The West Marine Northwest Salmon Derby Series is a fishing promotion program directed by the Northwest Marine Trade Association – producers of the Seattle Boat Show. In 2017, the West Marine Northwest Salmon Derby Series partners with 15 derbies throughout the region to promote fishing opportunities and events. At the conclusion of the Resurrection Derby in December, the Derby Series will award the grand prize boat to one lucky winner!
The West Marine Northwest Salmon Derby Series was created in 2004 by the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA) for the purpose of promoting salmon fishing opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. In the first year of the Series, six existing derbies were identified to become partners of the Series. Since that year, the Series has expanded to 12 tournaments in 2016.
Carefully and selectively, the Series has been very keen to partner with derbies that are wild fish friendly. Each event occurs within the guidelines of open fishing seasons that occur at a time of the year and area where hatchery Chinook and coho salmon exist. In fact, some of the tournaments have gone to “hatchery fish only” even during times and places where retention of unmarked Chinook and coho are acceptable for retention in accordance with the Department of Fish and Wildlife rules.
We, at the West Marine Northwest Salmon Derby Series and NMTA, are a partner to the protection and enhancement of wild Chinook and coho stocks. We encourage anglers to fish selectively and carefully to release unmarked Chinook and coho salmon, particularly when the rules require release.
By working with government agencies to protect wild stocks, while accessing abundant hatchery salmon, we believe this formula is the road map to the future of sport fishing for salmon in the Pacific Northwest.
