The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Fish Program Team and other agency staff from across Washington gather together one last time at the conclusion of the Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings on April 11, 2024, in Seattle.

Salmon Daily Digest

WDFW’s regular update on the salmon fishing 2024–25 season setting process

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

53 min readMar 2, 2024

Washington salmon season setting is complex fishery management, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers work hard to make sure the public is informed during the annual two-month process.

As part of the 2024–25 salmon season setting process, WDFW has created the “Salmon Daily Digest” blog. This blog is a way to provide regular updates of the ongoing developments during this process, known as the North of Falcon, which refers to waters north of Oregon’s Cape Falcon and marks the southern border of management of the state’s salmon stocks, including Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Columbia River, and coastal areas.

The agency hosts more than a dozen in-person and virtual North of Falcon meetings to develop the annual salmon fishing seasons. For a full timeline of the process, including a public meeting schedule with opportunities to participate and provide public feedback, visit WDFW’s North of Falcon public meetings webpage.

WDFW listens closely to the input of anglers statewide, attempts to find solutions that best serve the wide array of interested participants and favors transparency by keeping an open door when it comes to public expectations. WDFW also strives to meet conservation goals to aid the recovery of salmon and steelhead, including constraints under the Endangered Species Act.

WDFW works together with tribal co-managers to equitably divide the share of harvestable salmon, both during North of Falcon and through ongoing management throughout the year.

The public can provide general comments on potential fisheries at WDFW’s North of Falcon public input webpage. Additional comment opportunities on specific seasons and fisheries will be available as forecasts and proposed season summaries are made available.

Visit our WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for helpful key terms and suggested resources.

Staff gather on the morning of April 10 for the Pacific Fishery Management Council and Washington state delegation meeting.

You can follow key developments in the posts below that are listed by dates of each meeting (19 total from March 1 through April 12, 2024).

April 12 — Kelly Cunningham, the WDFW Fish Program Director, offers his final insights on the process

The 2024–2025 North of Falcon salmon season setting process just concluded with a week-long series of meetings in Seattle but our efforts to provide fishing opportunities to all Washingtonians span across every day of the year.

I’d like to say that even when the gavel hits the table at the Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in April, our staff jumps right back in and is hard at work nearly 24/7 to ensure fisheries are managed to the best of our abilities. We work to encourage a cooperative, solution-oriented environment and processes that produce, to the extent possible, win-win outcomes for all parties.

This process takes the time to be thoughtful and thorough in our work to make the best decisions using the best available science along with the close cooperation of tribal co-managers, other West Coast fishery managers, federal fishery representatives, and stakeholders and the public at large.

WDFW listens closely to the input of everyone, attempts to find solutions that best serve the wide array of interested participants and favors transparency by keeping an open door when it comes to public expectations. WDFW also strives to meet conservation goals to aid the recovery of salmon and steelhead, including constraints under the Endangered Species Act.

WDFW staff and our recreational fishing advisers work extremely hard throughout the year to develop salmon seasons that maximize fishing opportunities even under these many constraints, and we include the public in those decisions wherever possible. We hear feedback from everyone, and we take that feedback seriously to help inform our current and future management strategies.

The 2024–2025 salmon seasons adopted on Thursday, April 11, brought about changes to several fisheries that won’t sit easily with everyone. We also share your frustration when opportunities from past seasons or upcoming scheduled seasons change or close early due to conservation concerns or harvest quotas being met early.

We don’t make these decisions lightly, typically consulting with our sportfishing advisory groups, along with other members of the public and tribal co-managers, prior to adjusting seasons. You can read more about understanding Puget Sound fisheries management on our WDFW blog.

We hope our increased interaction in 2024 that started with our first-ever Town Hall meeting on Jan. 30 along with the Salmon Daily Digest blog provided information to keep you up-to-date throughout the North of Falcon process. If you have any other ideas to build on our communication in future years, please let us know.

In closing, I’d like to thank our WDFW Fish Program staff and others within the agency for all their hard work, hundreds of hours, and the many late night/early morning meetings. Lastly, we truly appreciate how critically important it is for us to have the public support and their feedback on the state’s work throughout this process.

April 11 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

The NOF salmon-season setting meeting ended Thursday, April 11 in Seattle, which was part of the annual North of Falcon process that involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

The tentative 2024–2025 statewide salmon seasons have been adopted by the Council. Season recommendations now move forward for approval by the National Marine Fisheries Service and final rule making, including additional opportunity for public comment and consideration of those comments will be taken. A link to provide public comment will be posted soon by going to the WDFW public meeting webpage. Salmon fishing regulations will be adopted in early June.

“These salmon fishing seasons were crafted carefully to ensure conservation goals are achieved for salmon populations, especially those listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA),” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind. “We’ve worked carefully with treaty tribes to ensure there will be sustainable salmon fisheries and developed a fair number of fishing opportunities in Washington while protecting weaker salmon stocks.”

Continued low returns of some key Puget Sound Chinook salmon stocks are expected to limit some salmon fisheries in the upcoming season. They include the Nooksack, Skagit, Snohomish, and Stillaguamish rivers.

Here are some insights that developed at the NOF meetings into what anglers can look forward to for marine and freshwater fisheries.

“Low abundance of several Puget Sound Chinook stocks continues to limit fisheries this year,” said Kyle Adicks, intergovernmental salmon manager with WDFW. “We work with the public every year to plan fisheries that meet all of our conservation objectives while providing fishing opportunity for marine and freshwater anglers.”

WDFW fishery managers aligned several Puget Sound marine area summer Chinook fisheries to begin on the same date to spread out fishing pressure. In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Area), and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), the hatchery Chinook fishery is open Thursdays to Saturdays only beginning July 18 with area-specific catch guidelines. Marine Area 11 is open Wednesdays to Saturdays only from June 5–30 with area-specific catch guidelines.

In Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca) opens daily beginning July 1 for hatchery summer Chinook with specific catch quotas. In all marine area summer fisheries, WDFW will analyze the weekly fishery data collected via test fishing and creel sampling throughout the season.

For coho, the Puget Sound hatchery and wild forecasts have generally seen improvements in recent years to provide additional opportunities. In Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait), coho fishing remains open during August and September with non-selective opportunities beginning Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 and a daily limit of two coho.

Fishing in Marine Area 8–1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) is open for non-selective coho from Aug. 1 through Oct. 13, and Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) is open for non-selective coho from Aug. 1 through Sept. 24.

In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), hatchery coho is open during the July Chinook fishery and starting seven days a week in August. Non-selective coho opportunity for Marine Area 7 runs from Sept. 1–29 with a daily limit increase of two coho (one coho was the daily limit in 2023).

The overall Puget Sound chum salmon population has seen an improvement compared to the past couple of years. WDFW has a Puget Sound chum salmon recreational fishing opportunities in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Areas) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) from Oct. 1 through Nov. 15. Any proposed chum fishing in Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) will be based on in-season management.

Coastal salmon fisheries

The ocean salmon fisheries reflect forecasts for Columbia River Chinook that are similar to 2023. The number of hatchery-origin coho expected to return to the Columbia River is lower than 2023 but should provide good opportunities. WDFW fishery managers agreed during this week’s PFMC meeting to recreational ocean quotas of 41,000 Chinook and 79,800 marked coho.

Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay), Marine Area 3 (La Push), and Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) will open for salmon retention beginning June 22. Marine Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores) opens June 30-July 11 on Sundays through Thursdays only, and then open daily beginning July 14. Marine Areas 2, 3, and 4 are scheduled to remain open until Sept. 15 or until quotas are met. Marine Area 1 is scheduled to remain open until Sept. 30 or until quotas are met. Species and size restrictions are dependent on the area.

The sub-area quotas are — Marine Area 4, 8,300 hatchery-marked coho and 9,430 Chinook. Marine Area 3, 2,07 hatchery-marked coho and 1,630 Chinook. Marine Area 2, 29,530 hatchery-marked coho and 17,430 Chinook. Marine Area 1, 39,900 hatchery-marked coho and 12,510 Chinook.

Other meeting developments

· Puget Sound winter Chinook salmon fisheries have been modeled to begin March 1 through April 30 for Marine Area 5, Marine Area 10, and Marine Area 11. Various catch estimates will base the length of the season for each marine area. WDFW fishery managers will be in discussion with sport fishing advisers and the public to decide start dates for all three marine areas.

· The Tulalip Bubble Fishery is open for Chinook fishing from May 24 through Sept. 2 and allowed from 12:01 a.m. Fridays through Mondays of each week. Fishing is closed on June 1 for the Tulalip Tribal fishing ceremony. Fishing is also open Sept. 7–22 and allowed Saturdays and Sundays of each.

· Sinclair Inlet is open July 16 through Sept. 30 (two-pole endorsement is allowed) with a three-salmon daily limit, release chum and wild Chinook.

· The Cascade River and the Skagit River from the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport to the Cascade River Road is open May 29 through July 15 for hatchery-marked spring Chinook.

· Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) south of Ayock Point is open July 1 through Sept. 30 with a four-salmon daily limit, release chum and wild Chinook. Fishing remains open Oct. 1–31, release chum through Oct. 15 and release Chinook; open Nov. 1–30, release Chinook and coho.

· The 2024 sockeye forecast for the Baker River is 56,750 — more than 65,000 returned in 2023 — and the harvest split on sockeye for Baker Lake and the Skagit River is 75/25 percent respectively. The Skagit River from Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Bridge to the Dalles Bridge at Concrete opens for sockeye June 16 through July 15 with a four sockeye only daily limit. Baker Lake is open July 6 through Aug. 31 with a four-sockeye daily limit; each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon angling gear until the daily limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Fishing opens July 6 regardless of number of sockeye present in the lake and be sure to check the trap counts to decide when to go fishing on the WDFW webpage.

Refer to the WDFW blog post about the recent success of Baker River sockeye. This effective collaboration, communication, and trust between Skagit River sockeye co-manager Tribes, WDFW, and Puget Sound Energy over the past decade, has built a strong foundation for Baker Lake sockeye recovery.

· Summer Chinook salmon fisheries on the Columbia River are expected to have fewer retention opportunities than 2023, with fishing planned to be open June 16–19 from the Astoria-Megler Bridge to Bonneville Dam. Bonneville Dam to Priest Rapids Dam will open June 16–30 and closed to retention thereafter. Sockeye retention is expected to be allowed in the daily salmonid bag limit from June 16-July 31 for waters downstream of Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco.

· Columbia River fall fisheries from Buoy 10 to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco are planned for an Aug. 1 opener, with different dates by area for Chinook and coho. This includes steelhead restrictions throughout the river. The coho run size is expected to be lower than in recent years but should provide similar fishing opportunities. The Chinook run size is less than last year’s return but is still expected to provide good fishing opportunities.

· The 2024 Columbia River sockeye forecast of 401,700 is up 16% over the recent 10-year average. The Okanogan River sockeye forecast of 288,700 is up from 187,400 and an actual return of 179,655 in 2023. These sockeye provide fishing opportunities in the Brewster Pool, a popular summer deep-water area on the Upper Columbia River.

· The Lake Wenatchee sockeye salmon forecast is 97,000 up from a 44,300 forecast in 2023 and the actual return was 146,875. The management objective is 23,000 sockeye at Tumwater Dam. The lake could provide a late-summer sport fishery if the objective is met.

· While in-river fisheries are also tentatively set, WDFW fishery managers are concerned over the current low mountain snowpack, which brings the potential for drought conditions, high water temperatures and low water level issues in rivers. These conditions could impact freshwater sport fisheries and salmon migration in late summer and early fall timeframe. Winter flooding also has the potential for impacts on future salmon runs.

As climate change impacts Washington’s watersheds and ecosystems WDFW will monitor impacts and may need to adopt in-season management changes to address these conditions.

· For the proposed 2024–2025 Puget Sound marine area and freshwater fisheries, Columbia River fisheries and ocean water fisheries, refer to the WDFW season summaries and agreed fisheries webpage.

· There will be an online WDFW joint Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor final fisheries package meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16. Topics of discussion include post-NOF review of the outcome of regulations and schedules for the 2024–25 fishing season. To register, go to this registration link.

· For salmon season setting process materials and video presentations from all the meetings, refer to the NOF public meeting webpage. Visit our WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for helpful key terms and suggested resources.

The North of Falcon salmon season setting process part of the Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings in Seattle concluded on April 11, 2024. Pictured is a salmon angler reeling in a hatchery Chinook on the Upper Columbia River at Chelan Falls in July of 2022.

April 10 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

The NOF salmon-season setting meeting was held Wednesday, April 10 in Seattle as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season. Salmon seasons for the 2024–25 season have been adopted by the Council.

During the morning briefing, WDFW fishery managers announced Chinook management objectives were met for Puget Sound marine areas and freshwater fisheries to ensure compliance with Endangered Species Act. Up-to-date modeling results for Chinook and coho can be found here on WDFW’s website.

In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Area), Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), the summer hatchery Chinook fishery is set to open from Thursdays to Saturdays only beginning July 18 with area specific catch guidelines. Marine Area 11 is also open Thursdays to Saturdays only from June 5–30 with area specific catch guidelines. WDFW will continuously analyze the weekly fishery data collected via test fishing and creel sampling throughout the season.

Under the approved marine and freshwater fishing regulations, there will be additional Puget Sound coho opportunities in late summer and fall. In Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait), fishing will open Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 with a daily limit of two coho. In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), the daily limit has been increased to two coho from Sept. 1–29 (in 2023 the daily limit was one coho).

The Marine Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores), Marine Area 3 (La Push) and Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) salmon fisheries closure date has switched to Sept. 15 or until quotas are met. Possession of salmon on board a vessel is prohibited on days when the sub-area is closed to salmon retention in June and July. The coast-wide recreational total allowable catch is 41,000 Chinook and 79,800 hatchery-marked coho.

Fall fisheries on the Columbia River from Buoy 10 to the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco are planned for an Aug. 1 opener, with different dates by area for Chinook and coho. This includes steelhead restrictions throughout the river. The coho run size is expected to be lower than in recent years but should provide similar fishing opportunities. The Chinook run size is less than last year’s return but is still expected to provide good fishing opportunities.

WDFW fishery managers are looking at how to address possible summertime mountain snowpack issues, potential drought, high water temperatures and low water level issues in rivers, and how these conditions could impact freshwater sport fisheries and salmon migration in late summer and early fall timeframe. Winter flooding also has the potential for impacts on future salmon runs.

This was brought up recently by a constituent during public input and is in response to the impacts of climate change happening now and how it will continue to affect watersheds and ecosystems well into the future. WDFW has indicated if potential concerns occur then in-season management changes could happen.

Other meeting developments

· WDFW has a Puget Sound chum salmon recreational fishing opportunities in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Areas) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) from Oct. 1 through Nov. 15. Any proposed chum fishing in Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) will be based on in-season management.

· For salmon season setting process materials and video presentations from all the meetings, refer to the NOF public meeting webpage. To submit public input on proposed 2024–25 salmon fishing seasons, go to the WDFW public input webpage. Visit our WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for helpful key terms and suggested resources.

April 9 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

The NOF salmon-season setting meeting was held Tuesday, April 9 in Seattle as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

During the morning briefing, WDFW fishery managers continued to discuss the ongoing need for shaping Puget Sound marine areas and freshwater fisheries to meet management objectives necessary for ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Up-to-date modeling results for Chinook and coho can be found here on WDFW’s website. Current modeling shows many Puget Sound Chinook stocks are not meeting their objectives, those include Nisqually, Nooksack, Skagit, Skokomish, Snohomish, and Stillaguamish. Also, Snohomish coho still has an exploitation rate currently modeled slightly above its management objective. To view the proposed marine and freshwater Chinook fishery reductions, refer to the April 8 blog.

Under the current marine and freshwater fishing proposals, there will be coho opportunities in late summer and fall. In Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait), there is a proposal to shorten the season to four-days-per-week at the end of September with a daily limit to two coho. In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), a proposal increases the coho daily limit from one to two from Sept. 1–30.

WDFW has also proposed Puget Sound chum salmon recreational fishing opportunities in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Areas) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) from Nov. 1–15. Any proposed chum fishing in Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) will be based on in-season management.

The 2024 sockeye forecast for the Baker River is 56,750 (more than 65,000 returned in 2023) and the proposed 2024 harvest split on sockeye for Baker Lake and the Skagit River is 75/25 percent respectively. The Skagit River from Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Bridge to the Dalles Bridge at Concrete is proposed to be open for sockeye June 16 through July 15 with a four sockeye only daily limit. The Baker Lake proposed opening is July 6 through Aug. 31 with a four-sockeye daily limit; each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon angling gear until the daily limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved. Fishing opens July 6 regardless of number of sockeye present in the lake and be sure to check the trap counts to decide when to go fishing on the WDFW webpage.

There is still time to provide public comment here on the 2024–2025 statewide salmon-related proposals. To provide a more streamlined way of seeing various outcomes on how the Puget Sound seasons are shaped, WDFW fishery managers created an updated modeling tool for Chinook and coho fisheries. Refer to the 2024 Puget Sound recreational Chinook and coho fisheries modeling tools.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) will adopt final recommended salmon fishing seasons on April 11 in Seattle. WDFW will host daily public briefings at 8:30 a.m. now through April 11 via Zoom to cover NOF updates, developments, and answer questions from the public. Register by going to this link. For more information, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

Other meeting developments

· WDFW fishery managers are looking at how to address possible summertime mountain snowpack issues, potential drought, high water temperatures and low water level issues in rivers, and how their relation could impact freshwater sport fisheries and salmon migration in late summer and early fall timeframe.

· The 2024 Columbia River sockeye forecast of 401,700 is up 16 percent over the recent 10-year average. The Okanogan River sockeye forecast of 288,700 is up from 187,400 and an actual return of 179,655 in 2023. This provides sockeye fishing opportunities in the Brewster Pool, a popular summer deep-water area on the Upper Columbia River.

April 8 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

The NOF salmon-season setting meeting was held Monday, April 8 in Seattle as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

During the morning briefing, WDFW fishery managers discussed the need for shaping Puget Sound marine areas and freshwater fisheries to meet management objectives necessary for ensuring compliance with Endangered Species Act. Up-to-date modeling results for Chinook and coho can be found here on WDFW’s website. Current modeling shows many Puget Sound Chinook stocks are not meeting their objectives, those include Nisqually, Nooksack, Skagit, Skokomish, Snohomish, and Stillaguamish. Also, Snohomish coho still has an exploitation rate currently modeled above its objective.

WDFW fishery managers discussed a suite of possible fishery reductions in the briefing under consideration at this point in the planning process. Modifications to fisheries under consideration could include reductions to Chinook quotas in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point), Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), and Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Area) as these fisheries have the highest impact on the stocks of concern listed above. Also, under consideration this year are reductions to freshwater fisheries directed at Chinook in the Snohomish system, up to and including a total closure. As WDFW staff discussed in previous meetings, attainment of management objectives for Snohomish Chinook continue to drive allowable opportunity for fisheries in planning the 2024–25 salmon seasons.

For Minter Creek in South Puget Sound’s Henderson Bay, there is a proposal that would close salmon fishing in all waters within channels created by exposed tidelands from July 1 through Dec. 31. This area has been a topic of conversation during the NOF process due to a lack of public access to the lower fishery below Creviston Road. A similar rule has been in place at Blackjack, Chico, Gorst, Curley, and Grover creeks on the Kitsap Peninsula (refer to page 125 of the 2023–2024 regulation pamphlet), and at the mouths of the Dewatto, Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hamma Hamma, and Skokomish rivers in Hood Canal (refer to page 128 of the 2023–2024 regulation pamphlet).

In the Samish River, there have been ongoing issues and complaints from anglers and neighbors about safety (anglers hit by gear), snagging, crowding, and trespassing (refer to the March 27 blog). Other similar unruly issues have come up include the Cascade, Green, Naselle, Nisqually, Puyallup, and Quilcene rivers.

Other meeting developments

· Due to an expected low coho salmon forecast, WDFW reached an agreement to implement a hatchery-marked selective coho fishery along with a three-fish bag limit in the Quillayute River located on the northern Olympic Coast from Sept. 1 through Dec. 15.

April 6— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meeting

The NOF salmon-season setting meeting was held Saturday, April 6 in Seattle as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

The Council tentatively adopted ocean fishing regulations for further analysis throughout the rest of the April meeting. The proposed regulations include a recreational Chinook quota of 41,000 fish and marked coho quota of 79,800 fish. The proposed ocean recreational Chinook quota is similar to the 2023 Chinook quota of 39,000 fish as forecasted abundances of Columbia River Chinook are also similar to 2023. For coho, the ocean quotas are reduced relative to the levels set in 2023 mostly due to a much lower forecasted abundance of hatchery coho returning to the Columbia River.

Recreational ocean fisheries would be proposed to open June 22 in Marine Areas 1, 3, and 4 and June 30 in Marine Area 2 and would run until Sept. 30 or until quotas are met.

With the ocean fisheries starting to become clearer as the preseason planning process progresses, fishery managers will start to turn their attention to shaping Puget Sound marine area and freshwater fisheries to meet management objectives necessary for ensuring compliance with ESA. Up-to-date modeling results for Chinook and coho can be found here on WDFW’s website. Quick review of the current modeling shows many Puget Sound Chinook stocks are not currently meeting their objectives, those include Nooksack, Skagit, Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Nisqually, and Skokomish. Also, Snohomish coho has an exploitation rate currently modeled above its objective.

The likelihood of implementing any new saltwater and freshwater fisheries could be a challenge given the low abundances of several Puget Sound salmon stocks. Meeting materials from the meeting can be found on the NOF public meeting webpage.

To provide a more streamlined way of seeing various outcomes on how the Puget Sound seasons are shaped, WDFW fishery managers created an updated modeling tool for Chinook and coho fisheries. Refer to the 2024 Puget Sound recreational Chinook and coho fisheries modeling tools and provide public input here.

Other meeting developments

March 28 — North of Falcon Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor discussion

The virtual Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor public salmon-season setting discussion was held Thursday, March 28 as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the 2024–2025 salmon fishing season.

WDFW fishery managers discussed management objectives and preliminary Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor fishing opportunities. For meeting materials from yesterday’s meeting refer to the NOF public meeting webpage. You can watch the video presentation of the meeting on the WDFW YouTube website.

One topic of the discussion was WDFW’s proposed rule change on the Naselle River to address snagging behavior issues — which is an effort to take fish with a hook and line in a manner that the fish does not take the hook or hooks voluntarily in its mouth.

“Over the past few months, we have received several rule change proposals from the public intended to reduce snagging behavior on the Naselle River, particularly during the fall Chinook run,” said Erin Witkop, Ph.D., WDFW’s Region 6 district fish biologist for Willapa Bay.

In response to these proposals and in conjunction with the agency’s enforcement team, WDFW fishery managers are proposing the following rule change for the Naselle River in Pacific County from the Highway 101 Bridge upstream to the North Fork effective Aug. 1 through Oct. 15, stating any fish which is not legally hooked shall count toward the daily bag limit.

WDFW fishery managers are considering implementing a hatchery-marked selective coho fishery in the Naselle and Willapa rivers to boost natural production and reduce the number of hatchery coho that go unharvested.

For Grays Harbor, the 2024 fishery considerations by WDFW include a one fish daily limit on the Humptulips River; a jack fishery open on the Chehalis River downstream of the Fuller Bridge (the issue for this section is many adult Chinook are being targeted); and fisheries in December proposed to be open or closed all month or until Dec. 15.

WDFW invites the public to share their comments regarding these proposed rule changes by using the NOF public input portal. You can join the distribution list or provide input directly to willapabay@dfw.wa.gov for Willapa Bay fisheries and graysharbor@dfw.wa.gov for Grays Harbor fisheries.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) will adopt final recommended salmon fishing seasons on April 6–11 in Seattle. WDFW will host daily public briefings at 8:30 a.m. from April 7–11 via Zoom to cover NOF updates, developments, and answer questions from the public. Register by going to this link. For more information, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

Other meeting developments

· In Grays Harbor, the 2024 fall Chehalis wild Chinook forecast is 10,601 (wild spawning escapement goal is 9,753) and the hatchery Chinook forecast is 1,851. The fall Humptulips wild Chinook forecast is 3,728 (wild spawning escapement goal is 3,573) and the hatchery Chinook is 3,462. The Chehalis wild coho forecast is 67,709 (wild spawning escapement goal is 28,506) and hatchery coho forecast is 52,940. The Humptulips wild coho forecast is 4,068 (wild spawning escapement goal is 6,894) and hatchery coho forecast is 12,002.

· The 2024 Quinault River ocean age three coho wild coho forecast is 25,261 (23,595 in 2023) and the hatchery coho forecast is 34,745 (30,566 in 2023). The Queets River wild coho forecast is 15,795 (12,414 in 2023) and the hatchery coho forecast is 18,895 (14,906 in 2023).

· In Willapa Bay, the public has proposed to produce less chum at Nemah Hatchery and increase Chinook production; improve hatchery efficiencies in fall Chinook production for better returns; and shift coho hatchery production at Forks Creek Hatchery to provide better fishing opportunities by reducing the early coho hatchery production (prior to Sept. 15) at Forks Creek by 75 percent and increase late coho hatchery production from mid-September to mid-October.

· WDFW held an Upper Columbia River above McNary Dam and Snake River fisheries discussion on Wednesday, March 27 at the Walla Walla Community College in Clarkston. The public can refer to a list of proposed fishery seasons and salmon forecasts and the meeting video presentation.

· For WDFW’s salmon season setting process materials and video presentations from all the meetings, refer to the NOF public meeting webpage. To submit public input on proposed 2024–25 salmon fishing seasons, go to the WDFW public input webpage. Visit the WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for helpful key terms and suggested resources.

The second North of Falcon meeting saw a good number of the public turnout on Wednesday, March 27, in Lynnwood. The meeting is part of the salmon season setting process with final fisheries approved at the Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings on April 6–11 in downtown Seattle.

March 27 — North of Falcon meeting

The second public salmon-season setting meeting was held Wednesday, March 27 in Lynnwood as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

WDFW fishery managers presented information and analysis of preliminary fishery proposals and discussed preferred options for Puget Sound recreational sport fisheries that could resemble 2023–2024 seasons with possible adjustments.

At the meeting the public offered proposals on how to shape recreational fisheries for the 2024–2025 season. The likelihood of implementing any new saltwater and freshwater fisheries could be a challenge given the low abundances of several Puget Sound salmon stocks. Meeting materials from today’s meeting can be found on the NOF public meeting webpage.

In recent years, there have been Puget Sound rivers of concern regarding unruly fisheries and WDFW fishery managers and enforcement are considering a range of possible gear or retention rules for those rivers.

In the Samish River there’s been ongoing regular issues and complaints from anglers and neighbors about safety (anglers hit by gear), snagging, crowding, and trespassing.

Proposals for 2024 on the Samish River from the mouth to Thomas Road are a stationary gear rule — this restriction means the line and weight and lure or bait must be moving while in the water and the line and weight and lure or bait may not be stationary; hook size restriction; adopt maximum hook gap of ½-inch from point to shank; extend fishing season through Sept. 30, 2024; a bait-only section from the Bayview-Edison Road Bridge upstream to wing wall (approximately 1,000 feet); and a Veterans/active military day in the bait-only section on Sept. 14, 2024. Other ideas include a bare unweighted hook, no added weight, and bait only (free drifting), and a return to float rules (lure or bait must be suspended under a float).

On the Samish River from the mouth to hatchery rack, when not open for Chinook will be closed waters through Oct. 31. This relates to documented enforcement issues with regular trespassing complaints, and snagging Chinook; agricultural concerns about tainting organic fresh-to-market crops; and requested by enforcement and some neighbors.

Other Puget Sound rivers where unruly issues have come up include the Cascade, Green, Minter, Naselle, Nisqually, Puyallup, and Quilcene rivers.

Other meeting developments

· During yesterday’s meeting, WDFW presented the proposed current 2024 Puget Sound recreational feedback from the public. These are just some of the comments heard to date and not a total list of ideas. They include adding chum opportunity in Marine Areas 10 and 11 in October and November; an additional non-select coho opportunity in Marine Areas 5 and 6; add more quota, more fishing days, more stability for seasons, and a two-fish daily limit in Marine Area 11; align summer fisheries to June 1 for Marine Areas 10 and 11; postpone Marine Area 10 opening until mid-July for coho; maintaining freshwater fisheries for the Snohomish River; limited (small) winter Chinook fisheries in Marine Areas 7, 9, 8–1, and 8–2; annual limit of Chinook per angler; shore-based salmon fishing in Marine Area 11; and Baker Lake sockeye opener on the weekend after July 4.

· WDFW fishery managers still don’t have an agreement on Chinook management objectives for the Nooksack and Snohomish rivers, and as a result Puget Sound salmon seasons for 2024–2025 remain a bit unclear at this point in the process.

· WDFW, the Stillaguamish Tribe and other partners understand the challenges surrounding the Stillaguamish River wild Chinook population and have made this watershed a top priority for restoration and salmon recovery. You can read more including two YouTube videos titled “Paddling Together” and “Into the Stillaguamish” on the WDFW website.

· WDFW is hosting an online joint Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor fisheries discussion at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28. Register by going to this link. For a meeting list, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

March 21 — North of Falcon meeting

WDFW fishery managers held an online Puget Sound freshwater and marine recreational fisheries discussion on Thursday, March 21 as part of the annual North of Falcon (NOF) process. The process involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through mid-April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s (2024–2025) salmon fishing season.

The Thursday discussion centered on 2024–2025 management objectives and preliminary proposed fishing opportunities for Puget Sound freshwater and marine area salmon fisheries. No additional changes occurred since the March 19 discussion (refer below to the specific Puget Sound Chinook and coho stocks of concern and initial recreational fishing matrix in the March 19 blog thread).

WDFW fishery managers don’t have an agreement on Chinook management objectives for the Nooksack and Snohomish rivers, and as a result Puget Sound salmon seasons for 2024–2025 remain a bit unclear at this point in the process.

The current proposed fishery package shows a number of Puget Sound Chinook stocks and the Snohomish coho stock exceeding their harvest limits when considered relative to all three proposed ocean fishery alternatives. The Puget Sound salmon marine area fisheries as currently proposed can be found on the WFDW NOF public meeting webpage.

All proposed 2024–2025 fishing season scenarios at this point are fluid and will change as adjustments are made throughout the NOF process. The likelihood of implementing any new fisheries remains a challenge given the low abundances of several Puget Sound salmon stocks. For details, refer to the WDFW forecasts and model runs webpage.

The Puget Sound salmon marine area fisheries as currently proposed. All proposed 2024–2025 fishing season scenarios at this point are fluid and will change as adjustments are made throughout the NOF process.

The second public hybrid North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 27, 9 a.m., at Lynnwood Embassy Suites, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

Other meeting developments

· During public input, the in-season changes and closures to Marine Area 10 (Seattle-Bremerton Areas) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) during the summer of 2023 continues to be the hot topic. Management considerations for 2024 include a desire to fish in August for Chinook in Marine Area 11, less open/close in Marine Area 10, and more stability to each area’s summer fisheries. Approaches include different management targets, more adaptive management, shorter planned seasons, Marine Area 11 June fishery could use an approach like Marine Area 7 summer fishery and adding more Chinook non-retention to August in Marine Area 11 to ensure fishery stays open. Refer to the Marine Areas 10 and 11 management proposal handout.

· For Puget Sound freshwater fisheries, the proposed 2024 season for the Skagit River could provide seasons similar to 2023 for hatchery spring Chinook and coho, and the river and Baker Lake will have sockeye opportunities (proposed opener is July 6 for the lake) with a four fish daily limit and an increased quota for both. The initial number of fishing days in the Skykomish River is uncertain but is currently modeled at 22 days for summer hatchery Chinook.

Nooksack River season remains the same as 2023 for coho and chum but there will be no hatchery spring Chinook fishery due to a low forecast. The Samish River fishery has issues that need to be addressed including complaints about safety (anglers hit by gear), snagging, crowding, and trespassing.

For proposals on other rivers including Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Wallace, Snoqualmie, Lake Washington, Green/Duwamish, Puyallup/Carbon, Nisqually, and Strait/Hood Canal refer to the last night’s meeting presentation.

· Ongoing environmental concerns include the strong El Niño condition, which is expected to dissipate, but generally has been a factor for poor salmon survival in the ocean. Other issues are summer drought and fall/winter flood trends in recent years and how they affect salmon survival.

· WDFW has proposed that Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point), Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait) and Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) will be closed to sockeye retention due to the lowest sockeye forecast on record for the Fraser River in southern British Columbia.

· The PFMC will host an in-person only public hearing on Washington ocean salmon management options on March 25, 7–9 p.m., at the Chateau Westport Beach Room, 710 South Hancock Avenue in Westport. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final recommendations at the April 2024 PFMC meeting. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearing will be provided for the April 6–11 PFMC meeting in Seattle.

March 21 — North of Falcon Columbia River meeting

WDFW held a hybrid salmon-season setting meeting on March 21 in Ridgefield to discuss forecasts, management objectives, and fishery concepts for the Columbia River downstream of the Snake River. Staff were present from the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife. Meeting materials are on the NOF public meeting webpage.

Staff from WDFW and ODFW listened to comments from the public during the March 21 hybrid meeting to discuss Columbia River fishery concepts.

This meeting was part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

The discussion on Thursday centered on the 2024 outlook, conservation objectives, and policy guidance for Columbia River fisheries. The presentation also included modeling assumptions and considerations. The 2024 planning objective is to provide fishery consistency and reduce in-season closure risk, with the understanding that the fisheries are managed in-season using catch statistics, stock composition of catch, and updated run sizes.

“Fall fisheries are expected to be similar in structure compared to last year,” said Ryan Lothrop, the WDFW Columbia River fisheries manager. “We appreciate hearing from anglers who attended our meeting today and encourage the public to submit their input on these fisheries this week. These comments will inform our fishery plans for 2024.”

2024 Columbia River fishery concepts

Fishery managers presented three concepts for the popular Buoy 10 recreational fishery based on previous impacts, current forecasts, and public feedback. The concepts are designed to provide reasonable angler opportunity, with the main difference in each concept being Chinook non-mark selective fishing starting time and duration. During the public comment period, virtual and in-person attendees offered their opinions on each of the three concepts, with each concept receiving support and opposition. Fishery managers will use this feedback to inform salmon season setting at the April 6–11 PFMC meetings in Seattle.

Fisheries between Bonneville Dam and the Highway 395 bridge in Pasco have seen increased angler activity since 2022. Fishery managers will take a more conservative approach to recreational Chinook retention, then re-evaluate in mid-September to determine if additional recreational opportunity can be supported.

Policy guidance between Oregon and Washington provide allocation splits between the recreational and commercial fisheries. Details on these splits for the various fishery runs can be found in the 2024 outlook handout.

Additional meeting topics

o Mainstem Columbia River summer fisheries expect a June 16 start for sockeye retention. With a limited summer Chinook allocation for the recreational mark-selective fishery, the concepts under consideration are to have a shorter June 16 opener or a slightly longer retention opportunity over the July 4 holiday week.

o Staff also covered preliminary Columbia River mainstem and tributary summer steelhead regulations. Summer steelhead regulations proposals are similar to recent years given the lower forecasts.

o In-river coho monitoring is ongoing. Fisheries are expected to be similar in structure to recent years. Coho retention at Buoy 10 and upriver areas is expected.

o The public is encouraged to provide feedback on 2024 Columbia River recreational fishery concepts prior to April. These comments will inform fishery plans for 2024. Meeting materials and concepts are available on the WDFW website.

Upcoming North of Falcon meetings

o The PFMC will host a public hearing on Washington ocean salmon management options on March 25, 7–9 p.m., at the Chateau Westport Beach Room, 710 South Hancock Avenue in Westport. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final recommendations at the April 2024 PFMC meetings. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearing will be provided for the April meeting.

· The second public hybrid North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 27, 9 a.m., at Lynnwood Embassy Suites, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required. You can watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

WDFW will hold an in-person public meeting Wednesday, March 27, 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. at Walla Walla Community College Clarkston Campus, 1470 Bridge Street in Clarkston. This meeting, part of the NOF season-setting process, focuses on fisheries in the upper Columbia River (upstream of McNary Dam) and Snake River. WDFW fishery managers will present forecasts and season proposals, and the public will have an opportunity to provide input. Attendance is limited to in-person participation only. Comments can be submitted online. Meeting materials and a recording of the presentation are available on the WDFW North of Falcon webpage.

March 19 — North of Falcon meeting

WDFW fishery managers held an online coastal freshwater and Puget Sound recreational fisheries discussion on Tuesday, March 19 as part of the annual North of Falcon (NOF) process. The process involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through mid-April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s (2024) salmon fishing season.

The discussion Tuesday centered on 2024 management objectives and preliminary proposed fishing opportunities. The presentation also included the initial Puget Sound inside fisheries modeling summaries for Chinook and coho, and a draft of the proposed Puget Sound recreational Chinook and coho season by marine areas. All scenarios are fluid and will change as adjustments are made to fishing seasons during the NOF process. The likelihood of implementing any new fisheries remains a challenge in 2024–2025 given the low abundances of several Puget Sound salmon stocks.

Overall, the Puget Sound Chinook and coho forecasts are down compared to 2023. The 2024 Puget Sound Chinook model shows we need to make adjustments to meet management objectives in the Nooksack, Skagit, Skokomish, Snohomish, and Stillaguamish rivers. These five Chinook stocks are exceeding their respective exploitation rate limit — which is the maximum allowed proportion of a salmon stock that can be removed by a fishery — in the management criteria in all three Washington ocean fishing alternatives. The Stillaguamish and Snohomish Chinook conservation limits will continue to affect most recreational opportunity in 2024–2025.

The 2024 Puget Sound coho management objectives show the Snohomish River is exceeding the exploitation rate ceiling in all three ocean fishing alternatives. The Hood Canal and Lower Fraser (Thompson River) in southern British Columbia are both over in the high ocean option. For details, refer to the WDFW forecasts and model runs webpage.

There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done until seasons are set, but under the initial 2024–2025 recreational fishing matrix for Puget Sound Chinook the current proposed season show a Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait) start in July; Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) and Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) starting in mid-July and based on available quota. In Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Area) a mid-July start. In Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) a June and July start to the season. In Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) the proposal would call for an early July start south of Ayock Point. No proposed season changes for Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound). The winter Chinook fisheries could remain the same as 2023–24.

For Puget Sound coho the initial proposed season includes changes for Marine Areas 5 and 6 marked selective coho fishery open sometime in late summer, and a small window of time for non-select in late September (one coho daily limit) and in early October (two coho daily limit). In Marine Area 7, marked selective coho start sometime in August (two coho daily limit), and then non-select in September (one coho daily limit). In Marine Area 8–1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) non-select for coho start in early August. In Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) non-select start for coho in early August (possible two coho daily limit up from one coho in 2023). In Marine Area 9, marked selective for coho in late summer, then small window of time for non-select in late September (one coho daily limit). In Marine Areas 10 and 11, add non-select for coho in first half of November. In Marine Areas 12 open for coho in early July south of Ayock Point, and open in August north of Ayock Point, and non-retention in November. No proposed season changes for Marine Area 13.

Other meeting developments

· Freshwater fishery considerations for 2024 indicate most Puget Sound region rivers will have seasons similar to 2023. The Snohomish will likely see a similar season structure to 2023 due to a continued poor salmon abundance. Rivers of concern regarding unruly fisheries are the Cascade, Green, Minter, Naselle, Nisqually, Puyallup, Quilcene, and Samish rivers. WDFW staff are considering a range of possible gear or retention rules for those rivers.

· Public input received for suggestions to 2024 rules on northern coastal rivers include to prioritize a full season over a larger bag limit; keep bait an option for the Sol Duc River spring Chinook fishery; consider a wild Chinook annual retention limit; have a flow dependent bag limit for the Quillayute River system; possible mark selective fishery in the Quillayute River system; and allow one barbless treble hook instead of one single point barbless hook.

· During public input, the Marine Area 11 early summer fishery closures in 2023 continues to be the focus of many. To possibly avoid this scenario in 2024, WDFW fishery managers during the NOF March 13 meeting (see thread below) presented some creative ideas on how to keep the fishery going for as long as possible this summer.

· For salmon season setting process materials and video presentations from meetings, refer to the NOF public meeting webpage. To submit public input on proposed 2024–25 salmon fishing seasons, go to the WDFW public input webpage.

· WDFW will host an online Puget Sound freshwater and marine recreational fisheries discussion on March 21 at 6 p.m. Discussion of management objectives and preliminary fishing opportunities for Puget Sound freshwater and marine recreational fisheries in 2024. Advance registration is required by going to this link.

· The second public hybrid North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 27, 9 a.m., at Lynnwood Embassy Suites, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

March 13 — North of Falcon meeting

The first public salmon-season setting meeting was held today in Olympia as part of the annual North of Falcon process, which involves a series of public and state/tribal government-to-government meetings through April to come to an agreement for the upcoming year’s salmon fishing season.

WDFW staff presented the 2024 salmon forecasts/abundances and discussed an initial 2024–25 fishing season package that could resemble 2023 with possible adjustments. The likelihood of implementing any new saltwater and freshwater fisheries could be a challenge given the low abundances of several Puget Sound salmon stocks. Meeting materials can be found on the NOF public meeting webpage.

“We are planning to start with fisheries we had last year and make some tweaks here and there,” said Mark Baltzell, the WDFW statewide salmon manager. “State and tribal co-managers will meet (Thursday, March 14) and run an initial singular season model for inside fisheries. Once that is done, we’ll post them on the WDFW website for public review. This part of the process is very important to us, and we want to maximize as many opportunities (for public input) as we can for everybody.”

One topic of conversation at the meeting included the proposed summer recreational salmon fisheries in Marine Area 10 (Seattle-Bremerton Area) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island) and how to craft a season to keep anglers on the water as long as possible and avoid any disruptions to these fisheries while ensuring low salmon returns are meeting conservation objectives.

In the proposal, WDFW fishery managers would set an opening date of Aug. 1 in the summer for Marine Areas 10 and 11 while modeling a full season from July 13 through Aug. 31 in Marine Area 10; and July 1 through Sept. 30 for Marine Area 11.

WDFW fishery managers would use test fishing boats to collect legal-marked (Chinook over the 22-inch minimum size limit) encounter data starting on the traditional opening date of July 1 for Marine Area 11, and July 14–16 for Marine Area 10; and using a three-day lag of test fishing data to evaluate current abundance of sub-legal Chinook. Mortalities — the number of dead salmon accounted for in a model — could be another way to gauge the fishing season.

When the legal-marked proportion of Chinook from test fishing data approaches the legal-marked proportion model by the Fisheries Regulation Assessment Model (FRAM) — a model used to combine forecasts and harvest of fisheries to estimate number of wild fish that will return to the rivers to spawn — then fishing could open earlier than Aug. 1. This is a way to attempt to match the FRAM predicted release rates. If the test fishing legal-marked proportion never approaches the FRAM predicted legal-marked proportion, then fishing would open on Aug. 1.

The planned season for Marine Area 11 in 2023 was split into two sub-seasons and open June 1 on Thursdays to Sundays only; and open July 1 through Sept. 30 on Thursdays to Sundays only. The actual 2023 Marine Area 11 season was open June 1–4, and June 8–11, and closed on June 15, then reopened July 1–2, July 6–9, and July 13–14, and closed on July 15.

The planned season for Marine Area 10 in 2023, was July 13 through Aug. 31. The actual 2023 Marine Area 10 season opened July 13 through Aug. 3, and Aug. 11–13 and Aug. 18–20.

Other meeting developments

· WDFW fishery managers will do an initial Puget Sound Chinook model run tonight and this will create a starting point for fishing options while staying within objectives for certain low wild Chinook abundances including the Stillaguamish, Nooksack, Skagit, and Snohomish rivers.

· Adjustments to 2024 marine and freshwater fisheries were discussed at the meeting and could be made during the North of Falcon process but might mean a loss of opportunities to other fisheries. This includes any type of add-on winter Chinook fisheries to marine areas that were discussed at the meeting.

The northern portion of Lake Washington is being considered for a brief fishery for an expected large hatchery Chinook return to the Issaquah Hatchery but wouldn’t occur in the 2024 package and is being considered for future years.

WDFW fishery managers noted a Puget Sound coho forecast of 722,134 in 2024 is down compared to 760,029 in 2023 but relatively good overall historically. However, the low Snohomish coho forecast will need to be considered when shaping the 2024 fisheries. One includes a proposal to add a directed coho fishery back into the November period for certain Puget Sound rivers where coho abundances meet escapement conservation objectives. Other proposals included adding marine area coho fisheries into the fall timeframe.

· The second public hybrid North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 27, 9 a.m., at Lynnwood Embassy Suites, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.

The week-long PFMC meetings wrapped up on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Fresno, California, with the proposed salmon ocean fishing season options being adopted for Washington, Oregon and California. (Photo by WDFW)

March 11 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC’s week-long meeting adjourned on March 11 in Fresno, California, where a range of Washington salmon season options for ocean fisheries were cooperatively developed by WDFW and treaty tribal co-managers.

“The options for ocean salmon fisheries this year reflect forecasts for Columbia River Chinook that are similar to last year,” said Kyle Adicks, the Intergovernmental Salmon Manager for WDFW. “The number of hatchery coho expected to return to the Columbia is lower than last year but should still provide good fishing opportunities. Salmon returns of natural stocks expected to be at low abundance, especially those listed under the Endangered Species Act, will limit salmon fisheries in all marine and freshwater areas.”

In option one, Washington’s coastwide ocean fisheries included a reduction in the recreational marked coho quota from 110,000 to 105,000. No changes were made in any options for ocean Chinook catch guidelines. In option three, the recreational fishing closure date was changed from Sept. 30 to Sept. 22. No changes were made to option two. Refer to the WDFW newsroom webpage for the ocean options news release. You can find meeting materials by going to the PFMC website.

Now that the range of ocean fishery options are set, WDFW fishery managers are working on interior Puget Sound salmon fisheries. The first public hybrid WDFW North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 13, 9 a.m., at Office Building 2 Auditorium, 1115 Washington Street S.E. in Olympia.

Given the 2024 salmon abundances, WDFW fishery managers anticipate the 2024 fishing season package could resemble 2023 with possible adjustments but likely no newly implemented fisheries. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. Go to the WDFW NOF webpage for upcoming meetings and additional information. Also visit the WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for key terms and suggested resources.

Other meeting developments

· The proposed Washington recreational salmon quota for option one is 42,500 Chinook and 88,200 marked coho. Option two is 39,000 Chinook and 79,800 marked coho. Option three is 36,000 Chinook and 67,200 marked coho.

· The subarea quotas for marked coho — Neah Bay, 9,170 in option one, 8,300 in option two, and 6,990 in option three. La Push, 2,290, 2,070 and 1,750; Westport, 32,640, 29,530 and 24,860. Ilwaco, 44,100, 39,900 and 33,600. Under all these scenarios, may close earlier, if quotas are met.

· The subarea guideline for Chinook — Neah Bay, 9,780 in option one, 8,970 in option two, and 8,280 in option three. La Push, 1,700, 1,550 and 1,440. Westport, 18,060, 16,580 and 15,300. Ilwaco, 12,960, 11,900 and 10,980. Under all these scenarios, may close earlier, if guidelines are met.

· The PFMC will host a public hearing on Washington ocean salmon management options on March 25, 7–9 p.m., at the Chateau Westport Beach Room, 710 South Hancock Avenue in Westport. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final recommendations at the April 2024 PFMC meeting. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearing will be provided for the April meeting.

· The Washington coastal fall wild Chinook forecast of 20,500 in 2024 is down compared to 22,100 in 2023. They include Quinault is 3,400 (7,600 in 2023); Queets is 2,600 (4,300); and Quillayute is 10,100 (11,300).

· The ocean off northern California in 2023 saw an unprecedented salmon fishing closure due to a low Sacramento River fall Chinook return. A fall Chinook forecast of 213,600 in 2024 — up from 169,800 in 2023 — should provide some fishing opportunities from the OR/CA border to Pigeon Point (San Francisco). In option one, the proposed salmon fishery is open May 25–28, July 4–7, Aug. 29–31, and Sept. 1–30. In option two, the salmon fishery is open July 4–10. Option three is a season-long salmon fishing closure.

Final Fresno fun fact: Fresno is the fifth largest city in California and the 34th largest city in the United States with a population of 548,881. The city of Fresno is the gateway to outdoor fun at Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is home to the massive Sequoia “Sierra Redwood” trees and more than 400 species of birds, fish, wildlife, amphibians, mammals, reptiles and the seldom seen Sierra Nevada red fox.

The Washington delegation including WDFW staff meets for the daily briefing at the PFMC meetings on Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Fresno, California. (Photo by WDFW)

March 10— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC is meeting in Fresno, California, to discuss recommended regulations for ocean fisheries.

The finish line to finalizing initial ocean salmon season options for Washington is coming into view as fishery managers race to get it completed before the PFMC meeting adjourns on March 11. Conversations continue today to adjust for Washington’s ocean fisheries. Soon after the meeting ends look for our news release by going to the WDFW newsroom webpage.

During today’s meetings, fishery managers updated proposed Columbia River Chinook fisheries to reflect a higher allowable exploitation (which is the maximum allowed proportion of a salmon stock that can be removed by a fishery) in the coming season versus 2023. This shift is due to a management framework change as well as a higher forecast in 2024 relative to 2023.

While a specific fishery proposal for in-river hasn’t been discussed at this time, the change allows in-river fisheries to preserve equitable sharing of available “impacts” across both marine freshwater fisheries. “Impacts” are the cumulative effect on protected salmon stocks or runs from harvest and other sources of mortality, including catch and release mortalities from encounters. Impacts are severely restricted by the Endangered Species Act, exploitation rates, and other conservation measures.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishery managers also made additional reductions to their coho quotas across all areas in South of Falcon (from Cape Falcon off the northern Oregon coast to OR/CA border) fisheries to meet PFMC season objectives.

As the Fresno PFMC wraps up, at least one of the three ocean options must meet all the salmon forecast objectives. Once a range of options is set the only changes that can be made are within those parameters. When the range of ocean fishery options are set, Washington state fishery managers can begin working on interior Puget Sound salmon fisheries.

Other meeting developments

· The speculation is that Washington’s 2024 coastal fisheries could mirror 2023 so here’s a peek at comparisons during the 2022 and 2021 seasons. In Table I-4 of the PFMC’s Review of 2023 Ocean Salmon Fisheries Document, preliminary data showed 76,089 salmon angler trips produced a catch of 74,516 salmon (25,576 Chinook, 47,337 coho and 1,602 pinks) for a 1.0 salmon per angler trip average. Angler trips were up in 2023 compared to 2022 and 2021 along with a slightly better catch per angler trip average of 1.3 in 2022 but on par with 1.0 in 2021.

· In Table I-6 of the PFMC’s Review of 2023 Ocean Salmon Fisheries Document, the North of Falcon subtotal for Washington/northern Oregon’s 2023 recreational fisheries had a 39,000 Chinook guideline with 30,115 caught by anglers, and a 159,600 marked coho quota with 59,605 caught by anglers.

· You can find all PFMC meeting materials by going to the PFMC website. Go to the WDFW NOF webpage for upcoming meetings and additional information. Also visit the WDFW North of Falcon FAQs and Glossary Information for key terms and suggested resources.

Fresno fun fact: As the PFMC meetings wrap up, we just can’t avoid one final grape-themed fun fact. With that in mind the greater Fresno area, the agricultural capital of California, is home to dozens of wineries ranging from small family-owned to large-scale vineyards. Whether you enjoy tasting award-winning wines, grape stomping, dining out or simply taking in the extravagant views of a vineyard, there’s something for everyone. Did you know that Fresno State University is home to the nation’s first, full production, commercially bonded winery on a university campus.

A Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting discussion in the council room on Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Fresno, California. (Photo by WDFW)

March 9 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC is meeting in Fresno, California, to discuss recommended regulations for ocean fisheries.

The initial ocean salmon season options for Washington have been developed (see the March 7 thread below) and adjustments may occur before the PFMC meeting adjourns on Monday, March 11. As the Fresno PFMC wraps up, at least one of the three options must meet all the salmon forecast objectives. Once a range of options is set the only changes that can be made are within those parameters.

The biggest news to come out of today’s meeting was Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fishery managers reduced their coho quota in the South of Falcon (from Cape Falcon to OR/CA border) fisheries, which allows some flexibility under two of three of Washington’s ocean options.

Heading into Sunday’s meeting, adjustments are necessary for Lower Columbia natural, Washington’s coastal and interior Puget Sound coho stocks. The coho stocks for interior-Fraser River in British Columbia appear to be good. Some shaping could occur for Washington Chinook stocks.

Other meeting developments

· The ocean off northern California in 2023 saw an unprecedented salmon fishing closure due to a low Sacramento River fall Chinook return. A fall Chinook forecast of 213,600 in 2024 up from 169,800 in 2023 should provide salmon fishing opportunities in options one and two and a season closure under option three. During PFMC testimony on Friday, kudos were given out to WDFW for in-season salmon management as being a key tool and how California Department of Fish and Wildlife fishery leadership should institute a similar plan into their fishery management regime.

· Under all ocean season options, the Buoy 10 salmon fishery at the Columbia River mouth will open on Aug. 1. In option one, the expected landed catch is 22,000 marked coho in August and September; option two is 27,000; and option three is 32,000.

· The North Puget Sound fall wild Chinook forecasts in 2024 are down compared to 2023. They include Nooksack/Samish, 40,900 (41,200 in 2023); Skagit, 10,400 (12,200); Stillaguamish, 900 (1,200); and Snohomish, 2,700 (3,400).

· The PFMC day one (March 6, 2024) meeting is now available on their YouTube channel.

· The first public hybrid WDFW North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 13, 9 a.m., at Office Building 2 Auditorium, 1115 Washington Street S.E. in Olympia. Given the 2024 salmon abundances, WDFW fishery managers anticipate the 2024 fishing season package could resemble 2023 with possible adjustments but likely no newly implemented fisheries. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can also watch the meeting on TVW broadcast.

· The second public hybrid North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 27, 9 a.m., at Lynnwood Embassy Suites, 20610 44th Avenue West in Lynnwood. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can also watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, go to the WDFW NOF webpage.

Fresno fun fact: Keeping in line with the ongoing raisin theme, Fresno — frequently referred to as the “Raisin Capital of The World” — isn’t all about shriveled grapes. More than 300 different crops of fruits and vegetables are grown in the greater Fresno County area.

March 8— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC is meeting in Fresno, California, this week to discuss recommended regulations for ocean fisheries.

