Commercial sea cucumber fishery

Notice: For harvesters planning to work in District 5 (South Sound) next week, please coordinate with me to prevent overharvest.

Harvest quotas and landings

The landings below include all reports received for the 2019-20 season and are unofficial.

Sea Cucumber Harvest Area 2019-2020 State Quota Share 2019-2020 State  Fishery Landings
San Juan Island - District 1 137,000 lbs 46,500
Strait of Juan de Fuca - District 2-1 64,000 lbs 28,750
Admiralty Inlet - District 2-2 26,954 lbs 27,487 (CLOSED)
Central Puget Sound - District 3 CLOSED CLOSED
Hood Canal - District 4 CLOSED CLOSED
South Puget Sound - District 5 15,000 lbs 10,000

 

REGULATIONS:

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-730, effective August 13, 2019, it is unlawful to take or possess sea cucumbers taken for commercial purposes except as provided for in this section:

 (1) Sea cucumber harvest using shellfish diver gear is allowed in the following Marine Fish- Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas of Sea Cucumber District 1, Monday through Sunday of each week: 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B.

 (2) Sea cucumber harvest using shellfish diver gear is allowed in the following Marine Fish- Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas of Sea Cucumber District 2, Monday through Sunday of each week: 29, 23A, 23D, and 23C east of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 48.3 minutes west longitude, and west of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 52.7 minutes west longitude.

 (3) Sea cucumber harvest using shellfish diver gear is allowed in the Marine Fish- Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas of Sea Cucumber District 5, Monday through Sunday of each week: 28B, 28C, 28D, and 28A except for all waters of Hale Passage and Wollochet Bay within the following lines: west of a line projected true south from the shoreline near Point Fosdick at 122 degrees 35 minutes west longitude to 47 degrees 14 minutes north latitude, and thence projected true west to the shoreline of Fox Island, and east of a line projected true south from the shoreline near Green Point at 122 degrees 41 minutes west longitude to 47 degrees 16.5 minutes north latitude, and thence projected true east to the shoreline of Fox Island.

 (4) The maximum cumulative landing of sea cucumbers for each weekly fishery opening period is 1,800 pounds per valid designated sea cucumber harvest license.

Sea cucumber harvest districts and reporting areas
WDFW

Closed areas pertain to the commercial sea cucumber fishery. In addition, see permanent WACs 220-302 and 220-303 for more information on Marine Preserves and Conservation Area closures. Legal descriptions of commercial sea cucumber harvest districts are found in WAC 220-340-730 Sea Cucumbers. Legal descriptions of commercial sea cucumber catch reporting areas can be found in WAC 220-301-040 Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas within Puget Sound.

Permanent WACs