Salmon fishing off Westport returns to five days a week

OLYMPIA - Effective immediately, the salmon fishery off Westport will once again be restricted to five days a week - Sundays through Thursdays.

Anglers have been allowed to fish daily off Westport (Marine Area 2) since early August, but a significant increase in the recreational catch prompted a return to the Sunday-through-Thursday schedule, said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"Since opening ocean waters off Westport to daily fishing, the number of anglers has dramatically increased and we saw record numbers of chinook caught," Pattillo said. "Making this change now is necessary to keep the chinook fishery off Westport open."

Anglers can still fish for salmon daily off Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) La Push (Marine Area 3) and Neah Bay (Marine Area 4).

Last week, fisheries managers also made the decision to limit anglers fishing off Westport and Ilwaco to one chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit. That change went into effect Sunday (Aug. 14).

Pattillo reminds anglers fishing in ocean waters off La Push and Neah Bay that they can keep up to two chinook salmon as part of their two-salmon daily limit. Anglers fishing marine areas 3 and 4 are also allowed one additional pink salmon each day.

Ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 18 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4, and through Sept. 30 in Marine Area 1.

Fishery managers will continue to monitor the ocean salmon fishery throughout the season, and announce any other changes on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/.

Additional information on the ocean fishery, including minimum-size limits and area catch guidelines, is available in WDFW's Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations.