2001 Sport Catch Report

The Washington State Sport Catch Report was first published in 1967. The report originally provided salmon harvest estimates, which were and still are based on data from catch record cards (punch cards). Beginning in 1975, marine fish sport harvest estimates were reported in the sport catch report. In 1976, shellfish sport harvest was added. Marine fish and intertidal shellfish sport harvest estimates are based on field and creel surveys. In 1994, steelhead sport harvest estimates, from catch record cards, were added to the report. Now, catch record card data are collected for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, Dungeness crab, and halibut. Those data are supplemented with field or creel survey data or telephone surveys where and when possible to improve recreational harvest estimate accuracy.

The 2001 sport estimates (except Dungeness crab) reflect harvest from April 1, 2001, through March 31, 2002. The sport Dungeness crab catch estimates are for the period from April 21, 2001, through April 15, 2002. There were different seasons in different areas of Puget Sound, but this time range encompasses them all.

Historically salmon, sturgeon, halibut, marine fish and shellfish estimates were made on a calendar year basis from January 1 through December 31. Steelhead estimates were summarized from May 1 through the next April 30 to better capture the results of steelhead â€�"run years”. Effective January 1, 1999, management adopted an April 1 to March 31 license year for all species. To adjust to the new reporting time frames, the 1999 sport report included 15 months of salmon and sturgeon catch and 11 months of steelhead catch (May 1, 1999 â€" March 31, 2000). When comparing past years’ sport harvest estimate tables, please note the changes in the license structure and reporting year as described above. The term â€�"catch” in this report is the same as â€�"harvest” (kept fish). Released fish are not recorded.

Sport licenses and Catch Record Cards

In 2001, the following licenses and catch record cards were required to fish in Washington:

• A saltwater license was required for resident and non-resident anglers 16 years of age and over. This license allowed the holder to catch any fish existing in saltwater. This license was available in resident annual, resident senior (ages 70 and over), and non-resident annual. In addition, a free catch record card was required of all anglers of all ages to fish for salmon, steelhead, and Dungeness crab, for halibut in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and for sturgeon in the Columbia River, Grays Harbor, and Willapa Bay.
• A freshwater license was required for resident anglers 16 years of age and over, and for all nonresident anglers, to fish for any fish species existing in freshwater. This license was available in resident annual, resident senior (ages 70 and over), and non-resident annual. A free catch record card was also required of anglers of all ages to fish for salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon.
• A shellfish/seaweed license was required for resident and non-resident harvesters 16 years of age and older. This license allowed the holder to fish for crab, gooseneck barnacles, mussels, octopus, scallops, oysters, razor clams, sea cucumbers, softshell and hardshell clams, squid and seaweed. Since Dungeness crab was added to the catch record card, a free catch record card was required of all crabbers of all ages to fish for Dungeness crab.
• A combination license was required for annual resident, annual non-resident and 2-day harvesters 16 years of age and older to participate in all three of the above fishing activities.

Catch record cards were significantly changed beginning in 2000. Previously, separate cards were issued for each species group: salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, or halibut. In 2000, these four species groups plus Dungeness crab were combined onto one catch card record document. A catch record card was issued at no charge to anyone wishing to fish for any of these groups.

In 2001, WDFW implemented the Washington Interactive Licensing Database (WILD) system to electronically capture recreational license issuance information at the point of sale. The catch record card remained the same paper document distributed by sport license vendors, but demographic data about persons receiving the cards became available shortly after issuance. Table 1 shows license sales from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002, based on a direct count of sales. Tables 2, 3, and 4 show the estimated number of salmon, sturgeon and steelhead catch record cards issued. Note that the number of catch record cards issued shown in these tables are estimated from the catch record card databases and, therefore, cannot be directly compared to the license sales number. These numbers cannot be compared since anglers under 16 and over 70 are required to obtain a catch record card but not a license and a license holder may have more than one catch record card. Also, not all dealers returned their catch record card stubs, nor did all anglers return their catch record cards, therefore, correction factors were applied.

