far be it from me to defend WDFW's salmon management but there are not of harvestable fish available in the mixed stock areas. Too many stocks are listed, too many are in low numbers, and too many people want to catch them in mixed stock areas.

The majority of which are fin clipped.

What there are too many of is surplussed hatchery fish heading to the catfood factory.

If it is an issue of us catching too many wild fish, then the allocations need to be redone. My guess is that the current layout gives 80 to 90% of the wild impacts to tribal netters, under the guise that because they do not fish selectively, they need the higher number to get their 50%. But, if the lower impacts given to recreational fisherman are such that they can not get even close to their share, they need to be given a higher share. It really is simple. If the recreation fisherman were given 50 % of the wild impacts, we would be fishing, and probably get 90% of the catch, as the tribes would take their 50% much to fast to get their 50% of the harvest.

The way allocations are divided up now will need to be settled in Federal Court where one can deal with ESA and Treaty law. WA will never, ever, go to court on this issue. It would require the sporties to unite and pony up the lawyers fees.

Surprised a sporty, or a group of sporties, that has super deep pockets, where $$$ is no object, has'nt taken this on yet. Or, maybe those guys, if they exist, fish soley in the salt, in big fancy boats, on mixed stock fisheries, where they have not been regulated off the water yet? That day is close to coming if not already here. Shut down all wild retention everywhere then see what happens. Co-manager strategy, to kill using a thousand cuts over a generation of anglers, before finishing the job of getting recs 100% off the water.

The affluent and rich sport fishermen don't need Puget Sound. They go fish the productive waters of British Columbia and Alaska, where restrictions are fewer, and the fish are actively feeding. If you can catch all the Chinook you want up north, why bother fishing for them in P.S.?

One Has: https://www.facebook.com/Fishnorthwest.o...BvMM749r6iFHqNl

And now A10 closes for chinook retention at 122% of sublegal encounters, almost 1700 over the 7700 limit. Almost twice the encounters allowed in A11.
But wait, it gets better. Still open for coho. I guess sublegals don't take coho gear.

It gets more interesting. If I am reading the regulations correctly, the August 4th thru 11 Eliott bay season will stay open and include wild chinook. Then open back up on the 18th for pinks and coho. Top that off by pointing out that they area also 250% over projected silver take.

But no opening in area 11, which has room left, and no commencement bay opening.

Somewhere it makes perfect sense, but only if you are part of the Department.

I’m not sure how you distinguish if something is really wild or not these days with just one net pen program releasing 950k unclipped coho.
SF

Kinda easy to tell -

If the fish are Pinks - they are wild...

I was talking about coho, but that isn’t exactly true about pinks.
They don’t mark them at the one hatchery I know that raises them here in Washington. The same could be said for all the chum that are released out of various programs.
SF

NEWS RELEASE



Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
August 8, 2023
Contact: Fish Program, 360-902-2700
Media contact: Mark Yuasa, 360-902-2262



Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) reopens for shore-based salmon fishing in August; fishing restrictions also lifted within 100 yards of Dash Point Pier

OLYMPIA – Anglers will be able to fish from the shoreline only beginning Aug. 9-31 in Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) for pinks and coho salmon, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

“We know everyone has been anxiously awaiting news on the reopening of the Marine Area 11 fishery, and we’ve been working to find the best path forward,” said Kirsten Simonsen, Ph.D., WDFW’s Puget Sound recreational salmon manager. “Given the popularity of this fishery, and it being a pink year, it was really important for us to be able to find a way to offer opportunity to target these returning pinks and coho.”

Salmon fishing is open daily Aug. 9-31 from the shoreline only to target pinks and coho salmon returning to South Puget Sound. Angling from a floating device, other than a dock or pier that is attached to shore, is prohibited. The daily limit is two salmon, with no minimum size. Anglers must release all Chinook and chum.

The Marine Area 11 summer salmon fishery was closed on July 15 due to high encounters of sublegal Chinook under the 22-inch minimum size limit. WDFW fishery managers have been working to assess the remaining impacts agreed to in this year’s List of Agreed Fisheries to reopen for coho and pink opportunities while still meeting conservation goals for Chinook.

