Marine Rules
SEASON AND DAILY HOURS
During an open season, marine waters are open 24 hours per day, except as noted for night closures.
QUOTA MANAGEMENT:
SALMON, HALIBUT, and some SHELLFISH are managed by quotas in many marine areas. These fisheries close when the quotas have been taken. Closures will be announced to local news media and will be included in the Fishing Hotline and Shellfish Rule Change Hotline messages.
Rules listed below are General Rules. Specific Area Rules are listed by area. NOTE: Emergency rules may occur throughout the year and will supersede the rules contained in this pamphlet. Changes can be found by calling the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360) 902-2500 or Shellfish Rule Change Hotline (866) 880-5431, contacting statewide customer service (360) 902- 2700, or by visiting the WDFW website http://wdfw.wa.gov.
SPECIES RULES
Hatchery STEELHEAD may be caught and released until the daily limit is retained except for Areas 5-13. If a fish has swallowed the hook or is hooked in the gill, eye, or tongue, it should be kept if legal to do so. Wild STEELHEAD must be released.
SALMON - Single-point barbless hooks and a hand-held rod and line must be used in Areas 1-13. Minimum size for CHINOOK in Areas 1-4 is 24", in Areas 5-13, 22", except no minimum size in the Hoodsport Hatchery Zone. Minimum size for COHO in Areas 1-4 is 16"; except in Area 2-1 after July 31 and Area 2-2 east of the buoy 13 line after July 31, the minimum size is 12" for all SALMON. Other Marine Areas and species - no minimum size. Handling Rule: in Areas 5-13, it is illegal to bring a wild SALMON or a species of SALMON aboard a vessel if it is unlawful to retain those SALMON. "Aboard a vessel" is defined as inside the gunwale. Also see special Handling Rule for Area 2-2 east of the buoy 13 line.
WHITE STURGEON - Only one single-point barbless hook and bait is allowed when fishing for STURGEON. Catch-and-release open year-round. Green STURGEON may not be retained.
HALIBUT - Hook and line angling and spearfishing only. A hand-held line is permitted. Only one line with up to two hooks may be used. HALIBUT may be shot or harpooned while landing. May not be landed in a port closed to HALIBUT fishing except HALIBUT lawfully caught in Canada; angler must have Canadian license. See page 4, Fish & Shellfish caught in Canada.
BOTTOMFISH, TUNA, AND MACKEREL - Hook and line angling, spearfishing, and bow and arrow fishing only.
ROCKFISH - You may not land YELLOWEYE or CANARY rockfish into any port in Washington. Unlawful to fish for, retain, or possess rockfish in Areas 6-13.
UNCLASSIFIED MARINE FISH - CLOSED
OTHER FOOD FISH - These are species which occur in our waters irregularly, usually in coastal areas and include BARRACUDA, WHITE SEA BASS, BONITO, and POMFRET. Daily limit is 2 of each species.
SHARK CLOSURE - CLOSED to fishing for, retention, or possession of SIXGILL, SEVENGILL, and THRESHER SHARKS. SIXGILL SHARK may not be removed from the water.
FORAGE FISH - Forage fish jig or forage fish dip net only except ANCHOVY and SARDINE may be taken by a cast net in Areas 1-4. Only one net may be used at a time. Dip net gear must be held by the rigid handle at all times and may not be used from a vessel while under power. Cast net gear must be in immediate control at all times with retrieval cord in hand. Anglers with the reduced-fee license or a Designated Harvester Card may use a forage fish dip net with a hand-operated gate. Jig gear may have up to three treble hooks or nine single-point hooks, not to exceed 3⁄8" between point and shank. While fishing in Areas 5-11 &13, a second line using forage fish jig gear may be used to fish for forage fish.
You may use forage fish jig gear in Columbia River waters from the Buoy 10 line to the Rocky Point/ Tongue Point line.
POSSESSION LIMITS
VESSEL LIMITS MARINE AREAS 1-6: Anglers aboard a boat may only possess one daily limit of fish or SHELLFISH in fresh form.
SALMON - Two daily limits of fresh SALMON. An additional 40 pounds of salmon may be possessed in a frozen or processed form (see pages 10-11).
TROUT - Two daily limits of hatchery STEELHEAD.
STURGEON - Catch-and-release only.
BOTTOMFISH - Two daily limits in any form.
HALIBUT - Two daily limits in any form, except only one limit while aboard the fishing vessel. For HALIBUT caught in Canadian waters, contact Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) or visit their website at http://www.pac.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Opportunities/finfish_e.htm for updated Canadian regulations.
TUNA - ALBACORE, and MACKEREL - No possession limit or daily limit. YELLOWFIN, SKIPJACK, and NORTHERN BLUEFIN - No possession limit, daily limit 2 each.
SHELLFISH - One daily limit of fresh SHELLFISH. Additional SHELLFISH may be possessed in a frozen or processed form. See page 125 for Shellfish/Seaweed rules and page 126 for the shellfish safety information.
FORAGE FISH (HERRING, ANCHOVIES, SARDINES, SAND LANCE, and SMELT) - Two daily limits in fresh form. Additional FORAGE FISH may be possessed in frozen or processed form. CLOSED to fishing for Columbia River SMELT (eulachon). See description on next page.
TACKLE/GEAR RULES
ALL FISHING GEAR - Must be kept in immediate control, and gear may not be left unattended while fishing.
HOOK AND LINE ANGLING - Unless noted differently, only one line with up to 2 hooks is allowed.
Barbless hooks are required for all species in Marine Areas 5-13, except forage fish jig gear. When fishing for SALMON in Marine Areas 1-13, single-point barbless hooks must be used.
FORAGE FISH DIPNET - A section of netting (maximum mesh size is 5⁄8" stretched mesh) dis- tended by a rigid frame not exceeding 36" across and directly attached to a rigid handle. May only be used for forage fish or squid.
FORAGE FISH CAST NET - A section of netting (maximum mesh size is 1" stretched mesh) no larger than 10' in diameter with retrieval cord. May only be used in Marine Areas 1-4. May only be used for ANCHOVY and SARDINE.
LANDING A FISH - A club or dipnet (landing net) may be used to assist landing a legal fish taken by legal gear. A gaff may only be used to land a legally hooked HALIBUT, TUNA, or DOGFISH SHARK that will be retained. HALIBUT may be shot or harpooned while landing.
DOWNRIGGERS - May be used with a line if the line releases from the downrigger while playing and landing the fish.
RODHOLDERS - May be used; the rod must be easily removed without delay; rod may be left in the holder while playing the fish.
ELECTRIC REELS - May be used if designed for sport fishing and attached to a fishing rod.
SPEARFISHING - The diver must be swimming or floating in the water while spearfishing. The use of explosives or bullets attached to the spear ("bang sticks") is prohibited.