Enter Long Beach, Washington’s 12th annual Surf Perch Derby! May 19th, 2012 (the Saturday after Mother’s Day each year). Preregister or register the day of the event at the Bolstad Beach Approach, start with a hearty breakfast (included with registration fee), fish your heart out, and weigh in each afternoon for great cash prizes! Both individuals and three-man teams can join the fun. The celebration will include a raffle and door prizes. Click here for more details about the competition

NEWS RELEASE

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

State fishery managers approved a series of morning razor clam digs April 21-23 at several ocean beaches after the latest round of marine toxin tests showed the clams are safe to eat. 

With the state’s razor clam season nearing an end, Long Beach and Twin Harbors will be open for digging all three days, while Copalis and Mocrocks will be open on Monday, April 23 only.

No digging will be allowed on any beaches after noon.

“We have just enough clams available for harvest at Copalis and Mocrocks to offer one more weekday dig,” said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “We’ll see where we are with the other beaches after this opening.”

Copalis Beach lies south of the Copalis River and includes Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis. Mocrocks Beach is north of the Copalis River and includes Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Seabrook, Pacific Beach and Moclips. 

Proposed beach openings for upcoming digs, along with morning low tides, are:

• April 21, Saturday (7:28 a.m., -0.3 feet): Long Beach, Twin Harbors only
• April 22, Sunday (8:01 a.m., -0.4 feet): Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
• April 23, Monday (8:35 a.m., -0.4 feet): Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks

Under state law, diggers can take 15 razor clams per day, and are required to keep the first 15 they dig. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container. 

Diggers need a valid 2012-13 fishing license to participate in the upcoming opening, since all 2011-12 licenses expired March 31. The exception is young people under age 15, who may fish for free.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife                                                           April 12, 2012

The States of Washington and Oregon met today and extended the ongoing sport season below Bonneville Dam.  The following table reflects the seasons now in place.

Effective through May 15, 2012, the mainstem Columbia River will be open for retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead and shad ONLY during days and in areas open for retention of adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook. 

Effective through June 15, 2012: On days when the mainstem Columbia River recreational fishery below Bonneville Dam is open to retention of Chinook, the salmonid daily bag limit in Deep River will be the same as mainstem Columbia River bag limits.  On days when the mainstem Columbia River fishery is closed to Chinook retention, the permanent salmonid bag limit regulations for Deep River apply. 

• A Joint State hearing is scheduled for 1PM Thursday April 19.

OLYMPIA – The sport fishery for spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River has been extended through April 13 to allow anglers to catch thousands more hatchery-reared fish available for harvest.

Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon today approved a six-day extension, based on catch reports that show current harvest levels are well below expectations. The fishery was initially scheduled to close at the end of the day Friday, April 6.

During the extended fishing period, the sport fishery will be closed Tuesday, April 10 to accommodate a one-day opening for commercial fishing during the extension period.

Fishery managers will meet again April 12 to determine whether to allow additional fishing time.

With the lower Columbia running high, cold and muddy in recent weeks, the state’s earliest salmon run has been slow to enter the river, said Cindy Le Fleur, Columbia River policy manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

“Like last year, poor river conditions have delayed the run and put a damper on catch rates,” Le Fleur said. “The extension will give anglers a few more days to catch some fish, before the first phase of the fishery comes to a close.”

The extension approved today does not affect spring chinook fisheries under way above Bonneville Dam.

Anglers fishing downriver from the dam may retain one marked, adult hatchery chinook per day. All wild chinook salmon must be released immediately.

Through April 6, the catch of hatchery spring chinook by anglers fishing below the dam is projected to reach 1,796 fish – well below the 14,500 spring chinook available for harvest before the run forecast is updated in May. Only about 1,163 of the catch through April 6 are expected to count toward the 12,700-fish harvest guideline for upriver fish.

Despite those catch deficits, Le Fleur said it is too soon to reassess this year’s pre-season forecast, which anticipated a return of 314,200 upriver spring chinook – potentially the fourth-largest run on record.

“We’ve been here before,” Le Fleur said. “If history is any guide, the fishery will pick up very quickly once river conditions improve.”

Along with the six additional fishing days in April, lower-river anglers could get another chance to catch spring chinook in May, once fishery managers update the run forecast.

To guard against overestimating this year’s run, Le Fleur said the states are managing spring chinook fisheries with a 30 percent buffer until the May update.

News of any additional fishing days will be announced on WDFW’s website ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/ ), the Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500), the Region 5 hotline (360-696-6211*1010) and through local news media.

