Get ready for WA spot shrimp season. When and where you can cast a net this year

Jared Gendron
·3 min read

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced this year’s timeline for recreational spot shrimp season in the Puget Sound region.

This year, shrimpers can head to the water with their nets or traps starting May 25 and continue up through July at some marine areas. Several areas will only be open for recreational use one or two days, though.

“The selected dates reflect a conscious effort to offer opportunities to harvest while keeping participants distributed and reducing the chance of exceeding recreational quotas,” the department stated in its announcement.

Participants can keep any of the shrimp species they catch, but only larger-mesh, 1-inch traps will be allowed during the season. This means most harvests will likely be made up of spot shrimp, the largest variety of shrimp in the Puget Sound. The crustacean, also known as a prawn, has a deep red or orange body, has white lines on its head and two pairs of white spots on the end of its tail.

Recreational fishing for spot shrimp in Puget Sound opens May 14.
Recreational fishing for spot shrimp in Puget Sound opens May 14.

Puget Sound marine area seasons

Marine Area 4 – East of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line

Open every day starting May 25 during daylight hours; season closes when quota is met.

Marine Area 5 – Western Strait of Juan de Fuca

Open every day starting May 25 during daylight hours; season closes when quota is met.

Marine Area 6 – Port Angeles Harbor and Eastern Straight Strait of Juan de Fuca

Open May 25-28, June 8-10, June 22-24, July 7-10 and July 21-23 during daylight hours.

Marine Area 6 – Discovery Bay Shrimp District ONLY

Only open May 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 7 (South) – Iceberg Point, Point Colville, Biz Point and Salmon Bank

Open May 25-28 and June 8-10 during daylight hours.

Marine Area 7 (East) – northern Rosario Straight, Bellingham Bay, Sucia Island, Matia Island and Strait of Georgia

Open May 25-28 and June 8-10 during daylight hours.

Marine Area 7 (West) – San Juan Channel, Spieden Channel, Stuart Island, Waldron Island

Open May 25-28, June 8-10, June 22-24 and July 7-10 during daylight hours.

Marine Areas 8-1 & 8-2 – Saratoga Passage, Deception Pass, Port Susan, Port Gardner and Everett

Only open May 25 and June 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 9 – Edmonds, Port Townsend Bay and Admiralty Inlet

Only open May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 10 – Elliot Bay (east of a line from West Point to Alki Point)

Only open May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 10 – Outside Elliot Bay (west of a line from West Point to Alki Point, including the Bainbridge Island shrimp fishing grounds)

Only open May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 11 – Tacoma-Vashon Island

Only open May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 12 – Hood Canal Shrimp District

Open May 26, June 9, June 11, June 24 and June 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marine Area 13 – South Puget Sound and Carr Inlet

Closed for spot shrimp season due to low abundance.

Regulations

To participate in this year’s harvest, fishers should keep note of the following rules:

  • Each shrimper is limited to 80 spot shrimp, or 10 pounds of whole shrimp across all species, per day.

  • Shrimpers must have either a 2023-24 combination license, shellfish license, Fish Washington License or Get Outdoors license to participate. You can purchase a recreational pass on the fish and wildlife department’s online licensing system.

  • Traps can be set an hour before sunrise in marine areas 4, 5, 6 (except for Discovery Bay Shrimp District) and 7 south, east and west. Pots must be removed from these areas by one hour after sunset.

The state department also advises shrimpers to check the weather before heading to the water. Those departing onto the water by boat should also check their respective area’s access ramps and marinas to make sure they’re open.