Washington closes all recreational fishing until April 8

Recreational fishing in Washington will be closed until April 8. Recreational fishing in Washington will be closed until April 8. Photo: Bill Hinton Via Getty Images Photo: Bill Hinton Via Getty Images Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Washington closes all recreational fishing until April 8 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced on March 25 that all recreational fishing in the state will be closed under Governor Jay Inslee's orders that all residents stay at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“This is not a decision we take lightly, but it’s the right thing to do for the health and well-being of Washington’s families,” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind. “Monday’s extraordinary order for the residents of our state to stay home requires all of us to work together to ensure these measures have the intended effect.”

This closure of recreational fishing is expected to last until April 8, but WDFW also stated it will reassess the situation on April 6 to decide whether that deadline will need to be extended. Opening day for trout is still scheduled for April 25, but is also subject to change. The agency has also closed beaches to razor clam digs to prevent people from congregating.

The new closure comes as all state-managed parks, wildlife areas and water access areas have closed in an effort to stop the outbreak after public lands saw a surge of activity that put people in close proximity with one another.

"We’ve seen an uptick in outdoor recreation at some locations in recent weeks as people have looked for ways to get outside," said WDFW Fish Program Director Kelly Cunningham. "We’ve had reports of crowded boat ramps and busy fishing on some rivers, which runs counter to the governor’s direction to stay home and practice social distancing."

WDFW stated that officers will remain on duty to enforce these new rules.

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