Methods

Sport harvest estimates are made in Washington State using various methods. These include catch record cards for: salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and Dungeness crab statewide, and halibut in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Estimates from catch record cards are available six months to one year after the end of the season except catch estimates for Dungeness crab are produced during the season. Creel, telephone interviews, and/or mail surveys are carried out for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, halibut, and shellfish in areas where management requires more timely estimates. Creel surveys consist of checking anglers who are exiting the fishery and asking specific questions about catch and effort. The creel survey estimates for some species and areas are substituted for catch record card estimates (this is noted in the tables).

Anglers holding in-sample cards are sent reminders to return their catch record cards (CRC). Harvest summed from returned in-sample cards is expanded to account for the unsampled cards (75%) and unreturned cards. A bias adjustment factor is applied in some areas and species to account for successful anglers returning cards at a higher rate than unsuccessful anglers. When available, creel survey data are substituted for CRC data. The preliminary sport harvest estimates are sent to WDFW and Tribal biologists for review. After review, comments are compiled and investigated, and final sport harvest estimates are prepared and distributed.

The methods used produce estimates of sport harvest which have some level of uncertainty. This uncertainty, or variance, is estimated and expressed with confidence levels, which are not provided in this report. These variance estimates are available upon request.

Ocean Catch Data

Salmon and marine fish sport catch data from coastal areas 1 â€" 4 were produced using â€�"port sampling” (creel survey) catch estimates. Such estimates were derived by monitoring daily landings at four coastal ports: Ilwaco, Westport, LaPush, and Neah Bay. Catch is reported in the area where the fish was caught and not the area where it was landed.

Statistical Months and Statistical Weeks

Some catch data (i.e. salmon and bottomfish) are reported using statistical months or statistical weeks. Statistical weeks (defined as Monday-Sunday) are consecutively numbered weeks beginning on January 1st and continuing through week 53 or 54 December 31st. The first and last weeks of any year usually contain fewer than 7 days. Statistical months are made up of a set number of statistical weeks, which approximate calendar months but do not coincide with calendar month start and end dates. For example, in 2002, the statistical month of January begins January 1st and ends February 3rd, and the statistical month of February starts on February 4th and ends March 3rd. Since some data are reported using statistical months, as opposed to calendar months, some catch may be reported during what appears to be a closed period.

Salmon

Annual sport salmon catch estimates for 1971 through 2001 are shown in Table 6. Between April 1, 2001, and March 31, 2002, a total of 639,763 salmon were caught in marine areas, 405,324 salmon in freshwater and an additional 11,042 salmon caught in unknown areas. The marine totals by species, as shown in Table 7, are: 73,321 chinook; 439,472 coho; 6,655 chum; 119,858 pink; 408 jacks; and 49 sockeye. Freshwater species breakdowns show: 81,879 chinook; 171,082 coho; 13,435 chum; 119,503 pink; 3,687 sockeye; and 15,338 jacks (all species combined). The unknown area totals are: 2,111 chinook; 5,628 coho; 352 chum; 2,582 pink; 55 sockeye; 212 jacks; and 102 unknown salmon species.

Catch record cards were used to estimate sport salmon catch in marine and freshwater areas, with some exceptions. In marine areas, creel survey estimates were substituted for the catch record card estimates in ocean areas 1-4 (excluding area 2-1 Willapa Bay and area 2-2 Grays Harbor), and in area 5 during July 01-September 30. Area 5 creel survey results are provided in Table 25. In freshwater areas, creel survey estimates were substituted for the catch record card estimates in the Lower Columbia River February â€" October, Klickitat River in April , Little White Salmon River and Drano Lake April â€" Jun 2001 and March 2002, and the Wind River April â€" June, 2001 and March 2002, Lewis River in December and the Kalama River in December. All other estimates are from catch record cards.

