Non-spot shrimp pot fishery

For a printable PDF version of the Puget Sound commercial shrimp pot areas, click this link: PS Commercial Shrimp Areas (PDF)

Region 1 

Regions 2 East and 2 West

Region 3

Regions 4, 5, and 6

Marine Preserves and Conservation Areas 

• False Bay, San Juan Island
• Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
• Argyle Lagoon, San Juan Island
• Shaw Island
• Yellow and Low Islands
• Admiralty Head
• Keystone
• Brackett's Landing

The Puget Sound non-spot pot fishery primarily operates in Shrimp Management Regions 1, 2E, 2W, and 3 with catch landed in Bellingham, Blaine, Anacortes, Port Townsend, and Sequim. There are 18 valid licenses of which between 6 to 12 harvesters actively fish for non-spots in a given year. Landed catch includes several species of non-spot pandalid shrimps including Pink Shrimp (Pandalus eous and P. jordani), Dock Shrimp (P. danae), Coonstripe (Humpback) Shrimp (P. hypsinotus), and Coonstripe (Humpy) Shrimp (P. goniurus). It is unlawful to retain spot shrimp (P. platyceros) when targeting non-spot shrimp species. The harvest is destined for human consumption markets such as local seafood restaurants and farmers' markets. 

Season Structure

The commercial non-spot shrimp pot fishery has historically started on May 1 and ran through October 15. There are provisions in co-management agreements that allow early openings and extended seasons dependent on ovigery test results. Harvest is metered by setting weekly regional harvest limits for each individual license holder.

Fishery Management 

This fishery is managed on an individual quota basis. The season is opened with weekly harvest limits per license. Fishers may fish in any area that is open to them but fishing typically occurs in the most popular areas first, then becomes concentrated in less desirable areas as the season progresses.

Areas of Operation 

Commercial harvest primarily occurs in Shrimp Management Regions 1, 2E, 2W, and 3 which consist of Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas (MFSF Catch Areas) 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 25A, 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 25 D, 25B, 25C, 26A, and 29.

License Type

Limited entry license. There are currently 18 licenses.  

Depth Fished 

Fishing depths range from 24 to 370 feet with an average depth of 140 feet.

Soak Times 

Gear soak times range from 1 to 125 hours with an average soak time of 40 hours.

Gear Specifications

All shrimp pots must be constructed of either flexible or rigid mesh material (no liners allowed). A minimum of 1/2-inch mesh size is required when targeting non-spot shrimp. Mesh size of 1/2-inch is defined as a mesh in which a 3/8-inch square peg will pass through each opening, except for flexible (web) mesh pots, where the opening must be a minimum of 1 1/8 inch stretch measure. Entrance tunnels may be constructed of any mesh size but must be on the sides and may not exceed one-half the perimeter of the bottom of the pot. The maximum perimeter of shrimp pots must not exceed 10 feet, and the maximum height must not exceed 2 feet. All shrimp pots must be equipped with a biodegradable device (rot cord), as specified in the WDFW regulations, to allow the escapement of trapped animals should the pot become derelict. Commercial pot shrimp license holders are permitted to fish up to 100 pots, which must be marked with orange buoys constructed of a durable material that will remain floating on the surface with 5 pounds attached. The line attaching the pot to the buoy must be weighted sufficiently to prevent the line from floating on the surface. Commercial pots are typically deployed as ‘strings,’ where 20 – 50 pots are affixed to a ground line that is anchored on each end with a buoy attached.

The shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery is a limited entry fishery licensed under the shrimp pot -  Puget Sound commercial license (RCW 77.65.220). The shrimp pot -  Puget Sound commercial license grants the right to harvest spot shrimp and members of the non-spot shrimp species complex. There are currently 18 licenses with no new licenses issued annually. Historically, between 6 and 12 licenses have harvested non-spot shrimp. No more than two licenses may be stacked on a single vessel and both must be owned by the same person. If two licenses are stacked then the harvestable quota on the second stacked license is reduced by 50 percent. No more than two shrimp pot-Puget Sound fishery licenses may be owned by a licensee.  If a licensee owns more than 1 license then they both must be stacked on the same vessel (RCW 77.65.220).

Puget Sound shrimp pot fishery participants are required to obtain, as well as accurately and completely maintain the appropriate harvest log available from WDFW. If you need to obtain a new or additional logbook, please contact staff at the WDFW Port Townsend office:

Brad Speidel: 253-263-5560

Daniel Sund: 360-302-6372

For instructions in filling our your logbook, please see: Shrimp Logbook Instructions (PDF)

Completed logbook pages should be mailed to the WDFW Port Townsend office within ten days following any calendar month that fishing occurred.

ATTN: Commercial Shrimp Manager 
WDFW
375 Hudson St 
Port Townsend, WA 98368

WAC 220-301-040: Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas, Puget Sound.

WAC 220-302-100: San Juan Islands Marine Preserve Area.

WAC 220-320-060: General provisions -- Shellfish.

WAC 220-320-120: Puget Sound Crustacean Special Management Areas

WAC 220-320-140: Commercial shrimp geographical management units - Puget Sound

WAC 220-340-020: Shellfish -- Unlawful acts -- Commercial.

WAC 220-340-030: Shellfish harvest logs

WAC 220-340-040: Sale of commercially caught shellfish

WAC 220-340-060: Commercial shellfish pot gear - Escape mechanism required

WAC 220-340-520: Commercial shrimp fishery - Puget Sound

WAC 220-352-010: Fish receiving ticket definitions.

WAC 220-352-020: When state of Washington fish receiving tickets are required.

WAC 220-352-035: Requirement to prepare fish receiving ticket forms completely and accurately—Determining the appropriate form.

WAC 220-352-130: Completion, submission, distribution, and retention of copies of shellfish receiving ticket.

WAC 220-352-140: Signatures -- Fish receiving tickets.

WAC 220-352-160: Fish receiving ticket accountability -- Paper forms.

WAC 220-352-210: License cards.

WAC 220-352-220: Wholesale fish buyer plates.

WAC 220-352-230: Commercial fish and shellfish transportation ticket.

WAC 220-352-250: Sale under a limited fish seller endorsement.

WAC 220-352-335: Puget Sound shrimp - Additional reporting requirements