Washington State Fishing Rule Change
Marine Area 9 salmon season reopening delayed
Action: Marine Area 9 will not reopen on Jan.16, as scheduled.
Effective Date: Jan. 16, 2017, until further notice.
Species affected: Salmon
Location: Marine Area 9 within Puget Sound, excluding year-round piers.
Reason for action: Preliminary estimates and fishery projections indicate that reopening Jan. 16 would lead to an early closure of Area 9 by reaching the allowable limit of total chinook encounters earlier than the April 15 closure date. Delaying the opening to mid-February or early March will allow the state time to determine a reopening date that will give anglers opportunity later into the spring.
Other information: WDFW will continue to monitor the fishery and will work with sportfishing advisors to determine a reopening date that helps maximize fishing opportunity for the mark-selective chinook fishery in Area 9. Edmonds Public Fishing Pier is unaffected by this rule change and specific regulations can be found in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Information contact: Ryan Lothrop, (360) 902-2808
