OLYMPIA — Recreational spot shrimp will reopen in four Puget Sound marine areas, including most of the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, for a final time this season beginning Wednesday, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.
Following review of recreational shrimping catch and effort data in Puget Sound to date, WDFW shellfish managers determined that enough of the quota remains to offer additional harvest opportunity in Marine Areas 6, which runs from Low Point near the Lyre River to Point Wilson in Port Townsend — excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp district.
Other areas include Marine Area 7 south (San Juan Islands) and 8-1 and 8-2 (east of Whidbey Island).
Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 will be open only on Wednesday with an additional harvest restriction — shrimpers may only have two spot shrimp pots aboard their vessel or deployed during this opening.
Those looking to spend more days shrimping can take advantage of longer openings and fish the standard four pots per boat in Marine Area 6 and 7-South.
Areas opening for recreational spot shrimp harvest include:
Marine Area 6 (Port Angeles Harbor, eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Wednesday through Saturday and Aug. 26 through Aug. 28. Daylight hours. Only 1-inch mesh pots may be used on days when spot shrimp is open.
Marine Area 7 South (Iceberg Point, Point Colville, Biz Point, Salmon Bank): Wednesday through Saturday. Daylight hours. Only 1-inch mesh pots may be used on days when spot shrimp is open.
Marine Areas 8-1 (Saratoga Passage, Deception Pass) and 8-2 (Port Susan, Port Gardner, Everett): Open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday Pot limit of 2 pots per boat. Only 1-inch mesh pots may be used on days when spot shrimp is open.
The daily limit is 10 pounds of all species of shrimp with a maximum of 80 spot shrimp in areas open to spot shrimp harvest. Only pots with a minimum 1-inch mesh are allowed when retaining spot shrimp. Using pots with a minimum ½-inch mesh size to target non-spot shrimp will be suspended temporarily Wednesday in Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2.
“Daylight hours” means that traps can be set one hour before official sunrise. Pots must be removed from the water in these same areas by one hour after sunset at the end of an open period.
A valid 2021-22 combination license, shellfish license, or Fish Washington license is required to participate in the fishery.
More information on recreational shrimp seasons, and a description of the marine areas, is available on WDFW’s recreational shrimp fishing section: www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/ shellfishing-regulations/shrimp.
