OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is hosting a virtual public meeting to discuss management options for the 2027-2028 coastal recreational bottomfish fisheries on Dec. 10 at 3 p.m.

West Coast bottomfish are managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) on a biennial management cycle. The PFMC is currently considering harvest levels (annual catch limits) and management measures such as seasons and bag limits that will affect Washington coastal bottomfish fisheries during the 2027-2028 biennium.

The purpose of the upcoming meeting is to discuss and get feedback on potential management measures intended to keep the catch within Washington’s recreational harvest guidelines during the upcoming biennium.

WDFW will host additional meetings in the spring of 2026 to get input from participants in the Washington coastal recreational bottomfish fishery in conjunction with the PFMC’s public process during PFMC meetings in April and June of 2026.

The meeting will be conducted virtually on Microsoft Teams. To participate, use this weblink. If prompted, the meeting ID is 225 208 698 490 62?and the passcode is?HB39PB96. Participants can also join by phone by dialing 564-999-2000 and entering conference ID?915 584 897#.

For additional information, refer to the WDFW recreational bottomfish and halibut webpage. The meeting will be recorded and posted online to WDFW’s YouTube channel so people can also watch afterwards at their convenience.

For more information on bottomfish management, refer to the PFMC’s groundfish website.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.