WDFW adds new toll-free shellfish hotline

ARCHIVED NEWS RELEASE
This document is provided for archival purposes only. Archived documents do not reflect current WDFW regulations or policy and may contain factual inaccuracies.

News release June 21, 2001

Brad Sele, (360) 586-1498
Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

OLYMPIA - Looking for the latest word on shellfish regulations in Puget Sound?

You can now get that information toll-free by dialing the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's new toll-free Shellfish Rule Change Hotline at 1-866-880-5431.

The new toll-free number connects callers to the same updated information on recreational shellfish regulations as the old shellfish hotline - but without the long-distance charge.

"The new toll-free number reflects the high priority the department has put on improving customer service," said Brad Sele, resource manager at the Point Whitney Shellfish Laboratory in Brinnon. "We want to make sure everyone has access to the latest information."

The hotline provides important updates to the WDFW Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet with information about emergency regulations, conservation and public health closures and federally mandated allocation requirements with treaty tribes.

"We encourage people to call the toll-free number any time they plan to harvest shellfish in Washington state," Sele said.

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.