Action: Prohibit fishing, retention, and possession of rockfish and lingcod in Marine Areas 3 and 4, seaward of a line approximating 20 fathoms, as defined by the following coordinates:

48^o23.90’ N. lat., 124^o44.20’ W. long.;
48^o23.60’ N. lat., 124^o44.90’ W. long.;
48^o18.60’ N. lat., 124^o43.60’ W. long.;
48o^o18.60’ N. lat., 124^o48.20’ W. long.;
48^o10.00’ N. lat., 124^o48.80’ W. long.;
48^o02.40’ N. lat., 124^o49.30’ W. long.;
47^o37.60’ N. lat., 124^o34.30’ W. long.;
47^o31.70’ N. lat., 124^o32.40’ W. long.

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Effective dates: May 21, 2008 to September 30, 2008

Species affected: All species of rockfish and lingcod

Location: Marine Area 3 (La Push) and Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay)

Reason for action: Canary rockfish and yelloweye rockfish are two the seven overfished groundfish stocks, which are managed under rebuilding plans by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The Pacific Council has adopted harvest guidelines for canary rockfish and yelloweye rockfish for state recreational fisheries to ensure that rebuilding goals are met. Management measures to achieve these rebuilding goals include prohibiting the retention of canary and yelloweye rockfish in recreational fisheries to encourage conservation of the stock and discourage targeting by anglers. However, canary and yelloweye rockfish are caught incidentally while anglers are targeting other species, such as lingcod and halibut. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife collects catch data, including information on released fish, through its Ocean Sampling Program. Canary rockfish and yelloweye rockfish have a swim bladder and are extremely susceptible to barotrauma and there is a high mortality factor associated with this incidental catch.

By applying area closures and depth restrictions, in 2006 the canary rockfish mortality was reduced by 0.7 metric tons and yelloweye rockfish mortality was reduced by 0.4 metric tons in Washington’s coastal recreational fisheries. The reduction in the mortality of canary and yelloweye rockfish is especially important in order to provide meaningful fishing opportunities within the very small harvest guidelines.

While this action is necessary to reduce the canary and yelloweye catch rate, some areas will still remain open to bottomfish fishing. On days that halibut fishing is open, the depth restriction will not apply. On days that halibut fishing is closed, anglers can target other species, such as salmon (when open) seaward of the 20-fathom line, then catch and retain their rockfish and lingcod once they are shoreward of the line approximating the 20-fathom depth restriction. However, any rockfish or lingcod caught while targeting salmon seaward of the 20-fathom line cannot be retained or possessed.