OLYMPIA — With quota remaining in the recreational spot shrimp fishery, state shellfish managers have added an extra day to catch spot shrimp in several Puget Sound marine areas, including Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal).
“Cool, wet weather led to lower-than-expected catch in the early part of the shrimping season, which means there are enough shrimp remaining in the quota to support some additional opportunities,” said Don Velasquez, crustacean biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Marine Area 12 will open for an additional day of recreational spot shrimp harvest on July 6 from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m.
In addition, the non-spot shrimp fishery began in Marine Area 9 (Port Townsend Bay and Admiralty Inlet) Saturday and will run through Oct. 15 with a 150-foot maximum fishing depth restriction.
In all areas open for spot shrimp, the daily limit is 80 spot shrimp with a total daily weight limit of 10 pounds (whole shrimp) all species combined. Starting 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.
Shrimp pots with a minimum mesh size of ½-inch are allowed in those areas which open for non-spot shrimp only fishing.
