NANFA-- WA marine collecting regulations

Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Tue, 2 May 2000 10:41:13 -0700

Washington marine animal enthusiasts should be happy to read that 2000
collecting regulations permit the regulated collecting of
nongame/non-commercial marine fishes and invertebrates.

No license is required to fish for albacore tuna, common carp, smelt,
crayfish or unclassified marine invertebrates ("unclassified" meaning not
classified as commercial species).

A saltwater fishing license ($18/year for residents) is required for
unclassified sculpins and other marine fishes.

Below is the language from the new regulation book, which is online at
http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/regs/fishregs.htm:

NEW for 2000

MARINE FISH CHANGES

In the marine section of this pamphlet, there are many changes to the rules
for harvesting bottomfish. In Marine Areas 1-4 there is a limit of 2 canary
and 2 yelloweye rockfish within the 10 fish aggregate daily limit for
rockfish. In Areas 5-13, the daily limit for rockfish has been reduced to 1
because of extreme concern over the status of stocks of these fish. The
season when divers may harvest lingcod has been shortened, although there is
still no size limit on lingcod harvested by divers. Check Marine Areas 3 and
4 for changes in the area open to halibut fishing. And there is a new limit
of 2 per species for marine fish not specifically listed in the pamphlet.
This rule was put in place primarily to protect small tide-pool fish.

UNCLASSIFIED MARINE INVERTEBRATES

Unclassified marine invertebrates (which include common beach and tide-pool
animals such as chitons, starfish, snails, anemones and shore crabs) have
been overharvested from many of our beaches, particularly in urban areas.
Harvesters are now limited to 5 moon snails and 2 nudibranchs. For other
marine invertebrates not listed under shellfish definition, the daily limit
is a total of 10.

--
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA

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