2000 Sport Catch Report

The Washington State Sport Catch Report was first published in 1967. The report originally provided salmon catch estimates, which were and still are based on data from catch record cards (punch cards). Beginning in 1975, marine fish sport harvest estimates were reported in the sport catch report. In 1976, shellfish sport harvest was added. Marine fish and intertidal shellfish sport harvest estimates are based on field and creel surveys. In 1994, steelhead sport harvest estimates, from catch record cards, were added to the report. Now, catch record card data are collected for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, Dungeness crab and halibut and supplemented with field or creel survey data or telephone surveys where and when possible to improve recreational harvest estimate accuracy. The sport harvest estimates for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, marine fish and shellfish are produced at varying times of each year. For this reason, coupled with an increase in the number of catch record cards issued, budget, and staffing constraints, the 2000 edition of the Washington State Sport Catch Report is being published in April 2004.

The 2000 sport estimates reflect harvest from April 1, 2000, through March 31, 2001. Historically salmon, sturgeon, halibut, marine fish and shellfish estimates were made on a calendar year basis from January 1 through December 31. Steelhead estimates were summarized from May 1 through the next April 30 to better capture the results of steelhead â€�"run years”. Effective January 1, 1999, the sport license system adopted an April 1 to March 31 license year for all species. To adjust to the new reporting time frames, the 1999 sport report included 15 months of salmon and sturgeon catch and 11 months of steelhead catch (May 1, 1999 â€" March 31, 2000). When comparing past years’ sport harvest estimate tables to 1999 and 2000 tables, please note the changes in the license structure and reporting year as described above.

SPORT LICENSES AND CATCH RECORD CARDS

In 2000, the following licenses and catch record cards were required to fish in Washington:

• A saltwater license was required for resident anglers 15 years of age and over, and for all nonresident anglers. This license allowed the holder to fish for any fish existing in saltwater. This license was available in resident annual, resident senior (ages 70 and over), and non-resident annual. In addition, a free catch record card was required of all anglers of all ages to fish for salmon, steelhead, for halibut in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and for sturgeon in the Columbia River, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay and all tributaries of these three systems.
• A freshwater license was required for resident anglers 15 years of age and over, and for all nonresident anglers, to fish for any fish species existing in freshwater. This license was available in resident annual, resident senior (ages 70 and over), and non-resident annual. A free catch record card was also required of anglers of all ages to fish for salmon, steelhead and for sturgeon in Columbia River, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay and all tributaries of these three systems.
• A shellfish/seaweed license was required for resident and non-resident harvesters 15 years of age and older. This license allowed the holder to fish for crab, gooseneck barnacles, mussels, octopus, scallops, oysters, razor clams, sea cucumbers, softfshell and hardshell clams, squid and seaweed. Since Dungeness crab was added to the catch record card, a free catch record card was required of all crabbers of all ages to fish for Dungeness crab.
• A combination license was required for annual and two-day resident and non-resident harvesters 15 years of age and older to participate in all three of the above fishing activities.

Catch record cards were significantly changed beginning in 2000. Previously, separate cards were issued for each species group: salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, or halibut. In 2000, these four species groups plus Dungeness crab were combined onto one card record document. A catch record card was issued at no charge to anyone wishing to fish for any of these groups.

Table 1 shows license sales from April 1, 2000 to March 31, 2001, based on a direct count of sales. Tables 2, 3 and 4 show the estimated number of salmon, sturgeon and steelhead catch record cards issued. Note that the number of catch record cards issued shown in these tables are estimated from the catch record card databases, therefore cannot be directly compared to the license sales number. These numbers cannot be compared since anglers under 15 and over 70 are required to obtain a catch record card but not a license. Also, not all dealers returned their catch record card stubs, nor did all anglers return their catch record cards, therefore, correction factors were applied.

METHODS

Sport harvest estimates are made in Washington State using various methods. These include catch record cards for: salmon and steelhead statewide, sturgeon in the Columbia River, Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay and halibut in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Estimates from catch record cards are available six months to one year after the end of the season. Creel, telephone interviews and mail surveys are carried out for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, halibut, and shellfish in areas where management requires more timely estimates. Creel surveys consist of checking anglers who are exiting the fishery and asking specific questions about catch and effort. The creel survey estimates for some species and areas are substituted for catch record card estimates (this is noted in the tables).

The sport catch record card is used to produce the annual sport harvest estimates for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, Dungeness crab, and halibut. The catch record card is a two-part document consisting of: 1) a card to record catch (CRC) and 2) a corresponding name and address stub (NA). Both parts of the document have the same permit number. Each permit number issued is unique and is the basis for a 25% systematic random sampling. Dealers are required to return the NA and anglers are required to return the CRC. Anglers holding in-sample cards are sent reminders to return their CRC’s. Harvest summed from returned in-sample cards is expanded to account for the un-sampled cards (75%) and unreturned cards. A bias adjustment factor is applied in some areas and species to account for successful anglers returning cards at a higher rate than unsuccessful anglers. Creel survey data are substituted for CRC data when available. The preliminary sport harvest estimates are sent to WDFW and Tribal biologists statewide for review. After review comments are compiled and investigated, final sport harvest estimates are prepared and distributed.

The methods used produce estimates of sport harvest, which have some level of uncertainty. This uncertainty, or variance, is estimated and expressed with confidence levels, which are not provided in this report. These variance estimates are available upon request.

OCEAN CATCH DATA

Sport catch data from coastal areas 1 â€" 4 were reported using â€�"port sampling” (creel survey) catch estimates. Such estimates were derived by monitoring daily landings at four coastal ports: Ilwaco, Westport, LaPush, and Neah Bay. Catch is reported in the area where the fish was caught and not the area where it was landed.

