The WDFW 2002-2003 Sportfishing Rule Proposals call for the permanent angling closing of the Ft. Casey Beach area from the rock jetty at Keystone south to the line of pilings extending from the shoreline.

From the WDFW 2002-2003 Sportfishing Rule Proposal text:

CONSERVATION AREA AT FORT CASEY STATE PARK

Proposal: This proposal would create a conservation area (cloased to all non-Indian fishery harvest) in marine waters on the west side of Whidbey Island near Fort Casey State Park. This would include the waters from the rock jetty at Keystone south to the line of pilings extending from the shoreline, including the intertidal zone extending 100 yards west from the shoreline.

Explanation: The Washington Parks and Recreation Commission has asked that WDFW create a no-harvest zone at Fort Casey State Park. Reasons for this request include both habitat protection and visitor safety issues. Park managers cite conflicts between divers and shore-based fishers who fish with large weighted lures from the jetty in the area where divers concentrate. Divers are also concerned that visibility is so poor in the area that divers are endangering each other by using spearguns to harvest fish. The underwater park was created with divers in mind, and the Parks Commission envisioned a place where they could enjoy sea life in an area without harvest.


The rules package can be viewed and downloaded from the department's Web site, www.wa.gov/wdfw, and printed copies can be obtained by contacting the Fish Program at 360 902-2700. The package will be considered by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission at a meeting in Vancouver on Dec. 7-8, and then voted on at its February meeting. Written comments may be submitted during the Dec. 7 meeting or mailed before the meeting to Evan Jacoby, WDFW Rules Coordinator, WDFW, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia 98501. Comments may also be e-mailed to Jacoby at jacobesj@dfw.wa.gov. Verbal comments also may be presented at the Dec. 7 commission meeting, to be held at the Best Inn and Suites, 221 N.E. Chekalov St., Vancouver.

I urge all of you who fish the Ft. Casey area or those of you who don't think we should lose yet another sport fishery area to contact WDFW and send them written comments on the proposed closure.

I don't think it's right to close a public resource area granting one user group (divers) exclusive recreational use of an area over another user group (beach fishermen)! Not to mention Indian fishers would still have the right to harvest in a newly created conservation zone.

I plan on sending an e-mail to WDFW reflecting my thoughts and I urge the rest of you to do the same.

Sorry guys, but I may have rattled the saber over nothing. It looks like to me the closure is a very small area roughly 200-300 yards of beach. I would have to say I'm for the closure now. Let the divers have this area without the fear of having there face torn of by a Pt. Wilson Dart.

Thoughts?

You're right, this is nothing to lose sleep over. I've fished off the jetty a few times for salmon, rock fish, and ling cod (and the occasional diver), but the main beach that most fish will still be open...

I wonder if you can fish straight our or on the ferry terminal side of the jetty?? I guess I need to go back and read that again.

I've dove that site many a time. It's only from the Jetty to the pilings.

It's a great place to dive...if you don't mind all the Canadians that dive it on the weekends. It's a good place to see wolf eels, octopus, grunt sculpins, greenlings, and lingcod.

I'd have to agree with the WDFW on this one. Let the divers and fish have the sanctuary of the jetty. That place is always packed with divers and that will never change. Might as well make it a little safer for the divers and the fish by not allowing fishing there.

Parker

My first thoughts was that WDFW was proposing to close it from the jetty eastward to the pillings about 2 miles away on the corner of the bay. Then I realized they were talking about the pilings in the vicinity of the jetty.

Bobber - glad you spotted this and that is only a small area for safety of divers. According to "Western Outdoors" the California F&G is proposing to close many miles of shoreline to sport fishing for "marine preserves" and I was afraid the idea had migrated north. We should all be alert to situations like this. I'm for safety and conservation as long as there is a true scientific reason for an action - not vodoo science or political correctness. Bart