SEATTLE – State and tribal co-managers today agreed on a package of salmon fisheries that meets conservation goals for wild salmon populations, while providing fishing opportunities on healthy stocks.

Washington’s 2012 salmon fishing seasons, developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and treaty tribal co-managers, were finalized today during the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (PFMC) meeting in Seattle. The fishing package defines regulations for salmon fisheries in Puget Sound, Washington’s ocean and coastal areas and the Columbia River.

In developing salmon seasons and catch quotas, WDFW fishery managers worked closely with advisors and members of the public to design state-managed fisheries that meet conservation goals for wild salmon and result in the fair sharing of harvest opportunity, said Phil Anderson, WDFW Director.

“State and tribal co-managers worked hard to identify fisheries that were meaningful for both tribal and state fishers,” said Anderson, who represents WDFW on the management council.  “By using a variety of management tools, we were able to design those fisheries so that they are consistent with efforts to protect and rebuild weak wild salmon stocks.”

Key to those efforts is repairing and protecting quality spawning and rearing habitat for salmon, said Lorraine Loomis, fisheries manager for the Swinomish Tribe.

“While effective harvest and hatchery management can help provide limited fishing opportunities, wild salmon continue to decline because their habitat is being lost and damaged faster than it can be restored. This puts our treaty rights at risk,” Loomis said. “Habitat is the key to salmon recovery.”

As in past years, recreational salmon fisheries in 2012 will vary by area:

• Columbia River: The Buoy 10 fishery will be open for chinook and hatchery coho Aug. 1 through Sept. 3 (Labor Day) and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.  From Aug. 1 through Sept. 3, anglers will have a daily limit of two salmon, only one of which may be a chinook. From Sept. 4 through Sept. 30, anglers will have a daily limit of two hatchery coho, but must release chinook.  From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, anglers can keep six fish, only two of which can be adults. North Jetty salmonid anglers may use barbed hooks seven days a week when Marine Area 1 or Buoy 10 salmon seasons are open. The mainstem Columbia River from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam will be open for chinook and hatchery coho Aug. 1 through Dec. 31. Anglers will be allowed to retain one adult chinook as part of their two-adult daily limit through Sept. 9. From Sept. 10 through Sept. 30, chinook retention will only be allowed upstream of the Lewis River, but up to two adult chinook may be retained.  Beginning Oct. 1, up to two adult chinook may be retained throughout the lower river, from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to Bonneville Dam.

Specific fishing seasons and regulations for marine areas in Washington and a portion of the Columbia River will be available in the next couple of weeks on WDFW’s North of Falcon website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/ .

Below is the schedule of proposed razor-clam digs, along with evening low tides, announced by WDFW:

CONFIRMED!

• April 7, Saturday (7:36 a.m., -1.2 ft.)
• April 8, Sunday (8:23 a.m., -1.5 ft.)
• April 9, Monday (9:11 a.m., -1.5 ft.)

As usual, the final word on beach openings will be announced about a week before each dig is scheduled to start, when marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.

For more information see:  http://funbeach.com/activities/clamming/

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet March 31-April 6, 2012 in Seattle, Washington to address issues related to salmon, Pacific halibut, groundfish, coastal pelagic species, and habitat matters.

Please visit the “Current Council Meeting” webpage for the meeting notice and agenda details.

Action: Close recreational lingcod fishing in deepwater portions of Marine Areas 1 and 2 year round, except as allowed in Marine Area 2 on days open to fishing during the primary, all-depth halibut season.

 The coordinates of the closed area are as follows:

 47°31.70’ N. lat      124°45.00’ W. lon

46°38.17’ N. lat      124°30.00’ W. lon

46°38.17’ N. lat      124°21.00’ W. lon

46°25.00’ N. lat      124°21.00’ W. lon

Effective date: March 17, 2012

Species affected: Lingcod

Location:  Marine Areas 1 and 2 

Reason for action: This rule is intended to protect yelloweye and canary rockfish, two species managed under rebuilding plans by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.  The closure will reduce the amount of yelloweye and canary rockfish that are incidentally caught when anglers are fishing for lingcod in deeper water. This rule conforms to measures approved through the Pacific Fishery Management Council and federal rules adopted by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Anglers fishing along the Washington coast will likely see a higher catch quota for chinook salmon this year, while the quota for coho is expected to be similar to last season, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

Three ocean salmon-fishing options approved today by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) anticipate an abundance of chinook in the ocean, but a down year for Columbia River hatchery coho salmon. The PFMC establishes fishing seasons in ocean waters three to 200 miles off the Pacific coast.