STATISTICAL MONTHS AND STATISTICAL WEEKS

Some catch data (i.e. salmon and bottomfish) are reported using statistical months or statistical weeks. Statistical weeks (defined as Monday-Sunday) are consecutively numbered weeks beginning on January 1st and continuing through week 53 or 54 December 31st. The first and last weeks of any year usually contain less than 7 days. Statistical months are made up of a set number of statistical weeks, which approximate calendar months but do not coincide with calendar month start and end dates. For example, in 2001, the statistical month of January begins January 1st and ends February 4th and the statistical month of February starts on February 5th and ends March 4th. Since some data are reported using statistical months, as opposed to calendar months, some catch may be reported during what appears to be a closed period.

SALMON

Annual sport salmon catch estimates for 1971 through 2000 are shown in Table 5. Between April 1, 2000, and March 31, 2001 a total of 205,147 salmon were caught in marine areas, plus an additional 191,805 salmon in freshwater. The marine totals by species, as shown in Table 6, are: 42,450 chinook; 158,415 coho; 3,826 chum; 35 pink; 388 jacks; and 33 sockeye. Freshwater species breakdowns show: 40,751 chinook; 62,754 coho; 4,410 chum; 51 pink; 62,969 sockeye; 20,695 jacks (all species combined); and 175 unknown salmon species. The unknown area totals are: 1,108 chinook; 2,355 coho; 119 chum; 14 pink; 83 sockeye; 447 jacks; and 102 unknown salmon species.

Catch record cards are used to estimate sport salmon catch in marine and freshwater areas with some exceptions. In marine areas, creel survey estimates were substituted for the catch record card estimates in ocean areas 1-4 (excluding area 2.1 Willapa Bay and area 2.2 Grays Harbor), and in area 5 during August 01-September 30. Area 5 creel survey results are provided in Table 24. In freshwater areas, creel survey estimates were substituted for the catch record card estimates in the Lower Columbia River February â€" October, Klickitat River April â€" May, Little White Salmon River in May, and the Wind River May â€" June. All other estimates are from catch record cards.

STURGEON

On the new combined sport catch record card, sturgeon fishers were required to record their catch statewide. Total sport harvest for 2000 catch areas recorded, based on creel surveys and catch record card returns was 25,067 fish. Of this total, 23,537 white sturgeon and 21 green sturgeon came from the Columbia River and Snake River systems combined (Table 29). Other areas for which sturgeon harvest is reported are the Coast (includes Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor) 1,289 white and 27 green; and Puget Sound 158 white and 35 green sturgeon. For monthly catch information see Table 29.

STEELHEAD

Harvest estimates for sport caught summer and winter steelhead are derived from a random sample of catch record cards and from anglers throughout the state and creel surveys for steelhead in the lower Quinault River and Cook Creek. Steelhead caught during the months of May through October are �"summer-runs” designated SSH. Steelhead caught from November through April are �"winter-runs” designated WSH with the exception of steelhead caught above Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, where they are considered �"summer-runs” all year, because of run and spawn timing.

Table 33 presents steelhead sport harvest estimates for the 2000-2001 season geographically by stream and river system. Monthly estimate totals are given for marked and unmarked steelhead.

MARINE FISH

Marine fish are those species of fish which live their entire lives in salt water. There are four general groups of marine fish for management purposes: 1) bottomfish, which are species such as rockfish, lingcod and most species of sole and flounder; 2) forage fish, which are small, schooling fish such as herring and smelt; 3) tunas and mackerals; 4) Pacific halibut.

The recreational catch of bottomfish and halibut in ocean waters (Catch Areas 1-4) is estimated from marine surveys (Table 37 and 38). The estimates are made for each of the four main coastal fishing areas: Ilwaco, Westport, LaPush and Neah Bay.

The Puget Sound (Catch Areas 5-13) catch of bottomfish, excluding halibut, is estimated using a combination of two surveys: a creel survey of anglers to determine the catch rate and species composition and the salmon catch record card system to determine total fishing effort. It is important to note that an estimate of the bottomfish catch in Puget Sound is possible only when salmon fishing is open. Any bottomfish harvest in areas and times when salmon fishing is closed is excluded from these estimates. The totals shown on Table 39 are underestimates of the true catch, which is likely to be considerably higher.

The halibut catch in Puget Sound is estimated using a special survey of halibut catch record card holders. All persons fishing for halibut in Puget Sound Areas 5-13 are required to obtain a free halibut catch record card and record each halibut they catch. At the end of the halibut season, a subsample of card holders is telephoned and asked to report their annual catch of halibut. This number is expanded to estimate the total halibut catch in Puget Sound. Due to the nature of this system, no estimate of halibut catch by catch record area is made and only the Puget Sound total is given. The recreational catch of forage fish is not routinely monitored and no harvest estimate is available.

SHELLFISH

Puget Sound recreational clam and oyster harvest estimates are shown in Table 41. Harvest totals for Manila and native littleneck clams, butter clams, cockles, softshell clams, horse clams, geoducks and oysters are shown for 27 areas. Estimates show 126,555 sport harvester trips gathered 548,140 total pounds of clams, and 663,268 oysters in 2000.

The Hood Canal sport shrimp fishery harvest is reported in Table 42. A total of 77,010 pounds of shrimp were caught in 18,071 pots. The sport crab pot fishery in the Puget Sound areas are summarized in Table 43. A total of 465,551 pot days produced an estimated harvest of 687,355 Dungeness crab.