IN THE WAKE of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s announcement of an investigation into a a vulnerability in an outside vendor’s license sales system, the department is offering free fishing days through Tuesday.
Earlier this week, Fish and Wildlife temporarily suspended the sale of fishing and hunting licenses. In a press release the agency said it is working with the state Office of Cyber Security and is working to restore sales as soon as possible.
In the interim, anglers do not need to have a fishing license to fish or gather shellfish in any waters open to fishing in state.
Likewise, the department will not require anglers to have a vehicle access pass to park at Fish and Wildlife water access sites. Other rules, such as seasons, size limits, bag limits, and closures, will remain in effect.
The Discover Pass also will still be required to access lands managed by the state Department of Natural Resources and State Parks.
Requirements for all anglers to have fishing licenses, catch record cards, and endorsements will be back in effect on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
Hunters also will have to wait to buy licenses until the sales system can be restored.
The agency anticipates having a sales channel available before major hunting seasons — such as archery deer, elk and cougar — begin next month.
Meeting in Port Townsend
A public meeting to take comment on proposed sportfishing rules for the saltwater areas of Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast will be held in Port Townsend on Wednesday.
The meeting will be held in the Marina Room at the Point Hudson Marina, 130 Hudson St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
To review and comment on the proposed rules, visit tinyurl.com/RuleProposals16. Comments will be accepted through Oct. 28.
For a hard copy of the proposed rules, phone 360-902-2200.
The state is particularly interested in the following proposals:
•Require fishing vessels carry a descending device when fishing for bottomfish or halibut in areas east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. The devices are used to return rockfish to deep water, reducing the number of rockfish deaths due to barotrauma, which occurs when rockfish are brought to the surface quickly.
•Make it unlawful to possess another person’s shellfish or food fish, including halibut, salmon and sturgeon without written permission while in the field or in transit.
•Implement a 4½-inch minimum size requirement for Tanner crabs harvested in Puget Sound.
•Prohibit shellfish harvesters from cooking oysters in the shell or using heat to open oysters on the beach.
•Allow squid harvest year-round, including the harvest of Humboldt squid in Hood Canal.
Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Sgt. Kit Rosenberger let me know about the increasing popularity of the Tanner crab harvest earlier this summer, especially along Hood Canal.
Tanner crab are closely related to the opilio crab seen harvested on the Discovery Channel television.
Ward Norden, owner of Snapper Tackle Company and a former fishery biologist who lives in Quilcene, said the potential squid change is a good common sense decision.
“This is long overdue since that resource is abundant and healthy,” Norden said.
“Unlike in the Strait [of Juan de Fuca], the best squid jigging in Hood Canal is in early winter, although it is hard not to get a few when jigging for coho in deep water this time of year.”
The public and department staff submitted 66 proposals this spring. State fishery managers are recommending that 11 of the proposals move forward for additional review.
The public will also have the opportunity to provide testimony on the proposed rule changes during the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission’s meeting Nov. 4 and 5 in Olympia.
The commission, which sets policy for the department, is scheduled to vote on the proposals during a meeting in December.
Steelhead group
Fish and Wildlife is seeking applications through Wednesday for membership on a new ad hoc advisory group that will assist in developing management options for Puget Sound steelhead.
The new advisory group will meet twice monthly through December to develop recommendations that support conservation objectives and improve sustainable fishing opportunities for steelhead in tributaries to Puget Sound.
The group’s primary task will be to develop fishery and hatchery management strategies tailored to specific watersheds throughout Puget Sound, said Jim Scott, special assistant to Fish and Wildlife director Jim Unsworth.
As part of that effort, the group will also be asked to help identify a new wild steelhead gene bank in north Puget Sound.
“We are looking for applicants who are well-acquainted with the fisheries, hatchery programs and ecological issues of watersheds throughout the Puget Sound area,” Scott said.
“We plan to draw on their knowledge as the department works with federal fishery managers on steelhead recovery planning efforts.”
Fish and Wildfe plans to finally makes decision on river-specific management strategies and a gene bank in north Puget Sound later this year after receiving input from the advisory group and completing discussions with tribal fishery managers.
Applications must be received by Sept. 1. They may be submitted to Cathy Davidson by mail: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA, 98501; or email at Cathy.Davidson@dfw.wa.gov.
For more information, phone Scott at 360-902-2736.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
