OLYMPIA — Many Puget Sound marine areas open for recreational spot shrimp fishing beginning May 25, including the reopening of Elliott Bay for the 2023 season.
Hood Canal and Discovery Bay, meanwhile, will open May 26.
Overall, the 2023 season will start around the same time and with similar opportunities compared to last year, with the exception of the Elliott Bay reopening, fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.
“This is a very popular recreational fishery, and a marker for many that the warmer days are truly upon us,” said Don Velasquez, longtime WDFW shellfish biologist. “We can’t wait to see folks out enjoying themselves on the water, carrying out one of Puget Sound’s great regional traditions.”
The selected dates reflect a conscious effort to offer opportunities to harvest while keeping participants distributed and reducing the chance of exceeding recreational quotas. Due to high expected turnout, some areas can’t support any weekend openings while remaining within their current quota.
All shrimp — including spot, dock, coonstripe, sidestripe and pink shrimp — can be kept as part of the daily limit. However, because only larger-mesh (1-inch) traps are allowed during the announced season, most harvest will be spot shrimp, also known as prawns.
2023 Puget Sound recreational spot shrimp seasons:
• Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line: Open daily beginning May 25, daylight hours. The recreational spot shrimp season closes when the quota is met.
• Marine Area 5 (Strait of Juan de Fuca from Low Point west to Sekiu River): Open daily beginning May 25, daylight hours. The recreational spot shrimp season closes when the quota is met.
• Marine Area 6 (Port Angeles Harbor, eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca to Point Wilson, excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Open May 25-28, June 8-10, June 22-24, July 7-10 and July 21-23. Daylight hours.
• Marine Area 6 (Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Open on May 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only.
• Marine Area 9 (Edmonds, Port Townsend Bay, Admiralty Inlet): Open on May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only.
• Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal Shrimp District): Open on May 26, June 9, June 11, June 24 and June 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only.
Additional dates and times may be announced if enough quota remains after the initial fishing days listed above.
