Commercial sea urchin fishery

There are only 1,500 pounds of red sea urchin remaining in District 3. That quota will be reached by the end of this week (ending Jan 17), and it will be closed beginning next week (Jan 18). Standby for updated regulations.

Harvest quotas and landings

Non-Treaty sea urchin quota shares and preliminary landings for the 2020-2021 season:

Green urchins

Sea Urchin Harvest Area 2020- 21 State Share (pounds) Preliminary  Landings (pounds)
District 1 (San Juan Island Area) 175,000 111,750
District 2 (Admiralty Area) 40,000 4,25039,272 (CLOSED)
District 3 & 4 (Strait Area, excluding Neah Bay) 49,279 27,000
District 5 (Neah Bay Area) CLOSED CLOSED
Districts 6 & 7 (South/Central Puget Sound Area) 25,000 7,750

Red urchins

Sea Urchin Harvest Area 2020-21 State Share (pounds) Preliminary Landings (pounds)
District 1 (San Juan Island Area) 132,000 68,000
District 2 (Admiralty Area) 13,000 500
District 3 (Port Angeles Area) 60,000 58,500
District 4 (Sekiu Area) 28,750 -
District 5 (Neah Bay Area) CLOSED CLOSED

Regulations

  

WAC 220-340-750000Z  Commercial sea urchin fisheries.

 Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-750, effective November 30, 2020, until further notice:

 

  1. It is unlawful for any person to fish for, take, or possess for commercial purposes any green sea urchins less than 2.25 inches; or red sea urchins measuring less than 3.25 inches or greater than 5 inches. All measurements are caliper measurements of the largest shell (test) diameter, exclusive of the spines.
  2. The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1; District 2 Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, 23A; District 3 east of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 48.3 minutes west longitude; District 4 west of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 52.7 minutes west longitude; District 6; and District 7 except 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.
  3. The following areas are open for red sea urchin harvest seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1; District 2; and District 3 east of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 48.3 minutes west longitude; and District 4 west of a line projected true north from the shoreline at 123 degrees 52.7 minutes west longitude.
  4. The maximum cumulative landings for green sea urchins and red sea urchins for each weekly fishery opening period is 1,500 pounds per species per valid designated sea urchin harvest license. Fishery weeks are Monday’s through Sunday’s.

 

Sea urchin harvest districts

Closed areas pertain to the commercial sea urchin 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 urchin harvest districts are found in WAC 220-340-750: Sea Urchins. Legal descriptions of commercial sea urchin catch reporting areas can be found in WAC 220-301-040: Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas within Puget Sound.

Permanent WACs