Updated Monday, March 20 with additional commercial catch data. For the first time since 2019, there will be no recreational fishing for Columbia River eulachon — better known as smelt — on the Cowlitz River in Southwest Washington. Fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) made…

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and a suite of partners have known for years that restoring the Duckabush Estuary in Jefferson County is critically important. …

More than 285,000 invasive European green crabs were removed from Washington waters in 2022 by WDFW, tribes, shellfish growers, and other agencies and partner organizations. WDFW has ramped up community and partner outreach, and preparations for the 2023 field season are underway. The following highlights are excerpted from our January/February…

As the days get a little longer, I get more excited about coming out of my winter hibernation and spending more time outside. Fortunately, the first months of the year offer great opportunities to break away from ‘cabin fever’ by attending one of the regional sports show events around the…

If weather cooperates, trout anglers can get a jump start at 28 lakes across central and eastern Washington. Originally published in Northwest Sportsman Magazine More than two dozen lakes across eastern Washington are set to open March 1, although unpredictable winter-like conditions could limit trout fishing options and success. “Early…

Starting this spring, Puget Sound habitat recovery is getting a $14 million boost! Distributed through the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead, a partnership between Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the investment will benefit 25 projects across Puget Sound. Projects will help…

The first state record fish of 2023 was caught in a north-central Washington lake. A Davenport angler made quite the surprising catch while fishing for walleye at Lake Roosevelt on the afternoon of Feb. 11. Gavin Boggs, who spends a lot of time fishing at Lake Roosevelt — a vast…

Restoration of intertidal marsh habitats on WDFW-managed lands in Skagit, Stillaguamish and Snohomish estuaries benefits salmon and other species. Puget Sound’s estuaries are teeming with life; from salmon smolts to dabbling ducks, seals to shorebirds, bull trout to bivalves. Estuaries are vitally important for many species of fish and wildlife…

Sustainable Dungeness crab fishery management keeps this popular Pacific Northwest seafood on tables nearly year-round In celebration of Valentine’s Day and American Heart Health Month, treat yourself and that special someone in your life with local, sustainable seafood instead of a box of chocolates! Seafood is a great source of…