Fishing also reopens Aug. 9, until further notice, within 100 yards of Dash Point Pier to food fish fishing and shellfish harvest under Marine Area 11 rules. The Dash Point Pier remains closed, per order of the City of Tacoma, due to structural concerns. Because access to the Pier is closed, the closure area surrounding the pier is not needed to avoid gear conflicts between pier and vessel or shore anglers. The Department of Health has classified this area as prohibited for the harvest of clams, mussels, and oysters for human consumption due to pollution concerns.

Marine Area 11 will reopen Sept. 1-30 to fishing for pink and coho only from vessels. The daily limit is two salmon, with no minimum size. Anglers must release all Chinook and chum. This rule change does not affect the planned Oct. 1-31 salmon fishery targeting coho and chum only.

Puget Sound salmon seasons are a result of an annual collaborative state and tribal salmon season-setting process known as North of Falcon (NOF). The public is invited to participate in this process in late winter and spring of each year and can visit the WDFW NOF webpage for more information.

For full fishery details and regulations, see the emergency rule change at WDFW’s website. Permanent regulations can be found in the 2023-24 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. Other marine areas currently open for salmon fishing can be found on the WDFW website. To be notified of in-season rule changes as they are announced sign up for email notifications at wdfw.wa.gov/about/lists.

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.



________________________________________




Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 360-902-2349, TTY (711), or Title6@dfw.wa.gov.

I'm a shore based anglers, so the new MA 11 regs just announced wouldn't affect me, but I understand the frustration of boat owners.
Although I’d hate more regulations, you’d think they could come up with some that would help eliminate chinook encounters while folks target pinks and coho from boats.
I know you can’t eliminate all encounters, but with gear restrictions you could certainly greatly reduce them.
What about a maximum 2 oz weight limit? Maybe a enforcement nightmare but I never see WDFW come up with any alternatives that provide more opportunity. It seems they always take the easy route just my shutting things down.
I know that isn’t perfect, but if you have a boat and want to fish MA 11 for coho or pinks it sure beats what the current regs.
SF

There is some kind of a bias going on in Area 11. Area 10 just closed for chinook but they are allowed one coho/pink . Their sublegal quota was twice that of Area 11 and they went over that quota by 22%. Area 11 sublegal quota was half of Area 10 and barely caught the quota when WDFW closed it on July 14 to all species. So, who do you think had the most impacts on the the subelgal chinook? Area 11 is scheduled to open for coho/pinks on Sept 1. I have also heard that the Puyallup tribe has told WDFW that they have no problem with opening Area11 for pinks/coho now. What gives? WDFW needs to let rec anglers know the "real" reason why Area 11 is closed until Sept.1.

Aww come on, of course they are not going to tell the “rec” anglers the real reasons for the boat fishing bans. They have this contrived “encounters” process that they themselves could not follow, but gives numbers to manipulate for closing as they want it to be.

Way too much fuel would be burned for their carbon comforts, may be a possibility? But then again, the tax money they could be earning at 5 or 6 dollars a gallon on the marine side, and 5 dollars a gallon on the boat pulling truck side ?

Or maybe it’s just another “cut” added to the death by a thousand cuts to the PS recreational sport fishing of salmon. Kinda like the hunting community is feeling ...

WDFW - "Reason for action: The Marine Area 10 summer Chinook fishery was closed on August 4th after estimates of sublegal encounters reached 122% (9,471 of 7,748) of the limit agreed to in this year’s List of Agreed Fisheries (LOAF). Additional test fishing during the first week of August leading up to the closure indicated there was a push of legal-sized marked (LM) fish that moved into the area, which dropped the estimate of sublegal encounters to 75%. This provides room for additional days of Chinook retention in Marine Area 10."

I guess there was no push of LM fish in Area 11. Just humpies. Thanks WDFW, for nothing.

In Area 10, I am trying to figure out how a push of legal-sized marked fish in Area 10 drops the estimate of sublegal encounters to 75% from 122%. How does the influx of LM fish now affect the numbers of sublegals caught (estimated) from the Area 10 opener to when it closed? Am I missing something? CM?

The explanation is vague, doesn’t provide details, and doesn’t even make sense just like the department wants. Meanwhile, area 11 anglers continue to get bent over while sitting on shore missing their opportunity.

Is this the twilight zone? Is this reality? I don’t know what is real anymore. Rich G, can you pass the shrooms please?


Streamer

This isn't the twilight zone, Streamer. This is the era of WDFW complete mismanagement. The explanation is vague because there isn't a logical one.