Sturgeon

On the new combined sport catch record card, sturgeon fishers were able to record their catch statewide. The total sport harvest for 2001, based on creel surveys and catch record card returns was 25,771 fish. Of this total, 22,917 white sturgeon and 34 green sturgeon and 7 unknown sturgeon species came from the Columbia River and Snake River systems combined (Table 31). Other areas for which sturgeon harvest is reported are the coast (includes Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor) 1,439 white and 14 green and 14 unknown sturgeon species; and Puget Sound, 499 white sturgeon. The unknown area totals are: 740 white sturgeon, 37 green, and 70 unknown sturgeon species. For monthly catch information see Table 31.

Steelhead

Harvest estimates for sport-caught summer and winter steelhead were derived from a random sample of catch record cards. Steelhead caught during the months of May through October are �"summer-runs” designated SSH. Steelhead caught from November through April are �"winter-runs” designated WSH with the exception of steelhead caught above Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, where they are considered �"summer-runs” all year, because of run and spawn timing.

Table 35 presents steelhead sport harvest estimates for the 2001-2002 season geographically by stream and river system. Monthly estimate totals are given for marked and unmarked steelhead.

Marine Fish

Marine fish are those species of fish that live their entire lives in salt water. There are four general groups of marine fish for management purposes: 1) bottomfish, which are species such as rockfish, lingcod and most species of sole and flounder; 2) forage fish, which are small, schooling fish such as herring and smelt; 3) tuna and mackeral; 4) Pacific halibut.

The recreational catch of bottomfish and halibut in ocean waters (Catch Areas 1-4) is estimated from marine surveys (Table 39 and 40). The estimates are made for each of the four main coastal fishing areas: Ilwaco, Westport, LaPush and Neah Bay.

The Puget Sound (Catch Areas 5-13) catch of bottomfish, excluding halibut, is estimated using a combination of two surveys: a creel survey of anglers to determine the catch rate and species composition and the salmon catch record card system to determine total fishing effort. It is important to note that an estimate of the bottomfish catch in Puget Sound is possible only when salmon fishing is open. Any bottomfish harvest in areas and times when salmon fishing is closed is excluded from these estimates. The totals shown on Table 41 are underestimates of the true catch, which is likely to be considerably higher. The halibut catch in Puget Sound is estimated using a special survey of halibut catch record card holders. All persons fishing for halibut in Puget Sound Areas 5-13 are required to obtain a free halibut catch record card and record each halibut they catch. At the end of the halibut season, a sub-sample of card holders is telephoned and asked to report their annual catch of halibut. This number is expanded to estimate the total halibut catch in Puget Sound. Due to the nature of this system, no estimate of halibut catch by catch record area is made, and only the Puget Sound total is given. The recreational catch of forage fish is not routinely monitored, and no harvest estimate is available.

Shellfish

Sport razor clam harvest estimates are shown in Table 42. In the fall of 2001, 2,023,000 razor clams were harvested on 5 beaches. In the spring of 2002, 2,295,000 clams were harvested on 5 beaches.

Puget Sound recreational clam and oyster harvest estimates are shown in Table 43. Harvest totals for Manila and native littleneck clams, butter clams, cockles, softshell clams, horse clams, geoducks and oysters are shown for 68 areas. Estimates show 121,270 sport harvester trips gathered 467,129 total pounds of clams, and 559,312 oysters in 2001.

Sport clam and oyster harvester effort is estimated from a combination of aerial surveys and ground-based counts on selected public beaches throughout Puget Sound. These counts are expanded to represent an entire low tide cycle using an ingress correction ratio. Beach specific creel surveys are conducted to determine catch per harvester-day.

The Hood Canal sport shrimp fishery harvest is reported in Table 44. A total of 73,877 pounds of shrimp were caught in 16,778 pots. The sport Dungeness crab catch by all gear types in the Puget Sound areas are summarized in Table 45. The 2001-02 season was the first season that Dungeness crab catch was estimated with use of the Catch Record Card (CRC) data collected via inseason telephone surveys. This method estimates the pounds of Dungeness crab caught by all gear types. In past reports, only the number of Dungeness crab caught by pot gear was reported.