WDFW Seeks Public Comment For Salmon Fishing Season

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) wants your input for the 2025-26 salmon fishing season.

Comment takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at 1115 Washington Street S.E. in Olympia. You can also submit input via Zoom.

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The agency will consider input from recreational and commercial anglers and those interested in salmon. State fishery managers will work with tribal co-managers for the upcoming year.

WDFW Director Kelly Susewind says salmon recovery is the top priority.

"The Washington salmon season-setting process is an important time for us to hear from the public as we develop upcoming salmon fisheries," Susewind said. "We will continue to provide recreational and commercial harvest opportunities where salmon populations are healthy enough to sustain them."

WDFW and Tribal forecasters use watershed sampling and monitoring, ocean indicators, and previous year returns to estimate the number of salmon and steelhead returning to Northwest waters.

If you are unavailable to make comments over zoom or online, you are able to submit an online comment on the WDFW website.

As of the most recent study published in 2023, Washington State fishermen caught more than 372,000 salmon in marine and freshwater areas combined.