OLYMPIA — Recreational shrimp harvesting in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Strait, excluding the Disocvery Bay Shrimp District, is open or will be opening in the few days.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced last week that four areas will have additional openings. These are all outside of Olympic Peninsula waters.
“Poor weather in May reduced participation during the first few fishery openings,” said Aaron Dufault, WDFW Puget Sound shellfish manager. “We know people were holding out for the later dates to enjoy more favorable weather, and we are pleased to be able to offer some additional harvest opportunity.”
These areas include Marine Area 8-1 (Saratoga Passage, Deception Pass) and Marine Area 8-2 (Port Susan, Port Gardner, Everett), open Thursday; Marine Area 7 South (only that portion of Marine Area 7 South that is west of a line projected due south from Point Colville on Lopez Island and east of a line projected due south from Cattle Point on San Juan Island), open Thursday to Saturday; and Marine Area 7 East (northern Rosario Strait, Bellingham Bay, Sucia and Matia Islands and Strait of Georgia), open though Oct. 15.
Local areas open for recreational shrimping include:
• Marine Area 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) is open for all shrimp species daily from one hour before official sunrise to one hour after official sunset, until further notice.
• Marine Area 5 (western Strait of Juan de Fuca) is open for all shrimp species daily from one hour before official sunrise to one hour after official sunset, until further notice.
• Marine Area 6 (excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District) is open for all shrimp species from one hour before official sunrise to one hour after official sunset, from Thursday through Sunday, June 28-30, and July 12-15 only.
• Marine Area 9 (Edmonds, Port Townsend Bay, Admiralty Inet) is open for all shrimp species on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only.
• Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) is open to all shrimp species on Saturday only from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The daily limit is 80 spot shrimp with a total daily weight limit of 10 pounds (whole shrimp) all species combined.
