Marine Area 7 to Open for Spot Shrimp While Puget Sound Closes

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Recreational shrimpers in the Bellingham area will still get their shot at spot shrimp this season after the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, but central Puget Sound marine areas are not going to open.

Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10, 11 and 13 are either fully closed to spot shrimp harvest or heavily restricted. Meanwhile, Marine Area 7 remains open on multiple dates this spring and summer.

That includes waters around the San Juan Islands and northern Puget Sound, making the region one of the few remaining opportunities for recreational spot shrimp harvest in Washington this year.

Marine Area 7 Opening Dates

Under the “all shrimp” designation, anglers may retain spot shrimp along with other species.

Major Closures Across Puget Sound

WDFW announced May 5 that recreational spot shrimp fisheries will not open at all in Marine Area 11 or in Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2. The agency also confirmed Marine Areas 9, 10 and 13 will remain closed to spot shrimp harvest for conservation reasons tied to state and tribal management agreements.

The cancellation is significant because Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 had previously been scheduled to open under dates announced in April. Instead, those areas will now only allow non-spot shrimp fisheries beginning June 1, with strict depth restrictions and mandatory release requirements for any spot shrimp caught.

Why the Closures Happened

According to WDFW, the closures were implemented for conservation purposes and to remain consistent with agreements between the state and tribal co-managers. Spot shrimp are highly prized recreationally and typically draw intense participation during limited opening windows each spring. The reduced opportunity this year shifts even more pressure toward northern marine areas like Marine Area 7, where seasons remain intact.

Rules Anglers Need to Know

• Pots must use a minimum 1-inch mesh size
• Daily limit is 80 spot shrimp
• Total combined shrimp limit is 10 pounds whole shrimp
• Shrimp heads must remain attached until anglers return to shore and finish fishing for the day
• Pots may only be set and retrieved from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset
• All gear must be removed from the water during closed periods

For areas restricted to non-spot shrimp only, anglers face additional depth limits and must immediately release all spot shrimp unharmed. WDFW said full regulations and emergency updates remain available through the agency’s shellfishing rules and marine area announcements.

Check out The Outdoor Report for other fishing opportunities.

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