SALMON AND SHRIMP seasons are on the way, and an ocean salmon season was adopted Wednesday by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and sent along to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval by May 1.
Salmon fisheries north of Cape Falcon, near Nehalem in northern Oregon, depend largely on Columbia River stocks.
Columbia River fall chinook and coho are expected to return at high levels.
The council said that fisheries were constrained by measures to conserve chinook stocks in Puget Sound and coho stocks in the Queets River and the interior Fraser River Basin in British Columbia.
North of Cape Falcon, there is an overall non-tribal total allowable catch of 131,000 hatchery chinook and 170,000 marked hatchery coho.
Recreational fisheries
A mark-selective chinook season north of Cape Falcon begins May 16 in Marine Area 3 off LaPush and Marine Area 4 off Neah Bay.
Salmon fisheries begin May 30 off the Columbia River and Westport.
These combined coastal fisheries end Friday, June 12, or when 10,000 marked chinook are caught.
The recreational fishery north of Cape Falcon opens to all salmon Saturday, June 13, and ends Wednesday, Sept. 30, or when chinook or coho quotas are reached.
The preseason coho quota for all port areas combined is 150,800.
These dates match the most angler-friendly of three season alternatives first proposed in March.
This first alternative allowed for a selective fishery in Marine Areas 3 and 4 to run May 15-16, 22-23 and May 30-June 12, with a daily limit of two hatchery chinook.
The traditional summer fishery would go from June 13 to Sept. 30 in each area, plus Oct. 1-11 off LaPush.
Anglers can keep two salmon, plus two additional pinks.
Spot shrimp slated
Call them prawns, call them spot shrimp. Whatever the name, the decapods provide a delicious, yet fleeting recreational harvest here on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Shrimp fishing begins Saturday, May 2, under seasons announced by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Hood Canal is arguably the best location in the state to catch shrimp.
The Hood Canal Shrimp District in Marine Area 12 will open for shrimping from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 2, 9, 11 and 13.
Discovery Bay Shrimp District in Marine Area 6 will open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 2, 9, 11 and 13.
Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (excluding Discovery Bay Shrimp District) will open daily beginning May 2 and continue until the quota is obtained or Sept. 15, whichever comes first.
The shortest season on the North Olympic Peninsula is in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), which opens from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 2 and 13.
Spot shrimp are the largest shrimp in Puget Sound and typically average 8 to 12 inches in length.
In all areas of Puget Sound, harvesters are limited to 80 spot shrimp per day.
A valid 2015-16 fishing license is required to participate in the fisheries.
Free weekend
Olympic National Park will waive entrance fees this Saturday and Sunday as part of the opening of National Park Week.
Other park fees, including wilderness camping and campground fees, will remain in effect.
A free Junior Ranger Day at the park visitor center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Children and their parents can learn more about planning family hiking trips, creating a craft project and going on a scavenger hunt.
Park rangers will guide youths in examination of microscopic plants and insects and explain how to earn a National Junior Ranger Day award.
Gun show in PA
The Port Angeles Gun Show is Saturday and Sunday at the Clallam County Fairgrounds, 1608 W. 16th St. in Port Angeles.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is $8.
Gun and knife vendors will show and sell their wares during the event.
The gun show is hosted by Big Top Promotions.
Derby tickets
Anglers can pick up a $40 Port Angeles Salmon Club Halibut Derby ticket at three North Olympic Peninsula locations.
These outlets are Swain’s General Store and Jerry’s Bait & Tackle in Port Angeles, and Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim.
Fishing will be contained in Marine Area 6, between Low Point to the west and the Dungeness Spit to the east.
Fishing hours are daylight to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, and daylight to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24.
A total of $20,000 in cash prizes will be up for grabs, including $5,000 for the winner.
Anglers can launch their boats for free thanks to the Port of Port Angeles.
The weigh-in will be held at the West Boat Haven ramp and docks, and all fish must be brought in by water.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