The three options establish a framework for developing fishing opportunities on healthy wild and hatchery stocks while meeting conservation goals for weak salmon populations, said Phil Anderson, WDFW director.

“Chinook salmon abundance in the ocean is expected to look much like it did last season, when we had a strong return to the Columbia River,” said Anderson. “The challenge this year will be to ensure we meet our conservation goals for coho while still providing a full season of meaningful fishing opportunities in the ocean.”

Anderson, who represents WDFW on the management council, said two of the options include recreational mark-selective fisheries for hatchery chinook that would begin in mid-June. If implemented, mark-selective fisheries for hatchery chinook would open ahead of the traditional recreational fishing season for the third straight year.

Mark-selective fisheries allow anglers to catch and keep abundant hatchery salmon, which are marked with a missing adipose fin, but require that they release wild salmon.

About 651,000 fall chinook are expected to return to the Columbia River this season, a run size similar to the last couple year’s returns. A significant portion of that run – nearly 191,000 – is expected to be lower river hatchery chinook, which traditionally have been the backbone of the recreational ocean chinook fishery.

An estimated 317,000 coho also are expected to return to the Columbia River this year, about 45,000 fish below last year’s projection. Columbia River coho also account for a significant portion of the ocean catch.

The PFMC is expected to approve final harvest guidelines for this year’s recreational ocean fishery in early April. The three options announced today establish parameters for state and tribal fishery managers in designing this year’s fishing seasons. The recreational fishing options are:

• Option 1 – 51,500 chinook and 71,400 coho;
• Option 2 – 45,500 chinook and 63,000 coho; and
• Option 3 – 35,500 chinook and 54,600 coho.

The PFMC last year adopted recreational ocean fishing quotas of 33,700 chinook and 67,200 coho salmon.

Under each option for this year, the ocean recreational fishery would vary:

• · Option 1: The recreational salmon fishing season would begin with a mark-selective fishery for hatchery chinook June 9 in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco), and June 16 in marine areas 2 (Westport/Ocean Shores), 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay). The selective fishery in marine area 1 would run through June 22, while the fishery in marine areas 2, 3 and 4 would run through June 30. In all areas, the fishery would be open seven days a week with a daily limit of two salmon, not including coho and wild chinook which must be released. The fishery could close earlier if a coastwide quota of 8,000 hatchery chinook is reached.

The traditional recreational salmon season for chinook and hatchery coho would begin June 23 in Marine Area 1, and July 1 in the three other coastal areas. Anglers would have a daily limit of two salmon in marine areas 3 and 4. Those fishing marine areas 1 and 2 would also have a two-salmon daily limit, but could keep only one chinook. In all areas, the fishery would be open daily.

• · Option 2: The recreational salmon fishing season would begin June 16 with a mark-selective fishery for hatchery chinook in all ocean areas. The fishery would be open seven days a week, with a daily limit of two salmon, through June 22 in Marine Area 1 and through June 23 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4. The fishery could close earlier if a coastwide quota of 6,000 hatchery chinook is reached.

The recreational salmon season would then open for chinook and hatchery coho June 23 in Marine Area 1 and June 24 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4. Marine areas 1, 3 and 4 would be open seven days a week, while Marine Area 2 would be open Sunday through Thursday. Anglers fishing all four marine areas would be allowed to retain one chinook as part of a two-salmon daily limit.

• · Option 3: The recreational salmon fishing season for chinook and hatchery coho would be open from July 3 through Sept. 23 on a Tuesday-through-Saturday schedule in marine areas 3 and 4. In Marine Area 2, the season would be open from July 1 through Sept. 23 on a Sunday-through-Thursday schedule. In Marine Area 1, recreational salmon fishing would be open seven days a week from June 30 through Sept. 30. All four marine areas would have a daily limit of two salmon, only one of which could be a chinook.

More details on these ocean options will be available on PFMC’s website atwww.pcouncil.org/. A public hearing on the three options for ocean salmon fisheries is scheduled for March 26 in Westport.

Chinook and coho quotas approved by the PFMC will be part of a comprehensive 2012 salmon fishing package, which includes marine and freshwater fisheries throughout Puget Sound, the Columbia River and Washington’s coastal areas. State and tribal co-managers are currently developing those fisheries.

The co-managers will complete the final 2012 salmon fisheries package in conjunction with the PFMC process during its April meeting.

Meanwhile, several public meetings are scheduled in March to discuss regional fisheries issues. A schedule of public meetings, as well as salmon run-size forecasts and more information about the salmon-season setting process, can be found on WDFW’s North of Falcon website athttp://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon