Bottom fishing closes off the coast

[Larry3215]

Did you guys see this? Im assiming this is yet another example of our fisheries being "managed" into extinction

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

January 6, 2017

Sport fishing for bottomfish closes off Washington coast through March 10
Action: Close recreational bottomfishing in Marine Areas 1-3 and Marine Area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) through March 10, 2017. Reopen the coastal recreational bottomfish fishery the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October (March 11 through Oct. 21, 2017).

Effective date: Effective immediately

Species affected: Bottomfish

Location: Marine Areas 1 through 3 and Marine Area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line)

Reason for action: The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted changes to the recreational bottomfish seasons along the Washington coast as part of its groundfish biennial management cycle for 2017-18. The recreational bottomfish season is currently open year round in coastal marine areas, although rough ocean conditions in winter results in minimal fishing effort from mid-October through mid-March.

This new rule changes the coastal recreational bottomfish season from a year round season to one open from the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October. It also aligns the recreational bottomfish season with the recreational lingcod season in Marine Areas 1-3, and preserves recreational fishing opportunity in months when there has been significant participation in the fishery (March-October).

Marine Area 4B, east of the Bonnilla-Tatoosh line, will remain open year round as some recreational fishing does occur in this area during the winter. This rule change is necessary to conform to federal action taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Additional information: Bottomfish species include Pacific cod, Pacific tomcod, Pacific hake (or whiting), walleye pollock, all species of dabs, sole and flounders (except Pacific halibut), lingcod, ratfish, sablefish, cabezon, greenling, buffalo sculpin, great sculpin, red Irish lord, brown Irish lord, Pacific staghorn sculpin, wolf eel, giant wrymouth, plainfin midshipman, all species of shark, skate, rockfish, rattail, and surfperches (all saltwater perch are surfperch) excluding shiner perch.

Information contact: Heather Reed, (360) 902-2487

[Larry3215]

This is really ticking me off. Not because of the lost opportunity so much as it is another indication of how screwed up our current system is and how its is killing our fisheries.

The reason they are doing this is because of Federal requirements to reduce impacts because some species are getting close to extinction.

This rule change is necessary to conform to federal action taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

So what do they do? They close the season during the time when closing it will have the least impact - when its least used.

But hey, lets still let the commercial guys net all they want when the weather is good enough for them to get out. The 20 fish the sport guys dont catch over the winter will have a HUGE impact Im sure.....

[G-Man]

They could at least have excluded surfperch from the list of bottomfish species for this new closure. Or contined to allow fishing and retention from shore. I suppose it is the intention of the state and federal government to force the last few remaining non-native american establishments, who cater to sportsmen visiting the coast, out of business. Up next, eliminate crabbing during this time as well as any clamming and collection of sand shrimp.

[Larry3215]

No, they cant do that. The Feds wont let them.

The problem is, they - WDFW and the politicians who give them orders and take campaign contributions from commercial fishing - have allowed gill netting and over fishing to go on way way too long. Its to the point that things are getting seriously bad as far as loss of certain species to the point they are almost gone - Endangered in other words.

At that point any fishing could be enough to tip things beyond recovery due to by-catch.

In the original letter they say this:

This rule change is necessary to conform to federal action taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

They have been ordered to reduce impacts on the fish. So they close fishing during the one time there would be the least impact and do nothing to limit commercial fishing at all.

This is a slight of hand, distract them while you pick their pocket trick. All the focus is on the sport fishermen. No mention at all of commercial impacts. We gat the blame indirectly and by implication while they make it sound like they are doing US a favor by only closing it during the winter.

We loose, the fish loose even bigger and the commercial guys just keep on truckin......

[G-Man]

I believe they could have. Surf perch are not listed as a protected or monitored fish by NOAA and it is just our State's laziness not to have kept this fishery open. For reference, Oregon does not group surf perch in with their list of groundfish and it is currently open. Heck they could have put in a bit more effort and crafted a rule change that just closed all marine areas to the taking of the rockfish listed in the federal action along with requiring the use of a deceding device and the feds probably would have bought it.

There is an ongoing issue with the folks who create these local regulations in not taking into account when sport anglers release a fish, with a few exceptions, it has a good chance of survival. I suspect it has something to do with the commercial and tribal lobbists conning these folks into believing the catch and release methods sports anglers use are just as detrimental to bycatch as their clients long lines and nets.

As for commercial fishing, I think you will find all near shore and Puget Sound commercial bottom fishing has been closed in Washington State. We screwed up that fishery in the 80's and we have been paying for it ever since. Looking at what the WDFW has posted for commercial fishing regulations for near shore areas, bottom fish can only be kept as bycatch (limited) when targeting other open species. If anyone is specifically targeting these fish for sale, it would have to be the tribes. Are they being subjected to this same closure? Who knows and who is going to enforce it if they are?

[Bodofish]

For what it's worth, The only boats I've seen out there dragging or longlining are tribal members. They pretty much fish when ever they want to or are able to for one reason or another. Trolling behind the draggers can be good as they dredge up all sorts of things that kings like to eat.

[Fish-or-man?]

Good discussion here. I only fish for surf perch in the fall/winter after they give birth. So this action killed the fishery for me. I have a call and e-mail into WDFW... hopefully something can be done to reclassify them. The 188-page report I believe the decision is based off of does not take surf perch into account within the math or modeling. To G-Man's point, it's just a classification issue. Does anyone know if this was a commission decision or made by WDFW internal management?

[Larry3215]

I doubt you will get very far with this. When they closed Lake Wa and other places last year to ALL fishing because of the fight with the tribes over salmon, no one was able to get bass, perch etc opened independently.

[4n6fisher]

They came to their senses and opened for surfperch, and clarified that 2-1 and 2-2 are included in bottom fishing closure. Nice that something positive came out from WDFW, thanks to whomever pushed the issue or asked for clarification!

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

January 12, 2017

Clarification: This clarifies that Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay are included in a rule change that closed recreational bottomfish fishing in Washington's ocean marine areas on Jan.6. This also clarifies that surfperch fisheries are excluded from the bottomfish closure.

Sport fishing for bottomfish to close
through March 10 off the Washington coast

Action: Close recreational bottomfishing in Marine Areas 1-3 (including Marine Areas 2-1 and 2-2) and Marine Area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) through March 10, 2017. Reopen the coastal recreational bottomfish fishery the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October (March 11 through Oct. 21, 2017). The winter closure does not include surfperch when fishing from the beach.

Effective date: Immediately

Species affected: Bottomfish

Location: Marine Areas 1 through 3, including Marine Areas 2-1 (Willapa Bay) and 2-2 (Grays Harbor), and Marine Area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line).

Reason for action: The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted changes to the recreational bottomfish seasons along the Washington coast as part of its groundfish biennial management cycle for 2017-18. The recreational bottomfish season is currently open year round in coastal marine areas, although rough ocean conditions in winter results in minimal fishing effort from mid-October through mid-March.

This new rule changes the coastal recreational bottomfish season from a year round season to one open from the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October. It also aligns the recreational bottomfish season with the recreational lingcod season in Marine Areas 1-3, including Marine Areas 2-1 (Willapa Bay) and 2-2 (Grays Harbor), and preserves recreational fishing opportunity in months when there has been significant participation in the fishery (March-October).

Marine Area 4B, east of the Bonnilla-Tatoosh line, will remain open year round as some recreational fishing does occur in this area during the winter. This rule change is necessary to conform to federal action taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

The winter closure does not include surfperch when fishing from the beach, which will continue to be allowed year round.

Additional information: Bottomfish includes Pacific cod, Pacific tomcod, Pacific hake (or whiting), walleye pollock, all species of dabs, sole and flounders (except Pacific halibut), lingcod, ratfish, sablefish, cabezon, greenling, buffalo sculpin, great sculpin, red Irish lord, brown Irish lord, Pacific staghorn sculpin, wolfeel, giant wrymouth, plainfin midshipman, all species of shark, skate, rockfish, rattail, and surfperches (all saltwater perch are surfperch) excluding shiner perch.

Information contact: Heather Reed, (360) 902-2487

[Larry3215]

Good news for you guys! Glad I was wrong

[G-Man]

Squeaky wheel gets the grease! Thanks to everyone who questioned the intent of the closure and contacted the WDFW. I still think they could have left flounder open from shore, but I'll take this.

[Fish-or-man?]

Woohoo! Good on WDFW for making the change.