Canges for Next Year

I would say that you give us way more time to do the projects. I would recommend that you make a project another project because many people get off task in this class like playing computer games. And also maybe one a week you could have study hall because not everyone does there homework at home...

Puget Sound Sport Crabbing

Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. Each year, sport fishers catch more than a million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets and sometimes their bare hands. In addition to meeting licensing requirements, everyone who fishes for crab in Puget Sound must carry and complete catch record cards to account for all Dungeness crab they catch. Recent changes in the reporting system now in effect like all sport crabbers fishing in Puget Sound are required to report their Dungeness crab catch on separate summer and fall/winter catch record cards at the end of each season. The new cards are separate from the multi-species card used for recording catches of salmon, halibut and other fish. People of all ages who have a crab endorsement and received a catch record card are required to make a report even if they did not go crabbing or catch any crab. If crabbers fail to report their 2009 winter harvest, they will be assessed a $10 penalty with the following year's license purchase.

Ballard Locks Sockeye Salmon Counts

Lake Washington sockeye salmon have been counted each year since 1972 as they enter freshwater at the Ballard Locks. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) counted the sockeye from 1972 through 1992, and currently Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and WDFW staffs conduct the counts cooperatively. Although small numbers of sockeye enter the system in May and early June, the period from the second week of June through the end of July is the standard counting interval used to determine if there are sufficient sockeye to open fishing seasons. Sockeye counts begin on June 12th each year to provide consistent data from year to year. The When the co-managers believe that the total run size includes sufficient surplus fish above the escapement goal of 350,000 sockeye, sport and Tribal fishing seasons will be opened. The pre-season forecast for the 2010 sockeye return is about 123,600. The estimate is based primarily upon fry production from the spawners in 2006 and 2007. Since lake and marine survival rates are highly variable from year to year, the actual return to Lake Washington could be higher or lower than 123,600.

Anglers can fish for free June 12-13

During those two days, no license will be required to fish or gather shellfish in any waters open to fishing in Washington State. Also, no vehicle use permit will be required during Free Fishing Weekend to park at any of the 600 water-access sites maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). In addition, anglers will not need a Two Pole Endorsement to fish with two poles on thousands of lakes statewide, nor will they need a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement, otherwise required to fish for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries. While no licenses are required on Free Fishing Weekend, other rules such as size limits, bag limits and closures will still be in effect. Anglers will also be required to complete a catch record card for any salmon, steelhead or sturgeon they catch. Catch record cards are available free at hundreds of sporting goods stores and other license dealers throughout the state

Puget Sound rockfish conservation plan

To ensure healthy stocks of rockfish populations in Puget Sound, WDFW has developed a draft Puget Sound Rockfish Conservation Plan, which is the preferred alternative among several presented in a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The goal of the draft conservation plan is to restore and protect our natural heritage of Puget Sound rockfish populations. Increases in the abundance, distribution, diversity and productivity of rockfish will help restore the Puget Sound ecosystem, provide opportunities to view rockfish in the marine environment and, when, appropriate, provide sustainable fishing opportunities. The draft plan also offers a framework for state rockfish managers to follow in developing regulations, establishing priorities, and providing guidelines for the development of additional plans with tribal co-managers. One notable change in the new draft involves increasing the geographic scope of the conservation plan, said Burley. The original draft plan did not include marine waters stretching from the Sekiu River west to Cape Flattery in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The revised plan includes that portion, as well as the remainder of the Strait, the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound.

Salmon & Steelhead Conservation

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife developed the 21st Century Salmon and Steelhead Initiative to meet its responsibilities in recovering salmon and steelhead and provide sustainable fisheries. This resulted in an integrated management framework designed to restore federally listed populations through six salmon recovery plans. Create and maintain selective and sustainable fisheries. Also they want to protect and restore habitat for the fish. Retool hatchery operations to support wild fish recovery. Through the initiative, WDFW is following a comprehensive “all-H” model in which management decisions on hatchery, harvest, habitat and hydro activities are coordinated to restore salmon and steelhead populations and meet sustainable fishery goals.

The state’s single biggest fishing season opens April 24, with lakes throughout the state stocked with millions of hatchery-reared fish by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Although many lakes are open year round, the last Saturday in April marks the traditional start of a four-to five-month-long lowland-lakes fishing season. "This is our biggest fishing season opener and it traditionally draws more than 300,000 anglers of all ages," said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. "It’s a good time to gather family and friends at local waterways to cast off winter and celebrate spring." With lakes in every county of the state well stocked, anglers can keep travel costs down by enjoying good fishing close to home.