The initial ocean salmon season options have been developed (see March 7 thread below) and won’t be approved until the PFMC adjourns on Monday, March 11. In the days ahead, fishery managers will work to reach an agreement on how the ocean options will affect salmon stocks of concern.

For coho, keep an eye on the Lower Columbia natural, Washington coastal, North Puget Sound and interior-Fraser River in British Columbia stocks. For Chinook, fishery managers are closely watching “exploitation rates,” which are the maximum allowed proportion of a salmon stock that can be removed by a fishery. The Lower Columbia tule Chinook stock as well as Washington coastal and North Puget Sound Chinook stocks have been historically constrained.

The lower salmon abundance forecasts in 2024 relative to 2023 could not support 2023’s fishery regulations, which could likely exceed the maximum allowed proportion of a salmon stock that a fishery can remove to meet its spawning escapement objectives. You can find proposed quotas and fishing dates by visiting the PFMC website.

Fresno fishing fun fact: Fresno County has fishing opportunities when it comes to bass, crappie and trout at Millerton Lake or Pine Flat Lake located a short distance from Fresno and Clovis areas. Not far is the Sierra Nevada’s Yosemite National Park for lakes stocked annually with trout.

March 7— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC is meeting in Fresno, California this week to discuss recommended regulations for ocean fisheries.

The initial ocean salmon season options were developed today but won’t be approved until PFMC adjourns on March 11. The proposed Washington recreational quotas for option one is 42,500 Chinook and 92,400 marked coho; option two is 39,000 Chinook and 79,800 marked coho; and option three is 36,000 Chinook and 67,200 marked coho.

The 2024 Chinook middle option is the same as what was decided in 2023. The coho option is down relative to 2023 due to some lower forecasts. You can find proposed quotas and fishing dates, by visiting the PFMC website.

Other meeting developments

· The first hybrid WDFW North of Falcon meeting is Wednesday, March 13, 9 a.m., at Office Building 2 Auditorium, 1115 Washington Street S.E. in Olympia. Given the 2024 salmon abundances, WDFW fishery managers anticipate the 2024 fishing season package could resemble 2023 with possible adjustments but likely no newly implemented fisheries. Meeting discussions include management objectives and preliminary fishery proposals for sport and commercial fisheries in Puget Sound and coastal Washington. Note: Columbia River fisheries will be discussed at the March 21 and March 27 meetings. This meeting has both in-person and online attendance options. Advance registration is required by going to this link. You can also watch the meeting on TVW broadcast. For a meeting list, go to the WDFW NOF webpage.

· The PFMC will host a public hearing on ocean salmon management options on March 25, 7–9 p.m., at the Chateau Westport Beach Room, 710 South Hancock Avenue in Westport. The purpose of this public hearing is to receive comments on the proposed management alternatives in preparation for adopting final recommendations at the April 2024 PFMC meeting. A summary of verbal comments heard at the hearing will be provided for the April meeting.

· The PFMC continued their workgroup report and adopted 2024 management fisheries options for the Klamath River located just south of the Oregon-California border continued today. The 2024 fall Chinook forecast is 180,700 and up from 103,800 in 2023 but down from the five-year average. Visit the PFMC website for meeting information.

Fresno fun fact: Fresno, nicknamed The Big Raisin, is located about halfway between San Francisco (187 miles northwest) and Los Angeles (218 miles southwest), the state’s two largest cities.

March 6— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

The PFMC is meeting in Fresno, California this week to discuss recommended regulations for ocean fisheries.

Conversations centered around setting the initial ocean salmon season options with quotas and fishing dates that will come to light on Thursday but won’t be approved until PFMC adjourns on March 11. During meeting developments something to keep an eye on includes several Washington salmon forecasts and how those returns could potentially affect ocean seasons under guidance by the PFMC, Pacific Salmon Commission and Fish and Wildlife Commission policies.

Other meeting developments

At today’s PFMC session there was an update for removal of four dams and a tunnel on the Klamath River just south of the Oregon-California border. Salmon passage has been blocked for more than a century, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who also confirmed a die-off of approximately 830,000 fall-run Chinook fry released on Feb. 26, 2024, from the Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County. The young fish succumbed to gas bubble disease as they out-migrated through the Iron Gate Dam tunnel.
Other PFMC sessions included a Klamath River fall Chinook workshop report and 2024 management options; a presentation of the National Marine Fisheries Service salmon report; and 2023 salmon fisheries were reviewed as well as a summary of the 2024 stock forecasts. Visit the PFMC website for meeting information.

Fresno fun fact: Not related to salmon but did you know Fresno is home to the Sun-Maid California Raisins Corporate Headquarter.

March 1 — WDFW meeting

Initial salmon forecasts, developed by WDFW fishery and tribal co-managers were presented and can be found with other meeting materials on the WDFW webpage.

During the presentation, WDFW staff noted that three Puget Sound marine areas are facing future fishing opportunity challenges related to recent per day catches. This stems from an increase of angler participation and anglers being mobile and well connected through social media. In Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), the per day average was 50 salmon caught from 2009 to 2018 but climbed to 222 from 2019 to 2023. In Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), the per day average was 147 from 2009 to 2016 and 315 from 2019 to 2023. In Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) the per day average was 24 from 2009 to 2021 and 172 from 2019 to 2023.

Other meeting developments

The public had a chance to provide comments and the main topics included Stillaguamish River Chinook, and summer salmon fisheries in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton Area) and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island).
The 2024 Columbia River coho forecast of 356,900 is much lower than the 2023 forecast of 809,500 and means less coho will be available for ocean fisheries this year.
The 2024 Columbia River fall Chinook forecast of 547,800 is similar to the 2023 forecast of 547,400. This forecast moves the stock to a slightly higher allowable exploitation rate — which is the maximum allowed proportion of Chinook that can be removed by a fishery — on tule Chinook, and limitations on other Chinook stocks must be closely considered across all fisheries.
The 2024 Puget Sound fall Chinook forecast of 251,333 resembles the 2023 forecast of 261,238. The wild and hatchery Chinook forecast is up 17 percent from the 10-year average run-size and down three percent from 2023. Chinook stocks of concern are Stillaguamish, Skagit, Snohomish, and Nisqually rivers.
Initial 2024 salmon expectations show the Baker River sockeye forecast of 56,750 is strong and up from 31,296 and an in-season estimate of 65,000 in 2023. The 2023 record adult sockeye return marked the fourth year in a row the run exceeded expectations.
The 2024 Columbia River sockeye forecast of 401,700 is up 16 percent over the recent 10-year average. The key driver for the upper-river fisheries is a 2024 Okanogan sockeye forecast of 288,700 up from 187,400 and an actual return of 179,655 in 2023.

You can follow updates from the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meetings on March 6–11 in Fresno, California. WDFW fishery managers will develop three proposed ocean salmon season and quota options for waters three to 200 nautical miles off the Washington coast.

Salmon Daily Digest

WDFW’s regular update on the salmon fishing 2024–25 season setting process

You can follow key developments in the posts below that are listed by dates of each meeting (19 total from March 1 through April 12, 2024).

April 12 — Kelly Cunningham, the WDFW Fish Program Director, offers his final insights on the process

April 11 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

Coastal salmon fisheries

Other meeting developments

April 10 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

Other meeting developments

April 9 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

Other meeting developments

April 8 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meetings

Other meeting developments

April 6— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon (NOF) meeting

March 28 — North of Falcon Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor discussion

Other meeting developments

March 27 — North of Falcon meeting

Other meeting developments

March 21 — North of Falcon meeting

Other meeting developments

March 21 — North of Falcon Columbia River meeting

2024 Columbia River fishery concepts

Additional meeting topics

Upcoming North of Falcon meetings

March 19 — North of Falcon meeting

Other meeting developments

March 13 — North of Falcon meeting

Other meeting developments

March 11 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

March 10— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

March 9 — Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

Other meeting developments

March 8— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

March 7— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

Other meeting developments

March 6— Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meeting

Other meeting developments

March 1 — WDFW meeting

Other meeting developments

Written by The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife