A week after decreasing the salmon limit in Marine Area 6, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife now plans to completely shut it down before the month is over.
The state announced this week that Marine Area 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) will close to salmon fishing Monday, Feb. 22.
In a new release, the state said that the reason for the closure is to comply with “conservation objectives and agreed-to management plans.”
The state and tribal co-managers agreed to limit the number of chinook encounters to 2,586 in Area 6 this season.
Any fish retained or released is counted as an encounter.
According to preliminary estimates, anglers have caught or released more than 1,800 chinook in Area 6. The state predicts the 2,586 threshold will be passed in less than two weeks.
The daily catch limit in Area 6 for chinook is one fish. It was lowered from two chinook last week.
All wild chinook must be released.
The overall salmon limit is two.
The salmon harvest remains open in Marine Areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 12 (Hood Canal).
Closure after derby
Fortunately, the end of the Marine Area 6 salmon fishery won’t affect the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, which is Friday through Sunday, Feb. 19-21.
The derby, which features 500 square miles of fishing territory, five weigh stations and a $10,000 first prize, is part of the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s Northwest Salmon Derby Series.
Tickets are on sale through next Wednesday, Feb. 17. They are $40 for one day or all three days when purchased at various North Olympic Peninsula outdoors stores, including Swain’s General Store in Port Angeles, Brian’s Sporting Goods in Sequim and Four Corners Store and the Fishin’ Hole in Port Townsend
See the complete list of locations selling tickets at www.gardinersalmonderby.org.
Tickets also can be purchased online for $42.50 through that same website.
No tickets will be sold at weigh stations during the derby.
The event spans much of the north Olympic Peninsula, with weigh stations at Freshwater Bay, Ediz Hook in Port Angeles, John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Gardiner Beach and Port Townsend Boat Haven.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton is filling in for outdoors columnist Michael Carman, who is taking a few days off.
