Catch record cards due from sport fishers and crabbers

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is collecting catch record cards from sport anglers and recreational crabbers who are done fishing for the 2000 license year.

Anglers who wish to continue fishing through the end of the 2000 license year should return their "2000 Sportfish Catch Record" cards immediately after March 31. WDFW requires that all 2000 catch record cards be returned by April 30.

Each year, sport license vendors issue catch record cards to persons who intend to fish for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, Dungeness crab and halibut.

Information from the record cards is used by WDFW to estimate recreational catch for these species.

Even anglers who did not fish and those who fished but caught nothing need to return their catch record cards as the cards are vitally important to producing accurate catch estimates. When those who did not catch anything fail to return their cards, unrealistically high catch estimates may result.

The catch record card system is the most cost-effective method for gathering recreational catch information. Anglers who promptly return catch record cards help reduce the need for reminder letters and costly studies to evaluate the accuracy of recreational catch estimates.

2000 Catch Record Cards should be returned to:

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Fish Program, Catch Record Cards
600 Capitol Way N
Olympia WA 98501