Tag Archives: Willapa Bay
Willapa Bay crabbers deliver record haul
More than 1.5 million pounds of Dungeness crab have been caught by commercial fishermen in the bay this year, far exceeding previous annual landings records over the past 25 years. Despite a two-month delay in the 2022-2023 season that eventually began Feb. 1, the current commercial Dungeness landings are about 1.54 million pounds as of Monday, March 27, a roughly 23% increase over the previous record of 1.19 million pounds caught during the entire 2010-2011 season. Pinched by inflated fuel and expenses and a low price from processors, commercial crab fishermen would rather put this current season behind them as they prepare for the next fishery. “It’s been above average,” said commercial fishermen Ross Kary. “But with the crab price it’s still not the best year I’ve had. With the price of everything, expenses are really high. We were lucky to not go bankrupt.” Photos, >click to read< 20:20
Drone scours half of WA coast in search of missing fisherman
A drone with a camera last weekend flew over 109 miles of Pacific coastline, from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Quinault Indian Reservation, but found no sign of Bryson Fitch, the missing crab fisherman who was lost at sea almost one month ago when his vessel capsized near Willapa Bay. Since then, meticulous beachcombing efforts by the Willapa Bay community have discovered parts of the F/V Ethel May, including the hull, stern, wheelhouse and other miscellaneous equipment, on beaches from Long Beach to Westport, but Fitch has yet to be found. Drone images from the most recent search revealed similar pieces from the broken fishing vessel, but most had already been discovered, according to drone pilot John Jones. >click to read< 11:40
F/V Terry F runs into serious trouble, Coast Guard rescues crew and a dog, vessel breaks up, Fundraiser!
The crabber F/V Terry F ran into life-threatening trouble near the north end of the peninsula Saturday morning in the first hours of the Dungeness 73-hour pre-soak period. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three crewmembers after the vessel reportedly lost power and began taking on water at about 7:30 a.m. about 4 miles offshore from the mouth of Willapa Bay.,, They instructed the crew to enter the water one at a time to meet a rescue swimmer. All three were wearing survival suits and communication gear. The commercial crab season started Saturday morning when boats were allowed to set their pots offshore. John Weldon photos, >click to read< 17:50
Video: Coast Guard rescues 3 people, 1 dog from fishing vessel taking on water near Willapa Bay, WA – A Coast Guard Sector Columbia River aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue three mariners and a dog from a sinking vessel near Willapa Bay, WA, Saturday, Feb. 13. >click to watch<
A Fundraiser by Lawauna Cappa – Westport Fisherman loses livelihood & home at sea – This morning my brother Matt Finley and his crew left the Westport dock with f/v Terry F loaded with crab pots to finally begin the crab season.,, The fishing vessel began taking on water and sinking.,,, >>click to read< and please, donate if you can!
Old Willapa boats get new lives – May West to serve as concert stage; Tokeland will be historical exhibit
With the Jazz and Oysters music festival moving to the Port of Peninsula (PoP) in Nahcotta this weekend, it seems right that the musicians would be performing on a stage befitting the event. The deck of the former oyster dredge May West will be making its official debut as a stage at the annual event, after the Northern Oyster Company donated the retired vessel to the port earlier this summer.,, The barge is one of two retired oyster boats that have been donated to PoP recently, with the Herrold family also having contributed their historic boat, Tokeland. >click to read<11:56
Coast Guard monitors efforts to confirm location of sunken vessel in Willapa Bay
Coast Guard personnel continue to monitor the response to the report of the overdue fishing vessel Kelli J after a boat crew contracted through the vessel owner’s insurance company located a large unknown object in the area of a previously sighted pollution and debris in the water of Willapa Bay, Tuesday. Global Diving and Salvage personnel have been contracted by the insurance company to dive on and identify the object Wednesday, and assess what actions can be taken for potential salvage. Around 3:35 p.m. on Saturday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a report that the operator of the Kelli J was overdue from a fishing trip. The report came from the vessel operator’s wife, who stated he was due to return at 12:30 p.m. that day and confirmed his vehicle was still at a Nahcotta marina with no vessel in sight. >click to read<23:39
Willapa gillnetters losing grip
It’s been a tough two years for gillnetters on Willapa Bay. Battered by increasing costs, stifled by stricter regulation and furious over fewer fishing days, commercial gillnetters have been gritting their teeth since 2015 when a new management plan was instituted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. As some in the industry were forced to sell their boats and find new work, others remain steadfast and galvanized in their resolve in calling for change in what they say has been mismanagement by WDFW officials in Olympia. Over the past three years, the commercial gillnetting industry on Willapa Bay has gone through a gauntlet of highs and lows. Record catches were celebrated during 2014 only to be followed by the devastating 2015 season that was largely stifled under new regulation. Read the story here 08:56
Willapa Bay gillnetters lock horns with state over Salmon Fishing Policy
Drought hit Willapa Bay salmon runs hard this year while questions remain about how a new commercial salmon fishing policy affects local fishermen. At a recent meeting at Naselle High School, representatives from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife expected to field questions regarding the die-off of approximately 10,000 salmon below the Naselle Hatchery due to low stream flow and other drought-related factors this fall. Instead, they spent most of the time hearing concerns from commercial gillnet fishermen living on both sides of the Columbia River regarding the salmon fishing policy that went into effect earlier this year. Read the article here 08:09
Willapa Bay Gillnetters begin legal challenge to new salmon management policy
A group of commercial gillnet fishermen filed a petition June 30, seeking judicial review of a new salmon 
policy on Willapa Bay. The Willapa Bay Gillnetters Association, represented by attorneys Ryen Godwin and Gregory Jacoby of Tacoma-based McGavick Graves, argues the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife acted outside of statuary authority when it placed restrictions on fishing times, place, manner and fishing method in the policy instead of in a rule. The attorneys also claim the department acted in an “arbitrary and capricious” Read the rest here 12:42
