Anglers in Washington can expect similar recreational salmon fisheries in 2026-2027 compared to last season, with additional opportunities and some Puget Sound summer Chinook seasons shorter in duration, Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers announced in a news release.
“Our top priority during the salmon season-setting process is to ensure we protect salmon stocks, especially those listed as threatened or endangered under the endangered species act (ESA),” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind. “A continued low abundance of some Puget Sound Chinook stocks made planning recreational fisheries especially difficult, but our staff worked hard to create meaningful opportunities where possible.”
Continued low returns of some key Puget Sound Chinook salmon stocks are expected to limit some salmon fisheries in the upcoming season. They include the Nooksack spring-run Chinook stock, Snohomish and Stillaguamish summer/fall Chinook, and Snohomish wild coho.
WDFW stated in the release that it understands that any reduction in fishing opportunities can be frustrating, particularly when reductions are in areas anglers care deeply about. However, this year also resulted in meaningful gains for recreational anglers, including an additional two weeks of summer Chinook fishing in Bellingham Bay a terminal fishery in eastern Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), the return of April Chinook fishing in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point), and expanded non-mark-selective coho fishing opportunities in Puget Sound marine areas and the lower Columbia River, creating the potential for the highest coho catch in more than two decades, the release stated.
Negotiations between WDFW and tribal co-managers this year were guided in part by the Puget Sound Harvest Management Plan, which is expected to provide long-term fishery guidance for Puget Sound. In February 2023, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) found that the plan was sufficient to proceed with a formal review.
“Scientists are predicting a record El Niño this winter, bringing more warm, wet winter weather, and each summer we are seeing persistent marine heat waves out in the Gulf of Alaska where our fish feed to grow to maturity,” said Ed Johnstone, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) chairman. “Adding insult to injury, if our fish survive all of that, they are being eaten by seals and sea lions that have learned to come upriver and target our most vulnerable runs.”
Final rule making, including additional opportunity for public comment on the 2026-2027 North of Falcon (NOF) process will be available soon on WDFW’s NOF public input webpage.
WDFW will present the proposed 2026-2027 regulations package resulting from NOF negotiations during a statewide rule making virtual public hearing in mid-June and take additional public comments. Final regulations will be adopted subsequent to that hearing.
People can find additional 2026-2027 salmon season information by going to WDFW’s The Salmon Fishing Current blog: North of Falcon 2026 edition. For the recreational fishery proposals, refer to the WDFW webpage at https://tinyurl.com/mr9p9nzt.
The List of Agreed Fisheries in Puget Sound marine and freshwater areas, Columbia River and coastal and ocean waters, will be available soon on the WDFW season summaries and agreed fisheries webpage at https://tinyurl.com/mr9p9nzt.
