the 2024 commercial troll fishery.  All wholesale dealers or trollers retailing their fish are required to report their landing by 10:00 a.m. the day following delivery.   Reports can be made by faxing to 360-902-2949, or by calling 866-791-1279.  Buyers and dealers can also Quick Report by sending a photo of their filled-out fish ticket to: trollfishtickets@dfw.wa.gov either by email or text message. To send a photo via text message to the e-mail address: open a new text message, select the photo, and put the email address in the phone number line. Please report dealer name and license number, the date of landing, the fish ticket number, the gear, the area fished, the number of days fished, the number of fish by species and the total weight by species including halibut.  

All commercial troll fishery participants are encouraged to provide a vessel name and/or vessel ID when completing a Quick Report, in addition to the Washington State Quick Reporting System requirements currently in place.  A vessel name and/or vessel ID associated with a Quick Report is a benefit to accurate inseason assessment of the commercial troll fishery. 

Coastal commercial troll fisheries are managed on a quota.  Open days, landing and possession limits, or any other regulation could change at any time.  The fisheries hotline is also available by calling 360-515-4313.