Anglers Allowed Two Chinook Off Westport and Neah Bay
OutdoorHub 08.16.12
Starting Friday (Aug. 17), anglers fishing in ocean waters off Westport and Neah Bay can keep up to two chinook salmon as part of their two-salmon daily limit.
With that change, anglers will be allowed to keep two chinook per day in ocean waters off Westport (Marine Area 2), LaPush (Marine Area 3) and Neah Bay (Marine Area 4). Those fishing Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) will continue to be limited to one chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit.
All ocean areas are open to salmon fishing seven days a week. Wild coho must be released in all four areas.
Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said the department previously limited anglers off Westport and Neah Bay to one chinook as part of a two-salmon daily limit to ensure that the fisheries would remain open for the entire season.
“We’ve kept a close watch on the pace of catches for these fisheries, and it now appears that enough of the quota remains to allow anglers two chinook per day in Areas 2, 3 and 4 without exceeding the recreational catch quota,” Pattillo said.
Ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 23 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4, and through Sept. 30 in Marine Area 1.
Fishery managers will continue to monitor the ocean salmon fishery throughout the season, and announce any other changes on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/.
