Discovery Bay shrimp season to reopen

OLYMPIA -- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will reopen the Discovery Bay recreational shrimp season from August 9 through September 15.

WDFW reached an agreement with the tribes of the Point No Point Treaty Council that resulted in additional coonstripe shrimp being available to sport fishers in the Discovery Bay shrimp district. The district is located south of a line from McCurdy Point on the Quimper Peninsula to the northern tip of Protection Island, then to Rocky Point on the Miller Peninsula. A diagram is shown on page 23 of the 1997 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet. The diagram also may be viewed on the WDFW homepage (www.wdfw.wa.gov).

Regulations for shrimp pots and buoys also are described in the pamphlet.

All spot shrimp must be released unharmed immediately. Shrimp species are illustrated on page 48 of the pamphlet.

The recreational harvest of coonstripe shrimp requires a Shellfish/Seaweed License which can be obtained at sporting goods stores and at all WDFW regional offices.