Marine Area 9 salmon season reverts back to permanent rules starting December 1

November 20, 2015

Action: Marine Area 9 is scheduled to open to salmon fishing on Jan. 16, 2016 and Edmonds Public Fishing Pier opens Dec.1, 2015.

Effective Date: Dec. 1, 2015 through April 15, 2016.

Species affected: Salmon

Location: Marine Area 9 within Puget Sound, including year-round piers.

Reason for action: Test fishery data collected during November indicated there is still a high abundance of juvenile (sublegal-size) chinook salmon present and opening would lead to reaching the allowable limit of total chinook encounters early in the Area 9 winter mark-selective chinook fishery. Delaying the opening to January will allow the state to monitor the sub-legal to legal-sized proportion of chinook. Edmonds Public Fishing pier reverts back the year-round rules as minimal impacts are expected.

Other information: WDFW will continue to evaluate the ratio of legal to sublegal-size chinook to help minimize the risk of anglers encountering sub-legal chinook and maximize fishing opportunity for the mark-selective chinook fishery in Area 9. Specific regulations for the Edmonds Public Fishing Pier can be found in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.

Information contact: Ryan Lothrop (360) 902-2808

Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license, appropriate to the fishery. Check the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations. Fishing rules are subject to change. Check the WDFW Fishing hotline for the latest rule information at 360-902-2500, press 2 for recreational rules. For the Shellfish Rule Change hotline call toll free 866-880-5431.

Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.