Anglers asked to respect construction boundaries at Naselle Hatchery
NASELLE — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking anglers to be mindful of construction boundaries when fishing near the Naselle Hatchery in Pacific County. The facility is under renovation and the nearby section of the Naselle River opens to salmon retention on Oct. 16. “The Naselle Hatchery is undergoing major reconstruction […]
Razor clam digging season postponed due to spike in marine toxins
OLYMPIA – The recreational razor clam season – originally scheduled to begin Oct. 9 through 14 on four coastal beaches – is postponed until further notice, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today. Test results on razor clams indicate domoic acid levels are trending upward or have exceeded the health guidelines set […]
Winter crabbing season opens Oct. 1 in several Puget Sound marine areas
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today that several Puget Sound marine areas will reopen for recreational crab fishing beginning Oct. 1. Waters reopening to sport crabbing seven days a week from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 include: Crabbing will not immediately reopen for the winter season in Marine Area […]
WDFW to conduct drone flights over northern coastal rivers to expand recreational fishery catch monitoring
OLYMPIA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff will conduct drone flights over the Quillayute and Hoh river systems to expand recreational fishery catch monitoring beginning in late September 2026. Drone flights will gather census count data by counting the number of anglers on each river. WDFW fishery managers use this data, combined […]
WDFW launches new kindergarten curriculum to introduce students to wildlife, habitats
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced Tuesday a new kindergarten curriculum centered around “Many Places, Many Lives,” an illustrated poetry collection that introduces students to wildlife of Washington and the habitats where they live. This new lesson bundle is part of the Department’s Wild Washington curricula: standards-based unit plans designed […]
WDFW completes updated plan to guide proactive conservation actions, species recovery
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recently completed its revised State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), designed to guide fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation in Washington for the next decade. Last updated in 2015, the plan acts as a roadmap for proactive conservation actions that prevent the need to list species under […]
WDFW hosting virtual public meetings about potential hunting rule proposals
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) invites the public to attend a series of informational virtual meetings about potential Washington hunting rule proposals. These rule change considerations are part of WDFW’s latest three-year season setting effort – a robust rule making process where the Department considers changes to hunting seasons or […]
WDFW invites comment on proposal to close recreational scallop harvesting
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is looking for public feedback on a proposed year-round closure to recreational scallop harvesting to reduce the risk of public exposure to biotoxins and support public health. If adopted, the closure would take effect as soon as late-December 2026 and would apply to all recreational […]
WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife names Michael Jewell as new police chief
OLYMPIA – Following a nationwide search, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police announced today its new police chief, Michael Jewell, a career law enforcement officer. He was sworn in on July 15, as the new chief. Jewell brings more than 26 years of law enforcement experience to his new role, including 24 years […]
