Managing fish populations
A partial snapshot of how the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages fish and shellfish in the state.
Marine Protected Areas
To protect and preserve a variety of marine fish, shellfish, and habitats, WDFW has established marine reserves at several sites in Puget Sound.
Fish hatcheries
For more than a century, WDFW hatcheries have produced fish for harvest.
North of Falcon
Each year state, federal and tribal fishery managers gather to plan the Northwest's recreational and commercial salmon fisheries.
Columbia River fisheries and management
The Columbia River is home to many fisheries across a wide swath of the state; learn more about how those fisheries are managed.
Puget Sound Chinook Resource Management Plan
WDFW and tribal co-managers are developing a revised version of a plan to guide the next decade of Chinook salmon fishing in the Puget Sound region.
Salmon Conservation and Reporting Engine (SCoRE)
Find up-to-date information and context for statewide efforts to protect and conserve salmon and steelhead.
SalmonScape
This mapping tool delivers the science that helps recovery planners prioritize restoration activities offering the greatest benefit to fish.
Forage fish ecology in Washington State
Despite good information on the distribution of spawning beaches, our understanding of the ecology and protection needs for these species is very limited.
Coded Wire Tag Program
Coded wire tags are used to help assess abundance and catch rates on certain populations of salmon and steelhead.
Warmwater fish program
This program enhances fishing opportunities for warmwater game fish in Washington while protecting native species.
Spawning Ground Survey Database
The Spawning Ground Survey (SGS) database houses raw data collected during seasonal surveys of salmonid spawning habitat. These data are used to generate estimates of escapement and other metrics of salmonid abundance.
Dingell-Johnson Act
Information about the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, which provides funding to state fish and wildlife agencies to support recreational fishing.
Steelhead fishery management
Find out how WDFW is supporting steelhead recovery through robust steelhead management, guided by our Statewide Steelhead Management Plan.