NMTA Pilotage Bill (SB 5262) passes

SEATTLE - APRIL 24, 2017 - Washington state continues to roll out the welcome mat for bigger boats with Gov. Inslee's signing of the NMTA Pilotage Bill (Senate Bill 5262). 

The bill provides a path for superyachts up to 1,300 gross tons and 200 feet to enter Washington state without needing a pilot on board. Once successfully completing the exemption process, these vessels can receive a waiver and cruise Washington’s waters.

This success builds upon NMTA’s Marine Tourism Bill, which was passed in 2015 after being introduced 4 years prior. The Marine Tourism Bill allows yachts registered as an LLC to stay in Washington waters 180 days before a 10 percent tax on the value of the boat is imposed by the state of Washington. Previously, boats would owe about ten percent of their value on that 61^st day in Washington state.

“While small in number, these vessels pack a punch when it comes to boosting local communities,” said NMTA Dir. Of Government Affairs Peter Schrappen. “We are hustling to get these boats here and have them stay here in the Northwest. Our region can compete with any other area of the world for scenery and workforce. Now, we are succeeding on improving the legislation, too.”

The new law takes effect on July 23, 2017.

NMTA forming ad hoc committee on copper bottom paint legislation

NMTA is forming an ad hoc committee to identify potential shortfalls and attributes in the existing copper-bottom paint legislation (SB 5436). This committee’s work will wrap up by mid-July 2017 and the meetings will probably occur every two weeks at NMTA.

The first meeting will be a conference call tomorrow (Wednesday, April 19 at 4:00). If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact NMTA’s Vice President & Director of Government Affairs Peter Schrappen (Peter@Nmta.net). 

Washington's salmon fishing seasons set for 2017

April 11, 2017
Contact: Kyle Adicks, (360) 902-2664;
Michelle Dunlop, (360) 902-2255
Washington's salmon fisheries set for 2017

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Washington anglers can expect a mixed bag of salmon fisheries this year with slightly increased opportunities in the ocean, seasons similar to last year in the Columbia River, and continued restrictions in Puget Sound. 

The state's 2017 salmon fishing seasons, developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and treaty tribal co-managers, were finalized during the Pacific Fishery Management Council's meeting in Sacramento, Calif.

In recent years, unfavorable environmental conditions, such as warm ocean water and drought, have reduced the number of salmon returning to Washington's waters, said Kyle Adicks, salmon policy lead for WDFW.

"We're in the third year of a multi-year downturn in salmon returns," Adicks said. "Similar to last year, we faced significant challenges in crafting fisheries."

With low returns of coho and wild chinook expected back to several rivers, fishery managers are limiting opportunities in some areas to protect those fish. The most severe restrictions will be in Puget Sound marine and freshwater areas, where the forecast is for extremely low returns of "key stocks," such as Skagit River coho and Nooksack River chinook.

"We made some difficult decisions this year in order to protect weak salmon stocks," said Adicks. "However, we worked with constituents to preserve fishing opportunities where it made sense."

Anglers fishing for coho in Puget Sound marine areas will have improved opportunities in areas 9-13 while those fishing in areas 5-8 will see closures or will be limited to openings that align with chinook seasons. That's still an improvement from last year, when only Hood Canal and south Sound were open for coho fishing. Rivers such as the Skagit and Stillaguamish also will be closed to coho fishing this year.

Opportunities for chinook fishing in Puget Sound marine areas are somewhat similar to last year with a few more closures in the winter. Marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) are scheduled to be open from July 16 through Aug. 15, like in 2016. However, both areas have higher catch quotas that should provide better opportunity.

Anglers will have limited opportunities to fish for pink salmon in Puget Sound due to projected low returns of pinks this year. There are no "bonus bag" limits for pink salmon in 2017.

In the Columbia River, anglers will see salmon fisheries that are similar to last year. The popular Buoy 10 fishery opens Aug. 1 while the chinook fishery on the mainstem from the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge will be open from June 16 through July 31 for hatchery summer chinook and sockeye.

Anglers fishing Washington's ocean waters will be able to retain chinook, as well as coho salmon in all four marine areas, as compared to 2016 when coho retention was limited only to Marine Area 1. Salmon fisheries get underway daily in areas 1 (Ilwaco), 3 (La Push) and 4 (Neah Bay) on June 24 and on July 1 in Marine Area 2 (Westport).

Information on recreational salmon fisheries in Washington's ocean waters and the lower Columbia River is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/, where notable changes to this year's Puget Sound sport salmon fisheries also can be found. Details on all recreational salmon fisheries will be provided in the 2017-18 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, which will be available in late June.

For information on tribal fisheries, contact the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (http://nwifc.org/).