For green urchin in Districts 3 & 4, the remaining quota of 11,000 pounds can be quickly taken depending on the number of participating licenses. Harvesters, please contact me directly if you plan to work in Districts 3 & 4 next week.
For green urchin in District 2, there are 8,000 pounds of quota remaining, and it will be reopened on Monday December 11th. Harvesters, please contact me directly before Thursday December 7th to participate in the mop-up week for District 2.
For red urchin, harvest will open on January 1st with a weekly trip limit of 1500 pounds/license.
WDFW-managed state sea urchin quota shares and preliminary landings for the 2023-2024 season:
Green urchins
| Sea Urchin Harvest Area | 2023-24 State Share (pounds) | Preliminary Landings (pounds) |
|---|---|---|
| District 1 (San Juan Island Area) | 150,000 | 50,000 |
| District 2 (Admiralty Area) | 40,000 | 31,500 (CLOSED) |
| District 3 & 4 (Strait Area, excluding Neah Bay) | 50,000 | 38,750 |
| District 5 (Neah Bay Area) | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Districts 6 & 7 (South/Central Puget Sound Area) | 22,910 | 21,171 (CLOSED) |
Red urchins
| Sea Urchin Harvest Area | 2023-24 State Share (pounds) | Preliminary Landings (pounds) |
|---|---|---|
| District 1 (San Juan Island Area) | 71,000 | (CLOSED) |
| District 2 (Admiralty Area) | 13,000 | (CLOSED) |
| District 3 (Port Angeles Area) | 66,444 | (CLOSED) |
| District 4 (Sekiu Area) | 45,921 | (CLOSED) |
| District 5 (Neah Bay Area) | CLOSED | CLOSED |
Regulations
WAC 220-340-75000Z Commercial sea urchin fisheries.
Effective November 27, 2023, until further notice, the provisions of WAC 220-340-750 regarding commercial harvest of sea urchins shall be modified as described below. All other provisions of WAC 220-340-750 not addressed herein remain in effect unless otherwise amended by emergency rule:
- 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.
- The following areas are open for green sea urchin harvest only, seven days-per-week: Sea Urchin District 1, District 3, District 4.
- The maximum cumulative landings for green sea urchins for each weekly fishery opening period is 1,500 pounds per valid designated sea urchin harvest license.
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
- 220-340-030: Shellfish Harvest Logs
- 220-340-750: Permanent Sea Urchin Fishing Regulations
- 220-305: Fish Rules of General Application
- 220-320: Shellfish - Definitions, Classifications and General Rules
- 220-353: General Commercial Fishery Rules
- 220-340-040: Sale of Commercially Caught Shellfish
- 220-352: Fish Receiving Tickets, Sales, Commercial Duties, and Recordkeeping
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