Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 9 - Flipbook - Page 12
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With salmon seasons
being ever-changing, from
season to season, month to
month, and even minute
to minute depending on
where you fish, the recent
announcement of summer
salmon seasons was met
with some excitement
and hesitation. Fisheries
managers met over several
weeks during the North
of Falcon process where
everyone with an interest
in salmon planned out
the quotas and seasons.
Washington’s governor
added a new apprehension
at the table with concern
12 | NWFISHING.net
over making sure there
is enough food for south
Sound Orcas well as fish
sport anglers, commercial
harvesters, and tribal
fisheries, while still allowing
for escapement.
The escapement is the
main focus, with ESA-listed
stocks and wild fish returns
dictating how and when
anglers can pursue salmon.
Once the run estimates
are established then the
managers need to figure
out how many fish can be
caught in the ocean and
still allows for fishing, and
escapement in each of the
predicted runs. This is where
the marine area gets its
seasons and regulations.
This year the allotment for
ocean salmon off of the coast
of Washington was set at
39,000 chinook and 159,600
coho. Each marine area will
get its own seasons and a
share of the fish.
Starting with Marine Area 4,
Neah Bay, the northernmost
ocean section which borders
Canadian waters, will get first
dibs on the salmon, along
with Marine Area, 3 La Push,
which will have the same
start date of June 17th. This
is just like last year, when
the areas opened up on
Father’s Day weekend, but