Idaho Fish Report

OLYMPIA – With quota remaining in the recreational spot shrimp fishery, state shellfish managers have added some final days to catch spot shrimp in several Puget Sound marine areas.

“These will be the last opportunities in these areas to recreationally harvest spot shrimp in 2022,” said Don Velasquez, crustacean biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Those additional opportunities include:

• Marine Area 7 West will open for three additional days of recreational spot shrimp harvest from Aug. 18 through Aug. 20, 2022.
• Marine Area 6 (excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District) and Marine Area 7 South will both open for five additional days of recreational spot shrimp harvest from Aug. 17 through Aug. 21, 2022.
• Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) and 5 are currently open to recreational spot shrimp harvest.

In all areas open for all shrimp including spot shrimp, the daily limit is 80 spot shrimp with a total daily weight limit of 10 pounds (whole shrimp) all species combined. This season, shrimpers who retain only spot shrimp may remove and discard the heads while in the field and before returning to shore – previously all shrimp heads were required to be retained after June 1. Shrimpers retaining any shrimp species other than spot shrimp must continue to retain the heads of all species (including spot shrimp) until finished and on shore to verify compliance with the 10-pound daily limit. All shrimp -- including spot, dock, coonstripe, and pink shrimp -- can be kept as part of the daily limit. However, because only larger-mesh (1-inch) traps are allowed during spot shrimp seasons, most harvest will be spot shrimp.

Some areas in Puget Sound are currently open for non-spot shrimp only fisheries. These are Marine Areas 7 East, 8-1, 8-2, 9, 11, and 13. Shrimp pots with a minimum mesh size of 1/2-inch are allowed in areas open for non-spot shrimp only fishing. Each area has a maximum depth restriction to reduce the potential for capture and handling of spot shrimp. Spot shrimp encountered in the non-spot shrimp only fisheries must be released immediately unharmed.

Traps can be set one hour before official sunrise during any open period in marine areas without specified harvest hours. Traps must be removed from the water in these same areas by one hour after sunset at the end of an open period.

See a full breakdown of current and upcoming shrimping opportunities at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/shrimp/areas.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.