Summary Report of the 2002 Experimental Purse Seine Fishery for Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax)

In Washington, sardines are managed under the Emerging Commercial Fishery provisions as a trial commercial fishery. A trial commercial fishery allows the harvest of a newly classified species, or harvest of a previously classified species in a new area or by new means (WAC 220-88-010). The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission first approved a trial ocean purse seine sardine fishery in 2000, and the fishery has occurred for the last years. The target of the trial fishery was sardines; however, incidental catches of anchovy, mackerel, and squid can also be landed.