August 10, 2023
Action: Opens Chinook fishing for additional days
Effective date: Aug. 11 through Oct. 31, 2023.
Species affected: Salmon.
Location: Marine Area 10
Specific Locations, Dates, and Rules:
Marine Area 10, except West Elliott Bay, East Elliott Bay, Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard, and Year-round piers (Bremerton Boardwalk, Illahee State Park Pier, Seacrest Pier, and Waterman Pier):
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Aug. 11 through Aug. 13: Salmon daily limit is 2 including no more than 1 hatchery Chinook and 1 coho. Chinook min. size is 22”. Other salmon species no min. size. Release wild Chinook and chum.
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Aug. 14 through Sept. 30: Salmon daily limit is 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook, chum.
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Oct. 1 through Oct. 31: Salmon daily limit 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook.
East Elliott Bay: Waters of Elliott Bay east of a line from Duwamish Head to Pier 91 up to the mouth of the Duwamish River including 6 Harbor Island (Duwamish Waterways):
- Aug. 11 until 12 p.m.(noon) Aug. 14: Salmon daily limit is 2. Chinook min. size is 22”. Other salmon species no min. size. Release chum.
- 12 p.m. (noon) Aug 14 through Aug. 17: Salmon closed.
- Aug. 18 through Sept. 30: Salmon daily limit is 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook, chum.
- Oct. 1 through Oct. 31: Salmon daily limit 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook.
West Elliott Bay: Waters of Elliott Bay east of a line from West Point to Alki Point and west of a line from Duwamish Head to Pier 91:
- Aug. 11 through Aug. 17: Salmon closed.
- Aug. 18 through Sept. 30: Salmon daily limit is 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook, chum.
- Oct. 1 through Oct. 31: Salmon daily limit 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook.
Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard: Waters of Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard south of the Manette Bridge in Bremerton, south of a line drawn true west from Battle Point, and west of a line drawn true south from Point White:
- Aug. 11 through Sept. 30: Salmon daily limit is 3 including no more than 1 coho. Chinook min. size is 22”. Other salmon species no min. size. Release wild Chinook and chum. Two-pole endorsement is allowed.
- Oct. 1 through Oct. 31: Salmon daily limit 2 including no more than 1 coho. No min. size. Release Chinook.
Reason for action: The Marine Area 10 summer Chinook fishery was closed on August 4th after estimates of sublegal encounters reached 122% (9,471 of 7,748) of the limit agreed to in this year’s List of Agreed Fisheries (LOAF). Additional test fishing during the first week of August leading up to the closure indicated there was a push of legal-sized marked (LM) fish that moved into the area, which dropped the estimate of sublegal encounters to 75%. This provides room for additional days of Chinook retention in Marine Area 10.
For East Elliott Bay, in season information indicates that the expected return is large enough to support an additional weekend of fishing.
For Sinclair Inlet, the fishery will reopen with the reopening of Marine Area 10 after assessing potential enforcement issues that could have arisen with the closure of Marine Area 10 to Chinook retention.
Additional Information: Year-round piers (Bremerton Boardwalk, Illahee State Park Pier, Seacrest Pier, and Waterman Pier) also remain open as listed in the 2023/24 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Anglers can be notified of any Fishing Rule Changes by email, as soon as they are announced, by signing up for rule change notices at https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/lists.
Information contact: Fish Program, 360-902-2700