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NOTE: The information on this webpage may not be the most current information regarding the commercial Sea Urchin fishery.

The most current information can be obtained by calling the hotline

Sea Urchin
Information Hotline
1-866-207-8223


Olympia area
(360) 902-2829

Report a Poacher or Other Violation
For more information
on commercial fishing,
please contact the
WDFW Fish Program.
360-902-2700

For fishing regulation
questions, e-mail us at:
fishregs@dfw.wa.gov

For all other questions and comments, e-mail us at:
fishpgm@dfw.wa.gov

 
Commercial Urchin Regulations

Last Updated: April 2, 2013

Sea Urchin Regulations

The current non-Indian commercial sea urchin emergency WAC regulation is as follows:

WAC 220-52-07300E Sea Urchins

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-073, effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful to take or possess sea urchins taken for commercial purposes except as provided for in this section:

(1) Green sea urchins: Sea Urchin Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 are open seven days-per-week.

(2) Red sea urchins: Sea Urchin District 4 is open seven days per week. In Sea Urchin District 4, it is unlawful to harvest red sea urchins smaller than 3.25 inches or larger than 5.0 inches (size in largest test diameter exclusive of spines).

(3) It is unlawful to dive for any purpose from a commercially licensed sea urchin fishing vessel in Sea Urchin District 3 when the vessel has red sea urchins on-board.

Season Recommendations

Please be advised, the commercial non-Indian red sea urchin quota share from the San Juan Islands Area (the combined Urchin Management Districts 1 and 2) has been taken and the area is now closed to red urchin harvest for the remainder of the 2012-13 harvest management period. As was the case for the 2011-2012 urchin season, the harvest size limits for red sea urchins in Sea Urchin Management Districts 1 and 2, the combined San Juan Island area are 3.25 inch minimum to 5.0 inch maximum. This harvest size limit matches that of the Strait of Juan de Fuca harvest areas and creates a uniform statewide red urchin size limit.

Harvest Quotas and Landings

Non-Indian sea urchin quota shares and preliminary landings for the 2012-2013 season are listed in the table below:

Sea Urchin
Harvest Area
2012-2013
State Share (pounds)
Preliminary
Landings (pounds)
Green Urchins
Districts 1 & 2 (San Juan Island Area) 175,000 166,480
District 3 & 4 (Strait Area, excluding Neah Bay) 50,000 16,395
District 5 (Neah Bay Area) Closed n/a
Districts 6 & 7 (South/Central Puget Sound Area) 25,000 0
Red Urchins
Districts 1 & 2 (San Juan Island Area) 172,399 172,364 - closed
District 3 (Port Angeles Area) Closed n/a
District 4 (Sekiu Area) 43,227 15,959
District 5 (Neah Bay Area) Closed n/a

CLICK TO ENLARGE MAP
Washington State Commercial Sea Urchin Harvest Districts


Permanent WAC's