Something's fishy Washington is located smack in the center of the North Pacific fishing industry. Large fleets of fishing boats catch fish from the mouth of Columbia River all the way north to the Bering Sea in Alaska, Russia and into the central Pacific Ocean. Washington's fishing fleet ranges from small boats with nets that are cast by hand to huge trawlers that are "floating factories," equipped with high-tech equipment to find, harvest and even process the fish onboard. Most fish are caught in nets, but "long lines" with lots of hooks are used, too. Once caught, the fish are iced, sometimes cleaned, and brought ashore to a processing plant. Conservation practices on the West Coast are the best in the world. If government fisheries managers think that too many fish are being caught, they simply close the fishing season early or limit the catch. These are among the most common local fisheries: Whiting Our largest fish crop, this was once considered a "trash fish." Salmon Most are caught in Alaska during the summer. Herring These small fish aren't used just for bait. Herring roe is considered a delicacy in Japan. Herring are caught off Alaska's coast. Pollock Once ground up to make surimi paste that's used for imitation crab, now eaten as fillets. Rockfish A tasty fish caught in nets and on long lines. Tuna Large, fast swimming fish that live in the Pacific just off the West Coast. Flounder and sole Flatfish whose eyes are on the same side of their heads to see while swimming on the ocean bottom. Cod Most live near the ocean bottom in Alaska, feeding on other fish. Halibut They prefer cold, deep water and grow to several hundred pounds. Did you know? To prevent crabs from becoming extinct, it's against the law to keep a female crab. The three main species of crabs are: king and snow crab from Alaska, and Dungeness from the waters off Washington and Oregon. Crabbing is extremely dangerous work, mostly done during winter storms in the Bering Sea.
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