OLYMPIA–A new regulation designed to help ensure accurate and timely estimates of sport Dungeness crab harvests goes into effect April 1.

That's when all crab fishers must begin recording each crab they harvest on a catch record card as soon as an adult male Dungeness crab is retained.

As directed by the Legislature, record cards will be used by WDFW managers to manage crab populations and assist in allocating the harvest among tribal, commercial and recreational fishers.

Tribal and non-Indian commercial fishers already report their catches each trip through a fish ticket system. The sport catch record cards will improve estimates of recreational harvests and help ensure each fishing group an opportunity to harvest an equitable share.

Accurate information about the sport harvest is an extremely important part of the data needed to develop management plans.

The information on the sport catch record cards will be invaluable data on harvests, and WDFW scientists also will use the cards to conduct in-season telephone surveys to ensure allocation requirements are met.

As part of WDFW's campaign to simplify licensing, fishers will receive a consolidated catch record card as of April 1 when they purchase their new licenses that will include space for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut as well as Dungeness crabs. Additional cards (except for steelhead and sturgeon) are available as necessary at no cost.

For several years, some crab fishers also will have to fill out survey logs attached to some crab buoys as well.

Northern Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Anglers are enjoying spring fishing on some lakes. Gissburg Ponds near Marysville, which has been planted with several thousand catchable trout, already had a crowd last weekend, according to Chuck Phillips, regional fish manager. Meanwhile, Roesiger Lake in Snohomish County received some 8,000 rainbows March 20 and Seattle's Green Lake is expected to be planted with about 4,000 fish by midweek, with two more similar-size plants scheduled for mid-April and mid-May. For details on planned trout stocking on these and some 80 other fishing waters in North Puget Sound, check the North Puget Sound Region webpage. (Anglers should remember that the stocking allotments are estimates that are subject to change). Meanwhile only a few weeks of blackmouth fishing remain in Puget Sound before the season closes April 10.

• Wildlife Viewing: Spring is bringing a wealth of bird viewing opportunities to the Skagit Valley, as migrating birds pass through on their way north. The Fir Island Snow Goose Reserve, the Johnson DeBay Swan Reserve and March Point on Padilla Bay near Anacortes all offer good public vantage points. Migrating shorebirds and raptors including redtail and rough-legged hawks, peregrine falcons, northern harriers and bald eagles are visible. "Almost anywhere you go in the Skagit Valley you're going to see bald eagles," said District Wildlife Biologist Mike Davison. Brant should be visible over the next six to eight weeks on Padilla Bay, along with marine ducks. In Seattle, watch for peregrine falcons, particularly near the grain elevators on the waterfront, Highway 520 bridge on Lake Washington and Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge on Lake Union.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: Clam diggers already are booking rooms in coastal towns in anticipation of the first razor clam opening of spring, scheduled to open in early April at three ocean beaches. Long Beach and Twin Harbors beach are scheduled to open April 6, 7 and 8 with digging limited to morning (a.m.) hours. Mocrocks is scheduled to open during the morning hours of April 7 and 8. These openings are dependent on the results of marine toxin tests conducted several days ahead of time, so diggers should call the WDFW shellfish hotline (1-360-796-3215) or check the agency's website before heading to the beach.

• Wildlife Viewing: Spring is bringing a wealth of bird viewing opportunities to the Skagit Valley, as migrating birds pass through on their way north. The Fir Island Snow Goose Reserve, the Johnson DeBay Swan Reserve and March Point on Padilla Bay near Anacortes all offer good public vantage points. Migrating shorebirds and raptors including redtail and rough-legged hawks, peregrine falcons, northern harriers and bald eagles are visible. "Almost anywhere you go in the Skagit Valley you're going to see bald eagles," said District Wildlife Biologist Mike Davison. Brant should be visible over the next six to eight weeks on Padilla Bay, along with marine ducks. In Seattle, watch for peregrine falcons, particularly near the grain elevators on the waterfront, Highway 520 bridge on Lake Washington and Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge on Lake Union.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Spring chinook fishing is open in the Cowlitz, Kalama and Lewis rivers. A few salmon are being caught now and catches should improve in April. Spring chinook angling opens April 1 on the Bonneville Pool tributaries. Anglers should check their newspapers or WDFW's website for details. Other options are to call the state sport fishing hotline at (360) 902-2500 or WDFW's Region 5 office at (360) 696-6211 and press *1010. Approximately one in three boat anglers in the Bonneville and Dalles pools is catching a legal-sized sturgeon. Sturgeon fishing from the bank in Bonneville Pool has been good as well.

  The Dalles and John Day pools are the places to go for walleye angling. Anglers averaged a fish per three rods last week in the Dalles Pool. Boat anglers in the John Day Pool caught a walleye for every 4.5 rods--counting fish that are released as well as those harvested. A few bass also are being caught in the pools. Battle Ground Lake also has been reopened to fishing, following a closure for health concerns. Most of the 7,500 half-pound rainbow trout, plus 100 steelhead weighing seven pounds each as well as 160 broodstock rainbows up to the 11-pound range planted by WDFW, remain available and safe to eat for anglers.

• Wildlife Viewing: Persons wishing to view migrating salmon and huge sturgeon and even feed trout should head for Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. There is a visitor's center at the new powerhouse on the Washington side. Visitors can view migrating spring chinook through windows on both sides of the river. The Oregon side provides opportunities to view sturgeon and feed rainbow trout.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The coming weekend is the last for winter-only lakes, which close March 31, and the rainbow trout action remains good at Fourth of July, Hog Canyon, and Williams lakes. Lake Roosevelt kokanee are available. Year-round waters such as Sprague Lake also are a good bet.

• Wildlife Viewing: Western bluebirds are back and looking for nesting sites so make sure nest boxes are cleaned out and ready for them. Watch for peregrine falcons in Highbridge Park on Latah Creek, just west of Spokane.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers fishing at the mouth of Frenchman Hills Wasteway (near Potholes Reservoir) are catching rainbow trout up to four pounds. The Pillar-Widgeon lakes are producing lots of small trout (up to 8 inches) and are great places for children using bobbers and bait. Canal, Soda and Sage lakes have been good places to catch trout.

• Wildlife Viewing: The Columbia Basin is full of spring migrating birds and other wetlands wildlife now. Good viewing opportunities are available at Wilson Creek Canyon, Dry Falls-Sun Lakes State Park, Desert Wildlife Area, Crab Creek Coulee and the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.

  Portions of Grant and Adams counties are the center of sandhill crane concentrations through mid-April. The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge just northwest of Othello, the Bench Road area south of Highway 26 west of Othello and Scooteney Reservoir in norhwest Franklin County are good places to view cranes. The town of Othello is hosting its third annual Sandhill Crane Festival March 24 - 26. For more information about festival events, call the Othello Chamber of Commerce at 509-488-2683 or 1-800-684-2556, or check out their website.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Myron Lake in Yakima County offers stocked rainbows up to eight pounds; North FioRito Lake near Ellensburg also is a good bet for rainbow trout.

• Wildlife Viewing: White pelicans, yellow-headed blackbirds, long-billed curlews, avocets, and a host of other wetland wildlife and waterfowl may be seen at the McNary National Wildlife Refuge near the Tri-Cities.